Practical training report: Sri Aman Resident Office / Mohd Syahrulnizam Jamalludin

Brooke’s Family had been ruling the government of Sarawak for 100 years,from 1841 to 1941. To stabilize the chaos of the war that was rampant in Sarawak at that time, Rajah Charles Brooke, on June 1, 1873, formed three administrative divisions, consisted of the First Division (now known as the Kuching Division), Second Division (Sri Aman) and Third Division (Sibu). The administrative work for each division was headed by a resident, acting as a Rajah Representative, and he was assisted by district officer, who took over the administration at the district level. In order to strengthen and uphold the administrative authority, the Brooke government build forts on the banks of rivers, all of which were located at a strategic position. In 1849, Fort James was built, based on the name of the first Rajah of Sarawak. However, the condition of the soil was not conducive, and it led to frequent flooding around the area. In 1864, Fort James was demolished and most of the materials that were able to be saved were sent to Simanggang (Sri Aman).