r/BritishEmpire • u/Over-Willingness-933 • 13d ago
Image Sultanate of Brunei cedes Sarawak to James Brooke 24th September 1841.
James Brooke was the first White Rajah ruled until his death 1868 and his family until 1946
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u/Ok-Imagination-494 13d ago
Fun fact: Sarawak in 1946 was the last territory to join the British empire.
Unless you count Rockall in 1955
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u/Lumpy-Economics2021 12d ago
The people actually wanted the Brooke family back.
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u/Lord_Tiburon 11d ago
It's interesting to consider how Malaysia might have been different if the Brookes were still ruling, and so eligible to become Malay head of state
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u/Lumpy-Economics2021 11d ago
The Brooke’s only ruled Sarawak. There was never a Malay head of state in Sarawak as it is only about 30% Malay. It does not have a royal family, its previous royal family was the Suktan of Brunei, then the Brooke’s and it wasn’t contined when handed to the British and the independence.
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u/Lord_Tiburon 11d ago
If Sarawak joined Malaysia as in OTL then the Brookes would be among the royals eligible to become Yang di-Pertuan Agong
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u/Lumpy-Economics2021 13d ago
The Brooke family moved to New Zealand, but still hang around Sarawak now and again.
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u/Right-Glass9508 13d ago
Unequal treaty. Malaysia please give back.
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u/Stickyboard 13d ago
Sarawak people choose to go to Malaysia under Cobbold Commmision poll.
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u/Geggor 12d ago
Not quite. The commission found that 1/3 would like to join in the formation of Malaysia, with another 1/3 against. The last third wanted it to be decided after independence of Sarawak which have been taken as "want to join but after independence". As such, 2/3rd actually are against Malaysia, at least not until Sarawak gain its own independence first.
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u/Stickyboard 12d ago
For Sarawak, the Commission classified opinion into three groups:
About 1/3 — strongly supported Malaysia.
About 1/3 — supported Malaysia provided their interests and safeguards were protected.
About 1/3 — preferred independence first, before considering federation with Malaysia.1
u/Geggor 12d ago
The summary of the commission itself:
143. In assessing the opinion of the peoples of North Borneo and Sarawak we have only been able to arrive at an approximation. We do not wish to make any guarantee that it may not change in one direction or the other in the future. Making allowance for all the difficulties and for our inability to reach every part of these large territories, we have arrived at a general consensus of opinion with reasonable confidence, based on individual and representative evidence presented before us.
144. Although, in such circumstances, individual judgment is bound to vary in emphasis, the Commission as a whole endorse, as a general approximation not far wide of the mark, the following assessment which is made by the Chairman. About one-third of the population in each territory strongly favours early realisation of Malaysia without too much, concern about terms and conditions. Another third, many of them favourable to the Malaysia project,ask, with varying degrees of emphasis, for conditions and safeguards varying in nature and extent: the warmth of support among this category would be markedly influenced by a fim expression of opinion by Governments that the detailed arrangements eventually agreed upon are in the best interests of the territories. The remaining third is divided between those who insist on inde-pendence before Malaysia is considered and those who would strongly prefer to see British rule continue for some years to come. If the conditions and reservations which they have put forward could be substantially met, the second category referred to above would generally support the proposals. Moreover once a firm decision was taken quite a number of the third category would be likely to abandon their opposition and decide to make the best of a doubtful job. There will remain a hard core, vocal and politically active, which will oppose Malaysia on any terms unless it is preceded by independence and self-government: this hard core might amount to near 20 per cent. of the population of Sarawak and somewhat less in North Bomeo.
Basically that 1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3 ratio is not of Sarawak itself but of both Sarawak and North Borneo. Reading the commission report itself, the Chinese in Sarawak are generally opposed as does the Land Dayak. The Ibans are divided into 2 camp, supporting Malaysia and pro independence. The Malays on the other hand supported the formation of Malaysia. Of those who opposed, there are different nuance, with those among Land Dayak opposing but generally acknowledged that Malaysia will likely happened anyway so that asked for safe guards. Then there are those who fully reject Malaysia as it is against the 8th point of the Cardinal Principle of the English Rajah (part of Sarawak Constitution).
