Marsal Maun
Marsal bin Maun was a civil servant and educator. He served as deputy state secretary from 1960 to 1962 before becoming Brunei's second Menteri Besar of Brunei from 1962 to 1968.
In 1933, Marsal founded the Brunei Darussalam Scouts Association. He was the first of the "Three M's" or "Three Musketeers" feared by the British government, alongside Pengiran Muhammad Ali and Pengiran Muhammad Yusuf. As a prominent member of the Brunei Malay Teachers Association and a close confidant of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, he played a crucial role in shaping the discussions that led to the adoption of the 1959 constitution of Brunei.
Marsal's tenure as chief minister was marked by a turbulent period, particularly due to his strong opposition to Malaysia. He was widely credited with shaping Brunei's negotiating position in refusing to join the Federation of Malaysia in 1962, which contrasted with the views of many Legislative Council members who supported Malaysia's inclusion, despite concerns over Kuala Lumpur's demands. This period of political tension was further compounded by the Brunei revolt in 1962, which added to the challenges faced during his leadership.
Early life and education
Marsal bin Maun was born on 8 November 1913 in Kampong Pulau Ambok, now known as Kampong Pintu Malim, Brunei Town. He received his early education at the Jalan Pemancha Malay School from 1923 to 1929. After passing the primary 4 exam, he was appointed as a probationary teacher. In 1930, he traveled to British Malaya with Basir Taha to pursue a three-year teacher training program at the Sultan Idris Training College in Tanjong Malim. He became one of the first two Bruneians to qualify as a teacher from the institution in 1933.Career
Early career
After returning in 1933, Marsal began his career as an assistant teacher at Jalan Pemancha Malay School. During his time there, he founded the PPNBD and served as its assistant leader, establishing the foundation for the Scout Movement in Brunei. He continued teaching until January 1935, when he was appointed acting superintendent of education, a position he was officially confirmed in by 1936. That same year, he was also an active member of PSPB, a nonpolitical organisation, which played a role in Brunei's early social and civic movements. Marsal made significant improvements to religious education in Brunei, incorporating it into the daily school schedule and increasing its frequency to twice a week instead of just once. In 1937, he co-founded the PGGMB with other teachers from the SITC, and the organisation was officially registered in 1939.Japanese occupation of Brunei
During the Japanese occupation of Brunei, he was involved with the Japanese Propaganda Department but was later suspended by the British Military Administration and the British Residency until September 1946. Following World War II, he was among several Malay officers detained by the BMA on charges of collaborating with the Japanese. The BMA, influenced by non-Malay groups and unfamiliar with local customs, removed many Malay-educated officials in favour of English-speaking candidates, causing significant dissatisfaction among the Malay community. However, some officials, including T. S. Monks, questioned the legitimacy of these accusations. On 9 March 1948, as a key opposition figure, Marsal pointed out that many civil servants hesitated to challenge British policies due to fear of repercussions. He also noted widespread distrust of British efforts to integrate Brunei with Sarawak, as many locals favoured federation with the Federation of Malaya instead, reflecting the conservative outlook of Brunei's population.State councillor and the constitution
Marsal played a crucial role in Brunei's resistance against British colonial rule in the early 1950s. Working closely with Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, Pengiran Yusuf, and Jamil Al-Sufri, he actively opposed British efforts to introduce a codified constitution. Like many Malay-trained educators with ties to the Japanese occupation, he became a vocal critic of British rule, subtly challenging their authority. Before attending SITC in 1949 and 1950, he served as an education adviser to the assistant British Resident in Kuala Belait. Upon his return, he was reinstated as superintendent of Malay education.During Brunei's early constitutional reforms, Marsal became a member of the newly established District Advisory Councils in September 1954, which played a key role in advising the sultan's government. He became an outspoken critic of the government, using this platform to challenge its policies in the State Council, where he was appointed as an observer that same year. Sworn in on 17 November 1954, he quickly emerged as one of the council's most vocal members and, alongside other educators, transformed the council from a passive body into an active platform for challenging British rule.
