This research examines the perceptions of riverine communities along Rajang River in
Sarawak towards the occurrences of disasters such as severe flood, riverbank erosion, and
fire. Such occurrences cause damages and losses to their livelihoods. The idea of “disaster”
is alien to the local communities and most of the times they have their local interpretation
especially cultural-based explanation. The perception of disaster is looked through the local
context and how these communities react to these events. A disaster management mechanism
is in place, under the Sarawak Welfare Department (JKMNS). However, the mechanism is
towards the role and coordination of various agencies in the event of disaster. At the riverine
community’s level, there exist only the protocol to inform the District Office about a disaster
and in severe cases, evacuation is the usual action taken. While awaiting aid to arrive, the
riverine communities are left on their own to cope with the untoward happenings. A better
disaster management and intervention mechanism should be in place to reduce social,
economic as well as psychological impact of the victims. The empirical data for this research
were gathered through interview and observation in 29 longhouses and villages along the
Rajang River. Headmen of these villages and longhouses are interviewed on their views and
experiences about disasters. Additionally, rituals are documented to grasp a better
understanding of how riverine communities perceive disasters happen and how they cope
with. Disasters are perceived as uncontrollable events but with reasons. The religious
riverine communities hold the view that disasters happened due to rapid development and
industrialisation. They normally adhere to the directives of the authorities by informing the
District Office and wait for aid to arrive. On the other hand, the communities who are still
practicing the traditional adat religion perceive that disasters are the impact of distorted
human action. Thus, some of them blame such happenings as actions that have inflicted and angered the spiritual world. While waiting for government aid to arrive, the communities
hold rituals to appease the spirits or “antu”. Religious beliefs play an important role in how
the riverine communities in Rajang River perceive the cause and occurrence of disasters.
Religious beliefs therefore influence the kind of resilience measures taken by the
communities. The study is embedded in Cultural theory introduced by Mary Douglas and
Aaron Wildavsky in 1982, which is important to discuss individual perceptions and
interpretations towards the risks surround them
