Sarikei, Sarawak

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Sarikei is a town in Sarawak. It is the capital of the Sarikei District, which covers 985 sq km in the Sarikei Division. Just like Sibu, Kanowit and Belaga, Sarikei is another town on the Rajang River. As of the year 2000, Sarikei has a population of 61,000. The people in Sarikei are mostly Iban, Melanau, Malay and Chinese.

Sarikei is a centre for the growing of pepper and pineapples. The shophouses in the town are pre-war houses dating to the 1930's. The town is on the way between Kuching and Sibu on the Pan Borneo Highway.

History of Sarikei

There is no conclusive documentation as to when Sarikei was founded, and by whom. Rajah James Brooke is recorded to have visited it on 30 April 1845, that means it was already established by then. The people of Sarikei is said to have resisted coming under the rule of the White Rajahs, and on 1 April, 1856, they burned down Sarikei rather than to accept Brooke's rule.