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Sarawak Liberation 1945: The Day Japanese Occupation Ended

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By Ng Ai Fern

Did you know that 11 September 1945 marks Sarawak’s liberation in World War II?

Many Malaysians only became aware of Malaysia Day (16 September) after it was declared a public holiday in 2010. Likewise, Sarawak Day (22 July) only gained prominence after being gazetted by Sarawak’s late Chief Minister Adenan Satem in 2016.

So it is completely okay that many Sarawakians do not realise that 11 September (9.11) marks Sarawak Liberation Day – the day Sarawak was formally freed from Japanese occupation in 1945.

Here are 5 lesser known facts that you probably can’t find in a textbook.

  1. When the war ended – and communication failed

In Sarawak, Japanese forces first landed in Miri on 16 December 1941, targeting vital oil fields. Kuching fell shortly after, and Sarawak remained under Japanese rule for three years and nine months, from 1941 to 1945.

Globally, World War II caused an estimated 70–85 million deaths. In Sarawak, exact numbers are unknown, but thousands of civilians and prisoners of war suffered or lost their lives.

When Japan announced its surrender in August 1945, conditions on the ground in Borneo did not change immediately or uniformly. Japanese forces were spread across territories administered differently before the war, including Sarawak, North Borneo (now Sabah), and Kalimantan, and each area experienced the transition at a different pace.

Notably, many POWs in Borneo were not released immediately after Japan announed its surrender. Liberation only came once Allied forces could physically reach and secure the region.

For Sarawak, this process culminated on 11 September 1945, when Japanese authority formally ended following a surrender accepted by Allied forces.

Archived newspaper coverage announcing Japan’s surrender.
Archived newspaper coverage announcing Japan’s surrender.
  1. Why Are There So Many “Victory Days”?

World War II is remembered through multiple Victory Days because surrender was announced, formalised, and enforced at different times in different places.

Key milestones in 1945 include:

  • 6 August: Atomic bombing of Hiroshima
  • 9 August: Atomic bombing of Nagasaki
  • 15 August: Japan announces its surrender (Victory in the Pacific / VP Day in Australia)
  • 2 September: Formal surrender signed aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay (Victory over Japan Day / V-J Day in the United States), officially marking the end of World War II.

In Sarawak, however, things moved more slowly. Allied forces could not immediately locate or contact Japanese commanders in Borneo. As a result, the surrender in Sarawak was delayed, even after Japan had officially lost the war.

  1. What Happened on 11 September 1945?

11 September 1945 was the day Sarawak was finally and formally liberated.

In Kuching, Major-General Yamamura Hiyoe signed the instrument of unconditional surrender and handed over his sword to Brigadier Thomas Charles Eastick of the Australian Imperial Force, symbolising the formal end of Japanese military authority in Sarawak.

For Sarawak, 9.11 is its true Victory Day.

Major General Yamamura signed the Instrument of Surrender, marking the formal end of Japanese military control in Borneo. Source: Australian War Memorial
Major General Yamamura signed the Instrument of Surrender, marking the formal end of Japanese military control in Borneo. Source: Australian War Memorial
  1. Why HMAS Kapunda?

The surrender ceremony took place aboard HMAS Kapunda, an Australian naval vessel involved in post-war operations in Borneo.

After the surrender, HMAS Kapunda:
• Assisted in transporting liberated Allied POWs
• Supported the restoration of Allied control in the region

When its mission was complete, the ship returned to Sydney on 17 November 1945, was placed into reserve in January 1946, and eventually decommissioned and scrapped in 1960, ending a four-year wartime service that spanned more than 110,000 nautical miles.

HMAS Kapunda, one of the WWII-era Australian minesweepers (often referred to as corvettes), played a role in post-war operations in the region. Source: Royal Australian Navy
HMAS Kapunda, one of the WWII-era Australian minesweepers (often referred to as corvettes), played a role in post-war operations in the region. Source: Royal Australian Navy
  1. Why does it matter today?

In 2025, Sarawak marked the 80th anniversary of its liberation.

A modern naval vessel was used to symbolically recreate the moment once witnessed aboard HMAS Kapunda, reconnecting the present with a long-forgotten chapter of history.

To commemorate the moment:
• The original Japanese surrender documents were formally presented to the Sarawak Governor (TYT) by Brigadier Eastick’s family
• A memorial monument was erected at Pending Point, Kuching

The whereabouts of the surrendered sword, however, remain undocumented in public records.

While less well known than other national commemorations, 11 September 1945 marks the day peace truly returned to Sarawak.

It is more than a date in history, it’s a reminder that freedom sometimes arrives quietly, delayed by distance, yet no less meaningful.

A memorial monument at Pending Point, Kuching, commemorating the Japanese surrender and the return of peace to Sarawak. Source: Official Facebook page of Sarawak Deputy Premier Dr Sim Kui Hian
A memorial monument at Pending Point, Kuching, commemorating the Japanese surrender and the return of peace to Sarawak. Source: Official Facebook page of Sarawak Deputy Premier Dr Sim Kui Hian

Limbang and the little-known history of this town of buffaloes

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Limbang in the Malaysian state of Sarawak is a unique town. It cuts its neigbouring country into half, leaving itself sandwiched between two parts of Brunei Darussalam.

