A CENTURY-old wooden sundry shop, built when the Brookes ruled Sarawak, continues serving the fishing community of Bakam, near Miri town till today.

According to local history buff Yi Chang, the shop was built by Goh Mee Lok, a Chinese immigrant from Fujian Province that settled in Kuala Bakam in the early 1900’s.

Near the famed Hawaii Beach, this was the establishment from which Goh traded in seafood and rubber with the Melanaus, Kedayans and Ibans.

While the shop today might look slightly different from its original state, like having a zinc roof, it has by large remained very much like what it did 120 years ago.

It was able to withstand the ravages of time because Goh had used belian wood, Sarawak’s very own iron wood species, to build the house.

Built on stilts, as was common of rural houses built close to the river during that time, Goh had engaged Malay and Iban craftsmen to hand craft belian wood to be the pillars and beams of the house.

The roofing materials were also made from belian shingles.

Yi said the belian columns, were made from pure and mature wood.

What was interesting is that the builders of the house had also used wooden plugs and pegs instead of nails to hold the structure together.

The shop reportedly underwent an extension during the Japanese occupation when there were more additions to the Goh family.

Goh had also built a jetty by the river for boats to berth and land whatever they were trading with Goh.

Although he is reported to have owned a few fishing boats, it was uncommon for him to go out to sea and fish.

Many boats came from as far as Subis to sell their rubber sheets. The rubber sheets that were collected would be dried in the attic before they were sent to Miri.

Among the workers Goh hired were newly arrived Chinese immigrants who would work for him for a few years before they moved on to seek their fortunes elsewhere.

Today the shop is operated by Goh’s son, Stephen, and his Kuching-born wife as a sundry shop.

According to Stephen, there were three such village shops at one time, Seng Chiang (the Goh family owned shop), Pui Ming Ting, and Hock Seng.

The other two opted to close shop and move out of Bakam, leaving Seng Chiang to continue doing business in the area. – April 8, 2023.