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From Batang Lupar river in Sarawak to Batang Lupar district in Kalimantan

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In Sarawak, Batang Lupar is famously known for its tidal bore phenomenon where waves of water goes against the direction of the current.

It is also one of the federal constituencies in Malaysia. Meanwhile on the other side of the international border, there is a district in Kapuas Hulu regency of West Kalimantan province in Indonesia which is also called Batang Lupar.

So, how did a district and a river, miles apart from each other divided by a border, share the same name?

Iban Batang Lupar Kalimantan Barat 2
Pak Lom, the head of village Dusun Kedungkang.
From Lanjak Entimau to Lanjak, Batang Lupar

“Our ancestors are originally from upper Batang Lupar and Batang Ai. They were at war with the Rajah many years ago and they came here to flee from their enemy,” Pak Lom, the head village of Dusun Kedungkang said.

He explained that Lanjak which is the nearest town to his longhouse was named after Lanjak Entimau. It is an area located between Batang Rajang in the north and Batang Lupar in the south of Sarawak.

Iban Batang Lupar Kalimantan Barat 3
Dusun Kedungkang during the evening.

This was because the Dayak Iban who live in Lanjak now were originally from Lanjak Entimau.

Lom said, “Of course back then, the border was not clearly defined. The border town of Badau which now falls in Indonesia territory was considered part of Sarawak kingdom back then.”

Iban Batang Lupar Kalimantan Barat 7
There are roughly 36 families living in Dusun Kedungkang.
Same culture but different countries

Despite the political border, the Iban culture in Kalimantan is not much different from Sarawakian Iban.

“We still practice our traditional arts. Here in Kedungkang, we still have our hand-tapping tattoo and pua kumbu weaving.” Lom added that he himself knew how to hand-tap traditional body ink.

Even when it came to their harvest or Gawai celebration, he explained their way of merry-making was no different from the Sarawakian Ibans.

Iban Batang Lupar Kalimantan Barat 6
Pak Lom’s wife, Ibu Pawa showing her hand-woven pua kumbu, Iban’s traditonal woven fabric.

Before settling back here as a farmer and carrying his duty as a village head, Lom was working for a timber company in different parts of Sarawak such as Tubau and Marudi for over 10 years. Thus making him familiar with his neighbouring country.

However, there is one celebration he pointed out that the Ibans in Batang Lupar district did not celebrate.

“We do not celebrate Gawai Antu (festival of the dead) here, I think you can only find that in Sarawak.”

Holding on to their traditional customs, the Iban community in Kedungkang also practices their ‘hukum adat’ (customary law).

If caught burning the forest in their areas, you could be fined 25,000 rupiah for each tree. Additionally if it was a durian tree, the fine could cost even more – up to millions of rupiah.

Iban Batang Lupar Kalimantan Barat 8
A traditional Iban longhouse in Kalimantan.
Living next to Danau Sentarum

Having this customary law to protect their environment surrounding their two-block longhouse was important, considering they are living right next to Danau Sentarum.

It is one of the world’s most biodiverse lake system located in the heart of Borneo island.

And just a few minutes’ walk from Kedungkang longhouse is Bukit Babi (Pig Hill in Malay).

According to Lom, it is one of the reasons why their longhouse is a tourist attraction. On average, there are at least two tourists visiting their longhouse daily.

He said, “Apart from coming to see our culture, tourists love to stop by to hike up the hill. They can see have a view of Danau Sentarum from up there.

Another main attraction of Kedungkang village is its 700m long plank walk from the longhouse to the lake.

Iban Batang Lupar Kalimantan Barat 5
The entrance to the 700m plank walk.

Just like Batang Lupar in Sarawak where its tidal bore attracts thousands of visitors during Pesta Benak (Tidal Bore Festival), one of the main tourists attractions in Batang Lupar district of West Kalimantan is the Danau Sentarum Festival.

Iban Batang Lupar Kalimantan Barat 4
This plank walk would turned into viewing point for tourist to watch boat parade and races when the water level is high at Danau Sentarum.

During this annual festival, the Kedungkang plank walk is turn into viewing point to watch the traditional boat parade, dragon boat and bidar races.

Iban Batang Lupar Kalimantan Barat 9
The ruai of an Iban longhouse in Kalimantan.

DSC 0009
The entry point from Lubok Antu, Malaysia into Badau, Indonesia.

DSC 0001
An inn in Lanjak, Batang Lupar. Both the names Lanjak town and Batang Lupar district in Kalimantan were named after places in Sarawak.

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What you should know about Operation Hammer 1965

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Despite reports that Sarawakians and Sabahans were generally agreeable to becoming part of the Malaysian federation, then Indonesian president Sukarno was not happy.

He accused the federation of being a neo-colonial attempt by the British to maintain control over the area, a threat to Indonesia’s security and a block to the vision of a confederation of Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines called Maphilindo.

