Coordinates	29°57′53″N90°4′14″N
official name	Sibu
settlement type	Town
Translit lang1	Chinese
Translit lang1 type	Traditional
Translit lang1 info	詩巫
Translit lang1 type1	Simplified
Translit lang1 info1	诗巫
Translit lang1 type2	Pinyin
Translit lang1 info2
nickname	The Swan City / New Fuzhou
pushpin map	Malaysia
pushpin label position	left
pushpin map caption	Location in Malaysia
pushpin mapsize	360
coordinates region	MY
subdivision type	Country
subdivision name
subdivision type1	State
subdivision name1
subdivision type2	Division
subdivision name2	Sibu Division
subdivision type3	District
subdivision name3	Sibu District
government type	Local government
leader title	Chairman
leader name	Yang Berhormat (Y.B.) Datuk Tiong Thai King
total type	Sibu
area magnitude	1 E+6
area total km2	8278.3
area total sq mi
elevation m	1
population total	257,800
population as of	2010
population density km2	116
pop est as of
timezone	MST
utc offset	+8
timezone dst	Not observed
utc offset dst	+8
postal code type	Postal code
postal code	96xxx
blank name	National calling code
blank info	+6084 (local landline only)
blank1 name	License plate prefix
blank1 info	QSx (for all vehicles except taxis) HQ (for taxis only)
website	Sibu Official Website Sibu Municipal Council }}

Sibu () is an inland town, and the capital of Sibu District (229.8 square kilometres) in Sibu Division, Sarawak, east Malaysia. It is located at the confluence of the Rajang and Igan Rivers, some 60 kilometres from the ocean and approximately east-north-east of the state capital Kuching. The population is dominated by Chinese especially the Fuzhou as well as indigenous Melanau, Malay, and Iban. The town population (year 2010) is 257,800.

Sibu is the main tourist gateway to the Upper Rajang River, with its small riverine towns and its many Iban and Orang Ulu longhouses.

There is no known adjective for the people from Sibu, although there have been many unofficial suggestions: Siburian, Sibuian, Sibunite, Sibu-yan - none is officially recognised.

There has been a marked increase in public buildings in recent years. Sibu now boasts the largest town square in Malaysia, and the tallest building in Sarawak - the Sanyan Tower (三洋大厦，"Wisma Sanyan" in the official Malay language), a newly refurbished waterfront and a large number of public parks. Sibu also has university-level courses offered by Laila Taib College (previously known as United College Sarawak), which has built a campus on the site of the old Sibu airport.In 2010,Sarawak Government had announced that Sibu will have its own Sarawak Islamic Complex Building,the second in the state after Kuching.

Sibu Jaya, located 25 km away, is being developed as a satellite town. Sibu Airport, built during World War II, was relocated to its present site 23 kilometres from town near Sibu Jaya in 1994.

History

‎

Establishment

Before 1 June 1873, Sibu was known as "Maling", named after the winding portion, "Tanjung Maling", on the other side of Rejang River. Maling was a small village with a few small and simple shop houses with atap roofs and wooden walls and floors. The main population was Malay; and Chinese were in a minority.

In 1841 "Sarawak" (the present Kuching - Sarawak Capital) was ruled by 'White Rajah', James Brooke. On 1 June 1873, the third division was created and the division was named after the native rambutan fruit because the division had a lot of native rambutan known as "Buah Sibau" in the Iban language.

In 1901 Pastor Wong Nai Siong (Huang Naishang) led the first batch of Foochow Christians from China to Sibu to open up the fertile lands of Sibu for cultivation, a massive opening up of Sibu. This was a landmark year in the history of the development of Sibu.

Pastor Wong Nai Siong came to Singapore in September 1899. From there, he proceeded to West Malaysia, Sumatra and the Dutch East Indies. For six months he explored the places but failed to find a suitable place for the immigration and settlement of his folks in China. In April 1900, Mr. Wong Nai Siong came to Sarawak and got the approval of the Sarawak Rajah to look for a suitable site for Chinese immigrants.

Pastor Wong explored the lower valley and upper reaches of the Rejang River. He soon discovered that the Rejang Delta was very fertile and particularly suitable for cultivation. So he decided to choose the area for opening up for cultivation. With that decision, Mr. Wong went to see the second Rajah of Sarawak, Rajah Charles Brooke, for discussions regarding the matter of opening up of land for cultivation. In those days of the Rajahs, Sarawak was sparsely populated with vast land yet to be developed, Pastor Wong's plan was timely and very much appreciated.

So, when Pastor Wong Nai Siong went to see Sir Charles Brooke and explained to him his plan to lead large groups of Foochows to open up Sibu for cultivation, the Rajah immediately agreed. Both parties signed an agreement.

The Chinese immigrants came in three batches. The first batch consisted of 72 people, the second batch 535, and the third batch 511, totalling 1118 people. Of the total, 130 brought their spouses and families, while the others were bachelors. After working in Sibu, nearly all the immigrants chose to settle down and made Sibu their new home. They were happy to settle down for a brighter future in Sibu.

Sibu Fort

There used to be a Sibu Fort, which was built by Rajah Brooke in 1862. The fort was located at Race Course Road, however it no longer exists now. It was common for the White Rajah to build such forts to stake his territorial claim as well as means of protection.

The existence of Sibu Fort is proven by historical writings:

Rosli Dhoby

Rosli Dhoby, a Sarawakian nationalist, is one of the more illustrious sons of Sibu. He is well-known for his assassination of Sir Duncan George Stewart, the second governor of colonial Sarawak in 1948. He was then sentenced to death by hanging and was buried at the Kuching Central Prison in 1950. After 46 years of his remains resting in the prison compound, it was moved out from the Kuching Central Prison and buried at the Sarawak's Heroes Mausoleum near Sibu Town Mosque on 2 March 1996.

In order to honour his involvement in the anti-colonial movement and his struggle against the British, he and his associates who were involved in the assassination (Awang Ramli Amit, Bujang Suntong, and Morshidi Sidek) were later given a full state funeral by Sarawak Government.

Population

The population of Sibu experienced a slower growth rate compared to other towns and cities in Malaysia. There are many reasons resulting in a decline in the Sibu population.

However, the real numbers of people living today in Sibu is much higher due to high numbers of individuals not being counted in the census who live and work in other cities and countries. :{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" ! Year | 1970 || 1980 || 1991 || 2000 || 2009 || 2010 |- ! Totalpopulation | 50,635 || 85,231 || 133,471 || 166,322 || 209,616 || 210,879 |- |}

Government

Politics

The Sibu town has been the stronghold of the ruling Sarawak Barisan Nasional for many years. The Barisan Nasional in Sibu is usually represented by SUPP while DAP is the usual opponent to the Barisan Nasional. Recently, PKR would like to negotiate the allocations of state constituencies in Sibu with DAP in order to face the upcoming Sarawak state elections. The Sarawak Barisan Nasional is currently controlling 1 out of 2 parliamentary seats and 2 out of 5 state seats.

The Sibu town is represented in the House of Representatives of the Malaysian Parliament by 2 parliamentary constituencies (Lanang and Sibu) where Lanang parliamentary seat is further divided into Bukit Assek and Dudong seats for Sarawak state legislative assembly. On the other hand, the Sibu parliamentary constituency is divided into Bawang Assan, Pelawan, and Nangka state constituencies. Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew was the Sibu member of parliament and the deputy transport minister in the Malaysian cabinet. On 9 April 2010, he passed away due to liver cancer. On 16 May 2010, a by-election is held and DAP candidate Wong Ho Leng, who is also the state assemblyman for Bukit Assek, won the by-election and become the new Member of Parliament for Sibu.

The opposition won the Sibu parliamentary seat in 1982 and Lanang seat in 1990 with a slim majority. The Bukit Assek and Pelawan state constituencies fell into the hands of opposition in 1996 state election. In 2006 state election, the opposition regained the Bukit Assek state constituency. Wong Ho Leng, the state assemblyman for Bukit Assek, is the chairman of Sarawak DAP. On 2010 Sibu by-election, DAP candidate Wong Ho Leng won the parliamentary seat for Sibu with a majority of 398.

Local government

The current chairman of Sibu Municipal Council is Tiong Thai King who is also the Lanang member of parliament. He was appointed municipal chairman in 2004. However, the deputy chairman, Daniel Ngieng Kiong Ann lost his Bukit Assek constituency to DAP in 2006 Sarawak state election. The councillors are normally chosen by the state government. The Sibu Municipal Council is responsible for improving the quality of life of Sibu community by active and effective local administration. Some of the roles assumed by the municipal council includes facilities management, regular roads and drain services, effective traffic control, maintenance of street lightning, public health and vector control, licensing, building plans processing and grass cutting services.

Tourism

National Chinese Cultural Festival

The United Chinese Association (UCA)(华团) Sibu holds its pride for hosting the 18th and the 26th National Chinese Cultural Festival. The cultural festival has always been officiated by the prime minister of Malaysia. Cultural village and the Lantern Riddles are among the activities organised during the festival.

Borneo Cultural Festival

Sibu played host to the Borneo Cultural Festival, a week-long celebration of food, music, and dances celebrating the diverse cultural background of the town in 2005. Since then, it has become an annual occasion and a trademark of Sibu.However,for the first time ever since the creation,it will not be held in 2011;which caused waves of protests from locals,including key players in Sibu Tourism Industry.However,Sibu Municipal Council announced that this year BCF is postponed to next year,after discussion with State Government.

Swan Symbol for Sibu

In order to promote itself to tourists and for branding purpose, Sibu Municipal Council under the former Chairmanship of Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew, adopted the swan as the symbol of Sibu town. According to the Sibu Chinese community, when the early immigrants arrived in Sibu in the mid 19th century and early 20th century, the present Rajang River reminded them of Swan River in Fuzhou, China. However, due to the fact that such a bird is non-existent in the town (except for the numerous huge artificial swan statues) or anywhere in Malaysia, the majority of the Sibu community, especially the natives, feel that such a choice is too artificial and does not invoke any special or deep feeling toward the so-called "Symbol of Sibu".

