201-456: Sibu Division is one of the twelve administrative divisions of Sarawak , Malaysia . It has a total area of 8,278.3 square kilometres, and is the third largest division after Kapit Division and Miri Division . The population of Sibu Division (year 2000 census) was 257,300. Ethnically, the population was mostly Iban , Chinese , Malay , and Melanau . Sibu Division consists of three districts: Sibu , Kanowit , and Selangau . The economy
402-656: 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
603-717: 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
804-446: A considerable amount of rain from 1,800 millimetres to 4,000 millimetres. The coastal areas occasionally experience severe storms as the state is situated south of the typhoon belt. Due to its location is very close to the typhoon belt, Sabah experience the worst Tropical Storm Greg on 25 December 1996. The storm left more than 100 people dead, with another 200–300 missing, 3,000–4,000 people left homeless. As Sabah also lies within
1005-542: A continental shelf with Sabah. The Philippines claims much of eastern Sabah. It claims that the territory is connected with the Sultanate of Sulu and was only leased to the North Borneo Chartered Company in 1878 with the Sultanate's sovereignty never being relinquished. Malaysia however, considers this dispute as a "non-issue", as it interprets the 1878 agreement as that of cession and that it deems that
1206-638: A discussion culminating in the Malaysia Agreement and 20-point agreement , on 16 September 1963 North Borneo (as Sabah) was united with Malaya, Sarawak and Singapore, to form the independent Malaysia . From before the formation of Malaysia until 1966, Indonesia adopted a hostile policy towards British-backed Malaya, leading to the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation after Malaysia was established. The war stemmed from what Indonesian president Sukarno perceived as an expansion of British influence in
1407-429: A final decision to award both islands to Malaysia in 2002 based on their "effective occupation". In February 2013, Sabah's Lahad Datu District was penetrated by followers of Jamalul Kiram III , the self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu . In response, Malaysian military forces were deployed to the region, which resulted in 68 deaths (58 Sultanate militants, nine Malaysian security personnel, and six civilians). Following
1608-526: 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,
1809-465: 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
2010-535: 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
2211-725: 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
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#17328520121412412-496: A popular belief amongst Sabahans that both USNO and UMNO have been working together in permitting illegal immigrants from the southern Philippines and Indonesia to stay in the state and become citizens to vote for Muslim parties. This was continued under the Sabah People's United Front (BERJAYA) administration led by Harris Salleh with a total of 73,000 Filipino refugees from the southern Philippines were registered. In addition,
2613-750: 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,
2814-558: 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
3015-583: 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
3216-555: A total of 1,743 kilometres (1,083 mi) coastline, of which 295.5 kilometres (183.6 mi) have been eroding . Because of Sabah coastline facing three seas, the state receive an extensive marine resources. In 1961, Sabah including neighbouring Sarawak , which had been included in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) through the participation of the United Kingdom, became joint associate members of
3417-576: 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,
3618-515: A variety of banana in both Tagalog and Visayan languages . The word in Visayan means "noisy", which in turn is derived from Sanskrit Sabhā meaning 'congregation, crowd' related to 'noisy mob'. Perhaps due to local dialect, the word Saba has been pronounced as Sabah by the local community. While Brunei was a vassal state of Majapahit , the Old Javanese eulogy of Nagarakretagama described
3819-523: A village headman (known as ketua kampung ) for each village. The administrative divisions were inherited from the provinces of the British administration. During the British rule, a Resident was appointed to govern each division and provided with a palace ( Istana ). The post of the Resident was abolished and replaced with district officers for each of the district when North Borneo became part of Malaysia. As in
4020-463: A water catchment area with its headwater connecting to five major rivers in the west coast area. Kinabalu National Park was inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000 for its richness in plant diversity combined with its unique geological, topographical, and climatic conditions. The park hosts more than 4,500 species of flora and fauna, including 326 bird and around 100 mammal species along with over 110 land snail species. Tiga Island
4221-435: Is Mount Tambuyukon , with a height of 2,579 metres. These mountains and hills are traversed by an extensive network of river valleys and are in most cases covered with dense rainforest. There are lower ranges of hills extending towards the western coasts, southern plains, and the interior or central part of Sabah. The central and eastern portions of Sabah are generally lower mountain ranges and plains with occasional hills. In
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#17328520121414422-511: 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 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,
4623-481: 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
4824-480: Is divided into five administrative divisions and 27 districts. Malay is the official language of the state; and Islam is the state religion, but other religions may be practised. Sabah is known for its traditional musical instrument, the sompoton . Sabah has abundant natural resources, and its economy is strongly export-oriented . Its primary exports include oil, gas, timber and palm oil . The other major industries are agriculture and ecotourism . The origin of
5025-580: Is formed through the eruption of mud volcano in 1897. The island is now part of the Tiga Island National Park together with Kalampunian Besar and Kalampunian Damit islands as a tourist attractions, with a mud bath tourism. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park is a group of five islands of Gaya , Manukan , Mamutik, Sapi and Sulug . These islands are believed to once connected to the Crocker Range but separated when sea levels rose since
5226-520: 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,
5427-479: Is gazetted as a forest reserve, while Boheydulang as a bird sanctuary . These islands are formed by Quaternary pyroclastic material that was ejected during explosive volcanic activities. The Tawau Hills National Park established as a natural water catchment area. The park contains rugged volcanic landscapes including a hot spring and spectacular waterfalls. Bordering the Philippine Turtle Islands