The town is home to mainly Malay, Kedayan, Lun Bawang, Bisaya and Chinese communities.

Some interesting historical events

It is one of those towns which holds many historical facts unknown to many.

For example, Pengiran Indera Mahkota was historically painted as the villain in Sarawak who governed in the 1830s.

The reign of Indera Mahkota on behalf of Brunei Sultanate caused unrest among Sarawakians especially due to high tax and piracy problems.

Eventually, he was chased out by Pengiran Muda Hashim who promised James Brooke a territory after Brooke suppressed the rebellions.

After his defeat, Indera Mahkota travelled along the coast of Sarawak from Batang Lupar down to Mukah.

Then in 1858, the prince was believed to have died somewhere along the coast of Limbang while en route back to Brunei.

One theory has that his boat was attacked and he was killed by the local Bisayas for kidnapping the local women and making them his concubines.

Another theory is that his boat simply capsized and that he could not swim to safety.

About 30 years later, the town saw two other Bruneian officials die in the same area, although the causes were not so mysterious.

In 1884, Pengiran Temenggong Hashim of Brunei sent his representatives to Limbang to collect taxes.

The residents put up a resistance, refusing to pay, killing the representatives instead.

Retribution was swift – Sultan Abdul Mumin ordered an attack to punish the rebels.

The Limbang Rebellion

Fast forward to Dec 8, 1962, the town witnessed more bloodshed when Sheikh Azahari Sheikh Mahmud (famously known as A.M. Azahari) ordered an attack on the town.

He was the leader of the Brunei People’s Party and North Kalimantan National Army (TNKU).

Completely against the formation of Malaysia, TNKU militants took over the town by attacking the police station as well as hold hostages.

Thankfully, four days later the British Royal Marines came and freed Limbang from the rebels.

The freedom came with a price; four members of Sarawak Constabulary and five members of the Royal Marines died during the attack.

The origin of the name

Long before it was ever called Limbang, the first settlement in the area was called Pangkalan Tarap (or Tarap Wharf in English)

Tarap (Arctocarpus odoratissimus) is a type of fruit native to Borneo, Palawan and Mindanao island.

How did Pangkalan Tarap change its name? Nobody precisely knows from when or why. However, there are two theories of how Limbang got its name.

1.From the word ‘melimbang’

Bukit Mas in Limbang was believed to have gold deposits. That was why the hill is called Bukit Mas as in emas or gold in Malay.

In the book Legend and History of Sarawak, author Chang Pat Foh wrote that people in those days panned for metal ores which were supposed to be the gold ores.

The act of panning ores in Malay is called ‘melimbang’. Hence, it was believed that people slowly started to called the place from the word ‘melimbang’.

However, Chang also rebuked this theory. He cited a report from Geological Surveys Sarawak that there were no traces of gold in Bukit Mas.

Nonetheless, geologists did find yellow-looking ores called pyrites, more commonly known as Fool’s Gold.

2.Another meaning of melimbang

Limbang and the little-known history of this town of buffaloes
The local residents used to melimbang or wash rice at this river.

The word melimbang in Malay also means washing rice. The residents in the olden days used to wash their rice in the river which is now called Sungai Limbang. Many historians believe the town was named after the river, not the other way around.

This theory could possibly true because Limbang was the ‘rice bowl’ of Brunei, supplying rice to the country.

Paddy farming in the area could be traced back during the reign of Sultan Abdul Mumin of Brunei (1852-1885) where Bruneians migrated in the area to farm paddy.

Buffaloes are commonly used in paddy farming. Now it has become the symbol of Limbang town.

Limbang and the little-known history of this town of buffaloes
Buffalo, the official symbol of the town.

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Robert Burns, the first European man who wrote about the Kayans back in 1849

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Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns (1759-1796) may be the last person anybody would have thought had any links to Sarawak. He was considered the pioneer of Romanticism, an artistic movement which emphasises on emotion and individualism.

Burns’ connection to Sarawak comes through his alleged grandson – also named Robert Burns – who became the first European man who visited the Kayans in Borneo.

The journey of Robert Burns in Borneo

Burns left Glasgow for Singapore some time in 1846. There he worked with a Scots-owned trading company, Hamilton Gray.

One of the firm partners George Nicol sent him to Borneo in search of more business prospects.

He first set foot in Labuan where he sought his passage to Bintulu.

Accompanied by one European companion, Burns arrived in what the westerners called ‘Kayan country’ in Borneo. It is the vast area where Rajang and Baram rivers are located.

This was around 1847 when this area was still under the Brunei Sultanate. Burns spent several months among the Kayans, learning their customs and writing down their vocabulary.

He returned the second time in Bintulu about a year later. During this time, the first White Rajah of Sarawak James Brooke was holding the post as the first governor of Labuan.

Robert Burns burning a scandalous trail through Borneo

Not long after his stay in Borneo, Brooke received a letter from the Kayan chiefs in Baram that Burns was causing some problems. Burns had reportedly even posed as Brooke’s son to gain approval from the local chiefs.

