Brunei Darussalam Joins ASEAN Member In Today's History, January 7, 1984

Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on January 7, 1984 represented by the First Minister, Prince Mohamed Bolkiah who was standing on the right of the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Mochtar Kusumaatmadja. (X/@ASEAN)

JAKARTA History today, 39 years ago, January 7, 1984, Brunei Darussalam joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Brunei's presence adds to the solid narrative of regional cooperation between Southeast Asian countries.

Previously, the initiation of the unity of Southeast Asian countries had been discussed for a long time. However, the direction of the country's political policies that are different is an obstacle. Everything changed when Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand began to seriously build forums. ASEAN," he said.

The independence of countries in Southeast Asia occurred in the 1940s. These countries include Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The similarity of fate as an colonized nation initially made Southeast Asian countries focus on seeking support abroad.

Take for example Indonesia. Soekarno's era of leadership made Indonesia choose to lean towards the eastern bloc, the Soviet Union. The result was brilliant. Indonesia received a lot of help from the Soviet Union. However, the political map began to change when Suharto's government took power.

The Smiling General leaning towards the western bloc is starting to build a relationship between Southeast Asian countries. Suharto has seen significant economic growth in the Southeast Asian region. Like a tit for tat. Countries in Southeast Asia observe the same thing.

The initiation of building a forum that accommodates the common interests of Southeast Asian countries has also emerged. Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand emerged as pioneers. They then founded ASEAN in 1967.

The presence of ASEAN brings great benefits to each country. The cooperation is also carried out in various forms. Among other things, including trade to culture. This narrative makes the support between fellow ASEAN nations even more pronounced.

However, Indonesia's foreign political arrangement is considered more successful. First, after successfully bringing Indonesia into one of the orbits of Western block countries, President Suharto then reversed the image of Indonesia's confrontation with Malaysia in the past to a conducive regional political arrangement for economic development efforts through the establishment of the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations).

The formation of ASEAN is believed to be the turning point of political confrontation against the politics of regional cooperation among nations in Southeast Asia. ASEAN later became the first major pillar of the external aspects of Indonesia's external environment in the formulation of foreign politics under President Suharto, "explained Agus R. Rahman in his writing in the LIPI Political Research Journal entitled Foreign Politics The government of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to Europe (2005).

The excitement of joining ASEAN which is hoarding in fact has attracted many other Southeast Asian countries. Brunei Darussalam, for example. The country later joined as a new ASEAN member on January 7, 1984.

ASEAN is considered by Brunei to be the right medium to add solid cooperation between Southeast Asian countries. Alias, ASEAN can accelerate economic growth and cultural development in the Southeast Asia region.

"We have piled up attention to work together for the common interest. It is a process of enlarging a set of values shared. Since being body-made in 1967, ASEAN members have adapted an unformal way to eliminate all their differences.

This cooperation is not the result of a formal agreement according to the arrival of a strong feeling with the same goal. As a conclusion, beta hopes that the state of Brunei Darussalam will re-affirm the integration of the ASEAN economy. Beta believes that the gentlemen and women will complete dynamic strategies that will complement ASEAN to face the future global economic disaster," said Sultan Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah as quoted by Johan Septian Putra in the book Brunei Darussalam and Falsafah Melayu Islam Beraja(2021).