Brunei Darussalam: Continuity and Tradition

Abstract

Brunei Darussalam celebrated its fifth independence day on 23 February 1988. The Sultanate, however, has a polidcal history which can be traced over a thousand years into past. At height of its glory, Brunei was a large Malayo-Islamic empire, controlling much of Borneo and parts of Philippines. In Philippines, besides extending its control over coastal belt from Palawan Manila Bay area in central Luzon, Sultanate also made its influence felt in Visayas and northern Mindanao, so much so that Professor Tarling was moved observe that Brunei rather than Sulu was the great 'Philippine' power of pre-Philippine period.1 Unlike preceding Malay empires of Sri Vijaya, Majapahit and Malacca, and numerous sultanates of Malay world, and notwithstanding its experience of various internal challenges and external at one time or another, Brunei Sultanate has been able maintain continuity of its polity up present. However, a consequence of its encounters with Western imperialism has been fact that its territory had dwindled into two tiny enclaves on northwestern coast of Borneo, sandwiched between two Malaysian Bornean states of Sarawak and Sabah. The survival of Sultanate in its present form is very much a tribute skilful diplomacy of its sultans. Brunei owes its existence, in view of one observer, to ingenuity of its rulers, who for centuries have had contend with numerous invaders and adventurers and have had withstand external pressures from surrounding powers.2 Indeed, had it not been for Sultan Hashim who turned his kingdom into a British protectorate as a last resort ensure Brunei's survival, Sultanate would have become a mere part of either Sarawak or Sabah today. Similarly, through consecutive refusals join Northern Borneo Federation and Malaysia, Hashim's grandson, late Sultan Haji Sir Muda Omar Ali Saifuddien III, saved ancient Sultanate from losing its distinctive Bruneian character.