National Day 2006: Looking Back

National Day (1984)

It gives me very great pleasure to extend my warm welcome to Your Majesties, Excellencies the Presidents and the Prime Ministers, Their Royal Highnesses, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen on the occasion of the first National Day of Negara Brunei Darussalam in commemoration and celebration of the resumption of our full independence and sovereignty on the 1st January 1984.

Since resuming, her full responsibility as an independent sovereign nation, Brunei Darussalam. has been most fortunate in being admitted into the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Commonwealth of Nations in rapid succession. Allow me, therefore, to take this opportunity to express our deep appreciation to those countries which have been responsible for ensuring the smooth entry of Brunei Darussalam into these Organizations. It is my earnest desire to improve further relations with those countries which have supported Brunei Darussalam's entry into those Organizations. However, in cultivating new relationships, Brunei Darussalam does not intend to abandon long established friendships. In particular, I wish to place on record our deep appreciation for the role that had been played by the Government of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second in our development, and sincerely hope that Brunei Darussalam's relationship with the United Kingdom will always be a cordial and friendly one in the years to come.

Upon resuming her full responsibility as an independent sovereign nation Brunei Darussalam is also fortunate in many other ways. It has a stable political order including and established civil service, good infrastructure facilities and relatively well developed social overheads including a largely literate populations, and one of the highest standards of living in Asia. Allah has been kind to Brunei Darussalam in having us provided with such important resources as oil and natural gas, which are our major sources of income. As a result, my Government over the years have been able to finance all its development programs with its own financial resources, while maintaining substantial surplus every year for investment overseas.

It is my earnest wish to see the development programs, including the provision of land and housing for my landless native Subjects, carried out with greater vigour and enthusiasm to enable my people to enjoy a progressively higher standard of living. And as oil and gas are depleting assets it is my desire to see Brunei Darussalam's oil production maintained at a more rational level in keeping with the need to prolong the prosperity now enjoyed by my people. At the same time I would like to see her overseas investments to be more efficiently managed while efforts at economic diversification be further intensified. In these endeavors as Head of State, as well as Head of Government, I shall spare no effort in working for the benefit of my people.

Brunei Darussalam has never been a colony but had a special treaty relationship, with the United Kingdom which began in 1847 when Brunei entered into a Treaty of Friendship and Commerce with the United Kingdom. This Treaty was later succeeded by various arrangements which included the transfer to the United Kingdom, amongst other matters, of responsibility for the conduct of Brunei's external relations, and culminating in 1979 with the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation under which it was agreed that Britain would by the 31st December 1983 relinquish all its powers and responsibilities in relation to Brunei Darussalam and that on 1st January 1984 Brunei would resume full international responsibility as a sovereign and independent state. Unlike a colonial territory becoming independent, therefore, Brunei resumed its status as an independent sovereign nation with a Declaration of Independence at midnight of 31st December 1983 which we celebrate today.

As the country which had international responsibility towards Brunei before our independence, it is most fitting that the United Kingdom is represented here at these celebrations by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales as the personal envoy of Her Britannic Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, and for whose presence I wish to express my sincere appreciation.

I would also wish to express the sincere appreciation of my country and our people to nations which are represented here at this joyous occasion by their Heads of States, Heads of Governments and their leading statesmen and representatives, and also to those who have sent us their warm greetings but are unable to be represented here today.

As a new state amongst the international community of nations, the problems facing Brunei are no different to those facing older members. The task for my Government, therefore, will be difficult but challenging ; the more so because people in a newly independent country tend to identify themselves with the current expectations of the developed world. In facing the challenges ahead of us, I am confident that my people will rise to the occasion by increasing their efforts in playing their rightful role towards achieving progress and prosperity. With the existing infrastructure which were established under previous National Plans, and with prudent management of our resources, I am confident that Brunei will be able to meet those challenges, God willing.

Without peace and political stability, however, there can be no economic progress ; and without economic progress our independence and freedom will be in jeopardy. In an increasingly interdependent world aggravated by a depressed world economy, the need for cooperative endeavors has never been more urgent. It is, therefore, my country's declared policy to work together with all our friends and allies towards the achievement of peace, economic progress and friendship amongst nations on the basis of equality, mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity ; and on the principle of non-interference in the affairs of the other nations

Brunei is fortunate in having as its neighbors the ASEAN countries of which Brunei is a member and with which we share common ideals and objectives. As a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, we are able to continue the existing relations with countries with whom we have traditional ties through our association with the United Kingdom. As a Malay Muslim Monarchy we appreciate the expression of friendship from Muslim countries towards Brunei. We value also the warm and friendly greetings from the many more countries with whom we have established friendly ties on the achievement of our independence. All these have made our transition as an independent country smooth and peaceful. With such goodwill and friendship from the international community towards Brunei, we are confident that in this atmosphere Brunei is able to pursue the economic and spiritual progress of its people and to work together for peace, progress, and prosperity throughout the world.

In conclusion I express the hope that our guests from overseas are having a comfortable stay in this country and I express once again the deep appreciation of my people for the honor they have given us by their presence in joining us in the celebrations of our emergence as an independent and sovereign nation.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE CAN BE ACCESSED FROM:
http://www.brunei.gov.bn/government/speech/speech_nd.htm