5628-604: Is largely based on timber extraction from the extensive tropical rainforest . Processed wood products, rather than log export has been given priority by the government. Agriculture is relatively minor, with oil palm and pepper the main products. Tourism, particularly ecotourism , is a growing component of the economy. The two major rivers in the Sibu Division are the Rajang River and the Igan River . Before 1 June 1873, Sibu
5829-463: Is located in a tropical geography with equatorial climate . It experiences two monsoon seasons of northeast and southwest. The northeast monsoon occurs from November to March with heavy rains, while the southwest monsoon prevails from May to September with less rainfall. It also received two inter-monsoon season from April to May and September to October. The average daily temperature varies from 27 °C (81 °F) to 34 °C (93 °F), with
6030-582: 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
6231-445: 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. Sabah Sabah ( Malay pronunciation: [ˈsabah] ) is a state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo , in
Sibu Division - Misplaced Pages Continue
6432-626: Is the Crocker Range with several mountains varying height from about 1,000 metres to 4,000 metres. Adjacent to the Crocker Range is the Trus Madi Range with Mount Trus Madi , with a height of 2,642 metres. The highest peak is the Mount Kinabalu , with a height around 4,095 metres. It is one of the highest peak between the Himalayas and New Guinea . While located not far from Mount Kinabalu
6633-626: Is the Turtle Islands National Park , it consists of three islands of Selingaan, Bakkungan Kechil and Gulisaan which is notable as the nesting place for green turtle and hawksbill sea turtle . Other important wildlife regions in Sabah include the Maliau Basin , Danum Valley , Tabin , Imbak Canyon and Sepilok . These places are either designated as national parks, wildlife reserves, virgin jungle reserves, or protection forest reserve. Beyond
6834-400: 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
7035-560: 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
7236-816: 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
7437-546: 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
7638-484: The 1994 state election , despite PBS winning the elections, subsequent cross-overs of PBS assembly members to the BN component party resulted in BN having the majority of seats and hence took over the helm of the state government. A unique feature of Sabah politics was a policy initiated by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in 1994 whereby the chief minister's post is rotated among the coalition parties every two years regardless of
7839-627: The Anglo-Malayan Defence Agreement (AMDA) if fighting broke out. In addition, a large flotilla of British warships would sail to Philippines waters near Sabah en route from Singapore along with the participation of ANZUS forces. The AMDA treaty have since been replaced by the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) although the present treaty does not include East Malaysian states as its main priority, British security protection intervention can still be included over
8040-454: 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
8241-574: 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
Sibu Division - Misplaced Pages Continue
8442-595: 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
8643-546: The Bruneian Empire in the 14th and 15th centuries. The state was subsequently acquired by the British North Borneo Chartered Company in the 19th century. During World War II , Sabah was occupied by the Japanese for three years. It became a British Crown Colony in 1946. On 31 August 1963, Sabah was granted self-governance by the British. Following this, Sabah became one of the founding members of
8844-783: The Castilian War of 1578, the Spanish who had sailed from New Spain and had taken Manila from Brunei, unsuccessfully declared war on Brunei by briefly occupying the capital before abandoning it. The Sulu region gained its independence in 1578, forming the Sultanate of Sulu . When the civil war broke out in Brunei between sultans Abdul Hakkul Mubin and Muhyiddin , the Sultan of Sulu asserted their claim to Brunei's territories in northern Borneo. The Sulus claimed that Sultan Muhyiddin had promised to cede
9045-624: The Democratic Action Party (DAP) and People's Justice Party (PKR) of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition. On 9 May 2018, this coalition and the Barisan Nasional ended in a tie. However, as six BN elected representatives crossed over to WARISAN, and after a short-lived constitutional crisis, a coalition of WARISAN, DAP and PKR formed a majority government on 12 May 2018 and became effective since that day. In conjunction with
9246-483: The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) and Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE) following the infiltration of militants, illegal immigrants and smuggling of goods and subsidies items into and from the southern Philippines and Indonesia. Sabah has had several territorial disputes with neighbouring Indonesia and the Philippines. In 2002, both Malaysia and Indonesia submitted to arbitration by
9447-466: The German government . The sultanate authorised Schuck to establish a trading port to monopolise the rattan trade in the northeast coast, where Schuck could operate freely, without the Spanish blockade. He continued this operation until this land also was ceded to Overbeck, with the Sultan receiving an annual payment of $ 5,000, by a treaty signed in 1878. After a series of transfers, Overbeck tried to sell
9648-525: 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
9849-617: The Jabidah massacre in Corregidor Island , Philippines. As a consequence, this led the Malaysian government to once supporting the insurgency in southern Philippines . Although the Philippine claim to Sabah has not been actively pursued for some years, some Filipino politicians have promised to bring it up again, while the Malaysian government have asked the Philippines not to threaten ties over such issue. To further discourage pursuit of
10050-639: The Jesselton Revolt . As part of the Borneo campaign to retake the territory, Allied forces bombed most of the major towns under Japanese control, including Sandakan, which was razed to the ground. The Japanese ran a brutal prisoner of war camp known as Sandakan camp . The majority of the POWs were British and Australian soldiers captured after the fall of Malaya and Singapore . The prisoners suffered inhuman conditions, and amidst continuous Allied bombardments,
10251-535: 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,
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#173285201214110452-467: 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
10653-698: 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
