← Collaborations
· Goethe-Institut Malaysia
Borneo
Perantis
A co-research initiative with Goethe-Institut Malaysia examining Borneo's past through digitised primary sources and AI-assisted tools.
Partnership · Goethe-Institut Malaysia
Goethe-Institut Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany
Borneo Perantis:
Co-Research Initiative
Formerly: Borneo Microcosm (2021–2022)
Borneo Perantis brings together researchers across Malaysia to interrogate Borneo's past using digitised primary sources and AI-assisted tools. Rather than reproducing established accounts, the project actively surfaces underrepresented perspectives — indigenous oral traditions, marginalised communities, and histories that colonial records obscured or ignored entirely.
Research focus
Identity formation in Sabah and Sarawak — how communities understand and narrate their own histories
Reading colonial sources critically alongside indigenous accounts
Borneo's place in contemporary geopolitics, including East Kalimantan's role as Indonesia's new capital
Documenting traditional knowledge before it is lost
History Research Team
SJ
Shari Jeffri
Kota Kinabalu · Team Leader
Known by the pen name Kumis Kumis, Shari is a prolific author on North Borneo history. His works include 1788 Sejarah Simbulan and 300 Years of North Borneo Treaties. He founded both the Borneo History initiative and the Menjejak Sejarah Borneo research team to engage younger audiences with Sabah's heritage, and is active in the Malaysia Historical Society and The Sabah Society.
AS
Avtar Singh
Kota Kinabalu
A researcher since 2015, Avtar's work spans the Battle of Midway, early Sikh settlement in North Borneo, Sabah's 1963 independence limitations, and 17th–19th century piracy. His recent focus is on false narratives in Sulu Sultanate claims over Sabah. He is the great-great-grandson of Bhagat Singh, the first Sikh constable posted to North Borneo in 1868, and runs a Borneo History YouTube channel.
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Shadelina Shari
Kota Kinabalu
An independent researcher in Public Administration and Commerce, Shadelina has built an archive of over 80,000 physical and digital files on North Borneo's history. She has edited publications including North Borneo Sabah History and Timeline and contributed research to numerous historical events and presentations.
GN
Gregory Nyanggau
Miri
Gregory documents Sarawak's Iban cultural heritage — traditions, oral history, and community practices — through his blog, which has become a reference point for researchers studying Iban communities. His work has earned recognition within and beyond Sarawak.
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Christopher Higgs
Kuala Lumpur
Trained in Biology, Anthropology, Music Production, and Digital Applications, Christopher has worked across theatre, film, and television as writer, researcher, producer, and sound designer. He coordinated the art department for Rajah (2019, Sarawak), teaches Sound for Theatre at Taylor's University, volunteers as docent at Muzium Negara, and develops documentary content on Sarawak history.