Welcome to Volume 9, Issue 2 of the Journal of Borneo Kalimantan!

In this edition, we invite you to explore a diverse range of scholarly investigations that delve into various aspects of Borneo Kalimantan. These investigations cover its rich history, cultural dynamics, and contemporary challenges. Mashman takes us on a captivating journey in "A History of the Fort at Long Akah: Contact, Collaboration, and Power," where she unravels the stories inscribed in stones and reveals the intricate interplay of contact, collaboration, and power that shaped the region's past.

Tackling the pressing issue of our time, Juna Liau, Sharifah Sophia Wan Ahmad, and Siti Zanariah Ahmad Ishak present "Covid-19, Mortality, and Inequality in Sarawak," providing a critical analysis of the pandemic's impact on vulnerable populations and highlighting areas for improvement in public health responses.

Peter Sercombe delves into the evolving identity of the Iban community in "Crossing The Rubicon? Maintenance and Change Among Today's Iban in Sarawak," exploring the delicate balance between preserving traditions and adapting to the modern world. Larsen and Teo take us on a fascinating journey with "The Story of the Mysterious Suspension Bridge in Seropak, Bau, Sarawak," weaving a narrative that combines historical research and local legends to unveil the enigmatic mysteries surrounding this iconic structure.

Adding another layer to our exploration, Jayl Langub contributes "State of Belonging: Engaging the State in Borneo," offering valuable insights into the dynamics of engaging with the state in the context of Borneo Kalimantan. Furthermore, Clark and Rikando offer profound insights into the spiritual essence of the Iban people in "The Role of Ancestors in Iban Traditional Religion," shedding light on the enduring connection between the past, present, and the spirit world.

These diverse contributions collectively showcase the richness of academic inquiry in Borneo Kalimantan. We extend our sincere gratitude to all the authors who have shared their expertise and insights with us. We invite you to explore the multifaceted experiences of our region within these pages and join us in fostering a vibrant intellectual landscape. May this issue spark curiosity, ignite meaningful dialogue, and inspire us all to contribute to a brighter future for Borneo Kalimantan.

Professor Dr Poline Bala

Institute of Borneo Studies

Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)

Welcome to the latest edition of the Journal of Borneo Kalimantan!

In this issue, you will find six pieces of research that offer valuable insights into various aspects of our region. The first paper “Imej Suku Dayak di Mata Pengarang Melayu: Suatu Penelitian ke Atas Naskhah Syair Perang Cina di Monterado” analyses the perception of the Dayak community from the perspective of Malay authors, while the second paper, written by Claudia and Nurazuna, explores linguistic kinship between the Remun and Iban Undop languages.

Meanwhile, “Does Empowering Victim to Earn a Living Reduces the Risk of Domestic Violence Severity? A Narrative Review and A Pilot Study” examines the relationship between economic empowerment and the severity of domestic violence. This issue also includes two papers that examines the agriculture and society nexus, focusing on the elements of Asset-Based Community-led Development (ABCD) for sustainable development practices in rural rice farming communities (Mei Jean and Hon-Ngen), and the tropical forest, traditional societies and dynamic continuum by Bernard Sellato. In addition, there are a research note on adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Sarawak and a book review on a compilation honoring Professor Osman Bakar's contributions, by Gerraint and Mizanur, as well as Shazani Masri.

These contributions exemplify the calibre of research being conducted in our academic community. Thank you to all the authors, reviewers, and editorial team for their invaluable contributions in ensuring the highest standards of quality and integrity for our journal. We encourage all readers to engage with the ideas presented and draw inspiration from the remarkable research undertaken by these esteemed scholars. Let us continue to foster a culture of intellectual curiosity, collaboration, and innovation. Thank you, and we hope you find this edition of the Journal of Borneo Kalimantan enlightening and thought-provoking.

Professor Dr Poline Bala

Institute of Borneo Studies

Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)

We are very pleased to share with our readers, Journalof Borneo Kalimantan (JBK) Volume 8, Issue 2 December 2022. This issue presents an article by Miklos Kazmer which he reviews on the fascinating work of Theodor Posewitz where he scientifically described the nature and people of Banjarmasin in Borneo.

