Brunei's Historic Events: A Mayor's Perspective

Brunei, officially Brunei Darussalam, is a small yet significant country in Southeast Asia, situated on the northern coast of the island of Borneo. With a long and dynamic history, here is an overview of some of the major events that have shaped this nation.

Early History and the Bruneian Empire

Brunei's early history is obscure, but it is known that by the 6th century CE, the country was trading with and paying tribute to China. Later, in the 15th century, Brunei became an Islamic sultanate, with control over Borneo, parts of Malaysia, and some islands in the Philippines. During the reign of Sultan Bolkiah (1485-1528), the Bruneian Empire reached its peak, claiming most of Borneo and the Sulu Archipelago.

European Colonialism and Decline

In the 16th century, Brunei began to face internal strife, and its power declined through the 19th century due to territorial losses to European colonial powers. Notably, in 1841, the Sultanate ceded Sarawak to James Brooke, who became the White Rajah, and later ceded Sabah to the British North Borneo Chartered Company. By the end of the 19th century, Brunei was a British protectorate, with a British resident managing its affairs.

World War II and the Road to Independence

During World War II, from 1941 to 1945, Brunei was occupied by Japan. After the war, negotiations for independence began, and in 1959, Brunei achieved self-government with a written constitution. However, this process was interrupted by a revolt in 1962, which was suppressed with British help. Brunei finally gained independence from the United Kingdom on January 1, 1984, and an Islamic sultanate was proclaimed.

Recent Years and the Implementation of Islamic Law

In recent decades, Brunei has experienced political and economic stability, benefiting from its oil and natural gas resources. However, the country has also faced international criticism for its movement towards stricter Islamic practices, including the implementation of a Syariah Penal Code in 2019, which imposes harsh punishments for various offenses.

The Sultanate of Brunei becomes a British protectorate

The Sultanate of Brunei became a British protectorate in 1888, with the signing of the "Treaty of Protection" between Sultan Hashim Jalilul Alam Aqamaddin and the British government. This treaty gave Britain effective control over Brunei's external affairs, preventing the Sultan from holding direct talks with North Borneo and Sarawak, two neighbouring states. The treaty was negotiated by Sir Hugh Low and signed into effect on 17 September 1888, with the intention of obtaining security assurances from Lord Salisbury.

The Sultanate's decline had accelerated in the 19th century, with the cession of Sarawak to the British adventurer James Brooke in 1841, who became the "White Rajah" of the territory. Brooke expanded his territory with the Sultan's consent, and Brunei lost more land to him and his nephews, who succeeded him as "White Rajahs". This, along with the cession of Labuan Island to Britain in 1846, reduced Brunei to its present size.

The Treaty of Protection was meant to safeguard Brunei from further annexation, but it ultimately failed to do so. In 1890, the Brookes annexed the Pandaruan District of Brunei, and the British did not intervene. This final annexation left Brunei with its current small landmass and separation into two parts.

The treaty also allowed the British to prioritise their geopolitical interests, which resulted in more territorial expansions and internal challenges for Brunei. For instance, in 1906, a British resident was assigned to Brunei as colonial manager, and his counsel was obligatory for the Sultan in all domains except Islamic ones. Over time, the resident assumed more executive control than the Sultan, becoming the most powerful person in the Sultanate.

Despite the Sultan's dissatisfaction with the lack of British support, Brunei remained a British protectorate until 1984, when it gained independence.

Brunei gains independence

Brunei's journey to independence began in the 19th century, when the Bruneian Empire began to decline. The Sultanate ceded territories to the British and British adventurers, shrinking the empire to its current size. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate and was assigned a British resident as colonial manager in 1906.

In 1941, during World War II, Brunei was occupied by the Japanese. The British returned after the war, and negotiations began for the eventual independence of Brunei. The first step in this process occurred in 1959, when self-government was achieved and the British resident was replaced by a high commissioner.

In 1979, the United Kingdom and Brunei signed a treaty whereby Brunei would become fully independent in 1984. Malaysia and Indonesia both gave assurances that they would recognise Brunei's status, thereby allaying the sultan’s concern that the state might be incorporated by one of its larger neighbours.

Brunei duly gained independence on 1 January 1984, and an Islamic sultanate was proclaimed. The sultan became prime minister and assumed several other ministerial posts, appointing members of his family to most of the other positions. Brunei was admitted to the United Nations on 22 September 1984, becoming the organisation's 159th member.

