Rebellion in Brunei

Brunei has long been associated with massive oil resources and the stability that its wealth can guarantee. But little is known of the revolt of 1962 that might have changed the fortunes of the sultanate and the fate of Southeast Asia. In theory, Brunei is a constitutional sultanate, but in practice it is an absolute monarchy. Since the 1962 rebellion, a state of emergency has been in force and the Sultan has ruled by decree. It is a small state in a region dominated by the superpower of China and its size is a significant factor in determining the country's policy towards defence and security - territorially, politically and economically.This is the first comprehensive history of the Brunei Rebellion, which was the trigger for the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation of the 1960s and of critical importance in understanding the history of the region. Harun Abdul Majid explores the turmoil throughout Southeast Asia that was the backdrop to the rebellion and analyses how Brunei not only survived but actually emerged from this turbulent period as a stronger and more coherent political state.
Among other issues, he asks: how did events affect the position of the Sultan and the people of Brunei? How did the relationship with the United Kingdom evolve? And what happened next?The revolt of 1962 was a small, armed uprising in support of a Borneo Federation consisting of Brunei, Sarawak and North Borneo. It opposed the Malaysian Federation, which was seen as a buttress of British and Western imperial interest. In a period of great tension between the West and the Communist world, China viewed the rebellion as a national liberation war and it was quickly suppressed by the British Emergency Force. But although the rebellion itself was short-lived, the consequences for the region's international relations within Asia and with the West - especially given Brunei's emergence as a significant oilproducer - were far-reaching.

Auteur

Harun Abdul Majid carried out his research into the Brunei Rebellion at the Department of War Studies at King's College, London.

Contenu

Dedication - vii
Glossary - ix
Map of Brunei Darussalam - xi
Chapter One: Brunei: The Dawn of Modern Times - 1
This is Brunei - 1
Brunei: The Small State Factor - 7
Chapter Two: Brunei in the Second World War and After - 12
Brunei after 1945 - 21
Britain, Southeast Asia and Brunei after 1945 - 27
Chapter Three: Malaysia and the Background to the Rebellion, 1960-62 - 37
Brunei comes under pressure from London to join the Malaysian Federation and reform its political system
The International Context - 38
The Creation of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces: The Early Days - 40
Membership of Malaysia: The Background - 46
Membership of Malaysia: Debate and Process - 54
Elections and the Run-down to the Rebellion - 67
Chapter Four: The Brunei Rebellion
Part One: The Popular Uprising - 74
A detailed account of the outbreak of the Rebellion on 8 December 1962 and the circumstances around that outbreak
The Outbreak of the Rebellion - 75
Map of Brunei Town in 1962 - 90
The People of Brunei and the Rebellion - 98
Chapter Five: The Brunei Rebellion
Part Two: The British Counter-offensive - 103
A detailed account of Britain's position, its response and the military campaign in Brunei and neighbouring territories
The British Response - 105
The Broader Picture - 127
Map of Brunei and its Neighbours in the South China Sea - 134
Chapter Six: Confrontation 1963-66 - 135
An account of Indonesia's confrontation and the implications for Brunei
What was Confrontation? - 136
The Motives for Confrontation - 137
Confrontation 1963-66: What Happened? - 146
Confrontation and Brunei - 163
Chapter Seven: Conclusions and Consequences - 168
Conclusions about why things developed as they did in Brunei, the fate of the main participants and the abdication of the Sultan
Appendix One: Proclamation of Independence 8 December 1962 - 177
Notes - 182
Index - 195