150-659: Borneo Company Limited , formed in 1856, was one of the oldest companies based in East Malaysia ( Sarawak and Sabah ). In 1840s, James Brooke ( White Rajah of Sarawak) formed a relationship with Henry Wise , a merchant from London who sought to exploit the natural resources of Sarawak. In 1850, the British government established a trading company called the Eastern Archipelago Company (EAC) with Henry Wise as its principal shareholder. The company
300-676: A communist insurgency that lasted until 1990. The head of state is the governor, also known as the Yang di-Pertua Negeri , while the head of government is the premier . Sarawak is divided into administrative divisions and districts, governed by a system that is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system and was the earliest state legislature system in Malaysia. Under the Malaysian constitution, Sarawak has greater autonomy than
450-528: A jute mill for spinning jute yarn at Rishra , West Bengal , India. In 1859, weaving machinery and power loom were imported and stationed at Baranagar , West Bengal. These actions forced the traditional jute cottage industry out of business in India. The Borneo Company Limited (BCL) was registered in London on 6 May 1856 and MacEwan & Co. was appointed as the company's Singapore agent. The MacEwan company
600-461: A 20-metre tall brickwork chimney in there. Sarawak Sarawak ( / s ə ˈ r ɑː w ɒ k / sə- RAH -wok , Malay: [saˈrawaʔ] ) is a state of Malaysia . The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia , Sarawak is located in East Malaysia in northwest Borneo , and is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sabah to
750-747: A Chinese miner and an Indian buffalo driver lost his arm after falling down in front of a wagon filled with ore. BCL incurred a loss of £20,000 and closed the mine, depriving the Brooke government of payment of £1,000 from BCL on exclusive rights for coal extraction. Undeterred by the mishap, the Brooke government reopened the mine with assistance from BCL in terms of marketing and management. The Brooke government offered to sell 300 tons of coal to Peninsular & Oriental (P & O) Steam Navigation Company in Singapore by June 1874 but only able to supply 150 tons by September 1874. Mine manager W. G. Brodie predicted that
900-653: A Malay as his initial staff. Helms worked for the company for 20 years. Helms also doubled up his role in the court of law that dealt with civil and criminal cases. Since October 1856, The Borneo Company allocated £200 a year to build an Anglican school in Simunjan District in Sadong area (today part of Samarahan Division ). During 1857 Chinese uprising in Bau , BCL employee R Wellington was killed while lodging in police inspector P. Middleton's house. The Sarawak treasury
1050-490: A better job of pumping out water from the mines. Several Chinese miners had died due to infectious diseases. English miners did not spare from such diseases and had to return to England later. Two Bidi mines were shut down later after digging 28 and 46 metres respectively. BCL also built reverberatory and calcining furnaces (smelter) in Busau to extract antimony sulphide ores. BCL also produced a patent in 1864 that used antimony for
1200-742: A clamp-down by the colonial government. On 27 May 1961, Tunku Abdul Rahman , the prime minister of the Federation of Malaya , announced a plan to form a greater federation together with Singapore , Sarawak , North Borneo and Brunei , to be called Malaysia. On 17 January 1962, the Cobbold Commission was formed to gauge the support of Sarawak and Sabah for the plan; the Commission reported 80 per cent support for federation. On 23 October 1962, five political parties in Sarawak formed
1350-487: A commitment" to develop the oil deposits. The rights for oil exploration were later transferred to Anglo-Saxon Oil Company in 1909 (later became a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell in the same year). The economic benefits of mining minerals in Bau and its surroundings started to dry up in the 1920s. BCL also offered rewards to outstation government officers or anyone that can find a new potential mine for development, however, no one
1500-628: A diet of sago. Any starch can be pearled by heating and stirring small aggregates of moist starch, producing partly gelatinized dry kernels that swell but remain intact on boiling. Pearl sago closely resembles pearl tapioca . Both are typically small (about 2 mm diameter) dry, opaque balls. Both may be white (if very pure) or colored naturally gray, brown or black, or artificially pink, yellow, green, etc. When soaked and cooked, both become much larger, translucent, soft and spongy. Both are widely used in Indian , Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan cuisine in
1650-664: A glue-like paste ( papeda ), or as a pancake . Sago is often produced commercially in the form of "pearls" (small rounded starch aggregates, partly gelatinized by heating). Sago pearls can be boiled with water or milk and sugar to make a sweet sago pudding . Sago pearls are similar in appearance to the pearled starches of other origin, e.g. cassava starch ( tapioca ) and potato starch. They may be used interchangeably in some dishes, and tapioca pearls are often marketed as "sago", since they are much cheaper to produce. Compared to tapioca pearls, real sago pearls are off-white, uneven in size, brittle and cook very quickly. The name sago
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#17327657931651800-534: A headman (known as ketua kampung or penghulu ) for each village. There are a total of 26 sub-districts in Sarawak all under the jurisdiction of the Sarawak Ministry of Local Government and Community Development. The list of divisions, districts, sub-districts and their local authorities is shown in the table below: Kuching South City Council Padawan Municipal Council Sibu Rural District Council The first paramilitary armed forces in Sarawak,
1950-481: A large open-pit mining operation by 1913. By 1919, the Tai Parit site was excavated 200 feet, with increasingly unstable geology, threatened by monsoon rains and landslides. Cracks also seen along the excavation site. By 1921, BCL ceased all gold mining operations at Tai Parit. The Tai Parit mine was renamed as "Tasik Biru" in the 1970s after it became a popular picnic venue. BCL also opened a gold mine at Tai Ton and
2100-470: A largely symbolic position appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia) on the advice of the Malaysian federal government. The position has been held by Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar since 2024. The TYT appoints the Premier , currently held by Abang Johari Openg ( GPS ), as the head of government . Generally, the leader of the party that commands the majority of the state Legislative Assembly
2250-547: A later date. In the 14th century, the Javanese manuscript Nagarakretagama , written by Prapanca in 1365, mentioned Barune as the constituent state of Hindu Majapahit , which had to make an annual tribute of forty katis of camphor . In 1369, Sulu which was also formerly part of Majapahit, successfully rebelled and then attacked Boni, and had invaded the Northeast Coast of Borneo and afterwards had looted
2400-408: A much lower output when compared to the gold exports by BCL in previous years (40,000 to 68,108 Oz). In 1857, the company hired five coal miners from England to work in Sadong coal mine together with Chinese labourers, located at the base of the 322-metre-high Gunong Ngili (Ngili hill) in Simunjan District , three kilometres away from Sadong river. On 1 April 1858, a short railway was built connecting
2550-725: A number of them being studied for medicinal properties. Mangrove and nipah forests lining its estuaries comprise 2% of its forested area, peat swamp forests along other parts of its coastline cover 16%, Kerangas forest covers 5% and Dipterocarpaceae forests cover most mountainous areas. The major trees found in estuary forests include bako and nibong , while those in the peat swamp forests include ramin ( Gonystylus bancanus ), meranti ( Shorea ), and medang jongkong ( Dactylocladus stenostachys ). Animal species are also highly varied, with 185 species of mammals, 530 species of birds, 166 species of snakes, 104 species of lizards, and 113 species of amphibians, of which 19 per cent of
2700-740: A regiment formed by the Brooke regime in 1862, were known as the Sarawak Rangers . The regiment, renowned for its jungle tracking skills, served in the campaign to end the intertribal wars in Sarawak. It also engaged in guerrilla warfare against the Japanese, in the Malayan Emergency (in West Malaysia) and the Sarawak Communist Insurgency against the communists. Following the formation of Malaysia,