Visit Sibu Year 2009

Year 2009 was declared as 'Visit Sibu Year 2009', to boost the tourism industry in the central region. A new attraction is Pandaw River Cruise, which was started on 1 July 2009. This is a nine-day cruising up the Rajang river deep into the Pelagus Rapids Resort in the rural interior of Sarawak with Sibu Express Wharf Terminal as the first stop. The tourists in the cruise can enjoy the scenery of the tropical rainforest as well as visiting traditional and modern longhouses.

Cityscape

Geography and climate

Sibu features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The Sibu town has warm summers with average high temperatures of and lows of around . Precipitation is generally moderate throughout the year with an annual total of roughly 2430 mm.

Landmarks

The first highrise building in Sibu was the Sarawak House hotel and shopping complex, built in the early 1970s by a group of local businessmen. Among the interesting landmarks in Sibu are Wisma Sanyan, a 28-storey building, which is the tallest building in Sarawak (to be surpassed by Kuching Tower soon), Tua Pek Kong Temple and the Central Market. The completion of RH Hotel and the current Kingwood Hotel expansion project are to meet the tourism aspiration of the town. An 18-storey building (the right model in the picture) will be constructed next to the original site of the hotel. The Civic Centre Museum (its official name was Dewan Kebudayaan dan Warisan;Cultural & Heritage Hall in English) had a display of Sibu's history, and Melanau, Iban, Malay, and Chinese artifacts and has been relocated to the new Sibu Cultural & Heritage Centre. The YMCA Resort is an outskirts resort getaway for camping and retreat. Another landmark is Old Sibu Municipal Council building, where formerly housed the Sibu Municipal Council Office and Public Library (before moving to its current building at Jalan Keranji in 1986) is now known as Sibu Heritage Centre (SHC) which houses the exhibits previously exhibited at the Civic Centre Museum. The Lau King Howe Hospital Memorial Museum is the first medical museum in Malaysia, one of the oldest hospitals in Sarawak. It exhibits medical equipment and uniforms used by medical staffs at Lau King Howe Hospital.

Shopping

Shopping complexes

Wisma Sanyan – The highest building in Sarawak, it is the biggest shopping centre in Sibu. It houses Parkson, Giant, and many other shops. The prices for goods here are reasonable.

Sarawak House – It was once a popular (and the only) shopping centre in Sibu. Its anchor tenant is Premier departmental store, complemented by several shops.

Medan Mall – Two anchor tenants here are Medan supermarket (previously Everise) and Medan departmental store. Smaller shops include VCD/DVD shops, fashion apparels and especially hair salons (reasonable price). There is a first ever car wash and auto parts service centre at Medan Mall Basement in Sibu.

Kin Orient Plaza - Well-known for the Sing Kwong supermarket housed downstairs, it has another three higher floors of shops.

Sing Kwong Shopping Complex & Farley Departmental Store - located inside the Salim Suburb with numerous crowd as it together with Sing Kong Shopping Complex have an strategic location for the nearby small towns residents to shop here like Sarikei, Bintangor, Julau, Kanowit, Durin, Sibu Jaya etc.

Delta Mall - The latest trendy shopping mall in Sibu, opened around end of 2008. Delta Mall houses many new shopping outlets such as Popular bookstore, SenQ Digital Station, Gintell, Ogawa, Watson, Cinderella Jewelleries, Sony Centre, Hush Puppies, Skin Food, Giordano, Sonice Furniture Showroom, Signature Kitchen, Lea Centre, Lea Sports Centre, a supermarket –Delta- The Market Place and others.

Star Mega Mall - A current shopping mall which has finished construction and completion in July 2011 as one of the largest shopping mall in central region of Sarawak.

Giant Hypermarket - Located at Jalan Ling Kai Cheng surrounded by one of the fastest growing housing area in the town together with some shop lots and terrace properties development.

Commercial centres

Recent years Sibu Town is rapidly expanded to outskirts or housing estates area with many commercial centres & outlets springing everywhere. This made town centre deserted during the night time as the people are scattered in various shopping, dining & clubbing places throughout the Swan City.

Kampung Bandong - Located in middle of Sibu town,Kampung Bandong has become a stopover for a variety of activities.A lively village with its famous seasonal kite tournement or gudi ;pronunciation: [ˈguˈD] also known as "Bersaok"."Pasa Bandong" is the center where all the business come to do business at night. Covers from traditional Malay cuisine to Chinese cuisine,all can be found "halal" here. Kampong bandong is the most important location during the election and has always been the focus of politicians in Sibu.

Jaya Li Hua & Pahlawan Centre - Located surrounding long distance bus terminal at Jalan Pahlawan. Crowded day and night with one dry market, Public Bank,UOB Bank, Everwin Supermarket, Medan Hotel and many popular restaurants that like 鸿福，全家福，上海，500度,Secret Recipe, Boston又一城 & also the newly built Good Happiness Restaurant(旺喜楼).Still left plenty premises under construction.

Pusat Pedada & Lot 9 - It was once a popular spot because of the old UCS Campus there. The area around Taman Muhibbah Food Court & Delta Mall is very lively during nighttime with numerous public go shopping & dining. The recently completed Lot 9(just opposite the Pusat Pedada) is less bustle with shops like LORENZO, Singapore Chicken Rice (SCR) & other offices.

Farley Commercial Centre & Sing Kwong - Two major attractions here are Farley supermarket & Sing Kwong Shopping Mall. Smaller shops include VCD/DVD shops, fashion apparels, Cafe & Maybank. Also crowd at night with rapid development of Salim-Bukit Lima Housing Area surround & also some of the mini concert or show from West Malaysian Artists is always have good response at Sing Kwong stage.

Chiew Siik Hiong Road - Houses the Rejang Medical Centre, ITA College, Amway, DXN, Electrical Appliance Shops and famous restaurant like Uncle Dom, Enjoy Cafe, Mitsu Shabu-Shabu, Sushi Tie & many coffee shops and cafée. Quite lively at night. Still left plenty premises under construction.

Pusat Suria Permata- Less Popular at night as houses the RH Group Building, Jaya Tiasa, Subur Tiasa, Rimbunan Sawit, RH Academy & Eon Bank Branch. Busy during day time with all the office employees.

Kampung Dato -Besides the Paramount Hotel. Also quiet at night as the building are mainly for office use of EPF, Banks, Insurance Company, Telecommunication Shops etc. Recently, the area also expanded with 33 units is under construction opposite the Paramount Hotel.

Pusat Tanahwang -One of the oldest commercial centres in the town. Still left some good coffee shops with the location near to town centre & 2 secondary schools.

Sibu Jaya -Sibu low cost housing area with estimated population around 40,000 with 6500 units of properties (include different types of houses and flats catering to the lower and middle income groups plus 165 shoplots and 179 industrial lots)

Commercial centres (under construction)

Medan Jaya - Located along Jalan Wong King Huo. A medium size project with already finished Medan Mall, shop lots and flats.Now entering a new phase of development consisting of 1 block 7-storey (138 rooms) Hotel, 2 blocks 4 storey apartments and 138 units of 3 to 4 storey shophouses

Wazoon Commercial Centre - Located along Jalan old airport near 花悦纺, Wisma Persekutuan, Ulu Sungai Merah Housing Area & Also Sungai Merah Bazaar.

Regent Commercial Centre - Located along Jalan TAR just beside the Star Mega Mall. Near the housing area of Taman Soon Hup, Permai & New Taman Tiong Ung Siew.It is planned to build two hundred more shophouses with few phases.

Ding Brothers Commercial Centre - Located at Jalan Ding Lik Kong. Near the Igan bridge & west banks of Sibu Town.

River Palm City - Located at Pulau Kerto after passing through the Batang Rejang Bridge. A new satellite town in the planning with housing & shopping area.

Swan City - A project which will built GIANT Hypermarket & also commercial shoplots at Jalan Ling Kai Cheng.

Nan Shang Commercial Centre - Located at Jalan Ulu Sg. Merah with comprising 55 units 2 storey shoplots plus a supermarket to cater the needs of surrounding properties booming at Ulu Sungai Merah.

Sungai Merah Commercial Centre - Located beside the Wazoon Commercial centre. Consists of 38 units 3 storey shophouses.

Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce Commercial Centre - Located beside the SMK Bukit Assek together with the double storey terrace and Semi-Detached housing development by Soon Kion. Consists of 50 units 3 storey shophouses.

Sunhill Development Project - The project, to be undertaken by Sunhill Development Sdn Bhd, will see the development of a RM35 million nine-storey hotel, a RM5 million two-storey food court and 20 units of shophouses worth RM20 million.

The area at the town's outskirts like Soon Hup Garden, Teku area near the Igan Bridge & also the road to Rantau Panjang Shipping Industrial Zone, Ulu Sungai Merah, Salim, Kemuyang & of course the ever expanding satellite town of Sibu Jaya still have many on-going housing & shoplots developments together with the completion of Sibu-Tanjung Manis Road & other infrastructure facilities will make Sibu one of the fastest growing and bustling town in Sarawak.

Sibu Night Market

The Pasar Malam (Night Market) is situated in the town centre. Local traders will usually set up their mobile stalls at around 7 pm-11 pm. Items on display are general Malay and Chinese delicacies, clothing, daily necessities, handicrafts and others. The vibrant Night Market sets up every afternoon around 5pm and operates until 10pm or sometimes later. The stalls offer all manners of household goods, footwear, fashion items, and all varieties of food. Even the Prime Minister made a brief visit here on 5 July 2009, as he was attending the launch of 6th Tionghua Cultural Festival, in conjunction of Borneo Cultural Festival 2009.

Sibu Central Market

The Central Market is the biggest indoor market in Malaysia. It is home to thousands of stalls selling everything from fresh vegetables and fruits to live poultry. 23 February was an historic moment for the Central Market, as the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak made a brief visit to the Central Market, before returning to Kuala Lumpur on the same day. There are 2 photographs of his visit to the Central Market on PM's official Facebook page.

Cultural attractions

Chinese

Sibu is rich in Chinese cultural attractions, especially those of the Foochow community.

The Sungai Merah Heritage Walk is a landscaped park situated in a township called Sungai Merah where the earliest Foochow settlers first landed when they arrived in 1902. The Foochow Centennial Celebration Building commemorates 100 years of Foochow immigration to Sibu.

