FO 572/39, also called Report On Brunei or Report On Brunei in 1904, is a report written by British Consul Malcolm Steward Hannibal McArthur on 5 December 1904 in Singapore to the British Foreign Office. It concerned the social and political climate of British Protectorate Brunei and how the British foreign policy should proceed. The report also covers Brunei's economy, government structure, social institutions and territorial disputes in the Limbang claim.
FO 572/39 was McArthur's final report to the Foreign Office in his Brunei series and was pertinent to the future of the Sultanate. Britain had considered partitioning Brunei between neighbouring Sarawak and Sabah, under Rajah Charles Brooke and the North Borneo Chartered Company respectively. McArthur's report instead argued for the continuation of Brunei under British protection, and proposed the implementation of the Malayan British Residency system to reform the country. The report succeeded in persuading the Foreign Office and McArthur was installed as the first British Resident of Brunei in 1906.
The report was crucial to the survival of Brunei as a nation-state and has been referred to as the most important document of modern Brunei history. The British Residency would exist until 1959, before being replaced by a Brunei administration.
Background
Mission overview McArthur was commissioned to Brunei on 22 April 1904 for three months, where he was tasked to study the conditions of the sultanate and to confirm reports received by the government concerning the "unsatisfactory character" of the Brunei administration.Foreign Office 12/127 pp. 1-4, FO to M.S.H. McArthur, 22 April 1904 as cited in McArthur, M.S.H (1987). Horton, A.V.M (ed.) Report on Brunei In 1904 These reports were provided by previous consuls to Brunei, who supported the partitioning of the country to Sarawak. Reasoning that the Bruneian people were better off under the White Rajah's governance over the local administration, which was oppressive and unjust.Foreign Office 12/127 p. 95,Rajah to F.H. Villiers, 14 January 1904 as cited in McArthur, M.S.H (1987). Horton, A.V.M (ed.) Report on Brunei In 1904 However, the Foreign Office was not content with the reports and doubted their impartiality and trustworthiness.Foreign Office 12/128 p. 408ff., F.H. Villiers to Secretary of State, 3 June 1905 as cited in McArthur, M.S.H (1987). Horton, A.V.M (ed.) Report on Brunei In 1904
McArthur was specifically tasked to investigate complaints surrounding Sultan Hashim Jalilul Alam Aqamaddin and his officers. The Foreign Office advised McArthur to warn the sultan that Britain may not "stand in the way of the Rajah" from absorbing Brunei if the administrative conditions were as bad as reported.Foreign Office 12/69 p. 38ff. Consul p.Leys to Marquess of Salisbury as cited in McArthur, M.S.H (1987). Horton, A.V.M (ed.) Report on Brunei In 1904
McArthur's appointment was met with resistance from Rajah Charles Brooke, who protested to the Foreign Office that a "reliable report" on Brunei's administration would not be able to be produced in less than one or two years, due to McArthur's inexperience dealing with Bruneian officials. Of whom Brooke described as "an accomplished set of flatterers and liars".Foreign Office 12/127 pp. 153-5, Rajah to Foreign Office, 20 May 1904 as cited in McArthur, M.S.H (1987). Horton, A.V.M (ed.) Report on Brunei In 1904 Nevertheless, the rajah's representation was discarded and McArthur's mission went ahead.
Commencement of mission McArthur reached Brunei on the 3rd of May 1904. He was granted audience with Sultan Hashim the following afternoon, before falling ill shortly after. Due to the illness and the difficulty in traversing Brunei, McArthur was granted an extension to his mission.
In May, McArthur spent his time studying the archives and meeting with the pengirans (nobles). The consul would also pay a visit to Limbang and Berembang Island. In June and early July, he toured the Belait and Tutong districts to collect information regarding local satisfaction with the current administration. These districts were previously reported to be exploited and were used as examples of popular resentment against Brunei governance by Rajah Charles Brooke. The consul wrote his impressions of the districts and their situation to the Foreign Office on 14 July 1904.
From July to August, Kampong Ayer, then the capital of Brunei was suffering from a smallpox epidemic, where the peak death toll was 60 deaths a day. Towards the end of July, medical assistance was summoned from Singapore and three doctors remained in Brunei throughout August. Due to the epidemic, McArthur's stay was extended even further.
From September to November, McArthur continued to collect general information about the sultanate and within these months he visited the Temburong and Lawas districts. McArthur departed from Brunei on 10 November 1904 to Singapore, where he prepared and completed the report on 5 December 1904.
Structure and content
The report can be divided into two sections: section 1 (paragraphs 1-102) concerns the present state of affairs in Brunei and section 2 (paragraphs 103-146) concerns McArthur's recommendations for the future of Brunei.
The state of affairs
Physical Geography of Brunei (paragraphs 1 - 26) This section of the report concerns the geography of Brunei. McArthur provides contextual information about Brunei territory, with emphasis on what has been lost to Sabah and Sarawak. He also commented on Brunei's climate, soil, minerals, communications, constitution, districts, population and trade.
