Bridges That Transformed Bintulu: From a Quiet River Town to an Industrial Powerhouse

How Bintulu’s Bridges Shaped Its Growth—From Timber Boom to LNG Hub, and the Cost of Rapid Development

Bintulu’s newest landmark—a bridge spanning the river that has long defined the town, once known as the Bintulu River before being renamed Kemena during British rule.

For centuries, the Bintulu River—renamed Kemena during British rule—was the town’s lifeline. Its waters carried fishermen to sea, floated rafts of timber downstream, and separated communiti…