KUCHING, Sept 29 2026: Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has suggested that the names of Malay villages in the vicinity of Kuching City may be linked to the settlements with similar names in Java due to emigration of Indonesians to Sarawak before the Brooke era.
He suggested deeper research be conducted into the similarities and early history of Sarawak.
He said that to date there has been no comprehensive, published research explaining the origins of village names such as Kampung Gersik, Kampung Boyan, Kampung Surabaya and Kampung Semarang.
"These names likely did not emerge by coincidence; rather, they are believed to hold historical significance, potentially linked to the migration of people from Java to Sarawak in the past.
“If we look at it, these villages already existed before the arrival of the Brookes, indicating the presence of earlier settlement systems and civilizations in Sarawak,” he told reporters after the opening of the International Conference on Sarawak History at Wisma Melayu here today.
He added that the discovery of historical sites—such as the temple ruins in Santubong, which share architectural similarities with Borobudur—further reinforces the possibility of early civilizational influences, such as that of the Srivijaya era, in the region.
He emphasized that Sarawak’s history should not be viewed as beginning solely with the Brooke era; instead, it must encompass earlier periods that demonstrate the existence of governance systems and a multi-ethnic society living in harmony.
He also highlighted other points of interest, such as the Chinese community in Bau that engaged in gold mining prior to the Brookes' arrival, as well as areas like Jalan India and Masjid India in Kuching, which are believed to have long-standing origins.
In light of this, he urged higher learning institutions and local researchers to conduct more research to document this history comprehensively.
“Documenting this history is crucial so that future generations can understand the community's origins and how inter-racial harmony was established long ago,” he stressed.
At the same time, he emphasized the need for cooperation among various agencies—such as the National Archives, museums, the Sarawak State Library, RTM, and the Information Department—to coordinate existing historical materials.
He explained that although each agency possesses its own comprehensive and well-preserved collection, constraints regarding resource sharing force researchers to visit multiple locations separately.
“Coordination and collaboration among agencies are vital to facilitate access to historical materials and ensure that research efforts can be conducted more comprehensively,” he stated.
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