The Indonesian government declared a policy of Konfrontasi in January 1963, and thus began the violent conflict from 1963-1966 called the Indonesian-Malaysian confrontation. Besides small trans-border raids, they attempted to exploit the ethnic and religious diversity in Sarawak and Sabah to unravel the foundations of the Malaysian federation.

The concept of Konfrontasi was introduced to Sukarno by the Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI), a party which was later banned by the Indonesian government in 1966.

The events leading up to Operation Hammer

The Indonesians also used the Sarawak Communist Organisation (SCO) for their operations in the confrontation.

They launched their first attack on Apr 12, 1963 at 2am on a police station in Tebedu which resulted in the death of one police corporal and two injured constables.

Tebedu
Tebedu

There were more than 150 attacks by Indonesian forces throughout Sarawak. The turning point came when they attacked the police station at 18th mile Kuching/Serian road on the night of June 26, 1965 which cost the lives of nine people.

That was when the new Malaysia had had enough. Three days later on June 29, key personnel in the defence and internal security departments met at Kuching.

According to author Vernon L. Porritt, the meeting was to discuss the communist conflict. The inspector general of the Royal Malaysian Police Force, Sir Claude Fenner at some point during the meeting pounded the table with his fist and reportedly said, “We’ll hammer them, let the operation be called Operation Hammer.”

The Goodsir Resettlement Plan

A day after the meeting on June 30, the Sarawak’s government’s Operations Sub-Committee of the State Security Executive Council (Ops SSEC) implemented the Goodsir Plan.

Named after David Goodsir the British acting commissioner of police in Sarawak, the plan was to resettle 7,500 people.

Historian Kee Howe Yong wrote that under Operation Hammer, the security forces would seal off an eighty-square-mile area, extending from the 15th to the 24th mile along the Kuching-Serian road.

Kee stated in his book The Hakkas of Sarawak: Sacrificial Gifts in Cold War Era Malaysia,

“Within a three-day period, some 1200 families, amounting to close to 8000 rural Hakkas living in the area, were forcibly relocated into three newly constructed barbed-wire-fenced new villages equipped with floodlit security fences and a twenty-four-hour curfew, with the explanation that this was the government’s gift to protect them from the communists.”

These were required to separate them from the communist influence and at the same time, protect them from communist threats.

In a story published in The Straits Times on July 8, 1965, Chew Loy Khoon wrote about his experience visiting this area or what he stated as the strongly guarded area on the Kuching-Serian road.

Chew followed the State Security Executive Secretary, D. Wilson where they visited 14th mile. There, they saw a group of children and adults bathing in a river under the watchful eyes of Police Field Force guards.

The entourage visited the 18th mile police station, the headquarters for Operation Hammer.

Chew also managed to interview some of the Goodsir Resettlement Plan resettlers. One of them – Chong Jan Moi – told Chew that like the rest, she accepted the stern resettlement measures stoically.

Chew stated, “Understandably, she was not enthusiastic about being uprooted from her rubber smallholding, ‘but I suppose it cannot be helped’ she said.”

Operation Harapan (which means ‘hope’), Operation Petek and the end of Operation Hammer

Regardless, Operation Hammer and Goodsir Plan succeeded in denying SCO access to food supplies, basic necessities and intelligence from their Chinese supporters.

By the end of 1965, the federal government built three permanent settlements at Siburan, Beratok and Tapah.

The 600 acres settlements were to replace the five temporary settlements.

By July 22, 1966, it was estimated that there were about 700 Communists in Indonesian Kalimantan and about 2,000 sympathisers.

So the Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman offered amnesty and safe-conduct passes to SCO guerrillas under Operation Harapan. However, only 41 guerrillas accepted the offer.

Subsequently in 1972 and 1973, Operation Petek was implemented to eradicate all the communists movement.

Sri Aman where peace was finally restored

Sri Aman
Sri Aman.

On Oct 13, 1973, the top leader of the North Kalimantan People’s Guerrilla Forces Bong Kee Chok personally wrote to the Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Rahman Yaakub expressing his desire to surrender.

Five days later, 585 communists fighters (about 85% of SCO members) emerged from the jungle and laid down their arms.

Then on Oct 21, Bong and Abdul Rahman signed a memorandum of understanding at Rumah Sri Aman in Simanggang (now Sri Aman).

The signing meant the voluntary surrender of SCO, signifying the end of communist conflict in Sarawak.

Nonetheless, the Malaysian government only approved the lifting of security restrictions in Operation Hammer areas along Kuching-Serian road on Mar 5, 1980.

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A Sarawakian love story of a pirate and a slave

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Owen Rutter (1889-1944) was one of the most celebrated English travel writers in the early 20th century.

He was also an English historian and novelist who travelled through Borneo, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Canada and the United States.