2850-576: A requirement that the Sarawak Chief Minister be consulted prior to the appointment of the chief judge of the Sarawak High Court, the existence of Native Courts in Sarawak and the power to levy sales tax. Natives in Sarawak enjoy special privileges such as quotas and employment in public service, scholarships, university placements, and business permits. Local governments in Sarawak are exempt from local council laws enacted by
3000-606: A restricted range of wild animals in the jungles but should not possess more than 5 kg (11 lb) of meat. The Sarawak Forest Department was established in 1919 to conserve forest resources in the state. Following international criticism of the logging industry in Sarawak, the state government decided to downsize the Sarawak Forest Department and created the Sarawak Forestry Corporation in 1995. The Sarawak Biodiversity Centre
3150-460: A total of 2,500 lbs. (1,114 kg.) of gun powder was used to detonate the Tengora hill, leaving honeycomb-like tunnels within the hill. BCL subsequently closed down the mine in 1921. By this time, a total of 10,608 iron flasks each containing 75 lbs. (34 kg.) of mercury were produced, at a total value of £228,000. BCL abandoned the plant and equipment where the majority of them were sent to Kuching with
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#17327657931653300-572: A total of 4,969 tons of low-grade ores were produced. By August 1920, all the ores produced from Tai Ton were written off as "useless". In 1900, another ore processing plant in Bidi (in Bau district) was built. However, gold ore sources for Bidi plant were widely scattered, from as far as four miles away at Jagoi mountains near the Dutch Borneo. Besides, the ores supplying the Bidi plant were of lower quality. Subsequently, gold production at Bidi plant
3450-454: A trade link with Singapore. With just two ships namely Rajah Brooke and the 2nd Royalist , the company paid 40 to 50% dividends to shareholders for the monopoly sago trade to Singapore. In 1899, BCL's capital increased to £300,000. In 1905, BCL held the rights to develop oil deposits in Miri . However, after a preliminary survey at the site, BCL decided to forgo the rights because of "too large
3600-595: A united front that supported the formation of Malaysia. Sarawak was officially granted self-government on 22 July 1963, and federated with Malaya, North Borneo (now Sabah ), and Singapore to form the Federation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963. The governments of the Philippines and Indonesia opposed the new federation, as did the Brunei People's Party and Sarawak-based communist groups, and in 1962,
3750-422: A variety of dishes and around the world, usually in puddings . In India , it is used in a variety of dishes such as desserts boiled with sweetened milk on occasion of religious fasts. The Penan people of Borneo have sago from Eugeissona palms as their staple carbohydrate. Sago starch is also used to treat fiber in a process is called sizing , which makes fibers easier to machine. The process helps to bind
3900-399: A wide variety of soils and may reach 30 meters in height (including the leaves). Several other species of the genus Metroxylon , particularly Metroxylon salomonense and Metroxylon amicarum , are also used as sources of sago throughout Melanesia and Micronesia . Sago palms grow very quickly, in clumps of different ages similar to bananas, one sucker matures, then flowers and dies. It
4050-404: A year, Sarawak was the chief supplier of antimony to Europe through Singapore. In the year ending 31 October 1857, BCL had earned $ 11,935 from the antimony trade. After deducting $ 3,750 royalty paid to the Brooke government, the net profit for BCL was $ 8,365, which was 70 percent of BCL income for that year. Initially, Chinese workers were hired to carry baskets of antimony ores on their shoulders to
4200-497: Is a major staple food for the lowland peoples of New Guinea and the Maluku Islands , where it is called saksak , rabia and sagu . The largest supply of sago comes from Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia and Malaysia. Large quantities of sago are sent to Europe and North America for cooking purposes. It is traditionally cooked and eaten in various forms, such as rolled into balls, mixed with boiling water to form
4350-509: Is a slow-growing wild or ornamental plant . Its common names "sago palm" and "king sago palm" are misnomers as cycads are not palms . Processed starch known as sago is made from this and other cycads. It is a less-common food source for some peoples of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Unlike palms, cycads are highly poisonous: most parts of the plant contain the neurotoxins cycasin and BMAA . Consumption of cycad seeds has been implicated in
4500-432: Is also sometimes used for starch extracted from other sources, especially the sago cycad, Cycas revoluta . The sago cycad is also commonly known as the sago palm, although this is a misnomer as cycads are not palms . Extracting edible starch from the sago cycad requires special care due to the poisonous nature of cycads. Cycad sago is used for many of the same purposes as palm sago. The fruit of palm trees from which
4650-487: Is appointed as the chief minister; democratically elected representatives are known as state assemblymen. The state assembly passes laws on subjects that are not under the jurisdiction of the Parliament of Malaysia such as land administration, employment, forests, immigration, merchant shipping and fisheries. The state government is constituted by the premier, the cabinet ministers and their deputy ministers. To protect
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4800-480: Is found in coastal and riverine regions. 12 per cent of Sarawak is covered with peat swamp forest . Limestone with well-developed karst topography and cave systems is found scattered from west to east Sarawak, but concentrated in certain regions such as in the Bau district in the west and southwards near the Kalimantan border. There are thirty national parks, among which are Niah with its eponymous caves,
4950-582: Is notable for its turtle conservation initiatives. Birdwatching is a common activity in various national parks such as Gunung Mulu National Park, Lambir Hills National Park, and Similajau National Park . Miri–Sibuti National Park is known for its coral reefs and Gunung Gading National Park for its Rafflesia flowers. Bako National Park , the oldest national park in Sarawak, is known for its 275 proboscis monkeys, and Padawan Pitcher Garden for its various carnivorous pitcher plants . In 1854, Alfred Russel Wallace visited Sarawak. A year later, he formulated
5100-625: Is often the most ecologically appropriate form of land-use and the nutritional deficiencies of the food can often be compensated for with other readily available foods. Sago starch can be baked (resulting in a product analogous to bread, pancake, or biscuit) or mixed with boiling water to form a paste. It is a main staple of many traditional communities in New Guinea and Maluku in the form of papeda , Borneo , South Sulawesi (most known in Luwu Regency ) and Sumatra . In Palembang , sago
5250-435: Is one of the ingredients to make pempek . In Brunei , it is used for making the popular local dish called the ambuyat . It is also used commercially in making noodles and white bread . Sago starch can also be used as a thickener for other dishes. It can be made into steamed puddings such as sago plum pudding. In Malaysia, the traditional food " keropok lekor " (fish cracker) uses sago as one of its main ingredients. In
5400-502: Is one of the world's largest exporters of tropical hardwood timber , constituting 65% of the total Malaysian log exports in 2000. The last United Nations statistics in 2001 estimated Sarawak's sawlog exports at an average of 14,109,000 m (498,300,000 cu ft) per year between 1996 and 2000. Sago Sago ( / ˈ s eɪ ɡ oʊ / ) is a starch extracted from the pith , or spongy core tissue, of various tropical palm stems, especially those of Metroxylon sagu . It
5550-400: Is replaced by another sucker, with up to 1.5 m of vertical stem growth per year. The stems are thick and are either self-supporting or have a moderate climbing habit ; the leaves are pinnate . Each palm trunk produces a single inflorescence at its tip at the end of its life. Sago palms are harvested at the age of 7–15 years, just before or shortly after the inflorescence appears and when
