Page 274 - The Guide To Sarawak

272 RIVERS, LAKES & THE SEA - FOREWORD
Sarawak’s high rainfall and long coastline have ensured that everyone in the state is connected to water in one way or another. We don’t just use it for drinking and washing; it is an important means of transport, a crucial provider of food, and nowadays a vast and sustainable source of clean energy.
Our rivers are a lifeline for the peoples of the interior. We travel on them using all kinds of craft, from humble dugout canoes to powerful express boats. We relax in their cooling waters, and we compete fiercely with one another in historic regattas dating back a century or more. Some of them even flow underground, to create spectacular cave systems, hot springs and mud volcanoes.
Sarawak’s still waters range from vast hydro lakes, designed to tap the boundless energy of flowing water, to unique ecosystems that appear and disappear according to the season. They are wonderful places to enjoy nature, to fish and birdwatch, and to take part in exciting water sports.
Our seas have influenced our history for thousands of years, facilitating trade and migration, yielding wonderfully fresh fish and seafood, and creating a fascinating coastline that stretches for over 1,100 km. We have also been blessed with pristine beaches, towering cliffs, spectacular coral reefs and diverse mangrove ecosystems.
We are a riverine and maritime people, and our rivers, lakes and seas have moulded us over the centuries to become the people we are today. Therefore, I strongly urge all visitors to take to the water and discover how nature’s most abundant liquid has made and shaped Sarawak.
YB Dato Sri Michael Manyin Anak Jawong
Minister for Infrastructure Development and Communications Sarawak