We are also delighted to share two book reviews entitled “A Book Review on Environmental Wisdom for Planet Earth: The Islamic Heritage (Revised Second Edition) by Osman Bakar” by Mohd. Shazani Bin Masri; and “Stories from the Kelabit Highlands. Folklore, Myths and Legends of the Kelabit tribe of Borneo collated and transcribed by Datin Nikki Lugun” by Valerie Mashman.

We wish to express our sincere gratitude to all the contributors and reviewers of all the articles and book reviews. To all readers, Happy Reading and a Happy New Year 2023!

Professor Dr Poline Bala

Chief Editor

Institute of Borneo Studies

Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)

Dear all,

It’s with a great honour we bring you JBK Volume 8 Issue 1. An important feature to this issue is the Research Note section. The first research note is by Philip Yong who is the co-founder and managing director of Borneo Adventure.  Philip has wide knowledge of the Malaysia Tourism industry and is deeply passionate about Sarawak’s natural and cultural assets. He has extensive experience and involvement in tourism industry associations and national tourism organizations. He has served as a board member of Tourism Malaysia (1995-1997 and 2005-2007) and the Sarawak Tourism Board (1995-2003 and 2016-2018); is the Chairman of the Association of Sarawak Inbound Agencies (2006-2009; 2011-present), Malaysia Association of Tour & Travel Agents Sarawak Chapter (2001-2003) and Sarawak Tourist Association (1997-2002). He has also served as the President of the Sarawak Tourism Federation (2003 and 2016-2018).

Happy Reading!
JBK Editorial Team

Dr Poline Bala
Associate Professor
Institute of Borneo Studies
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)

We are very delighted to share with our readers, Journal of Borneo Kalimantan
(JBK) Volume 7, Issue 2 December 2021.
This issue presents 5 articles that provide analysis of some of the crucial roles of ideas in shaping societal development, social structures, organizations and transformations at different levels in Borneo-Kalimantan.

We are also extremely pleased to share 2 book reviews: A Young Muslim’s Guide to the Modern World by Mohd. Shazani Bin Masri and Negeri Santubong (300ESS – 1674ES) by S. Ahmad.

We wish to express our sincere gratitude to all our contributors and reviewers of all the articles and book reviews.

To all readers, Happy Reading and a Happy New Year 2022!

Dr Poline Bala
Associate Professor
Institute of Borneo Studies
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)

It is our honour to present Journal Borneo Kalimantan (JBK) volume 7 Issue 1. Building on the themes of mobility in Borneo-Kalimantan, five articles had been selected for this issue. The first two articles, ethno historical in nature, provide examples of ways in which over time and space, objects and peoples move across Borneo’s physical and social terrains. The first article by Valerie Mashman depicts how a shield – given as a ‘gift’ becomes a circulated object that gathered meanings as it moved from the hand of a chief in Borneo to be found exhibited in the Vatican Museum some 120 years later. The second article, A.W .Nieuwenhuis Merentasi Borneo 1894-1924, the Malay translation of A.W. Nieuwenhuis Across Borneo 1894-1924 by Professor Bernard Sellato is an account of high-profile scientific expeditions made by pioneer Dutch explorers across the terrain of Kalimantan at the turn of the 20^th century. Capturing the themes of the ‘comings and goings’ of peoples across porous political boundaries, the next two articles touch on livelihood strategies amongst migrants. Dr Taberdo’s article provides additional empirical understanding to the nature of peoples’ movement within circular migration. Meanwhile, the article by Lumayag et al highlights the quandary of second generation of stateless and undocumented immigrants born in Sabah. Their findings suggest that temporary or ad-hoc access to education remains a palliative route without social inclusion of immigrants into the mainstream society. The final article by Huffer et al, succinctly describes how the identification of recently modified Dayak ‘trophy skull’ through an osteological assessment has revealed that these skulls have morph in different forms as itinerant objects within newer online trade in human remains.

