Riding Buses in Sibu

My first bus ride was in a 15 seater British made bus which had a wooden frame. It made a big racket going to Sungei Merah. My grandfather never had a driver's licence and he left all the driving to my grandmother, after they bought one of the ealiest cars in Sibu, a yellow Austin. But Grandfather and I continued to enjoy riding on buses. the greetings we had for and from every one on the buses stayed in my mind for a long time. I loved my grandfather for taking me around,even he had wished that I was a boy.

In those days, the bus station was in the triangle made by Cross Road, Island Road and Market Road (?). Next to the bus station was the chendol and rojak centre where we could get chendol in the antique glass and rojak in a small tin plate. My grandfather never allowed me to eat chendol so he would take me to Lido Cinema's coffee shop where he could have his coffee and I could have a bit of his coffee in the saucer (Lat drew this in one of his books). He would then buy me Magnolia Grape Juice. What a luxury.

After a movie, Grandfather would take me and ride the bus back home to Sungei Merah.

I cannot remember how often I spent time with him, but it was quite frequent.

One of the best things parents and grandparents can do is to take the kids out to ride on buses - very memorable - and great for bonding. And good training too as the kids would have to learn how to ride a bus overseas. Kids are too spoilt nowadays and they tend to suffer more if they are not well brought up in simple ways.

There were buses to Upper Lanang Road then. Buses to Oya Road came very much later. Buses then were meant to carry lots of goods and farm products. It was still very much the in thing for people to walk to town, very often bare footed, from as far as Kampong Nangka, or Bukit Assek or even Ei Ti Road in Lanang Road. The Foochows were very frugal then. They would think nothing of walking three or four miles every day.Today the scenario is very different. You can read below:

The main bus lines have ticket stalls at the long-distance bus station, west of town at Sungai Antu. There should be no problem getting a seat if you arrive 15 minutes before departure, but it may pay to book ahead for weekends and school holidays.
The main bus companies running ser­vices from Sibu are Biaramas Express (084-313139), Borneo Express Bus (084-319773), Borneo Highway Express (084-319533), Lanang Road Bus Co (084-314527), PB Express (084-332873) and Suria Express (084-319773). Most have ticketing agencies around the local bus station on the waterfront.


1. Lanang Road Bus Co Bhd

No. 8, 2nd Floor, Lrg Pahlawan 7, 96000 Sibu, Sarawak
084-33 5973

2. Bus Terminal Mukah, Jln Orangkaya Setiaraja, 96400 Mukah, Sarawak
084-87 2679

3. No. 47, Lrg Teng Kung Sui 4, Upper Lanang Industrial Estate, 96000 Sibu, Sarawak
084-21 3711

4. No. 7, Bangunan Baru Terminal Bas, Jln Tun Hussein Onn, 97000 Bintulu, Sarawak
086-33 8518

5. Bus Terminal Padang Kerbau, Jln Padang Kerbau, Kampung Padang Kerbau, 98000 Miri, Sarawak
085-43 3116
Sibu (SBW): Location: 18 km/11 Miles E of the city. By Road: To Sibu 23 km/14 Miles. By Taxi: Pre paid taxi coupons are available in the terminal for trips to the city. Average cost to Sibu city is MYR 30. By Bus: Local Bus #3A runs between the airport and the city every 90 mins or so 0600-1800. Cost: MYR 3/25-30 mins. Updated Mar07 www. [back].[top]

Tawau Syarikat Bas Lanang Road Sdn. Bhd.
Bintulu/Sibu 06:00; 08:00; 12:00; 14:00; 18:00 RM16.50