The letter stated,

“Mr. Burns does very treacherously, he wishes to take persons’ wives whether they like it or not, he takes people’s wives. And also Mr. Burns ordered us to kill people who enter the River Baram, of whatever description or race they be; whoever enters it is good to kill them.”

Brooke replied letter telling the chiefs, “can act justly and rightly in support of their authority, and for the protection of their people.”

The letter arrived in Bintulu via the East India Company’s steamer and returned to Singapore with Burns in it.

After his return to Singapore, Burns wrote a paper about the Kayan which was then published in the Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia in February, 1849.

The editorial note stated, “We have great pleasure in presenting to our readers the first authoritative account that has been given of the greatest aboriginal people of Borneo Proper- the Kayans. Mr. Burns is the first European who has ventured to explore the interior Borneo Proper.”

Robert Burns
A European man having a discussion with the leaders of the Kayan people in Sarawak, circa 1900 to 1940. Credit: Creative Commons.

Robert Burns and his death

At the age of 29, Burns was clearly not done yet with his thrilling adventures. In 1851, Burns made his way again to Borneo, determined to explore its north-eastern coast.

He set sail in a schooner named Dolphin, commanded by Captain Robertson and a Portuguese cook, a 13-member crew as well as the captain’s love interest, a native woman.

The adventurer was looking for bird’s nests in Kinabatangan area which was sought after by the Chinese back then.

Before they departed Labuan, many warned him of the danger of Illanun piracy in that part of Borneo.

Owen Rutter wrote in The Pirate Wind that, “His experiences among the wild Kayans had perhaps made him over-confident of his ability to handle natives in all emergencies.”

Somewhere in Maladu Bay, a group of Illanun pirates led by Memadam sailed alongside the schooner.

On Sept 10, they boarded the schooner saying they had some tortoiseshell, camphor and pearls they wished to trade.

Appearing to be harmless and without weapons, the pirates were even given rice and fish.

The following morning, the pirates boarded the schooner again and this time the pirates did not take any rice and fish but some heads instead.

Rutter detailed the incident in his book stating,

“Mr. Burns was bargaining with Memadam over the pearls when the Malay who had remained with the boats handed up some rolled mats. One of Memadam’s companions, Ibrahim, a Sulu, stepped to the side to take one of the mats and presented it to Mr. Burns, who put out his hands to receive it. At that instant Ibrahim snatched a naked sword which had been concealed in the mat, and with one blow severed Mr Burns’ head from his shoulder.”

His death was reported In December 1851 by the Singapore Straits Times.

Robert Burns and possible descendants in Borneo

In the book On the Trail Burns by John Cairney, the writer wrote about the how Burns’ descendants were found at this part of the world.

“Jenny’s Robert Burns the Second did well, no matter, and prospered as a merchant in London. His son, also called Robert, went to the East Indies and became a highly successful trader. Unfortunately, in 1851, his schooner, the Dolphin was captured by pirates off the coast of Borneo and he was murdered with all his crew. His descendants are to be found in the Far East to this day- a long way from that attic room in chilly Edinburgh’s St James’ Square.”

Another author and biochemist Alistair Renwick who wrote the book, The Burns Boys (2003) also agreed that there is a possibility of Burns’ surviving descendants in Borneo.

In his interview to the The Scotsman in 2004, Renwick said “This seems to be fairly reliable although there is no proof other than a statement in a letter from Nicol.”

Nicol, the firm partner from Hamilton Gray, wrote to Burns that he was surprised to hear the news: “I thought it was a joke, but on sending for a Malay from Bintulu who came over on the Amelia he told me it was true that you had been married to the daughter of Akumlassa, the Kayan chief.”

Robert Burns, the first European man who wrote about the Kayans back in 1849
The Tattooing of a Married Kayan Woman,” (c. 1896-98), photograph by William Henry Furness III. Credits: Creative Commons License.

Robert Burns and his legacy

Putting aside his questionable antics, Burns was still acknowledged for his work. Scottish diplomat and author John Crawfurd (1783-1868) believed Burns had written by far the best and most authentic account of Borneo that had ever been given to the public at that time.

Like Burns, Crawfurd also argued that the Kayans were actually the dominant tribe in Borneo. During that time, Brooke and his allies had the British public focusing on the savageness of Ibans from Saribas and Skrang.

Both Burns and Crawfurd believed that the Kayans were more superior because they mastered iron smithing while the Ibans had not done so.

Additionally, former Sarawak Museum Curator Tom Harrisson regarded Robert Burns as the ‘first ethnologist and explorer of interior Sarawak’.

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Batu Kawa History: The Hakka Roots Behind Its Riverside Villages

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By Ng Ai Fern

Do you know how Batu Kawa got its name? Located west of Kuching along the Sarawak River, Batu Kawa is today a major suburban township. The name comes from two Malay words: batu, meaning rock, and kawah, a wok traditionally used for cooking rice. According to local folklore, the name is believed to refer to a pot-shaped rock formation along the Sarawak River, whose shape resembles a kawah.

While Batu Kawa got its name from Malay words, the names of many Chinese villages in Batu Kawa are rooted in Hakka dialects, one of the most widely spoken Chinese dialects in southern Sarawak.