During his journey, he collected stories and legends for his long list of books.

One of those interesting stories Rutter recorded was a love story of a pirate and a slave published in his 1930 book The Pirate Wind: Tales of the Sea-Robbers of Malaya.

Daud, the Malay pirate and his slave girl

couple in love 1115986 1280

There was a pirate – whom Rutter called Daud – who fell in love with one of the slave girls living on the Sarawak river.

Daud was so in love with her that he offered to buy her from her master but he was denied. (Slave women were often highly prized by their masters and more sought after compared to slave men.)

Since Daud could not get his woman through legal means, he began an affair with her instead. When night time fell, the slave woman would sneak out to the jungle into Daud’s arms.

Shortly after the affair started, her master found out. So the master sent word to Daud telling him to present himself at the court.

Obviously very much in love, Daud agreed to appear in court in order to free his lover and be with her.

On that day, Daud came to the court with his brother. After much discussion, those present in the court agreed that if Daud could produce a brass cannon, the girl could belong to him.

Rutter wrote, “The amount was enormous, even for a wealthy young pirate, but Daud agreed to the terms and he and his brother were allowed to depart.”

When the day of payment arrived, Daud showed up at the court without his brother. Unfortunately, he did not manage to raise the full amount, so he asked for more time to collect the money.

Sarawakian love story of a pirate and a slave
Daud the pirate fell in love with a slave girl who lived on the Sarawak river.

The tragic end to a love story

The council then deliberated for a while. Finally, the court decided that Daud should leave his kris (a small Malay dagger) as a pledge.

Reluctantly, Daud agreed even though for him, his kris was his most precious belonging. But the thought of losing his woman was simply unbearable for Daud.

He then slowly unfastened the cord around his waist, bending down to lay his kris on the floor before the council.

It was the moment that the master waited for. Before Daud could even react, a group of men seized him from behind.

Then, one of the master’s men stabbed him with his own kris, as Rutter put it “into the hollow between Daud’s collar bone and neck – down to the heart that had beaten so wildly for the little slave girl.”

Unfortunately Rutter’s story ends there, and so we can only assume that the master went on his own merry way and that the slave girl mourned the loss of her lover and that of a happy ending.

But folk stories rarely have the happy ending so popularised by the Disney franchise. For more weird endings, check out these stories from Five interesting stories from Central Borneo.

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That one time Sri Aman’s tidal bore almost killed author William Somerset Maugham

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William Somerset Maugham (or better known as W. Somerset Maugham) was a famous British novelist and short story writer.

Although he was a practicing physician, the art of writing called to him after his first novel Liza of Lambeth sold out quickly.

During the first World War, Maugham served with the Red Cross before he was recruited into the British Secret Intelligence Service.

Maugham’s life as a travel writer

It was during this period when he travelled to India and Southeast Asia. Even after the war ended, Maugham continued to journey to India, Southeast Asia, China and the Pacific.

Instead of jotting down his account into a travel piece, Maugham observed people, collected stories and turned them into works of fiction.

The author travelled mostly with his secretary (and lover) Frederick Gerald Haxton. Maugham was known for his shyness and introversion but thanks to Haxton’s extrovert personality, he was able to gather material for his stories.

In 1921, Maugham and Haxton made their way to the Malay Peninsula, Singapore and Borneo, exploring this region for six months.

They returned again to Southeast Asia in 1925 where they travelled for another four months.

Loosely based on these trips, Maugham published two books of short stories namely The Casuarina Tree (1926) and Ah King (1933).

Two out of the six stories (“Before the Party” and “The Yellow Streak”) in The Casuarina Tree were based in Borneo.

While he mainly used imaginary characters in his stories, Maugham based some of the plots on his own personal experience, particularly in “The Yellow Streak” in which he described was “based on a misadventure” of his own in Simanggang (now Sri Aman).

Batang Lupar 2
The narrower part of Batang Lupar river near Engkilili town where Maugham was travelling along this river and had his own misadventure.

Maugham’s “The Yellow Streak”

“The Yellow Streak” follows Izzart, a snobbish guy who is put in charge of the safety of a mining engineer named Campion hired by the fictional sultan of Sembulu to discover mineral possibilities in Borneo.

After a meeting upriver, their boat encounters an accident with a tidal bore:

“In a moment the waves were upon them. It was a great wall of water that seemed to tower over them, and it might have been ten or twelve feet high, but you could measure it only with your horror. It was quite plain that no boat could weather it. The first wave dashed over them, drenching them all, half filling the boat with water, and then immediately another wave struck them. The boatmen began to shout. They pulled madly at their oars and the steersman yelled an order. But in that surging torrent they were helpless, and it was frightening to see how soon they lost all control of the boat. The force of the water turned it broadside on and it was carried along, helter-skelter, upon the crest of the bore. Another great wave dashed over them and began to sink.”

