Gruelling Journey to Miri in the 1970s

Waiting for the Sungai Baram ferry in 1969


Posing for a photo on the ferry ride to Sungai Baram in 1970


The muddy road from Sungai Teraban heading to the Sungai Tujuh Control Post
PHOTOS: Haji Mohd Daud Abd Rahman

Gruelling journey to Miri back in the 70s
Posted date: August 22, 2015
| Haji Mohd Daud Abd Rahman |

A road trip to neighbouring Miri back in the 1970s was considered a rough and a difficult journey. The bus was the only means of transportation if one was to decide on a trip to Miri as the roads were still considered risky if travelling by one’s own vehicle.

The writer remembered departing from Bandar Brunei as early as 6am to catch the chartered bus heading to Kuala Belait and would only reach the latter at around 9am.

After a quick breakfast, everyone would be ushered to a bus belonging to ‘Syarikat Bas Berlima Brunei & Miri’.

The journey to Miri would start by riding on the Sungai Teraban ferry heading towards the Sungai Tujoh Control Post by means of the beach road .

Once the travel documents are cleared, we would head to Baram where we will go on a two-hour ride on another ferry heading to Miri town. would only reach Miri around 5pm where we would then get on a taxi to take us to Kampong Luak. We finally reached our destination at our brother’s residence at 6pm.

Thanks to rapid development and a prosperous relationship with Malaysia, we can now go to Miri in just an hour. Compared to the journey some 40-50 years ago, many Bruneians can make a day trip to the neighbouring shopping haven with total ease.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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