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98-587: Located 30 km from Kuching , the Wetlands National Park was gazetted in 1992 and covers an area of 66.1 km on the estuarine reaches of the Sibu Laut and Salak rivers. The park is composed of coastal, marine and freshwater ecosystems. The predominantly saline and deltaic mangrove system includes an extensive network of marine waterways and tidal creeks, formed by the interconnecting rivers of Sungei Sibu-Laut, Batang Salak and Sungei Santubong that form

196-537: A birthdate of 1834 – is in the churchyard at Plumtree. Francis William Douglas (1874–1953), the Acting Resident for Brunei and Labuan from November 1913 to January 1915 in a letter to the Foreign Office on 19 July 1915 stated that he heard from Pengiran Anak Hashima that Brooke had been married to her aunt Pengiran Fatima, the daughter of Pengiran Anak Abdul Kadir and also the granddaughter of Muhammad Kanzul Alam,

294-843: A brief meeting in Singapore, John was deposed and banished from Sarawak. James increased the charges to treasonous conduct and later named John's younger brother, Charles Anthoni Johnson Brooke , as his successor. Brooke died in Burrator , Dartmoor , Devon , in south-west England, on 11 June 1868, having suffered three strokes during his last ten years, and was buried at the graveyard of St Leonard's Church in Sheepstor . Fictionalised accounts of Brooke's exploits in Sarawak include Kalimantaan by C.S. Godshalk and The White Rajah by Nicholas Monsarrat . Another book, also called The White Rajah , by Tom Williams,

392-555: A film based on Brooke's life was to be made in Sarawak with the support of Abang Abdul Rahman Johari of the Government of Sarawak , with writer Rob Allyn and Sergei Bodrov as its director. The Brooke Heritage Trust, a non-profit organisation, was to serve as the film's technical advisors, with one of them being Jason Brooke , the current heir of the Brooke family. The film, titled Edge of

490-405: A medium of instruction (primarily for wealthy and/or expatriate children), among other foreign language courses which can be found through the city. Kuching is one of the main industrial and commercial centres for Sarawak. Many state-level, national-level, and international commercial banks, as well as some insurance companies, maintain their headquarters and corporate offices here. The economy

588-550: A relationship with 16‑year‑old Charles T.C. Grant, grandson of the seventh Earl of Elgin , who supposedly 'reciprocated'. Whether this relationship was purely a friendship or otherwise is not known. Nigel Barley , one of Brooke's recent biographers, wrote that during Brooke's final years in Burrator in Devon "there is little doubt ... he was carnally involved with the rough trade of Totnes ." However, Barley does not note from where he garnered this opinion. Others have suggested Brooke

686-511: A state-owned subsidiary, ICATS focuses on producing human capital for the hi-tech sector, especially for the development of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy . The Sarawak State Library is the major information resource centre and provides information services for the public and private sectors. The library serves Kuching and its outskirts as the main depository of public records. In addition, it administers, monitors, and facilitates

784-469: A thousand people of other groups (1,022). The Chinese are made up of Hokkien , mainly in the urban areas and in the suburbs. Other Chinese subgroups consist of Foochow , Hainanese , Teochew , Cantonese , Hakka and Henghua . The Bidayuh, Dayak, Iban and Orang Ulu are mainly Christians (with some practising Animism ), while the Chinese practise either Buddhism , Taoism or Christianity ; most of

882-794: Is a business hub and cultural centre for the Malay populace. The dialect of Malay spoken in Kuching is known as Bahasa Sarawak ( Sarawakian Malay Language), a subset of the Malay language . The local dialect in Kuching is different from that spoken or heard in Miri . Since the second-largest population in Kuching is made up of Han Chinese , the Chinese language is also commonly spoken, particularly Hokkien and Mandarin . Almost all residents are able to speak English. A number of specialty and private schools provide English as

980-478: Is administered by a mayor for Kuching South and a commissioner for Kuching North. The current commissioner for Kuching North is Datu Junaidi Reduan, who took over from Datuk Haji Abang Abdul Wahab Abang Julai on 31 August 2019 while Datuk Wee Hong Seng became the new mayor for the Kuching South in 2019, succeeding Dato' James Chan Khay Syn . The city obtained a city status on 1 August 1988, and since that it

1078-467: Is briefly mentioned in Rudyard Kipling 's short story " The Man Who Would Be King ". Charles Kingsley dedicated the novel Westward Ho! (1855) to Brooke. In 1936, Errol Flynn intended to star in a film of Brooke's life called The White Rajah for Warner Bros. , based on a script by Flynn himself. However, although the project was announced for filming, it was never made. In September 2016,

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1176-530: Is dominated by the primary sector , and currently by the tertiary-based industry , as the state government envisioned Sarawak being transformed into a more developed state by 2020. There are three main industrial areas in Kuching— Pending Industrial Estate (mixed and light industries), Demak Laut Industrial Park (mixed, light, and medium industries) and Sama Jaya Free Industrial Zone (hi-tech, computer and electronics industries). This