Sarawak is the only few states in Malaysia where Chinese words are printed on the traffic and street signs. Apart from the only few attractions Sibu could offer to the outsiders, for those who know Chinese, it could be an interesting job to study the street signs in Sibu both written in Chinese and Malay (although the accuracy of the translation could be in dispute). The main roads in Sibu are Brooke Drive (布律克路), Jalan Oya (乌驿路)，Jalan Lanang (南兰律)，Jalan Wong King Huo (黄景和路), Jalan Rajang (拉让花园), Jalan Au Yong (后洋路)， Jalan Li Hua (丽华宝岛)， Jalan Aup (后埔港路)，etc.

Some residential streets which are less famous but with funny names are Jalan Pipit (麻雀路), Jalan Cherry (樱桃路), Jalan Rambutan (红毛丹路), Jalan Alan (阿兰路), etc.

Sibu Gateway, which is located on Pedada Road and Kampung Nyabor Road, houses displays of the twelve Chinese zodiac animals.

Another landmark of Sibu is the century old Tua Pek Kong Temple with its iconic 7-storey pagoda.

Different from other parts of Malaysia, Sibu Chinese mostly believe in Christianity.

Iban Longhouse

A trip to the Sibu area is incomplete without taking the opportunity to visit Rumah Panjai or Iban Longhouse. Although the Ibans in the Sibu area are modern people who have fully embraced the 21st century, they still practise many traditional customs and retain their adat or traditional law.

Upon arrival to longhouse, the ibans will usually welcome their guests with Tuak (Traditional Iban Rice Wine). Visitors may try their hands at shooting with a blowpipe, weaving a Pua Kumbu, feasting on traditional Iban pastries such as Chuan and Sarang Semut, enjoy and experience the longhouse environment and the scenery of vast paddy field and the Mighty Rajang River.

The Ibans are a warm and hospitable people, and this hospitality, coupled with their rich and colourful customs and traditions, can be a memorable experience.

Parks and gardens

Sibu has a few urban and suburban parks for the leisure activities of locals and tourists. Gu Tian Park is a landscaped park situated at Bukit Lima Road. It was built by the Gu Tian(古田)Community. Another park is Hoover Park, a suburban park built by Methodist Church, Sibu and to be maintained by the town council. Being near Sungai Merah Heritage Walk, there are plans to integrate it into one tourist destination in the future.

Sibu also has forest parks such as Bukit Lima Forest Park and Forestry Recreation Park. Bukit Lima Forest Park has a 2 km plankwalk, which is ideal for jogging. The Forestry Recreation Park which covers 200 hectares of land at 18.5 km Ulu Oya Road, is managed by the Forestry Department. The park's facilities include a camping site, a 30-metre watch-tower, a cattle and deer farm, and a huge fish pond. A major attraction to be included soon is a butterfly farm.

Bukit Aup Jubilee Park

Bukit Aup Jubilee Park, located twenty minutes from Sibu town is a popular spot for sight-seeing, picnics, jogging and relaxing. The road to Bukit Aup Jubilee Park is tar sealed which is located less than 12 km from Sibu town. It has scenic views of the town, rivers and forests. The total undulating land for development is more than . Currently two phases have been completed comprising an observation tower, suspension bridge, sky steps, a pavilion, an amphitheatre, a children's playground, a lagoon, a canteen and other buildings. This is a special place for Sibu people to relax and get away from the hectic town life.

Accommodation

Hotels

Accommodation in Sibu ranges from budget hotels to luxurious hotels. Below are the star-rated hotels in Sibu.

RH Hotel (4 star)

Kingwood Hotel (5 star)

Premier Hotel (3 star)

Tanahmas Hotel (3 star)

Paramount Hotel (3 star)

Kawan Hotel (3 star)

The Orchid Hotel (2 star)

Garden Hotel (1 star)

Sibu also provide various selection of Budget hotel around the downtown

Li Hua Island

One of the most notable, luxurious housing estate in Sibu is the Li Hua island (丽华宝岛)(Pulau Li Hua in Malay) located off the Jalan Upper Lanang, near the Upper Lanang bridge, fronting the Rajang river. The housing estate is developed by Hock Peng Organisation. The house owners on the island have the leasehold term of 99 years, which will expire on 17 October 2098. One of the mansions on the island was the temporary residence for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah during His Majesty's visit to Sibu in 2001, but now the mansion is abandoned, and grass had grown tall. The estate is planned to include various accommodations and facilities such as hotels, yacht club, arcade shops, banks and esplanade park.

Education

Primary

Sibu have over 50 primary schools and over 20 secondary schools and colleges. The Chinese primary schools which are well-known in Sibu include:

SJK (C) Taman Rajang

SJK (C) Tiong Hin

SJK (C) Tung Hua

SJK (C) Methodist

SJK (C) Chung Hua

SJK (C) Sacred Heart

SJK (C) Perbandaran Sibu No. 4

SJK (C) Ek Thei

SJK (C) Su Lai

SJK (C) Chung Ung

SJK (C) Tiong Hin

The national schools (SK) in Sibu include:

SK Sacred Heart English

SK Sacret Heart Chinese

SK Abang Ali (The first Malay School in Sibu)

SK St Mary (one of the oldest Co-ed school in Sibu)

SK Hua Hin English

SK St.Rita (The only Girls National School in Sibu)

SK Agama Sibu

SK Jalan Deshon

Secondary

The secondary schools which are well-known and recognised as high performing schools in Sarawak and nationwide include:

SMK Chung Hua (One of the best school in Sibu. Popular for its co-curricular activities and school activities)

SMK Methodist (well known for its academic achievements, co-curricular activities and choir team - champions at state & National level) 1 among 20 Cluster School in Malaysia

SMK Tung Hua

SMK St. Elizabeth (Created in 1935,it was formerly known as Sacret Heart Girls School, and the only Girls' school in Sibu)

SMK Sacred Heart (well known for its co-curricular activities.It's the oldest Mission School in Sibu, founded in 1902.)

SMK Kampung Nangka

SMK Deshon

SMK Tiong Hin

SMK Jalan Oya (Known as SEMENJAYA, founded in JANUARI 1981)

Sekolah Menengah Teknik Sibu (Sibu Technical Secondary School; Created in 1975 to cater students wishing to continue in technical & vocational studies)

Sarawak has the highest number of Chinese independent high schools (华文独中) in Malaysia, totalling 14 schools, 5 of which are located in Sibu. These are Catholic High School (公教中学), Wong Nai Siong High School (黄乃裳中学) and three others.

Tertiary

There are several colleges in Sibu, serving the tertiary education needs of the locals. These include:

United College Sarawak (UCS), which is well known for its quantity surveying and civil engineering programmes. Recently, Sarawak State Government, through Yayasan Sarawak (Sarawak Foundation), had taken over the operations of the College, and on 1 March 2010, it was relaunched as Kolej Laila Taib (KLT)(Laila Taib College (LTC) in English), and aimed for University-College and University status in 3–4 years’ time.

Methodist Pilley Institute, which is well-known for its accounting

Sarawak Maritime Academy for maritime studies (which was located at Former Public Works Department Sibu headquarter site)

Sibu Nursing college (Malay:Kolej Kejururawatan Sibu), a government-funded nursing college with its campus located next to Hospital Sibu

Kolej ITA, a private nursing college. Its students also undergo training alongside their colleagues from Sibu Nursing College in Sibu Hospital

RH Academy, catering to the hotel and hospitality industry in Sibu

Sacred Heart College, the second and latest private college offering hospitality courses in Sibu

Other than that, there were several long distance study centres here in Sibu, which are:

Open University Malaysia, whose local learning centre is located together with Methodist Pilley Institute. (Students from Sarikei, Kapit, Mukah and Bintulu also studied here, as Sibu Local Learning Centre was the OUM Sarawak Central Region Learning Centre.)

Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, with a facility dedicated for the students of Faculty of Medicine & Health Science undergoing training in Sibu Hospital.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia – Sekolah Pendidikan Profesional dan Pendidikan Berterusan (School of Professional and Continuing Education) (SPACE), was recently opened, and also located together with Methodist Pilley Institute and Open University Malaysia Sibu Local Learning Centre.

Universiti Utara Malaysia – Long distance study centre located in Sibu Jaya.

Universiti Putra Malaysia – Long distance study centre, located in Lanang.

Healthcare

Sibu Hospital

The healthcare needs of Sibu are served by Hospital Sibu, a government-funded public hospital. It is the second largest hospital in Sarawak and the main tertiary care and referral hospital for the Central Region of Sarawak. It was formerly located in Pulau Road (Lau King Howe Hospital, and it was named in honour of Lau King Howe, a Chinese businessman and philanthropist who donated a piece of his land to build a hospital for the people of Sibu), before its relocation to its current location and went into full operation in 1994.

Polyclinics

The primary healthcare needs of Sibu are served by Oya Polyclinic and Lanang polyclinic. Both are government-funded clinics. There is a plan to build new polyclinic in Sibu Jaya under the 10th Malaysia Plan. Recently, a new Government Community clinic named 1Malaysia Clinic commenced its operation in Teku, and another one was set up at Sungai Bidut as well. The 3rd 1Malaysia Clinic was about to be set up in Rejang Park, to minimise the congestion at Oya Polyclinic.

Private medical centres and clinics

Besides that, Sibu also has many private medical centres and clinics to serve the healthcare needs of the town people. The most notable medical centres are Rajang Medical Centre and Sibu Specialist Medical Centre.

Infrastructure and transportation

Sibu Airport

Sibu Airport , originally built during World War II, was relocated to its present site 23 kilometres from town near Sibu Jaya in 1994. In 2008, the airport handled 831,772 passengers on 14,672 flights and 735 metric tonnes of cargo. On April 2009, the airport was allocated RM150 million by the federal government for the upgrade of the terminal building. Once completed, its terminal is larger than Miri Airport and Bintulu Airport. AirAsia, Malaysia's own home-grown low-cost airline, operates in Sibu airport with frequent flights to Kuala Lumpur.

Upper Lanang bridge

Upper Lanang bridge or simply Lanang bridge or less formally Assan bridge is the bridge connecting Sibu to Sarikei and Bintangor. The ground breaking ceremony of the Upper Lanang bridge was held on 12 October 2003 and officiated by Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh. The bridge was completed on 24 April 2006, replacing the need for ferries carrying passengers and vehicles across the Rajang river. The private company building the bridge, Shin Yang Group, has the right to collect tolls for the next 30 years.