10854-409: The Second World War , and later invaded the rest of northern Borneo. From 1942 to 1945, Japanese forces occupied North Borneo, along with most of the rest of the island, as part of the Empire of Japan . The British saw Japanese advances in the area as motivated by political and territorial ambitions rather than economic factors. The residing British and the locals were compelled to obey and gave in to
11055-411: The Sino-Japanese War in mainland China. Local Chinese formed a resistance, known as the Kinabalu Guerillas, led by Albert Kwok , with broad support from various ethnic groups in northern Borneo such as Dusun , Murut, Suluk and Illanun peoples. The movement was also supported by Mustapha Harun . Kwok along with many other sympathisers were, however, executed after the Japanese foiled their movement in
11256-471: The Srivijaya empire, was thought to have existed in northwest Borneo. The earliest independent kingdom in Borneo, supposed to have existed from the 9th century, was Po Ni, as recorded in the Chinese geographical treatise Taiping Huanyu Ji . It was believed that Po Ni existed at the mouth of Brunei River and was the predecessor to the Bruneian Empire. When China was conquered by the Mongol Empire , all Chinese vassal states were subsequently controlled by
11457-476: 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
11658-405: The Sulu Archipelago , as far as Kota Seludong (present-day Manila ) with its influence extending as far of Banjarmasin , taking advantage of maritime trade after the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese . Many Brunei Malays migrated to Sabah during this period, beginning after the Bruneian conquest of the territory in the 15th century. But plagued by internal strife, civil war, piracy and
11859-418: The Sunda Plate with a compression from the Australian and Philippine Plate , it is prone to earthquake with the state itself have experienced three major earthquakes since 1923, with the 2015 earthquake being the latest major earthquake. The Crocker Ranges together with Mount Kinabalu was formed since during the middle Miocene period after being uplifted by the Sabah Orogeny through compression. There
12060-402: The Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 among others. Under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment, any persons hunting inside conservation lands are liable for imprisonment for five years and fined with RM 50,000. The state government also plans to implement seasonal huntings as part of its conservation efforts to prevent the continuous lose of its endangered wildlife species while maintaining
12261-419: The arrival of western powers , the Bruneian Empire began to shrink. The first Europeans to visit Brunei were the Portuguese, who described the capital of Brunei at the time as surrounded by a stone wall . The Spanish followed, arriving soon after Ferdinand Magellan 's death in 1521, when the remaining members of his expedition sailed to the islands of Balambangan and Banggi in the northern tip Borneo; later, in
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#173285201214112462-484: The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki . After the Japanese surrender, North Borneo was administered by the British Military Administration and on 15 July 1946 became a British Crown colony . The Crown Colony of Labuan was integrated into this new colony. During the ceremony, both the Union Jack and Flag of the Republic of China were raised from the bullet-ridden Jesselton Survey Hall building. The Chinese were represented by Philip Lee who had been part of
12663-456: 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
12864-421: 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
13065-402: The 20 million hectares equatorial rainforests demarcated under the " Heart of Borneo " initiative. The forests surrounding the river valley of Kinabatangan River is the largest forest-covered floodplain in Malaysia. The Crocker Range National Park is the largest national park in the state, covering an area of 139,919 hectares. Most of the park area are covered in dense forest and important as
13266-402: 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,
13467-412: The British freed Sultan Alimuddin of Sulu from the Spanish and allowed him to return to his throne; this was welcomed by the Sulu people and by 1765, Dalrymple managed to obtain Balambangan Island off the north coast of Borneo, having concluded a Treaty of Alliance and Commerce with the Sultan Alimuddin as a sign of gratitude for the British aid. A small British factory was then established in 1773 on
13668-417: 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
13869-465: The Chinese settlement then married Sultan Ahmad of Brunei . Perhaps due to this relationship, a burial place with 2,000 wooden coffins, some estimated to be 1,000 years old, were discovered in Agop Batu Tulug Caves and around the Kinabatangan Valley area. It is believed that this type of funeral culture was brought by traders from Mainland China and Indochina to northern Borneo as similar wooden coffins were also discovered in these countries. This
14070-416: The Constitution of Malaysia states that the Malaysian federal government is solely responsible for foreign policy and military forces in the country. Before the formation of Malaysia, North Borneo security was the responsibility of Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand . In the wake of threats of "annexation" from the Philippines after President Ferdinand Marcos signed a bill by including Sabah as part
14271-479: 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
14472-513: The Federation of Malaysia (established on 16 September 1963) alongside the Crown Colony of Sarawak , the Colony of Singapore (expelled in 1965), and the Federation of Malaya ( Peninsular Malaysia or West Malaysia). The federation was opposed by neighbouring Indonesia, which led to the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation over three years along with the threats of annexation by the Philippines along with
14673-659: The ICJ on a territorial dispute over the Ligitan and Sipadan islands which were later won by Malaysia. There are also several other disputes yet to be settled with Indonesia over the overlapping claims on the Ambalat continental shelf in the Celebes Sea and land border dispute between Sabah and North Kalimantan . Malaysia's claim over a portion of the Spratly Islands is also based on sharing
14874-542: The IMO. Its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is much larger towards the South China Sea and Celebes Sea than to the Sulu Sea. The state coastline is covered with mangrove and nipah forests. The mangroves cover about 331,325 hectares of the state land and constitute 57% of the total mangroves in the country. Both coastal areas in the west coast and east coast are entirely dominating by sand beaches, while in sheltered areas
15075-618: 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