1274-716: Is intended to boost the city's commercial and industrial activity, making it a major point of growth in East Malaysia , as well for the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area). Kuching has hosted numerous national, regional and international conferences , congresses and trade fairs , such as the Malaysia Global Business Forum, Tomorrow's Leaders Summit, International Hydropower Association (IHA) World Congress, ASEAN Tourism Forum , and Routes Asia Conference. Furthermore, Kuching

1372-648: Is known as Kuching's oldest and most historical building, which exhibits collections of the indigenous races in Sarawak. Directly opposite the Sarawak Museum is the Borneo Cultures Museum which replaced the Tun Abdul Razak Hall. The Borneo Cultures Museum (opened on 9 March 2022) is a modern five-storey building with a distinctive architectural design that reflects Sarawak's unique traditional crafts and rich cultural heritage. While located right behind

1470-561: Is located about 65 km from Kuching. Kuching has a tropical rainforest climate ( Köppen climate classification Af), moderately hot but very humid at times and receives substantial rainfall. The average annual rainfall is approximately 4,200 mm (170 in). Kuching is the wettest populated area (on average) in Malaysia with an average of 247 rainy days per year. Kuching receives only 5 hours of sunshine per day on average and an average of only 3.7 hours of sunshine per day in

1568-513: Is located in Owen Sound , Ontario. Brooke's Point , a major municipality on the island of Palawan , Philippines , is named after him. Both Brooke's Lighthouse and Brooke's Port are historical landmarks in Brooke's Point and are believed to have been constructed by James Brooke. Today, owing to erosion and the constant movement of the tides, only a few stones can still be seen at the Port. The remnants of

1666-466: Is located in a suburb, Petra Jaya . There are 5 Members of Parliament (MPs) representing the five parliamentary constituencies and twelve state legislative assemblymen in the state legislature representing the twelve state constituencies in Kuching district. Kuching is the only city in Malaysia to be administered by two mayors; the city is divided into Kuching North and Kuching South. Each of these

1764-516: Is only about 20 km from Bako National Park which is well catered for receiving visitors. Kuching Kuching ( / ˈ k uː tʃ ɪ ŋ / KOO -ching , Malay: ['kutʃɪŋ] ) officially the City of Kuching , is the capital and the most populous city in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia . It is also the capital of Kuching Division . The city is on the Sarawak River at

1862-466: Is the Old Kuching Bus Terminal, which is only operating as some bus companies and drivers reportedly have been unwilling to use Kuching Sentral's newer facilities, due to undisclosed or unknown reasons. Other minibuses and carpool van services are also available in the city. Kuching, like most towns in Sarawak, has connections to other urban centres and settlements by water transport. Between

1960-572: The Batu Lintang camp , for POWs and civilian internees, 5 km (3.1 mi) outside Kuching. After the end of World War II, the town survived and was wholly undamaged. The third and last Rajah, Sir Charles Vyner Brooke later ceded Sarawak to the British Crown on 1 July 1946. During the Crown Colony period, the government worked to develop and improve the infrastructure on Sarawak. Kuching

2058-461: The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM) reported that Kuching had a total population of 402,738. The metro city population (North Kuching, South Kuching, and Padawan ) consists primarily of Malays (146,067), Chinese (138,620), Iban (82,743), Bidayuh (20,065), non-Malaysian citizens (5,048), other Sarawak Bumiputras ( Orang Ulu ) (4,076), Melanau (1,840) and Indian (3,257), with around

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2156-760: The Sarawak State Government is located at Wisma Bapa Malaysia , Kuching. Kuching is a major food destination and is a member of UNESCO's Creative Cities Network under the field of gastronomy . Kuching is also the main gateway for travellers visiting Sarawak and Borneo. Kuching Wetlands National Park is located about 30 km (19 mi) from the city and there are many other tourist attractions in and around Kuching such as Bako National Park , Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF), state assembly building , The Astana , Fort Margherita , Kuching Cat Museum , and Sarawak State Museum / Borneo Cultures Museum. The city has become one of

2254-545: The Sarawak State Museum . However, another source reported that Kuching was previously known as "Sarawak" before Brooke arrived. The settlement was renamed to "Sarawak Proper" during the kingdom's expansion. It was only in 1872 that Charles Brooke renamed the settlement to "Kuching". There was one unlikely theory based on a story of miscommunication. According to the story, James Brooke arrived in Kuching on his schooner Royalist . He then asked his local guide about

2352-544: The Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus , the only branch campus of Swinburne University of Technology outside Australia; Executive College ; and UCSI University, Sarawak Campus which houses the Faculty of Hospitality and Management. A polytechnic and community college, both known as Politeknik Kuching Sarawak and Kolej Komuniti Kuching are also located in the city. Other private colleges can be found through

2450-534: The Tua Pek Kong Temple . In the 1950s, the river became very shallow because of silt deposits in the river. The river was later filled to make way for roads. There is another theory that Kuching actually means "Ku" (古)- Old and "Ching" (井) - Well or "old well" (古井) in Chinese. During the Brooke administration , there was no water supply and water-borne diseases were common. In 1888, an epidemic broke out which later

