The Malays and the Chinese first arrived in Song District in the 1800s. They built wooden shophouses with nipah rooves along the river banks and opened floating shops on the river. Initially, the barter system was used, but when Song was acquired by the Kingdom of Sarawak, a monetary system was introduced. The first three Malays to arrive in Song were Mr Haji Tahir, Haji Omar, and Haji Dollah. In 1870, the Brooke government built a fort at Nanga Song (mouth of Song river). The fort also functioned as the first administrative centre for Song and was intended to inhibit Iban uprisings at Katibas river. The Iban people opposed the introduction of the assessment tax by the Brooke government. Such uprisings lasted until the 1900s. In 1873, Sibu Division was established. Kapit and Song sub-district were included in the division at that time. In 1937, there were 10 Malay houses in Song. The Malay traders at Song were known as "Abang" (meaning "nobleman"). In the 1820s, they traded with the Ibans in Song in exchange for jungle produce. One of the well-known traders was Haji Ahmed bin Haji Omar. The Malays would sell the jungle produce in Sibau town (present-day Sibu) for a profit. Ships like "Ang Bee" from Singapore and "Kampar" from the Malay Peninsula would anchor in Sibu to carry the jungle produce back to their respective destinations for sale. In exchange, these ships brought daily necessities such as salt, sugar, salted fish, plates, bowls, pottery and clothes to trade with the natives. Meanwhile, the Iban people worked as farmers, rubber tappers and jungle produce collectors. The Ibans then sold their products at the Song bazaar in exchange for daily necessities.