Limbang Division

Limbang Division is one of the eleven administrative divisions of Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It has a total area of 7,788.50 square kilometres, and is the fourth largest division after Kapit Division, Miri Division and Bintulu Division. Limbang Division consists of two districts which are Limbang and Lawas, together with a single sub-district under Limbang (Ng. Medamit) and two sub-districts under Lawas (Sundar and Trusan). Long Semadoh and Ba’kelalan are rural settlements in the southern part of Lawas district. Two major towns in Limbang are Limbang and Lawas. There are also few smaller towns such as Sundar, Trusan, Merapok and Tedungan.

Geography

Limbang Division splits Brunei Darussalam into two; West Brunei to the west and Temburong District in the middle of Limbang and Lawas districts. Limbang is located between West Brunei and Temburong, while Lawas is located between Temburong and the Malaysian state of Sabah. This geographical situation, as well as the autonomy of Sabah and Sarawak in immigration affairs means that immigration checks are required when travelling into or out of Limbang Division by road.

Limbang

Limbang is a border town and the capital of Limbang District in the Limbang Division of northern Sarawak, East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. The division has an area of 3,978.1 square kilometres, and a population (year 2000 census) of 42,600.

Limbang is located on the banks of the Limbang River (Sungai Limbang in Malay), between the two halves of Brunei. It is a 30-minute speedboat ride or at least a two-hour drive (depending on how busy the Customs/Immigration Checkpoint is) to Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei.

History

The Limbang District, which today is part of Sarawak, was originally part of the Sultanate of Brunei following the founding of the Bruneian Empire and remained so until the reign of Sultan Hashim. However, it was only after the signing of the Treaty of Protection of 1888 that Brunei lost control over the territory. This treaty eventually did not save Brunei from foreign intervention because the British did not prevent Charles Brooke from seizing Limbang in 1890. In 1901 and 1902, Brooke and Hewett asked Sultan Hashim to cede Belait and Tutong to them but Sultan Hashim refused and said, “What would happen to me, my chiefs and my descendants? I should be left like a tree, stripped of branches and twigs”.