Sibu Express Wharf Terminal

The Sibu Express Wharf Terminal also provides an alternative means of transport for people along the Rajang River. Among the destinations that can be reached by express boats from Sibu include Song, Kuching, Kapit, and Kanowit.

Bus terminals

Sibu has two bus stations. The short distance bus terminal is located near the Sibu Express Wharf Terminal while the new bus terminal is near the SMK Deshon. The short distance bus terminal is for the short distance travel within Sibu town and other local regions of Sarawak such as Sarikei and Bintangor. Among the buses put into the local services includes Lanang buses and Sibu Jaya buses. The new bus terminal is for long distance travel from Sibu to Kuching, Bintulu, and Miri through the Pan Borneo Highway. Among the long distance buses that offered their services are MTC express and Suria buses. However, there are several areas no longer served by buses, and people have to resort to illegal taxis (known as Kereta Sapu) in order to go to some downtown areas such as the Bandong area which have no serving bus company.

Cuisine

Sibu is known for its delicious and affordable local cuisine. The more famous dishes include: (note: the names are rendered in the Fuzhou dialect, which is often radically different from Standard Chinese.)

"Kam Pua" noodle (干盘面) (kampua) - noodles tossed in pork lard or vegetable oil, fried shallots, spring onions and sometimes soy sauce and/or chili sauce. It is available at almost all coffee shops and food stalls. The taste for "gam mua" differs from person to person. Popular establishments serving good "gam mua" include Aloha Cafe (town centre), Shi Shan Sui Cafe (town centre), Rasa Sayang (new bus terminal) and a hawker stall above Central Market (at night), among others. The most delicious one will be at Palace Cafe (皇宫茶室)，located just beside the Eight-Corner Malay Stalls (八角亭)，behind Premier Hotel. Even 'Halal' (food prepared according to Muslim rites) "gam mua" is also available as well.

"Duёng Mian Ngu"(鼎边糊) (Dian Mian Hu)- a savoury soup with soft rice cake is available at several stalls as a hefty breakfast or a late night supper. It is often served with fish balls and squid. A popular joint is in an alleyway by Jalan Blacksmith.

"Bian Nyuk"(扁肉, also called wonton, 雲吞) - a meat dumpling which can be served dry or in a soup. Stalls serving good "gam mua"

"Gom bian" (光饼) (or Kompia)- a Foochow delicacy made with flour, baked in an oven and eaten either with or without meat and a special gravy. It is somewhat similar to a bagel. However, it can be either in a crisp or soft version. Nice soft kompia dipped in pork sauce can be sought from Chung Hua road and the Sunday Market at Pedada road. There are deep fried variations available throughout Sibu town. It's a hit not just for Chinese, but Malay and Iban community as well. There's a shop sells only the non-filling version of it, which is Seng Kee, located at Market Road and its branch at Workshop Road.

"You Zhar Gui" (油炸桧, also called 油條 in Chinese)(Yau Char Kway, pronounced as Kueh Cakoi in Malay) - deep fried twin dough batter often dipped in soup or chili sauce. It is also a great with porridge or "Bak Kut Teh（肉骨茶）"

"Bek Ding Yuok" (八珍药 in Chinese)(or pek ting ngor): The soup of eight essences - nice, sweet, tasty and nutritious Chinese soup made of at least eight types of Chinese herbal materials.

"Rojak Kassim": Indian-style rojak (known as pasembur or Mamak Rojak). Back then, the owner itself (Hj.Kassim) used to sell it at a coffee shop located at Jalan Morshidi Sidek, but now his son took over his business, and renamed it Rojak Udin. The owner later moved to Kuching, and opened a stall at a coffee shop around Padungan area.Rojak Udin now become only name "ROJAK" at Popular Cafe, opposite with Star Cineplex Cafe. Now the business had been taken over by Hj.Kassim's Ex-daughter in law (Ex-Udin wife)

Developmental Issues

Economic

Sibu faces a number of economic developmental issues. There is serious income inequality in the town. The situation is not aided by the level of corruption present, which often extends into the corridors of power as is often the case in Malaysia.

Sibu has fallen behind its regional rivals, Kuching, Miri and Bintulu, in its level of economic development and from an aesthetic point of view. Sibu does not appear to be attracting major state support in terms of development. Kuching has developed a major regional airport with the aim of becoming a gateway for international tourism into the Sarawak and Borneo regions but Sibu's airport is still run-down. It is likely that the state authorities do not see much potential in Sibu for future development and progression.

As Sibu now has a five star hotel with an airport under reconstruction, the potential for developemnt remains to be seen as the new airport and state sponsored activities attempt to capture a piece of the action going on around Sarawak.

Floods

There have been regular floods in Sibu, especially at Hua Kiew Road, (华侨路）in Bukit Assek state constituency. The flooding caused many problems for the Sibu-siders; many residents have moved to other areas while others have had no choice but to endure the situation. However, the Sibu flood mitigation project has been underway at Hua Kiew Road and Bandong, in order to solve the flooding problems in the area. The Mitigation project at Bandong area is expected to be completed in July 2010.

Notable Figures from Sibu

Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng (Sarawak 3rd and current Yang Dipertua Negeri Sarawak)

Late Tun Datuk Patinggi Ahmad Zaidi Adruce (Sarawak fifth Yang Dipertua Negeri)

Late Tun Datuk Patinggi Tuanku Bujang Tuanku Othman (Sarawak second Yang Dipertua Negeri)

Late Datuk Lau Hui Kang (Founder of KTS Group)

Late Datuk Lau Hui Siong (Founder of See Hua Group)

Late Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew (Former Sibu Member of Parliament & Deputy Federal Minister)

Late Ainie Dhoby (Rosli Dhoby's younger brother, and also community leader in 1960s)

YBhg.Tan Sri Dr.Wong Soon Kai (Former Deputy Chief Minister of Sarawak & President, Sarawak United People's Party)

YBhg. Datuk Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah (Former Sarawak State Legislative Member for Nangka & Chairman, Kuching Port Authority)

YBhg. Vincent Goh Chung Siong (Former Sarawak State Legislative Member for Pelawan & Chairman, Rejang Port Authority)

YBhg.Temenggung Datuk Haji Wan Hamid Edruce (Sibu Malay Community Leader)

YB Wong Ho Leng (Sibu Member of Parliament, Sarawak State Legislative Member for Bukit Assek & Chairman, Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak Branch)

YB Datuk Fadillah Yusof (Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation & Member of Parliament for Petra Jaya, Kuching)

Late Datuk Seri Wong Tuong Kwang (Founder of WTK Group and Philanthropist)

Mr Chew Peng Cheng

Ting Ming Siong (Food stall operator, known as the Guinness World Record Holder for the Most wedding attended by a best man – from September 1975 to 2 February 2006 he attended 1,393 weddings)

Tan Sri Datuk Sir Tiong Hiew King (Chairman of Rimbunan Hijau Group, and elder brother of Datuk Tiong Thai King. Listed as one of the 10 richest Malaysians, and also one of the Malaysians receiving the knighthood from the British Government)

Gloria Ting Mei Ru, Miss Malaysia World 2004

YB Dr.Annuar Rapa'ee (Cardiologist & Sarawak State Legislative Member for Nangka)

Datuk Dr.Nor Daim @ Matnor Daim (Former Director of Education,Malaysia & Recipient of 'Tokoh Kepimpinan Pendidikan Kebangsaan 2011' Award in conjunction of National Level Teachers Day 2011 in Kuching)

YBhg.SS Dr.Juanda Jaya (State Mufti of Perlis)

Pictures and videos of Sibu

Video of Rosli Dhobi (youtube.com)

Sister cities

Sitiawan, Malaysia Bintulu, Malaysia Miri, Malaysia Fuzhou, PRC Gutian County, PRC Min Chiang, PRC Ma Zhu, Taiwan Sydney, Australia Singkawang, Indonesia

See also

Sibu (disambiguation)

Hospital Sibu, the second largest hospital in Sarawak

Roman Catholic Diocese of Sibu, a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Malaysia

Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sibu, the seat of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Diocese of Sibu, Bishop Dominic Su

Sibu Airport (IATA: SBW, ICAO: WBGS)

Sibu by-election, 2010

Sibu Division

Sibu Town Mosque or Masjid Bandar Sibu, also known as An-Nur Mosque

Sibu-Tanjung Manis Highway

Tua Pek Kong Temple, Sibu, an icon of the town with its 7-storey pagoda

References

External links

Sibu's Official Website

Sibu Municipal Council's Official Website

诗巫一网通

诗巫论坛

犀鸟乡生活网

Sibu travel guide from Wikitravel

* Category:Populated places in Sarawak

da:Sibu es:Sibu fa:سیبو (مالزی) fr:Sibu id:Sibu ms:Sibu nl:Sibu (stad) ja:シブ no:Sibu nn:Sibu pl:Sibu sv:Sibu vi:Sibu, Sarawak war:Sibu, Sarawak zh:诗巫

Coordinates	29°57′53″N90°4′14″N
name	Sarawak
official name	Land of The Hornbills
settlement type	State
flag alt	Flag of Sarawak
image shield	Coat_of_arms_of_Sarawak.svg.png
shield alt	Coat of Arms of Sarawak
nickname	Land of the Hornbills
motto	"Bersatu, Berusaha, Berbakti""United, Striving, Serving"
anthem	Ibu Pertiwiku (My Motherland)
map caption	Sarawak in Malaysia
seat type	Capital
seat	Kuching
parts type	Divisions
parts style	list
parts	In alphabetical order:
p1	Betong
p2	Bintulu
p3	Kapit
p4	Kuching
p5	Limbang
p6	Miri
p7	Mukah
p8	Samarahan
p9	Sarikei
p10	Sibu
p11	Sri Aman
government footnotes
leader title	Yang di-Pertua Negeri
leader name	Abang Muhammad Salahuddin
leader title1	Chief Minister
leader name1	Abdul Taib Mahmud (BN)
total type	State of Sarawak
area footnotes
area total km2	124450
area water km2
population total	2420009
population as of	2010
population density km2	auto
pop est as of	2010
demographics type1	Human Development Index
demographics1 footnotes
demographics1 title1	HDI (2010)
demographics1 info1	0.692 (high) (11th)
postal code type	Postal code
postal code	93xxx to 98xxx
area code type	Calling code
area code	082 (Kuching), (Samarahan)083 (Sri Aman), (Betong)084 (Sibu), (Kapit), (Sarikei), (Mukah)085 (Miri), (Limbang), (Marudi), (Lawas)086 (Bintulu), (Belaga)
registration plate	QA & QK (Kuching) QB (Sri Aman) QC (Kota Samarahan) QL (Limbang) QM (Miri) QP (Kapit) QR (Sarikei) QS (Sibu) QT (Bintulu) QSG (Sarawak State Government)
blank name sec1	Brunei Sultanate
blank info sec1	19th century
blank1 name sec1	Brooke dynasty
blank1 info sec1	1841
blank2 name sec1	Japanese occupation
blank2 info sec1	1941–1945
blank3 name sec1	British control
blank3 info sec1	1946–1963
blank4 name sec1	Accession with the Federation of Malaya to form Malaysia
blank4 info sec1	16 September 1963
website	www.sarawak.gov.my
footnotes	}}

Sarawak (Jawi:سراوق) () is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang ("Land of the Hornbills"), Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.

