Surviving the long journey to Long Busang

12 hours.

That is how long it takes to reach one of the most remote settlements in Sarawak, Long Busang.

It takes three hours via road from Bintulu to the Bakun dam jetty, and another nine hours by long boat to reach Long Busang, located in the district of Belaga.

Another way to reach the Orang Ulu settlement is from Kapit, in which the first three hours is by express boat to Putai, Batang Baleh, and then another eight to 10 hours of traversing a logging road.

Either way, it still takes at least a day's journey.

Imagine what happens if you are faced with an emergency. What if someone is critically ill or about to give birth?

That is the challenge faced by more than 1,000 villagers in Long Busang, of which the majority are of Kenyah ethnicity.

Recently, I had the opportunity to join some 200 members of Barisan Nasional Youth, led by their chief Khairy Jamaluddin to Long Busang for the "BN Youth Programme for Community" – held for the first time in Sarawak.

I have heard tales of the long, arduous trips taken by locals, on lengthy rivers and sketchy roads to reach the interiors, but after experiencing it myself, it was nothing like I imagined!

For starters, the longest I have ever been on a boat ride is two hours. Never have I imagined I would survive a nine hour boat ride on a wooden long boat.

There were no proper seats on the boat, so I had to sit on the boat's floor with my legs crossed, surrounded by cargo such as diesel drums and other goods.

I tried to find a comfortable spot and somehow managed to catch a bit of sleep. Few times I would wake up, only to find that we have not yet reached.

After hours of cruising through the Bakun dam, we arrived at the Balui river, a tributary of the Batang Rejang.

As we approached Long Busang, suddenly I felt like I was going white river rafting!

The currents became stronger and our boat hit the rapids several times as the tide was low.

Each time I hear a loud thud, I prayed that our wooden boat would not break into pieces.

Even though I had a life jacket on, I still didn't enjoy the idea of being thrown overboard and having to swim in the river!

No points for guessing what lies beneath the rivers of Sarawak!

Finally, after a gruelling nine hours, I heaved a sigh of relief when we finally arrived at our destination.

The whole journey kept me thinking, how do the locals go through this unforgiving journey once or twice weekly, just to get their essentials in the nearest town?

How do sick people get immediate health assistance? What about mothers going into labour?

From what I was told, there had been plenty of cases where some had to give birth in the village, while others deliver ON the boat while en route to the hospital!

There were also cases of miscarriages due to the situation.

I was also shocked to hear of a mother of twins who delivered her second baby at the hospital while her first baby was delivered prematurely along the way!

However, such incidents were no longer surprising for the villagers of Long Busang, as these challenges have become a norm in their lives.

Only by experiencing it for ourselves can we understand the hardships and needs of the rural people.