Kuching

Kuching
—  City  —
City of Kuching
A part of the western side of Kuching city centre skyline at dusk, viewed from across the Sarawak River.
Official Seals of the City of Kuching
Commission of the City of Kuching North Council of the City of Kuching South
Nickname(s): "Cat City"
Kuching
Location in Borneo
Kuching
Location in Malaysia
Coordinates:
Country Malaysia
State Sarawak
Division Kuching Division
District Kuching District
First settled Circa AD 600s (7th century)[1]
Incorporation (Municipality) November 1906[2]
Incorporation (City) 1 August 1988
Government
 • Type Kuching South : Mayor–council government Kuching North : Council–manager government
 • Mayor (Kuching South) James Chan Khay Syn[3]
 • Commissioner (Kuching North) Datuk Abang Wahap Abang Julai[4]
Area[5]
 • City of Kuching 431.01 km2 (166.4 sq mi)
 • Kuching North 369.48 km2 (142.7 sq mi)
 • Kuching South 61.53 km2 (23.8 sq mi)
  Sourced from the DBKU official website
Elevation 27 m (89 ft)
Highest elevation 810.2 m (2,658 ft)
Lowest elevation 0 m (0 ft)
Population [6]
 • City of Kuching 617,887
 • Estimate (2010) 984,549
 • Density 1,208.2/km2 (3,129.2/sq mi)
  Sourced from the Population and Housing Census of Malaysia 2000. Census 2010 is currently in progress.
Demonym Kuchingite
Time zone MST (UTC+8)
 • Summer (DST) Not observed (UTC+8)
Postal code 93xxx
International dialling code prefix +6082 (landline only)
Vehicle registration plate prefix QQ, QA and QK (for all vehicles except taxis)
HQ (for taxis only)
Website Kuching North: www.dbku.gov.my/
Kuching South: www.mbks.gov.my/

Kuching ( /ˈkuːtʃɪŋ/ koo-ching; Chinese: 古晋）), officially the City of Kuching,[7] and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia.[8][9]

Kuching is one of the two subsets of the Kuching Proper subdistrict, the other subset being part of the Padawan municipality. Kuching Proper is one of the three subdistricts in the Kuching District, which is one of the three districts in the Kuching Division.

Contents

Etymology

More than 150 years ago, Sarawak was essentially Kuching. Kuching was known as Sarawak first, then the word Proper, was added to Sarawak, thus Sarawak Proper, so as to distinguish it from the larger Sarawak which, in 1841, consisted of only the area between Tanjung Datu, and the Samarahan River.[10] On 12 August 1872, Sarawak Proper was given its present name, Kuching, under the rule of the second Rajah of Sarawak, Charles Brooke.[11]

Kuching was named after a tidal stream called Kuching River (Sungai Kuching) that ran between the present-day Tua Pek Kong Temple, and Chinese History Museum. The stream originated from Cat's Eye Hill (Bukit Mata Kuching) where there was an abundance of a local fruit called Green Longan (Isau, Dimocarpus longan ssp malesianus), vernacularly known as Cat's Eye (Mata Kuching).[10] In 1928, the stream was filled up to make way for the construction of Temple Street (Lebuh Temple), and thus the city's expansion eastwards.

History

Kuching is the third capital of Sarawak, founded by the representative of the Sultan of Brunei, Pengiran Indera Mahkota in 1827. Prior to the founding of Kuching, the two past capitals of Sarawak were Santubong, founded by Sultan Pengiran Tengah in 1599, and Lidah Tanah, founded by Datu Patinggi Ali in the early 1820s.

Kuching as the Capital of the Brooke Administration

Sarawak was a part of the Sultanate of Brunei before it was ceded to British adventurer James Brooke, who ruled it as his personal kingdom from 24 September 1841. The official declaration was not made until 18 August 1842. Brooke took over as a reward for helping to bring about a peaceful settlement facing Bidayuh uprising against the Sultan of Brunei. This marked an onset of three generations of the Brooke family rule.

Kuching became the seat of the Brooke government and underwent remarkable changes. As the administrative capital, it was the focus of attention and development. Some of the first things James Brooke did was to introduce a code of laws and build his residence on a site at the northern bank of the Sarawak River. The present-day Astana (Palace), which is now the official residence of the Governor of Sarawak, is next to the original Brooke building.