The administrative capital is Kuching, which has a population of 579,900. Major cities and towns include Miri (pop. 263,000), Sibu (pop. 254,000) and Bintulu (pop. 176,800). As of last census (2010), the state population was 2,420,009.

History

The eastern seaboard of Borneo was charted, though not settled, by the Portuguese in the early 16th century. The area of Sarawak was known to Portuguese cartographers as Cerava. During the 17th century, Sarawak was self-governed under Sultan Tengah. By the early 19th century, Sarawak had become a loosely governed territory under the control of the Brunei Sultanate. During the reign of Pangeran Indera Mahkota in 19th century, Sarawak was facing chaos. Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II (1827–1852), the Sultan of Brunei, ordered Pangeran Muda Hashim in 1839 to restore order and it was during this time that James Brooke arrived in Sarawak. Pangeran Muda Hashim initially requested assistance in the matter, but Brooke refused. In 1841, Brooke paid another visit to Sarawak and this time he agreed to provide assistance. Pangeran Muda Hashim signed a treaty in 1841 surrendering Sarawak and Sinian to Brooke. On 24 September 1841, Pangeran Muda Hashim bestowed the title Governor to James Brooke. He effectively became the Rajah of Sarawak and founded the White Rajah Dynasty of Sarawak, later extending his administration through an agreement with the Sultan of Brunei. Sarawak was thus an independent kingdom from 1841 until 1888, when the state was placed under British protection.

Brooke Dynasty

James Brooke was appointed Rajah by the Sultan of Brunei on 18 August 1842. Originally Brooke ruled the territory across the western regions of Sarawak around Kuching until his death in 1868. His nephew Charles Anthony Johnson Brooke became Rajah after his death; he was succeeded on his death in 1917 by his son, Charles Vyner Brooke, with the condition that Charles should rule in consultation with his brother Bertram Brooke. The Sarawak territories were greatly expanded under the Brooke dynasty, mostly at the expense of areas nominally under the control of Brunei. In practice Brunei had only controlled strategic river and coastal forts in much of the lost territory, so most of the gain was at the expense of Muslim warlords and of the de facto independence of local tribes.

The Brooke dynasty ruled Sarawak for a hundred years and became famous as the "White Rajahs", accorded a status within the British Empire similar to that of the rulers of Indian princely states. In contrast to many other areas of the empire, however, the Brooke dynasty was intent on a policy of paternalism in order to protect the indigenous population against exploitation. They governed with the aid of the Muslim Malay and enlisted the Ibans and other "Dayak" as a contingent militia. The Brooke dynasty also encouraged the immigration of Chinese merchants but forbade the Chinese to settle outside of towns in order to minimise the impact on the Dayak way of life. Charles Brooke, the second White Rajah of Sarawak, established the Sarawak Museum, the oldest museum in Borneo.

In the early part of 1941 preparations were afoot to introduce a new constitution, designed to limit the power of the Rajah and give the people of Sarawak a greater say in government. Despite this democratic intention, the draft constitution contained irregularities, including a secret agreement drawn up between Charles Vyner Brooke and his top government officials, financially compensating him via treasury funds.

Second World War and Occupation

Japan invaded Sarawak and occupied the island of Borneo in 1941, occupying Miri on 16 December and Kuching on 24 December, holding both territories for the duration of World War II until the area was secured by Australian forces in 1945. Charles Vyner Brooke formally ceded sovereignty to the British Crown on 1 July 1946, under pressure from his wife among others. In addition the British Government offered a healthy pension to Brooke.

Anthony continued to claim sovereignty as Rajah of Sarawak. After the end of the Second World War, Anthony Brooke then opposed the cession of the Rajah's territory to the British Crown, and was associated with anti-secessionist groups in Sarawak. Anthony was banished from Sarawak.

Anthony Brooke was allowed to return only seventeen years later, when Sarawak became part of Malaysia. Sarawak became a British colony (formerly an independent state under British protection) in July 1946, but Brooke's campaign continued. The Malays in particular resisted the cession to Britain, dramatically assassinating the first British governor.

Independence

Sarawak was officially granted independence on 22 July 1963, and joined with Malaya, Sabah, and Singapore, in the federation of Malaysia, formed on 16 September 1963, despite the initial opposition from parts of the population. Sarawak was also a flashpoint during the Indonesian Confrontation between 1962 and 1966.

Geography

Having land area of 124,450 km² spreading between latitude 0° 50′ and 5°N and longitude 109° 36′ and 115° 40′ E, it makes up 37.5% of the land of Malaysia. Sarawak also contains large tracts of tropical rain forest home to an abundance of plant and animal species.

The state of Sarawak stretches for over 750 km along the north east coastline of Borneo, interrupted in the north by about 150 km of Brunei coast. Sarawak is separated from the Indonesian part of Borneo (Kalimantan) by ranges of high hills and mountains that are part of the central mountain range of Borneo. These get higher to the north and culminate near the source of the Baram River with the steep Mount Batu Lawi, Mount Mulu in the Park of the same name and Mount Murud with the highest peak in Sarawak.

The major rivers from the south to the north include Sarawak River, the Lupar River, the Saribas River, the Rajang River which is the longest river in Malaysia at 563 km long. The Baleh River branch, the Baram River and the Limbang River drains into the Brunei Bay as it divides the two parts of Brunei and the Trusan River. The Sarawak river 2459k2 in area and is the main river flowing through the capital Kuching.

Sarawak can be divided into three natural regions. The coastal region is rather low lying flat country with large extents of swamps and other wet environments. The hill region provides most of the easily inhabited land and most of the larger cities and towns have been built in this region. The ports of Kuching and Sibu have been built some distance from the coast on rivers. Bintulu and Miri are close to the coast line where the hills stretch right to the South China Sea. The third region is the mountain region along the border and with the Kelabit and Murut highlands in the north.

Environment

Sarawak has vast areas of both lowland and highland rainforest. However, Sarawak has been hit hard by the logging industry and the expansion of monoculture tree plantations and oil palm plantations. Malaysia's deforestation rate is increasing faster than anywhere else in the world. Statistics estimate Sarawak's forests have been depleted but thereis no definitive study to know how much. Malaysia's deforestation rates overall are among the highest in Asia, jumping almost 86 percent between the 1990–2000 period and 2000–2005. In total, Malaysia lost an average of 1,402 km² —0.65 percent of its forest area—per year since 2000. By comparison, South East Asian countries lost an average of 0.35% of their forest per annum during the 1990s.

Demographics

Ethnic groups

Sarawak has more than 40 sub-ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language, culture and lifestyle. Cities and larger towns are populated predominantly by Malays, Melanaus, Chinese, Indians and a smaller percentage of Ibans and Bidayuhs who have migrated from their home-villages for employment reasons.

Dayak Iban

The Ibans comprise the largest percentage (almost 34%) of Sarawak's population. Formerly reputed to be the most formidable headhunters on the island of Borneo, the Ibans of today are a generous, hospitable and placid people. Because of their history as pirates and fishermen, Ibans were conventionally referred to as the "Sea Dayaks". The early Iban settlers migrated from Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo south of Sarawak, via the Kapuas River. They crossed over the Kelingkang range and set up home in the river valleys of Batang Ai, the Skrang River, Saribas, and the Rajang River. The Ibans dwell in longhouses, stilted structures with a large number of rooms housing a whole community of families.

An Iban longhouse may still display head trophies or antu pala. These suspended heads mark tribal victories and were a source of honour. The Dayak Iban ceased practising headhunting in the 1930s.

The Ibans are renowned for their Pua Kumbu (traditional Iban weavings), silver craft, wooden carvings and bead work. Iban tattoos, which were originally symbols of bravery among Iban warriors, have become amongst the most distinctive in the world. The Ibans are also famous for a sweet rice wine called tuak, which is served during big celebrations and festive occasions.

The large majority of Ibans practise Christianity. However, like most other ethnic groups in Sarawak, they still observe many of their traditional rituals and beliefs. Sarawak celebrates colourful festivals such as the Gawai Dayak (harvest festival), Gawai Kenyalang (hornbill, or the god of war festival), penuaian padi and Gawai Antu (festival of the dead).

It is interesting to note that there is also a thriving Iban population of between 30,000 & 40, 000 in Johor, found mostly in the area between Pasir Gudang & Masai on the eastern end of the Johor Bahru metropolitan area. Sizeable Iban communities are also present in Kuala Lumpur & Penang.

Chinese

Chinese people first came to Sarawak as traders and explorers in the 6th century. Today, they make up 26% of the population of Sarawak and consist of communities built from the economic migrants of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The first Chinese (Hakka) migrants worked as labourers in the gold mines at Bau or on plantations. Through their clan associations, business acumen and work ethic, the Chinese organised themselves economically and rapidly dominated commerce. Today, the Chinese are amongst Sarawak's most prosperous ethnic groups.

