Self-Governing Sarawak 1963

On 27 May 1961, Malayan Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj proposed a merger for closer political and economic co-operation between the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, North Borneo (as Sabah was known then) and Brunei.

British Prime Minister Sir Harold Macmillan supported the idea and the first Malaysia Solidarity Consultative Committee (MSCC) meeting was held in Singapore two months later, followed by an eye-opening visit by leaders from Sarawak and Sabah to Malaya on 12 August 1962. In 1962, a five-man team of 2 Malayans and 3 British representatives headed by Lord Cameron Cobbold conducted a referendum amongst Sarawakians on the proposed Federation of Malaysia.

The findings of the Cobbold Commission led to the Malaysia Agreement signed on 9 July 1963 by Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore. As spelt out in the 20-point requirements raised by Sabah and 18-point by Sarawak, the Agreement sought to protect the interest, rights and autonomy of the people of the two states after the formation of Malaysia.

Temenggong Jugah anak Barieng OBE, Datu Bandar Abang Mustapa CBE, Abang Haji Openg, Ling Beng Siew and P.E.H. Pike signed on behalf of Sarawak while Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj and Sir Harold Macmillan represented Malaya and Britain respectively.

On 22 July 1963, the Governor of Sarawak, Sir Alexander Waddell, issued a proclamation to form the first Supreme Council with the appointment of Stephen Kalong Ningkan, the Chairman of Sarawak National Party (SNAP), as the first Chief Minister of Sarawak. The other members of the Supreme Council were Abdul Taib Mahmud, James Wong Kim Ming, Dunstan Endawie Anak Enchana, Awang Hipni Pengiran Anu and Teo Kui Seng. This marked the end of colonial rule and birth of Sarawak as a self-governing country.

source: Sarawak Government Website

British Military Administration (August 1945 - April 1946)

Japan sought peace on 15 August, 1945 and all regular resistance to the occupation forces ceased on that date. The Australian armed forces under Major-General Wootten entered Kuching on 11 September 1945 to receive the formal surrender of the Japanese army in Sarawak, which was immediately placed under British Military Rule administered by the Australian Military until 15 April 1946. Major General H. Yamamura surrending his sword, 11 September 1945 in Kuching. Source: Sarawak Government Website

Sarawak Before 1841

The eastern seaboard of Borneo was charted, though not settled, by the Portuguese in the early 16th century. The area of Sarawak was known to Portuguese cartographers as Cerava, and by the early 19th century, Sarawak had become a loosely governed territory under the control of the Brunei Sultanate. Sarawak, 1598 According to the Salasilah Raja-Raja Brunei, the Pengiran Muda Tengah Ibrahim Ali Omar Shah, better known as Raja Tengah, accepted the offer by his elder brother, the Sultan of Brunei, to be the Sultan of Sarawak in 1598. He brought along 1,000 warriors and a coterie of nobilities to help him administer the new country. In 1599, while returning from Pahang, Sultan Tengah’s storm-lashed ship ran aground in Sukadana in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. He stayed and married there. On his return to Sarawak, he was killed by one of his followers at present day Kampung Batu Buaya in Santubong. Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Omar Ali At the beginning of the 19th century, Brunei’s Sultan, O

The Brooke Era (1841 - 1941)

James Brooke had served in the East India Company’s army in his younger days. On his second visit in 1841, he agreed to help Raja Muda Hashim to quell the rebellion in Sarawak. As a reward, he was installed as the Rajah of Sarawak (which comprised the territory from Tanjong Datu to the Sadong River) in Kuching on 18 September 1842. Sarawak’s border continued to expand from Sadong River to Tanjong Kidurong until he was succeeded by his nephew, Charles Brooke in 1867. James Brooke died in England in 1868. Under Charles Brooke, who ruled from 1868 until his death in 1917, the territory of Sarawak was extended to include Baram (1881), Limbang (1890) and Lawas (1905), and to its present boundaries. At this time, the government machinery was formalised with proper laws and order, and efforts were made towards economic development using technologies from the west. Rajah Charles introduced public administration system, built a strategic network of fortresses, including Fort Margherita. Th

Sara by Sarawakian

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