Minutes of a conversation between the Datu Bandar, Datu Tumangong, the Datu Imaun and the Tuan Katib – Members of Council of the State of Sarawak and Mr St John., Consul General, 25th October 1855.
… The people of Sarawak had fought against Brunei and established their Government. They had nothing to do with Brunei. From time immemorial Sarawak had been a dependency of Brunei bound by custom to pay a fixed tribute but possessed of the full right of managing the affairs if the country through their own – Datu (Chief), that the Brunei government had violated their ancient customs, and oppressed the people of Sarawak, until they rose in self-defence: The war which followed lasted a king time, the people of Sarawak being determined again to submit to the role of the Sultan of Brunei, sent a deputation to Batavia $ of which he the Datu Bandar was to offer their country to the Dutch, the Dutch government entertained their proposition but was so dilatory in affording assistance that the deputation returned: In the neantime Mr Brooke, as he was then called, arrived in Sarawak and without his assistance the Borneons would never have succeeded in quitting the resistance of Sarawak: The Sarawak chiefs after this event, at first resolved on abandoning their country, and some of them actually retired to Sambas, but having confidence in Mr Brooke they subsequently returned, and after discussing the subject they determined to select him as their ruler. In consequence they deputed some of their chiefs (the Datu Tumangong and Datu Imaun among them) to wait upon him and request him to become their Rajah, offering to support him by force of arms. They were thus an independent people and refused to acknowkedge aby subjection whatever to Brunei.
Commentary: St John was appointed British Consul to Borneon in 1855. At the meeting, the native chieftains declared that ‘Sarawak is an independent country’ to support Brooke’s claim to have the right to rule Sarawak not just because of the authority he had acquired from Brunei, but also that his title was derived from the election and support of a free people who had determined to cut off all links to the Brunei sultanate. This message could not be conveyed to the British government as this would tantamount to British recognition of Brooke’s authority over Sarawak.
