Slavery in Brunei

In the 20th-century, the development of an economy based on rubber and oil via investments by Westerners, who did not use slave labor, resulted in a deterioration of the institution of slavery in Brunei.

The Bruneian empire's influence reached as far as rural eastern Sarawak where enslavers pursued the Bidayuh, bone remains and cave paintings were found in Sireh Cave within Serian located more than 60 km southeast of Kuching which was evidence as a place of refuge and retreat.

[2] In the 16th-century, most slaves in Melaka, Patani and Brunei came from Java (Sunda, Madura and Balamabang) and had not been enslaved by warfare, but imported by merchants.

[7] Historically, the Royal harem of the sultan of Brunei included both wives as well as female enslaved concubines and servants.

Officially the British pursued an abolitionist policy in all areas under their control after 1833, but in practice they avoided addressing the issue if they feared it could cause problems with local power holders.