James Brooke’s government carried out death execution for murder crimes since 1841.
Until 1889, executions ordered by the courts and ratified by the Rajah were carried out by the keris (a Malay dagger) with a blade 18 inches in length, first by the Public executioner, Subu, from 1841 until his death in 1873, and then by his son Tomah.
The method was to insert the blade in the cavity of the condemned man’s right shoulder and thrust it diagonally across the body through his heart. These executions used to be carried out near the Batu Kinyang (rock crystal) rock at the 2nd Mile Rock Road, Kuching where, at the time this spot was considered to be deep in the jungle.
Commentary: Sabu was a Malay seaman who had accompanied James Brooke to Sarawak on his ship the Royalist. At the time murder was the chief offence for which the death penalty would be ordained even though never promulgated officially.
In carrying out his executioner duties was provided with a green and gold uniform. Sabu was also Royal Umbrella Bearer decked out resplendently in a blue jacket embroidered with gold, black trousers held up with a gold waist band, topped off with a bright handkerchief tied around his neck (Margaret Brooke, My life in Sarawak, 1913, pages 103-104).
In 1889, Charles Brooke introduced execution by firing squad. When Sarawak became a British colony in 1946, hanging become the mode of execution.
