BINTULU - It was a historic day for Raymond Plen longhouse in Sebauh, located about 44 km from Bintulu, when the third prime minister Tun Hussein Onn visited the longhouse in 1979, the first time ever for the country’s top leader to do so.
According to its chief Raymond Plen, in 2015, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who was the then prime minister set foot in the longhouse.
"Today, Rumah Raymond made another history when Yang di-Pertuan Agong visited our house,” the 56-year-old chief told Bernama.
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah visited the longhouse in conjunction with the ‘Kembara Kenali Borneo’ tour which has entered its ninth day, today.
Raymond said, that originally the longhouse was an Iban community house, but after five generations, it now comprises people from various ethnicities and religions.
"The longhouse has been here for a long time and I am the fifth generation...the original house was destroyed in a fire in the 1980s and the house was then rebuilt. It has been over 40 yours now.
"Even though this is an Iban longhouse, due to mixed marriages here, now we have Muslim Malays, Indians and Westerners living here,” he said, adding the house has 780 residents living in 53 units.
Upon their arrival, Their Majesties were greeted by performers from Kelab Gagung Sarawak wearing traditional Iban warrior costumes.
The Royal couple handed over donations to asnaf (eligible to receive tithe) individuals in the area, besides taking part in a cooking and fishing activity with the people.
Also present were Sarawak acting Yang Dipertua Negeri Tan Sri Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar, Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi and Sarawak Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.
‘Kembara Kenali Borneo’ set off in Tawau, Sabah on Sept 3 and will end its 2,154 km journey via the Pan Borneo Highway that connects Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei, in Telok Melano, Sarawak on Sept 13. - BERNAMA