| Conventional Long Name: | Crown Colony of North Borneo |
| Common Name: | North Borneo |
| Empire: | United Kingdom |
| Status: | Colony |
| Life Span: | 1946–1963 |
| Era: | New Imperialism |
| Year Start: | 1946[1] |
| Year End: | 1963 |
| Date Start: | 15 July |
| Date End: | 16 September |
| Event Start: | North Borneo ceded to the Crown Colony |
| Event End: | Malaysia Agreement |
| Event1: | The Turtle Islands, Cagayan de Sulu and Mangsee Islands ceded to the Philippine government |
| Date Event1: | 16 October 1947 |
| Event2: | Self-government |
| Date Event2: | 31 August 1963[2] [3] |
| P1: | British Military Administration (Borneo) |
| Flag P1: | Flag of the United Kingdom.svg |
| P2: | North Borneo |
| Flag P2: | Flag of North Borneo (1902–1946).svg |
| P3: | Crown Colony of Labuan |
| Flag P3: | Flag of Labuan (1912–1946).svg |
| S1: | Malaysia |
| Flag S1: | Flag of Malaysia.svg |
| S2: | PalawanPalawan |
| Flag S2: | Flag of Palawan, Philippines.svg |
| S3: | SabahSabah |
| Flag S3: | Flag of Sabah (1963-1982).svg |
| S4: | SuluSulu |
| Flag S4: | Sulu Province Flag.svg |
| National Motto: | Latin: Pergo et Perago[4] (I persevere and I achieve) |
| National Anthem: | God Save the King (1946–1952) God Save the Queen (1952–1963) |
| Capital: | Jesselton |
| Common Languages: | , Kadazan Dusun, Sabah Malay |
| Title Leader: | Monarch |
| Leader1: | George VI |
| Year Leader1: | 1946–1952 |
| Leader2: | Elizabeth II |
| Year Leader2: | 1952–1963 |
| Title Deputy: | Governor |
| Deputy1: | Edward Twining |
| Year Deputy1: | 1946–1949 |
| Deputy2: | William Goode |
| Year Deputy2: | 1959–1963 |
| Currency: | North Borneo dollar, Malaya−British Borneo dollar |
| Today: | Malaysia Philippines |
The Crown Colony of North Borneo was a Crown colony on the island of Borneo established in 1946 shortly after the dissolution of the British Military Administration.[5] The Crown Colony of Labuan joined the new Crown colony during its formation. It was succeeded as the state of Sabah through the formation of the Federation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963.
On 16 October 1947 the British ceded the seven Turtle Islands and the Mangsee Islands to the Philippine government under a treaty signed between the United Kingdom and the United States.[6] [7] The islands now form a part of the Southwestern Tagalog Region (MIMAROPA) and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The Governor of the Crown Colony of North Borneo was appointed by King George VI, and later Queen Elizabeth II. After the formation of Malaysia in 1963 the title was changed to 'Tuan Yang Terutama Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sabah', which means 'His Excellency The Governor of Sabah', or 'His Excellency The Head of State of Sabah' and the appointment was later made by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia).
| Post: | Governor |
| Body: | British Crown Colony of North Borneo |
| Flag: | Flag of the Governor of North Borneo (1948–1963).svg |
| Style: | His Excellency |
| Appointer: | King George VI Queen Elizabeth II |
| Inaugural: | Edward Francis Twining |
| Last: | William Goode |
| Abolished: | 16 September 1963 (Formed the Federation of Malaysia)[8] |
| Formation: | 1946–1963 |
| Name | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Francis Twining | 1946 | 1948 | |
| Herbert Ralph Hone | 1949 | 1954 | |
| Roland Evelyn Turnbull | 1954 | 1959 | |
| William Allmond Codrington Goode | 1960 | 1963 |
Executive and legislative councils were established in October 1950, replacing the provisional Advisory Council which had existed since July 1946. The Executive Council, which advised the governor on matters of policy, consisted of three ex-officio members (the Chief Secretary, Financial Secretary, and Attorney-General), two appointed official members, and four appointed unofficial members. The Legislative Council consisted of the Governor as president, the three ex-officio members, nine appointed official members, and ten appointed unofficial members. The governor customarily appointed unofficial members from lists of names put forward by a representative bodies. The development of democratic institutions was much slower in North Borneo than it was in neighbouring Sarawak.[9]
For local administration, the colony was divided into four residencies overseen by a resident, which were sub-divided into districts overseen by district officers. The district officer for the island of Labuan reported directly to the Chief Secretary. The districts were sub-divided into sub-districts overseen by assistant district officers. Most district officers were expatriates, while the majority of assistant district officers were locally recruited.
Within each district, village headmen were responsible for minor administrative tasks. Headmen reported to chiefs, who in turn reported to the district officer. The chiefs presided over native courts which dealt with breaches of native custom and Islamic law. District officers could also act in a magisterial capacity and had jurisdiction over civil actions, breaches of the laws of the colony, and offences against the penal code.
In 1951, the Rural Development Ordinance provided for the establishment of local authorities in rural areas. The first such authority was set up in Kota Belud district on 1 January 1952 under the direction of the district and assistant district officers. Members of the local authority were entirely appointed, representing both the native population and the Chinese population of Kota Belud. This pattern was repeated throughout the territory as other rural authorities were established.
An ordinance regarding urban government came into force on 1 July 1954 which allowed for the creation of township authorities, town boards, and municipal councils. Jesselton and Sandakan became town board areas as did Tawau and Labuan in 1955. Members of local councils were entirely appointed by the governor, though unofficial members were required to be in the majority.