mochaholic wrote:
I agree, Sarawak needs to open up more opportunity for foreigners to come in. We lack the skills and population. True, we'll be needing 20 000 engineers in the next 5 years but how many Sarawakians can possibly fill in this shortfall?

The Brookes had in their mind a vision to 'civilise the natives', filled with Victorian idealism for a better world. They encouraged the natives to fend for themselves while shielding them from outward competition.

However, true, too much protection may make us less able to fend for ourselves, as we become to reliant on aid, as well as complacent, assured that the government will always come to our aid. If Sarawak were to advance further, we need to open up, and we need to be able to stand our ground.

The legal system in Sarawak is distinct from Malaysia as a whole. Seperate jurisdictions, like in Canada and Australia, but we have one very large difference. Only Sarawakians can practice in Sarawak. West Malaysians and Sabahans aren't allowed to practice law, if memory serves me right. In fact, if a Sarawakian is able to practice in Sydney or London, he can practice in Kuching, unlike in KL, where you still need to sit for your CLP, even though you're admitted to the NSW or Inns Bar.

Despite that, we must also keep in mind what happens to countries with open and liberal policies towards foreign workers. The Emirates enjoy amongst the highest percapita income as well as more skilled labour, blue or white collar, yet the local unemployment rate is dangerously high.

Compared with New Zealand, Australia or Hong Kong, the population is generally skilled, unemployment rates are low yet they still need foreign workers to fill in the gaps.

Keep in mind, opening up chances for foreign workers may not always bode well with the populace. Importing foreign workers may be seen as foreign workers snapping away the local's employment opportunities. That was the lead up to Germany's involvement in WWI and WWII, as well as the general hostility towards Asians and East Europeans in some Western countries.

Simpson wrote:
The Sejarah or History Book recorded as if Sarawak History began in 1963. The Brooke era is underplayed with only few pages of brief story. If you look around Kuching, the contribution of Brooke cannot be ignored. There are old court house, post office, Astana, Fort Magherita to name a fews. However history of this buildings are not well documented.

I found out that there are more Sarawak history documented outside Sarawak. Try to do a google search, you will find thousand of websites oversea but none in Sarawak.

The story of Liu San Pan attacking Astana and revenge of Rajah James Brooke attacking Bau might only be recorded in local Chinese history. Thousands of Chinese, young and old, male and female are burnt alive inside the Wing cave. The smell of the decomposed body of the Chinese mine workers was why the town is named Bau.

I am studying History of Brooke through a few books written by Bob Reece. To my astonishment, I began to understand why Sarawak is so much different from the rest of Malaysia.

The Brooke ruled Sarawak in a hope to preserve the native right, so that they are allowed to practise shifting cultivation without exploitation by foreign investor. The Brooke opposed foreign enterprise from developing big plantation in the fear that the native might be exploited and driven out of their land. The NCR land is recognition of native land ownership. This is different from the rest of Malaya and Sabah where the British encouraging foreign companies to set up big plantations.

This system of policy is still very much inheritaged nowasday. For example, West Malaysians and Sabahan had to apply for work permit to work in Malaysia and the situation is even worst for expatriot. For my personal opinion, Sarawakian shall be open to foreigners and other Malaysians to work as well as investment. Skills and investment is desired in development. Sarawakian shall not avoid competition from others as competition bring along skill, quality, improvement and development. I can't imagine in a globalised world, this system is still practised here. We have to open up for new opportunity.