The real-life tidal bore of Sri Aman

Sri Aman
Sri Aman, where famous British author William Somerset Maugham almost died in the 1920s.

Sri Aman is famous for its benak, which means tidal bore in Malay, of the Batang Lupar river. The bore comes in from the river mouth and fills up the river rapidly in approximately 10 minutes.

According to Department of Irrigation and Drainage Sarawak, the tidal bore can travel up to 45km passing Sri Aman until it ends at Berangan.

The wave crest in Batang Lupar can rise up to almost 10 feet high (or 3.04 metres). Unlike other places in the world, Sri Aman’s tidal bore is the only one that happens everyday. However, the really big ones happen only a couple of times a year.

Perhaps Maugham was unfortunate to face off with one of the big ones.

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The Legends of Pelagus Rapids, Kapit

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The Pelagus Rapids are infamously known as the ‘Rapids of Death’.

They have caused the deaths of many travellers who needed to travel from Kapit to Belaga.

Belaga
A road in Belaga.

Located up the Rajang river, the ferocious rapids spanning 5km consist of at least seven dangerous sessions. The locals call some of them Lapoh, Sukat, Bidai, Tilan, Makup, Batu Nabau, Lungga and Mawang.

The rapids are particularly dangerous when the water level is low. When the narrow passage combines with fast flowing water, it is no surprise that the river has led to many accidents.

One of the most tragic events happened in 1973 when a longboat carrying teachers and students from SMK Kapit hit the rocks and sank. Sadly, 17 students died in that accident.

Fort Sylvia Kapit 11
Fort Sylvia in Kapit,

As Sarawak is a land of endless mythical legends, there are several legends associated with Pelagus Rapids:

1. The rocks are pieces of a huge serpent

Once upon a time, there was a huge serpent that was captured and sliced into seven pieces.

The pieces of this serpent floated down the Rajang river and finally rested at Pelagus, forming the rapids.

When the water level is low, the rocks can be seen to be clean-cut rocks, just as if they had been sliced with a blade.

So some locals believe these rocks are pieces of the large serpent.

2.The other serpent-related legend is about a perverted one

Another version of this serpent legend of Pelagus is that it could turn into human form.

While in his human form, this mystical serpent tried to seduce another man’s wife.

It was not a good idea because the woman was married to a ferocious warrior. So the warrior caught the serpent and cut it into seven pieces. He threw the seven pieces into the water which now form the seven tiers of Pelagus rapids.

3. The apparitions of Antu Belang

According to historian Chang Pat Foh in Legends and History of Sarawak, if an apparition of ‘Antu Belang’ appears at the Pelagus rapids, a tragedy is likely to happen.

Another sign of danger is if there is an extra-loud noise of splashing water. The sounds sometimes seem like someone is reciting traditional rhymes or berpantun.

When these signs appear, the locals would normally avoid the rapids.

Pelagus Rapids today

The Sarawak government approved and implemented a RM9.8 mln project in 2012 to blast these rocks away for the safety of riverine travellers.

Although it has been reported that it was only the tops of these rocks that were blasted away and to exercise caution while navigating these waters, no boating mishaps have occurred since then.

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10 things you should know about Fajar Sarawak, Sarawak’s first Malay newspaper

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Did you know that the first Malay-language newspaper in the state was called Fajar Sarawak?

Here are 10 things you should know about this long forgotten local publication:

1.It was founded by Muhammad Rakawi Yusuf

Muhamad Rukawi
Muhamad Rakawi Yusuf

Fajar Sarawak was the brainchild of Muhammad Rakawi Yusuf, a former customs officer, a silat practitioner and Sarawak’s first Malay novelist. His known works are Hikayat Sarawak and Melati Sarawak.

Using his retirement money from the civil service, he published the first newspaper in 1930. Initially, Rakawi was helped by his two friends Abdul Rahman Kassim and Johari Anang. Then Mohammad Daud Abdul Ghani and Mohammad Awi Anang also pitched in to start Syarikat Putra Sarawak, the company behind Fajar Sarawak.

Rakawi was a member of the Sarawak branch of Persaudaraan Sahabat Pena Malaya, a writers’ guild which was one of the first starters of nationalism in Malaya then.

2.It ran for only four months

The publication was written in Jawi and appeared twice a month from February to June in 1930. The printing company responsible for the publication was Diocesan Press located on Wayang Street, Kuching.

3.Fajar Sarawak was focused on news, education, general knowledge and entertainment

Sadly, Fajar Sarawak did not publish a lot of news. Partly because the company did not have enough resources to cover the whole kingdom, and another reason was there was not enough newsworthy happenings back then.

However thanks to the founders’ connections, they had their own correspondents in Tehran and Medan.

They did not carry any news from Sarawak’s neighbours such as Malaya, Singapore, Brunei and North Borneo.

