Mukim Sukang is a

mukim A mukim is a type of administrative division used in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The word ''mukim'' is a loanword in English language, English. However, it was also originally a loanword in Malay language, Malay from the Arabic word ...

Belait District Belait District (; Jawi: دأيره بلأيت) or simply known as Belait ('; ), is the largest as well as the westernmost district in Brunei. It has an area of and the population of 65,531 as of 2021. The administrative town is Kuala Belait ...

Brunei Brunei, officially Brunei Darussalam, is a country in Southeast Asia, situated on the northern coast of the island of Borneo. Apart from its coastline on the South China Sea, it is completely surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak, with ...

. The population was 169 in 2016.

Geography

The mukim is located in ''Ulu Belait'' (interior part of Belait District). It borders Mukim Bukit Sawat to the north, Mukim Rambai of

Tutong District Tutong District (; Jawi script, Jawi: دائيره توتوڠ) or simply known as Tutong ('), is the third largest and populated districts of Brunei, district in Brunei. It has an area of and the population of 47,210 as of 2021. The district i ...

to the north-east, the Malaysian state of

Sarawak Sarawak ( , ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. It is the largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia. Sarawak is located in East Malaysia in northwest Borneo, and is ...

to the east and south-east, Mukim Melilas to the south and Mukim Labi to the west. It is largely covered with the greenery of the

forest A forest is an ecosystem characterized by a dense ecological community, community of trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, ...

, flora and fauna.

Demographics

As of 2016 census, the population of Mukim Sukang comprised 87 males and 82 females. The mukim had 36 households occupying 20 dwellings. The entire population lived in

rural areas In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry are typically descri ...

Administration

As of 2021, the mukim comprises the following populated

villages A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban village ...

Villages

Kampong Sukang

Kampong Sukang is a village located at the far end of the villages under the catchment area of Mukim Sukang. To get there it takes 1 hour 40 minutes from Sungai Liang subject to road conditions and weather by using a

four-wheel drive A four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, is a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case pr ...

car. If using a boat from ''Sungai Mau'' (Mau River) it will take 2 hours. In this village there is also an Islamic Cemetery for the Muslim residents of Mukim Sukang and Melilas. The area of Mukim Sukang is constantly monitored by the relevant parties including the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) and the

Royal Brunei Police Force The Royal Brunei Police Force, RBPF ( (PDB) is in charge of keeping law and order in Brunei. The RBPF has been one of the 190 members of INTERPOL, an intergovernmental organisation worldwide since 1984. With a force of more than 4,400 officers ...

(RBPF) since its location is far in the hinterland of Kuala Belait to prevent unwanted things from happening either from outside or inside the border such as

agarwood Agarwood, aloeswood, eaglewood, gharuwood or the Wood of Gods, commonly referred to as oud or oudh (from , ), is a fragrant, dark and resinous wood used in incense, perfume, and small Woodworking, hand carvings. It forms in the heartwood of ...

thieves and so on. The authorities always patrol the areas in question and there is also a police post to maintain the security of the district. This village also has a primary school called Sekolah Rendah Datu Maharaja Setia Dian, Sukang and three teachers' houses near the school. There is a Health Clinic to provide health services to the residents of this subdistrict to receive health checkups.

Economy

Most of the residents of these longhouses practice a type of self-sustaining economy such as

farming Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

, cultivating rice fields,

fruits In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...

and producing

handicrafts A handicraft is a traditional main sector of craft making and applies to a wide range of creative and design activities that are related to making things with one's hands and skill, including work with textiles, moldable and rigid material ...

. The residents of this mukim are very creative in producing handicrafts such as woven

baskets A basket is a container that is traditionally constructed from stiff fibers, and can be made from a range of materials, including wood splints, runners, and cane. While most baskets are made from plant materials, other materials such as horse ...

from

rattan Rattan, also spelled ratan (from Malay language, Malay: ''rotan''), is the name for roughly 600 species of Old World climbing palms belonging to subfamily Calamoideae. The greatest diversity of rattan palm species and genera are in the clos ...

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of mostly evergreen perennial plant, perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily (biology), subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family, in th ...

and

wood Wood is a structural tissue/material found as xylem in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulosic fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin t ...

such as making takiding, ulu pemarang, gagawi, candas, tindulang ( tudung saji), nyiru and others as mukim products. The products are not only displayed in the houses of the village chiefs and also in long houses and also in expos or exhibitions held in the Belait District. Towards moving this One Village One Product (1K1P) Program, Mukim Sukang has established its own Majlis Perundingan Mukim (MPM) which plays the role of a driving force and is a catalyst for strong grassroots leadership.

Infrastructure

Although it is far inland, it does not mean that Mukim Sukang is marginalized compared to other villages in Belait District. The provision of the best basic facilities for the community is the main agenda of the government and has not been neglected. The government provided basic facilities such as roads where the road in Kampung Buau leading to Kampung Biadong has already been upgraded while the rest is still in the process of being upgraded. Bukit Bang Taong water tank that has been completed will supply clean water for the use of residents who previously used boiled river water for drinking and cooking. A Multi-Purpose Hall and Government Guest House located in Kampung Sukang which are often used by visitors who spend the night in this village which is equipped with basic facilities such as water and electricity generated through a generator. There is a worship hall in Kampong Sukang which is equipped with toilets, ablution facilities, generators and priests' rooms. The new brothers are also given Islamic religious guidance and assistance such as generators, basic needs through MUIB and the Islamic Da'wah Center.

References

Sukang Belait District {{Brunei-geo-stub