White Rajahs - Government

Government

When James Brooke first arrived in Sarawak it was governed as a vassal state of the Sultanate of Brunei. When he assumed control of the original area around Kuching in the 1840s, much of the system of government was based on the ineffective Bruneian model. James set about reforming the government and eventually created a civil service, which recruited European, mainly British, officers to run district outstations. The Sarawak Service was continually reformed by Rajah James and his successors.

James retained many of the customs and symbols of Malay monarchy and combined them with his own style of absolute rule. The Rajah had the power to introduce laws and acted as chief judge in Kuching. The Brookes were determined to prevent the peoples of Sarawak from being 'exploited' by Western business interests and formed the Borneo Company Limited to assist in managing the economy. This entity also provided military support to the Brookes during events such as the Chinese Rebellion, when one of the company steamships, The Sir James Brooke, helped recapture Kuching.

A small paramilitary force, the Sarawak Rangers, was formed by Rajah Charles to police and defend the expanding state. This small army also manned a series of forts around the country, performed ceremonial duties and acted as the Rajahs' personal guard.