Prowess of Sarawak History LEE BIH NI First Edition, 2013 © Lee Bih Ni Editor: Lee Bih Ni Published by: Desktop Publisher [email protected] Translator: Lee Bih Ni Bil Content Page ________________________________________________________ Bab 1 Introduction 6 Introduction Sir James Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak Second World War and occupation Rosli Dhoby Early life Assassination of Sir Duncan George Stewart Events Death Aftermath Reburial Legacy Independence Geography Environment Demographics Population Iban people Chinese Malaysian Chinese Malay Melanau Bidayuh Orang Ulu Others Religions Demographics of Sarawak: Religions of Sarawak Government Administrative divisions Conclusion Bab 2 The White Rajahs 22 Introduction Rulers Titles Government Cession to the United Kingdom Legacy Bab 3 James Brooke, Charles Brooke & Charles Vyner Brooke 26 Early life Sarawak Burial Personal life James Brooke o Fiction o Honours o Notes Charles Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak o Biography Charles Vyner Brooke o Early life o Rajah of Sarawak o Abdication and later life o Family o Titles from birth to death Conclusion Bab 4 ROSLI DHOBI 37 Rosli Dhoby Rosli Dhoby & Sibu Who is Rosli Dhoby? Rukun 13 or Rukun Tiga Belas is a defunct Sarawakian organization that existed from 1947 until 1950. o Formation Penalty & disestablishment List of Rukun 13 members Anti-cession movement of Sarawak Factors Overview of movement Tracking Urban Struggle, Rosli Dhobi of Sibu Conclusion Bab 5 Administrative changes for self Government Sarawak 48 Sarawak After the defeat of Japan: Sarawak Submission Events History Corridor Anti-Cession movement in Sarawak History Corridor Anti-Cession Movement Action: Resistance and British Reactions Resistance ways: Sends Protest Letter. The opposition People's Action Sarawak Reactions & the British British Reaction On Violence: History Corridor 13 Pillar Measures for self Government Sarawak Among the measures taken; Restructured Sarawak Administration: Establishment of Political Parties In Sarawak The establishment of the Sarawak Alliance LEFTISTS ROLE IN INDEPENDENCE The Early Voices in Malaysia Independence History COMMUNISTS - A Chapter of Bloodshed in Malaysia Independence History BIRDS OF THE SAME FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER Birth of a New Nation The Big Picture of Malaysia Independence History The Lesson Restructuring After War Malaysia Today Conclusion Chapter 1 Introduction Introduction Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang ("Land of the Hornbills"), Sarawak is situated on the northwest of the island, bordering the Malaysian state of Sabah to the northeast, Indonesia to the south, and surrounding Brunei. It is the largest state in Malaysia. The administrative capital is Kuching, which has a population of 658,562. 1 Major cities and towns include Miri (pop. 269,380), Sibu (pop. 209,616) and Bintulu (pop. 189,695). As of the last census (2010), the state population was 2,420,009. 2 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. During the 17th century, Sarawak was self-governed under Sultan Tengah. By the early 19th century, Sarawak had become a loosely governed territory under the control of the Brunei Sultanate. During the reign of Pangeran Indera Mahkota in 19th century, Sarawak was facing chaos.3 Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II (1827–1852), the Sultan of Brunei, ordered Pangeran Muda Hashim in 1839 to restore order and it was during this time that James Brooke arrived in Sarawak. Pangeran Muda Hashim initially requested assistance in the matter, but Brooke refused. In 1841, Brooke paid another visit to Sarawak and this time he agreed to provide assistance. Pangeran Muda Hashim signed a treaty in 1841 surrendering Sarawak and Sinian to Brooke. On 24 September 1841, Pangeran Muda Hashim bestowed the title Governor to James Brooke. He effectively became the Rajah of Sarawak and founded the White Rajah Dynasty of Sarawak, later extending his administration through an agreement with the Sultan of Brunei. Sarawak was thus an independent kingdom from 1841 until 1888, when the state was placed under British protection. 1 (2006 census; Kuching City South – 143,500; Kuching City North – 133,600; Padawan- 3rd Mile/ 7th Mile/ 10th Mile – 302,800) 2 "Laporan Kiraan Permulaan 2010". Jabatan Perangkaan Malaysia. p. iv. Archived from the original on 27 December 2010. http://web.archive.org/web/20101227065717/http://www.statistics.gov.my/ccount12/click.php?id=2127. Retrieved 24 January 2011. 