Julau
Julau is a town, and the capital of the Julau District in Sarikei Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. The district population was 34,500. The population is dominated by Iban as well as Chinese especially the Fuzhou.
Etymology
History
In 1853, James Brooke was able to take over Rajang River and its surrounding settlements from the Brunei Sultanate. A person from Xiamen named Limah Din was the first Chinese to arrive in Julau in 1929. He settled near the mouth of the Julau river and started acres of rubber plantations. He then used his home to start a trade business with the natives in Julau. In memory of his role in opening up Julau, a road is now named after him as Limah Din road. The Chinese started business activities in 1936 at the mouth of the Julau river between Julau and Nanga Meluan. In the same year, the Brooke government set up a fort at a hill in Meluan in order to defend itself from the Iban attacks led by Penghulu Asun. In 1938, the Brooke government formally put Julau under the jurisdiction of Ng Meluan. The trading of rubber sheets and Engkabang fruits between the Iban and the Chinese was the major economic activity in Julau.During the Japanese occupation of Sarawak,there were some Iban people who took advantage of the power vacuum and went downriver and perform raiding activities. Therefore, the Chinese in Julau decided to cooperate with other more friendly Ibans to start patrolling and protecting the people. Besides, several Ibans decided to let the Chinese to open up their lands for the cultivation of rice, corn, and tobacco. In 1953, the Bao Hua cinema (宝华戏院)was opened. However, in 1980s, due to the wide of availability of television sets, the cinema was closed down. In 1954, there were 22 shophouses in Julau. However, in 1965, all the shophouses were burnt down in a fire; while the land where the shophouses were built are left abandoned today. In 1955, a hospital, a telephone department, and a village council was set up. In 1957, a dormitory for the civil servants was built. In 1957, the first row of five concrete shophouses were built. In the same year, the Julau village council started to install power station, electrical wires, and light bulbs, replacing oil lamps. Motorboat companies were set up to connect Julau with other towns along the Rajang River such as Machan, Kanowit, and Sibu. In 1960, Julau businessmen started a pipe water project where river water was pumped into shophouses and homes. The water project was later taken over by the government water board.
In 1963, Malaysia was formed. Road conditions were improved. This significantly shorten the travelling time from Julau to Sarikei and Sibu. In 1970s, Julau bridge was built. Motorboat companies have to close down their businesses due to reducing number of customers. In 1967, the first government secondary school in Julau was set up. Students from other rural areas such as Entabai, Pakan, and Meluan came to study here. In 1970s, Julau water board, telephone department, agriculture department and police department were built. Previously, Julau was a sub-district under the jurisdiction of Kanowit District. In 1973, Julau was upgraded into a district and is put under the administration of Sarikei Division.
Government
- Julau District Office
- Julau Sub-District Education Department
- Julau District Agriculture Department
- Julau District Police Station
- Julau District Health Department
- Julau District Public Works Department
- Julau District Information Department
- Meradong-Julau District Council
- Julau District National Registration Department
- Julau District Social Welfare Department
- Julau Cooperative Development Department
- Julau District KEMAS Office
- Julau District Post Office
- Julau District RELA Office
- Julau District SESCO
- Julau District Telekom Malaysia
Geography
Demographics
The first Christian missionary in Julau was spread by Liu Yang Xin in 1946 when she completed her studies at Singapore Nanyang Girls' High School. She started a Sunday school during her free time. However, the Sunday school stopped operating when she was transferred back to Singapore Nanyang Nanyang Girls' High School in the end of the same year. After that, intermittent Christian missionaries were sent here from 1948 to 1950. Only in 1958, a permanent christian missionary was tasked to visit Julau once or twice a month to host Sunday worship services. In 1971, Julau Methodist Church was established. A Methodist kinder-garden was established in 1988.Place of Worship
;Christian- Julau St. Alphonsus Catholic Church
- Julau Methodist Church
- Julau Centre Seventh-day Adventist Church
- Nanga Luau Seventh-day Adventist Church
- Nanga Ejit Seventh-day Adventist Church
- Nanga Ayam Seventh-day Adventist Church
- Nanga Lijan Seventh-day Adventist Church
- Nanga Merurun Seventh-day Adventist Church
- Nanga Udur Seventh-day Adventist Church
- Nanga Rayah Seventh-day Adventist Church
- Nurul Hidayah Mosque
Economy
Transport
For people from rural areas, their major mode of transport to Julau is plying through the rivers.;Land
Public Bus
- Borneo Almagated Sdn. Bhd
- Today, most of Julau people have their own personal transportation, such as car, motorcycle and van to travel to their destination.
There are many remote places in Julau that have not reachable yet with land transportation and boat is the only solution for them to go there.
Other utilities
Education
The first primary school in Julau was set up in 1946, named Wen Ming primary school. It was hosted inside a catholic church. In 1950, the school was migrated into a new shophouse. In 1951, a formal school building was completed. All the pupils from Wen Ming primary school were migrated into the new school building. At the same time, the school was renanmed as Yuk Kung primary school. In 1956, the school formally accepts subsidies from the Sarawak government.;Pre-School
- Nanga Julau KEMAS Kindergarten
- Nanga Boa KEMAS Kindergarten
- Ejit KEMAS Kindergarten
- Bilat KEMAS Kindergarten
- Meluan KEMAS Kindergarten
- Entabai KEMAS Kindergarten
- Methodist Kindergarten
The first school was started by Christian Missionaries. After the World War II, a Mission School called Roman Catholic Mission opened publicly in the 1930s. This school is the original of today's Julau St. Alphonsus Primary School or SK St. Alphonsus Julau.
In 1951, Julau's Chinese also want to start their own school which then called Julau Yuk Kung Chinese National-type School or SJK Yuk Kung Julau.
The following years shows more primary schools are built, they are:
- Nanga Luau Primary School
- Nanga Merurun Primary School
- Kelangas Primary School
- Nanga Meluan Primary School
- Nanga Entabai Primary School
- Lubuk Assam Primary School
- Tapang Punggu Primary School
- Nanga Maong Primary School
- Nanga Ju Primary School
- Nanga Ensiring Primary School
- Nanga Jambu Primary School
- Nanga Serau Primary School
- Nanga Lasi Primary School
- Julau National High School or Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Julau
SMK Julau did not provides any sixth form of secondary education, referred to as "Form 6". Students from Julau who want to continue their study in Form 6 to get a STPM's certificate have to either travel to the school in other districts such as SMK Meradong and SMK Bandar Bintangor by public bus or stay in hostel provided by those schools.
- Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Julau No.2
Healthcare
;Clinic- Julau Health Clinic