A country’s future: The writer was struck by Timor-Leste’s remarkably young population that is full of drive and untapped potential. — Filepic/The Star
Article:
Asean’s new dawn: Malaysia and the rise of Timor-Leste
By: NUR JAZLAN MOHAMED
DURING the early 1980s, when my late father, Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat, was assigned as Malay-sia’s ambassador to Indonesia by then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad after serving as his Information minister, I had the opportunity to spend my study breaks visiting him and our family in Jakarta.
Though brief, those visits left a lasting impression on me, not only for the vibrant political atmosphere of Indonesia at the time but also for the distant yet resilient story of Timor-Leste.
Known then as Timor-Timur or East Timor and still under Indonesian occupation, the struggle for its independence echoed far beyond its borders. The resistance, led by Xanana Gusmão and José Ramos-Horta, stirred the Timorese people and the conscience of the international community with their courage and commitment to self-determination.
Many decades later, and earlier this month, as the deputy president of the Senate of Malaysia’s Parliament, I finally had the privilege of setting foot in Dili, the vibrant capital of Timor-Leste, to visit Asia’s youngest nation.
While the occasion was marked by the formal inter-parliamentary engagement and diplomatic exchanges, my visit held a deeper purpose. I wanted to gain a richer understanding of the country’s inspiring journey towards full Asean membership, a milestone expected to be formalised at the upcoming summit this October.
Timor-Leste’s accession to Asean marks a pivotal moment for the region and holds particular significance for Malaysia as we chair the bloc this year. As the last remaining South-East Asian nation outside the grouping, Timor-Leste’s entry symbolises Asean’s commitment to regional unity and cohesion.
Drawing from the rich tapestry of conversations I had with many Timorese personalities, their accession represents a significant diplomatic triumph for Malaysia, reflecting our Asean chairmanship theme, “Inclusivity and Sustainability”.
This success also mirrors our long, storied support for the Timorese cause, notably as the first country to open a liaison office in Dili in April 2001 and the first among Asean to establish an embassy in May 2002.
Credit should be extended to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, whose diplomatic finesse has skilfully navigated the intricate internal currents of Asean and steered the bloc towards a historic consensus.
As Chair, we have played a transformative role in affirming Timor-Leste’s rightful place within the regional family, demonstrating that unity and principles can indeed harmonise.
Timor-Leste’s accession to Asean also unveils a strategic opportunity, particularly given its distinctive geography that positions it as an important player in an increasingly pivotal geostrategic landscape.
For Malaysia and the broader Asean community, this inclusion promises economic dividends, opening doors for trade, infrastructure development, and investment diversification to bolster the region’s pursuit of more sustainable economies.
We are already taking a pioneering role to enhance regional connectivity through Batik Air’s new direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Dili and vice versa, an important step in integrating Timor-Leste more closely with the rest of South-East Asia.
However, Timor-Leste’s path to Asean has not unfolded without its trials. In Dili, a Timorese quip captured their candid frustration: “Joining Asean is harder than getting into heaven!” The humour, while disarming, reflects the deeper frustration with an accession process that was protracted and further complicated by internal hesitations within the bloc itself.
A moment in the inter-parliamentary engagement and diplomatic exchanges between the Malaysian group and Timor-Leste leaders.—Facebook/Media Parlamento Nacional
A key challenge has been Asean’s struggle to harmonise its non-interference principle with evolving regional dynamics. Interestingly, it was during my visit in Dili that news broke of Myanmar’s junta government lodging a formal objection to Timor-Leste’s membership, stating that the latter has failed to adhere to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs due to its relationship with the National Unity Government, Myanmar’s government in exile. Ultimately, that tension has been decisively resolved, based on the joint communiqué of the recently concluded 58th Asean Foreign Ministers Meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
The writer presenting Ramos-Horta with a gift from Malaysia. — Facebook/nurjazlanmohamed
With regional integration no longer a barrier, the focus now shifts towards Timor-Leste’s national development. One of the most striking impressions I took away was the country’s remarkably young population that is full of drive and untapped potential.
During my talk that was graciously hosted by their Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Ministry, I was asked thoughtful questions by many enthusiastic university students who showed eagerness to learn and grow. Their passion reaffirmed Malaysia’s vital role in nurturing Timor-Leste’s human capital and intellectual development.
Timor-Leste’s youth may still be finding their footing within the broader Asean community, but Malaysia’s unwavering support can help accelerate their journey. We have focused on building capacity through initiatives such as the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme and educational scholarships in fostering innovation and leadership.
For Timor-Leste, we should be committed to cultivating a dynamic new generation of capable Timorese leaders and public servants who are expertly shaped and trained by our institutions and universities.
Healthcare is also a promising opportunity, as Malaysian doctors are well-equipped to provide diagnostic services in Timor-Leste. Doing so would significantly reduce the country’s dependence on costly overseas treatments, as my discussions also revealed the Timorese’s confidence in Malaysia’s high-quality and affordable healthcare system.
By expanding healthcare support, Malaysia can make care more accessible and affordable in Timor-Leste while promoting mutual growth.
My courtesy call on President Ramos-Horta proved an important highlight as it reaffirmed the depth of our longstanding ties.
As he thanked me and Malaysia for strongly supporting and enabling their Asean journey, the most profound takeaway from our meeting emerged clearly. Malaysia has much more to offer in strengthening our relationship, building on the solid foundation we established as one of Timor-Leste’s earliest and most steadfast allies.
While the momentum may have undergone shifts in recent years, a renewed sense of purpose is now unmistakable as Timor-Leste prepares to take its place within Asean.
Today, Timor-Leste stands on the cusp of its historic accession, a moment that carries both strategic weight and deep symbolic meaning for the wider region. It reflects Asean’s maturity as a community that grows stronger not through exclusion but through inclusion.
Expecting Timor-Leste to meet the standards of more developed members before joining would not only be impracticable, but also contrary to the very spirit of regional unity. In truth, Asean was never designed to function as an exclusive club. Rather, its vision of shared progress and collective aspiration serves as the true benchmark for our region’s solidarity.
In embracing Timor-Leste, Asean does not just gain a member. It boldly reaffirms the very ideals that justify its existence.
About the writer:
Senator Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed is a politician from Umno and has been serving as the deputy president of the Senate, Parliament of Malaysia, since June 2023. He was the deputy Home Affairs minister from 2015 to 2018. The views expressed here are solely the writer’s own.