15276-432: The Japanese during the occupation, only 1,500 survived mainly due to starvation, harsh working conditions and maltreatment. In March 1945, Australian forces launched Operation Agas to gather intelligence in the region and launch guerrilla warfare against the Japanese. The Australian Imperial Forces initiated the Battle of North Borneo on 10 June 1945. Japan's remaining forces surrendered on September 2 1945, following
15477-477: The Japanese forced them to marchto Ranau , about 260 kilometres (160 mi) away, in an event known as the Sandakan Death March . The number of prisoners were reduced to 2,345, with many of them killed en route either by friendly fire or by the Japanese. Only six of the several hundred Australian prisoners lived to see the war's end. In addition, of the total of 17,488 Javanese labourers brought in by
15678-493: 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
15879-646: The Madrid High Court of Justice", and sentenced to six months in prison. The Philippine claim can be originated based on three historical events; such as the Brunei Civil War from 1660 until 1673, treaty between Dutch East Indies and the Bulungan Sultanate in 1850 and treaty between Sultan Jamal ul-Azam with Overbeck in 1878. Further attempts by several Filipino politicians such as Ferdinand Marcos to "destabilise" Sabah proved to be futile and led to
16080-558: The Majapahit Empire but in 1369, Sulu and the other Philippine kingdoms successfully rebelled and Sulu even attacked Brunei which was still a Majapahit tributary , the Sulus specifically invaded Northeast Borneo at Sabah the Sulus were then repelled but Brunei became weakened. In 1370, Brunei transferred its allegiance to Ming dynasty China. The Maharaja Karna of Borneo then paid a visit to Nanjing with his family until his death. He
16281-534: The Malaysian federal government, and Labuan became a federal territory on 16 April 1984. In 2000, the state capital Kota Kinabalu was granted city status , making it the 6th city in Malaysia and the first city in the state. Prior to a territorial dispute between Indonesia and Malaysia since 1969 over two islands of Ligitan and Sipadan in the Celebes Sea , the International Court of Justice (ICJ) made
16482-507: The Malaysian government halted the payments after this incident. As a result, the self-proclaimed Sulu heirs pursued this case for legal arbitration vis-a-vis the original commercial deal. Since then, the Sulu claimants have been accused of “forum shopping”. In 2017, the heirs showed their intention to start arbitration in Spain and asked for $ 32.2 billion in compensation. In 2019, Malaysia responded for
16683-455: 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,
16884-458: The Mongol emperors of China. Early in 1292, Kublai Khan is said to have sent an expedition to northern Borneo, before departing for the invasion of Java in 1293. As a result of this campaign, it is believed that many of his followers in addition to other Chinese traders eventually settled and established their own enclave at Kinabatangan River . In the 14th century, Brunei and Sulu were part of
17085-613: 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
17286-400: The Philippines. In 2016, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak have agreed to set aside the two countries' dispute over Sabah for the meantime. The total land area of Sabah is nearly 73,904 square kilometres (28,534 sq mi) surrounded by the South China Sea in the west, Sulu Sea in the northeast and Celebes Sea in the southeast. Sabah has
17487-516: The Rajahs, Sarawak was sparsely populated with vast land yet to be developed, Wong's plan was timely and very much appreciated. When Wong went to see Sir Charles Brooke and explained to him his plan to lead large groups of Foochows to open up Sibu for cultivation, the Rajah immediately agreed. Both parties signed an agreement. The Chinese immigrants came in three batches. The first batch consisted of 72 people,
17688-591: The Republic of the Philippines on its maritime baselines in the Act of Congress on 18 September 1968, the British responds in the next day by sending their Hawker Hunter fighter-bomber jets to Kota Kinabalu with the jets stopped over at the Clark Air Base not far from the Philippines capital of Manila. British Army senior officer Michael Carver then reminded the Philippines that Britain would honour its obligations under
17889-662: 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
18090-521: The Sultan of Sulu’s heirs, who then attempted to enforce the award against Malaysian state-owned assets around the world. It is noteworthy that on 27 June 2023, the Hague Court of Appeal dismissed the Sulus’ bid and ruled in favor of the Malaysian government, which hailed the decision as a "landmark victory". In 2024 Stampa was convicted of contempt of court for "knowingly disobeying rulings and orders from
18291-444: The Sultanate of Sulu, threats which continue to the present day. Sabah exhibits notable diversity in ethnicity, culture and language. The head of state is the governor, also known as the Yang di-Pertua Negeri , while the head of government is the chief minister and his Cabinet . The government system is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system and has one of the earliest state legislature systems in Malaysia. Sabah
18492-538: The Sulu Archipelago and started settling on the coasts of north and eastern Borneo, many of them fleeing from the oppression of Spanish colonialism . While the thalassocratic Brunei and Sulu sultanates controlled the western and eastern coasts of Sabah respectively, the interior region remained largely independent from either kingdoms. The Sultanate of Bulungan 's influence was limited to the Tawau area, which came under
18693-623: The Temenggong received a sum of 3,000. In 1872, the Sultanate of Sulu granted use of an area of land in the Sandakan Bay to William Frederick Schuck, a former agent of the German consular service who had lived on the Sulu island of Jolo since 1864. The arrival of German warship Nymph at the Sulu Sea in 1872 to investigate the Sulu-Spanish conflict made the sultanate believe Schuck was connected with
18894-633: The US government proved futile and the settlement was later abandoned. Before he left, Torrey managed to sell all his rights to the Austrian Consul in Hong Kong, Gustav von Overbeck . Overbeck then went to Brunei, where he met the Temenggong to renew the concession . Brunei agreed to cede all territory in northern Borneo under its control, with the Sultan receiving an annual payment of 12,000 Spanish dollars , while
19095-562: The area in what is now Sabah as Seludang . Although the Chinese since the Han dynasty had been associated with the island of Borneo , they did not have any specific names for the area. Instead during the Song dynasty , they referred to the whole island as Po Ni (also pronounced Bo Ni ), which is the same name they used to refer to the Sultanate of Brunei at the time. Due to the location of Sabah in relation to Brunei, it has been suggested that Sabah
19296-507: 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