In June 1956, during John Orman Gilbert's leave, Dennis White briefly served as acting British Resident in Brunei, with Anthony Abell hoping White's arrival would improve relations between the British administration and the State Council. Abell specifically instructed White to distance the sultan from the influence of schoolmasters Marsal and Pengiran Ali. He was part of the Brunei delegation to London for constitutional talks in 1956, which included the sultan and other key Malay members of the State Council, advised by Panglima Bukit Gantang, former Menteri Besar of Perak, and Neil Lawson, a lawyer involved in Malaya's constitutional talks. He was reappointed as an unofficial member of the State Council in 1957. According to Marsal in Hiboran magazine, a solid policy could be developed soon, most likely modeled after the one Abdul Razak Hussein suggested for the Federation of Malaya.
In February 1958, during a Special State Council meeting convened by the sultan, Marsal, Pengiran Ali, and Pengiran Yusuf were appointed to examine the draft constitution between Brunei and the British government. The council disagreed with Abell, insisting that the draft, based on feedback from the DAC, should be considered first. They proceeded to review the draft constitution without his presence and aimed to present a revised version to the British. In early May, Marsal, Pengiran Ali, and Taha Hussain proposed that Brunei withdraw from the Inter-Territorial Conference, arguing it provided no benefits. This followed the British push for closer ties with Sarawak and North Borneo, despite opposition in Brunei. The Sultan reassured his people that Brunei would not be forced into a federation, stressing patience and determination to protect the country's position. In response to the Colonial Office's inquiry, Abell sent a paper in July 1958, in which E. R. Bevington blamed Marsal, Pengiran Ali, and Pengiran Yusuf, members of the PGGMB, for causing difficulties in Brunei. Bevington noted they were key spokesmen for the sultan in the State Council, leading discussions and advocating for changes to the Constitution Enactment and draft constitution. Abell agreed, attributing the demand for changes to their influence.
File:KUNJONGAN DARI PENUNTUT2.jpg|thumb|200x200px|From left to right: Isa Ibrahim, Marsal, Pengiran Yusuf, Pengiran Ali, and Zaini Ahmad, at Grosvenor House Hotel in April 1959
In 1959, Marsal joined the Brunei delegation to London for constitutional negotiations, led by the sultan. He was part of the Brunei delegation at the London Conference on 23 March 1959, where discussions focused on the future constitutional arrangements for Brunei. He attended six plenary sessions, contributing alongside senior officials like Ibrahim Mohammad Jahfar, Pengiran Ali, and legal advisers. The conference aimed to address issues such as the administrative separation of Brunei and Sarawak, with Marsal playing a key role in shaping the discussions. During the First Working Party Session, Marsal voiced his dissatisfaction with the Colonial Office's suggestion of a preliminary training period for the position of chief minister, arguing that enough time had passed for such training and a suitable candidate was ready. Despite his concerns, the Brunei delegation agreed that the appointments of chief minister and state secretary should be discussed privately between the sultan and the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Alan Lennox-Boyd. Marsal later attended the signing of the written constitution and the new agreement with the United Kingdom at the Lapau on 29 September. In November, following Brunei's new constitution, Marsal was appointed an unofficial member of the Executive Council and proposed appointing Brunei Malays to senior government positions. However, when no progress was made, resentment grew towards the influx of Malayan officers, and tensions rose after a LegCo member criticised the lack of opportunities for locals in the public service.
On 23 April 1960, Marsal was appointed as one of the seven members of the Regency Council. In December 1960, he became involved in a political crisis when all sixteen unofficial members of the LegCo staged a walkout after their proposals on members' privileges and allowances were rejected by the sultan. The dispute arose over the claim that motions passed by the LegCo needed approval from the sultan-in-council, and tensions were further exacerbated by growing friction between local officers and the Malayan contingent. The crisis was resolved when the sultan agreed to meet the council members privately, leading to Marsal's promotion from superintendent of Malay schools to deputy state secretary, along with promotions for other local officers.
Marsal played a key role in maintaining government stability during the turmoil of late 1961 and early 1962. Despite his past affiliations with Partai Rakyat Brunei, White notes that he was crucial in addressing the government's inefficiencies and was a strong supporter of the sultan. In July 1961, when the sultan faced pressure over the presence of Malayan officers in Brunei, Marsal helped resolve a personnel issue. Tunku Abdul Rahman's letter put the sultan in a difficult position, as he feared appearing weak if he had to request replacements after dismissing the Malayans. To settle the matter, the sultan, accompanied by Marsal and Pengiran Ali, visited Kuala Lumpur, where they agreed to replace the Malayans with more qualified officials. On 29 July, he was also appointed by the sultan, alongside other advisers, to address internal security in the Standing Advisory Council on Defence.