History

1846
Labuan was officially ceded to the British by Raja Muda Hasim on 18 December 1846. Labuan was subsequently established as a free port and made a crown colony.

1800
Labuan was part of the Brunei Sultanate. Early history recorded that Labuan was a port of refuge for ships plying the Borneo waters from storm and pirate attacks.

1845
The first administrative system was installed in Labuan with Sir James Brook appointed as first governor of Labuan. Other officers included Sir Hugh Low, as chief secretary.

1847
Coal was found on the island. The first commercial mining was carried out by Eastern Archipelago Company in 1849. It was subsequently changed to various companies under the control of the Chartered Company until the mine closure in 1911.

1888
The administration of Labuan was handed over to British North Borneo Company known as The Chartered Company.

1850
Convict labor was imported from Hong Kong to work at the coal mine.

1852
A railway line was built to transport coal from Tanjung Kubong coal mine to Victoria Port along Mc Arthur Road (known today as Jalan Tun Mustapha).

1907
Labuan was placed under the Straits Settlement administration headed by Sir Arthur Henderson Young G.C.M.G.

1945
On 10/6/45, the Allied forces landed at Labuan with a convoy of 100 ships. An attack was launched by the 9th Australian Division resulting in the surrender of the Japanese.

1906
Labuan was reverted to a crown colony. The island was placed under Straits Settlement administration in 1907.

1942
Japanese Imperial Army invaded Labuan and ruled the island and a large part of Borneo for four years. Labuan was renamed Pulau Maida after General Maida, the chief commander of the Japanese forces in Borneo who was killed in an air crash on the way to Labuan.

1946
Labuan was again placed under the administration of North Borneo British Crown Colony (now known as Sabah). Sir Edward Twining was the Governor to Sabah.

1945
On 9/9/45, General Masao Baba, Commander of 37th Japanese Army, formally signed the letter of surrender at the Layang-Layangan beach (the Surrender Point) before Major General George F. Wootten, Commander of the Australian 9th Division Army.

1956
Labuan Free Port status was again reinstated making it a duty free island.

1947
Labuan Town Board was formed to administer the island.

1963
On 16/9/63 Labuan together with Sabah and Sarawak became independent and join Malaysia.

1984
Labuan was proclaimed a Federal Territory on 16/4/84. The island was declared an International Offshore Financial Centre on 01/10/90.

Today, Labuan is surging ahead. It is progressing well in its development as an IOFC and as a new tourist destination. It stands to progress futher as its vast potentials asre gradually exploited.