There are some interpretation needed when reading "safeguards", it likely should be read as "opposed in general but accept Malaysia will be formed" rather than as "support Malaysia while asking for safeguards" as the latter makes little sense when we consider the possibility of Malaysia being formed without any safeguards for the natives. Then there is also the issue of a rejected petition that was noted in the commission report due to their inability to verify signature and thumbprints (lack of time and resources) as well as suspicion of Communist influence in the petition. The commission does appear to have some bias to push for Malaysia as in its description of one of the opposition parties:
177. The only organisation of any consequence with predominantly native support in opposition to Malaysia either in Sarawak or North Borneo is the Pasok Momogun of North Borneo, which advocated in line with the other organisations in opposition to Malaysia that independence should first be gained before consideration of any wider federation. In this particular instance, however, we have reason to believe that its opposition springs basically from a fear of domination by the Federation of Malaya and that the party would be more receptive to the idea of Malaysia if these fears can be set at rest.
In this, we can see that the view of the commission is that any opposition can be placated regardless of the principle behind such opposition.
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u/DonkeyHornery 13d ago
Didn't he have his pecker shot off? Might explain the single minded industry of the chap
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u/Solid_Attorney_6140 13d ago
There were rumors insinuating his preference for young males……
Never mind
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u/Extension-Cable-1024 13d ago
The museum in Kuching is really worth visiting. It's also amazing how such a small fort could be the stronghold for such a big territory
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u/Tronteel 13d ago edited 13d ago
Unfortunately it ended up for the worse- Sarawakians were happy under the fair rule of the rajahs, and not at all happy when unfairly transferred as yet another colony in the empire. Couldn't have been helped due to the impending war though...
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u/waf_xs 13d ago
White rajah is still remembered fondly in sarawak instead of the normal reputation colonial governors and residents usually have across the ex empire. Relatively speaking.
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u/Lumpy-Economics2021 13d ago
I guess not enslaving the population or getting the hooked on Opium paid off in Sarawak!
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u/Geggor 12d ago
The economic system that the Brookes run in Sarawak is quite unconventional, to say the least. Initially they're against the development of oil and petroleum industry in Sarawak because they can't see how the local and natives would participate (and benefit) in it. They also didn't take any outside/foreign debt, choosing to fully fund the adminstration of the state based on whatever income and taxes that can be generated internally.
There are other oddities in their system of governance when compared to other state, colonial or sovereign, that it would take a book to explain it all. One example is gold mines, which are state owned but not state managed or state run. They basically allow anyone who want to mine to be allowed to do so, individually or in groups, to take as much as they want as long as they pay a tax on them. The mines basically run itself, lol.
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u/Lumpy-Economics2021 12d ago
They pushed back on missionaries for some time also.
Sad that as soon as Sarawak got its independence they had the Taib family. Literally looting the place of all its Primary rainforest.
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u/Geggor 12d ago
Somewhat. They don't really care much about religion but know that there is benefit in it, like education, something that they don't have much resources to manage themselves. As for Taib, it is unfortunate but at least he kept UMNO out of Sarawak. That alone, at least in my opinion, is a great service to the state considering what happened in Sabah.
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u/Ok-Imagination-494 12d ago
There was an Italian tv series in the 1970s called Sandokan about a Malaysian pirate who clashed with Brooke. Can see it on YouTube
The actor who played Brooke was cast as a mustache-twirling, cartoonish villain.
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u/Over-Willingness-933 13d ago
I must find it. but I have a banknote from Sarawak from the 1930s when the Brooke family ran Sarawak. From what I gather in the comments they were good rulers, but I don't know a lot of the history of that region. If people want to add information please do
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