Marudi

For other uses, seeMarudi (disambiguation).

Marudi Pekan Marudi
Town anddistrict capital
Baram Regional Museum (formerly Fort Hose)
Seal
Nickname: Claude Town (Brooke Administration)
Marudi
Coordinates:4°11′0″N114°19′0″E
Country	Malaysia
State	Sarawak
Division	Miri
District	Marudi
Government
•District Officer	Belayong Anak Pok
Area
• Total	21,634.0 km2(8,518 sq mi)
Population (2010)
• Total	90,100
Demonym	Marudian
Time zone	UTC+8(MST)
• Summer (DST)	Not observed
Postal code	9805x
International dialling code prefix	085 (landline only)
Vehicle registration plate prefix	QM(for all vehicles except taxis) HQ(for taxis only)
Website	www.marudidc.org

Marudiis a town in theMalaysian stateofSarawak,and is a part of the division ofMiri.It is the seat ofMarudi District,and is located on the banks ofBaram River,about 100 kilometres (62 mi) upstream from the river mouth. Marudi was the administrative centre of the northern region of Sarawak beforeMiriwas established in 1910. Marudi is considered as the cultural heart of theOrang Ulu,the highland tribes of Sarawak. It is also a transit gateway toKelabit HighlandsandGunung Mulu National Park,aUNESCO World Heritage Site.

History

Up until 1882, the Baram area was ruled by theSultan of Brunei.By that time, the Sultan was having a lot of trouble keeping these vicious tribes in the Baram region under control with their ongoing feuds and bloodletting. Towards the end of the 1800s, the conflicts and the growth of tribal territories had gotten dangerously near to his capital, endangering his personal safety. In this about 10,000 square miles (26,000 km²) domain, the Sultan's power had never previously been used. The Malays never traveled into the interior of Baram out of dread of the Kayan tribe's fury.

Since of this, the Sultan was willing to give up control of the region whenRajah Brookeextended his rule into the higher regions of Baram in exchange for a one-time payment of six thousand dollars annually, which theForeign OfficeinEnglandapproved since they thought it was a reasonable price for the transfer.By 1883, theSultan of Brunei(Abdul Momin) ceded the Baram region (including Miri) to Charles Brooke.

Charles Hose's photograph of the fort's interior inc. 1896

The fourth division of Sarawak was immediately created with the installation of Mamerto George Gueritz as the first Resident of the Division. A fort was built in at Marudi, 43 km to the east of Miri.The area was then named Claudetown in honour of Claude Champion de Crespigny, Resident of the Third Division when he died in 1884, and it became the administrative centre of the division. The administration was helped by two junior officers, 30 rangers, and a few native police.

Charles Hosebecame Resident of Baram District in 1891 and the fort in Marudi was renamed Fort Hose. As a result of his concerns about his people' savage practices,Charles Brookeresolved to put a stop to theheadhuntingandblood feudspermanently. He organised a competition amongst all the tribes and startedcockfightingamong them, but the losing tribes didn't take it well, and further fighting broke out. Boat-racing was chosen instead, and Resident Charles Hose designated Marudi as the venue for aregatta.

In 1895 and 1896, the Brooke administration organised an expedition toUsun Apau Plieranto punish theKenyah people(including the Badeng people, a sub-tribe of Kenyahs) living there, who were alleged to have been responsible for the deaths of a Malay, a Chinese trader, and severalIban people.In October 1896, Saba Irang, the headman of the Badeng people, came to Claudetown to seek refuge and make peace with the Brooke administration. Hose decided to organise a peace conference at his fort in April 1899 to “encourage the Madang (Badeng) to be loyal subjects and to ensure a friendly recognition by them by the Baram people".The conference was attended by 6,000 people.This peace conference also led to creation of the Baram Regatta, a long boat race competition among the natives that continues to be held in the present day.

Administration

The town is the administrative centre ofMarudi District,adistrictin theMiri Divisionof Sarawak, governed by Marudi District Council, which encompasses the districts of Marudi and Mulu, and small portions of the districts are underMiri City Councilsuch asBa'kelalan.

Transportation

The town'staxi standin 2012

Land

It was officially announced on 13 October 2017, that the 43.2 kilometres (26.8 mi) road project that connects Miri with Marudi is far ahead of its initial 30-month timeline for completion. The road upgrade was supposed to be 12.53% finished by 25 September, however it is already 30.80% finished, or 18.27% ahead of schedule. The road link's poor state and increasing significance prompted the public to express great interest in its improvement, which started on 15 September 2016.The roads that connect Miri and Marudi passes throughplantations,and occasionally have just one lane.The RM75 million Marudi bridge is anticipated to be finished by the end of 2024.

Air

Marudi is served byMarudi Airport(MUR) which is in the town.De Havilland Canada DHC-6sofMASwingsfly to Miri up to nine times daily and serveBario,Long Banga,Long Lellang,Long AkahandLong Seridan.The airport is a 10-minute (1 km) walk east from the centre. The airport and town center are only a short distance apart, a well-constructedpedestrian walkwayruns beside the major route into town.