Under James Brooke, piracy and headhunting were banned and law and order enforced. However, Kuching remained cramped and lacking in facilities. It was not until 1868 when Charles Brooke became the Second Rajah that greater efforts were made to upgrade the town. Drainage was improved, new buildings and streets sprang up and old shophouses were replaced with brick ones. In fact, most of Kuching from the town centre and its outlying areas was rebuilt after the great fire in 1884.

The Brooke Administration was given the status of Protectorate under Rajah Charles Brooke's rule and was placed behind the Indian Rajas and Princes. By the end of the Charles Brooke rule, Kuching had grown from a small ramshackle place into a town with attractive Victorian-styled Government buildings and telecommunication service. Sampans (small boats) and trains were the primary mode of transport. There were even sports and entertainment facilities such as a race course and the Sarawak Club, complete with a bar, billiard tables and bowling alleys.

Kuching continued to prosper under Charles Vyner Brooke, who succeeded his father as the Third Rajah of Sarawak. In 1941, Kuching became the venue of the Brooke Government Centenary Celebration. A few months later, the Brooke administration came to a close when the Japanese occupied Sarawak.

World War Two

During World War 2, 6 platoons of infantry from 2/15 Punjab Regiment were stationed at Kuching. Kuching would be defended because of its airfield, and because its occupation by the enemy would give access to the important Dutch airfield at Singkawang II, sixty miles to the southwest and only some 350 miles from Singapore.[12]

Kuching was surrendered to the Japanese forces on 24 December 1941, and Sarawak was part of the Japanese Imperial Empire for three years and eight months, until the official Japanese surrender on 11 September 1945, on board HMAS Kapunda at Kuching. From March 1942, the Japanese operated a POW and civilian internee Batu Lintang camp, three miles (5 km) outside Kuching.[13]

After the end of World War II the third and last Rajah, Sir Charles Vyner Brooke ceded Sarawak to the British Crown in 1946. Kuching was revitalised as the capital of Sarawak under the British Colonial Government. When Sarawak, together with Northern Borneo, Singapore and the Federation of Malaya, formed the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, Kuching was maintained as the State Capital. The town experienced rapid development, resulting in its incorporation as a City in 1988.

Geography

Kuching is situated at the banks of the Sarawak River on the North-Western part of the island of Borneo.

The limits of the City of Kuching include all that area in Kuching District containing an area approximately 431.01 km2 (166.4 sq mi) bounded from Gunung Lasak (Mount Lasak) in Muara Tebas to Batu Buaya (Crocodile Rock) in the Santubong peninsula following a series of survey marks as stated in the First Schedule of the City of Kuching Ordinance, 1988. As a simplification of the legal statute, the Kuching city limits extend from the Kuching International Airport in the south to the northern coast of the Santubong and Bako peninsulas; from the Kuching Wetlands National Park in the west to the Kuap River estuary in the east. The Sarawak River generally splits the city into North and South.

The highest point in the city is Mount Santubong on the Santubong peninsula, which is at 810.2 m (2,658 ft) AMSL, located 35 km north of the city centre.

Climate

City of Kuching (2008)
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D
 
 
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: Monthly Statistical Bulletin Sarawak

Kuching has a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen climate classification Af), moderately hot but very humid at times and receives substantial rainfall. The average annual rainfall is approximately 4,200 mm or 165 inches (4,200 mm).[14] Kuching is the wettest populated area (on average) in Malaysia with an average of 247 rainy days per year. Kuching receives only 5 hours of sunshine per day on average and an average of only 3.7 hours of sunshine per day in the month of January (wettest month of the year). The wettest times are during the North-East Monsoon months of November to February and the dry season starts from June till August. The temperature in Kuching ranges from 19 °C (66 °F) to 36 °C (97 °F) but the average temperature is around 23 °C (73 °F) in the early hours of the morning and rises to around 33 °C (91 °F) during mid afternoon but the heat index often reaches 42 °C (108 °F) during the dry season due to the humidity. This temperature stays almost constant throughout the year if it is not affected by the heavy rain and strong winds during the early hours of the morning which could but rarely bring the temperature down to 19 °C (66 °F). The temperature could also rise to 38 °C (100 °F) under rare cases due to the haze caused by open burning from Indonesia during the dry season. The haze occurs almost annually around mid year in Kuching.

