JAMBATAN GANTONG….WISH YOU WERE STILL THERE
“ jambatan gantong, you are the pride of kampong kudei
We all miss you; for you are no longer there
Jambatang gantong is our heritage to savour
But now we shed a tear, for you are gone forever.”
Yes; we all remembered this inimitable landmark of Kuching; spawning the
History books stated that the jambatan was built by the Japanese as a conduit for water transportation.
This possibly is what we will devour in the history annals but I am sure if ‘jambatan gantong’ can tell its own stories ; it will be stories of ordinary folks endeavours and experiences.
‘Jambatan gantong’ in my youthful days was a place where relationships were cemented, rebuilt or a place to bring out your first date(ahem...).
Your date would normally start with a good helping of 'chicken kak Mary' at the kubah foodstall. That was a prelude to a long eternal walk (that's what you hope) along the bridge as an expected ritual. Wow that long walk, mosquitoes swarming over you was just a minor inconvenience until you were home later of course when you noticed all those bites.
Another enduring story that I am sure the bridge can tell you was when it was being swarmed with delirious people of Sarawak during the halycon days of ngap sayop; yes that indelible day in the history of Sarawak football when that man; Awang Mahyan managed to convince all and sundry to jump off the bridge to celebrate a football game victory.
A victory that was achieved through a true Sarawakian spirit of grit and passion. I can only guessed that ‘jambatan gantong’ was selected by Awang Mahyan for the bridge was a Sarawakian identity and symbol as the Big Ben for
Alas now that identity is gone;ravaged by the passage of time as it finally crumbled that day.
Should we resurrect it back to its former place as a landmark of Kuching so that it can continue as a place for our grandchildren and future generations to seek aspiration and to find love? I believe we can and we should.
The bridge can be built as a replication of its former self;maybe this time stronger and more confident of itself as it strives to be there for us all whenever we wish to seek peace of mind ;as we try to cement relationship and above all it can be a bridge of an undying inspiration for the people of Sarawak as they seek a place for comfort and happiness. Yes; ‘jambatan gantong’ can still be that landmark .
How I wished you were still there…
PS: anyone out there have good and memorable photos of our beloved jambatan gantong?
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