4.There were also world history, poems and news reports.

Nonetheless, Fajar Sarawak did carry stories from the Middle East such as Afghanistan and Turkey.

It also published articles on world history and poems of religious nature.

5.The closest thing they came to criticise the Brooke government was regarding the Malay land policy.

Just as in today’s world, governments introduced laws and ordinances to keep the media in check.

Back then the Brookes introduced the 1927 Printing Presses Ordinance to control licensing of the media. Some speculated it was to prevent the rousing of Chinese political action through Chinese newspapers.

As for Fajar Sarawak, it started its first publication with praise for the government by publishing a photo of the third Rajah, Vyner Brooke and these words:

The Rajah loves his people
Their cause be never forsook
All generations yet to come
Shall bless the name of Brooke

Nonetheless, the founders used the newspaper to voice out their concerns over Kuching’s changing racial composition since the beginning of 20th century.

During this period, many Malays were forced to sell their lands due to financial depression.

So the newspaper called the government to grant every Malay three acres of vacant land which could not then be legally sold or mortgaged.

They even pointed out that the Kesatuan Melayu in Singapore and Penang had managed to do so from their government.

6.Fajar Sarawak was also interested in developing Malay education

Since education was one of its focuses, historian Bob Reese wrote that Fajar Sarawak might have been partly responsible for the opening of a number of new Malay schools from 1930.

Reese stated, “The Merpati Jepang School was opened in that year and 1931 saw the opening of the Enche Buyong School and the merging of two existing schools to form the government-sponsored Madrasah Melayu. This was intended to train the Malays for the Native Officer and Junior Administrative Services. The first Malay girls’ school, Sekolah Permaisuri, opened in 1930 and the government initiated a policy of sending Sarawak students to the Sultan Idris College at Tanjung Malim in Malaya to train as Malay-medium teachers. And it was significant that the leadership of this movement was provided by commoners like Rakawi.”

7.Advertisers ranged from tailors to a bicycle shop

Although the newspaper was vocal in encouraging the Malay community to patronise Malay shops to increase prosperity, Fajar Sarawak did publish advertisements from Chinese businesses.

Among them were advertisements for bicycle parts, a bookshop by H.K. Abdul Rahman Brothers and even condensed milk from Milkmaid brand priced at 7 cents(!) a can or 80 cents for a dozen cans.

8.A few factors led to its short life

Fajar Sarawak had a short yet significant life. The passion of its writing could not make up for its lack of business skills. The newspaper could not compete with imported magazines such as Singapore’s Dunia Melayu. It had few stories beyond Kuching and local advertisers only advertised once. Eventually, Rakawi ran out of money to keep the publication going.

9.There was no Malay newspaper in Sarawak until the appearance of Utusan Sarawak in 1948

After the end of Fajar Sarawak, only Chinese newspapers and the English language Sarawak Gazette were left. Then in 1948, Utusan Sarawak emerged as the new Malay newspaper.

10.Four issues of Fajar Sarawak are known to have survived

So far, there are only four issues of Fajar Sarawak left in existence. They can be found in Rhodes House Library, Oxford and the Singapore National Library (No. 1 issue of Feb 1,1930) as well as Issue no 4, 9, 10 in Sarawak Museum (Mar 1, June 1, and June 16).

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Rising Sun over the Land of Hornbills: Sarawak during the Japanese Occupation

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After the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec 8, 1941, US and Britain immediately declared war on Japan.

The result? The Pacific War spread over around Southeast Asia including Sarawak.

By Dec 16 that year, the Japanese force secured Miri and by Christmas eve, they took over Kuching.

About less than a month later, the Japanese conquered the whole island of Borneo. And it was the first time in modern history that all of Borneo was under a single rule.

For the next three years and eight months, the Japanese occupation did little for Sarawak development. There was a lack of food supply and other basic necessities.

Even so, the Japanese did  – in their own way –  try to govern Sarawak.

Sarawak Constabulary under the Japanese occupation

Just like in most civil sectors, many Malay policemen kept their jobs in Sarawak Constabulary during the occupation.

Before the Japanese arrived, there were only a few Dayaks in the force. During the occupation, the Japanese intensively recruited the Dayaks as they found them to be hardworking, honest and loyal.

Besides the infamous kempeitai, the Japanese also set up a couple other law enforcement groups.

There was a vigilante system comprised of about 30 houses under a local man called jikeidan.

Apart from that, there was a militia called kyodohei consisting mainly of Ibans but with Malay senior officers.

Even with a day job, the constabulary personnel overall suffered from malnutrition due to lack of food supply.

Both jikeidan and kyodohei were not that successfully implemented due to strong resistance from the local people.

Japanese Building
Japanese building of Kuching.

Land policies under the Japanese occupation

According to Vernon L. Porritt in British Colonial Rule in Sarawak, the Land Department reopened its office only few weeks after the Japanese arrived.