2548-549: The Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences building situated next to the Sarawak General Hospital. The Sarawak State Government moved the last remaining public university campus ( Universiti Teknologi MARA ) from Kuching to Kota Samarahan in 1997 in a long-term initiative to transform Kota Samarahan into an education hub. Kuching is home to three private universities:

2646-597: The White Rajahs and currently the official residence of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak ), and Fort Margherita. James Brooke Sir James Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak KCB (29 April 1803 – 11 June 1868), was a British soldier and adventurer who founded the Raj of Sarawak in Borneo . He ruled as the first White Rajah of Sarawak from 1841 until his death in 1868. Brooke

2744-483: The 12th century, the area was an important trading post between the interior peoples for their jungle produce predominantly animal parts valuable in Chinese medicine traded with the Chinese for their pottery and earthenwares. Past and existing excavations have unearthed remains of the former Iron smelting industries active hundreds of years past. The Impressive Mt. Santubong acted as a clear navigational point for these traders no doubt. Many jobs depend upon this habitat for

2842-484: The 19th century, stated that the name was derived from a stream of the same name, called "Sungai Kuching" or Cat River in English. On page 64 of Bampfylde and Baring-Gould's 1909 'A History of Sarawak under its Two White Rajahs', it says: "Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, is so called from a small stream that runs through the town into the main river...." The stream was situated at the foot of Bukit Mata Kuching and in front of

2940-573: The 21st Sultan of Brunei. Douglas goes on to say that he had met Dr Ogilvie who told him that he had met a daughter of Rajah Brooke's in 1866: she was married but "evidently had foreign blood in her." Having no legitimate children, in 1861 he formally named his nephew, Captain John Brooke Johnson Brooke , as his successor. Two years later, the Rajah reacted to criticism by returning to the East: after

3038-708: The Borneo Cultures Museum is the Islamic Heritage Museum . Other museums in Kuching include the Chinese History Museum , Kuching Cat Museum , Sarawak Timber Museum and Textile Museum Sarawak . Kuching is also home to the first ever planetarium in Malaysia, the Sultan Iskandar Planetarium which is adjacent to the Kuching Civic Centre . Interesting historical landmarks and sites of Kuching include The Astana (the former palace of

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3136-647: The Chinese have contributed heavily to the city's economy since their migration during the Brunei Sultanate period, after the discovery of antimony ore , and also during the Charles Vyner Brooke administration (who encouraged the immigration of the Chinese for planting black pepper ). Kuching's roads, thoroughfares and motorways are overseen by one of the two local councils, the DBKU ( Dewan Bandaraya Kuching Utara ) and MBKS ( Majlis Bandaraya Kuching Selatan ), or

3234-540: The Hindoo shops you can buy silks from India , sarongs from Java , tea from China and tiles and porcelain from all parts of the world, laid out in picturesque confusion, and overflowing into the street. The Astana (Palace), which is now the official residence of the governor of Sarawak, was constructed next to Brooke's first residence. He had it built in 1869 as a wedding gift to his wife. Kuching continued to prosper under Charles Vyner Brooke , who succeeded his father as

3332-465: The Institute of Dynamic Management, Sarawak (conducting franchised programmes from Universiti Tun Abdul Razak ). The International College of Advanced Technology Sarawak or ICATS is an institution created as the state government's initiative to enhance technical and vocational training education among school leavers. The college was established from the former INTI College Sarawak facilities. Operated by

3430-655: The Kota Samarahan Municipal Council is known as Greater Kuching. Kuching is located on the banks of the Sarawak River in the northwestern part of the island of Borneo . The limits of the City of Kuching include all that area in Kuching District containing an area approximately 431.01 km (166.41 sq mi) bounded from Gunung Lasak (Mount Lasak) in Muara Tebas to Batu Buaya (Crocodile Rock) in

3528-533: The Malays and Melanau are Muslim , and a number of Hindus and Sikhs , with a small number of secularists , also exist around the city. There is a size-able population of non-citizens, who mostly come from the bordering Indonesian region of Kalimantan , most of whom are migrant workers. Since the British period, a small population of South Asians —notably, Pakistanis —have lived in the city, their livelihoods primarily

3626-415: The Rajah and his officers, that it reminded me of a box of painted toys kept scrupulously clean by a child. The Bazaar runs for some distance along the banks of river, and this quarter of the town is inhabited almost entirely by Chinese traders, with the exception of one or two Hindoo shops....Groceries of exotic kinds are laid out on tables near the pavement, from which the purchasers make their choice. At

3724-710: The Santubong peninsula following a series of survey marks as stated in the First Schedule of the City of Kuching Ordinance, 1988 . As a simplification of the legal statute, the Kuching city limits extend from the Kuching International Airport in the south to the northern coast of the Santubong and Bako peninsulas; from the Kuching Wetlands National Park in the west to the Kuap River estuary in

