History

Recent History

Modern fashions and mores have undoubtedly had an impact on Brunei, particularly where its young people are concerned, and in recent years pockets of disaffection have begun to challenge the status quo. Arguments for change have been aided by royal scandals involving the profligate spending of the sultan's younger brother, Prince Jefri Bolkiah. In 2000, the polo-playing playboy was charged over misappropriation of 16,000,000,000of state funds, money the Brunei Investment Agency is still trying to chase up through the courts while Jefri languishes in enforced exile in London on a 'pittance' of 500,000a year.

Recent efforts to diversify the economy haven't yet come to much, but it's hoped new offshore exploration will uncover further deposits to keep the hydrocarbons flowing for a few more years. In any case, the sultan earns more from foreign investments than from oil. In the last couple of years there have been some signs that the sultan's benevolent but firm autocracy is starting to thaw. In September 2004, 21 years after it was disbanded, the sultan reopened parliament with 21 hand-picked members, only to dissolve and reform it again with 29 members (including a woman and a non-Muslim) in 2005. A new opposition party has been permitted to form, headed by a former convicted dissident, and the Education Minister was recently fired for pushing too much Islam in schools, quite a turnaround. At the same time, though, the sultan has had the constitution rewritten to pronounce himself infallible both personally and politically, so for the moment no real change is expected.

Modern Day History

A British 'adviser' was assigned to the court in 1906, yet another compromise of the sultanate's independence. In 1929, however, just as Brunei was about to be swallowed up entirely, oil was discovered off the coast. British plans to make Brunei a part of the Malaysian Federation were quashed by a revolt in 1962, moving the sultan to suspend the constitution and opt for independence. The two countries signed a treaty in 1971 confirming that Britain would retain control of Brunei's external affairs. The country has been under emergency laws ever since the 1962 revolt, and no elections have taken place since that date. In 1984, Brunei became completely independent, and underlined its new independence from Britain by joining ASEAN. In 1991, as part of a move towards full Islamic law, the sale of alcohol was banned and stricter dress codes were introduced.

Pre 20th Century History

Early Bruneian history is cloaked in mystery, although it is believed trade links existed with China in the sixth century AD. During the 15th and 16th centuries, Brunei was a considerable regional power, controlling not only most of Borneo but parts of the Philippines as well, mainly due to its success as a port. Brunei's power waned following the arrival of the European powers to the region. The Spanish and the Portuguese were the first to arrive, but it was the British, who arrived in the region in the 17th and 18th centuries, who began to erode Brunei's influence. Sarawak was ceded in the 19th century and a series of 'treaties' were forced on the Sultan as James Brooke, the first White Raja of Sarawak, consolidated his power base. In 1888, the sultanate itself became a British protectorate. Brunei's territory was gradually whittled away piecemeal until, with one last flourish of absurdity, Limbang was ceded to Sarawak in 1890, thus dividing the country in half.