ASEAN Members Lineup : Brunei

            

  (Photo: Brunei Halal Industry Innovation Centre)

ASEAN member country Brunei, Darussalam (the Nation of Brunei, The Abode of Peace) is located on the north coast of the island of Borneo. It has a coastline on the South China sea and is surrounded by Sarawak Malaysia. Brunei is a former British protectorate which gained full independence on 1 January 1984. In the same week, on 7 January 1984, Brunei became a member of ASEAN. 

Two things define Brunei Darussalam: religion and money. The official religion of Brunei is Islam and this year the country has moved to adopt a more strict form of Sharia law. Of interest is the recent development by the country of the Halal brand. The branding is an attempt to show prospective clients that the country’s products are produced and managed according to Islamic law. Brunei Darussalam is rich. Very rich. Its fortunes come from vast stores of petroleum and natural gas. International partners cooperate with the country in producing and exporting its products. Japan is one of its biggest customers for Liquid Natural Gas (LNG). As a result of the resource wealth per capita income of its 400,000 plus population is high and many social services are provided by the government free or for a small charge. Brunei is a member of several international organizations including ASEAN, and the British Commonwealth. Brunei has close ties with both Singapore and Malaysia. There is still a British military presence in the country.

The country is governed by the absolute leader, Hassani Bolkiah, the 29th Sultan of Brunei. He has governed since 1967, lives in an 1800 room palace, reportedly has three wives, attended the British Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, is a collector of expensive cars and is worth $20 billion. The Sultan also holds several portfolios in the government.

The capital is Bandar Seri Begawan where the Brunei International Airport is located. Currency is the Brunei dollar (B$), but Singapore dollars are also used.