But with reduced staff and of course a Japanese officer in charge of the department. Then in 1942, the Japanese demanded that all land titles be confirmed and ratified, charging $2 for the service.

They also imposed special tax on transfers of land valued at more than $1,000.

Generally, the local staff handled the departmental affairs according to Brooke legislation and procedures.

Women under Japanese occupation

Ooi Keat Gin wrote in Rising Sun over Borneo that there was only one single case of rape reported during the occupation. It involved a 14-year-old European girl.

Five Japanese soldiers sexually assaulted her when she and her family were arrested. After the incident, she was treated at the hospital. Apparently, one of the rapists was later imprisoned and badly beaten by the Japanese police.

While the rest of Southeast Asia as well as Taiwan and South Korea had appalling cases of women being coerced or abducted to serve as ‘comfort women’ (the numbers have been reported to be as high as 200,000 women), surprisingly there were no official reports of sexual assaults even at Batu Lintang Prisoners of War (POW) Camp.

Historians contributed it the strict discipline enforced by the camp commander Lieutenant-Colonel Tatsuji Suga.

It was believed that Suga had a ‘soft spot’ for women and children, even allowing children to ride his car within the camp compound.

Kinabalu Guerrillas 2
A kempeitai (Japanese police) would wear this headgear and leggings during the World War II.

Education under the Japanese occupation

Speaking of Suga and Batu Lintang Camp, the Lt Col reportedly allowed books brought into the camp for the prisoners to read.

They were even given university certificates after the prisoners mastered various languages.

Meanwhile, the rest of education system in Sarawak suffered tremendously. The Japanese closed mission schools while allowing most government Malay schools to continue to function.

Only some Chinese schools were allowed to open. Regardless of these, attendance and enrolment decreased during the Japanese occupation.

In Kuching, St Thomas’ School was turned into a labour camp while the main building of St Mary’s School was used as an army mess and brothel.

Overall, 17 schools were completely destroyed and another 35 schools damaged.

After the Japanese occupation

On Sept 11, 1945, the Allied Force under Major General Wooten arrived in Kuching to receive the formal surrender of the Japanese Army.

After that, Australian Military Administration immediately took over Sarawak administration for about seven months until Apr 4, 1946.

Read more:

What you need to know about the Japanese Building of Kuching

Toshinari Maeda, the Japanese nobleman who died off the coast of Bintuly during WWII

Alber Kwok, the Kuchinite who led the Kinabalu Guerrillas during WWII

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5 things every Sarawakian should know about Circular No.9/1946

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When the third White Rajah of Sarawak Charles Vyner Brooke decided to cede the kingdom to Britain as a crown colony, many Sarawakians were unhappy.

This was because he previously stated he would grant the right self-rule to Sarawak according to the Nine Cardinal Principles of the rule of the English Rajah.

Despite the heavy resistance by the local people, the British declared Sarawak a crown colony on July 1, 1946 anyway.

Many of the local associations started an anti-cession movement around the country. Then the British government realised that civil servants made up most of the members of the anti-cession movement.

So the British fought back by issuing a warning in a secretariat circular. Here are 5 things you should know about the infamous anti-cession Circular No.9/1946:

Cat City 5
The current Sarawak Textile Museum. It used to house the Education Department of Sarawak State Museum.

1.Circular No.9/1946 came about due to a huge rally in Padang Merdeka

The members of anti-cession movement organised many rallies across the country. However, the biggest rally reportedly was held in Central Padang (now Padang Merdeka) where about 15,000 people attended.

2.It was issued to curb the anti-cession activity

Embarrassed by the fact it was attended mostly by civil servants, the Chief Secretary to the Government C.W. Dawson signed Circular No.9/1946 on Dec 31, 1946.

3.This was the exact words of the circular
‘In view of the political change in the Status of Sarawak by which on 1st July, 1946, it became a Crown Colony, His Excellency the Governor has directed that this circular should be sent to all Government officers on the establishment.

(a)Government experts and requires absolute loyalty from all servants.
(b)Since there is no question of any change in the present regime or any reversion to Brooke rule, Government will not permit or tolerate any association by its servants with any activities designed to keep alive the question of cession.
(c)There will be no victimisation for any speech or act of any Government servant in the past relating to the question of cession, but each Government servant must now make his mind weather he wishes to serve the present Government loyally and faithfully or not.
(d)If you do not feel that you wish to continue in the Government service under these conditions, you should inform your Resident, District Officer, or Head of Department, as the case may be, before 31st December, 1946, and he will advise you as to the course you should pursue.
(e)Any Government servant in future who associates himself with any activity designed to keep open the question of cession or commits any act of deliberate disloyalty Government will render himself liable to instant dismissal.’