3822-550: The Sultan offered to cede the island of Labuan to the British but terms were not discussed at that time. In November 1846 Captain Rodney Mundy was ordered to obtain the cession of Labuan. He negotiated the cession on 18 December 1846 and took possession of Labuan on 24 December 1846. James Brooke was appointed governor and commander-in-chief of Labuan in 1848. During his reign, Brooke began to cement his rule over Sarawak: reforming

3920-401: The Sultan, and his subsequent knighthood, are evidence that his efforts were widely applauded in both Sarawak and British society. Among his alleged relationships was one with Badruddin, a Sarawak prince, of whom he wrote, "my love for him was deeper than anyone I knew." This phrase led to some considering him to be either homosexual or bisexual. Later, in 1848, Brooke is alleged to have formed

4018-515: The Tanah Puteh Port) in Pending . Kuching International Airport (KCH) ( ICAO Code: WBGG) is the main gateway for air passengers. The airport's history dates back to the 1940s and today the airport has undergone and is still undergoing many major redevelopments. The airport terminal is listed as the fourth busiest airport in Malaysia according to total passenger movements in 2013. Since 2009,

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4116-695: The Third Rajah of Sarawak. In 1941, Kuching was the site of the Brooke Government Centenary Celebration. A few months later, the Brooke administration came to a close when the Japanese occupied Sarawak . During the Second World War , six platoons of infantry from 2/15 Punjab Regiment were stationed at Kuching in April 1941. The Regiment defended Kuching and Bukit Stabar airfield from being

4214-528: The World , directed by Michael Haussman , was released in 2021. Source: Some Bornean plant species were named in Brooke's honour: also insects: three species of reptiles: and a snail: In 1857, the native village of Newash in Grey County , Ontario, Canada, was renamed Brooke and the adjacent township was named Sarawak by William Coutts Keppel (known as Viscount Bury, later the 7th Earl of Albemarle) who

4312-773: The administration, codifying laws and fighting piracy, which proved to be an ongoing issue throughout his rule. Brooke returned temporarily to England in 1847, where he was given the Freedom of the City of London , appointed British consul-general in Borneo and created a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB). Brooke pacified the native peoples, including the Dayaks , and suppressed headhunting and piracy. He had many Dayaks in his forces and said that only Dayaks could kill Dayaks. In 1851 Brooke

4410-685: The airport has grown rapidly with an increasing number of passengers and aircraft movement. It is the secondary hub for Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia while becoming the third hub for MASWings , which serves flights to smaller towns and rural areas in East Malaysia. The current court complex is located in Petra Jaya. It contains the High Court , Sessions Court, and the Magistrate Court. Another courts of Syariah and native were also located in

4508-456: The animal as a symbol of their city, and it features in statues as well as the municipal council's coat of arms - an example of heraldic canting . Some source also stated that it was derived from a fruit called "mata kucing" ( Euphoria malaiense ), a fruit that grows widely in Malaysia and Indonesia. There was also a hill in the city that was named after the fruit, which is called Bukit Mata Kuching. Harriette McDougall writing to her son in

4606-482: The app's services and coverage. Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak (DUN) - Pusat Hidupan Liar Semenggoh Orangutan 砂拉越州立法議會- 實蒙谷人猿猩猩野生動物中心 The main bus terminal is Kuching Sentral, opening in 2012, located in the south of the city—about 5 minutes' drive away from Kuching International Airport and 20 minutes from the city centre. The terminal serves as a starting point for long-distance trips to Brunei , Sabah , and West Kalimantan , Indonesia . Another bus terminal

4704-554: The banks of the Sarawak River, near the city centre, many 'tambang' (traditional roofed wooden sampan ) can be seen carrying passengers from one riverbank to another. For those staying along the river banks, it is a short way to getting to the city-proper. The wharf for express boats servicing transport to further areas such as Sibu and Bintulu , is located in the east of the city at the Sim Kheng Hong Port (formerly known as

4802-505: The boundary of the park. Some small patches of heath forest are found within the park. The park is the home of at least three predominantly arboreal primates; the endangered proboscis monkey ( Nasalis larvatus ), the long-tailed macaques and the silvered langurs . White-bellied sea eagles , mudskippers and horseshoe crabs are also present. Hairy-nosed otters , Irrawaddy dolphins , and saltwater crocodiles can also be sighted. On nearby Mount Santubong , hornbills can be seen. In

4900-525: The capital of the Kingdom of Sarawak after the territory in the area was ceded to James Brooke for helping the Bruneian Empire in crushing a rebellion particularly by the interior Borneo-dwelling Land Dayak people who later became his loyal followers after most of them were pardoned by him and joined his side. The town continued to receive attention and development during the rule of Charles Brooke such as

4998-476: The centre of attention and development. Improvements included a sanitation system. By 1874, the city had completed several developments, including construction of a hospital, prison, Fort Margherita , and many other buildings. Charles Brooke's wife, in her memoir (My Life in Sarawak) , included this description of Kuching: The little town looked so neat and fresh and prosperous under the careful jurisdiction of

