Bintulu
Bintulu is a coastal town on the island of Borneo in the central region of Sarawak, Malaysia. Bintulu is located 610 kilometres (380 miles) northeast of Kuching, 216 kilometres (134 miles) northeast of Sibu, and 200 kilometres (120 miles) southwest of Miri. With a population of 114,058 as of 2010, Bintulu is the capital of the Bintulu District of the Bintulu Division of Sarawak, Malaysia.
Bintulu | |
|---|---|
Town and district capital | |
| Bandar Bintulu Bintulu Town | |
| Other transcription(s) | |
| • Jawi | بينتولو |
| • Chinese | 民都鲁 (Simplified) 民都魯 (Traditional) Míndōulǔ (Hanyu Pinyin) |
From top, left to right: Downtown area, the Central Market, UPMKB, Coastal Promenade, and the Civic Center. | |
|
Bintulu Development Authority | |
| Nickname: "Energy Town of Sarawak" | |
Location of Bintulu in Sarawak | |
Bintulu Bintulu in Sarawak Bintulu Bintulu (Malaysia) Bintulu Bintulu (Southeast Asia) Bintulu Bintulu (Asia) | |
| Coordinates: 03°10′24″N 113°02′36″E | |
| Country | Malaysia |
| State | Sarawak |
| Division | Bintulu |
| District | Bintulu |
| Settled by James Brooke | 1862 |
| Formation of BDA | 8 July 1978 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal council |
| • Body | Bintulu Development Authority |
| • General Manager | Rodziah Haji Morshidi |
| Area | |
| • Bintulu Town | 237.12 km2 (91.55 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 8 m (26 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Bintulu town | 114,058 |
| • Local authority area | 212,994 |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+8 (Not observed) |
| Postal code | 97xxx |
| Area code(s) | +6086 (landline only) |
| Vehicle registration | QT (for all vehicles except taxis) HQ (for taxis only) |
| Website | www |
The name of Bintulu was derived from the local native language "Mentu Ulau" (picking heads). Bintulu was a small fishing village when Rajah James Brooke acquired it in 1861. Brooke later built a fort there in 1862. In 1867, the first General Council meeting (now Sarawak State Legislative Assembly) was convened in Bintulu. It is the earliest state legislature system in Malaysia. The construction of the earliest airstrip in Bintulu began in 1934 but was halted in 1938 due to financial difficulties. During World War II, the airstrip was heavily bombed by Allied forces. The British later rebuilt the airstrip, and it became fully operational in 1955. The old airport was replaced by a new airport in 2002. Bintulu remained a fishing village until 1969 when oil and gas reserves were discovered off the coast. Since then, Bintulu has become the centre of energy intensive industries such as a Malaysia LNG plant, a Shell Middle Distillate Synthesis plant, and a Bintulu combined cycle power plant. The economy has also expanded into oil palm and forest plantations, palm oil processing, wood-waste processing, and cement manufacturing. The port of Bintulu is the busiest in Sarawak. The town is also a gateway to Samalajau Industrial Park.
Among the tourist attractions in Bintulu are Similajau National Park, Tumbina Park, Tanjung Batu beach, Jepak village, Kuan Yin Tong temple, Assyakirin mosque, Council Negri monument, Tamu Bintulu, and Pasar Utama markets. The Borneo International Kite Festival is held annually in the town.