Sarawak lies along the north-west of the island of Borneo. Sarawak was originally part of the Sultan of Brunei’s domain. In 1839, an Englishman, James Brooke, visited Borneo and found himself entangled in a local dispute between the Malays, Land Dayaks and the Brunei rulers. The Brunei chiefs sought Brooke’s help and managed to restore order peacefully. The Sultan of Brunei rewarded Brooke with the title of ‘Rajah of Sarawak’. James Brooke and his successors, Charles Brooke and Vyner Brooke extended their influence over Sarawak until 1946 when Sarawak was ceded by Vyner Brooke to the British. Sarawak was a crown colony until 1963 when it became part of Malaysia.