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5096-529: The city with most of the colleges are subsidiaries from universities and university colleges established in West Malaysia , such as SEGi College, Sarawak, Sunway College Kuching, Limkokwing Borneo , PTPL Sarawak , Wawasan Open University , Open University Malaysia , and Twintech College Sarawak. There are private institutions conducting franchised programmes from full-fledged universities (apart from running their own courses) such as SATT College (conducting franchised programmes from Universiti Teknologi MARA ) and

5194-497: The city's traffic continues to rise. As Kuching is located near the equator , potholes have the tendency to develop on the roads during the monsoon season , usually at the end of the year, due to coinciding with winter in the Northern Hemisphere . Roads leading outside of the city to the more rural regions were of a slightly inferior quality, with regards to maintenance, but are now being upgraded. Highway routes from Kuching include: There are two types of taxis operating within

5292-431: The city, such as the main public hospitals , public health clinics , other type of health clinics, mobile clinic, flying doctor service, village clinics, and 1Malaysia clinic . The main hospital is the Sarawak General Hospital which is the oldest hospital since 1923. Another hospital is Rajah Charles Brooke Memorial Hospital. Hospital Sentosa (Sentosa Mental Hospital), opened in 1958, provides psychiatric services for

5390-413: The city. The Sarawak Police Contingent Headquarters is located in Badruddin Street. There is only one district headquarters in the city, which is the Kuching District police headquarters located in Simpang Tiga Road. Kuching Prison Complex is located in Puncak Borneo Street. Temporary lock-ups or prison cells are found in most police stations around the city. There are many types of health services in

5488-416: The city: the standard taxis are the red-and-yellow painted automobiles. A slightly larger taxi, painted in blue, is available as well; these are more comfortable, but slightly more expensive (thus known as "executive taxis"). In 2014, a smartphone taxi-booking app called GrabTaxi was launched, making Kuching the fifth area (after Klang Valley , Cyberjaya , Putrajaya , and Johor Bahru ) to benefit from

5586-404: The construction of a sanitation system, hospital, prison, fort, and a bazaar. In 1941, the Brooke administration had a Centenary Celebration in Kuching. During World War II , Kuching was occupied by Japanese forces from 1942 to 1945. The Japanese government set up a Batu Lintang camp near Kuching to hold prisoners of war and civilian internees . After the war, the town survived intact. However,

5684-416: The destroyed by the Japanese. Defence was mainly concentrated on Kuching and Miri . However, on 24 December 1941, Kuching was conquered by the Japanese forces. Sarawak was ruled as part of the Japanese Empire for three years and eight months, until the official Japanese surrender on 11 September 1945. The official surrender was signed on HMAS Kapunda at Kuching. From March 1942, the Japanese operated

5782-486: The east. The Sarawak River generally splits the city into North and South. The highest point in the city is Mount Santubong on the Santubong peninsula, which is at 810.2 m (2,658 ft) above sea level, located 35 km north of the city centre. Rapid urbanisation has occurred in Greater Kuching and the urban sprawl extends to Penrissen, Kota Sentosa, Kota Padawan, Batu Kawah, Matang, Samariang, Siburan , Tarat, Kota Samarahan , Asajaya as well as Serian which

5880-429: The entire state and known as the second oldest hospital in Sarawak after the main hospital. Normah Medical Specialist Centre in Petra Jaya is the largest private hospital (with 130 beds) in Sarawak. In addition, three other large private health facilities are Borneo Medical Centre with (120 beds), Timberland Medical Centre with (100 beds), and KPJ Healthcare with (75 beds). Kuching Specialist Hospital located in BDC

5978-461: The last Rajah of Sarawak, Sir Charles Vyner Brooke decided to cede Sarawak as part of British Crown Colony in 1946. Kuching remained as capital during the Crown Colony period. After the formation of Malaysia in 1963, Kuching retained its status as state capital and was granted city status in 1988. Since then, Kuching is divided into two administrative regions managed by two separate local authorities Mohd Azri Bin Subohi. The administrative centre of

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6076-464: The major industrial and commercial centres in East Malaysia . The name "Kuching" was already in use for the city by the time Brooke arrived in 1839. There are many theories as to the derivation of the name "Kuching". It was perhaps derived from the Malay word for cat, "kucing", or from Cochin , an Indian trading port on the Malabar Coast and a generic term in China and British India for trading harbour. Some Hindu artefacts can be seen today at

6174-607: The many animals found in the park, thus increasing the pressure on this small reserve. As future development increases surrounding the park the existing gene pool will have to suffice since breeding between animals outside the park will no longer be possible. One suggestion is to: Protect a corridor/strip of land from development for the purpose of migration and breeding of animal species between other nearby habitats. Implementation would be possible with government intervention since existing routes are still currently feasible i.e. some undeveloped tracts still exist. Kuching wetlands N. P.