Brunei's oil industry begins

Brunei's oil industry began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with the first exploration well drilled near the capital, Brunei Town (now Bandar Seri Begawan), in 1899. This early attempt proved fruitless, but the quest for oil continued in the following decades. Exploration efforts moved to Tutong in 1923, and finally struck gold in Seria, Belait, in 1929. Seria's first proper oil well, named S-1, was drilled in July 1928 and struck oil and gas at 974 feet. This discovery transformed the fortunes of the sultanate, assuring it of a future as one of the wealthiest countries in the world, relative to its size.

The discovery of oil in Seria was made by a company called Sarawak Oilfields Limited, a forerunner of the present Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sdn Bhd (BSP). BSP is now the largest oil producer in Brunei, contributing around 90% to the nation's oil and gas revenues. The development of offshore oil fields in the 1960s and the rise in oil prices in the 1970s further solidified Brunei's status as a major player in the global oil industry.

Brunei's vast reserves of petroleum and natural gas have fuelled its economy since the 1930s. The nation's monarchy has largely benefited from royalty checks while allowing companies like Royal Dutch/Shell to extract the resources. As a result, Brunei has become one of the world's richest places per capita, with a very high standard of living for its citizens. The country's wealth is heavily dependent on its petroleum and natural gas fields, which continue to be a key driver of economic growth and development.

Brunei's oil industry has not been without its challenges and setbacks. The global financial crisis of the late 2000s, for example, impacted the country's economy. Additionally, there have been efforts to diversify the country's economy away from oil, with a focus on developing the tourism industry and other alternative sectors. Despite these challenges, Brunei's oil industry remains a dominant force, with the energy sector contributing 64.7% of the country's GDP in 2022.

Brunei's Legislative Council is established

The Legislative Council of Brunei, or 'LegCo', is the country's Parliament and acts as the official arena for discussing and resolving issues within the country. It was first established in 1959, the same year that Brunei adopted its first codified Constitution. The council held 32 meetings until it was frozen in 1984, after the country resumed independence.

The Legislative Council was established by virtue of Article 23 of Brunei's 1959 Constitution, which included five advisory bodies and granted the sultan full executive authority. The council's initial meeting was held on 10 October 1962, following the country's first election on 30 and 31 August 1962.

The council's establishment was not without controversy. In 1962, the results of the Legislative Council election were annulled after the leftist Brunei People's Party (BPP), which sought to overthrow the monarchy, won all 10 elected seats in the 21-member council. The sultan, Omar Ali Saifuddien III, invalidated the results and declared a state of emergency, ruling by decree.

The council was revived in 2004, and it continued to handle internal issues and concerns for the next 12 years. In 2016, the Department of the Councils of State under the Prime Minister's Office announced the dissolution of the LegCo, but it was re-established the following year by order of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.

The Legislative Council is a national unicameral legislature, with all members appointed by the Sultan. It plays a significant role in the country, including considering and approving budgets and revenue estimates, advising the Sultan on government policies, reviewing policies implemented by the government, and passing bills and motions brought forward by the government and other council members.

Brunei adopts a stricter Islamic law system

Brunei's adoption of a stricter Islamic law system, or Sharia law, in 2014 was a significant shift for the country and a cause for concern for many. As a former British protectorate with a history of religious tolerance, this move towards religious conservatism was unexpected and sparked widespread condemnation from international human rights groups and the United Nations.

The sultanate of Brunei, led by Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, became the first East Asian country to introduce Islamic criminal law, following in the footsteps of its neighbouring countries Malaysia and Indonesia, which had also seen a deepening of religious conservatism. This marked a notable shift for a country that had, until then, prided itself on its stable political and economic landscape, high standard of living, and peaceful society.

The new penal code enforces a hardline interpretation of Islamic law on all Muslims, regardless of citizenship. It introduced harsh penalties, including fines, jail terms, and even stoning to death for offences such as pregnancy outside marriage, failure to perform Friday prayers, propagating other religions, theft, alcohol consumption, adultery, and sodomy. Most of these laws also applied to non-Muslims, which raised concerns among the significant non-Muslim population, including Western workers in the oil sector and ethnic Chinese and Filipino migrants.

The implementation of this stricter Islamic law system in Brunei was not without its critics and sparked protests and calls for boycotts around the world. The United Nations Commission on Human Rights denounced the system, with several penalties constituting torture under international law and discriminating against women. Despite the backlash, the sultan remained steadfast, stating that it was divinely mandated to create an Islamic Criminal Law Act.

The impact of this shift towards a stricter Islamic law system in Brunei was felt beyond its borders, influencing neighbouring countries' efforts to implement similar measures. It also had economic repercussions, with concerns raised about its potential negative impact on the country's reputation and economy. Ultimately, in 2019, facing significant international pressure, Brunei announced that it would not be implementing the second phase of its controversial Sharia penal code, which included corporal punishments such as amputation.

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