"Cat City" a Kuching Travel Page by mansionion

Kuching is the capital city for the state of Sarawak - Malaysia's largest state on the island of Borneo. It is said that its name is derived from many sources, however the most significant is from the Malay word "kucing" which means cat. Some sources say that Kuching originated from the Chinese word "Gu Chin" which means harbour as well as after a lychee like local fruit called "mata kucing" (cat's eye).

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Kuching Waterfront on rainy day

Kuching is a city fronting the Sarawak River. The river plays a significant role in the early days of Kuching as a trading post and it is still a significant part of the city untill today. The city has a long history as a trading post that has attracted people from various places to settle down in the area. Malays, Chinese, Indians, Europeans and others have joined the many indigenous groups of the region to create a multi cultural city as it is today.

In the 18th century, Sarawak was part of the Kingdom of Brunei. However, there was an uprising of dissatisfaction among the locals on the high tax payable to the Kingdom. These caused a large demonstration against the Brunei Empire.

Enter James Brooke, a rich English Adventurer who was later asked by the Sultan of Brunei to stop the demonstration in Sarawak. He succeeded and as a sign of appreciation, the Sultan of Brunei appointed James Brooke as the Governer of Sarawak.

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Sarawak Tourism Complex (formerly Court Complex)

As being a Governor is not enough for him, James Brooke requested the British Navy assistance to protect his position. With the protection, the Sultan of Brunei was forced to sign an agreement with him and Sarawak was fully handed over to James Brooke who later proclaimed himself as the First White Rajah of Sarawak.

Under his rule, Kuching became an important trading and administrative centre and consolidated its role as a port. His successor, Charles Brooke (1868-1917), was responsible for many of the historical buildings within the city. When Sarawak became part of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, Kuching has changed and developed into a flourishing modern city.

Today, Kuching is said to be one of the most live able and people-friendly citiy in the region. It is a green and clean city that has all the modern amenities without losing its old world charm where multi-storey buildings blend well with structures from its colonial days. As its river front remain a focal point of the city , Kuching Waterfront was developed to give the city its own character.