History

Views of Sarawak in the early century 1839

There is an opinion that Kuching takes its name after a small stream, the Kuching River flows between China and the Museum of Tua Pek Kong Temple. Kuching River probably acquired its name from its frequent Forest Cats visit. River is also close to a lot of hills covered with fruit trees Cat Eye. Thus the hill called Bukit Mata Kuching. However, the evidence suggests that Kuching has been known by that name since the arrival of the English traveler, James Brooke in 1839.

From the others say no opinion on Brooke's reign, Kuching play an important role in Indo-China trade and Asian Pacific region. Located in the southern island of Borneo is a strategic location for a port stop by the merchants Indo-China. Therefore, there are theoretical opinion Kuching Brooke takes its name from the words 'Cochin', which means the port at that time. Before continuing its voyage, the merchants from India and China merchants often stopped Kuching (Borneo) to get supplies, and some took the chance to improve their ships.

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.

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. On August 12, 1872, Sarawak Proper was given its present name, Kuching, under the rule of the second Rajah of Sarawak, Charles Brooke.

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). 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.

After the end of World War II the third the last Rajah, Sir Charles Vyner Brooke ceded Sarawak to the British Crown in 1946. Sarawak and the British Commonwealth fought an "Undeclared War" with Indonesia to keep Sarawak from being absorbed into Sukarno's Indonesia. The British gave Sarawak independence in 1963 and together with North Borneo, Sabah and Singapore, helped form Malaysia on 16 September 1963. Singapore became an independent nation in 1965.