Pakan is a small town in Pakan District, Sarikei Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. The district population estimates (as of the 2017 census) was 17,600.
Most of its inhabitants are ethnic Iban people (95%+) and a few minority Chinese usually concentrated in its town area. A small minority of Malay work in a government sector, such as teachers, nurses, district officers, and police.
Etymology The name Pakan was derived from a local fruit resembling durian, named Buah Pakan. It has yellowish skin and flesh.Yii, 2010. Page 285 The fruit has since become the symbol of the town with its replica built at the junction of Entabai road.
History In 1911, a man from Guangdong named Wen Ru Zhu (翁如珠) was the first Chinese to arrive in Sarikei. Four years later in 1915, he together with one of his family member, brought some daily necessities, climbed through the mountains and arrive in Pakan to trade with the Iban people living there for agricultural products. Apart from Iban longhouses and rubber plantations, there were no Chinese houses there. The Iban people welcomed the arrival of Wen as he brought the much needed daily necessities to them. The journey to and from Pakan took about ten days. Wen would build a small hut in Pakan to stay there for some days before going back to Sarikei. Later, he married an Iban woman in Pakan and started a family. Later, more Chinese came here to build shophouses and to trade with Iban people.Yii, 2010. Page 285
In 1937, Penghulu Asun staged a rebellion against the Brooke government in Pakan. In 1957, Min Jin primary school (民进小学) was built. In 1968, there was a flood in Pakan.Yii, 2010. Page 287
Government
Since creation of the Sarikei Division in 1973, the Pakan sub-district was put under the jurisdiction of Julau district. On 1 March 2002, the Pakan sub-district was upgraded into a district. The Pakan District covers a total area of , administered by Pakan District Office located in the town of Pakan.
Geography Pakan is located from the town of Sarikei.
Longhouses Tr. Rawing, Ulu Marau Tr. Empati anak idai, Nanga Marau Tr. Saban Sungai Ipoh, Pakan Tr. Undi, Sg Pantak (once niang Tr Taling) Tr. Sedau Ak Empali Tr. Nyambar, Ulu Kota, Pakan Tr. Bujang Tr. Minang Tr. Panau Rumah Jilap Bt6 Jalan Entabai Pakan Tr. Matu Anak Dingun Bt3 Pakan Tr. Matthew Nawong, Lubuk Pisang, Sg Genega Tr. Tukang, Nyalak Atas Tr. James Anak Jantan, Darau. Tr. Andrew Ungon, Darau Tr. George anak Chungut, Nanga Nansang Tr. Ganda anak Saba, Manding, Sungai Lemujan Tr. Attan anak Ana, Lubok Ubi, Sugai Tr. Linggang anak Kaya, Merampu Tr. Liman anak Lawo, Munggu Temedak Tr. Kalong anak Asa Tr. Janang anak Silang, Sg.Wong, Wak Tr. Barang Sg Empang, Pakan Tr. Empi Tanjung, Pakan Tr. Ladi Nasau, Pakan Tr. Empek Nasau, Pakan Tr. Imban, Genting Kopi Pakan Tr. Jantan, Genting, Kopi Pakan Tr. Safri, Tubai Buah, Pakan Tr. Nyalong Nanga Segera, Pakan Tr. Gandai, Tubai Buah, Pakan Tr. Budom, Tubai Buah, Pakan Tr. Menari, Ng Pedanum Tr. Ragai Sungai Jaong, Pakan Tr. Japar Ulu Kemalih, Entabai Tr. Dinggai Amut Atas, Pakan Tr. Gunda @ Chakau, Sg.Seru, Lemujan
Climate Pakan has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) with heavy to very heavy rainfall year-round.
Demographics Ethnicity + Pakan District Ethnic Statistic Total PopulationMalayIbanBidayuhMelanauOther BumiputeraChineseIndian Other Non-BumiputeraNon-Citizen 15,139 125 14,423 26 39 136 289 13 35 53
In 2010, Pakan town had a total population of 14,570, where there were 14,023 Iban people, 402 Chinese, 80 Malays, and 65 from other ethnic groups.Yii, 2010. Page 285
Places of worship
St. Francis Assisi Church BEM (SIB) Nanga Pakan Chapel St Joseph, Ulu Kota Mosque (beside Klinik Pakan) Surau Zulkarnain, Rumah Julin, Kg Amut (sponsored by Yayasan Amal Malaysia Cawangan Sarawak)
Economy
In 2017, Pakan District had 2,000 hectares of pepper farms with 5,800 farmers working on them.
Transport Local Bus
Route No.Operating RouteOperatorRemark6Sarikei-PakanBorneo Bus
Alternate road New road alternative connecting user from Sibu to go directly to Ulu Budu in Saratok district by passing through Pakan provides a shorter time compared to the existing one which passes through T-junction to Sarikei. What used to be about 3 hours journey from Sibu to Saratok will take only about 2 hours. So users on a long journey to Kuching benefit a lot from this road.
Sibu -> Julau -> Bintangor -> Sarikei -> Pakan -> Wak -> Ulu Budu -> Saratok
Other utilities
Education Primary schools SK Nanga Pakan SK Nanga Kara SK Sungai Sugai SK Nanga Wak Sk Nanga Sembawang Sk Ulu Manding Sk Nanga Pedanum Sk Nanga Kota Sk Nanga Dayu Sk Ulu Entabai Sk Ulu Entaih Sk Nanga Entaih
Secondary school SMK Pakan (extra information) SMK Meradong (Bintangor), SMK Bintangor (Bintangor), the nearest school most of the upper six students attended after they finishing their form 5.
Culture and leisure Cultural
Pesta Pakan (Pakan festival) is a yearly festival held in the town of Pakan since 1988 and usually held around August. It consisted of various activities such as sports, entertainment, culture, and arts and various stalls selling food such as Smoke house (Ruman Asap) and drinks.
Historical Lumbung Rentap at Bukit Sibau (Rentap's final resting place) Bukit Uyu (the grave of the Rentap's follower, Uyu, Medan and two more)
Leisure and conservation areas Kerangan Rantau Enjin, Nanga Kelau Wong Kuji waterfall Kembara Off-Road
Notes
External links
References