Jalan Mesjid at Kampung Dagang in 1979

Jalan Mesjid in 1979 (Colour photograph)
Picture shows me and my sisters, cousin and nephews posing in front of my car Mazda 323 saloon parked on the right side of the Jalan Mesjid, looking towards the kampung area.
Note the tall 'Pinang' (betel nut) and coconut trees over-topping the kampung houses.

 As part of the multiplier effects of the Bintulu's first economic boom (1979-85) there arose a pressing need for more and better commercial shophouses in Bintulu.  The Kampung Dagang which shared the limit of the town's boundary was sliced for development.  There were two developers involved in the project.  In Phase One, Bintulu Realty Estate Sdn Bhd developed 1.44 hectares of land with 36 landowners.  Phase Two of the project was developed by Hock Peng Realty Sdn Bhd on a 4.12 hectares piece of adjoining land.  The Phase two involved 146 landowners.  As part of the deal in Phase Two of the project, the landowners owned shares in the new shophouses besides receiving cash compensation to help them out in their resettlement expenses.  It was estimated that the Kampung Dagang Commercial development project resulted in about RM 50 million worth of real property and cash compensation to the 182 mainly Malay and Melanau landowners.

Jalan Mesjid taken on 6 January 2014, at the same spot in the top pic .
Today the road is a single carriageway 4-lane street.

Bintulu town -1975

Date taken : 1975 ( Colour Photo)

View of Bintulu town shophouses along Main Bazaar road

In 1975 the shophouses that lined the Main Bazaar Road were of wooden structures with concrete floors. Almost all of the shopowners stay on the first floor. The posts of the buildings were of 'belian' timber just like the electrical posts across the street. The roofing material was of 'belian' shingles. Cars were few and bicycles were king of the road. Most villagers from the Malay kampungs closeby normally walk to town. The wooden belian bridge on the right of the picture connects the village road called ' Jalan Masjid' to the Main Bazaar road. The wooden building partly seen to the left was the 'Native Rest House' to accomodate rural natives who need to stay in town for the night while visiting the hospitals, government offices, schools, court cases, shopping for provisions, trading jungle produce products etc.,. In 1975 the Main Bazaar road was a two-way street with open space in between. In the above picture I'm with my nephew striking a pose next to my newly bought Yamaha motorcycle in front of our house.

Date taken : 29 November'10

Today the Main Bazzar Road and the Jalan Masjid are a one-way tar-sealed four-lane roads . Much have changed but the orientation and sub-division of the shophouses have not.