cover single page - Universiti Brunei Darussalam

Brunei: Revival of 1906
Pengiran Anak Hashim married a daughter of Pengiran Anak
Muhammad Yusuf (aka Usop), who was the son of Sultan Muhammad
Tajuddin and the grandson of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin I. Both Hashim
and his father-in-law Yusuf represented the anti-Western faction in the
palace. Their opponent, Pengiran Muda Hashim, was the uncle of Sultan
Omar Ali Saifuddin II on his mother’s side, Raja Isteri Noralam. A tussle
broke out between Pengiran Yusuf and Pengiran Muda Hashim for the
post of the Pengiran Bendahara, a stepping stone to becoming the next
Sultan. It may be recalled that it was Pengiran Muda Hashim who elevated
James Brooke as Sarawak Chief, and after initial misunderstandings with
him, the Pengiran aligned himself with Brooke to gain his support to lay
claim to Brunei throne. At one time, Pengiran Yusuf was made the
Bendahara in place of the absentee Pengiran Muda Hashim, who took
refuge in Sarawak under Brooke protection. When he returned to Brunei
to resume the post, he ran into a storm. Sultan Omar Ali was allegedly
informed that the Pengiran was conspiring to take the throne by force.
And that was his undoing.
Pengiran Yusuf and his son-in-law Pengiran Anak Hashim received
support from the locals, especially the patriotic inhabitants of Kampong
Saba (a ward of Kampong Ayer) – for two reasons, as D. E. Brown had
learnt from his sources: “For one, that kampong, and especially its hero,
Haji Saman, took the side of Sultan Hashim even before he held office.
Secondly, Pengiran Anak Hashim became the Pengiran Temenggung, the
traditional commander of the sea forces traditionally recruited from
Kampong Saba.” Haji Saman, the powerful chief who himself staunchly
anti-imperialist, influenced the thoughts of the young Hashim and Yusuf
against the British, especially Brooke’s incursions into Brunei territories.
Haji Saman became the arch-enemy of the British occupiers but managed
to elude them by stealthily moving between Brunei and North Borneo.
Just when opposition to Brooke and Britain was brewing in Brunei,
Pengiran Muda Hashim and his brothers had opted for the support of
Brooke who found a golden opportunity to control Brunei resources by
helping Pengiran Muda Hashim to ascend the throne. Little did Brooke
realise the intricacies of dynastic politics in Brunei. As early as 1824,
Sultan Raja Api, the brother of Pengiran Muda Hashim, was murdered
by poisoning. In his place was installed Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II,
the father of Pengiran Anak Hashim. Thus the dynastic squabble had
been simmering all this time. In any case, involvement of the foreigner
Brooke into Brunei’s power politics made it worse for the faction
represented by Pengiran Muda Hashim, however legitimate his claim
20