Demographics

Kuching is the 4th largest urban area in Malaysia, after Kuala Lumpur-Klang Valley, Penang and Johor Bahru. The 2006 census indicates that Greater Kuching's metropolitan area, including Asajaya, Samarahan and Bau-Lundu, has 1,000,000 inhabitants.[17]

The main urban population of 579,900 (2006 census; Kuching City South – 143,500; Kuching City North – 133,600; Padawan- 3rd Mile/ 7th Mile/ 10th Mile – 302,800) is made up of Chinese (220,400), Malays (207,000), Ibans (58,100) and other ethnic groups. The Dayaks, the grouping of local indigenous tribes, can be categorized into Ibans, Bidayuhs, Melanaus and Orang Ulu, among others. The Chinese are made up of Fujianese (Hokkien) in the city areas and Hakka in the suburbs mainly. Other Chinese consist of Foochow (Fuzhou), Teochew, Hainanese, Cantonese, Henghua and others. Interracial marriages among those of different ethnic backgrounds are common in Kuching.

The main religions are Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism and Islam . The Chinese practice either Buddhism, Taoism or Christianity. Most Dayaks are Christian, with the exception of the Melanaus, who are partially Muslim.

The city is considered one of the cleanest cities in Malaysia and was voted as one of the world's healthiest cities, recognised and awarded by both United Nations (UN) and World Health Organisation (WHO)[18] and by the Alliance for Healthy Cities (AFHC) in Suzhou, China.[19]

A majority of people in Kuching are capable of communicating in Bahasa Melayu (Malay Language) and English. English is more widely spoken in Kuching than other Malaysian cities due to Sarawak's history and the large number of native dialect languages. The dialect of Malay spoken in Kuching is known as Bahasa Sarawak (Sarawakian Malay Language), which is a subset of the Malay language.

On top of Malay and English, Kuchingites can usually speak his or her own ethnic dialect or language. An Iban can speak Iban, a Bidayuh can speak Bidayuh and the Chinese usually several Chinese dialects, the most common being Min Nan, Hakka and Mandarin.

Government

Kuching is the only city in Malaysia to be administered by two distinct entities; a local authority (City Council) and a state government statutory body granted a City Hall status.

The city's twin administration was born out of the need of an efficient system which would allow for a balanced development and population distribution for the two territories. It will also ensure that the local authority of the city proper will not be hampered by the former jurisdiction of Kuching Rural District Council (KRDC).

The City of Kuching is divided into two areas; Kuching North and Kuching South. Each of these is administered by a Mayor (Malay: Datuk Bandar); legally called Mayor for Kuching South and Commissioner for Kuching North. The city delimitation exercise also resulted in the city centre being split into East and West.

Administration of the City of Kuching South

Kuching City South largely covers the area previously under the Kuching Municipal Council (KMC).

This area is administered by the Council of the City of Kuching South (Malay: Majlis Bandaraya Kuching Selatan), known by its Malay acronym MBKS. As a local authority, the powers and functions of MBKS are as conferred by the KMC Ordinance are maintained with minor changes.

The Council comprises a Mayor, a Deputy Mayor and 25 Councillors, all of whom are appointed by the State Government of Sarawak. The Councillors are responsible for formulating the Council's policies and for ensuring that the Administrator implements these policies in an efficient and effective manner. The City Secretary is the Chief Administrative Officer of the City Council and assisted by six Heads of Division. These six Divisions are broken down into 16 Sections and 12 Units (with the exception of the Internal Audit Unit which reports directly to the Mayor).

Administration of the City of Kuching North

Kuching City North refers to a significant part of the territory formerly administered by the Kuching Rural District Council (KRDC). It also includes a part of the former KMC area and the entire Petra Jaya area which is also the administrative centre of the State Government of Sarawak.

