BRUNEI - Politics and Governance of SEA

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND This state is situated in the northwestern part of the island of Borneo.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Capital of Brunei

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND This valley is part of the Malaysian state of Sarawak that separates the eastern and western territories of the sultanate.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND With a population of 414,000, Brunei is a (?). Only about (percentage?) of the total population has citizenship.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Most citizens are of (?), an estimated (?) belongs to indigenous groups

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The remainder of the population consists of (? and ?)

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Most permanent residents are (?) who were not granted citizenship when Brunei declared its independence but received (?). The majority of temporary residents are (?) from (?) employed in the (?)

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Brunei has a relatively (?) population, predominantly consisting of Malay Muslims

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND It is the official state religion in Brunei that make up 75% of the population, whereas the other two religion (?) represent 9.4 and 8.5%

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The head of state and government is the (?) who represents the country’s highest religious and political authority, making it the only (?) in Southeast Asia.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Brunei began its first step toward its self-government with their constitution. It was first drafted in (?) provides no (?). The Sultan’s principal authority is (?) by parliament and he remains (?).

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND According to the national founding myth, the Sultanate’s political history began when Sultan (?) converted to Islam in 1363 and established today’s ruling dynasty

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The current sultan in Brunei ascended the throne in (?) as the (no?) member of the house Bolkiah, serving for (?) years as of 2024

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Between the 15th and 17th centuries, Brunei reached its height of influence, exerting control over large portions of (?), (?) and (?)

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Following the arrival of European colonial powers in the sixteenth century, the Sultanate slowly lost much of its influence over (?). By the 19th century, Brunei’s influence began to wane as European powers, particularly the (?), gained control over Southeast Asia. In the nineteenth century, the Sultan had to forgo control over much of Borneo, finally ceding external sovereignty to the British in the (treaty?)

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Threatened by complete collapse after internal strife, Brunei was only saved when the British offered the Sultan a (treaty?) and installed a (?) in 1905. Under the terms of the (?) agreement, recommendations of the British Resident were binding on every matter except for religious affairs

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The British established this system which allowed British officials to have substantial influence over Brunei’s internal administration, with the Sultan maintaining symbolic authority.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND When the (?) discovered large (?) in Brunei in 1929, the country quickly became the (?) largest source of petroleum in the British Commonwealth. This gave the Sultanate a steady stream of revenue.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Fueled by oil revenues, Brunei transformed from a mainly agrarian-based to a (?) economy

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND These are states that regularly receive most or all of their revenues from rents, such as oil revenues or income derived from the exploitation of other natural resources

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The (years?) marked a turning point in Brunei’s political development. The birth of the sovereign Federation of Malaya (1957) and the approaching end of British control over Sarawak and Sabah triggered the emergence of a (?) movement led by the (?)

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Founded in 1956, PRB demanded the formation of the sovereign (?) under the nominal leadership of the Sultan of Brunei.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Sultan (name?) and (?), however, favored a closer association with Malaysia and opposed the expansion of popular participation and democratic rights especially after (treaty) which granted Brunei almost complete political and administrative autonomy, leaving the British High Commissioner only control over (three ?)

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The first Bruneian constitution, proclaimed that same year at the instruction of the British government, instituted a consultative assembly with a handful of indirectly elected members, called the (?)