The Sarawak Chinese belong to a wide range of dialect groups, the most significant being:

Hakka

Hokkien

Teochew

Hailam

Foochow

Puxian Min

Whereas Hakka is spoken predominantly by the farmers in the interior, Hokkien and Teochew are the dominant dialects spoken within the major trading towns and among early traders and businessmen. Hailam were well-known as coffee-shop operators, the Henghua are famous as fishermen. The notable difference between those who presided in West Malaysia is the common use of Cantonese. Mandarin however was and still is the unifying language spoken by all the different dialectic groups in both East and West Malaysia. The Chinese maintain their ethnic heritage and culture and celebrate all the major cultural festivals, most notably Chinese New Year and the Hungry Ghost Festival. The Sarawak Chinese are predominantly Buddhists and Christians.

Malay

The Malays make up 21% of the population in Sarawak. Traditionally fishermen, these seafaring people chose to form settlements on the banks of the many rivers of Sarawak. Today, many Malays have migrated to the cities where they are heavily involved in the public and private sectors and taken up various professions.

Malay villages, known as Kampungs, are a cluster of wooden houses on stilts, many of which are still located by rivers on the outskirts of major towns and cities, play home to traditional cottage industries. The Malays are famed for their wood carvings, silver and brass craftings as well as traditional Malay textile weaving with silver and gold thread (kain songket).

Malays are Muslim by religion, having been converted to the faith some 600 years ago with the Islamification of the native region. Their religion is reflected in their culture and art and Islamic symbolism is evident in local architecture – from homes to government buildings.

Melanau

The Melanaus have been thought to be amongst the original settlers of Sarawak.

Originally from Mukah (the 10th Administrative Division as launched in March 2002), the Melanaus traditionally lived in tall houses. Nowadays, they have adopted a Malay lifestyle, living in kampong-type settlements. Traditionally, Melanaus were fishermen and still today, they are reputed as some of the finest boat-builders and craftsmen.

While the Melanaus are ethnically different from the Malays, their lifestyles and practices are quite similar. This is especially the case in the larger towns and cities where most Melanau have adopted the Islamic faith.

The Melanaus were believed to originally summon spirits in a practice verging on paganism. Today most of the Melanaus community is Muslim whilst some remained Christians, though they still celebrate traditional animist festivals such as the annual Kaul Festival.

Dayak Bidayuh

Concentrated mainly on the West end of Borneo, the Bidayuhs make up 10% of the population in Sarawak are now most numerous in the hill counties of Padawan, Bau and Serian, within an hour's drive from Kuching.

Historically, as other tribes were migrating into Sarawak and forming settlements including the Malays from the neighbouring archipelagos, the Bidayuhs retreated further inland, hence earning them the name of "Land Dayaks" or "land owners". The word Bidayuh in itself literally means "land people" in Biatah dialect. In Bau-Jagoi/Singai dialect, the pronunciation is "Bidoyoh" which also carry the same meaning. The traditional community construction of the Bidayuh is the "baruk", a roundhouse that rises about 1.5 metres off the ground. It serves as the granary and the meeting house for the settlement's community. Longhouses were typical in the olden days, similar to that of the Ibans. Typical of the Sarawak indigenous groups, the Bidayuhs are well-known for their hospitality, and are reputed to be the best makers of tuak, or rice wine. Bidayuhs also use distilling methods to make “arak tonok”, a kind of moonshine. The Bidayuhs speak a number of different but related dialects. Some Bidayuhs speak either English or Sarawak Malay as their main language. While some of them still practise traditional religions, the majority of modern-day Bidayuhs have adopted the Christian faith with a few villages embracing the Islamic faith as a minority group within the Bidayuh community.

Indian

The Indians in Sarawak are a small community, estimated to be between 5000 & 7000 people (figure also includes those of mixed parentage & professionals/students/residents from other parts of Malaysia), found mainly in the urban exteriors of Kuching & Miri division. The Indians encompass a wide spectrum of religions, being represented in the Hindu, Muslim (from Tamil Naidu, Malabari & Andhra Pradesh subethnic groups), Christian, Sikh, Buddhist & Baha'i faiths.

The Sikhs were among the earliest Indians to set foot on Sarawak's soil, recruited by the first White Rajah, Sir James Brooke in Singapore as police officers to bring peace, law and order during the 1857 Chinese uprising in Bau. At a much later stage, the Sikhs were employed as security personnel for the Sarawak Shell Company in Miri & also as government-appointed prison wardens. It is also believed that there were a few Sikhs in the Sarawak Rangers, which was formed in 1872. As for the Tamil, Malayali, Sindh & other Indian ethnic groups, their history in the state began during the 1860s, when they were brought in from South India by the second White Rajah Charles Brooke to work in the tea & coffee plantations in the Matang Hills. There were also traders & travelers visiting the state for religious, educational or business opportunities. After many years, the Indian community is extended to include newer immigrants from Sri Lanka & other areas in India. The Indian Muslims were prominent in the restaurant, textile & Indian food production. They were also instrumentally significant in their contribution to the Islamic fellowship & religious welfare in the state with their Muslim Malay brethen.

Many of the present-day Sarawak Indians are from mixed marriages with the Malays, Chinese & other Sarawak native ethnic groups, with many of the younger generation using English, Sarawak Malay or one of the native or Chinese dialects to communicate with everybody else. They have assimilated well within the state's general population as a culturally distinct group in Sarawak that is rather unique as opposed to the Indian diaspora of Peninsular Malaysia & the Asian region in general. A number of Sarawak Indians can be found working as doctors, lawyers, teachers & other professional careers in the government & private sectors.

Javanese

The present generation are descended from the original ethnic Javanese people, the majority from the province of Central Java, who arrived in Sarawak as "kuli kontrak", indentured servants who were brought in by the Dutch via Batavia during the late 1800s to the 1940s & transferred to a British company to work in the rubber plantations. After the end of their contracts, some of them had decided to settle down & work on land no longer producing rubber. Over the years, these laborers were prosperous & were later given the right of ownership to several hectares of land.

An estimated 50,000 Javanese people are found all over the state, establishing their own villages, with the majority concentrated in Kuching & its surrounding areas. Some of the younger generation still carry traditional Javanese names & are identified as ethnic Javanese in their birth certificates. They are proud of their heritage; the current population still speak the language of their parents & retaining their age-old traditions & practices of their forefathers.

The friendly Javanese are traditionally Muslims, so they have a strong affinity with the Malays, with many of them intermarrying & living within Malay-majority areas & also other communities. They use Sarawak Malay or English as a common lingua franca to communicate with the other ethnic groups.

Bugis

The Bugis are an ethnic group which had originated from the southwestern province of Sulawesi, Indonesia. They are renowned around the archipelago as adventurous seafarers and merchants, establishing trading routes with other ports along Sarawak's coastal areas over the past few centuries, eventually settling down with their families or taking up local spouses. The Bugis artisans are noted for their expertise in building tongkangs & proas, plying their skills at the fishing villages and local dockyards. They are also skilled farmers, construction workers, traders and fishermen.

The Bugis population in Sarawak is scattered throughout the state. Many can be found living along the coast alongside or within other communities and also opening up small agricultural settlements further inland, especially in the Sarikei district. They are predominantly Muslims and many have amalgamated with the local Muslim society through marriage.

Bisaya

The Bisaya are an indigenous people, concentrated around the Limbang river in northern Sarawak state. Most Sarawakian Bisaya are Christians. They are distantly related to the Visayan of the Philippines, most of which are more related to Bahasa Malaysia than Philippine Visaya. Such similarities may be due to the standardizing effect and influence Bahasa Melayu had over not just the Borneon Bisaya but also all other ethnic languages spoken in Malaysia.

Bisaya’s indigenous people settled in Borneo thousand of years ago. The Bisaya were a people who were loved, feared and respected by the others. They are skilled in agriculture such as paddy planting, ginger, sago, local ginger, tapioca, banana, yam, pepper, coconut, and so on. They also hunt animals and breed others such as chicken, duck, goose, goat, buffalo, cow and many more. Bisaya people are also skilled in catching fish in the river or sea, and they can hold their breath under water without drowning.

Kedayan

The Kedayan are an ethnic group residing in parts of Sarawak. They are also known as Kadayan, Kadaian or simply badly spelled as Kadyan by the British. The Kedayan language is spoken by more than 37,000 people in Sarawak, with most of the members of the Kedayan community residing in Lawas, Limbang, Miri and Sibuti areas. The origins of Kedayans are somewhat uncertain, with some Kedayans claiming to have Javanese origins. However, most researchers consider them indigenous to Borneo, having accepted Islam and influenced by Malay culture. Kedayan are mainly padi farmers or fishermen. They have a reputation for knowledge of medicinal plants, which they grow to treat a wide range of ailments or to make tonics. The Kedayan tend to settle inland in a cluster pattern, with houses built in the center and with fields radiating outwards. The Kedayans traditionally tended to be a rather closed community, discouraging contact with outsiders. Intermarriage among relatives was encouraged for economic and social reasons.

Dayak Orang Ulu

The phrase Orang Ulu means upriver people and is a term used to collectively describe the numerous tribes that live upriver in Sarawak's vast interior. Such groups include the major Kayan and Kenyah tribes, and the smaller neighbouring groups of the Kajang, Kejaman, Punan, Ukit, and Penan. Nowadays, the definition also includes the down-river tribes of the Lun Bawang, Lun Dayeh, "mean upriver" or "far upstream", Berawan, Saban as well as the plateau-dwelling Kelabits. The various Orang Ulu groups together make up roughly 5.5% of Sarawak's population.

The Orang Ulu are artistic people with longhouses elaborately decorated with murals and woodcarvings. They are also well-known for their intricate beadwork and detailed tattoos. The Orang Ulu tribe can also be identified by theirunique musical sound made by a sapeh, a stringed instrument similar to a mandolin.

A vast majority of the Orang Ulu tribe are Christians but traditional religions are still practised in some areas.

Some of the major tribes making up the Orang Ulu group include:

Kayan

There are approximately 15,000 Kayans in Sarawak. The Kayan tribe built their longhouses in the northern interiors of Sarawak midway on the Baram River, the upper Rejang River and the lower Tubau River, and were traditionally headhunters.

They are well known for their boat making skills. The Kayan people carve from a single block of belian, the strongest of the tropical hardwoods.

Although many Kayan have become Christians, some still practise paganistic beliefs, but this is becoming more rare.

Lun Bawang

The Lun Bawang are indigenous to the highlands of East Kalimantan, Brunei (Temburong District), southwest of Sabah (Interior Division) and northern region of Sarawak (Limbang Division). Lun Bawang people are traditionally agriculturalists and rear poultry, pigs and buffalo.

