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Category: History

Special Branch in Sarawak

The Special Branch Part One of a three-part series The Special Branch, the Brunei Rebellion and the role of Sarawak The Special Branch (SB) in Sarawak was formed in June 1949 to collect intelligence on secret societies and subversive activities. At that time, there was a vocal anti-cession movement within

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June 11, 2023 No Comments

“Abang” in Borneo

Abang in the Middle and Upper Kapuas by Reed l. Wadley Borneo Research Bulletin, vol. 37 Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Abang Openg or Abang Jo, as he is affectionately known, became the Chief Minister of Sarawak in 2017.  Where does the term abang come from? We try to answer the

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June 4, 2023 No Comments

Rebellion of 1879

ABU BAKAR’S REBELLION by Reed L. Wadley Borneo Research Bulletin vol. 38 2007 Along the Embaloh River in Southwestern Kalimantan, Haji Abu Bakar allied with some Iban from the upper Rejang of Sarawak and started a rebellion against the Dutch. What motivated Abu Bakar and his accomplices may have been

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May 28, 2023 No Comments

The Rise and Fall of Sarawaks first government

Two White Men and a Chief Minister: A Fall from Grace and Then a Revival of Sarawak. Stephen Kalong Ningkan was born on 20 August 1920. His Chinese grandfather adopted him, lived in China and spoke Mandarin. He was a clerk with the Rubber Fund and was with the Sarawak

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May 21, 2023 No Comments

The Bone House

Bau and the Bidayuh Kampong Gumbang Kampong Gumbang is located in the rural Bau district of Sarawak. At the time (1986) the village was only available on foot, where the trail goes up and down through the secondary forest, with a long final climb to the village. Of special interest

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May 7, 2023 No Comments

Ketapang Borneo

Ketapang The Dayak kingdom was called “the Dayak Kingdom of the Headwaters.” It was located in the interior of Ketapang. The kingdom was a regional federation of the Dayak group, and the kingdom once controlled a large area that encompassed north of the Kapuas River. The kingdom lasted until the

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April 30, 2023 No Comments

Sea People

Brunei and the Bajau by D.E. Brown Borneo Research Bulletin December 1971 Many parts of the southern Philippines were under the rule of Brunei in the early part of the 16th century. When the Spaniards tried to colonize the southern part, a long period of instability arose between the Baju and

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April 23, 2023 No Comments

A British Swindler

The British Swindler This was a nightmare to follow because as an American, I am not familiar with the Colonial hierarchy and the people in each position. If you have an interest in following the minute details of the case, please go to the Borneo Bulletin Website. Before the implementation

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March 29, 2023 No Comments

Baram River People

The Baram River Peoples In the early nineteenth century, warfare occurred regularly throughout the Baram watershed. (The Baram River flows from the Kelabit highlands westward to the South China Sea) People from the far interior, Kayan and Kenyah, were pushing down the Baram River towards the centres of trade on the coast. From there came

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March 26, 2023 No Comments

Genetics and Borneo

Who are You? Tom McLaughlin I have been researching the origins of the people of Sarawak for about ten years now. It has been fun but frustrating.   These are my opinions from the research: The Malays came from Taiwan. These people were the indigenous residents and not the current Chinese

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March 22, 2023 No Comments
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