4.How the circular backfired

If the British government were looking to scare the civil servants with Circular No.9/1946, the move backfired immediately.

The circular led to a mass resignation of at least 338 teachers and government servants on Apr 2, 1947. That number made up of 13% of the civil service.

The mass resignation forced the closure of more than 22 schools in Sarawak. Additionally, 56 university students quit their studies in protest.

A book containing all the signatures of civil servants who resigned is now on display at Urang Sarawak Exhibition at Sarawak Art Museum.

5.It led to the birth of Young Malay Association

Despite the mass resignation, the British were not going down without a fight. The then government allegedly used the racial card by disrupting the relationship between the Malays and the Dayaks.

They promoted the idea that Sarawak colonisation was to bring better life only to the Malays.

The British government reportedly encouraged the formation of Young Malay Association (YMA) which would only support Sarawak colonisation. The British recruited YMA members by threatening them or extorting them: If they refused to join, their children would be unable to attend school or join the civil service.

The climax of the anti-cession movement in Sarawak was the murder of the second Sarawak governor, Duncan Stewart.

Sarawak then continued remained as a colony until July 22, 1963 when the British granted it self-governance.

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10 interesting facts about the 19th century Iranun pirates

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Forget about Captain Jack Sparrow, the most fearsome pirates in this part of the world were the Iranun people.

Although the Iranun people are native to Mindanao island in Philippines, they also had settlements on the west coast of Malaysian Sabah as well.

During the 19th century, they were infamous for their piracy activities.

The British gave them the exonym ‘Illanun’. That is where the Malay term ‘lanun’ or pirate came about.

Here are 10 interesting facts about the 19th century Iranun pirates:

Illanoan Pirates
Illustrations of Illanun or Iranun pirates circa 1800s. Credits: Public Domain.

1.The Spanish called the Iranun pirates “los Illanuns de la Laguna”

This was because their main stronghold was located on the shores of a lagoon in Mindanao island. Besides being a stronghold, it was also where their wives and children lived.

2.They also had settlements in Sabah

Apart from Mindanau island, the Iranun pirates also had settlements along the coast of Sabah including Kota Marudu, Ambong Bay and Tempasuk back then.

3.The Iranun pirates were the fiercest pirates in this region during the 19th century.

According to author Owen Rutter, the Iranuns were the fiercest and most powerful pirates of the Eastern ships.

He wrote, “They never hesitated to attack European ships, and, while they might give quarter to a native crew, to white men, they showed no mercy, owing, it is said, to the former treatment they had received at the hands of the Spaniards.”

4.Their favourite weapon was called ‘kampilan’

A kampilan is a single-edged long sword, traditionally used by various ethnic groups in the Philippines. Apart from kampilan, the Iranun pirates were also known to use spears, kris (a type of dagger) and guns.

5.The Iranun pirates marked the number of heads they took on their kampilan

Remember Killmonger from Black Panther? He scarred his body with every kill he committed. As for the Iranuns, they marked their kampilan every time they beheaded someone. According to Rutter, he had seen an Iranun kampilan with no less than 27 markings.

6.They preferred to kill in a single blow

A kampilan had a long enough handle to be wielded with two hands. Combining the weight of the kampilan and the force of two hands, a single blow was enough to cut someone’s head off their shoulders.

Garay warships of pirates in the Sulu Sea
Piraguas piratas de los Joloanos c.1850 A depiction of garay warships used by Sulu pirates. Credits: Public Domain.

7.They cruised not only in the Sulu Archipelago

Although their piracy and sailing skills were well-known in the Sulu Archipelago, they also roamed the Malay peninsular, throughout the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Java, Sumatra, Bay of Bengal and all the way up to Penang.

8.An Iranun squadron was usually up to 40 big vessels

Sometimes a fleet might be numbered up to even 200 vessels of different sizes. One man would command the whole fleet while each small boat had its own captain. Each small boat was usually made of their own relatives.

9.They had two main objectives for their piracy

The Iranun pirates had two reasons to commit piracy; plunder and slaves. They stole from the ships they boarded and they took slaves from the coastal villages they attacked.

In Borneo, they were known to attack the Melanau people who settled along the coast of Sarawak.

10.The Iranun pirates usually disguised themselves as traders

Their modus operandi was to disguise themselves as traders so that they could board a ship. They were cunning thieves as well; even when they robbed a ship, they avoided taking objects that could be identified easily as stolen property.

Rutter explained that this would be so it was difficult to prove that they were anything but peaceful traders when their ships were being overhauled.

Read about how the pirates killed the first European man who wrote about the Kayan people here.

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Longhouses, Sarawak cultural heritage we lost to fire in 2018

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On Nov 19, a 30-door Kenyah longhouse called Uma Bakung in Sungai Asap was razed by fire at around 10.46am.

Locally famous for its pineapple production, the longhouse fire left over 400 people homeless.