According to the book “Memories of Batu Kawah in the Skylight” by Neo Hui Kiam, there are 12 riverside Chinese (Hakka) villages, which locals call “Gang Men”. In Hakka, “Gang Men” means door of the river (river mouth), referring to the early port settlement of the Hakka communities.

Many of these village names, derived from Hakka, are still used today on official maps. Here are three interesting villages for which you would need to know Hakka to understand the legends and stories behind their names.

1. Ha Toi Tel (下梯头)

Among the Hakka community, the old Batu Kawa bazaar was traditionally known as Ha Toi Tel (also spelt Ha Toi Teh), meaning “lower staircase,” a reference to the wooden steps leading down to the river jetty.

With river transport being the main mode of travel in the past, Hakka migrants who arrived from China in the early 19th century and settled in the Batu Kawa area mainly lived near river mouths and along tributaries of the Sarawak River. Their primary economic activities were rubber and pepper cultivation.

To bring their produce to market, villagers travelled by boat to Ha Toi Tel, which served as the central trading area. Goods were unloaded at the jetty via the lower wooden staircase that gave the place its name.

In 1927, a massive fire destroyed the wooden shops at Ha Toi Tel. New shophouses were later rebuilt a short distance away, in what is now known as Batu Kawa Old Bazaar. This rebuilt area eventually became the official town centre.

Batu Kawa on an 1846 Sarawak district port map
The name ‘Batu Kawa’ appeared on an 1846 map of Port of the District of Sarawak.

2. Kim Choo Seng (金珠盛)

Kim Choo Seng (also spelled Kim Chu Shin) is located near MJC on the way to Matang.

Today, it is largely residential with new housing developments, but in the past, it was a vast pepper plantation.

In Hakka, “Kim” means gold, “Choo” means pearl, and “Seng” means many or prosperity. When put together, it means “golden pearls prosperity”. One explanation is that the name refers to ripe golden peppercorns, which resemble pearls.

Another version of the name’s origin comes from a romantic legend.

According to the story, a heavenly maiden called Fong Xian descended to earth and was captivated by the beauty of Mount Matang. She lingered too long and missed her chance to return to heaven. She wandered around the mountain and eventually met a young man. Like many legends, they fell in love and settled at the foot of the mountain.

It is said that Fong Xian helped locals cure illnesses and even stopped a devastating disaster by sacrificing her own blood. When the Jade Emperor discovered that his daughter was living in Matang, he sent armed troops to bring her back. During the battle, Fong Xian threw golden pearls at the army. These pearls fell at Kim Choo Seng. The whereabouts of the pearls are still unknown, but the place is now called Kim Choo Seng.

Today, a pearl sculpture stands at SJK CH Kim Choo Seng as the school’s mascot, built in 2020 in conjunction with its 75th anniversary.

Pearl sculpture at SJK (C) Kim Choo Seng in Batu Kawa, Sarawak.
Pearl sculpture at SJK (C) Kim Choo Seng, as featured in Memories of Batu Kawah in the Skylight by Neo Hui Kiam.

3. Sin San Tu (新山肚)

This village name is particularly Hakka-specific. Even Chinese speakers from other dialect groups might not easily guess its meaning.

Sin San Tu literally means “inside the belly of a new mountain”. Unlike most villages in Batu Kawa, Sin San Tu is not located along a major river tributary but on elevated land. Villagers had to rely on bicycles to transport goods to Batu Kawa town, both to sell produce and to buy daily necessities.

When early settlers developed the area for rubber plantations, they referred to it as a “new farm” — Sin San in Hakka. “Tu” means inside, or figuratively, inside the stomach. Together, the name refers to a large new plantation located deep inland.

There are other villages with equally intriguing names. Ha Sha Long (下沙拢) means “lower sand ridge” in Hakka, named after sandy ridges left behind by floods. Loti Kong (罗知港) is a transliteration from Hakka which some believe refers to Tudi Gong (the Earth God), though the origin of the name remains debated. As noted in Neo’s book published by the Association of Sarawak Chinese Academic Research, Loti Kong is the only Chinese village in Batu Kawa whose name origin remains unknown.

Batu Kawa History: The Hakka Roots Behind Its Riverside Villages
Memories of Batu Kawah in the Skylight by Neo Hui Kiam documents the origins of the Hakka riverside villages in Batu Kawa.

Introducing 15 Sarawakian superstitions you may have heard growing up

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No matter where you are from, superstitions can be found everywhere and will be believed by at least one person next to you.

Every culture is bound to have a few superstitions and Sarawak has no shortage of it.

Some of these superstitions can be found throughout the rest of Malaysia but here are 15 Sarawakian superstitions you would have heard if you grew up in Sarawak:

1.Jungle superstitions

Introducing 15 Sarawakian superstitions you may have heard growing up Don’t call out your friend’s name in the jungle. Credits: Pixabay.[/caption]

Do not call out your friends’ names with wild abandon in the jungle or else ‘something else’ like a mischievous or malicious jungle spirit might answer you and lead you off the wrong path.

Some hikers have told stories of following behind somebody they believed to be one of their hiking buddies, only to discover later that they had been misled by a jungle spirit mimicking their friend’s appearance to lead them astray.

