News - Sarikei (Episode 4) on Astro AEC, 20th Dec 9pm

Sarikei (episode 4)
What were they filming next to Rajang Hotel?
Find out on 20th Dec.
Source: Desmond Chen

Astro AEC (Channel 301), a 24-hour Mandarin info-entertainment channel, has created a stir in Sarawak and Sabah with their local production of the series called 家在马来西亚-沙巴与砂拉越华人故事 (Malaysia My Home - Story of Sabah & Sarawak). Episode 1 on Kuching had already aired to rave reviews.

Sarikei (episode 4)
What's so interesting about sleepy Wharf Road?
Find out on 20th Dec.
Source: Desmond Chen

Sarikei (episode 4) poster
Mr Yii struck a pose with black peppercorns

Can you imagine a whole episode dedicated to Sarikei on its history, heritage and culture (although mainly from a Chinese angle to cater to the Chinese channel's audience) ? If the great trailer is a precursor of more goodies to come, you better cancel your other plans for 20th Dec 2009, 9-10pm.






From the trailer, you can see the smart use of background music interlaced with great cinematography, nostalgic scenes, local interviews and the use of dialects to instill pride in one's own heritage.

Sarikei (episode 4)
Filming in a shophouse
Source: Desmond Chen

What is meant by cinematography? When you watch the upcoming episodes, observe that during the old barber scene, the video is shot from the basket of a bicycle outside the shop to give a sense of laid back tradition. Note how they filmed the drying of mee suah noodles from the angle of a drying pole almost as if the pole is looking at the mee suah vendor.

Sarikei (episode 4)
Filming in the corridor of an Iban longhouse

My favourite part of the trailer is the grandpa who said proudly in Foochow, "I live in Sarawak!" Didn't that tug at your Sarawakian pride?

People - Sarikei singer: Stella Chung Siaw Yih 钟晓玉

Sarikei Stella Chung, 2007

In June 2007, I received an email with pictures of a Sarikei lady called Stella Chung Siaw Yih 钟晓玉 and it claimed that she's a new star in the making. I archived that email because in the entertainment world, fame is short lived unless your record company markets your talent well and your fans support you. Two and half years later, she can be found on google, youtube, flickr, imeem, multiply, friendster, facebook and other digital media.

Sarikei Stella Chung and brother Nick Chung, 2007
Nick is also a singer.

In the early 1980s, Sarikei's first national star singer was Janet Lee Cai Xia 李彩霞. She became a Malaysian idol with her own cassette releases (2 albums?) and posters. Janet was from St Anthony's School and her dad operated a tidbit shop (named Chai Mee (?) which shared half of the shop with Shanghai bookstore) at 45 Repok Road, next to the former Rex cinema. Janet is based in Sarikei after marrying the son of the shopowner of 新星 Sing Sing (next to the burnt down Cathay cinema).

Sarikei Stella Chung, 2007

Stella was born on 9th July 1981. She was educated in Kwang Chien and St Anthony's School. Her hobbies were listed as painting and playing volleyball. Her brother, Nick Chung, is also a singer. He was born in Sibu and also studied at St Anthony's School.

Sarikei Stella Chung, 2007

Stella's initial releases had a saccharine child like voice to match her sweet face. Her more recent releases revealed a more mature make-up style and a deeper voice (see video below) that may appeal to a broader audience. She also starred in TV commercials for Malaysian tourism and TV dramas. Her complete profile is at her record company's website

Sarikei Stella Chung's facebook picture, 2009

Her fans have set up a facebook group and her personal facebook has 4000+ friends. She is currently based in KL and has her own blog.


Watch her promote tourism in the "Malaysia, Truly Asia" campaign.




Enjoy one of her songs (not on your cassette player!)

People - Sarikei Foochow Kapitan - Wong Ngiong Hua

Sarikei 1961
Seated L4-L5: Mrs and Mr Wong Ngiong Hua, L7 Mrs Chen Ko Ming
Standing L7: Mr Chen Ko Ming
Source: Ease Chen

What did Wong Ngiong Hua 王仰華 (the Foochow kapitan) have in common with Su Lee 泗利School, Su Ta 泗達 School (where is this?) and Sarikei High School (Sekolah Tinggi)? He was listed as one of their founders. The education sector is his pet project amongst his illustrious resume.

He was born in 1904 in Minqing County 闽清县, Fuzhou Prefecture level city 福州市, Fujian province 福建. Updated: He passed away in 1986. He ran a photography shop before becoming a sundry shop operator and local produce exporter (Hua Leong 華隆) at No. 7 Repok Road.

Sarikei Womg Ngiong Hua, Year ?
Rubber tree planting
Submitted by: Ease Chen

Level 2 of No.7 Repok Road was a place for banking as he was the earliest Hock Hua Bank agent. His old house was on the land where Hua Tai residential area was developed on. He had a trademark way of wearing his pants high up above belly button. He was one of the earliest to own a car in old Sarikei.

He married 張從英 in 1926 and had 6 boys and 5 girls. In 1957, his wife won the model mother award from the Sarikei Woman's Association. Wong Ngiong Hua had 2 surviving sons, the 5th and 6th. The 5th is in Sarikei and 6th in Kuching. The 2nd son passed away on 7 May 2009. The daughters are in Australia (x2), NZ, England and Norway.

Sarikei Womg Ngiong Hua, Year ?
Source: Sarikei High School (Sekolah Tinggi) magazine 1975
Submitted by: Ease Chen

Mr. Wong was an active community leader (Overseas Chinese, Chinese Chamber of Commerce, District Council, Charity Society, ...). He has worked in various schools (Sarikei: Su Lee 泗利School, Su Ta 泗達 School, Sarikei High School (Sekolah Tinggi), Methodist School), (Sibu: Scared Heart, Methodist, ...) and Kuching (St Thomas School).

Sarikei Womg Ngiong Hua, 1958
Source: Sarikei High School (Sekolah Tinggi) magazine 1975
Submitted by: Ease Chen
Click to enlarge. Click back arrow to come back.

In 1956, Sekolah Tinggi became a government aided school under the new Grant-in-Aid code and this solved part of the financial problems for the development of the school. In 1958, the chairman of the Board of School Management, Wong Ngiong Hua, was awarded MBE (Member of the order British Empire) and to celebrate this, a fund raising campaign raised $40K and Mr Wong donated another $3K. The Education Department topped up the amount to $65K total to build a new 2-storey concrete block of 10 classrooms.

Sarikei Womg Ngiong Hua
Source: Who's Who in Malaysia, 1971
Submitted by: Ease Chen
Click to enlarge. Click back arrow to come back.

Salute to one of the prominent Sarikei pioneers!