The Sultan of Brunei is an ancient title that once conferred leadership of much of the island of Borneo and even included much of the Philippines. The time of colonialism saw the realm shrunk and protection from Great Britain sought. Inviting the British proved lucky as they discovered oil. With the fading of the British, decisions faced new Sultan Omar Ali Saiffuddin on how to move forward. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
Brunei was a British Protectorate at the time of this stamp. That means there was a British Resident locally that the Sultan was required to consult with on all matters excluding religion and customs. Yet unlike some other Protectorates, like this one https://the-philatelist.com/2019/07/23/bechuanaland-protectorate-1888-the-british-side-with-christian-chief-khama-to-keep-the-pioneers-at-bay/ , you don’t see the British Monarch on the stamps. The oil revenue conferred power locally so there was more local involvement in the administration.
Todays stamp is issue A4, a 3 Cent stamp issued by the Sultanate of Brunei on March 1st, 1952. It was a fourteen stamp issue in various denominations celebrating new Sultan Omar that year. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents unused.
Brunei was occupied by the Japanese during the war. The future Sultan served in their administration as well as the British before his older brother abdicated and he became Sultan. The war had reduced dramatically colonial power in the area. Philippines became independent in 1946, after a fight Indonesia became independent in 1949, See https://the-philatelist.com/2017/11/24/well-we-think-we-are-independant-we-have-a-constitution-a-flag-and-austrian-stamps/ . Malaya was also moving toward independence and to take control of other British controlled areas like Singapore and Brunei. Sultan Omar was faced with the challenge of wrestling more authority over his people from the British, while keeping Indonesia at bay, while exploring the possibilities with Malaya. The British problem was dealt with first. A new constitution replaced British control with local and the British Resident was replaced by a High Commissioner as with former colonies. The British kept up the commitment to defend Brunei. Negotiations with Malaya were began. They did not go well as Sultan Omar would be the low man on Malaysia’s system of revolving regional sultans. See https://the-philatelist.com/2018/07/12/kelantan-the-british-peal-away-siam-for-the-benefit-of-malaya/ . They would also not guarantee that oil revenue would remain for the benefit of Brunei, Malaysia went ahead with former Brunei territories of Sarawak and North Borneo, but not Brunei itself. See https://the-philatelist.com/2018/02/21/the-last-white-rajah-of-sarawak-much-to-the-annoyance-of-many/ , and https://the-philatelist.com/2019/01/24/north-borneo-company-1922-a-british-chinese-hong-company-comes-to-borneo-to-persevere-and-achieve/ . Gosh I have written a lot of articles.
Anyway, the new constitution meant elections and a left wing Indonesia supported party won. The favored a confederation between Brunei, Sarawak, and North Borneo with a capital in Brunei and no more Sultan. A militia tied to the party began attacking oil installations and government offices. The Sultan asked for British help and the British responded with two companies of Gurkhas who flew in on a Bristol Britannia from Singapore and rescued Sultan Omar. Sarawak’s old World war II resistance leader and now museam currator asked for help from his old Kelabit tribesman to block escape routes to Indonesia while the Gurkhas got up to strength. This would all sound like the last charge of Empire except that the Falklands War was 20 years later. The Gurkhas were able to retake Seria but not before the rebels had executed some Brunei officials who refused to join the rebellion. This helped convince Sultan Omar not to join Malaya but keep up a close relationship with the Gurkhas, To this day there is a British Gurkha infantry battalion in Brunei. Rich city state Singapore also maintains a few thousand Gurkhas for internal security. Must keep jealous triangles at bay.
A few years after the revolt Sultan Omar decided to abdicate in favor of his first born son, who still rules. When now Begawan Sultan Omar died in 1986 his funeral was attended by all his former triangle suiters with even Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip flying out to pay their respects.
Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast the Gurkhas. It was such a masterstroke of the Empire to recruit the Nepalese soldiers from outside the Empire. Even after the Empire’s sun as set, they have proved indispensable. Come again for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting. First published in 2019.