If you need to use the loo in the jungle, ask permission or apologise to the spirits in the area first because the spot you pick to do your business might be somebody’s home.

2.Give your new sandals a bite

Sarawakian superstitions
One of the famous superstitions is to make sure you give your new sandals a bite before wearing them. Credits: Pixabay.

If you just bought a pair of new sandals, give it a bite. Yes, a bite with your teeth.
It is believed that by doing so, you would lessen your chances of getting blisters on your feet.

3.Never ever point at the rainbow with your finger

Did you just spot a pretty rainbow? Do not point at it with your index finger or you might lose it. In other folk tales, your finger might turn to stone.

4.Do not let the end of the broom touch your feet

Introducing 15 Sarawakian superstitions you may have heard growing up
Do not let the end of the broom ever touch your feet. Credits: Pixabay

Sweeping over another person’s feet with a broom is said to bring bad luck. No worries, if the broom touches your own feet you can undo the bad luck by spitting on the broom.

5.Do not clip your fingernails at night

Clipping your fingernails or toenails at night are apparently an open invitation to ghosts to come into your house. It’s likely that this superstition came about as a safety precaution when our ancestors only had gas lamps or firelight to light their way in the dark.

6.Women should not sit on the house steps or staircase

Are you still single or unmarried? That’s probably because you sat on the house steps. Young and unmarried women are advised not to sit on the house steps for fear of living out the rest of their lives as a single woman (which is not entirely a bad idea).

7.Do not sit in the doorway either

Introducing 15 Sarawakian superstitions you may have heard growing up
A young and unmarried woman should not sit at the door. Credits: Pixabay.

Probably concocted by mothers tired of stepping over their children to get into the house, this is another one of many marriage-related superstitions. To young single women out there, sitting in the doorway will decrease the chances of men knocking on your door asking for your hand in marriage.

8.Do not sing while cooking

The kitchen is not for you to practice your singing. Burst out into song while you are cooking and you risk having an ugly or an old spouse in the future. (Unless you already have an unattractive spouse; go ahead and sing your heart out.)

9.Do not step over people when they are lying down

How to kill a person without lifting a finger? Lift your feet instead by stepping over them while they are lying down on the floor.

Similarly, if you ever acquire a medicinal or magical charm, never step over it for fear of said charm losing its powers.

10.Don’t change places while eating

If you are aiming to have many spouses like Elizabeth Taylor, by all means do not believe in this superstition.
Changing places while eating means you will have a lot of spouses in the future.

11.Do not write people’s name in red

Writing a person’s name in red ink is like signing them a death note as some people believe that doing so is cursing them to death.

12.Take a shower after coming back from a funeral

For those who have attended funerals at rural longhouses, you might have seen people jumping into the river after coming back from the cemetery.

Introducing 15 Sarawakian superstitions you may have heard growing up
Taking a shower after coming back from a funeral is a lot more common than you think in Sarawak. Credits: Pixabay.

Even if you are in town with no river in sight, taking a shower after coming back from a funeral is common practice for some families. For others, it is advised to wash your feet and your head before entering the house to wash off the negative aura of death.

Some believe this is also to prevent malicious spirits from following us from the grave site.

13.Touch wood
Apparently this is a global superstition. If you make a joke and it sounds like it has a chance of coming true, knock on any wood in sight and say “Touch wood!” to prevent the joke from becoming a reality.

14.Touch the plate of food you are offered if you are not eating

Let say that you are about to leave home and your mum just prepared dinner. You really need to leave so what do you do? Touch the plate of that dish with your fingers to avoid “kempunan”, which in Malay means the disappointment of not getting something. For the Iban, it is advised to eat a pinch of the rice offered before you leave the house to prevent an accident from happening to you.

15.“Are you going to fish?”

This is one of the superstitions still believed by people in the longhouses. If you see somebody carrying all the right tools to fish such as fishing nets, rods and all, do not ask the obvious question “Are you going to fish?”
You are throwing that person’s luck away and they will not catch any fish from their trip.

Similarly do not be overconfident about your fishing luck by saying something optimistic like “It looks like we’re going to catch a lot of fish today!” unless you’re ready to come back empty handed.

Do you know other superstitions? Let us know in the comment box

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How New Year’s Day was celebrated in 1875 Sarawak

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In many countries, New Year’s Day celebrations usually start the night before with food and drinks and, of course, a fireworks display.

Then the first day of the year proceeds with all kinds of activities; from going to picnics with families and friends, to last-minute shopping for school supplies. New Year’s Day is always a busy day.

Did you know that Sarawakians have been celebrating New Year’s Day since more than 145 years ago?

Let us look back at how 1875 Sarawak celebrated the brand new year.

The year 1875 was welcomed with the booming of a gun from the fort at the stroke of midnight.

Then the song ‘Auld Lang Syne’ was sung to celebrate the brand new year.

While the band paraded into Kuching town, all the European officers came out of their respective houses to wish each other ‘Happy New Year’.

The celebration didn’t just circle around the expatriates.

At the mosque, the Muslims welcomed the year 1875 according to their faith.

The minute the clock struck twelve, they started to berzikir till nearly daylight.

On New Year’s morning, about 60 people sat down for breakfast at The Rajah’s Arms Hotel.