5700-459: Is taken from the stems and ground to powder. The powder is kneaded in water over a cloth or sieve to release the starch. The water with the starch passes into a trough where the starch settles. After a few washings, the starch is ready to be used in cooking. A single palm yields about 360 kilograms (800 pounds) of dry starch. Sago was noted by the Chinese historian Zhao Rukuo (1170–1231) during
5850-400: Is the highest point in Sarawak. Sarawak has a tropical geography with an equatorial climate and experiences two monsoon seasons: a northeast monsoon and a southwest monsoon. The northeast monsoon occurs between November and February, bringing heavy rainfall while the southwest monsoon, which occurs between March and October, brings somewhat less rainfall. The climate is stable throughout
6000-579: Is the longest river in Malaysia; Bakun Dam , one of the largest dams in Southeast Asia , is located on one of its tributaries, the Balui River . Mount Murud is the highest point in the state. Sarawak is the only state of Malaysia with a Christian majority. The earliest known human settlement in Sarawak at the Niah Caves dates back 40,000 years. A series of Chinese ceramics dated from
6150-899: Is then washed carefully and repeatedly to leach out the natural toxins. The starchy residue is then dried and cooked, producing a starch similar to palm sago/sabudana. In many countries including Australia, Brazil, and India, tapioca pearls made from cassava root are also referred to as sago , sagu , sabudana , etc. Sago from Metroxylon palms is nearly pure carbohydrate and has very little protein, vitamins, or minerals. 100 grams ( 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 ounces) of dry sago typically comprises 94 grams of carbohydrate, 0.2 grams of protein, 0.5 grams of dietary fiber, 10 mg of calcium, 1.2 mg of iron and negligible amounts of fat, carotene, thiamine and ascorbic acid and yields approximately 1,490 kilojoules (355 kilocalories) of food energy . Sago palms are typically found in areas unsuited for other forms of agriculture, so sago cultivation
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6300-830: Is usually high, exceeding 68 per cent, with annual rainfall varying between 330 cm (130 in) and 460 cm (180 in) for up to 220 days a year. At highland areas, the temperature can vary from 16 °C (61 °F) to 25 °C (77 °F) during the day and as low as 11 °C (52 °F) during the night. Sarawak is divided into three ecoregions . The coastal region is rather low-lying and flat with large areas of swamp and other wet environments. Beaches in Sarawak include Pasir Panjang and Damai beaches in Kuching, Tanjung Batu beach in Bintulu, and Tanjung Lobang and Hawaii beaches in Miri. Hilly terrain accounts for much of
6450-566: The 1966 Sarawak constitutional crisis . In 1969, the first Sarawak state election was held, with members of the Council Negri being directly elected by the voters. This election marked the beginning of ethnic Melanau domination in Sarawak politics by Abdul Rahman Ya'kub and Abdul Taib Mahmud. In the same year, the North Kalimantan Communist Party (NKCP) which subsequently waged a guerrilla war against
6600-459: The Bakun Dam and Murum Dam projects, have submerged thousands of hectares of forest and displaced thousands of indigenous people. Since 2013, the proposed Baram Dam project has been delayed due to ongoing protests from local indigenous tribes. Since 2014, the Sarawak government under chief minister Adenan Satem started to take action against illegal logging in the state and to diversify
6750-590: The Battle of North Borneo , the Australian forces landed at Lutong-Miri area on 20 June 1945 and penetrated as far as Marudi and Limbang before halting their operations in Sarawak. After the surrender of Japan , the Japanese surrendered to the Australian forces at Labuan on 10 September 1945. The following day, the Japanese forces at Kuching surrendered, and the Batu Lintang camp was liberated. Sarawak
6900-613: The Brunei Revolt broke out. Indonesian president Sukarno responded by deploying armed volunteers and, later, military forces into Sarawak. Thousands of Sarawak communist members went to Kalimantan , Indonesian Borneo, and underwent training with the Communist Party of Indonesia . The most significant engagement of the confrontation was fought at Plaman Mapu in April 1965. The defeat at Plaman Mapu ultimately resulted in
7050-689: The International Maritime Organization (IMO) through the participation of the United Kingdom, became joint associate members of the IMO. Sarawak is separated from Kalimantan Borneo by ranges of high hills and mountains that are part of the central mountain range of Borneo. These become loftier to the north, and are highest near the source of the Baram River at the steep Mount Batu Lawi and Mount Mulu . Mount Murud
7200-604: The Pakatan Rakyat coalition with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS); the latter two parties had become active in Sarawak between 1996 and 2001. Sarawak is the only state in Malaysia where West Malaysia-based component parties in the BN coalition, especially the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), have not been active in state politics. On 12 June 2018,
7350-477: The Sarawak Parties Alliance was formed by the BN parties in the state in the aftermath of an historic meeting of party leaders in Kuching, where they decided that in light of the BN defeat in the 2018 Malaysian general election and the changing national situation and a new government, the parties will leave the BN altogether. In conjunction with the celebration of Malaysia Day in 2018 under
7500-729: The Sarawak River being the main river flowing through Kuching. The Rajang River is the longest river in Malaysia, measuring 563 km (350 mi) including its tributary, Balleh River . To the north, the Baram, Limbang and Trusan Rivers drain into the Brunei Bay . Sarawak can be divided into two geological zones: the Sunda Shield , which extends southwest from the Batang Lupar River (near Sri Aman ) and forms
7650-454: The Song dynasty . In his Zhu Fan Zhi (1225), a collection of descriptions of foreign countries, he writes that the kingdom of Boni "produces no wheat, but hemp and rice, and they use sha-hu (sago) for grain". The sago palm, Metroxylon sagu , is found in tropical lowland forest and freshwater swamps across Southeast Asia and New Guinea and is the primary source of sago. It tolerates
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#17327657931657800-585: The Sultan of Brunei ), " Saya serah pada awak " (I surrender it to you), when he gave Sarawak to James Brooke , an English explorer, in 1841. However, the latter explanation is incorrect: the territory had been named Sarawak before the arrival of James Brooke, and the word awak was not in the vocabulary of Sarawak Malay before the formation of Malaysia. Sarawak is nicknamed "Land of the Hornbills" ( Bumi Kenyalang ). These birds are important cultural symbols for
7950-541: The "Sarawak Law" which foreshadowed the formulation of his (and Darwin's ) theory of evolution by natural selection three years later. The Sarawak state government has enacted several laws to protect its forests and endangered wildlife species. Some of the protected species are the orangutan, green sea turtle , flying lemur , and piping hornbill . Under the Wild Life Protection Ordinance 1998, Sarawak natives are given permissions to hunt for
8100-486: The 16th century as Cerava , one of the five great seaports of Borneo. The Sultanate of Sarawak was established during this time and lasted for almost half a century before being reunited with Brunei in 1641. By the early 19th century, the Bruneian Empire was in decline, retaining only a tenuous hold on the coastal regions of Sarawak which were otherwise controlled by semi-independent Malay leaders. Away from
8250-572: The 1857 uprising. Thus the company was unable to provide any returns to its investors. The company argued that it is not a "philanthropic society" but a "commercial company". James Brooke then described the company as "discourteous and avaricious". In 1861, after the Bruneian Sultanate ceded the central region of Sarawak (from Samarahan river to Kidurong point in Bintulu) to James Brooke, sago processing and trading restarted in Sarawak. Sago
8400-466: The 8th to 13th century AD was uncovered at the archaeological site of Santubong. The coastal regions of Sarawak came under the influence of the Bruneian Empire in the 16th century. In 1839, James Brooke , a British explorer, arrived in Sarawak. He, and his descendants, governed the state from 1841 to 1946. During World War II , it was occupied by the Japanese for three years. After the war,
