ABSTRACT
Leftist/communist elements exploited the community’s ‘bitterness’, transforming it into ‘intrigues’ that were manipulated in “striving for the establishment of a new democratic society, then a socialist society and finally a communist society”. Chinese communities were resident in the major towns, viz. Kuching, Sibu, and Miri, owing largely to trade and other commercial activities, besides rural areas such as in and around Bau and the lower Rajang and delta. The towkay elite class of capitalists were undoubtedly better off than the proletariats of the community, namely the mine workers, family-sized smallholders of rubber, peasant farmers particularly in market gardening, petty traders, itinerant coolies, shophouse assistants, hawkers, and artisans. Following an horrific episode in the early years of the Brooke regime, Sarawak had scant issues with intra-ethnic rivalry within the Chinese community. Sustainability of the Chinese vernacular schools depended heavily on donations by the local Chinese community, philanthropists, and school fees.