Of note, McArthur stated that Brunei had no roads and all travelling was done by water.McArthur, Report on Brunei, para. 7 Additionally, he commented with the loss of Limbang, communication between districts was difficult as the Limbang river was the main waterway of Brunei. He expressed that if Britain had appreciated the "intimate connection of Brunei and Limbang" then British acquiescence to its annexation would have been with "greater hesitation".McArthur, Report on Brunei, para.18
He also provided commentary on the constitution of Brunei government which he refers to as "despotic in theory"McArthur, Report on Brunei, para. 8 but in practice as "semi-independent fiefs acknowledging one head", owing to the division of Brunei into property; that being the Kerajaan, Tulin and Kuripan.
McArthur described key features of the Brunei (now called Brunei-Muara) and Temburong districts. Within the districts he described The Laboh (now called Mukim Labu), the Brunei River, Brooketon (now called Muara), Buang Tawar River, Kota Batu, Brunei Town (now called Bandar Seri Begawan), Subok and Limau Manis.McArthur, Report on Brunei, paras. 15-26 All of which have historical or economic importance to Brunei. Subok for example was the location of the Island Trading Syndicate's cutch factory,McArthur, Report on Brunei, para.24 cutch being the most important export of Brunei until the discovery of oil in 1929.
Human geography of Brunei (paragraphs 27- 53) McArthur dedicates a significant portion of the text on the various peoples in the sultanate. He covered the Brunei Malays, Kedayans, Bisayas, Muruts and the Chinese. He noted the plights of the local citizenry, referring to the Murut, Kedayan and Bisayas as serfs and victims of oppression.McArthur, Report on Brunei, para.28-33 He expanded on the Bisaya, of whom "complain bitterly of poverty and distress".McArthur, Report on Brunei, para.29 owing to the demands they face by government officials, such as dagang serah or forced trade.
However, McArthur remarks that "they seem no worse off than the average Brunei Malay" but attributes this to their "greater industry" not from a misrepresentation of their exploitation. He also comments on the poverty of the Brunei Malay which he suggests resulted from the loss of economic opportunity from Limbang, which now levies heavy tax on foreign traders.McArthur, Report on Brunei, para.34
In reference to the aristocracy McArthur was highly critical of them:The Pengirans, or aristocracy of Brunei, deserve special mention, not for their engaging qualities, but because they are largely responsible for the present hopeless condition of the country, and for most of the cruelty and rapine usually attributed to the Sultan. It is no exaggeration to describe them as a class as incorrigibily idle and constitutionally dishonest.
Report on Brunei, Paragraph 37
They have been living with increasing difficulty for years on the proceeds of this gradual disintegration of the State, being too lazy or too incompetent to do an honest stroke of work. They are now on the verge of destitution, and are eking out an unjustifiable existence by what they can extort from Kadayans or Bisayas subject to them, and by what they can rise from the sale of odds and ends of personal property and household goods. What they will do when these are exhausted is merely a matter of surmise. They form the dangerous and discontented element in the population, and are always scheming and intriguing, being in the happy position of having no stake in the country and nothing to lose whatever may happen.
Report on Brunei, Paragraph 37McArthur provides a breakdown on Brunei's trade which he obtained through the traders themselves, he notes that it may be unreliable.McArthur, Report on Brunei, para.44 He excludes Temburong from his data, citing the negligible amount of trade that occurs as his reason.McArthur, Report on Brunei, para.53 The remaining three districts are as follows:All data is taken from paragraph 45 of the Report. RegionImportsExportsBrunei200,000196,000Belait20,00030,000Tutong11,00020,000Totals236,000246,000
Politics of Brunei (paragraphs 54- 86) In this section McArthur discusses the political situation of Brunei and from them the major flaws that exist within the sultanate. In particular he discusses the Brunei Government, ruling class, succession of the throne, Limbang and Lawas.
McArthur describes his major concerns with the sultanate, in reference to the government he notes that there is a lack of central authority. He comments that there was "no Government in the usual sense...only ownership".McArthur, Report on Brunei, para.54 Where the Sultan has no real power except over his own districts, which was still undermined by the property rights of other Bruneian chiefs. The consul states that "nominally he is supreme throughout Brunei. In practice tulin or kuripan holders do as they like in their own districts".
In terms of institutions and infrastructure McArthur notes that there were no salaried officers and "no forces, no police, no public institution, no coinage, no roads, no public builidings...no gaol".McArthur, Report on Brunei, para.55 He further expands on the judiciary whom he believes serves "little justice".
In his comments on the ruling class, McArthur reiterates that his acquaintanceship with the aristocracy was unpleasant and that power they possessed "naturally lends itself to the gross acts of cruelty and oppression".McArthur, Report on Brunei, para.58 One of them was the Pengiran Bendahara who he found to be "greedy, cunning, unscrupulous and cruel".McArthur, Report on Brunei, para.68 He noted that he was "one of the chief reasons for disaffection on the Limbang" and that he "seems to take no interest in his duties...and shows no loyalty to the Sultan".
McArthur reserves a portion to Sultan Hashim who unlike previous consuls, he was more favourable towards. He notes that Sultan Hashin has "lost any power of initiative or decision he may once have possessed" McArthur, Report on Brunei, para.60 and has become stubborn at least when dealing with the British Government. The consul suggests that the "disregard of his Treaty obligations is the result of the unsympathetic way in which...he has often been treated".