Brunei Revolt

Categories: History of Brunei | History of Malaysia | Military history of the United Kingdom | Rebellions in Asia

Brunei Revolt
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Conflict: Borneo Confrontation
Date: 8 December, 1962 &ndash 1966
Place: Brunei
Outcome: Decisive British/Commonwealth victory
Combatants
United Kingdom Australia New Zealand Malaya Brunei	Anti-Governement rebels Indonesia
Commanders
General Sir Nigel Poett	Yassin Affandi
Strength
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Casualties
?	?
Template:Campaignbox Borneo Confrontation 1962-66

The Brunei Revolt broke out on the December 8, 1962 and was led by Yassin Affandi and his armed rebels. The rebels began co-ordinated attacks on the oil town of Seria, targeting the Shell oil installations and attacks on police stations and government facilities around the protectorate. Contempory accounts also refer to it as the Brunei Rebellion . This uprising is seen as one of the first stages of the Borneo Confrontation.

Contents 1 Background 2 The Battle for Seria 3 The assault on Limbang 4 The Recapture of Bangar 5 The growing conflict with Indonesia 6 Consequences of the revolt

Background

Between 1959 and 1962, the British, Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak were involved in a negotiation process to form a new Malaysian Federation. However, the Philippines and particularly Indonesia opposed any move towards unification of Sarawak with the new federation. Indonesia asserted that Sarawak was part of Indonesian Kalimantan.

In effort to thwart any effort to form Malaysia, Indonesia became actively involved in subterfuge operation and later declared war on Malaysia. During this period, Indonesia agents came into contact with local opposition that was against the idea of a federation.

The Battle for Seria

The town of Seria was under rebel control when two Gurkha Rifle companies began to clear the area of rebels. Soon afterwards the Queen's Own Highlanders landed at Anduki Airfield and met up with 1/2 Gurkha Rifles. Anduki Airfield today [1] is a grass airstrip with a concrete ramp used almost exclusively by Brunei Shell Petroleum aircraft and helicopters servicing Brunei's extensive offshore petroleum production installations. The Sultan of Brunei and members of the Royal Family sometimes use it in their helicopters when they wish to visit Seria, especially on State occasions[2]. Regarded as strategically important because of its proximity to the oil town of Seria, its history in the Brunei Revolt and the paucity of other Brunei airstrips usable by fixed-wing military aircraft, Anduki and the adjacent highway to Bandar Seri Begawan is one of the first areas to be secured by Gurkha and Brunei Army troops when they deploy on contemporary war exercises.

The assault on Limbang

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This article is part of the History of Malaysia series
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Pre-Malacca (before 1400)
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North Borneo (1882-1963)
Japanese Occupation of Malaya (1942-1945)
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Malayan Emergency (1948-1960)
Batang Kali massacre (1948)
Independence Day (1957)
Federation of Malaysia (1963-present)
Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation (1962-1966)
Brunei Revolt (1962-1966)
Expulsion of Singapore (1965)
May 13 Incident (1969)
New Economic Policy (1971-1990)
Operation Lalang (1987)

The Recapture of Bangar

The growing conflict with Indonesia

Consequences of the revolt

Five months after the revolt began, it was ended when the last rebel leader, Yassin Affandi was captured by British Troops.