Abdul Momin, Sultan of Brunei, -1886

Abdul Momin ibni Abdul Wahab (died 1885) was the 24th Sultan of Brunei from 1852 until his death in 1885. Abdul Momin sought British support as he blocked Charles Brooke's attempts to acquire more Bruneian land in 1868. In 1877, Baron von Overbeck secured Sabah’s concession of land from Abdul Momin for an annual payment. Brooke's manipulative tactics ultimately led to British restrictions on his land acquisitions while Overbeck gained control over northern Borneo. Despite initial resistance from Brooke's land expansion, Abdul Momin was forced to negotiate, Brooke eventually obtained land from Kidurong Bay to Baram in 1882, providing an annual payment for the latter. Facing continued losses, Abdul Momin restructured Brunei’s government and eliminated certain taxes in 1884. In 1885, he issued the Amanat, prohibiting further land concessions to foreigners, but it lacked enforcement power. Shortly after, Brunei lost Trusan, exposing the Amanat’s weakness. The British, uninterested in investing in Brunei, allowed Brooke and the British North Borneo Company to dominate, accelerating Brunei’s decline. His efforts ultimately failed, and he died in the same year.