Owned by Low Kheng Whatt in partnership with a European named Montgomery, the hotel was first opened on 1 December 1872.

However, it went into liquidation in 1875. It was then taken over by the second White Rajah, Charles Brooke, and reopened on 1 January 1876 as the Sarawak Club.

The breakfast was attended mainly by Sarawak government officers as well as Borneo Company staff and Chinese businessmen. Out of these 60 plus people, only two were women.

How New Year’s Day was celebrated in 1875 Sarawak
A lot has changed on how we celebrate New Year’s Day.

New Year’s Day Boat Race

At noon, hundreds of people started to gather along the Sarawak riverbank to witness a boat race.

Overall, there were seven boats who entered the race on New Year’s Day and they had pretty interesting names.

They were Api Naraka (owned by Mr W.M. Crocker), Ayer Penawar (Mr E.J. Smith), Bujang Kilat (Mr J. Hardie), Bujang Pukat (Mr J.M Lewis), Bujang Tudong (Mr Kassim), Sakalip Mata (Confederates) and Ular Sawa (Mr Kongkong).

New Year’s Day in 1875 Sarawak ended with a dinner at the hotel which was attended mostly by Sarawak government officers.

Clearly, there were many differences in celebrating the brand new year compared to now; we no longer have gunshots from the fort nor a band marching through Kuching town after midnight.

Nonetheless, it would be fun to revive the boat race at Sarawak river to celebrate the new year. It would be an activity that brings everyone together.

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Winter Solstice: Why the First Day of Winter is still observed by Chinese families in Borneo

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By Ng Ai Fern

When Chinese migrants settled in Borneo hundreds of years ago, they brought with them more than culture and food. They also carried traditions passed down through generations. One of these is Winter Solstice, a festival still observed by Chinese communities worldwide, including in Borneo.

Yes, Chinese communities in Borneo still celebrate Winter Solstice – the first day of winter – even though there is no winter here in Borneo.

Here are three Winter Solstice beliefs and taboos that many families in Borneo still observe today.

  1. A New Year – You Become One Year Older

Winter Solstice is known as Dongzhi (冬至), which literally means ‘winter has arrived’.

This day marks the shortest day and longest night of the year. It is traditionally seen as the completion of one cycle and the beginning of another. It is usually celebrated a few days before Christmas. It falls on 21 December in 2025.

Technically speaking the solstice is a specific astronomical moment, rather than a full day, as explained by the BBC. This moment has long been important to astronomers and, in the past, guided agricultural activities by signalling seasonal change.

In Chinese tradition, Dongzhi was once considered the start of the new year. This belief explains why people were traditionally said to become “one year older” after Dongzhi, rather than on their birthday.

One is considered a year older after eating tang yuan during the Winter Solstice celebration.
During Winter Solstice, eating tang yuan symbolises unity and marks the moment one is traditionally considered a year older.
  1. Family Reunion at Dongzhi

Like other major Chinese festivals, Winter Solstice is a day for family reunion. Traditionally, it is believed to be inauspicious to spend this day alone.

Even today, Chinese families across the world, from Borneo to France, Australia, Singapore, or China, often gather for a simple meal together.

Dongzhi is not an official public holiday in Sarawak or anywhere in Malaysia. It is also not listed as a paid holiday by the Sarawak Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Nevertheless, many still make time to leave work earlier and return home to celebrate with family.

Homemade glutinous rice dumplings (tang yuan) prepared for Winter Solstice.
Homemade tang yuan, rolled by hand and cooked in sweet syrup, remain a simple but meaningful part of Winter Solstice celebrations.
  1. You Must Eat Glutinous Rice Dumplings (Tang Yuan)

Winter Solstice is incomplete without tang yuan. These round Glutinous Rice Dumplings symbolise completeness, unity and harmony.

In some families, skipping tang yuan is believed to mean you have not “grown older” yet. In others, it is simply bad luck. Either way, the bowl of dumplings still appears, even in Borneo’s tropical heat.

Today, we can buy frozen ready-made tang yuan, or use ready-mixed flour to roll them by hand at home – a great family activity with young children. The dumplings are cooked in light sweet syrup, often flavoured with pandan leaf, and a slice of ginger.

Only after eating tang yuan, you’re considered one year older. But why? Ask the elders, they would probably tell you: it’s tradition!

Store-bought frozen tang yuan with peanut, sesame, and other traditional fillings.
Frozen tang yuan with classic fillings such as peanut and sesame make it easy for families to observe Winter Solstice traditions at home.

Odoardo Beccari, the man who discovered the corpse flower

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Odoardo Beccari (1843-1920) might be an unfamiliar name among Sarawakians today but more than 100 years ago he was here in Sarawak documenting our plants.

Originally from Florence, Italy, he went to school in Pisa and Bologna.

After his graduation, Beccari spent his time at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Odoardo Beccari
Odoardo Beccari (Credits: Public Domain).

It was there he met with fellow naturalist Charles Darwin and the first white Rajah of Sarawak James Brooke.

Thanks to his friendship with Brooke, he was able to his spend 3 years in Borneo from 1865 and 1868 .

