Simanggang | |
|---|---|
Town anddistrict capital | |
.jpg) Aerial view of Simanggang andLupar River | |
 Seal  Towns of Sarawak | |
| Nickname: Benak Town | |
  Simanggang Location in Malaysia | |
| Coordinates:1°14′7″N111°28′11″E / 1.23528°N 111.46972°E /1.23528; 111.46972 | |
| Country |  Malaysia |
| State |  Sarawak |
| Division | Sri Aman |
| District | Sri Aman |
| Division Office Location | Sri Aman |
| Local area government(s) | Sri Aman District Council |
| Population (2024[1]) | |
• Total | 90,242 |
| Postal code | 95xxx |
| International dialling code prefix | +6083 (landline only) |
| President | Anthony Abell Chendan |
| Website | www |
Sri Aman District Council Majlis Daerah Sri Aman | |
|---|---|
| |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 10 February 1963 |
| Preceded by | Batang Lupar District Council |
| Leadership | |
President | Anthony Abell Chendan |
District Secretary | Tay Guan Huat |
| Motto | |
| Berkhidmat (Service) | |
| Meeting place | |
| Peti Surat 78, 95007 Sri Aman, Sarawak. | |
| Website | |
| sriamandc | |
Simanggang is a town and the capital ofSri Aman District andSri Aman Division inSarawak, eastMalaysia. Located on the Lupar River, it is 193 kilometres (120 mi), a three-hour drive, fromKuching, the capital of Sarawak. It is a trade center for thetimber,oil palm,rubber, andpepper of its mostly agricultural district.
Simanggang is famous for thebenak, ortidal bore, of the Batang Lupar River.[2] Thetidal bore comes in from the river mouth and fills up the river very rapidly in the course of about 10 minutes. The wave crest at Simanggang is up to two to three metres (7 to 10 ft) high. This is one of approximately 48 rivers and estuaries in the world where this phenomenon happens. What is special about Simanggang's benak is that it occurs every day, the only river in the world that does that.
There is a timetable at the river which has the time and dates for when the tidal bore will occur, but the really big ones occur only a couple of times a year. The authorSomerset Maugham almost died at Simanggang during one of these tidal bores, an event commemorated the event in his short storyThe Yellow Streak.
Simanggang is also a gateway for tourists to theBatang Ai National Park, and cultural tours to the Ibanlonghouses along the rivers.
The town of Simanggang was known for the same name until 1973. Following thememorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in October 1973 betweengovernment of Sarawak and Communist members to end the armed conflict in southern Sarawak, the name of the town was changed to "Sri Aman" while the administrative division was renamed asSri Aman Division in March 1974.[3] Sri Aman means "town of peace" in theMalay language.[4] In 2019, the town reverted to its old name "Simanggang" according to the wishes of the local residents. However, the administrative division retains its "Sri Aman" name.[5]
Agriculture,livestock,technical & vocational education,communication andmultimedia,public service sector, andcommercial business is the major active economic activities in Simanggang.
Simanggang has atropical rainforest climate (Af) with heavy to very heavy rainfall year-round.
| Climate data for Simanggang | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30.2 (86.4) | 30.4 (86.7) | 31.3 (88.3) | 32.0 (89.6) | 32.3 (90.1) | 32.2 (90.0) | 32.1 (89.8) | 31.9 (89.4) | 31.7 (89.1) | 31.7 (89.1) | 31.3 (88.3) | 30.8 (87.4) | 31.5 (88.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.3 (79.3) | 26.4 (79.5) | 27.0 (80.6) | 27.4 (81.3) | 27.6 (81.7) | 27.4 (81.3) | 27.1 (80.8) | 27.0 (80.6) | 27.0 (80.6) | 27.1 (80.8) | 26.9 (80.4) | 26.6 (79.9) | 27.0 (80.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22.4 (72.3) | 22.4 (72.3) | 22.7 (72.9) | 22.8 (73.0) | 23.0 (73.4) | 22.6 (72.7) | 22.2 (72.0) | 22.2 (72.0) | 22.4 (72.3) | 22.5 (72.5) | 22.5 (72.5) | 22.4 (72.3) | 22.5 (72.5) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 324 (12.8) | 252 (9.9) | 285 (11.2) | 281 (11.1) | 265 (10.4) | 198 (7.8) | 170 (6.7) | 261 (10.3) | 264 (10.4) | 292 (11.5) | 334 (13.1) | 405 (15.9) | 3,331 (131.1) |
| Source: Climate-Data.org[6] | |||||||||||||
| Ethnicity | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | |
| Malays | 13128 | 14.55% |
| Iban | 58854 | 65.22% |
| Bidayuh | 952 | 1.05% |
| Melanau | 281 | 0.31% |
| Other Bumiputeras | 7 | 0.01% |
| Chinese | 16730 | 18.54% |
| Indians | 0 | 0% |
| Others | 0 | 0% |
| Malaysian total | 89952 | 99.68% |
| Non-Malaysian | 290 | 0.32% |
| Total | 90242 | 100.00% |
| Year | Pop. | ±% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 11,268 | — | ||
| 1995 | 14,735 | +30.8% | ||
| 2004 | 22,394 | +52.0% | ||
| 2010 | 35,687 | +59.4% | ||
| 2015 | 59,986 | +68.1% | ||
| 2024 | 90,242 | +50.4% | ||
| ||||
| Source:[7] | ||||
According to the recent census,Iban is the largest ethnic that lived permanently in Simanggang, with total 58,854 residents (65% of the total population). This district's population also followed byChinese,Malays, andBidayuh community.
| Route No. | Operating Route | Operator | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| K25 | Kuching-Sri Aman | CPL |
Sri Aman II hospital started operation since September 2022.[8]
Fort Alice, built in 1864, is the oldest heritage building in Simanggang, constructed following the victory ofRajah Charles Brooke, the second Rajah of Sarawak, overRentap, the last of the major Iban chieftains, in 1864. The Fort was named after Charles Brooke's wife, Margaret Alice Lili de Windt. It served as a defensive structure controlling the Lupar River.
The structure was built on a strategic hilltop position and had a commanding view of the river with cannons bearing down to stop any threats coming from upriver. It played a major role in suppressingpiracy,slavery, and head-hunting, while encouraging trade and expanding the authority of the Rajah. Fort Alice was the Simanggang administrative center, housing various government departments and even a prison.
It was here Rajah Charles used to preside as judge settling disputes among the local Ibans during his many visits to Simanggang. It was built entirely of belian (ironwood) timber. Much of thetimber used was taken from an earlier fort, Fort James Brooke, which had been built further upriver in Nanga Skrang. However, Fort James was built onlowland and was hard to defend, as was proven in 1853 when one of the Rajah's officers, Alan Lee, died in an attack by the Iban chieftain Rentap.
It was decided to dismantle Fort James and to rebuild it in a more strategic and more defensible site in Simanggang District (now Sri Aman Division). Thus Fort Alice was built. Most of the original structure remains substantially intact, but it is in an extremely dilapidated and run down condition and in need of urgent restoration work. Many articles have been written to highlight the sorry state of the grand old lady. Restoration for the fort had been done in April 2015 and been changed into a museum.
