The Mat Salleh Rebellion was a series of major armed disturbances against the British North Borneo Chartered Company administration in North Borneo, now the Malaysian state of Sabah. It was instigated by Datu Muhammad Salleh (also known as ), a local chief from the Lingkabo district and Sugut River. He led the rebellion between 1894 until his death in Tambunan in 1900. The rebellion then continued on for another five years until 1905.Sources conflict about the end date of the rebellion. Some state 1903, others 1905.
His revolts were widely supported by the local communities and affected a large geographical area from Sandakan, across Gaya Island, including the interior, especially Tambunan. His most notable uprising occurred at midnight on 9 July 1897, when he led his followers to successfully attack a major colonial settlement on Gaya Island.
Biography of Mat Salleh
Mat Salleh was born in Inanam, Jesselton (present-day Kota Kinabalu). His father was Datu Balu, a traditional leader in Inanam and a Suluk or Tausug. His mother was of Bajau descent. He had three siblings: Ali, Badin and Bolong. The family moved to Sugut, which unlike Inanam, was in the North Borneo Chartered Company's concession but since the abandonment of its tobacco estates, it had reportedly been "left largely to its own devices", and enjoyed relative autonomy. There, Datu Bulu assumed a local leadership position along part of the Sugut River on the eastern coast of North Borneo.
Later in his life, Mat Salleh married a Sulu princess named Dayang Bandang. She was related to the Sultan of Sulu's family and her village was at Penggalaban, Paitan. He later inherited his father's local leadership position as the village chieftain in the Lingkabau district and Sungei Sugut.
Mat Salleh was often physically described as slender and tall, with pockmarked features. He was also well known as a mysterious Some of his supporters believed he possessed supernatural powers that made him invulnerable to physical harm and the inability to be hurt or killed by conventional weapons (typically known as Kebal in the Malay language). Even, invisibility so as not to be seen by his enemies. For many, his ability to repeatedly evade the Company's attacks served as proof of these claims. and intelligent man, with a commanding personality and presence. He was well-respected and his great tactical skills were renowned among the local communities.
Salleh's supporters
His mixed parentage and role as a traditional local leader which he had inherited from his father contributed to his significant Bajau and Suluk following. Also, his marriage to Dayang Bandang, who was related to the ruling family in Sulu helped him win more supporters.
However, his wide support not only came from his family affiliations and connections. He was also able to garner supporters from Dusun communities spread over a sizeable area in North Borneo and had the Tagahas communities as allies, among others. He was skilled at connecting with and uniting other communities, making him a great personage among the multi-ethnic indigenous people. For example, some accounts claim that he used and married various symbols of authority and mysticism that the different communities could relate with to attest to his leadership position and military prowess.Some symbols that he used were enormous silk umbrellas (high society), insignia of royalty, and even inscriptions that were apparently believed to make him invincible.
The large areas where his support came from proved instrumental in ensuring the initial success of his revolt as these areas were available to provide power bases, supplies and construction of forts. This also implied that he and his army had ample mobility between forts and bases, which explains their repeated evasion of the company's troops. From 1895 to 1897, he had at his disposal at least six forts which were well-prepared with resources and manpower that he could mobilise at short notice.
The forts that his followers built were reportedly well designed and constructed.
North Borneo Chartered Company
Changes imposed
Before the arrival of the British North Borneo Chartered Company, central authority in North Borneo was weak. Part of it was governed by Brunei and part by Sulu. This gave local chiefs and traditional elites relative autonomy to practice influence and power to regulate trade in the area and serve the responsibility of protecting the local inhabitants from excessive exploitation by foreign traders.
The British arrived during the late 19th century, and their administration (under the London-based North Borneo Chartered Company) in North Borneo lasted sixty years, between 1881 and 1941. It aimed to transform North Borneo into a producer of various agricultural products, predominantly tobacco. Apart from the introduction of cash-crop farming, the company also imposed new taxation laws and set up administrative centres. Some of the changes brought about by them were: Introduction of new taxes, including a levy on rice, the staple food of the population. Poll-tax and passes for boats on local communities, including members of the local elites and traditional leaders. Mandatory licenses for local boat owners. Passed a Village Ordinance, resulting in the company not sanctioning the authority and traditional social position of a large number of traditional elites and local chiefs. This consequently alienated them and undermined their roles and social statuses. A customs station was built on Jambongan Island, staffed by a non-European clerk and policeman. A new police station was established on the Kinarom.
