In the 1950s, major economic activities in Bintulu were the timber extraction industry, fishing, and Sago processing.
In 1967 Bintulu celebrated the first 100 years of the Council Negri meeting Sarawak State Legislative Assembly.
The oldest primary schools in Miri are St Anthony's Primary School Roman Catholic Mission School , Chung Hua Primary School, and the Orang Kaya Mohammad Primary School, which were established in the early 1960s.