8550-522: The Borneo Company was £60,000 and the office was at 25 Mincing Lane. Its directors, including some close associates of White Rajah James Brooke , were Robert Henderson (of R.& J.Henderson, Glasgow merchants), John Charles Templer (friend of James Brooke ), James Dyce Nicol , John Smith, Francis Richardson , and John Harvey (the latter two of MacEwan & Co. in Singapore). The company
8700-525: The Borneo Company's activities was halted during the Japanese occupation. The Borneo Company's personnel either escaped from Sarawak or interned at Batu Lintang camp . After the World War II , the company's Bangkok office in Thailand was reopened on 18 October 1945, two months after the Japanese surrender, followed by the Singapore office on 31 December 1945. Borneo Company's Kuching office in Sarawak
8850-461: The Borneo Company. Helms left Sarawak on 30 May 1972. Helms helped to produce the second map of Sarawak Proper (today Kuching area) during his term as the manager of BCL. Helms later returned to Sarawak in 1894 to help BCL on mineral prospecting at Tubau (at Sebauh, Sarawak) but returned empty handed. Walter G. Brodie, who was involved in the BCL's mining operation succeeded Helms from 1972 to 1885. Brodie
9000-457: The Brooke government also set up Sarawak State Advisory Council in London, taking over some of the government's money remittance functions from BCL. In 1925, Charles Vyner Brooke invited London-based Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China to open a branch in Kuching. BCL later agreed not to open new accounts, while the company continued to provide service to existing customers, mainly consisting of Dayaks, who would sometimes come downriver to
9150-417: The Brooke government created an advisory Supreme Council, mostly consisting of Malay chiefs. This council is the oldest state legislative assembly in Malaysia, with the first general council meeting taking place at Bintulu in 1867. In 1928, a judicial commissioner, Thomas Stirling Boyd, was appointed as the first legally trained judge. A similar system relating to matters concerning various Chinese communities
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#17327657931659300-491: The Brooke government started to ban the trading of dynamite and to be used exclusively for mining purposes. BCL also worked with other Chinese Kongsis such as Tai Parit Kongsi and Shak Lung Mun Kongsi. However, some conflicts do happen such as Shak Lung Mun diverting water away from flowing to the BCL’s mining operations despite being only allowed to "use the water from the reservoir but not diverting away". By 1897, BCL bought last of
9450-626: The Brooke government would have difficulty supplying the remaining 150 tons of coal to the P&;O Steam Navigation Company and would suffer heavy losses. However, the Simunjan mine continued to operate until January 1932. Antimony deposits were readily found in Bau District , especially in Buso, Bidi West, and East Mines, along the tributaries of the Sarawak River . Exporting 1,500 tons of antimony
9600-564: The Chinese Kongsis and gained complete control of gold mining in Bau. Initially, simple methods of gold panning and sluice were used to recover coarse gold particles from the river bed. BCL later turned to the recovery of fine gold particles by suspending the crushed ore in cyanide solution after the method was first used in South Africa in 1890. BCL started to experiment with gold cyanidation in 1896. Bau gold processing plant
9750-473: The Company. Other facilities such as mule tracks, tramways, and footbridges connecting mine sites and processing centers; a wharf at Buso and a hospital in Bau were also built. The Malays and Chinese later started to apply for mining leases and extract the remaining valuable materials from the tailings left by the BCL at gold mines. This had caused gold exports to rise to a peak of 29,380 oz in 1934, although at
9900-488: The Dayak people, Rajah Charles Brooke issued an order dated 27 June 1885, stating that all loans should be registered with BCL or otherwise heavy penalties will be instituted. Later, Sarawak Chinese developed their own financing and credit facilities that linked back to Singapore. In 1905, Cantonese-managed Kwong Lee Mortgage & Remittance Company was formed, ending the dominance of BCL banking businesses in Sarawak. In 1912,
10050-479: The Dayak people, representing the spirit of God. It is also believed that if a hornbill is seen flying over residences, it will bring good luck to the local community. Sarawak has eight of the world's fifty-four species of hornbills, and the Rhinoceros hornbill is the state bird of Sarawak. Foragers are known to have lived around the west mouth of the Niah Caves (located 110 km (68 mi) southwest of Miri ) 40,000 years ago. A modern human skull found near
10200-542: The Hilton hotel, with the manager's house, 'Aneberg', on the hill above. It also had warehouses located where Grand Margherita and Wisma Bukit Mata today. The Borneo Company continued its businesses as usual after the formation of Malaysia. At this time, the company was involved in various sectors such as shipping, airline, insurance, forestry, wood processing, and consumer products. The Borneo Company owned three subsidiary shipping companies, namely Borneo Agencies, Rejang Transport, United Agencies, and Rejang Agencies. In 1967,
10350-516: The Japanese and interned at the Batu Lintang camp . Sarawak remained part of the Empire of Japan for three years and eight months. During this time it was divided into three provinces – Kuching-shu, Sibu-shu, and Miri-shu – each under their respective Provincial Governor. The Japanese otherwise preserved the Brooke administrative structure and appointed Japanese people to important government positions. Allied forces later carried out Operation Semut to sabotage Japanese operations in Sarawak. During
10500-493: The Kuching airfield held as long as possible before being destroyed. A Japanese invasion force led by Kiyotake Kawaguchi landed in Miri on 16 December 1941 and captured Kuching on 24 December 1941, with British ground forces retreating to Singkawang in neighbouring Dutch Borneo . The Allied forces surrendered on 1 April 1942 after ten weeks of fighting there. Charles Vyner Brooke , the last Rajah of Sarawak, had already left for Sydney , Australia; his officers were captured by
10650-455: The Malaysian parliament. This level of autonomy means Sarawak is sometimes referred to as a "region", to differentiate it from less autonomous states. Major political parties in Sarawak can be divided into three categories: native Sarawak Bumiputera (PBB and PBM), native Sarawak Dayak (PRS, PDP, PBDSB, etc.), and non-Bumiputera (SUPP, PSB, PBK, etc.); Parties, however, may also include members from more than one group. The first political party,
10800-577: The Niah Caves is the oldest human remain found in Malaysia and the oldest modern human skull from Southeast Asia. Chinese ceramics dating to the Tang and Song dynasties (8th to 13th century AD, respectively) found at Santubong (near Kuching ) hint at its significance as a seaport. One of the earliest Chinese records of an independent kingdom in Borneo is the 977 AD letter to the Chinese emperor from
10950-698: The Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP), was established in 1959, followed by the Parti Negara Sarawak (PANAS) in 1960 and the Sarawak National Party (SNAP) in 1961. Other major political parties such as Parti Pesaka Sarawak (PESAKA) appeared by 1962. These parties later joined the national coalition of the Alliance Party. The Alliance Party (later regrouped into Barisan Nasional ) has ruled Sarawak since
11100-698: The Sultan of Brunei agreed to resume trade with Sarawak and cede the area from Samarahan River (near Kota Samarahan today) to Kidurong point in (near Bintulu today) to Sarawak in return for $ 4,500 annual payment. A branch office of BCL was opened in Mukah later. A sago processing factory began commercial operation in May 1862. However, in early 1900s, with the drop in Sago prices and increased competition from Chinese sago mills, BCL closed down its Mukah sago factory, leaving behind
11250-513: The Western side of Tegora by sluicing and washing. The ores obtained yield 40 to 60% pure mercury. Ore exports to London totaled 25 tons in 1868 and 123 tons in 1869. A plant to extract mercury was built by 1870. In the same year, BCL hired about 1,000 Chinese workers and a number of Dayaks. BCL offices and a hospital was also built there. Horse-drawn rail wagons were used to transport ores to the plant. A total of 732 iron flasks each containing 75 lbs
