Sarawak

American  

[suh-rah-wahk, -wah] / səˈrɑ wɑk, -wɑ /

noun

1. a state in the federation of Malaysia, on NW Borneo: formerly a British crown colony (1946–63) and British protectorate (1888–1946). About 50,000 sq. mi. (129,500 sq. km). Kuching.

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Sarawak British  

/ səˈrɑːwək /

noun

1. a state of Malaysia, on the NW coast of Borneo on the South China Sea: granted to Sir James Brooke by the Sultan of Brunei in 1841 as a reward for helping quell a revolt; mainly agricultural. Capital: Kuching. Pop: 2 071 506 (2000). Area: about 124 449 sq km (48 050 sq miles)

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Example Sentences

However, tensions with Petroleum Sarawak could weigh on near-term upstream investments in Sarawak amid regulatory uncertainty, he says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

The Sarawak Report news portal first blew the whistle, followed by The Wall Street Journal in 2015, which published documents showing Najib received at least $681 million in payments to his personal accounts.

From Barron's • Dec. 25, 2025

Vietnam would like a regional grid so it could sell clean energy, such as from offshore wind, to its neighbors while the Malaysian province of Sarawak is looking to sell its hydropower to neighboring Indonesia.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 26, 2023

"We hope the development of the capital will bring greater benefits to the wider region, including on Sabah and Sarawak," he said.

From Reuters • Jan. 9, 2023

I was greatly tempted as I passed Sarawak, in the island of Borneo, to run in and visit my friend Rajah Brooke, whose career in the East has been so remarkable a one.

From Memoirs of Service Afloat, During the War Between the States by Semmes, Raphael