6272-492: The month of January (wettest month of the year). The wettest times are during the North-East Monsoon months of November to February and the city's driest months are June through August. The temperature in Kuching ranges from 19 °C (66 °F) to 36 °C (97 °F) but the average temperature is around 23 °C (73 °F) in the early hours of the morning and rises to around 33 °C (91 °F) during mid afternoon. This temperature stays almost constant throughout

6370-410: The name of the town. The local guide mistakenly thought that Brooke was pointing towards a cat, and so had said the word "Kuching". However, ethnic Malays in Sarawak have always used the term "pusak" for cats (cognate with Filipino pusa ), instead of the standard Malay word "kucing" (cognate with Filipino kuting which refers to kittens). Despite this etymological discrepancy, Sarawakians have adopted

6468-458: The official declaration was not made until 18 August 1842. Brooke's cousin, Arthur Chichester Crookshank (1825–1891) joined his service on 1 March 1843 and was appointed as a magistrate. In 1844 Brooke began anti-pirate operations with ships of the Royal Navy and the East India Company off north-east Sumatra. On 12 February, he received a gunshot wound to his right arm and a spear cut to his eyebrow in their second engagement, at Murdu. Later in 1844

6566-409: The operations of 36 village libraries in the state funded by the National Library of Malaysia . Other public libraries in Kuching include the DBKU City Library and village libraries such as in Bandar Baru Samariang, Kampung Samariang Lama, and Taman Sepakat Jaya. Kuching maintains several museums showcasing its culture and history. The Sarawak State Museum is one of the finest museums in Asia and

6664-420: The other until 1840 when Pengiran Raja Muda Hashim , the Bruneian Prime Minister, offered to hand over the governorship of Sarawak to British adventurer James Brooke to acquire his help to defeat the rebel chiefs. Pengiran Raja Muda Hashim later ceded the territory to James Brooke as a reward for helping him to counter the rebellion. The rebellion was crushed in November 1840, and on 24 September 1841, Brooke

6762-449: The region and, in the ensuing turmoil, restored the Sultan of Brunei to his throne, for which the Sultan made Brooke the Rajah of Sarawak. He ruled until his death. Brooke was not without detractors and was criticised in the British Parliament and officially investigated in Singapore for his anti-piracy measures. He was, however, honoured and feted in London for his activities in Southeast Asia. The naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace

6860-426: The region. However, some Malay nobles in Brunei, unhappy over Brooke's measures against piracy, arranged for the murder of Muda Hashim and his followers. Brooke, with assistance from a unit of Britain's China Squadron , took over Brunei and restored its sultan to the throne. In 1842, the Sultan ceded complete sovereignty of Sarawak to Brooke. He was granted the title of Rajah of Sarawak on 24 September 1841, although

6958-411: The rich abundance of fish that are spawned and grow amongst the protection of the root systems. Timber is extracted for construction and several charcoal factories. The tourism industry is starting to grow offering wildlife cruises. The heavy decline in the proboscis monkey population caused by hunting, was largely arrested by the educational efforts of the Sarawak Forestry department protecting and banning

7056-490: The selling of clothing and spices . Other migrants who came during the British era included Bugis from the Dutch East Indies , and other peoples from neighbouring Dutch Borneo. Being a diverse, "melting-pot" city, interracial marriages (among those of different ethnic backgrounds) are common in Kuching, and the city itself is home to over 30 distinct ethnic groups. Besides being the capital city of Sarawak, Kuching

7154-499: The settlement facing an uprising against the Sultan of Brunei . In Sarawak he met the Sultan's uncle, Pengiran Muda Hashim , to whom he gave assistance in crushing the rebellion, winning the gratitude of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II of Brunei, who in 1841 offered Brooke the governorship of Sarawak in return for his help. Rajah Brooke was highly successful in suppressing the widespread piracy of

7252-515: The southwestern tip of Sarawak on the island of Borneo and covers an area of 431 km (166 sq mi) with a population about 165,642 in the Kuching North administrative region and 159,490 in the Kuching South administrative region —a total of 325,132 people. Kuching was the third capital of Sarawak in 1827 during the administration of the Bruneian Empire . In 1841, Kuching became

7350-647: The state's Public Works Department . Roads overseen by the latter department are generally state roads or federal roads . Most major internal roads are dual-carriageways . Kuching is linked by roads to other towns within Sarawak, mainly by federal roads. The city is also famous for a number of roundabouts , including the oldest and largest one, the Datuk Abang Kipali Bin Abang Akip Roundabout. The roundabouts are typically landscaped and are efficient for handling traffic congestion . However, traffic lights are more commonly used now as

7448-436: The trade of these animals. Mangroves serve as important coastal defences absorbing strong waves and reputably up to 95% of the waves energy in extreme cases, such as a tsunami or king tide limiting damage. This attribute alone should be cause to justify their existence. Extensive development predominantly housing but including quarrying and retail premises is occurring outside the parks boundary. These habitats are used by

