Order of the Star of Sarawak

Order of the Star of Sarawak
Awarded by The Rajah of Sarawak
Type	Order
Motto	HARAPLAH SA-LAGI BERNAFAS (As long as i breathe,i hope)
Awarded for	to recognise exceptional services by the Sarawak subjects and Foreigners alike to the State of Sarawak
Status	Not Awarded since 1946 Dormant order since 2006
Rajah	Charles Vyner Brooke
Grades	Master(MSS) Companion(CSS) Officer(OSS)
Statistics
First induction	26 September 1928
Last induction	1946
Ribbon of the Order

The Most Excellent Order of the Star of Sarawak (Malay: Darjah Yang Amat Gemilang Bintang Sarawak) was established by Charles Vyner Brooke, The Rajah of Sarawak, on 26 September 1928 as the highest order of chivalry within the Raj of Sarawak.^[1] The motto of the Order was "Haraplah Sa-lagi Bernafas", the Sarawak state motto, a translation of the Latin phrase Dum Spiro Spero, which literally means "As long as I breathe, I hope".

When instituted, the Order held dual status as a dynastic order of knighthood as well as a state order, with the Rajah as its Sovereign. It had a bright yellow ribbon with a black line down the centre.^[2] When Sarawak became a British colony in 1946, the Rajah stopped making appointments, and in 2006 the Order became dormant upon the death of the last-known recipient, Elizabeth Choy.

In 1964, the post-independence government of Sarawak constituted The Most Illustrious Order of the Star of Sarawak (Darjah Yang Amat Mulia Bintang Sarawak), and in 1988, renamed it The Most Exalted Order of the Star of Sarawak (Darjah Utama Yang Amat Mulia Bintang Sarawak). This current Order has no connection whatsoever with the previous one except in name.

The Order consisted of:

• Sovereign
• Grand Master

The three ordinary ranks of members are:

• Master (MSS)-consists of breast star, sash, and sash badge.
• Companion (CSS)-a badge worn from a necklet.^[3]
• Officer (OSS)-a badge worn from a medal ribbon on the left breast.