HUBUNGAN TRADISI BRUNEI DENGAN BORNEO UTARA: TINJAUAN TERHADAP FAKTOR KEMEROSOTAN PENTADBIRAN KESULTANAN BRUNEI PADA ABAD KE-19

Abstract

Abstrak
Makalah ini membincangkan tentang latar belakang awal pemerintahan Kesultanan Brunei dan perkembangan pengaruhnya di Kepulauan Borneo yang dilihat telah mencorakkan pensejarahan masyarakat Melayu Brunei di Borneo Utara. Kajian ini akan menganalisis tentang hubungan tradisi Brunei dengan Borneo Utara yang akan dibahaskan melalui dua garis waktu iaitu zaman kemuncak dan zaman kemerosotan pemerintahannya. Kedua-dua garis waktu ini sangat penting dalam mendeskriptifkan kehidupan sosiopolitik masyarakat Melayu Brunei di Borneo Utara kerana pengukuhan kuasa dan pengaruh Kesultanan Brunei dilihat bukan sahaja terletak pada hubungan tradisi Kesultanan Brunei dengan masyarakat di wilayah naungannya malah hubungan tersebut telah diperkuatkan lagi dengan keberadaan masyarakat Melayu Brunei di Borneo Utara yang berperanan menyebar luaskan tentang kekuatan serta kedaulatan Kesultanan Brunei di wilayah berkenaan. Makalah ini akan memberikan tumpuan khusus kepada hubungan tradisi Brunei dengan Borneo Utara yang akan dinilai melalui pelaksanaan sistem pentadbiran Kesultanan Brunei di Borneo Utara sebelum datangnya kuasa barat yang akhirnya membawa kepada kemerosotan keseluruhan empayarnya pada akhir abad ke-19.

Abstract
This article discusses the earlier history of the Brunei Sultanate’s government as well as the growth of its influence within the Borneo Archipelago that had evidently played a major role in shaping the history of the Brunei Malays in North Borneo. This research investigates the traditional relations between Brunei and North Borneo within two-time frames; during the time when the Sultanate reaches its zenith and during the decadence of its reign. These two time frames are important as they help describe the North Borneo’s Brunei Malays’ sociopolitical; the establishment and spread of power and influence of the Sultanate was visible not only in its traditional relations with the people within its territory, they can also be perceived in the presence of the Brunei Malay communities in North Borneo, which helped to further strengthen the Sultanate’s authority and its sovereignty. This paper will focus on the traditional relations between Brunei and North Borneo through the analysis of the implementation of the Sultanate’s Administration in North Borneo before the emergence of Western powers that inevitably lead the Sultanate to its decline at the end of the 19th century.