In its attempt to revitalise the sagging economy, then managing director of the North Borneo Chartered Company, William C. Cowie also launched two major projects: The construction of a cross-country rail between Brunei Bay and Cowie Harbour A telegraphic line from Labuan to Sandakan
New levies were imposed to finance these large-scale projects. Lack of manpower, however, caused the company to rely on local chieftains as agents for revenue collection. Among those who cooperated with the company, some abused their authority and overtaxed the natives, exacerbating dissatisfaction among local people already burdened by other new laws imposed by the company. Mat Salleh viewed the company's new rules as an infringement of native rights, refused to acknowledge the company's authority, and continued to collect taxes from traders traveling via the Sugut River as he had before the rules were imposed, without turning them over to the company. Numerous other local chiefs shared Mat Salleh's opinions on the company's new rules. Many of them later joined his cause.
Administrative centre relocated from Gaya Island to the mainland The company had set up its initial administrative centres on the west coast of North Borneo in Papar and Tempassuk. In between these areas was the Gaya station,Gaya Island (along with other locations in the west coast of Sabah) was acquired by the British through an agreement with the Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Abdul Mumin Ebn Marhoum Maulana Abdul Wahab on 29 December 1877. set up in September 1882 as a collection station for jungle and local produce. This station also served as a "stopping place" for European officials plying between Kudat and Labuan. Gaya Island was initially thought of as a highly prospective settlement site and a possible port of call. It however, did not flourish as expected; trade, collection of local produce and other economic activities did not prosper. After the station in Gaya was raided and torched by Mat Salleh and his followers in July 1897,Some British colonial sources claim that the abandonment of Gaya was not entirely caused by Mat Salleh. After the raid, the Company attempted to rebuild the township. However, it failed to economically flourish. Also, the company's railway project (above-mentioned under changes imposed after the arrival of the British North Borneo Chartered Company's arrival) that were started in 1896 had reached a stage where a suitable exit point was needed at the end of the line from Beaufort and Weston. As Gaya is an island, it had to be ruled out, and a new site had to be found on the mainland. With the acquisition of new territories from Brunei. There were also many new and more suitable sites to choose from. the British relocated to the mainland, in Gantian.
Mat Salleh uprisings, 1895–1905
1894 Mat Salleh first came to the company's attention when he was suspected of involvement in the murder and robbery of two Iban traders on the Sugut River in 1894. Captain Barnett and a few other colonial officials were sent to Mat Salleh's residence to investigate the matter.Some sources claim that Captain Barnett and his men were sent to confront, accuse and detain him. During this confrontation, Captain Barnett had attempted to forcefully apprehend Mat Salleh, but was outnumbered by his followers, ready to take up arms to protect him. Mat Salleh denied his and his followers' involvement in it and resisted arrest. This incident marked the first of many misunderstandings, creating a tense and hostile situation between both parties.
Sandakan incident (1895) In August 1895, in an attempt to have their grievances addressed through the colonial institution, Mat Salleh, his followers and traditional chiefs from Sugut went to Sandakan, then the seat of the government of North Borneo, to present a petition against the collection of poll-tax and the imposition of passes on boats by government chiefs to governor L. P. Beaufort and his representatives.There are two versions of this incident Mat Salleh came peacefully and apart from presenting his petition, meant to clear his name and settle the misunderstanding regarding his involvement in the Iban murders. Instead, he was treated with hostility by then present treasurer-in-general Alexander Cook, who then turned him away, causing much embarrassment to Mat Salleh. Mat Salleh arrived with an armed entourage of boats to present their petitions detailing their grievances towards the company. In the absence of Governor Leicester P. Beaufort, Cook, petrified by the show of force, requested through a representative that Mat Salleh and the others tender their petition in a formal manner and instructed them to disperse. There was a delay in relating this message and Cook's request only reached Mat Salleh after he had waited for two days. However, L. P. Beaufort and his representatives were away on another expedition. Treasurer-in-general Alexander Cook, who was aware of their visit instead denied them an audience. After two days of waiting, Mat Salleh and his party left.
Following this, a complaint against Mat Salleh and his party was forwarded to the governor and other colonial officials by Cook. In response, on 29 August 1895, representatives from the company arrived at Mat Salleh's home in Jambongan to arrest him and four of his followers on the grounds of disturbing the peace at Sandakan and involvement with the murders of the two Ibans in 1894. Mat Salleh refused to comply and escaped. This led to his house and village being attacked, burned and looted. The company then declared him a wanted man. A reward of 500 Straits dollarOther accounts state that the reward was Straits $700. was offered for his capture.
This incident triggered him to wage war against the North Borneo Chartered Company. He then consolidated his position at Lingkabau, approximately up the Sugut River and with strong support from the native Dusun community there, built a strong fort. The British subsequently attacked it but failed to capture him. Instead, they destroyed it and captured about 60 Dusun as prisoners of war.