Lun Bawangs are also known to be hunters and fishermen.Alternatively, they are also collectively called the Murut of Sarawak and are closely related to the Lun Dayeh of Sabah and Kalimantan.

Kelabit

With a population of approximately 3000, the Kelabit are inhabitants of Bario – a remote plateau in the Sarawak Highlands, slightly over 1,200 meters above sea level. The Kelabits form a tight-knit community and practise and practice agriculture methods used for generations. Famous for their rice-farming, they also cultivate a variety of other crops which are suited to the cooler climate of the Highlands of Bario. The Kelabits are closely related to the Lun Bawang.

The Kelabit are predominantly Christian, the Bario Highlands having been visited by Christian missionaries many years ago.

Kenyah

With the population about ~22,000, the Kenyah inhabit the Upper Belaga and upper Baram. There is little historical evidence regarding the exact origin of the Kenyah tribe. Their heartland however, is Long San, along the Baram River and Belaga along Rajang River. Their culture is very similar to that of the Kayan tribe with whom they live in close association.

The typical Kenyah village consists of only one longhouse. Most inhabitants are farmers, planting rice in burnt jungle clearings. With the rapid economic development, especially in timber industry, many of them work in timber camps.

Penan

The Penan are the only true nomadic people in Sarawak and are amongst the last of the world's hunter-gatherers. The Penan make their home under the rainforest canopy, deep within the vast expanse of Sarawak's jungles. Even today, the Penan continue to roam the rainforest hunting wild boar and deer with blowpipes.

The Penan are skilled weavers and make high-quality rattan baskets and mats. The traditional Penan religion worships a supreme god called Bungan. However, the increasing number who have abandoned the nomadic lifestyle for settlement in longhouses have converted to Christianity.

Sebob/Chebob

One of the least known tribes in Sarawak and can be found in upper Tinjar river. Sebob are the first Tinjar settlers along the Tinjar river and it is said that others migrated at a later date. The Sebob/Chebob tribes occupies up to six longhouse in Tinjar including Long Loyang, Long Batan, Long Selapun, Long Pejawai and Long Subeng. Amongst the longhouses, Long Luyang is the longest and most populated Sebob/Chebob settlement. It comprises almost 100 units. Most of these people have migrated and found work in the cities.

Religions

Sarawakians practice a variety of religions, including Islam, Christianity, Chinese folk religion (a fusion of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and ancestor worship) and animism. Christianity is the largest religion in culturally and religiously diverse Sarawak. Religion plays a significant role in nurturing the culture of decency and modesty among Sarawakians. It also reflects and strengthens the identity among various ethnics. For example, Islam reflects the identity of Malay, Chinese religions and Buddhism reflects the identity of Chinese and Christianity reflects the identity of most Dayaks, while some still practising animism.

Christianity

Christianity is the most popular religion in Sarawak. Sarawak is the state with the highest percentage of Christians in Malaysia with a 43%-majority according to the 2000 census. Major Christian denominations in Sarawak are the Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Methodists, Borneo Evangelical Church (or Sidang Injil Borneo, S.I.B.) and Baptists. Many Sarawakian Christians are non-Malay Bumiputera, ranging from Iban, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu and Melanau.

Denomination of Christians in Sarawak may vary according to their race, although this is not necessarily true. For example, most Chinese Christians are Methodists, most Ibans and Bidayuhs are either Roman Catholics or Anglicans, whilst most Orang Ulu are S.I.B.s. Church plays an important part in shaping morality of the communities, while some Christians view the church as a religious place. Professing Christianity has led to abolishing of some previous rituals by indigenous ethnics such as headhunting, improper disposal of dead bodies. Christians among indigenous ethnics have also embraced many Christian values such as preserving modesty and dedication to God.

Official statistics show that the number of Christians living in Sarawak has increased faster than that of Muslims in Sarawak. In 1960, Muslims outnumbered Christians in Sarawak; over the past half-century, the number of Christians has grown tremendously, due to foreign missionary efforts.

Christianity has also contributed to the betterment of the education system in Sarawak. There were a lot of missionary schools built during 1950s to early 1980s. Christianity has gained popularity throughout Sarawak, transcending race and religion. Due to federalisation of the education system, most of these missionary schools have been converted into government national schools. Participation of the church in these schools has been reduced. The Malaysian government has allowed the schools to continue using religious symbols on school buildings and teaching Christian values to non-Muslim students.

Christians in Sarawak observe Christian festivals just like their counterparts in other part of the world, namely Christmas, Good Friday, Easter Monday and Ascension Day. However, only Christmas and Good Friday are public holidays in Sarawak.

Islam

Islam is the second largest religion in Sarawak. 26% of Sarawak population are Muslim by religion. Many Muslims in Sarawak are ethnic Malays. All Malays are designated Muslim by the Malaysian Constitution. Malay culture contributes significantly to Sarawakian Muslim tradition as a whole especially for weddings, circumcision (coming of age ritual), 'majlis doa selamat' etc.

Other ethnic groups which have strong Islamic influence in their traditions are Melanau and Kedayan. Melanaus, depending on region or kampung they live in, are normally either Muslim or Christian (while very little practising pagan). Most of them live in Kuching, Matu, Mukah, Igan and Bintulu. The majority of Melanau people are of Muslim faith.

Kedayan, is another distinct ethnic from Malay and Melanau, but traditionally Muslim. Although small in number, they contribute to a majority of Muslim population in Sibuti and Bekenu district in Miri. Penan, on the other hand, which is part of Orang Ulu tribes, has gradually contributed to the rising Muslim population in Sarawak.

Administratively, Islam is under the authority of the state of Islamic Council, which is Majlis Islam Sarawak (MIS), a state government agency. Under MIS, there are various agencies dealing with various aspects of Islam such as Jabatan Agama Islam Sarawak (JAIS), Majlis Fatwa, Baitulmal Sarawak etc.

Although the population of Muslims has increased over the past 40 years, their rate of growth has not matched that of Christians. In 1960, Islam was the largest religion in Sarawak. Despite being the state with highest growth of Muslim population in Malaysia, Sarawak may have the highest growth of apostasy among Muslim converts in Malaysia.

Muslims in Sarawak observe all Islamic festivals, such as Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Puasa), Hari Raya Aidiladha (Haji), Awal Muharram and Maulidur Rasul. All these celebrations have been commenced as public holidays in Sarawak. However, Israk Mikraj, Awal Ramadhan and Nuzul Quran, although observed, are not public holidays.

Buddhism/Taoism

Buddhism is regarded as the main religion of the ethnic Chinese in Sarawak. Many of the Sarawakian Chinese community, which comprises the bulk of the Buddhist population, actually practise a mixture of Buddhism, Taoism and Chinese folk religion. As there is no official name for this particular set of beliefs, many followers instead list down their religion as Buddhism, mainly for bureaucratic convenience. Buddhists from other ethnic especially Bumiputera are rare and almost insignificant to be related with.

Buddhists in Sarawak observe Wesak Day. It is a public holiday in Sarawak.

Hinduism

Unlike their fellow Peninsular Malaysians, Sarawak Hindus are very small in number. Almost all Hindus in Sarawak are Indians, while some are Chinese. There are less than 10 Hindu temples throughout Sarawak, most of them are located in Kuching and Miri.

Hindus in Sarawak observe Deepavali and Thaipussam. However, none of these festivals are public holidays.

Baha'i

Baha'i is one of the recognised religions in Sarawak. Various races embraced the Baha'i Faith, from Chinese to Iban and Bidayuh, Bisayahs, Penans, Indians but not the Malays or other Muslims. In towns, the majority Baha'i community is often Chinese, but in rural communities, they are of all races, Ibans, Bidayuhs, etc. In some schools, Baha'i associations or clubs for students exist. Baha'i communities are now found in all the various divisions of Sarawak. However, these communities do not accept assistance from government or other organisations for activities which are strictly for Baha'is. If, however, these services extend to include non-Baha'is also, e.g. education for children's classes adult literacy, then sometimes the community does accept assistance. The administration of the Baha'i Faith is through local spiritual assemblies. There is no priesthood among the Baha'is. Election is held annually without nomination or electioneering. The Baha'is should study the community and seek those members who display mature experience, loyalty, are knowledgeable in the Faith. There are more than 40,000 Baha'is in more than 250 localities in Sarawak.

Animism

Many Dayak especially Iban continue to practice traditional ceremonies, particularly with dual marriage rites and during the important harvest and ancestral festivals such as Gawai Dayak, Gawai Kenyalang and Gawai Antu.

Other ethnics who still have trace number of animism followers are Melanau and Bidayuh.

Government

Unlike other states in Malaysia, Sarawak is divided into divisions rather than districts. Each division is headed by one Resident. Divisions are further divided into districts, each of which is headed by a District Officer; and each district is divided into sub-districts, each headed by an Administrative Officer.

Sarawak State Government Structure

Similar to its counterpart Sabah, Sarawak is regulated under the State Constitution and the Constitution of Malaysia. Matters on which the Federal and State Governments can legislate are set out in the Federal and State List respectively under the Ninth Schedule of the Federation of Malaya Constitution (1957). In addition, there is also a concurrent list of matters which come under the purview of both the State and Federal Governments. Federal Law prevails in the event of inconsistency.

State Government Ministries

The State Government Ministries formulate policies decided by the State Cabinet, and oversee their implementation by the relevant agencies. There are eleven Ministries in Sarawak. These are:

Chief Minister Department

Ministry of Planning and Resource Management

Ministry of Finance and Public Utilities

Ministry of Rural and Land Development

Ministry of Environment and Public Health

Ministry of Tourism

Ministry of Housing

Ministry of Industrial Development

Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry

Ministry of Social Development

Ministry of infrastructure Development and Communications

Administrative Divisions

Sarawak is divided into 11 Divisions:

Betong Division

Bintulu Division

Kapit Division

Kuching Division

Limbang Division

Miri Division

Mukah Division

Samarahan Division

Sarikei Division

Sibu Division

Sri Aman Division

Administrative Districts

Each division is further divided into districts. There are 33 districts throughout Sarawak.