3 Sarawak. Retrieved Jan 18 2013 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarawak Brooke Dynasty Figure 1: Sir James Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak. Sir James Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak. James Brooke was appointed Rajah by the Sultan of Brunei on 18 August 1842. Brooke ruled the territory, later expanded, across the western regions of Sarawak around Kuching until his death in 1868. His nephew Charles Anthoni Johnson Brooke became Rajah after his death; he was succeeded on his death in 1917 by his son, Charles Vyner Brooke, with the condition that Charles should rule in consultation with his brother Bertram Brooke.4 The Sarawak territories were greatly enlarged under the Brooke dynasty, mostly at the expense of areas nominally under the control of Brunei. In practice Brunei had only controlled strategic river and coastal forts in much of the lost territory, so most of the gain was at the expense of Muslim warlords and of the de facto independence of local tribes. The Brooke dynasty ruled Sarawak for a hundred years and became famous as the "White Rajahs", accorded a status within the British Empire similar to that of the rulers of Indian princely states. In contrast to many other areas of the empire, however, the Brooke dynasty was intent on a policy of paternalism in order to protect the indigenous population against exploitation. They governed with the aid of the Muslim Malay and enlisted the Ibans and other "Dayak" as a contingent militia. The Brooke dynasty also encouraged the immigration of Chinese merchants but forbade the Chinese to settle outside of towns in order to minimise the impact on the Dayak way of life. Charles Brooke, the second White Rajah of Sarawak, established the Sarawak Museum, the oldest museum in Borneo. In the early part of 1941 preparations were afoot to introduce a new constitution, designed to limit the power of the Rajah and give the people of Sarawak a greater say in 4 Ibid. government. Despite this democratic intention, the draft constitution contained irregularities, including a secret agreement drawn up between Charles Vyner Brooke and his top government officials, financially compensating him via treasury funds.5 Second World War and occupation Japan invaded Sarawak and occupied the island of Borneo in 1941, occupying Miri on 16 December and Kuching on 24 December, holding both territories for the duration of World War II until the area was secured by Australian forces in 1945. Charles Vyner Brooke formally ceded sovereignty to the British Crown on 1 July 1946, under pressure from his wife among others. In addition, the British Government offered a healthy pension to Brooke. Anthony Brooke continued to claim sovereignty as Rajah of Sarawak. After the end of the World War II, Anthony Brooke then opposed the cession of the Rajah's territory to the British Crown, and was associated with anti-secessionist groups in Sarawak. For this he was banished from Sarawak and he was allowed to return only seventeen years later, when Sarawak became part of Malaysia. Sarawak became a British colony (formerly an independent state under British protection) in July 1946, but Brooke's campaign continued. The Malays in particular resisted the cession to Britain, dramatically assassinating the second British governor, Sir Duncan George Stewart. Rosli Dhoby Rosli Dhoby (1932 – March 2, 1950) was a Malay Sarawakian nationalist from Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia during the British crown colony era in that state. He was a member leader of the Rukun 13 organization along with Morshidi Sidek, Awang Ramli Amit Mohd Deli and Bujang Suntong. It was a secret cell organization which carried out assassinations of British colonial officers in Sarawak. He was well known for his assassination of Sir Duncan George Stewart, the second governor of colonial Sarawak in 1948. 5 Facebook. En-gb.facebook.com. Retrieved on 12 August 2011. Figure 2: Rosli Dhoby (1932–1950) Born 1932 in Kampung Siong, Sibu, Kingdom of Sarawak Early life Rosli Dhobi was born in 1932 in Kampung Siong, Sibu, Kingdom of Sarawak. Little is known about his earlier life although friends regard Rosli as an approachable person despite his quietness. He had an eldest sister and a younger brother, Fatimah and Ainie.6 Rosli started his career as a teacher and quit his job in 1947 in order to teach in Sibu People's School. Rosli was known to be a nationalist and a poet. Using the nickname Lidros, Rosli penned down a nationalistic poem titled 'Panggilan Mu yang Suchi' which was published in Utusan Sarawak on February 28, 1948. The usage of nickname was prevalent at the time since the British Colonial Authority vigorously monitored any attempts to spread words against them. Rosli joined Rukun 13 in August, 1948. He was introduced to the organization by an old friend, Bujang Suntong. Assassination of Sir Duncan George Stewart The end of the Second World War had brought an end to the Brooke Dynasty rule in Sarawak. Believing it to be in the best interest of the people of Sarawak, Rajah Vyner Brooke ceded the state to the British Crown.7 Sarawak became a Crown Colony, ruled from the Colonial Office in London, which in turn dispatched a Governor for Sarawak. This move was opposed by Rajah Muda Anthony Brooke, who was supposed to become the next Rajah 6 Rosli Dhobi. Retrieved Jan 18 2013 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosli_Dhobi 7 Ibid.