Mukah (muːkəh), historically known as Muka^[3] is a coastal town which has served as the capital and the administrative center of the Mukah Division since 1 March 2002.^[4]

Quick Facts Other transcription(s), • Jawi ...

Mukah
Town and district capital
Other transcription(s)
• Jawi	موكه
• Chinese	沐胶
• Tamil	முக்கா
Aerial view of Mukah Town
Seal
Nickname:  "The Melanau Heartland"
Motto(s):  Mukah Maju, Rakyat Sejahtera (Mukah Progressive, Prosperous People)
Mukah    Mukah in    Malaysia Show map of Malaysia Mukah Mukah (Asia) Show map of Asia Mukah Mukah (Earth) Show map of Earth
Coordinates: 2°53′46″N 112°4′43″E
Country	Malaysia
State	Sarawak
Division	Mukah
District	Mukah
Malano Kingdom	700 AD
Founded by James Brooke	1861
10th Division of Sarawak	1 March 2002
Division Office location	Mukah
Government
• Type	Dalat and Mukah District Council
• Resident	Hajjah Hamdiah Binti Haji Bakir
• Mayor	Tn. Haji Kadir Bin Haji Jamil
Area
• Mukah town	2,536 km2 (979 sq mi)
Population  (2016, projected[1])
• Mukah town	49,900 (District)
Time zone	UTC+8 (MST[2])
• Summer (DST)	UTC+8 (Not observed)
Postal code	96xxx
Area code(s)	084 (landline only)
Vehicle registration	QS (for all vehicles except taxis) HQ (for taxis only)
Website	www.mukah.sarawak.gov.my

Close

The district also covers an area of 2,536 square kilometres (979 sq mi) with a population about 49,900 in the Mukah town^[5] and 18,800 in the Dalat administrative town of Dalat District.

It is located on the Borneo island, by the South China Sea, about 2 hours by road from the city of Sibu. Mukah is also accessible by air by MASwings from Kuching and Miri. The duration of both flights is about one hour. There are also speed boats connecting the town of Dalat (about 30 kilometres [19 mi] from Mukah) to Sibu. The speed boat trip takes approximately 2 hours.

There are several versions of the origin of the name "Mukah". The word "Mukah" is similar to the Malay word "muka" which means face. It was said that the town was named after the face of a mysterious beautiful woman who helped three shipwreck merchants from Brunei.

Another version was that a beautiful face appeared on the surface on the sea to fishermen. However, these does not explain on why the town adopted a Malay name instead of a Melanau name as the majority of the population here are the Melanau people. The Melanau word for face is "jawai".^[6]

Mukah town has statues of Ikan Merah (Red Snapper) and Udang (Prawn) that reflect the importance of the fishery industry to the town.^[6]

The Melanau people is the earliest indigenous group living in Mukah. The earliest documentation of Mukah can be found in the annals of the Majapahit empire where a place known as "Melano" was paying tribute to the empire. Although this Mukah describe includes other Melanau areas along the coastline of Sarawak. The place then became part of the Bruneian Empire in the 13th century. Mukah was later sold to the Raj of Sarawak in 1860.^[7]

In November 1862, the Rajah Muda rescued several civilians from the Moro Pirates after a pitched naval battle off the coast of Mukah. During the fighting, Brooke's steamer named Rainbow sank four prahus and damaged one other with cannon fire. Over 100 pirates were killed or wounded in the engagement while Brooke, the bishop Francis McDougall and their Sarawakian followers, were mostly unscathed.^[8]

Mukah and Dalat District Office is the governing body of the Mukah and Dalat districts, including the towns. The district office was established in 1947 as Native Local Authority (NLA). The district office then expands it power to Dalat, Oya, Balingian in 1981.^[9]

Mukah town is located at the mouth of the Mukah River.^[10] Mukah is located on peat land that is still covered by peat swamp forests.^[11]

Mukah has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) with heavy to very heavy rainfall year-round.

In 2017, Mukah District had a projected population of 49,900.^[1]

Sago processing and fishing are the two main economic activities in Mukah.^[7] Residential Median Price: RM 380,000 , PSF of RM 149.41 , based on 23 transactions^[13]. Commercial Median Price: RM 1,080,000 , PSF of RM 818.88 , based on 2 transactions^[14]. This data is sourced from NAPIC and represents the past subsale transaction data available for the latest 12 months.^[15]

Since 2008, Mukah is the economic centre of Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).^[16][17] Press Metal Sdn Bhd built its first aluminium smelting plant in Mukah in 2009.^[18]

State Executive Council, the demarcation of the Sibu Division and Sarikei Division Administrative areas to form the Mukah Division was effective on 1 March 2002. Regarding to this, the Mukah Division was declared as the Tenth (10) Division on 1 March 2002 by the Most Honorable Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, Chief Minister of Sarawak. The recognition of Mukah as a Division has opened a new chapter in the administrative machinery of the state of Sarawak when it covers the entire coastal area in the central part of Sarawak. Thus, the declaration makes Mukah District as the administrative center and the capital of the division.^[36]

Lamin Dana cultural Lounge is located at Kampung Tellian. It is a place where the residents of the village showcase their traditional arts, crafts, and authentic Melanau food.^[37] A Melanau delicacy named Umai is one of the popular dishes in the town. It is a raw fish salad served with sago pellets.^[38] Sago is the staple food for the Melanau people. They usually takes sago together with fish, Sambal, and Ulam.^[7]

Mukah Kaul festival is held annually at the third week of April. It was a traditional ritual by the Melanau people for thanksgiving and continuation of good fortune by appeasing the spirits of the sea, land, forests, and farms.^[39]