Sarawak Self-government Day

The flag of the Kingdom of Sarawak used as the first flag of Sarawak after achieving a self-government on 22 July 1963.

Sarawak Self-government Day is a self-government day celebrated on 22 July every year by the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. The holiday has been received widely by the Sarawak state government and citizens only since 2012, after public discontent about Merdeka Day being too Malaya-centric.

Background

Sarawakian citizens protested against the transforming of the Kingdom of Sarawak into a Crown colony.

Originally, the Kingdom of Sarawak was granted independence by the Sultanate of Brunei in 1841, but came under British protection from 1888 onwards. However, at this time, Sarawak was not "fully" granted independence. After the end of World War II, the territory was administered by the British Military Administration, then became a Crown Colony in 1946. The transferring of the territory to colonial administration has led to the major protest by Sarawakian citizens who wanted the independence of Sarawak to be restored. This led to the assassination of Duncan Stewart, the second governor of the Colony, by Rosli Dhobi, who was captured and subsequently hanged for murder. The position of the Governor was succeeded by Anthony Abell, who also became one of the members for the Cobbold Commission which brought Sarawak and North Borneo into the Federation of Malaysia.

Sarawak was granted self-government on 22 July 1963, on the condition that it would join to form the Federation of Malaysia on 16 September the same year. Before the Independence Day ceremony on 16 September 1963 Alexander Waddell, the last Governor of the Colony, left the Astana and boarded a white sampan to cross the Sarawak River, then handed the administration of Sarawak to the Sarawakian citizens, with the Colonial flag lowered and the Sarawak flag raised. Before he left, the Governor appointed Stephen Kalong Ningkan as the first Chief Minister of Sarawak.

Gallery

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  The hoisting of the Kingdom of Sarawak flag on the civilian compound of the Kuching POW and internment camp in 12 September 1945 by Mr. D. R. Lascelles, the former District Officer for Miri and Mr J. B. Archer, the Chief of Section of Sarawak Civil Service, ex-internees of the Japanese shortly after the surrender of Japan.

Further reading

• List of the governors of the Crown Colony of Sarawak and the Yang di-Pertua Negeri (archive version)
• SARAWAK CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE (2013) NAM News Network

See also

• Merdeka Day
• North Borneo Self-government Day
• Malaysia Day