11400-514: The assassination of the second colonial governor of Sarawak, Sir Duncan Stewart . Despite the resistance, Sarawak became a British Crown colony on 1 July 1946. Anthony Brooke opposed the cession of Sarawak to the British Crown, for which he was banished from Sarawak by the colonial government. He was only allowed to return 17 years later after Sarawak had become part of Malaysia. In 1950 all anti-cession movements in Sarawak ceased after
11550-485: The capital of its treasure and gold including sacking two sacred pearls. A fleet from Majapahit succeeded in driving away the Sulus, but Boni was left weaker after the attack. A Chinese report from 1371 described Boni as poor and totally controlled by Majapahit. The Bruneian Empire was established in the coastal regions of Sarawak by the mid-15th century, and the Kuching area was known to Portuguese cartographers during
11700-400: The closure of Bidi plant in 1911, gold exports were reduced to 40,000 oz per year. In 1922, the Bau processing plant ceased operation and dismantling works were started. The Sarawak government bought two boilers with steam engines and 250kW generators from the Bau processing plant for $ 60,000 and was later commissioned as a power station in Kuching on 15 June 1923. By 1857, the sago trade was
11850-403: The coal mine to the Sadong river. Buffaloes were used to pull carts of coal to the river. The coal was then transported to Singapore on a brig or steamship . Introduction of longwall mining method allowed increase in coal production. However, the coal seams were thin, which measures 45 to 60 cm in thickness, making it unprofitable to mine. Accidents occurred in 1858 where a falling stone killed
12000-674: The coast, territorial wars were fought between the Iban and a Kenyah - Kayan alliance. The discovery of antimony ore in the Kuching region led Pengiran Indera Mahkota , a representative of the Sultan of Brunei, to increase development in the territory between 1824 and 1830. Increasing antimony production in the region led the Brunei Sultanate to demand higher taxes, which ultimately led to civil unrest. In 1839, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II (1827–1852) assigned his uncle Pengiran Muda Hashim
12150-407: The company also provided banking services for the public, using Sarawak dollar as the medium of exchange. People had also approached the company for loans to collect forest produce, build boats, and carry out trading activities. The Dayak people also accumulated enough cash by selling forest produce during economic boom times and started to provide loans to Chinese traders. To protect the interests of
12300-419: The company had paid the Brooke government £200,000 in mining royalties. Besides, the company had paid £2 million in wages. The company also requested that the Brooke government return the £5000 advance payment that it gave to Brooke following the 1857 Chinese uprising in Bau, Sarawak . This was because the coal mining venture in Simunjan had failed, the sago trade was disrupted, and there was labour shortage after
12450-684: The company merged with the Inchcape Group headquartered in Singapore. In 1974, the Borneo Company initiated a joint venture with Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) to form Sarawak Sebor Sdn Bhd. In 2007, Sarawak Sebor sold all its shareholdings to a company known as IDS/LF Asia. LF (Lee & Fung) Asia was a global supply chain company headquartered in Hong Kong. In 2016, LF Asia sold its interests to another China based company known as DCH (Dah Chong Hong Holdings Ltd). On 28 September 2018, DCH decided to cease all remaining operations of
12600-586: The company were exhausted in 1907 and the smelter in Busau was shut down. BCL relinquished its mining rights in 1923. BCL discovered the mercury ore ( Cinnabar or mercuric sulphide ) at the foot of the 250-metre tall Tegora hill, in the Bungo Range, 20-kilometre south of Busau, Bau District in September 1867. BCL cleared a bridle path and built 48 footbridges from Jambusan to Gunung Tegora after that. Chinese contract miners were tasked to remove clay from
12750-408: The country. Several border disputes between Malaysia and its neighbouring countries concern Sarawak. Land and maritime disputes exist with Brunei. In 2009, Malaysian prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi claimed that in a meeting with Sultan of Brunei, Brunei agreed to drop its claim over Limbang . This was however denied by the second Foreign Minister of Brunei Lim Jock Seng , stating the issue
12900-597: The economy of the state. Through the course of 2016 over 2 million acres of forest, much of it in orangutan habitats, were declared protected areas. Sources vary as to Sarawak's remaining forest cover: former chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud declared that it fell from 70% to 48% between 2011 and 2012, the Sarawak Forest Department and the Ministry of Resource Planning and Environment both held that it remained at 80% in 2012, and Wetlands International reported that it fell by 10% between 2005 and 2010, 3.5 times faster than
13050-608: The exception of one boiler sent to BCL's sawmill in Bangkok. After the 1857 Chinese uprising in Bau, Rajah James Brooke invited Liew Syn Ted and his group of gold miners to revive the gold mining industry in Bau. Later self-employed miners and Kongsi (Chinese cooperatives) were attracted to the area. A new bazaar was built in Bau, replacing "Mah San" town that was burnt down during the uprising. BCL provided credits, lent mining equipment, and purchase gold from miners for export instead of being involved directly in mining business. However,
13200-492: The export-oriented economy is dominated by liquefied natural gas (LNG), which accounts for more than half of total exports. Crude petroleum accounts for 45.1%, while palm oil, sawlogs , and sawn timber account for 12.0% collectively. The state receives a 5% royalty from Petronas over oil explorations in its territorial waters. Most of the oil and gas deposits are located offshore next to Bintulu and Miri at Balingian basin, Baram basin, and around Luconia Shoals. Sarawak
13350-588: The failure to reach two-thirds majority support (148 votes) in the Parliament with only 138 agreed with the move while 59 abstained from the voting. On 14 December 2021, the proposed amendment was passed in the Parliament unanimously with 199 votes in favour, and 21 MPs absent from the 6-hour long debate. Unlike states in Peninsular Malaysia , Sarawak is divided into 12 divisions, each headed by an appointed resident. On 26 November 2015, it
13500-591: The fall of Sukarno and his replacement with Suharto as President of Indonesia. Negotiations were restarted between Malaysia and Indonesia and led to the end of the confrontation on 11 August 1966. A number of communist groups existed in Sarawak, the first of which, the Sarawak Overseas Chinese Democratic Youth League, formed in 1951. Another group, the North Kalimantan Communist Party (NKCP, also known as Clandestine Communist Organisation (CCO) by government sources)
13650-465: The fiber, give it a predictable slip for running on metal, standardize the level of hydration of the fiber and give the textile more body. Most of the natural based cloth and clothing has been sized; this leaves a residue which is removed in the first wash. Because many traditional people rely on sago-palm as their main food staple and because supplies are finite, in some areas commercial or industrial harvesting of wild stands of sago-palm can conflict with
13800-482: The formation of Malaysia. The opposition in Sarawak has consistently alleged that the ruling coalition uses various types of vote-buying tactics in order to win elections. Stephen Kalong Ningkan was the first Chief Minister of Sarawak from 1963 to 1966 following his landslide victory in local council elections. However, he was ousted in 1966 by Tawi Sli with the help of the Malaysian federal government , causing
13950-416: The growing influence of BCL in gold mining led Soon Hen Kongsi to later work on a contract basis with BCL. In March 1879, BCL was given 15 years of gold prospecting monopoly. In 1882, the company commissioned a small ore-crushing plant in Bau, replacing manual labour in ore-crushing. Silver ore were also produced during gold mining but the silver ores were exhausted quickly. As the gold mining started to expand,
14100-487: The highly developed ecosystem around Lambir Hills , and the World Heritage Site of Gunung Mulu . The last contains Sarawak Chamber , one of the world's largest underground chambers, Deer Cave , the largest cave passage in the world, and Clearwater Cave , the longest cave system in Southeast Asia . Sarawak contains large tracts of tropical rainforest with diverse plant species, which has led to
