Brunei–Malaysia relations In 2011, around 61,470 Malaysian has visited Brunei while Malaysia received 1,238,871 Bruneian tourist in 2013. The states of Sarawak and Sabah in East Malaysia are connected to Brunei via the Pan Borneo Highway through the Brunei–Malaysia Friendship Bridge. Before 2009, Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang was in dispute. Brunei and Malaysia agreed to cease gas and oil exploration in their disputed offshore and deep water seabeds until negotiations progressed into an agreement over allocation of disputed areas in 2003. In March 2009, it seemed a solution was achieved between the two governments when the Malaysian press reported
Brunei–Malaysia border World War II, joined Malaysia on 16 September 1963. Brunei remained a British Protectorate until 1984 when it gained independence. Brunei and Malaysia have had long standing disputes over land and maritime territories. However, due to the cultural ties between the two countries, the disputes have always been low-key and deemed too sensitive to be discussed openly. The main land dispute was over the district of Limbang which has been controlled by Sarawak since 1890, while the dispute over maritime territory involved virtually the entire deep sea section of the South China Sea claimed by Brunei which Malaysia asserted as