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Sarawak, one of Malaysian states on the island of Borneo neighbouring Sabah is located on the north west of the island. Famously known as Bumi Kenyalang (it means Land of the Hornbills), it is the largest state in the country. Sarawak’s capital, Kuching has a population of over 600,000 that comes from plenty of ethnic groups namely Dayak Iban, Chinese, Malay, Melanau, Bidayuh, Penan, Kelabit and Kenyah.

Other major cities of Sarawak including Sibu, Bintulu and Miri. Similar to Sabah, this state has no ethnic majority and thus, making it a rich multicultural state. The state is divided into several administrative divisions including Sibu, Miri, Limbang, Kapit, Kuching, Sri Aman, Mukah, Betong, Bintulu and Sarikei.

Sarawak’s history can be traced back when James Brooke arrived in the state. Prior to the arrival of Brooke, the state was under Brunei Sultanate administration. In 19th century, under control of Pangeran Indera Mahkota, the state was in chaos. The then Burnei Sultan, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II gave out his orders to Pangeran Muda Hashim to settle the chaos.

When Brooke arrived in Sarawak, he refused assistance when Hashim requested for it. Several years later, when Brooke went to Sarawak for a second visit, he agreed to help out to restore the state, which was then already in poor condition.

As a result, Hashim signed a treaty in 1841 to hand-over Sarawak and Sinian to Brooke. In addition to that, Hashim also promoted James Brooke as the Governor. Brooke took the advantage to establish White Rajah Dynasty of Sarawak and extended his administration with Brunei Sultanate when he finally became Rajah of Sarawak.

White Rajah Dynasty under Brooke’s administration ruled the state for more than a hundred years. Over the years, the administration provided assistance to protect the rights of indigenous population against exploitation. Besides that, they have also enlisted Ibans and a majority of other ethnic groups as a contingent militia. When Chinese immigrants decided to settle down in the state, the administration discouraged them from migrating to outside of town in order to minimize impact on Dayak traditional lifestyle.