Kuching City North is placed under the jurisdiction of a nine-member commission, known as the Commission of the City of Kuching North (Malay: Suruhanjaya Bandaraya Kuching Utara). The chairman of the Commission is a Commissioner, appointed by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak and reports directly to the Chief Minister of Sarawak. The Commissioner is given the mayoral control over Kuching City North while the eight remaining non-executive members become his Board of Advisors. The powers and functions of a Commissioner are contained in the Kuching City North Ordinance, which is closely modelled on that of Kuching City South.

One of the differences of this type of administration compared to that of MBKS is that most of the executive decisions are not made by the Commissioner, but the Director who reports to him instead, similar to the Executive Chairman – Managing Director relationship in a company. The Director is assisted by four Deputy Directors, each leading a Department, and these four Departments are broken down into 17 Divisions (excluding three Divisions which report directly to the Director and the Internal Audit Division which reports directly to the Commissioner).

With the exclusion of the eight non-executive Commission members (Board of Advisors), the Commissioner-cum-Mayor, the Director and all their subordinate officers form the administration known as the Kuching North City Hall (Malay: Dewan Bandaraya Kuching Utara), also known by its Malay acronym DBKU. DBKU is classified as a state government statutory body granted a City Hall status (not a local authority by definition of the Local Authority Ordinance, 1996).

Education

Education in Kuching City is provided by a sizeable number of public and private institutions.

Higher and tertiary education

The city's higher education system follows the guidance of the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE). Under the purview of MOHE are two main departments, namely the Institutes of Higher Education Management Department and the Polytechnic and Community College Management Department.

There are currently no public university campuses in Kuching, apart from the UNIMAS Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences building situated next to the Sarawak General Hospital. The Sarawak state government has moved the last remaining public university campus (Universiti Teknologi MARA) from Kuching to Kota Samarahan in 1997 in a long-term initiative to transform Kota Samarahan into an education hub.[20] However, there is a polytechnic (Politeknik Kuching Sarawak) and a community college (Kolej Komuniti Kuching) available for school leavers seeking further education in public institutions in Kuching.

Kuching is home to two full-fledged private university campuses; namely the Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, the only branch campus of Swinburne University of Technology outside Australia; and UCSI University, Sarawak Campus which houses the Faculty of Hospitality & Management. Swinburne University Sarawak Campus is currently run by Professor Helmut Lueckenhausen; the CEO and PVC (Pro Vice Chancellor) since 2007.

The city has other private colleges, mainly subsidiaries from universities and university colleges established in West Malaysia, such as SEGi College, Sarawak, Sunway College Kuching, PTPL Sarawak, INTI College Sarawak, Limkokwing Borneo and Twintech College Sarawak.

There are also private institutions conducting franchised programmes from full-fledged universities (apart from running their own courses) such as SATT College (conducting franchised programmes from UiTM) and the Institute of Dynamic Management, Sarawak (conducting franchised programmes from UNIRAZAK).

The International College of Advanced Technology Sarawak or ICATS is an institution created as the state government's initiative to enhance technical and vocational training education among school leavers. Operated by a state-owned subsidiary, ICATS focuses on producing human capital for the hi-tech sector, especially for the development of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy.

Primary and secondary education

The Malaysian Ministry of Education (MOE) oversees the education system on the primary and secondary levels. The Sarawak Education Department manages all aspects of the education service in the state. Public schools in Sarawak are supervised according to districts under the purview of a District Education Officer.[21] In Kuching, all schools under the National Education System (government education institution category), are managed by the Kuching Combined Education Office (Pejabat Pelajaran Gabungan Kuching).

There are more than 80 schools with an enrollment of more than 30,000 students in the City of Kuching.[22] Schools are divided into 4 levels of education namely pre-school, primary, secondary (lower & upper) and post-secondary (excluding tertiary). As of January 2010, SMK Green Road has the highest enrollment of 2075 among all secondary schools in Kuching[23] while SJK Chung Hua No. 3 has the highest enrollment of 1553 among all primary schools.[24]

Libraries

The Sarawak State Library (Pustaka Negeri Sarawak) is the major information resource centre and provides information services for the public and private sectors. It links with libraries, archives and information centers elsewhere in Sarawak and throughout Malaysia, and also provides a gateway into and from publicly accessible international information centres.[25] The library serves Kuching and its outskirts as the main depository of public records. In addition it administers, monitors and facilitates the operations of 36 village libraries in the state funded by the National Library of Malaysia.[26]

Other public libraries in Kuching include the DBKU City Library and village libraries such as in Bandar Baru Samariang, Kampung Samariang Lama and Taman Sepakat Jaya.