Water

According to SRB statistics, 66,174 passengers passed through the Marudi express boat passenger terminals in total in 2013. However, five years later, in 2018, there were just 3,171 passengers documented, and in 2021, there were none at all. In March 2021, the final express boat service was discontinued. Express boat services were reinstated in 2022 for Marudi and Sungai Tutoh, Baram, to give the locals there more transportation alternatives.

In 2023, thecrocodilepopulation in Marudi enjoys intimidating and terrifying its human neighbors, particularly those who reside in riverfront settlements, given the decreased number of boats that travel the Baram River. Residents depend on these watercraft to get around when they resided in Baram. Back then, the river had once been packed with express vessels,sampans,and various other water vessels, and how it is now much quieter, which may be the reason why more crocodiles have been observed within villages, especiallylonghouses.

Geography

Climate

Marudi has atropical rainforest climatewith heavy to very heavy rainfall year-round.

Climate data for Marudi
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	30.1 (86.2)	30.0 (86.0)	30.6 (87.1)	31.2 (88.2)	31.4 (88.5)	31.4 (88.5)	31.1 (88.0)	31.1 (88.0)	31.1 (88.0)	30.8 (87.4)	30.7 (87.3)	30.5 (86.9)	30.8 (87.5)
Daily mean °C (°F)	26.7 (80.1)	26.7 (80.1)	27.0 (80.6)	27.6 (81.7)	27.7 (81.9)	27.6 (81.7)	27.3 (81.1)	27.3 (81.1)	27.3 (81.1)	27.2 (81.0)	27.1 (80.8)	26.9 (80.4)	27.2 (81.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	23.3 (73.9)	23.4 (74.1)	23.5 (74.3)	24.0 (75.2)	24.0 (75.2)	23.8 (74.8)	23.5 (74.3)	23.5 (74.3)	23.6 (74.5)	23.6 (74.5)	23.5 (74.3)	23.4 (74.1)	23.6 (74.5)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	287 (11.3)	177 (7.0)	195 (7.7)	229 (9.0)	254 (10.0)	204 (8.0)	178 (7.0)	235 (9.3)	240 (9.4)	307 (12.1)	328 (12.9)	338 (13.3)	2,972 (117)
Source: Climate-Data.org

Infrastructure

Downtown Marudi in 2010

The majority of the structures in Marudi'sgrid-plannedtown center are multi-storyshophouses.This is a typical example ofurban planningin Malaysia prior to the emphasis moving to more dispersedsuburbanprojects.The town has its ownfire station.

Education

The Chung Hua School was initially founded in 1926, originally within the temple's grounds. In 1926, the primary school welcomed its first students. With only fifteen students, the first headmaster was Goh Jing Chew, and the sessions were initially held in the rear of the tealple. The first wooden building atop a hill was finished in 1936. The wooden structure was destroyed in 1973 due to damage, and a new structure was built in its place. Sim Kheng Hong graced the inauguration ceremony on 4 November 1973.

Places of interest

Fort Hose, a wooden fort built during theBrooke administration,is situated near the town center and directly off the road that leads from the airstrip to the town center. The fort's construction was finished in 1891, and it stood until a fire destroyed it in 1994. The building that is seen now is a renovated model that debuted in 1997. Charles Hose is honoured by the fort's name. Today, the Baram District Museum is located within the fort. The location overlooks theBaram River.

Marudi Tua Pek Kong is situated within Marudi's commercial center. The temple has weathered three big fire catastrophes in the town's history without any damage.Back then, Chinese businessmen arrived in Southeast Asia to do business, they erected a temple dedicated toTua Pek Kong.This would be their regular meeting spot going forward.The Baram River is just next to the temple. The lone Chinese temple in Marudi was constructed in 1891. Though relatively tiny in comparison to other Chinese temples in the area, the temple remains an essential component of the town.

The Marudi Market is one among the sites along Jalan Kampung Cina. In the morning, the market is generally bustling with activity.The ground floor is home to the neighborhood market. On the first level, there is a food court as well. The majority of the shops provide a variety of rice and noodle meals, coffee, and tea.

According to Datu Dr. Penguang Manggil, the Marudi Waterfront expansion project and the first stage of a planned three-star hotel should be finished by 2025. The Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) will construct an RM35 million, 90-room hotel on the site of the former Marudi Rest House. The present waterfront, which was overflowing at the most recent Baram Regatta 2023, will be gradually extended to 1.5 km, making it one of the longest in the state. Theesplanadeexpansion and slope protection would cost around RM35 million each, according to the Department of Irrigation and Drainage.

Baram Ragatta

When Charles Brooke selected Marudi as the administrative hub for Sarawak's northern district after racial unrest in Baram, the town was then known as Claude Town. The locals enthusiastically embraced the offer made by the then-resident, Charles Hose, to hold a boat race between all the rival races in order to put an end to the carnage. In 1899, the Baram Regatta was initiated as a means of promoting peace among the many tribes. The event drew in over 6,000 participants from Baram, including Ibans, Kenyahs, Kayans, Narums,Melanaus,Malays, and Madangs. Since that point, the regatta has grown to be a yearly occasion that attracts visitors of all ethnicities from Baram and other places.

Gallery

• 
  Baram Regatta Statue
• 
  Marudi Tua Pek Kong
• 
  Marudi Lecture Hall
• 
  Marudi Wharf Terminal
• 
  Marudi Airport