In addition, we are extremely pleased to unveil our Book Review portion in this issue. To kickstart the section, Mohd. Shazani Bin Masri reviews Nafahat Al-Ridwan: Riwayat Hidup Shaykh ‘Uthman Sarawak By Shaykh Muhammad Zayn Al-Din Bin Shaykh ‘Uthman Al-Sarawaqi Translated, Edited And Introduction By Fazril Salleh.

Happy Reading!

JBK Editorial Team

This present and the next issue of Journal of Borneo-Kalimantan’s theme is mobility of and on the island of Borneo. The theme reflects a perspective commonly used to identify and offer insights into patterns of transformation and social change amongst the societies of Borneo-Kalimantan. As a theme, it addresses movements and circulation of people, cultures, goods, language, images, information, labour, objects, organism and ideas across the island. Volume 6, Issue 2 (2020) presents articles that provide analysis of some of the crucial aspects of mobility that reflect societal experiences, social structures, organizations and transformations at different levels in Borneo-Kalimantan.

We wish to express our gratitude for the permission granted by Dr Pierre Le Roux of Institut d’ethnologie, Universite de Strasbourg for Journal of Borneo-Kalimantan to republish in a Malay translation the original chapter cited as Sellato, B. (1993). “Salt in Borneo.” In P. le Roux and J. Ivanoff (Eds.), Le Sel de la vie en Asie du Sud-Est. Prince of Songkla University. Thank you.

To all readers, Happy Reading and Happy New Year 2021!

Dr Poline Bala
Associate Professor
Chief Editor, Journal of Borneo Kalimantan

This sixth volume, No.1  of Journal of Borneo -Kalimantan (JBK) presents five papers from the island of Borneo. The first paper titled One Orthography, Four Lects: The Unified Berawan Orthography is co-authored by Jurgen Martin Burkhardt, Jey Lingam Burkhardt and Ang Lay Hoon. It alludes to why and how the Berawan community, who desire to write their lects consistently and reflecting the way they speak, attempts a unified orthography to the Berawan language. Written by Irfan Setiawan, Muh Ilham and M. Nawawi, the second paper on Smart Governance Implementation in Balikpapan in East Kalimantan is a descriptive assessment of the application of smart city concept in the running of Balikpapan city. It proposes for the strengthening of local government resources for the mechanism to be effective. The third paper by Jayl Langub titled Masyarakat Melayu di Belaga: Sejarah, Perdagangan, Penempatan dan Adaptasian (translated by Shahren Ahmad Zaidi Adruce) is a detailed ethnographic and historical account of the Malay in Belaga, focusing on their involvement in trade, their settlement and adaptation in the region. Here we would like to acknowledge Borneo Research Bulletin for granting us permission to republish this paper in Bahasa Malaysia, which has been translated from the original appearance as "The Malay of Belaga: History, Trade, Settlement and Adaptation" in the Borneo Research Bulletin 49 (2018): 64-101. The fourth paper by Valerie Mashman brings into the spotlight a local chief named Penghulu Tama Bulan Wang, who played a crucial and critical role in the pacification of Baram. Her account provides nuances to existing historical accounts of peace-making as a means to the formation of the modern state of Sarawak . Last but not least is, Revisiting early Political History of Modern Sarawak through the making of Stephen Kalong Ningkan as Sarawak’s first Chief Minister. Authored by Stanley Bye Kadam and Dick Lembang, the article narrates a political story of modern Sarawak from 1961 to 1974. The historical account throws light on the political struggles of Stephen Kalong Ningkan, who was the State’s first Chief Minister of Sarawak, and the issues affecting his political leadership. They argue that without revisiting his ideas and political struggles, accounts of early history of modern Sarawak is not complete.

Happy Reading!

Poline Bala, PhD (Camb.)
Chief Editor
Journal of Borneo-Kalimantan

A peer-reviewed and multidisciplinary journal on transforming communities in Borneo-Kalimantan and developing regions.

A peer-reviewed and multidisciplinary journal on transforming communities in Borneo-Kalimantan & developing regions.

A peer-reviewed and multidisciplinary journal on transforming communities in Borneo-Kalimantan & developing regions.