Malcolm Stewart Hannibal McArthur


Malcolm Stewart Hannibal McArthur was the first British resident and the de facto founder of modern Brunei. Without his contribution through the Report on Brunei 1904, which is considered the most important document in the country, Brunei would have already been devoured by its external enemies and the modern neo-Sultanate may have never existed at all. He furthermore established the modern city of BSB, set up the police force, postal office, jail, and other institutions. He also fought hard against corruption among the scheming and squabbling nobilities, effectively strengthening the monarchial powers of the Sultanate. He also introduced common law in the land. It goes without saying, as Stamford Raffles is to Singapore, Malcolm S.H. McArthur is to Brunei Darussalam.
The son of General Charles McArthur and his wife Lucy Large, he was born in Medway, Kent. He was educated in Kelly College, Tavistock and Queen's college, University of Oxford. McArthur was appointed in 1895 in London after an open competition to Hong Kong and Strait Settlements civil service. He was dispatched to Brunei to make recommendations about the structure of the administration for the "dying sultanate". McArthur was appointed Acting Consul in April 1904, arrived to Brunei on 3 May and remained until 10 November. Following his Report on Brunei in 1904 the British government decided to maintain Brunei as a separate administrative entity.
Malcolm retired in 1922, due to ill health, moving to Italy where he died in 1934

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