history of Sabah

In the 16th century the state of sabah as we know today was known as the kingdom of Bruni. Bruni was also the centre of trade with china. The region was controlled then first by sri Vijayan of Sumatar and then by the Majapahit of Java. In the 15th century the Malaca Empire spread its wind under Parameswara and took over the trade of Bruni. In 1658, Sultan of Bruni gave Sultan of Sulu the north east coast of Borneo in return of his help in setting a civil war dispute between the Sultan Abdul Mubin and Pengeran Bongsu. In 1761, an officer of the british East India company at Madras in India, Alexnder Dalrymple, concluded an agreement with the sultan of Sulu that permitted him to set up a trading post in North Borneo region. In 1890, Labuan was placed under the control of the british North Borneo chartered company. Seventeen years later,

the island was placed under the government of the straits settlements. After world war II, Labuan became part of the colony of North Borneo.

After the war, North Borneo was administered by the british Military administration unitl civil government was restored on July 15, 1946. In 1946, Sabah was placed under the british crown as the company could not afford to rebuild Sabah, after the devastation of the war. On August 31, 1963, North Borneo obtained self-government from the british. together with Sarawak, Singapore and Malaya, Malaysia was formally established on Septemper 16, 1963, North borneo's name was changed to Sabah.

Today, Sabah is a prosperous state with an expanding economy, fuelled by mining, forestry, agriculture, manufacturing and tourism from all over the world.