14250-606: The inhabited land and is where most of the cities and towns are found. The ports of Kuching and Sibu are built some distance from the coast on rivers while Bintulu and Miri are close to the coastline where the hills stretch right to the South China Sea. The third region is the mountainous region along the Sarawak–Kalimantan border, where a number of villages such as Bario , Ba'kelalan , and Usun Apau Plieran are located. A number of rivers flow through Sarawak, with
14400-604: The interests of the Sarawakians in the Malaysian federation, special safeguards have been included in the Constitution of Malaysia . These include: control over immigration in and out of the state as well as the residence status of non-Sarawakians and Sabahans, limitations on the practice of law to resident lawyers, independence of the Sarawak High Court from the High Court Peninsular Malaysia,
14550-418: The last White Rajah , Charles Vyner Brooke , ceded Sarawak to Britain, and in 1946 it became a British Crown Colony . On 22 July 1963, Sarawak was granted self-government by the British and subsequently became one of the founding members of Malaysia, established on 16 September 1963. However, the federation was opposed by Indonesia, leading to a three-year confrontation . The creation of Malaysia also prompted
14700-628: The late Cretaceous period. Other types of stone that can be found in central and northern Sarawak are shale , sandstone , and chert . The Miri Division in eastern Sarawak is the region of Neogene strata containing organic rich rock formations which are the prolific oil and gas reserves . The rocks enriched in organic components are mudstones in Lambir, Miri and Tukau Formations of Middle Miocene - Lower Pliocene age. Significant quantities of Sarawak soil are lithosols , up to 60 per cent, and podsols , around 12 per cent, while abundant alluvial soil
14850-651: The life of indigenous tribes, especially the Penan, whose livelihood is heavily dependent on forest produce. This led to several blockades by indigenous tribes during the 1980s and 1990s against logging companies encroaching on their lands. Indeed, illegal logging in particular has decimated the forest regions indigenous populations depend on for their livelihoods, depleting fish, wildlife, but also traditional medicinal herbs and construction staples like Palm. There have also been cases where Native Customary Rights (NCR) lands have been given to timber and plantation companies without
15000-482: The making of the popular keropok lekor of Losong in Kuala Terengganu , each kilogram of fish meat is mixed with half a kilogram of fine sago, with a little salt added for flavour. Tons of raw sago are imported each year into Malaysia to support the keropok lekor industry. In 1805, two captured crew members of the shipwrecked schooner Betsey were kept alive until their escape from an undetermined island on
15150-711: The mammals, 6 per cent of the birds, 20 per cent of the snakes and 32 per cent of the lizards are endemic . These species are largely found in Totally Protected Areas. There are over 2,000 tree species in Sarawak. Other plants includes 1,000 species of orchids, 757 species of ferns, and 260 species of palm. The state is the habitat of endangered animals, including the borneo pygmy elephant , proboscis monkey , orangutans and Sumatran rhinoceroses . Matang Wildlife Centre, Semenggoh Nature Reserve, and Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary are noted for their orangutan protection programmes. Talang–Satang National Park
15300-439: The manufacture of food and beverages, wood-based and rattan products, basic metal products, and petrochemicals , as well as cargo and air services and tourism. The state's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 40.5% per year on average from 2010 to 2021, but became very more volatile later on, ranging from −3.0% in 2009 to 35.0% in 2021. Sarawak contributed 9.5% of Malaysia's GDP in the nine years leading up to 2020, making it
15450-640: The mid-1960s but nonetheless retained control of the CCO, pushed for a continued armed insurrection against the government in spite of this agreement. The conflict continued mostly in the Rajang Delta region but eventually ended when, on 17 October 1990, the NKCP signed a peace agreement with the Government of Sarawak. The head of the Sarawak state is the Yang di-Pertua Negeri (also known as TYT or Governor),
15600-548: The need for efficient governance and thus, beginning in 1841, Sarawak was separated into the first of its administrative divisions and the Sarawak dollar , entered circulation in 1858. By 1912, a total of five divisions had been established in Sarawak, each headed by a Resident . The Brooke family generally practised a paternalistic form of government with minimal bureaucracy, but were pressured to establish some form of legal framework. Since they were unfamiliar with local customs,
15750-538: The new government, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has promised to restore the status of Sarawak (together with Sabah) as an equal partner to Malaya, where all three parties (and then, Singapore) formed Malaysia in accordance to the Malaysia Agreement . However, through the process of the proposed amendment to the Constitution of Malaysia in 2019, the bill for the amendment failed to pass following
15900-652: The newly elected Sarawak state government, was formed. The party was dissolved after the signing of a peace agreement in 1990. 1973 saw the birth of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) following a merger of several parties. This party would later become the backbone of the Sarawak BN coalition. In 1978, the Democratic Action Party (DAP) was the first West Malaysia-based party to open its branches in Sarawak. Sarawak originally held state elections together with national parliamentary elections. However,
16050-645: The northeast, Kalimantan (the Indonesian portion of Borneo) to the south, and Brunei in the north. The state capital, Kuching , is the largest city in Sarawak, the economic centre of the state, and the seat of the Sarawak state government. Other cities and towns in Sarawak include Miri , Sibu , and Bintulu . As of the 2020 Malaysia census, the population of Sarawak was 2.453 million. Sarawak has an equatorial climate with tropical rainforests and abundant animal and plant species. It has several prominent cave systems at Gunung Mulu National Park . Rajang River
16200-480: The office to see their money. However, the company did not extend its credit facilities to its own employees. BCL was given a monopoly for mineral extractions in Sarawak in 1857. Mining of minerals enabled BCL to achieve a profit for the first time in 1898, 25 years after its formation. When the company dropped its mining rights in 1923 as the mining profits dried up, basic communication systems between Bau and Kuching such as telegraphy and telephony had been developed by
16350-530: The oldest museum in Borneo – in 1891, and brokered a peace in Marudi by ending intertribal wars there. Economic development continued, with oil wells being drilled from 1910 and the Brooke Dockyard opening two years later. Anthony Brooke , who would become Rajah Muda (heir apparent) in 1939. A centenary celebration of Brooke rule in Sarawak was held in 1941. During the celebration, a new constitution
16500-468: The outbreak of Parkinson's disease -like neurological disorder in Guam and other locations in the Pacific. Thus, before any part of the plant may safely be eaten the toxins must be removed through extended processing. Sago is extracted from the sago cycad by cutting the pith from the stem, root and seeds of the cycads, grinding the pith to a coarse flour , before being dried, pounded, and soaked. The starch
16650-570: The permission of the locals. The indigenous people have resorted to legal means to reinstate their NCR. In 2001 the High Court of Sarawak fully reinstated the NCR land claimed by the Rumah Nor people, but this was overturned partially in 2005. However, this case has served as a precedent, leading to more NCR being upheld by the high court in the following years. Sarawak's mega-dam policies, such as
16800-440: The production of paint, however, no evidence of such paint has been produced in the market. The most productive antimony mines were: Busau, Jambusan, Piat Flats, and Bidi mines. Antimony output rose to 3,285 tons in 1872. In 1874, BCL paid £2,000 a year for the sole right to mine antimony in Sarawak. However, minable antimony ores in Bau district were rapidly declining. In 1890s, antimony exports were negligible. Antimony stockpiles in
