In the 1860s Charles Brooke made the first trials to promote the cultivation of cash crops. The Italian naturalist Odoardo Beccari and Mr Martin, a planter from Ceylon, were engaged to find a suitable place for the cultivation of coffee. In the end, they decided to raise a plantation at Mount Matang. In September 1866 they started to fell the forest for the plantation and started the plantation in 1867. Although first attempts failed, Brooke went on running the plantation with coffee and tea cultivation. Plantation managers were permanently changing and Charles Brooke took over Matang more than once and had to settle the debts. The plantation was closed in 1912.
Like in other parts of South East Asia, the labour need could not be met with the local population and the shortage of labour was felt severely. The growing number of plantations for cash crops like sugar, coffee or tea in British South-East Asia produced an increasing demand for manual labour in the economies of these countries. The development was favoured by growing steamer facilities between India and other ports. In Southern India, the Great Famine from 1876 to 1878 caused excessive mortality and weakened the economic and agricultural strength of that region.
In consequence, a large number of agricultural workers of South India escaped the harsh economic conditions and went overseas to work in the plantations of the British and French colonial empires
From the very beginnings, Indian coolies were employed on the Matang plantation. Coming from the South of India or Ceylon, they were assumed to be experienced in handling tea and coffee plants. At that time Indian labourers came as free coolies from Singapore or they were directly recruited from estates in Ceylon although this was prohibited. But, the Ceylon Government allowed them to proceed to Sarawak because they didn't wish any difficulties.
When Charles Brooke took over Matang in 1888 he started negotiations with the British Government in India about the direct recruitment of indentured labour for Sarawak. He was also forced by the European tea and coffee planters to take this step.
Brooke had to guarantee the proper treatment of the labourers and that Sarawak would follow every regulation by passing a corresponding enactment. A Tamil speaking agent would be appointed for Kuching to enforce the terms of the Indian Immigrant enactment. In June 1897 the Indian Immigration Department was established and Gerard S. Sands was appointed the first Indian Immigration Agent. He was also the plantation Manager on Matang at that time.
On June 29th 1897 the first batch of 70 coolies arrived, but some of them returned immediately. The fields were overgrown and coffee plants had been neglected. In that year abt. 200 new coolies (202 adults and 36 children) were brought into the country under the Sarawak Indian Immigration Act. From that time on there were always abt. 250 coolies employed at Matang.