Borneo History: Time for a New Look?

The present article re-assesses key episodes before and during the period of colonial rule in northern Borneo. Historical accounts of this region generally present colonial rule as benevolent state paternalism, echoing official narratives from the colonial era. Community and political leaders in the Borneo states have often called for historical accounts that reflect the vibrancy of indigenous aspirations and eschew the historiographical legacy of colonialism. The response has been muted, and consequently the historical significance of events in Brunei, Sabah and Sarawak tends to be ignored or misrepresented in wider-ranging accounts. Recently released ‘migrated archives’ from British official sources can facilitate such a re-assessment, but it cannot be confined to the period of formal colonial rule, or constricted by traditional academic boundaries.