16950-538: The regiment was absorbed into the Malaysian military forces and is now known as the Royal Ranger Regiment . In 1888, Sarawak, together with neighbouring North Borneo , and Brunei, became British protectorates , and the responsibility for foreign policy was handed over to the British in exchange for military protection. Since the formation of Malaysia, the Malaysian federal government has been solely responsible for foreign policy and military forces in
17100-483: The rest of Asia combined. Sarawak GDP share by sector (2021) Historically, Sarawak's economy was stagnant during the rule of previous three white Rajahs. After the formation of Malaysia, Sarawak GDP growth rate has risen due to increase in petroleum output and the rise in global petroleum prices. However, the state economy is less diversified and still heavily dependent upon the export of primary commodities when compared to Malaysia overall. The per capita GDP in Sarawak
17250-439: The river. Later in 1858, BCL hired miners from England to build tramway track made up of Belian wood ( Eusideroxylon ) with wagons drawn by buffaloes. During fine weather, water was kept out of the mines by pulling buckets attached to huge posts and beams. During the rainy season, all mining activities had to be stopped due to rapidly rising water levels. English miners had commented that "a little donkey engine " would have done
17400-599: The ruler of Boni, which some scholars believe to refer to Borneo. The Bruneians regained their independence from Srivijaya due to the onset of a Javanese-Sumatran war. In 1225, the Chinese official Zhao Rukuo reported that Boni had 100 warships to protect its trade, and that there was great wealth in the kingdom. Marco Polo suggested in his memoirs that the Great Khan or the ruler of the Mongol Empire , attempted and failed many times in invading "Great Java" which
17550-437: The sago is produced is not allowed to ripen fully, as full ripening completes the life cycle of the tree and exhausts the starch reserves in the trunk to produce the seeds to the point of death, leaving a hollow shell. The palms are cut down when they are about 15 years old, just before or shortly after the inflorescence appears. The stems, which grow 10 to 15 meters (35 to 50 feet) high, are split out. The starch-containing pith
17700-566: The second most important trade for BCL after antimony, earning a profit of £2,752 from sago, sago flour, and vegetable tallow sago. The profit from the antimony trade at that time was £8,365. BCL sourced its raw sago materials from Mukah, which was still under Brunei's control. In 1859, Sarawak traders were not allowed to enter Mukah. Tuan Muda Charles Brooke opined that Syarif Masahor , the governor of Brunei of that area needs to be expelled in order to resume trade with Mukah. Rajah James Brooke then sailed to Mukah on armed flotilla . On 11 August 1861,
17850-499: The southern tip of Sarawak, and the geosyncline region, which extends northeast to the Batang Lupar River, forming the central and northern regions of Sarawak. The oldest rock type in southern Sarawak is schist formed during the Carboniferous and Lower Permian times, while the youngest igneous rock in this region, andesite , can be found at Sematan . Geological formation of the central and northern regions started during
18000-573: The state was stable until the 1987 Ming Court Affair , a political coup initiated by Abdul Taib Mahmud 's uncle to topple the Taib-led BN coalition. However, the coup was unsuccessful and Taib retained his position as chief minister. Since the 2006 state election , the Democratic Action Party (DAP) has derived the majority of its support from urban centres and became the largest opposition party in Sarawak. In 2010, it formed
18150-483: The states in Peninsular Malaysia. Because of its natural resources, Sarawak specialises in the export of oil and gas, timber and palm oil , but also possesses strong manufacturing, energy and tourism sectors. It is ethnically, culturally, religiously and linguistically diverse; ethnic groups including Iban, Chinese, Malay, Bidayuh, Melanau, Orang Ulu, Indian, Eurasian and Kedayan. English and Malay are
18300-458: The stems are full of starch stored for use in reproduction. One palm can yield 150–300 kg of starch. Sago is extracted from Metroxylon palms by splitting the stem lengthwise and removing the pith which is then crushed and kneaded to release the starch before being washed and strained to extract the starch from the fibrous residue. The raw starch suspension in water is then collected in a settling container. The sago cycad, Cycas revoluta ,
18450-492: The task of restoring order but his inability to do so caused him to request the aid of British sailor James Brooke . Brooke's success in quelling the revolt was rewarded with antimony, property and the governorship of Sarawak, which at that time consisted only of a small area centred on Kuching. The Brooke family , later called the White Rajahs , set about expanding the territory they had been ceded. With expansion came
18600-419: The then chief minister Abdul Rahman Ya'kub delayed the dissolution of the state assembly by a year to prepare for the challenges posed by opposition parties. This made Sarawak the only state in Malaysia to hold state elections separate from the national parliamentary elections since 1979. In 1983, SNAP started to fragment into several splinter parties due to recurrent leadership crises. The political climate in
18750-567: The third largest contributor after Selangor and Kuala Lumpur . From 2015 to 2021, the oil and gas industry accounted for 55.2% of the Sarawak government's revenue. It attracted RM 80 billion (US$ 17.85 billion) in foreign investments, with 95% going to the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), the second largest economic corridor in Malaysia. As of 2021, Sarawak is producing 2,800,000 barrel of oil equivalent every day in 150 oil and gas producing fields. However,
18900-406: The total area of Malaysia, and lies between the northern latitudes 0° 50′ and 5° and eastern longitudes 109° 36′ and 115° 40′ E. Its 750 km (470 mi) of coastline is interrupted in the north by about 150 km (93 mi) of Bruneian coast. A total of its 45.5 km (28.3 mi) coastline have been eroding . In 1961, Sarawak including neighbouring Sabah , which had been included in
19050-480: The two official languages of the state; there is no official religion. The generally-accepted explanation of the state's name is that it is derived from the Sarawak Malay word Serawak or Cerava by Portuguese cartographers in the 16th century, which means antimony . A popular alternative explanation is that it is a contraction of the four Malay words purportedly uttered by Pangeran Muda Hashim (uncle to
19200-411: The year except for the two monsoons, with average daily temperature varying between 23 °C (73 °F) in the morning to 32 °C (90 °F) in the afternoon at coastal areas. Miri has the lowest average temperatures in comparison to other major towns in Sarawak and has the longest daylight hours (more than six hours a day), while other areas receive sunshine for five to six hours a day. Humidity
19350-420: Was able to find another one. In 1923, there was no longer any economic benefit of extracting minerals in Sarawak. The Borneo Company in London was then forced to relinquish its 1857 agreement. Initially, all the BCL managers and senior employees were European. Only in the 1950s were local Sarawakians appointed as executives and managers. The company also had branches throughout Sarawak, Sabah, and Brunei. All of
19500-557: Was also formed. Members of the local community were encouraged by the Brooke regime to focus on particular functions within the territory; the Ibans and other Dayak people were hired as militia while Malays were primarily administrators. Chinese, both local and immigrant, were mostly employed in plantations, mines and as bureaucrats. Expanding trade led to the formation of the Borneo Company Limited in 1856. The company
19650-555: Was announced that the Kuching Division district of Serian would become Sarawak's 12th division and it had officiated by Adenan Satem at its formal creation on 11 April 2015. A division is divided into districts, each headed by a district officer, which are in turn divided into sub-districts, each headed by a Sarawak Administrative Officer (SAO). There is also one development officer for each division and district to implement development projects. The state government appoints
