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Paradise Borneo Paradise Borneo: Turning Clicks into Connections! 🚀✨

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27/07/2026

I found a mother who refused to let life write her limits.

Meet Fiona Marcus Raja.

At 21, she became a mother. Years later, her world changed when her son Royce was diagnosed with neuroblastoma.

But instead of letting the circumstances break her, Fiona chose to keep moving forward.

Through hospital visits, uncertainty, and countless challenges, she stood by Royce, who today is a cancer survivor, still shining bright, facing life with courage, and inspiring other children with his words of encouragement.

After returning to Sarawak, Fiona rebuilt her journey, starting five businesses in five years while creating events BEFITNATION by DefyLAB DefyLAB | Pilates Kuching, spaces like 11Ridgeway 11Ridgeway, and communities that bring people together.

Because a mother can be many things:
A caregiver.
A leader.
A dreamer.
A builder.

Fiona is proof that your circumstances may shape your journey, but they don’t have to define your possibilities.

17/07/2026

I found a woman who brought Dayak and Foochow traditions together in a way I never expected.

Traditional tuak has long been part of life in Borneo’s longhouses, shared during celebrations, gatherings, and moments that bring communities together.

But Evelyn Evee Teo saw something more.

Instead of treating tradition as something that should remain unchanged, she asked a different question:

What if two cultures could come together to create something entirely new?

Drawing from indigenous Dayak brewing methods using glutinous rice and wild ragi yeast, she began experimenting with Foochow Chinese winemaking techniques she grew up with.

The result is a tuak Tuak Atelier | Bornean Heritage. Redefined. unlike any other.

But her impact doesn’t stop at what’s inside the bottle.

She’s also the driving force behind the SAGO Incubator SAGO Group and the Borneo Tuak Festival Borneo Tuak Festival, the largest tuak festival in Borneo, bringing together brewers, communities, and stories that deserve to be remembered.

In a world where many traditions slowly fade away, Evelyn chose a different path.

Not preserving culture behind glass.

But helping it evolve, grow, and remain relevant for generations to come.

Some people build businesses.

Some people build movements.

Evelyn is doing both.

08/07/2026

I found the cold-chain expert behind Sarawak’s imported food.

Most of us don’t think twice about the salmon in our supermarkets, the premium beef on restaurant menus, or the imported ingredients that arrive fresh on our plates.

But behind every shipment is a process most people never see.

For years, Nigel Nigel Wee and his team has been helping ensure imported food reaches Sarawak safely and at the right temperature, managing a cold chain where even a small mistake can compromise quality.

Much of Supreme Cold Storage SUPREME CONSOLIDATED work happens behind the scenes, from coordinating international shipments to temperature-controlled storage and distribution, yet it plays a role in the meals we enjoy every day.

Because bringing food into Sarawak isn’t just about moving products from one place to another.

It’s about preserving quality, protecting freshness, and earning the trust of the people who consume it.

This is the story of Nigel and a look inside Supreme Cold Storage - the unseen system that helps keep Sarawak supplied with some of the world’s finest ingredients.

30/06/2026

I found a man who plays music with his... nose?! 👃🏼🎶

This is Ezra Tekola, a founding member of the Sarawak-born world music band, At Adau At Adau. He isn’t just an incredible musician; he is a cultural guardian.

Ezra has been playing the Sape, the iconic boat-shaped lute of Borneo, since he was 12 years old. Taught by his father and legendary tribal masters, he now builds them entirely by hand under his brand, Tekola Sampe Tekola Semuel, beautifully fusing ancient Dayak motifs with modern electric designs.

He is also one of the few young people left who can play the Selingut, a nearly extinct nose flute. It’s a bamboo instrument played by gently blowing air through a single nostril, traditionally used for courting and mimicking the whispers of the jungle. Hearing its hauntingly beautiful melody echo through the trees feels like listening to a direct echo of ancient Borneo.

While many chase standard modern trends, Ezra chose to stay fiercely true to his roots and dedicate his life to promoting his heritage. His passion has truly paid off on a massive scale. Today, his world-class craftsmanship has gone completely global, and he ships his handmade Sapes to musicians and collectors all over the world, putting Bornean culture firmly on the map.

True artists like this are a rare treasure. Drop a ❤️ to support cultural preservation!

23/06/2026

I found a Sarawakian artist who speaks in colours.

When Kelvin Li was diagnosed with autism at a young age, the world wasn’t built for his way of thinking. Traditional words weren’t his primary way of navigating life. Growing up on the spectrum, the constant sensory overload of a loud world and the frustration of spoken communication could have easily kept him isolated.

But Kelvin, supported by a mother who poured a lifetime of unseen sacrifices into building his world, did something extraordinary. She fought quiet, exhausting battles that the world will never fully see, giving up pieces of her own life to become his bridge when language failed them both. Together, they didn’t let the barriers of language define his boundaries. Instead, he took the intense, overwhelming way he experiences sights and sounds and translated them onto the canvas. He learned to communicate his deepest thoughts through a vibrant, fearless palette of colours.

Today, at 21, Kelvin hasn’t just found his footing. He has completely shattered the stereotypes of what it means to live on the spectrum. He earns his own independent income, travels independently to share his vision, and now teaches painting to other students, passing forward the very gift that unlocked his own world. He has blossomed into an outstanding young artist, and his artwork has grown into a renowned Sarawakian brand - by Kelvin Li, celebrated and warmly embraced by the public.

