The Mat Salleh Rebellion: Sabah's Last Stand Against the British North Borneo Company

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Mat Salleh Rebellion (1894–1905), the most significant anticolonial uprising in British North Borneo, modern-day Sabah. Datu Mat Salleh, a Sulu and Bajau chieftain from the interior of the state, led a coalition of local communities against the British North Borneo Chartered Company's oppressive taxation, forced labour, and land expropriation. The rebellion began in 1894 when Mat Salleh attacked the company station at Pulau Gaya. Despite multiple British expeditions, including the use of cannon and fortifications, Mat Salleh's forces held out for years. He died in 1900 at Fort Kampung Bunga in Tambunan. The episode covers his alliance with Sulu and other local leaders, the construction and fall of his fortress, the tenacity of guerrilla warfare, and the rebellion's long-term impact on Sabah's identity. Lucas and Luna discuss the failure of the Chartered Company's administration and how Mat Salleh is remembered today as a national hero in Malaysia's national narrative.

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