19497-409: The brutality of the Japanese. The occupation drove many people from coastal towns to the interior, fleeing the Japanese and seeking food. The Malays generally appeared to be favoured by the Japanese, although some of them faced repression, whilst other groups such as the Chinese and indigenous peoples were severely repressed. The Chinese were already resisting the Japanese occupation, especially with
19698-433: 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
19899-543: The celebration of Malaysia Day in 2018 under the new government, Prime Minister Mahathir has promised to restore Sabah (together with Sarawak) status as an equal partner to Malaya who together forming the Malaysian federation in accordance to the Malaysia Agreement. However, through the process of the proposed amendment to the Constitution of Malaysia in 2019, the first bill for the amendment failed to pass following
20100-441: The cession of Labuan island to federal government by the Sabah state government under BERJAYA rule and unequal sharing and exploitation of Sabah's resources of petroleum have become grievances often raised by Sabahans, which has resulted in strong anti-federal sentiments and even occasional call for secession from the federation amongst the people of Sabah. Those who spread secession agenda often landed in law enforcement hand due to
20301-538: The claim the Malaysian government passed a barter trade ban, at the behest of the Royal Malaysia Police and the Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister , between Malaysia and the Philippines as it was seen to only benefit one side while threatening the security of the state. The ban was positively received by many Sabahans, although there was opposition from other political parties as well as from
20502-659: 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
20703-521: The coasts of Sabah lie a number of islands rich with coral reefs such as Ligitan, Sipadan, Selingaan, Tiga and Layang-Layang (Swallow Reef). Other main islands including the Jambongan , Timbun Mata , Bum Bum and the divided Sebatik . The Sabah state government has enacted several laws to protect its forests and endangered wildlife species under the Animals Ordinance 1962, Forest Enactment 1968 and
20904-449: The company allowing indigenous communities to continue their traditional lifestyles, but imposing laws against headhunting , ethnic feuds , slave trade , and piracy. North Borneo then became a protectorate of the United Kingdom in 1888 despite facing local resistance from 1894 to 1900 by Mat Salleh and Antanum in 1915. The Japanese forces landed in Labuan on 3 January 1942, during
21105-485: The controversial ISA act, such as 1991 Sabah political arrests . Until the 2008 Malaysian general election , Sabah along with the states of Kelantan and Terengganu , were the only three states in Malaysia that had ever been ruled by opposition parties not part of the ruling BN coalition. Under Joseph Pairin Kitingan , PBS formed the state government after winning the 1985 state election and ruled Sabah until 1994. In
21306-487: The counterclaims of the Sultan of Sulu, part of whose territory in the Sulu Archipelago had been occupied by Spain. Overbeck, however, withdrew in 1879 and his treaty rights were transferred to Alfred Dent, who in 1881 formed the North Borneo Provisional Association Ltd to administer the territory. In the following year, Kudat was made its capital but due to frequent pirate attacks, the capital
21507-408: 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
21708-653: The development of Sibu. Wong Nai Siong came to Singapore in September 1899. From there, he proceeded to West Malaysia, Sumatra and the Dutch East Indies . For six months he explored the places but failed to find a suitable place for the immigration and settlement of his folks in China. In April 1900, Wong came to Sarawak and got the approval of the Sarawak Rajah to look for a suitable site for Chinese immigrants. Wong explored
21909-785: The east coast located the Kinabatangan River, which is the second-longest river in Malaysia after Rajang River in Sarawak with a length of 560 kilometres. The river begins from the western ranges and snakes its way through the central region towards the east coast out into the Sulu Sea. Other major rivers including the Kalabakan River, Kolopis River , Liwagu River, Padas River, Paitan River, Segama River and Sugut River, in addition to Babagon River, Bengkoka River, Kadamaian River, Kalumpang River, Kiulu River, Mawao River, Membakut River, Mesapol River, Nabawan River, Papar River, Pensiangan River, Tamparuli River and Wario River. The land of Sabah
22110-421: The eastern region of Sabah. This Lahad Datu incident resulted in the deaths of 52 members of the Sulu group and eight Malaysian police officers. Before this incident, Malaysia continued to pay an annual cession payment amounting to roughly $ 1,000 to the indirect heirs of the Sultan honoring an 1878 agreement, where North Borneo – today’s Sabah – was conceded by the Sultan of Sulu to a British company. However,
22311-419: 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
22512-592: 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
22713-494: The elimination of insurgents, an Eastern Sabah Security Command was established. Sabah (together with its neighbour Sarawak) has a greater level of autonomy in administration, immigration, and judiciary which differentiates it from the Malaysian Peninsula states. The Yang di-Pertua Negeri is the head of state although its functions are largely ceremonial. Next in the hierarchy are the state legislative assembly and
22914-492: 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
23115-459: The factory. Although an attempt was made in 1803 to turn Balambangan into a military station, the British did not re-establish any further trading posts in the region until Stamford Raffles founded Singapore in 1819. In 1846, the Sultan of Brunei ceded the island of Labuan on the west coast of Sabah to Britain through the Treaty of Labuan , and in 1848 it became a British Crown Colony . Seeing
23316-573: 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
23517-483: 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. Subsequently, a second bill for the amendment was tabled in 2021 and was passed unanimously by the Malaysian Parliament. Sabah consists of five administrative divisions, which are in turn divided into 27 districts. For each district, the state government appoints
23718-573: 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)
23919-476: The federal government. Legislation regarding state elections is within the powers of the federal government and not the state. The assembly meets at the state capital, Kota Kinabalu. Members of the state assembly are elected from 73 constituencies which are delineated by the Election Commission of Malaysia and do not necessarily have the same voter population sizes. A general election for representatives in
24120-593: The federal government; declaring that in return Sabahans would pledge their loyalty to the Malaysian federal government. An oath stone was officiated by Donald Stephens on 31 August 1964 in Keningau as a remembrance to the agreement and promise for reference in the future. Sabah held its first state election in 1967. In the same year, the name of the state capital was changed from "Jesselton" to " Kota Kinabalu ". An airplane crash on 6 June 1976 killed Stephens along with four other state cabinet ministers. On 14 June 1976,