Transportation

Land

Roads within the city are of a reasonable standard, though traffic congestion often leads to long tailbacks during weekday rush hour. As Kuching is located near the equator, potholes have the tendency to develop on the roads during the monsoon season (usually around the end of the year, coinciding with winter in the northern hemisphere). Roads leading outside of Kuching to the interior are of a slightly lower quality but are being upgraded from time to time. The main resort roads (e.g. leading to Damai) and Borneo Highlands are good.

Bus travel is available by either antiquated, smoky, non-air-conditioned buses or newer air-conditioned buses or the 'van sapu' (mini-van converted into mini-buses) which are cheaper. Air transport is served by Kuching International Airport, 12 km away from the city, currently the subject of several expansion projects. Those trying to get a bird-eye's view of the city have the option of hiring a helicopter or small plane from Hornbill Skyways.

Kuching is served by several major bus companies. Among others, Chin Liang Long Motor Vehicle Co. (traditionally blue) serving Kuching South, Matang Transport Company (yellow and orange) serving Matang-Kubah and Petra Jaya Transport Company (Black, yellow and red strips) serving Kuching North. The Sarawak Transport Company (traditionally green) and Bau Transport Company (Red) have routes from Kuching to other smaller towns. A large portion of the buses in service are antiquated and not air conditioned. The fares are low. For tourists, the State Ministry of Tourism has provided bus shuttles to transport tourists around Kuching.

Road signs adhere to the Road Sign Standards issued by the Ministry of Transportation. Kuching is famous for many large traffic circles or roundabouts. The roundabouts are efficient at handling medium scale traffic. However, as traffic continues to rise in Kuching several roundabouts have given way to traffic lights and over and underpasses. These traffic circles are usually well landscaped.

The list of highways in Kuching city include:

Water

Kuching, like most towns in Sarawak, has connections to other urban centres and settlements by water transportation. Between the banks of Sarawak River, near the city centre, many 'tambang' (small boats) can be seen ferrying passengers from one riverbank to the other. For those staying along the river banks, it is a faster means of getting to the city-proper. The wharf for express boats servicing transport to further areas such as Sibu and Bintulu, is located in the east of the city, near the Sim Kheng Hong Port, also known as the Tanah Puteh Port, in Pending.

Air

Kuching International Airport is the main gateway for air passengers. The airport's history dates back to the 1940s. The new terminal complex was opened in April 2006.

Tourism

Museums

Kuching maintains a healthy establishment of museums showcasing its rich culture and history. The Sarawak Museum, the oldest of its kind in Borneo, exhibits collections on the natural history of Sarawak. Directly opposite the Sarawak Museum is the Dewan Tun Abdul Razak which serves as an exhibition venue and the office of the Sarawak Museum Department. Located right behind Dewan Tun Abdul Razak is the Sarawak Islamic Museum.

Other museums in Kuching include the Chinese History Museum, the Kuching Cat Museum, the Sarawak Timber Museum and the Sarawak Textile Museum. Kuching is also home to the first ever planetarium in Malaysia, the Sultan Iskandar Planetarium adjacent to the Kuching Civic Centre.

Historical sites

Interesting historical landmarks and sites of Kuching include The Astana (the former palace of the White Rajahs and currently the official residence of the Governor of Sarawak), Fort Margherita, and the Tua Pek Kong temple.

The oldest street of Kuching is the Main Bazaar, a row of 19th century Chinese shophouses located along the Kuching Waterfront overlooking the Sarawak River. It offers the city's best concentration of antique and handicraft shops .[27] The Main Bazaar is part of Kuching's old town, which also includes the Carpenter Street and India Street. The old Courthouse building, which sits in between Carpenter Street and India Street, has undergone restoration and now houses the Sarawak Tourism Board. Some other interesting areas around the CBD include Padungan Street, which is the Chinatown of Kuching.

