SYSTEM OF COMMUNICATION IN BAU

When gold and antimony were discovered in Bau in the early 19th Century, footpaths were constructed to connect the various mining areas, such as Mau San, Jambusan, Paku, Tai Park, Taiton, Bidi and Buso. Later, in order to facilitate the transportation of ores, rails were laid for tramways from Buso to Jambusan and Buso to Ban and Bidi. The discovery of mercury in the 1867 led to the construction of another footpath/railway from Simpang Kuda to Tegora and Gading. Today, more than 95% of the district is accessible by roads.

Riverine transport was important in the olden days because it was the only mode of transportation from Bau to Kuching either through Tondong, Buso or Siniawan. As communication improved between Bau and Buso, Buso became an important riverine port of the district. This was the golden period of Buso.

During the time of Liu Shanbang (from 1830-1857) there was only a footpath from Bau to Buso but there was a good riverine communication between Pangkalan Bau/-Tondong/Kuching. This was the route used by Liu Shanbang to attack and conquer Kuching in February, 1857. It was probably after 1860 when the Borneo Company erected a smelter at Buso that another road was constructed from Bau/Tondong to Bau/Buso.

From Buso, there was a footpath leading to Siniawan through Jugan and it took a person 3 hours walk to reach Bau. From Tondong, there was also a footpath as well. It took a person only one hour to walk through Sebuku road to reach the town. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, transportation of gold either through road or river was risky. Very often, the gold was robbed by gangsters along Bau/Buso or along Sungai Sarawak. During the Japanese Occupation, a gold miner from Jugan who was transporting his gold bars to Kuching by boat was not only robbed but also killed by the robbers.

There was no road from Kuching to Bau prior to 1955. Wagons were commonly used (either by hand or by animal) and could be seen along Buso/Bau/Bidi or Buso/Paku/Jambusan railways. Pack horses were used to get to Tegora from Buso via a resting station called Simpang Kuda near Kg. Seromah. Today there are no horses around Simpang Kuda. Hence a school known as Sekolah Rendah Kerajaan Simpang Kuda was built there. Temenggong Datuk Salau of Kg. Seropak recalled that during the Japanese Occupation, the mercury deposit at Tegora and Gading was mined by the Japanese. The road was very busy. Wagons and horses were used to transport manpower and ores. He said, 'The road leading from Simpang Kuda has to cross a bridge known asJambatan Merah which is still being used by the people from Kg. Seromah, Kg. Seropak and Kg. Puak to go to the farms. The roads built in the Tegora mining area were all paved with bricks and some are still in existence after 100 years. There was even a telephone service in Tegora and Gading area during the Second World War."

In 1938, a teacher by the name of Yap Hua Fun who travelled from Kuching to Bau described the journey as follows: "I left Kuching by a Chinese motor launch at 9.00 a.m. It took the motor launch three and half hours to reach Siniawan. From Siniawan Bazaar, there was a narrow winding gravel road to Bau. I used a mini bus from Siniawan toPaku and reached Bau at 2.00 p.m. The journey from Kuching to Bau took at least 5 hours. Now we can reach Bau from Kuching either by bus or taxi in less than one hour,"

Before the Confrontation between Malaysia and Indonesia, the road construction from Kuching had reached Bau, Krokong and Pejiru only. In view of the security problem, Pejiru/ Stass    Road was constructed   during the height of the Confrontation to provide better movement for the security forces along the border. The road is still commonly known as "Jalan Sukarno" by the locals. T.K. Jokin ak Minum, Kg. Stass said, "If  there  was  no Confrontation between Malaysia and Indonesia, Bau/Pejiru/ Stass Road would not have been constructed. In order to  remind  us  of the    Confrontation, the  locals  call  it "Jalan Sukarno."

Upon completion of Kuching/Bau Road in 1956 and the construction of feeder roads to Krokong andJambusan, the road system in the district was greatly improved. Slowly, the riverine transport was being replaced by road system. The commencement of the construction of Bau/Lundu Road and Bau/Tondong/Batu Kawa Road in 1962 had further improved the road system to another neighbouring district of Lundu. Today, one can go to Bau either by the winding but sealed Kuching/Bau Road or by the all-weather road through Kuching/Matang, Tondong/Bau Road.

One airstrip was constructed along Jalan Bungalow, Bau and was completed in 1965. As it was during the height of Malaysia/Indonesia Confrontation, it was mainly used for security operations. In view of close proximity to Kuching now and that the Confrontation had ended, the airstrip is no longer serviceable. When the management of Bukit Young Gold Mining Company took over the gold mine in 1984, the airstrip was used as the drying shed for the gold ore.

In 1980, two more feeder roads, namely Singai Road and Pcjiru/Scrikin Road were completed. The two roads provide accessibility to 12 more Kampungs in the areas; more land has been opened for agricultural purposes.