The Legendary Origins of Islet in Sebauh

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The saga of Islet in Sebauh, originally pronounced as Seba'u, boasts its own intriguing narratives.

Positioned along the Bintulu River, recently renamed Kemena River, are two islets that capture the essence of local folklore. The larger one, christened “Pulau Binai” or Binai Islet, and its diminutive counterpart facing Sebauh town, have become synonymous with the purported tales of three Malay fishermen: Haji Salleh, Tuanku Silai, and Mohammad Su. Various renditions of their stories abound on the internet.

Surprisingly, scant attention has been paid to documenting the origins of these islet tales. The earliest inhabitants of the river, namely the Punan and Segaan (now identifying as Vaie or Baie), possess their own narratives concerning the genesis of the islets.

According to the ancient lore, there once existed an islet between Lavang (named after a fish) and Pandan (originally Pedan, denoting a plant). Crowning the islet's summit was a durian tree adorned with golden leaves, known to the Punan as “josou tebaga” or “durian tembaga” in Malay.