To me as a Malaysian: it's complicated. At least for James Brooke the White Rajah of Borneo, some local do adore him as a ruler, or at least liked him because him ruling mean no more war between tribe.

Also as a non-malay, i cannot imagine or dare to imagine a modern Malaysia where Malaya/Borneo didn't get conquered by European, because there won't be one, and seeing how Saudi Arabia turn out to be these day. While British leave a mess here and there, they also leave democracy to this land, combined multiple state into one, abolish slavery(the sultans endorse slavery and enslaved non-muslim), and weakened the sultans to almost a decoration state. So at least now we just have to satisfy the freeloader asking for rent, than a monarchy state that will dictate everyone based on a fantasy book from ages ago.

So while the coloniser(Portuguese, dutch, then brits) are bad guy, the one they colonised also very much a bad guy. To me they're like the left but from Injustice universe.