24321-630: The federation. Subsequently, North Borneo legislative assembly agreed on the formation of Malaysia on the conditions that North Borneo's rights would be safeguarded. North Borneo then entered Malaysia as an autonomous state with autonomous laws in immigration control and Native Customary Rights (NCR), and the territory name was changed to "Sabah". However, under the administration of the United Sabah National Organisation (USNO) led by Mustapha Harun, this autonomy has been gradually eroded with federal government influence and hegemony with
24522-416: The first time. The attorney general at the time offered to start making yearly payments again and to pay 48,000 Malaysian ringgit (about $ 10,400) for past dues and interest, but only if the heirs gave up their claim. The heirs did not accept this offer and the case, led by Spanish arbiter Gonzalo Stampa , continued without Malaysia being involved. In February 2022, Gonzalo Stampa awarded US$ 14.9 billion to
24723-477: 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
24924-478: 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
25125-586: The influence of the Sulu Sultanate before gaining its own rule after the 1878 treaty between the British and Spanish governments. In 1761, Alexander Dalrymple , an officer of the British East India Company , concluded an agreement with the Sultan of Sulu to allow him to set up a trading post in northern Borneo, although this was to prove a failure. Following the British occupation of Manila in 1763,
25326-541: 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
25527-580: 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,
25728-654: The island. The British saw the island as a suitable location to control the trade route in the East, capable of diverting trade from the Spanish port of Manila and the Dutch port of Batavia especially with its strategic location between the South China Sea and Sulu Sea . But the British abandoned the island two years later when Sulu pirates began attacking. This forced the British to seek refuge in Brunei in 1774, and to temporarily abandon their attempts to find alternative sites for
25929-418: 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
26130-489: The last ice age . The Tun Mustapha Marine Park is the largest marine park located in the north of Sabah. It covers the three major islands of Banggi , Balambangan and Malawali . Another marine park is the Tun Sakaran Marine Park located in the south-east of Sabah. The park comprising the islands of Bodgaya , Boheydulang , Sabangkat and Salakan along with sand cays of Maiga, Mantabuan and Sibuan. Bodgaya
26331-624: 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
26532-647: 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
26733-512: The lower valley and upper reaches of the Rejang River . He soon discovered that the Rejang Delta was very fertile and particularly suitable for cultivation. He decided to choose the area for opening up for cultivation. With that decision, Wong went to see the second Rajah of Sarawak, Rajah Charles Brooke , for discussions regarding the matter of opening up of land for cultivation. In those days of
26934-701: 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
27135-439: 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
27336-621: 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),
27537-426: The name Sabah is uncertain, and many theories have arisen. One theory is that when it was part of the Bruneian Sultanate , it was referred to as Saba because of the presence a variety of banana called pisang saba (also known as pisang menurun ), which are grown widely on the coast of the region and popular in Brunei . The Bajau community referred to it as pisang jaba . While the name Saba also refers to
27738-419: The nature. Mining activities had directly released pollutants of heavy metals into rivers, reservoirs, ponds and affecting groundwater through the leaching of mine tailings . An environmental report released in 1994 reported the presence of heavy metal at the Damit/Tuaran River that exceeded the water quality safe levels for consumption. The water in Liwagu River also reported the presence of heavy metal which
27939-494: 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,
28140-409: 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
28341-518: 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,
28542-442: The northern and eastern portion of Borneo to them in compensation for their help in settling the civil war. The territory seems have not been ceded formally, but the Sulus continued to claim the territory, with Brunei weakened and unable to resist. After the war with the Spanish, the area in northern Borneo began to fall under the influence of the Sulu Sultanate. The seafaring Bajau - Suluk and Illanun people then arrived from
28743-413: 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
28944-551: The party in power at the time, thus theoretically giving an equal amount of time for each major ethnic group to rule the state. However, in practice, this system was problematic as it is too short for any leader to carry out long-term plans. This practice was then since stopped. Political intervention by the federal authorities, for example, an introduction and later abolition of the chief minister's post and earlier PBS-BERJAYA conflict in 1985 , along with co-opting rival factions in East Malaysia, are examples of political tactics used by
29145-401: The people of Sabah and Sarawak favoured the proposed union of a new federation called Malaysia, and found that the union was generally favoured by the people. Most ethnic community leaders of Sabah, namely, Mustapha Harun representing the native Muslims, Donald Stephens representing the non-Muslim natives, and Khoo Siak Chew representing the Chinese, would eventually support the union. After
29346-405: 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
29547-435: The presence of British in Labuan, the American consul in Brunei, Claude Lee Moses, obtained a ten-year lease in 1865 for a piece of land in northern Borneo. Moses then passed the land to the American Trading Company of Borneo , owned by Joseph William Torrey , Thomas Bradley Harris and Chinese investors. The company choose Kimanis (which they renamed "Ellena") as a site for a settlement. Requests for financial backing from
29748-401: The reason for their disappearance is unknown. In 2003, archaeologists discovered the Mansuli valley in the Lahad Datu District , which dates back 235,000 years. The archaeological site at Skull Hill ( Bukit Tengkorak ) in Semporna District was the largest pottery making site in Neolithic Southeast Asia. During the 7th century AD, a settled community known as Vijayapura, a tributary to
29949-466: 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
