Malu-Adam: When embarrassment by the river named a town (Travelogue Day 1)

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By D’Drift Team

MALUDAM, Feb 18: Who truly knows how Maludam got its name?

For many visitors arriving at this idyllic coastal settlement between the estuaries of Batang Lupar and the Saribas river, the name elicits curiosity.

Yet according to local oral history, Maludam owes its identity to something far more human; a moment of embarrassment involving one man and a river.

Village chief of Kampung Hilir, Anuar Dollah recounted that long before Maludam was given its name and became home to the current communities of the Melanau, Chinese, Malays, and Ibans, the area had no permanent residents.

“Before this place has yet earned its name, yet to have any residents, there came an Iban man named Adam. He was the first settler,” told Anuar to the D’Drift team.

According to Anuar, during those early days without facilities or infrastructure, villagers relieved themselves wherever they could. One day, human waste was spotted floating along the river, prompting curious onlookers to ask whose it was. And Adam, whose waste was, refused to admit it was his as he was overcome with shame.

“From then onwards, the people said “Adam Malu” (Adam’s embarrassed). It was rearranged to “Malu Adam”. The ‘A’ from Adam was later dropped, resulting to Maludam. That’s the origin of the name,” said Anuar with a slight laugh.

Adding to the historical account, councillor of Betong District Council, Bakri said that the town itself was then later shaped by migration, with communities gradually settling in the area over time.

“Most of the people from Belawai, Matu, and surrounding areas migrated here to Maludam. Perhaps the people currently living here are not actually natives of Maludam,” said Bakri.

The Gold Cape of Maludam

Among the stories passed down through generations is the legend of Tanjung Emas, or the Gold Cape, an area located before Sungai Daun.

Anuar shared a tale he heard from elders of his own father who was said to have entered an unseen village belonging to supernatural beings often described locally as ‘orang bunian’ (elves).

Based on the account, his father disappeared one morning and returned only in the evening, claiming to have been invited into another dimension.

“Even then, my father managed to enter their place because they granted him entry. Otherwise, nobody would’ve been able to enter,” added Anuar.

The cape earned its name from rumours that a ship carrying gold once sank nearby, leaving behind a hidden trove. Despite the legend, Anuar said that villagers have never attempted to search for the treasure as they believed the area to be spiritually guarded.

He shared that another similar incident has reportedly occurred, including an elderly villager said to have vanished overnight and returned the following despite being physically unable to travel alone.

For locals, Tanjung Emas remains less a place of wealth than one of mystery. To be felt rather than seen.

Maludam’s folklore also speaks of a white crocodile said to inhabit Lubuk Periuk; a deep, rounded section of river within the Maludam National Park whose name derives from its pot-like shape.

Sightings are rare and not widely publicised, said Anuar, but locals believe that the creature serves as a spiritual guardian of the waters.

Beware of Poisoned Prawns

Life along Maludam’s rivers is closely tied to river prawn harvesting, a practice carried out in knee- to thigh-deep waters. Fishermen traditionally follow taboos and avoid dangerous areas known to be inhabited by crocodiles.

However, villagers face another concern: poisoning of river prawn habitats by people seeking quick profits.

As told by Anuar, poisoned water irritates prawns’ eyes, causing them to migrate towards the seashore. The affected prawns can often be identified by eyes that no longer appear fresh, and according to Anuar, sometimes looking greenish due to the stinging.

“The problem is the prawns cannot reproduce because the poison affects all sizes,” he explained, noting that such incidents occur about thrice a year.

Those responsible of the poisoning does not sell their catch in Maludam itself, aware that the residents can easily recognise poisoned prawns. Instead, the seafood is allegedly transported to other villages.

First Day of D’Drift Commences

The D’Drift 2026 journey began under cloudy skies that hinted at rain but promised adventure nonetheless.

Departing at 9.45am, the team travelled through Asajaya, briefly stopping by Pasar Nelayan Kampung Tambirat and Pusat Penjaja MPKS Tambirat before crossing the Batang Lupar by ferry, arriving in Maludam at 1.50pm.

The town welcomed visitors with its coastal calm, with rows of banana, coconut and palm trees lining the roads, while cattle laid lazily beside white egrets along open fields.

Quiet yet storied, Maludam revealed itself not merely as a destination, but as a place where humour, folklore, livelihood, and landscape intertwine. All beginning, perhaps improbably, with one man too shy to admit a mistake. – DayakDaily