Sarawak
Sarawak is a Malaysian state on northwestern Borneo, bounded by Brunei, Sabah, and Indonesian Kalimantan. Its capital and largest city is Kuching.
Brunei Sultanate: A Malay Muslim sultanate founded in Borneo that became a major regional power by the sixteenth century. Sarawak’s coastal territories were once under the sultanate’s authority.
Borneo: An island in Southeast Asia divided among Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. Sarawak occupies the island’s northwestern coast.
Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy: A development region in Sarawak centered on hydropower, energy-intensive industry, and infrastructure. It channels investment toward the state’s energy and industrial development.
Sabah: A Malaysian state in northeastern Borneo, formerly known as North Borneo. Sabah joined Malaysia alongside Sarawak, but developed under a different colonial history.
Sarawakian Malay: A group of Malay varieties spoken in Sarawak, including the dialect of Kuching. Its vocabulary and pronunciation reflect a distinctive local speech tradition.
James Brooke: An English adventurer who became the first White Rajah of Sarawak in 1841. His rule began the Brooke dynasty’s expansion across Sarawak.
Kuching: The capital and largest city of Sarawak, located on the Sarawak River. It is the state’s administrative center and principal urban hub.
Bakun Dam: A large hydroelectric dam on the Balui River in Sarawak, completed in the 2010s. Its reservoir and power output illustrate the scale of Sarawak’s hydropower development.
Brunei: A sovereign, oil-rich sultanate on the northern coast of Borneo. Brunei borders Sarawak but remained outside the Malaysian federation.
Sarawak Day: A public holiday observed on 22 July to mark Sarawak’s self-government in 1963. The observance commemorates the state’s transition to self-government before Malaysia formed.