Other places of interest

The Kuching Waterfront is an approximately 1 kilometer long riverside esplanade stretching from the main hotel and commercial heartland of the city to downtown Kuching. The beautifully landscaped waterfront is dotted with food stalls, restaurants and benches and offers excellent views of The Astana, Fort Margherita and the New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building. The waterfront also features an observation tower, an open-air theater and musical fountains. The Sunday Market at Satok operates during weekends offers a large diversity of items for trade. The Kuching Civic Center offers a panoramic view of the city from a viewing platform during the day.

Attractions near Kuching

Numerous natural attractions including National Parks, notably the Bako National Park and the Kuching Wetlands National Park as well as the Semenggoh Wildlife Center which operates an orang utan orphanage and rehabilitation program are popular attractions near Kuching. Also, available near Kuching are the Gunung Gading National Park and the Kubah National Park.

Located about 40-minutes drive from Kuching is Santubong, a prominent beach resort area home to numerous world-class beach resorts, the Damai beach and the Sarawak Cultural Village. The Sarawak Cultural Village is a primary attraction in the area, which is essentially a living museum that allows visitors a first-hand experience to Sarawak's ethnic diversity. Other beaches accessible nearby Kuching are the Lundu Beach and the Sematan Beach. The Borneo Highlands is also nearby Kuching and offers a fresh and chilly highlands resort experience located 1000-meters above sea level.

Events

Since 1997, Kuching has been host to the Rainforest World Music Festival, an annual music festival which brings performers and spectators to the region from all over the world. Hosted by the Sarawak Cultural Village, the festival is now one of the largest musical events in Malaysia. Since 2009 several large events have been established in Kuching including The Malaysia Global Business Forum and Tomorrow’s Leaders Summit.

The Borneo Convention Centre Kuching or BCCK is the first dedicated convention and exhibition centre in Borneo. It was opened in October 2009 and aims to attract conventions, conferences, events and exhibitions to Kuching.

Menara Pelita and Sarawak Energy HQ in Petra Jaya  
Kuching CBD skyline with Gunung Serapi in the background  
Kuching South City Council Cat Statue  
Old court house built by the Brookes  

Future and current developments

Kuching has many current and future development projects, both public and private. The Matang Highway which will create a direct Kuching-Lundu road access has been constructed. It is a 2-lane, dual-carriageway road, with a gateway bridge over the Selang Rambungan River and a minor bridge over the Matang Sebubut River. Construction of this highway commenced in July 2002 and was completed in May 2007.

Shopping

Kuching Sentral - A new bus terminal mix with 3 storey shopping complex. Located 5 minutes from Kuching international airport.

[[|center|border|180x180px|alt=|The Riverside Shopping Complex in the City Centre ]]
The Riverside Shopping Complex in the City Centre  

Cuisine

Kuching has a number of notable local dishes served at hawker stalls.

Kuching has some very good local seafood restaurants, often run by the Chinese residents serving prime local shellfish. There are many such establishments in and around the city, most notably along the way to popular seaside resorts located on the island of Santubong.

While global chain outlets (McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Starbucks)Marrybrown are ubiquitous in the prime commercial complexes, a local fast food chain "Sugarbun" also serves a variety of Malaysian food in a more Western style.

[[|center|border|180x180px|alt=|Seafood stalls ]]
Seafood stalls  
Kuching Kolo Mee  
Tomato Noodle  

