History

Sipitang was a territory of the Brunei sultanate before 1884. On November 5, 1884, the Brunei Sultan ceded his territory, from Sipitang to Kuala Penyu, to British North Borneo Company (BNBC).^[4] It is alleged that this agreement was met after excessive bribery by the BNBC Governor, William Treacher to the Sultan's court.^[5]

Sultan of Brunei granted his territory, from River Sipitang to River Trusan, to BNBC on September 7, 1901.^[6] In relation to that, BNBC acquired the area of Mengalong and Merantaman (now in Sipitang district) on September 12, 1901, through a grant by Pangiran Tengah Damit ibni al-Marhum Pangiran Anak Bongsu,^[7] of his tulin right on those areas.^[8] The acquisition of these areas was done separately because lands such as these are owned individually by Pangirans (princes and nobles) through their tulin right and therefore are independent of the authority of the sultan. ^[9]

Up til 1900, Sipitang (River Sipitang) marked the frontier between British North Borneo and the Brunei sultanate. The acquisition of land from River Sipitang to River Trusan in 1901, led to the creation of a station in Sipitang under the administrative name Province Clarke (named after Sir Andrew Clarke). This station came into being mainly for the purpose of a search for further cession of territories. Nevertheless, complications in the following years led to the reselling of some lands, and the demarcation receded to the present day Sabah-Sarawak border, near Mengalong (now Sindumin).