19800-706: Was established in 1852 and was managed by John Harvey. BCL London had taken over the MacEwan Company in 1854. By 30 April 1857, the MacEwan Company was dissolved by BCL. BCL Singapore was established on 31 July 1857 and all the assets from MacEwan Company were transferred to BCL, including wharves in Telok Blangah , Singapore, and its branches in Batavia, Dutch East Indies (today Jakarta, Indonesia) and Bangkok, Thailand. BCL also extended its operations to Calcutta, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. The initial capital of
19950-585: Was exported in that same year, valuing $ 22,692. By 1872, 1,505 mercury flasks were exported with a value of $ 86,353. BCL also tried to explore Gunung Gading (in Lundu District today), seven kilometres away from Gunung Tegora for mercury ore deposits but without success due to the lower quality of ores available there. Workers at the mercury mining sites experienced several hazards such as the risk of injury from falling rocks or landslides, and mercury poisoning that causes loss of teeth and body sores. By 1875,
20100-408: Was finally opened in 1898 after significant adaptations of the cyanidation technique from South Africa. In 1908, BCL switched to a new all-sliming processing plant that uses filter presses separating gold-bearing cyanide solution from fine-crushed ore to increase the efficiency of gold cyanidation. In 1883, gold ore was discovered in "Grey Ridge" (or "Tai Parit") in Bau district. Tai Parit later became
20250-463: Was formally set up in 1970. Weng Min Chyuan and Bong Kee Chok were two of the more notable communist leaders involved in the insurgency. As the political scene changed, it grew progressively more difficult for the communists to operate. This led to Bong opening talks with chief minister Abdul Rahman Ya'kub in 1973 and eventually signing an agreement with the government. Weng, who had moved to China in
20400-624: Was given Royal Charter in 1851. EAC was given a trade monopoly between Sarawak and Britain. Plans were drawn to export antimony from Sarawak to Britain. Merchant houses in Britain, such as R&J Henderson agreed to finance the operations of EAC. However, the Hendersens pulled out from EAC before its incorporation. The commercial hub of the company was in Singapore, and it expanded its businesses to Thailand, and then Indonesia, and Hong Kong. In 1855, Mr. George Acland of Borneo Company established
20550-419: Was given exclusive rights to all minerals found in Sarawak, including gold, and the rights to operate as a merchant, ship owner, miner, agriculturist, and planter. In Sarawak, its first manager was Ludvig Verner Helms , who had been a MacEwan & Co trading agent in Sarawak since 1852. Helms was tasked to "buy up the antimony ore, and generally to develop the trade of the country", with a Chinese, an Indian, and
20700-614: Was immediately placed under British Military Administration and managed by the Australian Imperial Force until April 1946. Lacking the resources to rebuild Sarawak after the war, Charles Vyner Brooke decided to cede Sarawak as British Crown Colony and a cession bill was put forth in the Council Negri (now Sarawak State Legislative Assembly ), which was debated for three days. The bill passed on 17 May 1946 with 19 votes to 16. Hundreds of Malay civil servants resigned in protest, sparking an anti-cession movement and
20850-464: Was insufficient to cover its operation costs; and the plant closed down in 1911 after producing a total of 185,351 ounces of gold. BCL tried to extract ore body sticking out from the foot of the limestone hills at Jambusan, seven kilometres away from the town of Bau, but was unsuccessful. Gold exports from Sarawak rose rapidly from 1898 (984 oz) to a peak in 1907 (68,108 oz). After the conversion of Bau processing plant to an all-sliming plant in 1908 and
21000-453: Was introduced that would limit the power of the rajah and grant the Sarawak people a greater role in running the government. However, this constitution was never fully implemented due to the Japanese occupation. That same year saw the British withdrawing its air and marine forces defending Sarawak to Singapore. With Sarawak now unguarded, the Brooke regime adopted a scorched earth policy where oil installations in Miri were to be destroyed and
21150-465: Was involved in a wide range of businesses in Sarawak including trade, banking, agriculture, mineral exploration, and development. Between 1853 and 1862, there were a number of uprisings against the Brooke government but all were successfully contained with the aid of local tribes. To guard against future uprisings, a series of forts were constructed to protect Kuching, including Fort Margherita , completed in 1871. By that time Brooke's control of Sarawak
21300-419: Was lower than the national average from 1970 to 1990. As of 2021, GDP per capita for Sarawak stands at RM 65,971 (US$ 15,173), which is the third highest in Malaysia. However, the urban-rural income gap remained a major problem in Sarawak. Sarawak is abundant in natural resources, and primary industries such as mining, agriculture, and forestry accounted for 32.8% of its economy in 2013. It also specialises in
21450-590: Was never discussed during the meeting. James Shoal (Betting Serupai) and the Luconia Shoals (Betting Raja Jarum/Patinggi Ali), islands in the South China Sea , fall within Sarawak's exclusive economic zone , but concerns have been raised about Chinese incursions. There are also several Sarawak–Kalimantan border issues with Indonesia. The total land area of Sarawak is nearly 124,450 km (48,050 sq mi), making up 37.5 per cent of
21600-504: Was only opened in April 1946, followed by Sibu in June, and Miri in August 1946. The company was the only agent to distribute oil from Shell Oil Company , operating the first Shell petrol kiosk in Kuching. The Sarawak colonial government also mandated the company to import and distribute consumer goods throughout Sarawak. The Borneo Company offices in Kuching were on the spot now occupied by
21750-401: Was ransacked, including $ 6350 belonging to BCL. During the uprising, Helms had ordered arms and supplies from Singapore. The supplies were transported back to Kuching using BCL's schooner named Water Lily . BCL was also instructed to give Rajah an advance payment of £5,000 to repair Rajah's residence, two government houses, and Malays' dwellings that were damaged during the uprising. By 1859,
21900-489: Was set up in 1997 for the conservation, protection, and sustainable development of biodiversity in the state. Sarawak's rain forests are primarily threatened by the logging industry and palm oil plantations. The issue of human rights of the Penan and deforestation in Sarawak became an international environmental issue when Swiss activist Bruno Manser visited Sarawak regularly between 1984 and 2000. Deforestation has affected
22050-551: Was shipped from growing areas in Mukah for processing in Kuching. Processed sago made up of 68% of total Sarawak exports at this time. Profits from mining ventures were in 1870s were used to upgrade the BCL company buildings and personnel accommodations. In 1875, BCL was appointed as manager for the "Singapore-Sarawak Steamship Company" (S-SSC), where the latter was formed on the advice of the Sarawak Chamber of Commerce to open
22200-442: Was succeeded by Cadell from 1885 to 1891. Cadell was in turn succeeded by E. J. M. Smith from 1891 to 1899. The Brooke government made monetary transactions through agents in Singapore and London prior to the formation of the Borneo Company (BCL). After that, the Borneo Company became the sole government banker from 1856 to 1912. All government transactions were routed through BCL head office at 28 Fenchurch Street in London. Besides,
22350-476: Was such that defences were largely unnecessary. Charles Anthoni Brooke succeeded his uncle as White Rajah in 1868. Under his rule, Sarawak gained Limbang and the Baram and Trusan valleys from the Sultan of Brunei, later becoming a protectorate in 1888 with Britain handling foreign affairs but the Brooke government retaining administrative powers. Domestically, Brooke established the Sarawak Museum –
22500-536: Was the European name for Bruneian controlled Borneo. In the 1300s the Chinese annals, Nanhai zhi , reported that Brunei invaded or administered Sarawak and Sabah as well as the Philippine kingdoms of Butuan , Sulu , Ma-i (Mindoro), Malilu 麻裏蘆 (present-day Manila ), Shahuchong 沙胡重 (present-day Siocon), Yachen 啞陳 ( Oton ), and 文杜陵 Wenduling (present-day Mindanao ), which would regain their independence at
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