7546-1131: The well-established and prestigious boarding schools in the city is Sekolah Menengah Sains Kuching, which is located at Batu Kawa and Sekolah Menengah Sains Kuching Utara, which is located at Matang Jaya. Other government secondary schools including some of the oldest and well known are SMK St. Joseph, SMK St. Thomas, SMK St. Teresa and SMK St. Mary as well as others like SMK Green Road, Kolej Datu Patinggi Abang Haji Abdillah, SMK Tun Abang Haji Openg, SMK Batu Lintang , and SMK Padungan . Kuching has 4 out of 14 Chinese independent schools in Sarawak. These are Chung Hua Middle School No. 1 (古晋中华第一中学), Chung Hua Middle School No. 3 (古晋中华第三中学), Chung Hua Middle School No. 4 (古晋中华第四中学) and Batu Kawa Min Lit secondary school (石角民立中学). There are also three international schools in Kuching, namely Tunku Putra International School , Lodge International School and Borneo International School. Other private schools in Kuching are Sunny Hill School and St. Joseph's Private Schools. There are currently no public university campuses in Kuching, apart from

7644-442: The year if it is not affected by the heavy rain and strong winds during the early hours of the morning which can bring the temperature down to 19 °C (66 °F), but this is very rare. The term "Kuchingite" has been used to describe the people of Kuching, although it is not official. However, the simplest way to call the people of Kuching is only by "orang Kuching", which means "people of Kuching" in English. In early 2022,

7742-824: Was 'a great admirer' of the novels of Jane Austen , and would 'read them and re-read them', including aloud to his companions in Sarawak. Brooke was influenced by the success of previous British adventurers and the exploits of the East India Company . His actions in Sarawak were directed at expanding the British Empire and the benefits of its rule, assisting the local people by fighting piracy and slavery , and securing his own personal wealth to further these activities. His own abilities, and those of his successors, provided Sarawak with excellent leadership and wealth generation during difficult times, and resulted in both fame and notoriety in some circles. His appointment as rajah by

7840-469: Was Superintendent of Indian Affairs in Canada. James Brooke was a close friend of Viscount Bury's uncle, Henry Keppel having met in 1843 while fighting pirates off the coast of Borneo. Townships to the northwest of Sarawak were named Keppel and Albemarle. In 2001, Sarawak and Keppel became part of the township of Georgian Bluffs ; Albemarle joined the town of South Bruce Peninsula in 1999. Keppel-Sarawak School

7938-450: Was accused of using excessive force against the native people, under the guise of anti-piracy operations, leading to the appointment of a Commission of Inquiry in Singapore in 1854. After an investigation, the commission dismissed the charges. Brooke wrote to Alfred Russel Wallace on leaving England in April 1853, "to assure Wallace that he would be very glad to see him at Sarawak." This

8036-774: Was administered by Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) and Kuching South City Council (MBKS). The city is defined within the borders of what is the Kuching District . With an area of 1,868.83 km (721.56 sq mi), it is the most populous district in Sarawak. The area then subdivided into two sub-districts, namely Kuching Proper and Padawan. Kuching Proper included the city area and northern part of Padawan municipality (e.g. Batu Kawah , Matang Jaya ), while Padawan sub-district (southern part of Padawan municipality) included Kota Padawan, Teng Bukap and Borneo Highlands (Mambong). The combined area of Kuching North City Hall, Kuching South City Council, Padawan Municipal Council, and

8134-749: Was an invitation that helped Wallace decide on the Malay Archipelago for his next expedition, an expedition that lasted for eight years and established him as one of the foremost Victorian intellectuals and naturalists of the time. When Wallace arrived in Singapore in September 1854, he found Rajah Brooke "reluctantly preparing to give evidence to the special commission set up to investigate his controversial anti-piracy activities." During his rule, Brooke suppressed an uprising by Liu Shan Bang in 1857 and faced threats from Sarawak warriors like Sharif Masahor and Rentap and managed to suppress them. James Brooke

8232-484: Was appointed as the Governor of Sarawak with the title of Rajah . It was not announced until 18 August 1842, following Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II 's ratifying the governorship, and requiring Brooke to pay an annual sum of $ 2,500 to the Sultan. Since that time, Kuching became the seat of the Brooke government. The administration was later continued by his nephew, Charles Brooke . As an administrative capital, it became

8330-507: Was aware of his connection to Brooke and by 1871 he is on the census at the parish of Plumtree, Nottinghamshire as "George Brooke", age "40", birthplace "Sarawak, Borneo". He married Martha Elizabeth Mowbray on 10 July 1862, and had seven children, three of whom survived infancy; the oldest was named James. George died travelling to Australia, in the wrecking of the SS British Admiral on 23 May 1874. A memorial to this effect – giving

8428-690: Was born and raised in India during the rule of the British East India Company . After a few years of education in England, he served in the Bengal Army , was wounded, and resigned his commission. He then bought a ship and sailed to the Malay Archipelago where, in gratitude for helping to crush a rebellion, he was rewarded with the position of governor of Sarawak. He then vigorously suppressed piracy in

