Behind Brunei's sole sago factory
(Top) The sago factory's only machine. (Above) Yong Ming Leong is hoping for the government's assistance in expanding the sole sago-producing factory in Kg Ukong, Brunei. Picture: BT/Low Leng May
Monday, May 2, 2011
THE sole sago-producing factory in Brunei sits with only one machine to process ambulung, an important ingredient to make the country's national dish ambuyat, for the entire country's consumption.
While many are familiar with ambuyat being Brunei's national dish, not a lot of people know the difference between ambuyat and ambulung.
Ambulung is processed sago, derived from the Rumbia tree which grows in the jungle near the riverbank; it is found throughout Borneo, including Brunei. Ambuyat is prepared by adding hot water to ambulung and stirring it until it becomes a sticky glue-like porridge.
In an interview with The Brunei Times, manager of the sago factory in Kampung Ukong, Yong Ming Leong, 46, is looking to improve the size and efficiency of the factory to meet the increasing demand for ambulung in the country. However, he would need the assistance of the government to do so.
According to Yong, the sole machine in the factory produces about a tonne (1,000kg) of sago from five rumbia tree trunks. The factory supplies its processed sago in three types of packages at very low prices: a 500g package costs $0.80, a 1kg package costs $1.60 and a 2kg package costing $3.
"We get about 50 orders from companies and people all over Brunei in one month, however we are unable to meet the demand due to shortage of resources."
On average, the family-owned factory, which has been supplying the country with the main ingredient for its national dish for 39 years now, is unable to complete about 20 orders from its customers in a month due to shortage of resources, Yong said.
Among other problems faced to expand the family business, Yong said, the company is also facing short supply of rumbia trees, from which sago is extracted. As they do not have enough land to plant rumbia trees, the company has to buy them from a landowner. This limits the amount of trees they can use per month.
"We have applied for a budget... and land for plantation...from the government, but are still awaiting approval. I applied for a land for plantation about 10 years ago, and have just started applying for a new factory to produce the sago."
Unfortunately, Yong has not acquired approval for either of the applications.
Yong hoped to move the factory into a larger building to "double up" the efficiency of producing sago for the nation. Currently, the sago-processing factory is a small wooden shack with a single machine that Yong's father designed in the 1980s.
The sago-producing factory was founded by in 1972 by Yong's late father, who grew up in a tightly-knit Dusun community.
"My father started this factory to keep Brunei's tradition alive, especially since ambuyat is the second main food staple in Brunei," he said, adding that it gained popularity among locals during the Japanese Occupation in the 1940's when rice was scarce.
"Our business has been doing very well, we've received very good response from the public. Most of our customers are Brunei Malays and Bruneian Chinese,"
The factory also supplies its produce to a number of major companies in Brunei, such as Hua Ho Department Store and Teguh Raya Department Store, Yong said.
Besides producing ambulong, Yong has also baked pastries such as kueh mor and chocolate chip cookies from sago flour, which sell "very well" especially before Hari Raya.
"It's very important to keep our tradition alive as ambuyat is something unique to Brunei." Yong said of keeping the business going.
When asked if he thinks young people are losing touch with tradition, Yong does not agree, saying that he has met a lot of young people that visited the factory, who loves to eat ambuyat.
"It's not only the older generation who can make ambuyat, look at restaurants, the people who make ambuyat are young," he said.
While careful preparation is needed to make ambuyat with the perfect colour and consistency, Yong said, learning to make it is not hard. It is all about practice, he told The Brunei Times.
Seeing the Bruneians' love of food and the positive reaction of young people and tourists towards the national dish, Yong is optimistic of the future of Brunei's tradition in the food department.
Being the sole sago-producing factory in Brunei, the factory has received visits from Ministers and even, His Majesty the Sultan in 2004. It has also been visited by schools and tourists led by local travel companies
Besides, being a healthy choice of food, the sago flour can also be used as a treatment for rashes "according to old people's beliefs", Yong said.
The Brunei Times
While many are familiar with ambuyat being Brunei's national dish, not a lot of people know the difference between ambuyat and ambulung.
Ambulung is processed sago, derived from the Rumbia tree which grows in the jungle near the riverbank; it is found throughout Borneo, including Brunei. Ambuyat is prepared by adding hot water to ambulung and stirring it until it becomes a sticky glue-like porridge.
In an interview with The Brunei Times, manager of the sago factory in Kampung Ukong, Yong Ming Leong, 46, is looking to improve the size and efficiency of the factory to meet the increasing demand for ambulung in the country. However, he would need the assistance of the government to do so.
According to Yong, the sole machine in the factory produces about a tonne (1,000kg) of sago from five rumbia tree trunks. The factory supplies its processed sago in three types of packages at very low prices: a 500g package costs $0.80, a 1kg package costs $1.60 and a 2kg package costing $3.
"We get about 50 orders from companies and people all over Brunei in one month, however we are unable to meet the demand due to shortage of resources."
On average, the family-owned factory, which has been supplying the country with the main ingredient for its national dish for 39 years now, is unable to complete about 20 orders from its customers in a month due to shortage of resources, Yong said.
Among other problems faced to expand the family business, Yong said, the company is also facing short supply of rumbia trees, from which sago is extracted. As they do not have enough land to plant rumbia trees, the company has to buy them from a landowner. This limits the amount of trees they can use per month.
"We have applied for a budget... and land for plantation...from the government, but are still awaiting approval. I applied for a land for plantation about 10 years ago, and have just started applying for a new factory to produce the sago."
Unfortunately, Yong has not acquired approval for either of the applications.
Yong hoped to move the factory into a larger building to "double up" the efficiency of producing sago for the nation. Currently, the sago-processing factory is a small wooden shack with a single machine that Yong's father designed in the 1980s.
The sago-producing factory was founded by in 1972 by Yong's late father, who grew up in a tightly-knit Dusun community.
"My father started this factory to keep Brunei's tradition alive, especially since ambuyat is the second main food staple in Brunei," he said, adding that it gained popularity among locals during the Japanese Occupation in the 1940's when rice was scarce.
"Our business has been doing very well, we've received very good response from the public. Most of our customers are Brunei Malays and Bruneian Chinese,"
The factory also supplies its produce to a number of major companies in Brunei, such as Hua Ho Department Store and Teguh Raya Department Store, Yong said.
Besides producing ambulong, Yong has also baked pastries such as kueh mor and chocolate chip cookies from sago flour, which sell "very well" especially before Hari Raya.
"It's very important to keep our tradition alive as ambuyat is something unique to Brunei." Yong said of keeping the business going.
When asked if he thinks young people are losing touch with tradition, Yong does not agree, saying that he has met a lot of young people that visited the factory, who loves to eat ambuyat.
"It's not only the older generation who can make ambuyat, look at restaurants, the people who make ambuyat are young," he said.
While careful preparation is needed to make ambuyat with the perfect colour and consistency, Yong said, learning to make it is not hard. It is all about practice, he told The Brunei Times.
Seeing the Bruneians' love of food and the positive reaction of young people and tourists towards the national dish, Yong is optimistic of the future of Brunei's tradition in the food department.
Being the sole sago-producing factory in Brunei, the factory has received visits from Ministers and even, His Majesty the Sultan in 2004. It has also been visited by schools and tourists led by local travel companies
Besides, being a healthy choice of food, the sago flour can also be used as a treatment for rashes "according to old people's beliefs", Yong said.
The Brunei Times
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