Odoardo Beccari and Kubah National Park

Odoardo Beccari, the man who discovered the corpse flower
A view of Kubah waterfall. Did Odoardo Beccari came across this waterfall? We never know.

Together with another Italian naturalist Giacomo Doria, they travelled extensively throughout Sarawak up to Brunei.

He set up a research hut at the slopes of Mount Matang. Beccari named it Vallombrosa after a Benedictine abbey near his hometown of Florence.

Beccari recorded his experience in his book Wanderings in the great forests of Borneo, travels and researches of a naturalist in Sarawak (1904).

After his stay in Sarawak, Beccari called for preservation of species and conservation of biodiversity in the region.

The Rajah then established a water catchment preserve in Mount Matang which is now part of Kubah National Park.

Apart from Mount Matang, Beccari also visited Peninjau Hill and described many of the plant species there.

Odoardo Beccari and the corpse flower

The world of environmental biologists and naturalists mostly recognised Beccari as the man who discovered the corpse flower.

He was the first one who scientifically described the plant in 1878 during his stay in Sumatra.

The corpse flower or its scientific name Amorphophallus titanium is considered the world’s largest unbranched inflorescence.

The plant is called bunga bangkai in Malay which means “corpse flower” due to its rotting smell.

A rediscovery after 150 years

In 2017, Beccari made headlines in scientific magazines after more than 100 years of his death.

The story went that in 1866, he discovered Thismia neptunis in the mountains of Matang.

Endemic to Malaysia, the plant is a myco-heterotroph, meaning it obtains nutrients through a parasitic relationship with fungi.

Odoardo Beccari, the man who discovered the corpse flower
A screenshot of Beccari’s Wanderings in the great forests of Borneo, travels and researches of a naturalist in Sarawak (1904) describing Thismia neptunis.

Beccari then formally described the plant a few years later in 1878. Since nobody had ever seen it, it was thought that the plant had become extinct.

That was the case until January 2017, a group of researchers from the Czech Republic took a photograph of it in the same region where Beccari found it more than a century ago.

Perhaps the reason why this plant is difficult to spot is the fact that it doesn’t bloom every year.

And when it finally does, the flower appears above the soil only for a few weeks.

On top of that, Thismia neptunis actually lives underground.

In 2013, Sarawak Forestry Corporation organised a “Vallombrosa Walk” taking visitors to Beccari’s field station Vallombrosa or at least what was left of it.

The walk also took visitors to the remnants of two temples and a chapel built during Beccari’s time in the area.

Reportedly, a Dayak hunter named Abi Bengali stumbled upon the ruin of one of the temples in 1960.

For now, there were no information on how to visit Vallombrosa published or no news of any efforts to preserve the area.

Nonetheless, interested visitors can view his botanical collection at Museo di Storia Naturale di Firenze and University of Florence as well as his travel notes at Museo Galileo in Italy.

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Balan-balan and 6 other similar eerie floating head ghosts throughout Asia

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Balan-balan is a ghost of Sabahan folk mythology, also known as Penanggalan or Hantu Penanggal in West Malaysia.

Famous in Kota Belud, it is also called ‘B kuasa dua’ which means B to the power of 2, because you’re saying the b-word twice.

You’re not supposed to say its name aloud as legend says you summon it closer to you every time you say “balan-balan.”

However, some believe this entity is not a ghost, but a woman who practices black magic.

According to legend, the balan-balan is able to detach its head with lungs, stomach and intestines attached, leaving its body behind to hunt. It usually hunts at night but can leave its body any time it wants. It has a preference for the blood of pregnant women, women who recently gave birth and newborns.

A balan-balan is said to be able to pass through walls and ooze up through the cracks of the floorboards in the house.

To return it to its human form, simply soak its entrails in vinegar and—voilà!—it will reconstitute itself and become a normal person again.

One of the widely known ways in local folklore to destroy a balan-balan is to pour broken glass into its empty neck cavity – assuming you have found its headless body.

Some say that the balan-balan traits are inherited, passing down from one generation to another from mother to daughter.

There are other related myths in Asia  of supernatural entities with similar modus operandi and appearances.

Perhaps there are no immigration boundaries for those in the mystical world.

balan-balan
Balan-balan is famous in Sabah but it is similar to a ghost called Leyak among the Balinese, Kuyang by the Dayak people of Kalimantan, the Krasue in Thailand and Phi Kasu in Laos. Credit: Pixabay

1. Manananggal, the Philippines

Imagine a vampire that detaches itself from its lower body to hunt and uses huge bat-like wings to fly. Swap out the typical Hollywood fangs for a long, piercing tongue and there you have it: a manananggal.

A manananggal feeds on sleeping, pregnant women, sucking on the blood or hearts of fetuses with its tongue.

To kill it, just sprinkle some salt, crushed garlic or ash on the lower part of the body.

Then it would not be able to rejoin itself and would be killed by sunrise.

2. Kuyang in Kalimantan, Indonesia

Kuyang are believed to be women practicing black magic in search of immortality.

To increase their power, they have to feed on babies and women who just recently gave birth.

Some who claimed to have seen a Kuyang said it is just a flying head.

According to an article in Banjarmasin Post, if you are able to catch it, it will grant any wish in exchange for you to keep its secret.

