I first wrote about Darul Kurnia here. This beautiful house was constructed in 1930 by Datu Patinggi Abang Haji Abdillah, the highest-ranking Malay in Sarawak, and it subsequently became associated with protests against "cession" (under which Sarawak became part of the British Empire, as opposed to remaining under the "white rajahs" and/or becoming independent).




This is a very interesting bit of local history, so when the Sarawak Heritage Society announced they were organizing a study trip, I definitely wanted to be part of it.




The organizers had invited descendants of Datu Patinggi to the event, and a large number came. Many had never seen the house themselves, as it ceased to be a family home in the 1940s, and was adapted for several purposes before becoming the Chung Hua Middle School No. 4. (It didn't last long as the Chinese consulate, by the way, because the resident official found it to be haunted...)


According to his great-grandson, who was the principal speaker, Datu Patinggi was very foresighted in terms of strategically placing his offspring in educational establishments. He entertained generously, but ran the domestic scene with great frugality. According to family historians, he could trace his lineage back to Sumatra and the Sriwijaya empire.

After this introduction, we went to look at the house itself. Obviously, some modifications have been necessary, but it's still a very handsome building, with many original details: