Order of the Star of Sarawak

The Most Excellent Order of the Star of Sarawak (lit: 'Darjah Yang Amat Gemilang Bintang Sarawak') was established by Charles Vyner Brooke, The Rajah of Sarawak, on 26 September 1928 as the highest order of chivalry within the Raj of Sarawak.[1] The motto of the order was "Haraplah Sa-lagi Bernafas", which was also the Sarawak state motto, a translation of the Latin phrase Dum Spiro Spero, which literally means "As long as I breathe, I hope".

Order of the Star of Sarawak
Awarded by The Rajah of Sarawak
TypeOrder
MottoHARAPLAH SA-LAGI BERNAFAS (As long as i breathe,i hope)
Awarded forto recognise exceptional services by the Sarawak subjects and Foreigners alike to the State of Sarawak
StatusNot Awarded since 1946
Dormant order since 2006
RajahCharles Vyner Brooke
GradesMaster(MSS)
Companion(CSS)
Officer(OSS)
Statistics
First induction26 September 1928
Last induction1946

Ribbon of the Order

When instituted the order had a dual status as a dynastic order of knighthood as well as a state order with the Rajah as the Sovereign of the order. It had a bright yellow ribbon with a black line down the centre.[2] When Sarawak became of a British colony in 1946 the Rajah stopped making appointments and with the death of the last known recipient, Elizabeth Choy in 2006, the order became dormant.

In 1964, the post-independence government of Sarawak created a new order with a simpler name The Most Illustrious Order of the Star of Sarawak (Darjah Yang Amat Mulia Bintang Sarawak), and in 1988, they renamed it as the Most Exalted Order of the Star of Sarawak, or Darjah Utama Yang Amat Mulia Bintang Sarawak in Malay. However, the revived order has no connection whatsoever with the previous order except for the name.

Composition edit

The Order consisted of:

  • Sovereign
  • Grand Master

The three ordinary ranks of members are:

  • Master (MSS)-consists of breast star, sash, and sash badge.
  • Companion (CSS)-a badge worn from a necklet.[3]
  • Officer (OSS)-a badge worn from a medal ribbon on the left breast.


Rank Appointed Recipients Name Notes
Sovereign 26-Jun-1929 Charles Vyner Brooke
Grand Master 21-Sep-1941 Sylvia Brooke
Master 31-Mar-1941 Datu Patinggi Abang Haji Abdillah (1862–1946) A Malay leader in Kuching, and also in Sarawak, renowned for his non-violent struggle against the cession of Sarawak to Britain.
John Beville Archer, CMG
21-Sep-1941 Cyril Drummond Le Gros Clark Chief Secretary of Sarawak
Companions 26-Sep-1928 Ong Tiang Swee, OBE (1864–1950) A renowned Chinese leader in Kuching. His grandson, Late Tan Sri Datuk Amar Ong Kee Hui is a renowned politician.
31-Mar-1941 Abang Suleiman
Inche Haji Mohamed Zin
John Gordon Anderson
Thomas Corson
Cecil Pitt-Hardacre, OBE
Kenelm Hubert Digby
21-Sep-1941 Leonora Margaret Brooke Daughter of Rajah Charles Vyner Brooke
Gerald Trueman MacGill MacBryan
20-Jun-1946 Thomas Edward Eastick, DSO, ED Military Governor of Sarawak from 10 September 1945 to December 1945
Tan Bak Lim
Aloysius Hopfgartner Former Principal of St. Joseph School Kuching (August 1931 – 1934)
27-Jun-1946 John Alfred Smith, OBE
Wee Kheng Chiang Founder of United Overseas Bank (UOB)
Officers 31-Mar-1941 Barbara Pitt-Hardacre
20-Jun-1946 Khan Ah Chong, MBE
Lau Chai Lim
Mangu Ah Kui
Charles Stephen Were
Thomas Crocker
Thomas Attenborough
William Geikie
Ethel Annie Henderson, MBE Nursing Sister, Kuching General Hospital 1935–1942; interned by Japanese
Murugasu Sockalingham
Denis Charles White
John Coleraine Hanbury Barcroft
Kho Soon Ewe
Chin Shin Sen
George Edward Bacon
27-Jun-1946 Helen Chan
Elizabeth Choy (1910–2006) North Borneo-born Singaporean war heroine. Rajah Charles Vyner Brooke presented her with the Order in recognition of her work of assisting the British POWs during the Japanese occupation.
Lim Song Kee
Edwin William Howell

References edit

  1. ^ Sarawak Government Almanac,Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Berhad (Cawangan Sarawak)
  2. ^ "The Most Illustrious Order of the Star of Sarawak". Emedals.com. September 2016.
  3. ^ http://www.rarusnet.com/popup_image.php?pID=13900 Photo of the Companion medal,rarusnet.com