30150-491: The region and his intention to wrest control over all of Borneo under the Greater Indonesian concept. Meanwhile, the Philippines , beginning with president Diosdado Macapagal on 22 June 1962, claimed Sabah through the heirs of the Sultanate of Sulu. Macapagal, considering Sabah to be property of the Sultanate of Sulu, saw the attempt to integrate Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei into the Federation of Malaysia as "trying to impose authority of Malaya into these states". Following
30351-412: The region of East Malaysia . Sabah has land borders with the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and Indonesia 's North Kalimantan province to the south. The Federal Territory of Labuan is an island just off Sabah's west coast. Sabah shares maritime borders with Vietnam to the west and the Philippines to the north and east. Kota Kinabalu is the state capital and the economic centre of
30552-409: The residents of Sabah had exercised their right to self-determination when they joined to form the Malaysian federation in 1963. A group of 200 armed Filipinos identifying themselves as the Royal Security Forces of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo landed in the district of Lahad Datu and took control of the Tanduo village in 2013, with the objective of reinforcing the Philippine claim over
30753-447: The residents of neighbouring Philippine islands due to a sharp rise in living costs after the ban took effect. Barter trade activity was resumed on 1 February 2017 upon the agreement by both Malaysian and the Philippine authorities to fortify their respective borders with increased surveillance and security enforcement. Despite the return of barter trade activity, the state of Sabah maintained that they will remain vigilant in trading with
30954-449: The resistance movement against the Japanese and who eventually supported the transfer of power to the Crown colony. He said: "Let their blood be the pledge of what we wish to be— His Majesty 's most devoted subjects." Due to massive destruction in Sandakan during the war, Jesselton was chosen to replace the capital whilst the Crown continued to rule North Borneo until 1963. The Crown colony government established many departments to oversee
31155-483: 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
31356-433: The rest of Malaysia, local government comes under the purview of state government. However, ever since the suspension of local government elections in the midst of the Malayan Emergency , which was much less intense in Sabah than it was in the rest of the country, there have been no local elections. Local authorities have their officials appointed by the executive council of the state government. The Ninth Schedule of
31557-478: 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
31758-452: The sand was mixed with mud. The northern area of Tanjung Simpang Mengayau has a type of pocket beach . The areas in the west coast has a large freshwater wetlands , with the Klias Peninsula hosts a large area of tidal wetlands and a wetland centre known as the Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre was designated as a Ramsar site in 2016. The western part of Sabah is generally mountainous, containing three highest peak. The main mountain ranges
31959-440: The second batch 535, and the third batch 511, totalling 1118 people. Of the total, 130 brought their spouses and families, while the others were bachelors. After working in Sibu, nearly all the immigrants chose to settle down and made Sibu their new home. They were happy to settle down for a brighter future in Sibu. Sarawak Sarawak ( / s ə ˈ r ɑː w ɒ k / sə- RAH -wok , Malay: [saˈrawaʔ] )
32160-405: The second longest river in Malaysia runs through Sabah. The highest point of Sabah, Mount Kinabalu is also the highest point of Malaysia. The earliest human settlement in Sabah can be traced back to 20,000–30,000 years ago along the Darvel Bay area at the Madai-Baturong caves. The state has had a trading relationship with China starting from the 14th century AD. Sabah came under the influence of
32361-437: 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
32562-416: The state government of Sabah led by the new chief minister Harris Salleh signed an agreement with Petronas , the federal government-owned oil and gas company, granting it the right to extract and earn revenue from petroleum found in the territorial waters of Sabah in exchange for 5% in annual revenue as royalties based on the 1974 Petroleum Development Act. The state government of Sabah ceded Labuan to
32763-451: The state assembly must be held every five years, when the seats are subject of universal suffrage for all citizens above 21 years of age. Sabah is also represented in the federal parliament by 25 members elected from the same number of constituencies. Prior to the formation of Malaysia in 1963, the then North Borneo interim government submitted a 20-point agreement to the Malayan government as conditions before North Borneo would join
32964-403: The state cabinet. The chief minister is the head of government as well the leader of the state cabinet. The legislature is based on the Westminster system and therefore the chief minister is appointed based on his or her ability to command the majority of the state assembly. While local authorities being fully appointed by the state government owing to the suspension of local elections by
33165-413: The state had almost depleted all of its virgin forests outside the conservation areas. The state government were determined to maintain the state biodiversity while to make sure the state economy continue to alive. While in the same time facing hard task to control such activities although there is laws to prevent it. The need for development and basic necessities also became an issue while to preserving
33366-420: The state indigenous hunting traditions. Since the post-World War II timber boom driven by the need of raw materials from industrial countries , Sabah forests have been gradually eroded by uncontrolled timber exploitation and the conversion of Sabah forest lands into palm oil plantations. Since 1970, forestry sector have contributed for over 50% of the state revenue, of which a study conducted in 1997 revealed
33567-417: The state lies below the typhoon belt of East Asia and is not often hit by typhoons. The earliest known human settlement in the region existed 20,000–30,000 years ago, as evidenced by stone tools and food remains found by excavations along the Darvel Bay area at Madai-Baturong caves near the Tingkayu River. The earliest inhabitants in the area were thought to be similar to Aboriginal Australians , but
33768-437: 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
33969-412: The state, and the seat of the Sabah State government . Other major towns in Sabah include Sandakan and Tawau . The 2020 census recorded a population of 3,418,785 in the state. It has an equatorial climate with tropical rainforests , abundant with animal and plant species. The state has long mountain ranges on the west side which forms part of the Crocker Range National Park . Kinabatangan River ,