! Division	! District	! Subdistrict
Kuching	KuchingBauLundu	SiburanPadawanSematan
Samarahan	SamarahanAsajayaSimunjanSerian	SebuyauTebedu
Sri Aman	Sri AmanLubok Antu	LinggaPantuEngkilili
Betong	BetongSaratok	PusaSpaohDebakMaludamRobanKabongBudu
Sibu	SibuKanowitSelangau
Mukah	MukahDalatDaroMatu	BalingianOyaBelawaiIgan
Miri	MiriMarudi	SubisNiah-SuaiBeluruLong Lama
Bintulu	BintuluTatau	Sebauh
Limbang	LimbangLawas	Ng. MedamitSundarTrusan
Sarikei	SarikeiMeradongJulauPakan
Kapit	KapitSongBelaga	Nanga MeritSungai Asap

Energy

The state of Sarawak has introduced the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), a new development corridor in the central Sarawak state of Malaysia. The initiative was launched on 11 February 2008 and is one of the five regional development corridors throughout Malaysia that will transform Sarawak into a developed state by the year 2020. It aims to accelerate the state's economic growth, as well as improve the quality of life for the people of Sarawak.

Overseas interest is key to the development of SCORE with investment now totalling about US$30 billion in the aluminium, the polysilicon, and minerals-based industries as well as agriculture including aquaculture and the halal hub. In addition Chinese investors have recently pledged US$11 billion and Arab investors US$7 billion in the energy and aluminium clusters.

Focusing on five major growth nodes, Tanjung Manis, Samalaju, Mukah, Baram and Tunoh, SCORE singles out 10 key industries for development. These include tourism, oil, aluminium, metals, glass, fishing, aquaculture, livestock, forestry, ship building and palm oil. Investors are being drawn to the region because it is rich in energy resources, with an energy potential of 28,000 MW of which 20,000 MW are in hydropower and 5,000 MW in coal-fired plants and the remaining 3,000 MW in other energy sources including biofuel. This allows Sarawak to price its energy competitively and encourage investments in power generation and energy-intensive industries that will stimulate strong industrial development in the corridor.

SCORE is developing a vast area that stretches 320 kilometres along Sarawak’s coast from Tanjung Manis to Samalaju and extends all the way into the extensive and remote hinterlands where two rural growth nodes, Baram and Tunoh, will also be developed. In order to connect urban centres across the central region with the rest of Sarawak, new roads will be created to provide more efficient transport of goods, access to resources and human capital.

Sarawak’s industrial sector is currently undergoing a transformation and the opportunities for investment are immense. Value-added industries are taking an increasingly dominant role in the development of the state and the days when Sarawak exported raw materials that were finished elsewhere are long over, with the new clusters set to put “Made in Sarawak” stamps on more goods and services in the years to come.

Economy

Sarawak has an abundance of natural resources. LNG and petroleum have provided the mainstay of the Malaysia federal government's economy for decades while State of Sarawak only get a 5% royalty from it. Sarawak is also one of the world's largest exporters of tropical hardwood timber and is the major contributor to Malaysian exports. The last UN statistics estimated Sarawak's sawlog exports at an average of 14,109,000 m³ between 1996 and 2000.

With such vast land expanse, Sarawak has large tracts of land suitable for commercial agricultural development. Approximately 32% or about 40,000 km² of the state's total land area has been identified as suitable agricultural land. Nevertheless, less than 9% of this is planted with productive permanent crops, while the balance is still under shifting cultivation for hill paddy (rice) which is estimated at more than 16,000 km². The main commercial crops are oil palm, which has been increasing steadily over the years, sago, and pepper.

Since the 1980s, Sarawak has started to diversify and transform its economy into a more industrialised one. This endeavour has been seeing continuing success, with manufacturing and high-tech industries now playing a significant role in shaping the economic expansion of the state.

As the largest state in Malaysia, Sarawak aims to be a fully developed state along with the rest of the country by 2020. Sarawak has identified four sectors as key sources of growth:

manufacturing

commercial agriculture

construction

services sectors

The availability of vast competitively-priced land and rich reserves of natural resources has made Sarawak an attractive choice for manufacturing operations among investors.

Agriculture, logging and land usage

Sarawak's rainforests have been gradually depleted by the demand driven by the logging industry and the following introduction of palm oil plantations. Many of Sarawak's rural communities have felt changes affected by the economic activity of these industries. Peaceful protests and timber blockades between native communities and logging companies are common, often resulting in preventive police action. The Penan, Borneo's nomadic hunter gatherers have been most affected by these changes, complaining of illness through polluted rivers, game depletion resulting in widespread hunger and loss of traditional medicines and forest products. Their resistance to logging companies culminated in a series of protests and timber blockades in the 1990s, of which many were dismantled by the Police, within the remit of the Law. The Penan claim that their rights are not respected by the State nor by logging companies. Another example, the native customary rights court case of Rumah Nor in the Kemena Basin gave rural communities engaged in subsistence farming hope for continued communal use of land reserves. Although the Court of Appeal ruled against Rumah Nor on the grounds that they had not produced sufficient evidence for their claim, it nevertheless upheld the principles stated by the lower court. These principles are the basis of not only Rumah Nor's claim, but of the claims of all Sarawak's native communities, namely, (i) that native customary rights are NOT created by legislation, although they can be extinguished by legislation, on condition of adequate compensation, and (ii) that these communities have a territory including forest reserves and rivers, and farmland, including land under fallow. Thus although the Court of Appeal ruled against Rumah Nor's specific claims, it upheld the lower court's ruling in favour of Rumah Nor with regard to the general principles. In this sense, it represents a significant blow to the state's claims that native customary rights comprise only those rights recognised by the state through its legislation.

Conservation

In February 2011, the Government of Sarawak announced that it is intensifying wildlife conservation and protection activities as part of its commitment to sustainable development. Chief Minister Taib Mahmud said: "We must plan our development in a sustainable manner, to ensure that the prosperity of the State will not only be sustained but can be handed down to our children and grand-children."

A programme has been put in place to save the flora and fauna affected by the construction of the Bakun Hydro Electric Dam. A total of 349 species of flora, 65 species of fauna, 27 mammals and 38 bird species were identified and relocated to higher ground. There is now a conservation programme in place in the Bakun Dam catchment area and it is anticipated that the growth in eco-tourism will provide economic opportunities for local communities.

Other programmes include the Heart 2 Heart orangutan campaign which invites the public to get involved with orangutan conservation; orang-utan and turtle adoption; protection of the dugong (a large marine mammal) and the Irrawaddy dolphin, which are both endangered species; and the Reef Ball project that will rehabilitate Sarawak's ocean ecosystem by placing artificial reef modules in the sea to form new habitats. Reef balls have also proven their effectiveness in protecting turtles in Sarawak. In the early 1990s, between 70 to 100 turtle deaths were reported every year. Now, the number of deaths has been reduced significantly to less than 15 reported cases. Reef balls also protect traditional fishing areas and are used to create recreational diving sites.

Sanctuaries

In March 2011, the Chief Minister spoke at a gala welcome dinner held in conjunction with the Tomorrow’s Leaders Summit at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching attended, where he outlined the State's commitment to reserving two million hectares of land for national parks and animal sanctuaries. The event was attended by Nobel Laureate Professor Douglas Osheroff, the leading American physicist.

Tourism

Tourism also plays a major part in the state's economy. In 2010, Sarawak was visited by 3,270,655 tourists (international and domestic tourists). As for 2011, the state is targeting 4 million visitors. This is in-line with more direct flights from countries such as Japan and South Korea. The Sarawak Hornbill Tourism Award is held each year to appreciate the best in the tourism sector of the state. Some of the most popular tourist attractions are Kuching city, Gunung Mulu National Park, the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) and many more. The RWMF is the region's premier "world music" event, attracting more than 20,000 music fans.

See also

Malaysia Agreement

Manila Accord

Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization

United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories

Kingdom of Sarawak

Flag of Sarawak

Sarawak dollar

Sarawak Stadium

Gunung Mulu National Park

References

Further reading

Gudgeon, L. W. W. (1913), British North Borneo. London, Adam and Charles Black.

Runciman, Steven (1960). The White Rajahs: A History of Sarawak from 1841 to 1946, Cambridge University Press.

Chin, Ung Ho (1997), Chinese Politics in Sarawak: A Study of the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), (Kuala Lumpur, New York: Oxford University Press, 1997) (ISBN 983-56-0039-2).

Barley, Nigel (2002), White Rajah, London, Brown Little/Abacus.

Cramb, R. A. (2007), Land and Longhouse: Agrarian Transformation in the Uplands of Sarawak, Hawaii University Press

Julitta Lim Shau Hua: „Pussy's in the well“ : Japanese occupation of Sarawak, 1941–1945. Research and Resource Centre SUPP Headquarters, Kuching 2006, ISBN 983-41998-2-1

Brooke, Sylvia (The last Ranee of Sarawak), (1970), Queen of the Headhunters. William Morrow Co.

Palmer, Gladys, (1929) Relations & Complications. Being the Recollections of H.H. The Dayang Muda of Sarawak. Foreword by T.P. O'Connor. Ghost-written by Kay Boyle. London, John Lane Co.

Urmenyhazi, Attila (2007) DISCOVERING NORTH BORNEO, A travelogue on Sarawak & Sabah by the author-graphic designer-publisher. National Library of Australia, Canberra, record ID: 4272798.

James Chin. “The More Things Change, The More They Remain The Same”, in Chin Kin Wah & D. Singh (eds.) South East Asian Affairs 2004 (Singapore: Institute of South East Asian Studies, 2004)

James Chin. “Autonomy: Politics in Sarawak” in Bridget Welsh (ed) Reflections: The Mahathir Years, (Washington DC: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004) (ISBN 9790615 124871) pp 240–251

External links

SarawakReport Seati ke Menua Sarawak

Sarawak online community forum website

Sarawak Community Pages

Sarawak government website

Sarawak Social Network Community

Sarawak National Parks

Sarawak News

WWF Heart of Borneo conservation initiative

Virtual Malaysia – the official portal of the ministry of tourism – Sarawak page

Independent News Portal for Sarawak's Indigenous Communities

Swiss Charity who support Sarawak's Indigenous Land Rights

American funded Charity Supporting Indigenous Development Initiatives and Conservation

Related Information

Category:States of Malaysia Category:Borneo

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