Sarawak’s gula apong, a type of sugar from the nipa palm tree (Nypa Fruticans), is a rich golden caramel, sometimes dark brown in colour. It has natural sweet-salty taste, excellent for desserts, cakes, stews and caramelised dishes.
 
The mangrove-rich land of Kampung Pinggan Jaya, in Samarahan Division, provides income for Pak Mahli and his wife Rohana via the nipah groves which grow wild just outside their home. The brackish water and nutrient-rich soil in that area produces high grade gula apong.