Apparently the best advice is to ask for ‘Minyak Kuyang’ or kuyang oil which has the power to return objects to you even after you have given them away.

Ideally, you would be able to rub kuyang oil on your money and watch it magically return to you after making your purchase.

3. Leyak in Bali, Indonesia

Similar to Kuyang, leyak are humans practicing black magic.

Interestingly, they have a mistress or a queen, a witch named Rangda.

They say leyak haunt graveyards, feed on corpses, and have the power to change themselves into animals.

In daylight, they are like ordinary humans but at night their heads break loose from their bodies.

Unlike balan-balan which is known to be only females, it is believed that three leyak – typically composed of two females and one male – float around together terrifying people.

4. Krasue in Thailand

Krasue is believed to be an entity consisting of a floating head and a will-o’-the-wisp.

However, the origin story for Krasue is more romantic than might be expected.

According to one version of the legends, a certain Khmer princess had a forbidden love affair with a younger man of lower status.

As with all forbidden love stories, she was caught with her lover and condemned to death by burning by the Siamese aristocrats.

The princess managed to implore the help of a sorceress before her sentence, asking her body to be unharmed by the fire.

But the spell came too late and the only parts that remained untouched by the fire were her head and some of her internal organs. She was then cursed to live as a Krasue ghost.

The 2019 Thai film Inhuman Kiss is inspired by Krasue. It follows the story of a Krasue in 1940s Thailand who lives a normal life as a woman during the day but whose head detaches from her body at night to seek out fresh blood.

Watch the film trailer here.

5. Phi Kasu in Laos

A Phi Kasu is a woman who separates her head from her body, taking her inner organs and flying around to look for victims.

She uses her long tongue to suck out her victim’s organs.

Although it is possible to harm a Phi Kasu, traditional beliefs hold that she is ultimately invincible and cannot be killed.

6. Nukekubi, Japan

In the land of the rising sun, rokurokubi is a type of Japanese apparition.

There are two types of rokurokubi; one with a long, stretchable neck,  while another is like the balan-balan whose head comes off and flies around called nukekubi.

How do you kill a nukekubi? According to traditional tales, the simplest method is to move its headless body to another location. When the head returns and cannot find the body to reattach itself to, the creature is destroyed.

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5 interesting facts about ‘mengayau’, the headhunting culture of Sabah

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Now famous as an adventure destination, Sabah shares a history similar to Sarawak in that it once practiced mengayau or headhunting. This tradition involved not only taking the head but also preserving it as part of cultural rituals and beliefs.

Once practiced mainly by the Murut and Kadazandusun communities, the artifacts and legacy of headhunting can today be seen in the Sabah Museum.

Here are five interesting facts you need to know about mengayau or headhunting culture:

Here are five interesting facts you need to know about mengayau or headhunting culture of Sabah:

mengayau
A small gallery dedicated to the ‘mengayau’ practice in Sabah museum.

1. There were three types of mengayau or headhunting practices back then.

The ownership of the trophies brought back from their mengayau trips would depend on how the head was taken. If a mengayau was carried out by a larger group (usually the result of a tribal war between different communities) the community would keep the heads.

Meanwhile, if the mengayau happened as the result of a feud between a small group of people, the family would keep the head.

On top of that, some men were also known to go headhunting as a proof of bravery. This was in order for the man seeking to win a bride.

2. One of the tools used  in mengayau is called ilang sakuit.

5 interesting facts about 'mengayau', the headhunting culture of Sabah
An ilang sakuit.

Ilang sakuit is often used to cut off the enemy’s head as a symbol of a warrior’s bravery.

It is believed to have originated from Kalimantan and widely used by the Muruts.

Murut headhunters also wore ‘bilong’ on their mengayau journey, a wooden armlet used as an arm guard. In addition, they are know to have worn ‘papakol’, an accessory and talisman worn on the calf.

5 interesting facts about 'mengayau', the headhunting culture of Sabah
The bilong (right) was used as an arm guard while the papakol (left and centre) were worn as accessories on the calf.

3. How and where the skulls are kept were important.

Once the headhunters returned from their raids, the heads had to be kept outside the village for the meantime. The heads were hung from trees or bamboo in what the Kadazandusun from Tambunan and Tamparuli areas called ‘sogindai’. Other headhunters kept them in a temporary hut called ‘sulap’.

After a few days or even weeks, the Kadazandusun ‘bobohizan’ or traditional priest would perform an appeasement ritual before the heads could be safely allowed into the village.

5 interesting facts about 'mengayau', the headhunting culture of Sabah
A bobohizan’s traditional attire.

4. The skulls were then passed down from generation to generation.

In the past, skulls were considered as heirlooms and it was believed that the skulls kept by a family would bring protection to the household. When kept by the community, the skulls were believed to protect the village from harm and sickness.

5. The Murut were known to be the last of Sabah’s ethnic groups to renounce ‘mengayau’.

Collecting the heads of their enemies played an important role in the Murut spiritual belief system. As such, the Murut were reportedly the last of Sabah’s ethnic groups to renounce headhunting.

Apart from Sabah, the Murut communities can also be found living in Lawas and Limbang of Sarawak as well as in North Kalimantan, Indonesia.

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