SIBU - THE MAKINGS OF A CITY: THE PAST, THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE

Abstract

When talking about the towns and cities in Malaysia, most people will mention Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Melaka, the major cities in peninsular Malaysia. If the topic is turned to east Malaysia, most outsiders could only identify Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. For this dissertation, the focus will be on a lesser known town called Sibu, located at the banks of the Rajang River, in the island of Borneo. It is the third biggest town in the state of Sarawak, in east Malaysia. A town with unique origins, Sibu’s beginnings can be traced to the early 1900s when a large influx of Chinese immigrants came and settled there, setting the foundation for the demographics, culture and heritage of the town. Originally a small river-side port, Sibu became a pre-dominantly Chinese and Christian town, with an interesting combination of Chinese architecture and Christian churches. Along with the natives — Ibans, Melanaus and Malays, Sibu became the quintessential Southeast Asian town — multi-racial and multi-cultural. The discussion about Sibu today revolves around the question whether Sibu can be considered a city or not? Before this issue can be fully discussed, it begs the question- What makes a city? After the timber industry boom in the 1980s, Sibu has yet to see a significant economic rise, thus prompting the debate that Sibu’s economy is on the decline, which will lead to a stunted urban development. This dissertation will explore the intricacies of city-making and attempt to discuss the status of Sibu’s urban development and whether it should be called a city.