VZCZCXRO0017
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHBD #0279/01 2610544
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 180544Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3953
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 000279 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MTS:FORSYTH AND DRL:TURNER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BX
SUBJECT: BRUNEI POLITICAL PARTIES CALL FOR RIGHTS EDUCATION BEFORE 
DEMOCRACY 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1. (SBU) In an effort to raise the level of political maturity in 
Brunei, the country's two active political parties recently held 
events designed to educate the public on political rights currently 
available to Brunei citizens.  Party leaders expressed concern that 
some GOB officials still see their parties as threats to, rather 
than supporters of the Sultan of Brunei, and worried that political 
participation is still considered taboo by many Bruneians.  Both 
political parties' leaderships see a common interest in further 
educating Bruneians about democratic political rights and processes, 
in order to convince the Sultan that his subjects are ready to 
handle democratic reforms in a responsible manner.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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NDP CONGRESS 
------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) About 500 members of the National Development Party (NDP) 
attended the party's second congress on July 24, 2007.  The congress 
focused on local issues such as school overcrowding and the 
availability of subsidized housing, as NDP officials sought to 
portray a moderate image as proponents of a broader popular role in 
government who nevertheless remained loyal and trustworthy subjects 
of the Sultan.  NDP officials told us that the party sees itself 
both as a supporter of the Sultan's rule, as well as a mechanism for 
raising public concerns to the palace when government channels are 
inefficient or unresponsive.  They expressed concerns that some GoB 
officials view the party as a threat to the government, fearing that 
the NDP will instigate a revolt similar to the 1962 revolt led by 
current NDP President Yassin Affendi.  (Affendi was a long term 
detainee for his role in the revolt who was allowed to form the NDP 
in 2005 after swearing an oath of allegiance to the Sultan.) 
 
¶3. (SBU) The NDP currently has 1, 500 members and is focusing on 
recruiting members of Brunei's minority groups -- non-Muslims, women 
and youths.  NDP Spokesperson Malai Hassan Othman told us that the 
NDP is looking for quality people at this stage in its development, 
not quantity.  NDP leaders see this as necessary to build a core of 
members who can then promote public awareness of political rights 
and responsibilities on the path to building the party to a target 
of 20,000 members. 
 
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NDP'S FUNDING 
------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Malai Hassan told Pol/ Mil Asst. that NDP Vice President 
Mahmud Morshidi is a millionaire and is funding the NDP's 
operations.  According to Rosli Abidin Yahya, a local political 
journalist, Morshidi's Malaysia-based company, 'Warisan Baiduri', 
apart from dealing in agro business, is contracted to run youth 
centers for Malaysia's youth national services.  Morshidi is also a 
major investor in the Brunei Times, along with prominent ethnic 
Chinese businessmen Pehin Goh and others.  Brunei Times Editor 
Professor Chu told us that as a policy, the BT avoids any coverage 
of political parties in Brunei. 
 
 
---------------------- 
PPKB POLITICAL SEMINAR 
---------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) On July 30, 2007, the new leadership of the National 
Solidarity Party (Parti Perpaduan Kebangsaan Brunei, or PPKB) held a 
seminar on political rights in Brunei.  PPKB President Dr. Latiff 
Chuchu, himself a former detainee under the Internal Security Act, 
in his public remarks stressed that political participation in 
Brunei still remains a cultural taboo.  Locals still perceive that 
political participation can lead to incarceration.  Dr. Chuchu 
encouraged members to exercise good and healthy politics in 
accordance with what is permitted under the 1959 Constitution.  He 
cautioned that "if one has the intention to topple the Sultan, then 
you'll get arrested."  NDP President Yassin Affendi also spoke at 
the PPKB seminar stressing that both the NDP and the PPKB are 
fighting the same battle for democracy. 
 
¶6. (U) Dr. Chuchu repeatedly referred to Sultan Hassanal Bokiah's 
Independence Day speech that mentioned a "Malay Islamic Monarchical 
and Democratic" Brunei.  Dr Chuchu sees this as explicit permission 
for Bruneians to participate in party politics.  He said "it is our 
own fault for not having the courage to practice this freedom."  Dr. 
Chuchu said the goal of this and future seminars is to disprove the 
public perception that "political parties are just rubber-stamps" 
and to empower party members with the right tools to be politically 
active. 
 
¶7. (SBU) On the sidelines of the seminar, Dr. Chuchu told Pol/Mil 
 
BANDAR SER 00000279  002 OF 002 
 
 
Assistant that even together, Brunei's two political parties cannot 
effectively lobby the GoB for direct elections to the Legislative 
Council, the members of which are currently appointed by the Sultan 
or indirectly elected by village heads, due to their small size of 
less than 2000 members total. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
NO OVERT GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE IN PARTY ACTIVITY 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶8. (SBU) There was no overt government interference in either of 
these political party events, nor any obvious intimidation of 
attendees.  NDP Spokesperson Malai Hassan Othman told Pol/Mil 
Assistant he believes some party members could actually be Internal 
Security Department (ISD) agents monitoring the party's development. 
 We have also heard reports that the government privately advised 
party leaders to avoid discussion of particularly sensitive topics 
such as border diputes with Malaysia.  The party events were covered 
in local print media, albeit with little detail regarding the issues 
discussed. 
 
¶9. (SBU) COMMENT: Senior party officials tell us privately that most 
Bruneians are "not ready" for full democracy.  They maintain that a 
comfortable, oil and gas export-funded lifestyle and a deep strain 
of social conservatism keep most Bruneians from pressing harder for 
political change in the 600 year old monarchy's top-down political 
and social system.  Brunei's two active political parties share a 
common interest in educating their members and the general public on 
political rights and democratic processes in the hope that their 
growing political maturity will encourage Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah to 
grant more scope for bottom-up governance.  The NDP and PPKB intend 
to carry out educational and outreach efforts that will help prepare 
the ground for a more active and politically aware population, and 
help to convince the Sultan that the people are ready for the direct 
elections for seats on the Legislative Council that he promised 
would eventually come when he reinstated the Council in 2004. 
 
 
SKODON