By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 1: Sarawak’s history must be revisited and rewritten through a broader lens, with greater reliance on local sources and voices to address gaps, correct inaccuracies and deepen understanding of the state’s past, said Sarawak Governor Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
He stressed that rewriting Sarawak’s history should not be misconstrued as an attempt to alter established historical facts, but as a necessary effort to reassess how Sarawak’s past has been documented, interpreted and understood.
“Rewriting Sarawak’s history does not mean changing facts at will.
“It means addressing shortcomings, correcting mistakes, broadening perspectives, critically examining external sources, and elevating local sources and the voices of Sarawak’s own communities within its historical narrative,” he said as reported by Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas).
Wan Junaidi said this when delivering the Statesman Lecture at the Sarawak History International Conference 2.0 2026 at Wisma Melayu Sarawak here today.
He said a fuller account of Sarawak’s history required historians and researchers to look beyond established narratives and examine a wider body of evidence, particularly sources that had traditionally received less attention.
Among these, he said, were old manuscripts, genealogical records, traditional poetry, oral histories and personal records, which could provide valuable insights into the experiences, identities and perspectives of Sarawak’s diverse communities.
He said these sources should form part of a more comprehensive approach to historical scholarship, rather than allowing Sarawak’s past to be understood predominantly through external accounts.
“History must be examined through multiple sources and voices,” he said, stressing the importance of critically assessing Western and European records alongside local evidence and perspectives.
Such an approach, he said, would allow Sarawak to develop a more complete historical narrative that acknowledges established historical records while also addressing areas that remain under-researched or insufficiently represented.
The call comes amid a wider effort to strengthen the study and documentation of Sarawak’s history, placing greater emphasis on the state’s own archival materials, community knowledge and historical traditions.
Also present were Wan Junaidi’s wife, Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah Mohd Sanusi; National Unity Minister Dato Sri Aaron Ago Dagang; Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah; and other dignitaries. — DayakDaily
