Timor-Leste’s Entry Into ASEAN Marks Historic Milestone - PM Anwar

By Samantha Tan

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has described the admission of Timor-Leste as ASEAN’s 11th member as a historic and deeply meaningful milestone for the people of the young nation.

He said the development carries great sentimental and emotional significance for Timor-Leste, given its long and complex history with the region.

“An especially interesting development is the inclusion of Timor-Leste as ASEAN’s 11th member — a move that is deeply sentimental and emotional for them because the country was once part of Indonesia.

“They were under Portuguese colonial rule, and later became part of Indonesia. However, following internal challenges, the people of Timor-Leste in 1999 chose to separate and achieve independence through a referendum, before officially gaining full sovereignty in 2002,” he said.

Anwar was speaking at a press conference after the closing ceremony of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits here today.

He said Timor-Leste has struggled for years to become part of ASEAN, a process that has taken time due to its status as a developing nation.

“From the very beginning, Timor-Leste has always been part of this region. But after gaining independence, it had to go through the process all over again,” he said.

As ASEAN Chair, Anwar said that the spirit of friendship within the regional bloc has never been determined by wealth or economic status.

“We build friendships not because a nation is wealthy, but because we respect the country and the dignity of its people.

“It’s the same in personal relationships... some families are rich, some are less fortunate, but we don’t choose friends based on wealth. The same principle applies among nations,” he said.

The Prime Minister also expressed appreciation to the Foreign Ministry for its tireless efforts throughout the year to ensure Timor-Leste’s full membership in ASEAN was finally realised.

“Our colleagues at the Foreign Ministry have worked hard all year to find the best way for Timor-Leste to secure full ASEAN membership, and alhamdulillah, history has been made with their admission,” he said.

On Oct 26, Timor-Leste officially joined ASEAN as its 11th member.

The accession, the grouping’s first expansion after 26 years, was formalised through the signing of the Declaration on the Admission of Timor-Leste into ASEAN during the opening of the 47th ASEAN Summit.

Timor-Leste’s journey toward full membership, which began with its application in 2011, has been guided by the principles of mutual respect and unity in diversity, strengthened through close cooperation with member states and dialogue partners.

Malaysia, as this year’s ASEAN Chair under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability,” hosted the summit, which brought together leaders from all member states and key dialogue partners.

The gathering has been described as one of the largest in ASEAN’s history and was attended by global leaders, including US President Donald Trump, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

-- BERNAMA