34170-418: The state. Moreover, the illegal activities of the extraction of river sand and gravel in the rivers of Padas, Papar and Tuaran had become the latest concern along with the wildlife and marine hunting and poaching . Due to severe deforestation along with massive wildlife and marine poaching, the Sumatran rhino have been declared as extinct in early 2015. Some other species that was threatened with extinction
34371-412: 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
34572-422: The successful formation of Malaysia, Donald Stephens became the first chief minister of Sabah. The first Yang di-Pertua Negara (which later changed to Yang di-Pertua Negeri in 1976) was Mustapha Harun. The leaders of Sabah demanded that their freedom of religion be respected, that all lands in the territory be under the power of state government, and that native customs and traditions be respected and upheld by
34773-432: 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
34974-406: The territory to Germany , Austria-Hungary and Italy but they rejected his offer. Overbeck then co-operated with the British Dent brothers ( Alfred Dent and Edward Dent) for financial backing to develop the land, with the Dent company persuading him that any investors would need guarantees of British military and diplomatic support. Overbeck agreed to this co-operation, especially with regard to
35175-497: The then UMNO-led federal government to control and manage the autonomous power of the Borneo states. The federal government however tend to view that these actions are justifiable as the display of parochialism amongst East Malaysians is not in harmony with nation building. This complicated Federal-State relationship has become a source of major contention in Sabah politics. In the 2018 general election , Shafie Apdal 's Sabah Heritage Party (WARISAN) secured an electoral pact with
35376-419: 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
35577-406: The third division was created and the division was named after the native Rambutan because the division had a lot of native Rambutan known as "Buah Sibau" in Iban language. In 1901 Wong Nai Siong led the first batch of Foochows from China to Sibu to open up the fertile lands of Sibu for cultivation, a massive opening up of Sibu. Therefore, it was a landmark year or a milestone in the history of
35778-501: 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,
35979-406: 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
36180-418: 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
36381-403: The two states. Citing in 1971 when British Prime Minister Edward Heath been asked in Parliament of London on what threats the British intended to counter under the FPDA, the Prime Minister replied: to "forces outside [Malaysia] in southern Thailand and north of the Malaysian border". The area in eastern Sabah facing the southern Philippines and northern Indonesia have since been put under
36582-503: The welfare of its residents and to revive the economy of North Borneo after the war. Upon Philippine independence in 1946 , seven of the British-controlled Turtle Islands (including Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi and Mangsee Islands ) off the north coast of Borneo were ceded to the Philippines as had been negotiated by the American and British colonial governments. On 31 August 1963, North Borneo attained self-governance . The Cobbold Commission had been set up in 1962, to determine whether
36783-411: 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
36984-399: Was a Brunei Malay word meaning upstream or "in a northerly direction". Another theory suggests that it came from the Malay word sabak which means a place where palm sugar is extracted. Sabah (صباح) is also an Arabic word which means "morning". It is nicknamed "Land Below the Wind" (Negeri Di Bawah Bayu in Malay language or Pogun Siriba do Tongus in Kadazandusun language ) as
37185-431: 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
37386-489: 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
37587-417: Was believed to be originated from the Mamut Mine . Forest fire also have become the latest concern due to drought and fires set by irresponsible farmers or individuals such as what happened in the 2016 forest fires , where thousands of hectares of forest reserves in Binsuluk on the west coast of Sabah were lost. Rampant fish bombing has destroyed many coral reefs and affecting fisheries production in
37788-410: 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
37989-536: 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
38190-413: Was in addition to the discovery of Chinese ceramics from a shipwreck in Tanjung Simpang Mengayau estimated to be from between 960 and 1127 AD from the Song dynasty and the Vietnamese Đông Sơn drum in Bukit Timbang Dayang on Banggi Island that was between 2,000 and 2,500 years old. During the reign of Sultan Bolkiah of Brunei between 1485 and 1524, the sultanate extended over northern Borneo and
38391-453: 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
38592-465: 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
38793-399: Was known as "Maling", named after the winding portion, Tanjung Maling, on the other side of Rejang River. Maling was a small village with a few small and simple shop houses consisted of atap roof and wooden walls and floors. Main population was Malay and Chinese was minority. In 1841 "Sarawak" (the present Kuching - Sarawak capital) was ruled by 'White Rajah', James Brooke . On 1 June 1873,
38994-419: 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
39195-418: Was moved to Sandakan in 1884. To prevent further disputes over intervention, the governments of the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany signed the Madrid Protocol of 1885 , recognising the sovereignty of the King of Spain over the Sulu Archipelago in return for the relinquishment of all Spanish claims over northern Borneo. The arrival of the company brought prosperity to the residents of northern Borneo, with
39396-463: 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
39597-438: 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
39798-440: Was some snow here in 1975 and 1993. The Semporna Peninsula on the north-eastern coast of Sabah is identified as a hotspot of high marine biodiversity importance in the Coral Triangle . The jungles of Sabah host a diverse array of plant and animal species. Most of Sabah's biodiversity is located in the forest reserve areas, which formed half of its total landmass of 7.34 million hectares. Its forest reserve are part of
39999-403: Was succeeded by his son Hsia-wang who agreed to send tribute to China once every three years. After that, Chinese junks came to northern Borneo with cargoes of spices, bird nests , shark fins, camphor , rattan and pearls . More Chinese traders eventually settled in Kinabatangan, as stated in both Brunei and Sulu records. A younger sister of Ong Sum Ping (Huang Senping), the governor of
40200-413: 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 –
40401-421: 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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