The Timor-Lest is set to stop a process that has taken the latest member of the Association of Southst Asian Nations (ASEAN) block to discontinue a process that has taken the newest and smallest country in Southeast Asia for 14 years.
Membership was confirmed last week by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during a visit to Timor-Last.
“Timor-Laste will be of great benefit to all of us,” Anwar told Timor’s praise at a press conference after meeting President Jose Ramos-Horta.
“We certainly want a big celebration for ASEAN for ASEAN in October 2025,” he said.
ASEAN membership can open new doors for Timor-Lest, including more regional inclusion and better economic integration with its neighbors.
East called East Timor, Timor-Lest became independent in 2002 after Civil War and Indonesian occupation years. It first applied for ASEAN membership in 2011, and the membership process was formally launched in 2022.
In Singapore, Isas – Senior Fellow Sharon Sih of Yusof -Yusof Ishaq Institute told DW that Timor -Lest has been waiting at ASEAN doors for 14 years. “
“It has been said that it is easier to enter heaven than joining ASEAN. Timor-Lasty applied for membership in 2011, a few years after achieving independence. It quickly recognizes that you need to join a regional body IT Iconomic and politics as a new nation,” Sah said.
Timor read democratic credentials
In September, the Timor Reid government was kept for testing during protests in the capital.
Around 2,000 people took on the road protesting the government’s plan to provide free Toyota Prado SUV vehicles to 65 MPs.
The protesters threw the rocks and the gymnasium ugly to set tires and vehicles on fire. The police responded by firing tear gas.
However, after three days of protest, the Timor-Last government reversed the syllabus, unanimously voted to scrap the purchase of $ 4.2 million (€ 3.6 million) of vehicles.
Michael Leach, a professor of international relations at the Swinburn University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia, told DW that the accelerated de-escation was a tribute to Timor-Less democracy.
“Timor-Lest is at the most democratic country in Southeast Asia, and a well-vested freedom of the assembly and freedom of opposition,” said, “said the founder of the Timor-Lest Studies Association.
“If you compare some neighboring countries, the relative independence of civil freedom helps to maintain protests and struggle with the authorities in opposition,” he said.
“Mega projects, oil and gas projects and so on, Timor-Last makes a lot of investment. But there is underlying underlying underlying in basic development indicators such as agriculture, education and health. The government and the Parliament’s response “were important indicators for the future of the country for this pushback.
What can ASEAN do?
ASEAN was formed in 1967 to promote regional cooperation included in economic, social and education sectors as well as promoting peace and security.
It currently consists of Timor-Lasty with ten countries-Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei and Philippines, which have become a member of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur in October.
Malaysia, who currently presides over ASEAN, is the main driver in emphasizing the complete membership of Timor-Last.
The support from Kuala Lumpur last week reflected during the meeting between Timoris Prime Minister Zana Gumo and his Malaysian counterpart Ibrahim.
“We agreed to further enhance our bilateral relations in major sectors including business, investment, higher education, health and tourism,” said Gusmano.
Kho Ying Hoi, for the affiliated professor of international relations and human rights at the University Malaya at Kuala Lumpur, said that Timor-Laste is focusing on welcoming potential investors from abroad.
“The first time Anwar Ibrahim’s visit is very important,” she told DW.
He said, “Leading for ASEAN entry, before the official announcement as a chair by Malaysia, businessmen coming from the region have come, to see people what they can do in Timor-least, and what kind of business and investing they can do,” he said.
At the same time, there are quiet concerns within the Timor-Lost about the actual effects of ASEAN membership.
“I am looking at the feelings mixed with the Timoris society,” said Kho Ying Hui.
He said, “Some people are calm about what ASEAN can bring about the subject. The Timoris perspective is a misunderstanding about whether ASEAN ASEAN ASEAN can actually provide job opportunities and basically open anytime. It is not easy as it seems,” she said.
According to the Lovi Institute, the Timor-Lest population is a population of 1.3 million people and has been ranked as a low-middle income economy, the smallest in the Southeast Asia region, which contributes to only 0.1% of the regional GDP.
The economy depends a lot on natural resources, specific oil reserves extracted from the Timor Sea, accounting for 80% of the GDP of the island country. Public expenses are important for economic stimulation, therefore a focus for economic growth with agriculture, fishing and tourism.
While Timor-Lest struggles with a high level of unemployment, it is one of the world’s youngest population with 74% and 35 years of age according to the United Nations.
Edited by: Wesley Rahan
Written using material from AFP news agency