Any fool can make history, but it takes a genius to write it.
— Oscar Wilde, Irish poet and playwright
If there is anyone who understands Sarawak’s history best, it is the late Tan Sri Adenan Satem.
An avid reader, journalist and historian himself, the former chief minister praised academicians, authors, journalists, civil servants and politicians who have played an important role in contributing towards our mental revolution.
In 1983, Sarawak Literary Society published “Our Sarawak’ — a compendium of short stories celebrating 20 years of independence — and Adenan fine-tuned the publication.
It was Tun Abdul Rahman Yakub (1969-1981) and Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud who chartered the state’s growth within the Malaysia Federation from July 22, 1963.
Australian writer Dr Robert Reece and writers from all the major communities were hand-picked to be part of the project representing the views of our people.
An acclaimed academician from Murdoch University, Dr Reece wrote the first article “Political Pioneers” to kick off the publication.
Reece, who now lives in Perth, is best known for his definitive academic dissertation “The Name of Sarawak” on the important cession of story to Great Britain which was an important political watershed.
An associate professor in history, Reece first stepped foot in Sarawak as a correspondent for the Far Eastern Economic Review in 1969 and went on to write ‘Masa Jepun’ and ‘The White Rajahs of Sarawak-A Borneo Dynasty’.
In his article, Reece traces the origin of the Sarawak Malay, whose ancestor was Merpati Jepang and his son Datuk Merpati.
Historically, the early Sarawak Malay were adventurers and merchants of Sumatra who first settled in Santubong — considered the ‘capital’ of Sarawak — during the Sri Vijaya Era, a Buddhist Thalassocratic Indonesian Empire between the eighth and 12th centuries.
One of the Sumatran pioneers, Merpati Jepang, married the daughter of Abang Adi of Santubong where his son Datuk Merpati was born.
Later the family moved to Lidah Tanah, about 36 miles from Santubong, and their descendants evolved into a community of “Datu” and “Abang” who were the first Malay aristocrats of Sarawak.
On the anti-cession movement, Reece writes about Malay nationalism in Sarawak and the role of Datu Patinggi Abang Abdullah.
Initially “bribed” to vote for cession, the hereditary chief returned the money and led the anti-cession movement and was among the 16 Council Negri members who voted against cession on May 15, 1946.
Another local writer who wrote for “Our Sarawak” was Borneo Bulletin correspondent, a long-forgotten chronicler K. C. Jong.
Jong wrote about Datuk Patinggi Ali, a direct descendant of Raja Jarom, Imam Mataim and Pengiran Badruddin and Pengiran Mahkota — the arch enemy of white imperialists.
He also takes us through the list of 150 years of Sarawak leaders — the likes of Rentap, Temenggong Koh, Tun Jugah, to the Ong clan of Kuching — from Ong Ewe Hai, Tiang Swee, Kwan Hin, Hap Leong and Tan Sri Ong Kee Hui and Wong Kee Nai of Sibu.
Others in Jong’s “Who’s Who” list are Datu Bandar Abang Mustapha, Datuk Ajibah Abol, Tun Tuanku Bujang and Tun Abdul Rahman Yakub.
Another authority of our early history, Sarawak’s information director Balia Munir wrote the brief history of the rise and fall of the Sarawak Communist Organisation with the signing of a memorandum of understanding on Oct 31, 1973 in Simanggang (Sri Aman).
Balia, who later became the managing director of Sarawak Press, wrote: “Sri Aman brought to an end a decade of communist struggle to establish community hegemony in North Kalimantan. The terrorists who took advantage of the peace amnesty realised they were waging a futile battle, for the people at large preferred the freedom of democracy…”
Other contributors were New Zealander Yusof Heaton of The Sarawak Tribune as well as deputy director of Sarawak Information Department, Datuk Aloysius Dris, a Melanau.
Contributions during the fledgling years were also made by Baram senator Ding Seling, Bidayuh graduate and educator Wilfred Rata Nissom who was the engine behind the formation of Dayak Bidayuh National Union, and Iban masters graduate, political writer Paul Kadang.
Last but not least, Sarawak’s renowned politician, poet, author and founding member of Malaysia, the late Datuk Amar James Wong Kim Min wrote “In Retrospect”.
Wong said: “Looking back now 20 years later, we have reasons to be grateful that we had made a wise decision in acceptance of independence within Malaysia.”
The story of Sarawak’s half 20 years of the independence; of how we underwent a turbulent era. Through the 1990s and 2000s we have enjoyed greater growth.
By 2023, Sarawak will have enjoyed 60 years of independence and hopefully the contributions of our stewards are not lost in time.
We must write the final book of the last 40 years of our rich history and share with it with the young — lest the Great Story of our forefathers be wiped out in memory.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the New Sarawak Tribune.