Share in his journey, support his art, and listen to a man who proved that you don’t need traditional words to live a fully independent, impactful life.

17/06/2026

Some people preserve culture. Others become culture.

We had the privilege of spending time with Mathew Ngau Jau Mathew Ngau Jau, a Living National Heritage of Malaysia, an indigenous cultural guardian, and widely regarded as a Master of the Sape, the iconic instrument of Borneo.

For decades, Mathew has dedicated his life to preserving and sharing the traditions of the Orang Kenyah people. Through the soulful sounds of the sape, he has carried the spirit of Sarawak far beyond its shores, performing around the world and using music as a powerful tool for healing, connection, and cultural exchange.

But his artistry extends far beyond music.

From hand-carving sapes from raw wood to painting intricate traditional motifs on tree bark, every creation reflects generations of knowledge, identity, and heritage. His work is more than art, it is a living expression of culture, carefully passed from one generation to the next.

And what makes his story even more remarkable is that his passion remains as strong as ever.

Even today, Mathew continues to create, teach, travel, and inspire. Whether he is sharing the ancient sounds of the rainforest on global stages, crafting works of art by hand, or mentoring the next generation, he remains a tireless ambassador of Sarawak’s rich cultural heritage.

In a world that is constantly changing, people like Mathew remind us of the importance of knowing where we come from.

Not just a master of the sape, but a keeper of stories, traditions, and the living soul of Borneo.

09/06/2026

I found the guardian of Sarawak’s soul.

If you ever want to see what unwavering love for home looks like, you only need to look at her life.

Datin Sri Dona Wee’s journey into preserving Sarawak’s cultural heritage began with the Legacy Cookbook, which went on to win the prestigious Gourmand World Award for Best Local Cuisine Cookbook in Paris.

For many, that would have been the achievement of a lifetime. For her, it was just the beginning.

That recognition proved that our food heritage belonged on the world stage. It sparked a mission that eventually led her to chair CHASS , where she played a key role in securing Kuching’s recognition as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy . Today, she continues to champion traditional recipes and indigenous ingredients, believing that when we lose our food heritage, we lose a part of ourselves.

Yet her work doesn’t stop there.

For more than a decade as President of SSPCA , she has also been a voice for animals with no voice of their own. From tackling animal neglect to supporting the fight against rabies, she has spent years confronting some of the most difficult, unseen realities facing our communities.

Still, she shows up, because she believes compassion is measured by how we treat the most vulnerable among us.

She isn’t just preserving Sarawak’s past. She’s helping shape the kind of Sarawak we become.

02/06/2026

I found the storyteller behind the lens.

Andy Phe studied in Melbourne, then made a decision many people wouldn’t. Instead of building his life somewhere bigger, he came home. Back to Kuching. Back to familiar streets, familiar faces, and the place where he believed his work could matter most.

Today, Andy is known for creating photographs that feel deeply human. There is something about his work that lingers long after you’ve seen it. It’s not just technically beautiful. It’s emotional.

The secret isn’t in the camera.

Before every shoot, Andy spends time talking. He listens to people’s stories, asks questions, and creates space for them to be themselves. He understands that most people become guarded the moment a lens points at them. So instead of directing performances, he waits patiently for the walls to come down.

That’s what Andy is looking for.

Because to him, photography isn’t about capturing what someone looks like. It’s about capturing who they are.

Perhaps that’s why his work stays with people. Long after the moment has passed, the feeling remains.



26/05/2026

She manages a mall. Teaches yoga and (SRT) Slow Resistance Training on a custom machine called the VFormer. Runs sound baths. Manages a cycle and body studio. Oh, and she’s a mum.

All of this, in Kuching. Not KL. Not Singapore.

Because somewhere between coming home from the UK and choosing this city over every other option the world was offering her, Sereni Linggi made a quiet decision:

That the people of Kuching deserve better. Better spaces. Better wellness. A lifestyle that doesn’t require a flight out of Sarawak to experience.

So she got to work.

She didn’t stop at becoming a yoga teacher. She went all the way to RYT 500, a level most instructors never reach, because half-measures were never really her thing.

She built spaces that breathe with the community around them. She curates, teaches, manages, holds space, and somehow, through all of it, remains one of the most grounded people in the room.

Is she a little insane? Maybe.

But that’s the thing about people who are deeply, unapologetically in love with what they do.

They don’t look exhausted.
They look alive.

“Wellness shouldn’t be a luxury.”

That’s what she told us.

And every single thing she does feels like proof that she means it.

She’s Sereni Linggi, co-founder of Voodoo Cycle .my & Voodoo Body , Centre Manager of Green Heights Mall , and someone quietly reshaping what wellness can look like in Kuching.

21/05/2026

He had Melbourne. He chose Kuching.

Not just a sound engineer, but someone who shapes identity, memory, and culture through what you hear.

“Really?” is a new series where we step into the lives of people, places, and stories that make you pause for a second and ask - wait… really?

From hidden creatives to unheard stories, from familiar streets to unexpected perspectives, this series is about discovering the humans behind the places, the passion behind the work, and the stories that deserve to be felt.

Because sometimes, the most interesting stories are the ones quietly happening around us.

Who’s someone you think we should feature next? Comment below and let us know!

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