Sister cities

References

  1. ^ "Sejarah Bahagian Samarahan". http://www.samarahanro.sarawak.gov.my/sejarah%20bhg_mei%202009.htm. Retrieved 26 April 2010. 
  2. ^ Sarawak Government Almanac, PNMB Kuching, 2010, "Kuching Municipal Office established." 
  3. ^ "Chan appointed mayor of Kuching". Star Publications. 29 May 2008. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/29/nation/20080529154238&sec=nation. Retrieved 28 June 2008. 
  4. ^ "Ex-cop sworn in as Sixth North Kuching Datuk Bandar". Borneo Post. 2 August 2011. http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/08/02/ex-cop-sworn-in-as-sixth-kuching-north-datuk-bandar/. Retrieved 2 August 2011. 
  5. ^ "City Boundary". http://www.dbku.gov.my/Eng/boundry.htm. Retrieved 26 April 2010. 
  6. ^ "World Gazetter: Malaysia – largest cities (per geographical entity)". http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&des=wg&srt=npan&col=abcdefghinoq&msz=1500&geo=-152. Retrieved 26 April 2010. 
  7. ^ City of Kuching Ordinance [Cap. 48], 1988, para 3.-(1) 
  8. ^ "Sarawak Government Official Portal". Sarawak Government. http://www.sarawak.gov.my/. Retrieved 12 July 2010. 
  9. ^ Butler, Rhett A.. "Largest Cities in Malaysia". Mongabay.com. http://population.mongabay.com/population/malaysia. Retrieved 12 July 2010.  Klang is a town; Kampung Baru Subang is a village.
  10. ^ a b A brief history of Kuching. Occasional Paper No. 6. The Sarawak Museum. 1993. 
  11. ^ Sarawak Government Almanac, PNMB Kuching, 2010, "Kuching so named officially instead of Sarawak." 
  12. ^ L, Klemen (1999-2000). "The Invasion of British Borneo in 1942". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942. http://www.dutcheastindies.webs.com/sarawak.html. 
  13. ^ Ooi, Keat Gin (1998) Japanese Empire in the Tropics: Selected Documents and Reports of the Japanese Period in Sarawak, Northwest Borneo, 1941–1945 Ohio University Center for International Studies, Monographs in International Studies, SE Asia Series 101 (2 vols) ISBN 0-89680-199-3, pages 6–11
  14. ^ "Kuching, Malaysia Weather History and Climate Data". WorldClimate. http://www.worldclimate.com/cgi-bin/data.pl?ref=N01E110+2100+96413W. Retrieved 28 June 2008. 
  15. ^ "Meteorological Observations at Meteorological Station, Kuching International Airport". Monthly Statistical Bulletin (Kuching: Department of Statistics Malaysia, Sarawak) (January 2009): 3. August 2011. ISSN 1823-1640. 
  16. ^ "Meteorological Observations at Meteorological Station, Kuching International Airport". Monthly Statistical Bulletin (Kuching: Department of Statistics Malaysia, Sarawak) (January 2008): 3. August 2011. ISSN 1823-1640. 
  17. ^ Population data from Sarawak Ministry of Health
  18. ^ WHO Healthiest City Award
  19. ^ AFHC Healthiest City Award
  20. ^ Rudy Rukimin Rambli (5 February 2008). "Samarahan Semakin Pesat Berkembang [Rapid Expansion of Samarahan]" (in Bahasa Malaysia). Berita Wilayah. BERNAMA. http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/state_news/bm/news.php?id=312312&cat=srm. Retrieved 26 April 2010. 
  21. ^ "Sarawak Education Department". http://apps.emoe.gov.my/jpnsarawak/. Retrieved 5 May 2010. 
  22. ^ "Sarawak Education Department: Basic Statistics of Schools in Kuching.". 31 October 2008. http://apps.emoe.gov.my/jpnsarawak/STATISTIK/KUCHING.pdf. Retrieved 5 May 2010. 
  23. ^ (in Malay) Maklumat Asas Pendidikan Sekolah Menengah di Sarawak seperti 31 Januari 2010, Sarawak Education Department, 31 January 2010 
  24. ^ (in Malay) Maklumat Asas Pendidikan Sekolah Rendah di Sarawak seperti 31 Januari 2010, Sarawak Education Department, 31 January 2010 
  25. ^ "Sarawak State Library: Our Background". http://www.pustaka-sarawak.com/Pustaka-Sarawak/about_us.php?do=our_background. Retrieved 4 May 2010. 
  26. ^ "Sarawak State Library: Public Library Services". http://www.pustaka-sarawak.com/Pustaka-Sarawak/about_us.php?do=public_library_services. Retrieved 4 May 2010. 
  27. ^ Cuti Malaysia – Sarawak
  28. ^ The Spring
  29. ^ The Spring
  30. ^ Dewan Undangan Negeri
  31. ^ Boulevard Shopping Complex
  32. ^ Green Heights Mall
  33. ^ OneTJ

External links

Divisions
Cities
  • Kuching (capital)
  • Miri
Districts
Sub-Districts
Towns