Limbang District

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Limbang
Official logo of Limbang
Districts of Sarawak
Location of Limbang
Country Malaysia
State Sarawak
District Office location Limbang
Local area government(s) Majlis Daerah Limbang
Area
 • Total 3,976.60 km2 (1,535.37 sq mi)
Population (2000)
 • Total 40,959
 • Density 10/km2 (27/sq mi)
District Officer Anyi Ngau
Ethnicity Malay/Kedayan (30.3%), Iban (24.7%), Chinese (21.3%), Others (23.7%)

Limbang District is one of the two districts of Limbang Division, Malaysia. It has a total area of 3,976.00 square kilometres. The major town is Limbang. It has one sub-district, which is Nanga Medamit. It borders Brunei Darussalam to the west and east, Lawas District to the southeast and Miri District at the south and southwest. Due to being squeezed in between Brunei Darussalam at its north and coastal areas, Limbang is accessible by road only by going through immigration posts. According to history, this area was annexed by Charles Anthoni Johnson Brooke, the second Rajah of Sarawak in 1890 from Brunei to become the fifth division of Sarawak. The annexation was strongly disputed by Brunei.[1] However, the issue has been reportedly settled in 2009, with Brunei agreeing to accept the border in exchange for Malaysia giving up claims to oil fields in Bruneian waters.[2]

The de facto boundary ran along the watershed between the Brunei River and Limbang River basins on the western side of the district, and along the length of the Pandaruan River on the eastern side. Boundary agreements have delineated a stretch of the western border[3] and the Pandaruan River[4] while the other stretches have yet to be delineated.

Limbang is claimed by the Nation of Brunei as part of its integral territory. In 2009, Malaysian media reported that Brunei dropped all claims to Limbang after a meeting was held with both parties. Brunei dismisses the news and reiterated that the Limbang disputes was never mentioned in its 2009 high-profile meeting with Malaysia.

Demography

The population of Limbang district (year 2000) was 40,959.

Ethnics

Limbang is traditionally a home to Malay, Kedayan, Chinese, Iban and Orang Ulu people.

Limbang is the most culturally diverse and distinct part of Sarawak. It is a melting pot of many cultures, including Malay, Kedayan, Chinese, Iban and various Orang Ulu ethnic groups such as Lun Bawang, Bisaya, Murut, Kelabit and Penan. It has one of the highest concentration of Orang Ulu people in Sarawak.

Population of Limbang by Ethnicity[5][6]
Administrative District Total
Population
Malay1 Iban Bidayuh Melanau Other
Bumiputera2
Chinese Other
Non-Bumiputera
Non-Citizen
Limbang 47,000
(100%)
11,700
(24.9%)
13,000
(27.7%)
300
(0.6%)
300
(0.6%)
14,000
(29.8%)
6,400
(13.6%)
200
(0.1%)
1,100
(2.3%)

Note:
1 Excluding Kedayan.
2 Including Kedayan and other Orang Ulu such as Lun Bawang, Kelabit, Penan, Murut etc.

Economy

The economy is largely based on the timber and agricultural industries. Timber industry remains a strong component of the district's economy. Agriculture is relatively minor although growing steadily, with oil palm, rattan and pepper the main products.

Transportation

Owing to its geographical location, Limbang is completely cut off from the rest of Sarawak's road network. It is however has good road links to both parts of Brunei located to the east and west of the district. There is also a good local network of roads in the district.

There are two road border crossing checkpoints in Limbang district, both into Brunei.

  • Tedungan: Located 43 km west of Limbang, it is the road crossing into the main part of Brunei from Limbang. The Brunei checkpoint is called Kuala Lurah.
  • Pandaruan: This checkpoint is located 15 km east of Limbang on the Pandaruan River which forms the border between Sarawak and Brunei's Temburong district. The crossing has to be done by ferry. The checkpoint on the Brunei side is called Puni and operates out of a wooden building located 500m from the ferry landing point.

Infrastructure

Education

Limbang District has five secondary schools: SMK Limbang, SMKA Limbang, SMK Medamit, SMK Seri Patiambun Limbang and SMK Kubong.[7] It has numerous primary schools, mostly scattered around Limbang rural areas.

Healthcare

Limbang has its own hospital which is Hospital Limbang. However, as for surgeries and more critical cases, they are normally referred to Miri Hospital, or to greater extent, Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching.

Security

Limbang District has a police district office. There are also police stations and police bits located at strategic locations, as well as rural areas. Despite being the fourth largest division, Limbang Division so far has no district military bases. This is also true for Limbang District. Only small military camps do exist just to make presence at Limbang district.

Government services

Other government offices have set up their branches in Limbang Districts such as Royal Customs, Fire and Rescue Department, Education Department etc.

See also

References

  1. the CIA World Factbook
  2. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. "Agreement between the Government of Brunei and the Government of Sarawak regarding the boundary between the States of Brunei and Sarawak between Limbang and Brunei from the coast to a point west of Bukit Gadong signed by the British Resident, Brunei and the Resident, Fifth Division, Sarawak dated the 24th of February 1933, covering a distance of 37.0km" quoted by Ahmad Fauzi Nordin".
  5. Sarawak Ethnic Statistic from Sarawak Journal.
  6. Sarawak Ethnic Statistic from Sarawak Journal.
  7. http://apps.moe.gov.my/emis/emis2/emisportal2/doc/fckeditor/File/senarai_sek_09/menengah/SarawakM.pdf from Ministry of Education

External links