Many people may not realise that a loss of a longhouse is a loss of cultural heritage.

A longhouse is more than just a home where family memories are made, it’s also where family heirlooms and traditional crafts passed down from generation to generation are stored.

Taking the recently burnt Uma Bakong for example, every ‘bilik’ had a display of ‘sa’ong’(a Kenyah sunhat) in its living room as decoration.

A sa’ong, similar to the Kayan’s ‘hong’ is made from palm leaves and usually decorated with beads and fabric.

Nowadays, it is difficult to harvest palm leaves in the jungle and even more difficult to find is the art of making sa’ong among the younger generation.

Furthermore when a longhouse is lost to fire, it takes some time to rebuild it. For safety reasons, most wooden longhouses are rebuilt in concrete, forgoing the authenticity of the traditional structure.

While the worth of burnt properties could be estimated and become a Fire and Rescue Department statistic, the value of customary items and traditional artifacts to the family and the community as a whole can never be quantified.

List of longhouses Sarawak cultural heritage we lost in fire in 2018
A photo of Uma Bakung before it was taken by fire in early October 2018.

List of longhouses Sarawak cultural heritage we lost in fire in 2018
What is left of Uma Bakung after the fire on Nov 19.

Apart from Uma Bakung, here is a list of longhouses in Sarawak we lost so far to fire in 2018:

1. Rumah Langat Anthony Collin, Tinjar (Jan 31)

When fire gutted the entire 37-door Rumah Langat Anthony Collin, one of its residents reportedly died from an apparent heart attack after the incident.

Located in Nanga Majang, it takes two hours’ journey by boat from Marudi where the nearest fire station is situated.

2. Rumah Mawang Takan, Tatau (Jan 25)

A 21-door longhouse was engulfed in flames in Tatau on a late Thursday night. However, the fire and rescue department reportedly only received a distress call the next morning due to poor phone connectivity in the area.

3. Rumah Nyipak, Sebauh (Feb 4)

A Sunday night fire engulfed more than half of the 63-door longhouse at Rumah Nyipak in February.

In this case, the firefighters were able to save 27 units of the longhouse from being razed. Still, more than 250 people lost their homes that night.

4.Rumah King Brim Kartadem, Limbang (Mar 4)

Rumah King Brim Kartadem was one of many longhouses in rural Sarawak located too far from any fire station.

It took about four hours for personnel from the Limbang fire station to reach the scene when fire razed the seven-door longhouse. In the end, 27 victims were left homeless when their entire longhouse was completely destroyed.

5.Long Peluan, Ulu Baram (Apr 5)

A midnight fire destroyed a 19-door Kelabit longhouse block reportedly in just 15 minutes. The incident left 19 families homeless with nothing but their clothes on. The second block of the longhouse with 12 families was unaffected by the fire.

6.Rumah Museh, Pantu (Aug 19)

About 40 residents lost their homes to an afternoon fire on Aug 19. The fire gutted a 20-door Rumah Museh in Sri Aman. Only the kitchen section of two units were undisturbed while the rest of the longhouse was razed to the ground.

7.Rumah Sengalang, Tatau (Aug 27)

Luckily there were no injuries when a fire razed the 12-door longhouse in Jalan Seliliut Tatau-Bintulu. According to a statement by the Fire and Rescue Department, the firemen used water from the fire engines as well as from Sungai Selitut to take out the flame. Regardless, about 65 people lost their homes in the early morning fire.

7. Rumah Augustine Sait, Sri Aman (Sept 14)

This 24-door longhouse was reduced to ashes leaving 50 residents homeless. Thankfully, there were no reports of injuries or casualties.

8. Rumah Patrick Kebing, Tubau (Sept 12)

Two families lost their homes in a fire that burnt a five-door longhouse in Tubau, about an hour from Bintulu. Fortunately, there were no casualties in the incident.

9. Rumah Dagom Sanggai, Song (Sept 25)

Located at Nanga Makut in Sungai Katibas, Rumah Dagom Sanggai was one of the longhouses which still retained its traditional structure. A fire broke out at about 8am, razing the longhouse to the ground. The incident left almost 300 residents homeless.

10.Rumah Bada, Song (Sept 29)

Less than a week after fire in Rumah Dagom Sanggai, another longhouse in Song district went up in smoke. The 16-door Rumah Bada was completely destroyed in a fire happened around 6am.

Watch the video of Uma Bakung after fire on Nov 19, 2018 at 12.30pm:

 

Various efforts by the Fire and Rescue Department and corporations have been carried out to prevent or minimise fire damage which include training longhouse chiefs in fire safety. But with challenges in water supply, cell phone service and logistics for many rural and remote communities is it enough?

Read about how a longhouse was rebuilt after being razed to the ground:

The soul of a community: How a young architect helped resurrect a village longhouse in Borneo

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