In January 1963, the people of Bau, Siniawan and Batu Kawa experienced a flood like they never seen before. Apparently, the locals believed that it was caused by the capture of the Daughter of the Sea Dragon King. Who was the Daughter of the Sea Dragon King and how did she cause
Tag: History
Efforts to rehabilitate TNKU rebels after the Limbang rebellion 1962
On Dec 9, 1962, as the Brunei Revolt took place, the North Kalimantan National Army (Tentera Nasional Kalimantan Utara, TNKU) seized the town of Limbang. After attacking the police station, they captured several rifles and machine guns. They even held the British resident and his wife as hostage along with 12 others. On
Atrocities aboard Japanese destroyer Akikaze during WWII
Adults executed, babies thrown overboard from Japanese destroyer Akikaze during WWII If you're a history buff, you might have heard of all kind of atrocities that took place during World War II (WWII). However, have you heard about how adults were executed and children thrown overboard while still alive? About Japanese destroyer Akikaze Akikaze
10 things you might not know about Japanese hell ships during WWII
When we look at how Prisoners-of-War (POWs) suffered in internment camps or death marches during World War II (WWII), little do most people know about the atrocities onboard Japanese hell ships. 'Hell ship' describes a ship with extremely inhumane living conditions or with reputation for cruelty among the crew. The term was
Susumi Hoshijima, the Beast of Belsen of Sandakan POW Camp
Captain Susumi Hoshijima (center) Susumi Hoshijima, the Beast of Belsen of Sandakan POW Camp One of the infamous commandants of concentration camps during World War II (WWII) was none other than Josef Kramer. He was the Commandant of Auschwitz-Birkenau (from May 8, 1944 to Nov 25, 1944) and of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
Iban, Malay or Chinese? Looking at the origin of the name ‘Santubong’
The name Santubong is widely known among Sarawakians as the name of a mountain located in Sarawak.The common myth is that the mountain takes its name after a celestial princess. But what other origin stories are there behind the name Santubong? The legend of Princess Santubong The common understanding of the legend
‘Fake news’ about Sarawak in The Manila Bulletin in 1931
On Oct 1, 1931, the editor of The Sarawak Gazette published an extract from the Manila Bulletin. Founded in 1900, the bulletin is the Philippines’ largest English language broadsheet newspaper. Published under what the gazette referred as ‘Fiction Column(?)’, the title of the article was “Only one Filipino lives in the British
Explorer Franz Witti and his death by sumpitan in British North Borneo
Francis Xavier Witti or also known as Franz Witti, was one of the first few Europeans to explore the northern part of Borneo. He was a former navy officer in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and avid explorer. When Witti came in contact with German adventurer and diplomat Baron Gustav von Overbeck during his
10 things you might not know about the Sandakan Death Marches
The mystery behind eight missing priests in Sabah during WWII
One of the worst things when it comes to the atrocities of war is not knowing the fate of your loved ones who went missing. When people went missing during wartime, it became logical to presume they were dead. However, without physical evidence, one may never know the circumstances surrounding their deaths. When