text: At times the Iban groups would establish informal alliances with the Malay communities in the vicinity. These alliances were occasionally utilized for joint actions, such as launching attacks on the Kayan tribes inhabiting the region and conducting raids on passing Chinese and Indonesian vessels that traversed through this particular area.
  Kingdom of Sarawak (Brooke administration)
  James Brooke assumed control of Sarawak, now known as Kuching, in 1841 after acquiring the territory from the Bruneian Empire. In 1853, Sarawak expanded its borders to incorporate the Sibu region, which at the time was a small village characterized by shophouses constructed with atap roofs, wooden walls, and floors.
  The earliest inhabitants of Sibu were the Melanau people, followed by the influx of Iban and Malay communities in the 1850s. Rajah Brooke, in 1862, oversaw the construction of Sibu Fort (commonly referred to as Fort Brooke), strategically situated at present-day Channel Road in Sibu. This fort played a pivotal role as an administrative center for the Brooke government in Sibu. However, it was demolished in 1936.
  It was customary for the White Rajah to erect such forts to assert territorial claims and provide protection. The existence of Sibu Fort is substantiated by historical accounts which described its location and history: