Sarawak History and Economy, Malaysia

History

Archaeological findings at Santubong Peninsula show that the Chinese came to trade during the Tang, Sung and Yuan dynasties from 618AD to 1368AD. Little is known about its later history (as there are no written records of this 'middle age') except that, at some point, Sarawak came under the control of the Sultan of Brunei.

Inhabited by the Bidayuh tribe, Sarawak did not interest anyone very much until the rise of Singapore put a new market of trade in the area. In the 1820s, some Bruneian nobles moved to Kuching, planning to sell Sarawak's gold and jungle produce to traders.

Their policies soon provoked a rebellion. There was also trouble between the Malay coastal settlers and the Land Dayaks (Bidayuh). Into this scenario stepped English adventurer James Brooke in 1839. Brooks had been with the East India Company's army briefly.

While visiting Singapore in his private yacht, he was asked to take a letter to the Brunei viceroy in Kuching. There, he was persuaded by Rajah Muda Hassim, heir-apparent to the Sultan of Brunei, to help quell the uprising. Brooke managed to persuade all sides into agreeing to a truce.

As a token of gratitude he was given the title of governor and Rajah of Sarawak by the Brunei sultan. Hence, in this strange fashion, Sarawak came under the control of the Brooke Dynasty.

His rule of justice without favouritism made him popular and cemented his control of much of coastal Sarawak. His nephew Charles Brooke succeeded him and it was during Charles' time that oil was found in Sarawak, rubber introduced as a cash crop' and some of Kuching's elegant old buildings were built.

Charles Brooke died in 1917 at the age of 86. And after a short spell as an independent state, it was handed over to the British Crown in 1945. In 1963 Sarawak joined the Federated States of Malaysia.

Economy

Sarawak's oil-rich coastline plays a major role in the economy. Sarawak's economy is largely dependent on its rich natural resources like oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Natural gas is mostly exported to Japan.

Other sources of revenue come from the famous Sarawak black and white pepper, rubber, sago, copra, bird's nests and timber. Malaysia produces around 27,550 tons of pepper annually, 90% of which comes from Sarawak.