26 October 2025 marks a historic moment. In Kuala Lumpur, Timor-Leste is officially joining ASEAN as its 11th member state. For most Malaysians, the name Timor-Leste may feel distant; a small country on the periphery of Indonesia, known mainly through fragments of history and humanitarian headlines. Yet its accession is not just another expansion of ASEAN. It is the return of a long-ignored story to Southeast Asia’s collective consciousness, one that reminds us of what regional solidarity once meant, and what it could still mean. From resistance to nationhood Timor-Leste’s history is written in endurance. Colonized by Portugal for more than four centuries, it declared independence in 1975, only to be invaded by Indonesia nine days later. For 24 years, the Timorese people lived under occupation, resisting through the mountains, through art, and through silence. Nearly a third of the population perished. Yet the resistance persisted, led by figures such as Xanana Gusmão and José Ramos-Horta, who carried their struggle from the jungles to the United Nations, from guerrilla warfare to diplomacy. In 1999, the UN supervised a referendum, and the Timorese voted overwhelmingly for independence. The cost was immense, including destroyed homes and lives uprooted. When peacekeepers entered Dili, the city was in ruins. But amid the ashes, the Timorese people rebuilt. In 2002, the world witnessed the birth of Southeast Asia’s youngest nation; fragile, poor, yet fiercely proud. Two decades later, the journey continues. Timor-Leste remains small with a population of 1.3 million and an economy still reliant on oil and gas, but it is also among the region’s most democratic societies. Power transitions peacefully, elections are competitive, and civil society is vibrant. In a region where democracy often retreats, this is no small achievement. Malaysia’s relationship with Timor-Leste, however, is not a new one. During the occupation years, Kuala Lumpur, like other ASEAN capitals, upheld the principle of non-interference, aligning with Jakarta’s stance that Timor-Leste was an “internal matter.” That silence reflected ASEAN’s cautious diplomacy, but it also left a moral wound. When the violence broke out in 1999, Malaysia became part of the UN-sanctioned peacekeeping force (INTERFET). Our troops were among the first to land in Dili to help restore order. It was a moment of quiet redemption, when Malaysia moved from silence to solidarity. Since then, diplomatic ties have deepened. Malaysian educators, engineers, and advisers have worked in Dili; Timorese students have studied in Kuala Lumpur. These small but meaningful connections have built a bridge that now finds new significance as Malaysia chairs ASEAN during Timor-Leste’s formal admission. When Malaysia stood up: The APCET story To understand why Timor-Leste’s membership matters, we must also remember an event that tested Malaysia’s conscience long before independence was achieved; the Asia Pacific Conference on East Timor (APCET) in 1996. At that time, Malaysia was not yet ready to talk openly about Timor-Leste. The Suharto government in Indonesia was still powerful, and the issue was seen as a threat to regional harmony. Yet a coalition of Malaysian NGOs and […]
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I would like to congratulate Malaysia for hosting the ASEAN Summit and related meetings. It is a great honor for me to visit Malaysia on my first overseas trip since assuming office as Prime Minister of Japan and participate in this important ASEAN event. This year marks several historic milestones: the 10th anniversary of ASEAN Community, the launch of “ASEAN Community Vision 2045,” and the 20th anniversary of East Asia Summit (EAS). ASEAN, as the hub of the Indo-Pacific region and a global center of growth, is playing an increasingly vital role. Malaysia, through its dynamic trade and investment activities, is driving regional prosperity. As the ASEAN Chair for this year, it has demonstrated outstanding leadership—something I deeply respect. Japan fully supports the determination of ASEAN to realize “a resilient, innovative, dynamic, and people-centered ASEAN Community,” as well as the efforts put in by Malaysia as the rotating chair. For more than half a century, Japan and ASEAN have built a relationship of trusted partners based on mutual understanding. Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Southeast Asia for the first time in Jan 2013 after assuming office as the Prime Minister of Japan, demonstrating Japan’s fundamental diplomatic approach toward ASEAN. The “Japan-ASEAN 50th Anniversary Vision,” adopted in December 2023, outlines three pillars for our bilateral partnership: cross-generational exchanges in humanity, creating a shared future in economy and society, achieving peace and stability. Building upon this foundation of friendship, I am committed to ensure that Japan and ASEAN grow stronger and share prosperity. Japan and ASEAN have also implemented various initiatives to support people-to-people exchanges. For example, Japan continues to advance the WA project effectively, which includes dispatching Japanese Language Partners (language teaching assistants) and promoting two-way intellectual and cultural exchanges. To date, approximately 3,000 Japanese Language Partners have been dispatched. Furthermore, we are actively promoting youth exchanges through programs such as the Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Program (SSEAYP)—which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year—and the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS), as well as vibrant student exchanges facilitated by ASCOJA (ASEAN Council of Japan Alumni) and its supporting organization ASJA (Asian Students and Alumni International). Through these efforts, we aim to deepen trust and mutual understanding among future leaders. Based on trust and mutual understanding, Japan and ASEAN are jointly creating an economy and a future society to achieve shared development. Strategic and proactive investments in emerging fields such as digital and green technologies are indispensable. In the digital sector, artificial intelligence holds immense potential to drive profound social and economic transformation. Japan will therefore promote the development of “safe, secure, and trustworthy AI” and work toward establishing an international AI governance framework while advancing innovation powered by AI. Science and technology, as the foundation of innovation, are of great importance. ASEAN is a key partner in my vision of making Japan a “nation of new technologies.” We will enhance international collaborative research and exchanges among researchers in cutting-edge fields such as AI, […]
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