Duncan Stewart (colonial administrator)
Duncan George Stewart (22 October 1904 – 10 December 1949)[1] CMG[2] was a British colonial administrator and governor. He was mortally wounded in an assassination on 3 December 1949, in Sibu, Sarawak.[1][3]
Duncan Stewart | |
|---|---|
| 2nd Governor of Sarawak | |
| In office 14 November 1949 – 10 December 1949 | |
| Monarch | George VI |
| Preceded by | Charles Arden-Clarke |
| Succeeded by | Sir Anthony Abell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Duncan George Stewart 22 October 1904 Transvaal Colony |
| Died | 10 December 1949 (aged 45) Singapore |
Early life
Stewart was born in Witkleifontein[1] on 22 October 1904 in the Transvaal Colony now part of South Africa, and educated in England at Winchester College and Oriel College, Oxford, where he graduated with a BA.[4]
Career
Stewart joined the Colonial Administration Service (CAS) in 1928, and held positions as district officer at Oya Territory, Nigeria, colonial secretary in the Bahamas, secretary of finance in Mandatory Palestine, and secretary of the governorial conference in South Africa. He married and had three children.[4]
His service record was viewed as exceptional, and because of that, he was later announced as the new governor and commander-in-chief for Sarawak by Lord Listowel, minister of state for colonial affairs, to replace Charles Arden-Clarke.
Assassination
Stewart had only been in the new role as Governor of Sarawak[5] for a couple of weeks and was in fact on his first official visit in the colony, to the town of Sibu on 3 December 1949.[6][7] According to press reports of the event he was warmly welcomed by large crowds, who all seemed to be enjoying themselves.[8][9] After inspecting an honour guard and meeting a group of school children, a youth (Moshidi bin Sedek) walked towards him holding a camera claiming to want a picture. As Stewart posed, another youth (Rosli bin Dobi) stabbed him.[8][9] Both youths were immediately arrested.
Despite suffering a deep stab wound Stewart is reported to have tried to carry on until blood began to seep through his white uniform. He was then quickly rushed away for treatment in Kuching but died a few days later after being flown to the General Hospital in Singapore.[8][9]
The two youths were convicted of the murder and hanged. Both were believed to be members of the anti-cession movement, and dedicated to restoring Anthony Brooke to the throne of Sarawak.[8][9] In fact they were both from a political group agitating for union with newly independent Indonesia.[8][9] Documents released in the late 20th century indicate that the British Government knew that Brooke was not involved, but chose not to reveal the truth of the matter so as not to provoke Indonesia. It had recently won its war of independence from the Netherlands, and the UK was already dealing with the Malayan Emergency to the north-west.[8][9]
References
- ^ a b c "Index St-Sz". rulers.org. Rulers. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
- ^ 1948 Birthday Honours
- ^ Duncan George Stewart was fatally stabbed by Rosli Dhobi[1][2]
- ^ a b Agnes Newton Keith, White Man Returns (1951), pp. 282, 283
- ^ "Colonial Office, The Church House, S. W. 1". The London Gazette. No. 38731. 7 October 1949. p. 4800. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
- ^ "British Colonial Governor Stabbed". York Daily Record. 5 December 1949. p. 2. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
- ^ "Sarawak: murder of Duncan George Stewart, Governor, 3 December 1949; trial". National Archives. 1 January 1949 – 31 December 1950. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f Mike Thomson (14 March 2012). "The stabbed governor of Sarawak". bbc.co.uk. BBC News. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f Mike Thomson (12 March 2012). "Radio 4's investigative history - The stabbed governor of Sarawak". bbc.co.uk. BBC News. Retrieved 4 November 2016.