8526-664: Was chosen as a permanent host for the biennial ASEAN International Film Festival and Awards (AIFFA). These events are normally held at the Borneo Convention Centre . Kuching Port Authority (KPA), established in 1961, started its operations at Tanah Puteh Port (Sim Kheng Hong Port) in 1975 with an annual capacity of 350,000 tonnes. Its operations have since been shifted to Pending and Senari terminals, with an annual capacity of 2.9 million tonnes and 7 million tonnes, respectively. KPA also controls Biawak Oil Jetty, which handles petroleum products. Historically,

8624-508: Was declared as "City of Unity" by One Malaysia Foundation for racial harmony that existed in the city because of cross-racial marriages, multi-racial schools, fair scholarship distributions, and balanced workforce patterns. As a capital of Sarawak, Kuching plays an important role in the political and economic welfare of the population of the entire state as it is the seat of the state government where almost all of their ministries and agencies are based. The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly

8722-458: Was in high demand in the market of nearby Singapore. A Dutch report mentioned that there lived about a hundred Malays and three houses of Chinese in the area shortly before the founding of Kuching. The arrival of Mahkota was not popular with the local Malay chiefs, whose autonomy was restricted by Mahkota's increasing tax and labour demands. The chiefs moved upriver, allied with Dayaks, and rebelled against Brunei. Neither side could gain an edge over

8820-496: Was instead "homo-social" and simply preferred the social company of other men, disagreeing with assertions he was a homosexual. Although Brooke died unmarried, he did acknowledge a son to his family in 1858. Neither the identity of the son's mother nor his birth date is clear. This son was brought up as Reuben George Walker in the Brighton household of Frances Walker (1841 and 1851 census, apparently born c.  1836 ). By 1858 he

8918-519: Was known as "Great Cholera Epidemic". A well situated in the present day China Street in Main Bazaar helped to combat the disease by providing clean water supply. Due to increased demand for a water supply, the role of the well was later replaced by water treatment plant on the Bau Road. Sarawak was part of the Bruneian Empire since the reign of the first Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Muhammad Shah . Kuching

9016-759: Was one of many visitors whose published work spoke of his hospitality and achievements. Brooke was born in Bandel , near Calcutta , Bengal , but baptised in Secrole, a suburb of Benares . His father, Thomas Brooke, was an English judge in the Court of Appeal at Bareilly , British India ; his mother, Anna Maria was born in Hertfordshire and was the daughter of Scottish peer Colonel William Stuart, 9th Lord Blantyre , and his mistress Harriott Teasdale. Brooke stayed at home in India until he

9114-554: Was published by JMS Books in 2010. Brooke is also featured in Flashman's Lady , the 6th book in George MacDonald Fraser 's meticulously researched The Flashman Papers novels. James Brooke is the main antagonist in the second and third novels of Emilio Salgari 's Sandokan series. In the 1976 TV production he's played by Adolfo Celi . Brooke was also a model for the hero of Joseph Conrad 's novel Lord Jim , and he

9212-570: Was revitalised as the capital of Sarawak under the British colonial government . When Sarawak, together with North Borneo, Singapore and the Federation of Malaya , formed the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, Kuching kept its status as the state capital and was granted a city status on 1 August 1988. Kuching experienced further development throughout the years as the state capital. On 29 July 2015, Kuching

9310-684: Was scheduled to open its operation to the public in 2020, with a 70-bed capacity. In the city, all schools under the National Education System (government education institution category), are managed by the Kuching Combined Education Office ( Pejabat Pelajaran Gabungan Kuching ). There are many government or state schools in and around the city. Like other Malaysian schools, schools in the city are divided into four levels of education — pre-school, primary, secondary (lower and upper) and post-secondary (excluding tertiary). Among

9408-631: Was sent to England at the age of 12 for a brief education at Norwich School from which he ran away. Some home tutoring followed in Bath before he returned to India in 1819 as an ensign in the Bengal Army of the British East India Company . He saw action in Assam during the First Anglo-Burmese War until he was seriously wounded in 1825 and sent to England for recovery. In 1830, he arrived back in Madras but

9506-432: Was the third capital of Sarawak, founded in 1827 by the representative of the Sultan of Brunei, Pengiran Indera Mahkota . Prior to the founding of Kuching, the two past capitals of Sarawak were Santubong, founded by Sultan Pengiran Tengah in 1599, and Lidah Tanah, founded by Datu Patinggi Ali in the early 1820s. The founding of Kuching was spurred by the discovery of antimony ore at the upper Sarawak river in 1924, which

9604-710: Was too late to rejoin his unit, and resigned his commission. He remained on the ship he had travelled out in – the Castle Huntley – and returned home via China. Brooke attempted to trade in the Far East , but was not successful. In 1835 he inherited £30,000 (£3M or US$ 3.7M in 2022 currency), which he used as capital to purchase the Royalist , a 142-ton schooner . Setting sail for Borneo in 1838, he arrived in Kuching in August to find

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