Sarawak PoD 1949 - A TL

Well Ive been around a while and this is my first effort at making an actual TL - I hope you like it even though it is probably extremely eccentric - please help by pointing out wherever it is implausible. Thanks.

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Here we go :D

Unrest and Upheavel - Colonial Rule in Sarawak.

By 1950 it was clear that the Colonial Office was failing to control the recently created Crown Colony of Sarawak. The ceding of the kingdom by Rajah Charles Brooke broke the 1941 constitution as the Council Negri (parliament) and people were all too aware. They denounced the cynical manner in which their independance had been traded for money and demanded an end to colonial control through the restoration to the throne of the White Rajahs through the person of Anthony Walter Dayrell Brooke, the nephew of Charles and Rajah Muda (Heir) of Sarawak. They felt he was capable - having run the country for a year - of governing it without any Westminister interferance. Many in the local civil service agreed and used their positions to undermine the new authorities - they distributed posters and organised opposition wherever possible. People in the countryside displayed their loyalties by flying the pre-colonial flag or through other prominant referances to the old regime.

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A nationalist showing their support of the Brooke's by painting the Royal Crest on their door. During the time of the Crown Colony a fine was imposed on those who did this and the crest hastily painted over, as such this example is a rare survivor.

History is often made by extraordinary people and one of those must surely be Abang Haji Abdillah, the son of the late mayor of Kuching he was both an ardent nationalist and a powerful orator. Called the "Sarawak Gandhi" he followed a similar path of peaceful pass protest and non - violent demostration. [1] Through powerful speeches such as "Me and my people would never agree with the cession of Sarawak to the British
Crown!...We cherish the independence of this state where we were born..." he raised the spirits of the people and brought coverage to the plight of Sarawak. Supporters of him took part in hunger strikes and prevented colonial officials from entering their villages. His persona was crucial to uniting the Dayaks and Malays behind the Brooke claim and preserving their close realtionship against Colonial Office divide and conquer techniques.

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Abang Haji Abdillah - Sarawak's patriot.

Tensions reached a height after an incident on 3 December 1949, during the arrival of the Second Governer of Sarawak in Sibu there was a demostration by anti-british patriots. The security of the Governer reacted brutally - turning on the unarmed protesters and lashing out. One of those caught and arrested was a young photographer, Rosli Dhobi, he had been attempting to take pictures for a pro-independance newspaper and was arrested by the police. He was terribly injured in the action and later died of his injuries in Kuching jail. [2]


The arrest and last picture of the young activist Rosli Dhobi.

The news of the death of this juvanile patriot led to anger and protest spreading like wildfire across Sarawak. Abang Abdillah spoke to crowds in Kuching from on-top of a rickshaw and called for peaceful demostrations however in places riots broke out and property was burnt. The Council Negri assembled unofficially and began co-ordinating the actions of the people. Harsh British counter measures and arrests only inflamed the tension causing direct colonial control to almost dissappear by near christmas. Soon the situation was so bad it was debated in British parliament.

[1] My PoD - Him surviving gives Sarawak an inspiring opposition figure and rallying point they lacked in OTL.

[2] In OTL he assasinated the Governer whilst posing with a camera - so this is nearly the same :D
 
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Ooh, a Kingdom of Sarawak timeline? I've always been a fan of the White Rajahs partly just for the insanely cool way James Brooke came by his kingdom and that they also seem to of been pretty good rulers so I shall watch this thread with interest. :)

Edit: That is of course if it's a Brooke on the throne and not a new local now since we seem to of posted at the same time. Making assumptions and all that.
 
Ooh, a Kingdom of Sarawak timeline? I've always been a fan of the White Rajahs partly just for the insanely cool way James Brooke came by his kingdom and that they also seem to of been pretty good rulers so I shall watch this thread with interest. :)

Thanks - afraid this is modern so but hopefully once I get into the sing of it the fun will pick up :D
 
Edit: That is of course if it's a Brooke on the throne and not a new local now since we seem to of posted at the same time. Making assumptions and all that.

It will indeed be a Brooke returning to the Throne of Sarawak as White Rajah - its just taking a little while to get there. It will be Anthony Brooke as 4th Rajah.
 
Thanks - afraid this is modern so but hopefully once I get into the swing of it the fun will pick up. :D
Excellent. How things got started is what got me interest in the place to begin with, had something of a soft spot for it ever since. A modern independent Sarawak is just as agreeable. :)


It will indeed be a Brooke returning to the Throne of Sarawak as White Rajah - its just taking a little while to get there. It will be Anthony Brooke as 4th Rajah.
Even better. :) Graduate of SAOS, been designated heir - with a few interruptions, various postings in the Sarawak civil service, ran the Kingdom for a year, military service, seems to be fairly well suited to the job of monarch - most likely constitutional, although possibly still fairly influential.
 
A white ruler in post-war Sarawak...I'm not sure if this'll be looked too kindly on by Indonesia and Malaysia but it depends on how you play it.
 
Even better. :) Graduate of SAOS, been designated heir - with a few interruptions, various postings in the Sarawak civil service, ran the Kingdom for a year, military service, seems to be fairly well suited to the job of monarch - most likely constitutional, although possibly still fairly influential.

Indeed - Im thinking more of a constitutional monarchy - still powerfully influential and rich but not directly in much control. Anthony was very long lived and as you said experienced - he should make a good Rajah.

A white ruler in post-war Sarawak...I'm not sure if this'll be looked too kindly on by Indonesia and Malaysia but it depends on how you play it.

Well Indonesia wont take it very well - but thats a story for later on :D
Malaysia wont exist as OTL did - Malaya will but Sarawak and Sabah are not joining it - possibly each other though ....


As a fan of an independent Sarawak, I highly approve :D

Excellent - thank you :D
 

John Farson

Banned
The history of the White Rajahs has always been endearingly bizarre to me, like a Rudyard Kipling tale come to life. I'm interested to see where you go with this.
 
A small update of pictures from the time.

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The infamous news story from when Sarawak became a crown colony.

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The former Rajah's palace - transformed into a residence for the british governers. Site of frequent protest and damaged in several of the december riots.

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Memorial of Brooke rule in Sarawak - site of nationalist speeches throughout the colonial crisis.
 
I wonder if the Raj or his heirs would marry in with locals. I imagine that the usual barriers (racism!) to this would break down pretty quickly, as per OTL. So the Brooke family could retain control but become indigenous
 
I wonder if the Raj or his heirs would marry in with locals. I imagine that the usual barriers (racism!) to this would break down pretty quickly, as per OTL. So the Brooke family could retain control but become indigenous

It would be pretty smart of them to do so though perhaps racism would be one of the key barriers against it. Maybe having a Brooke prince or two marrying into the Eurasian Indos of Indonesia (perhaps maybe inviting a couple thousand over to settle in the country after the latter gets its independence?)
 
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