Brunei People's Party
Encyclopedia
The Brunei People's Party (Parti Rakyat Brunei, PRB) is a banned political party
in Brunei
.
PRB was established as a left leaning party in 1956 and aimed to bring Brunei into full independence from the United Kingdom
. The party sought to democratise the government by shifting the national leadership from the palace to the people.
In 1961, PRB rejected the proposal for membership in federation with Malaysia, proposed by Malaya
's Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman
even though the government of Brunei was favourable to the federation. On January 12, 1962, PRB leader A.M. Azahari was appointed to the Brunei Legislative Council
and PRB won all 16 of the elected seats in the 33 seat legislature in August 1962.
The first meeting of the Legislative Council was scheduled on December 5, 1962 and PRB stated that it would submit a resolution for the return of British North Borneo
and Sarawak
to Brunei in order to form an independent state known as the North Borneo Federation
, the rejection of Brunei's entry into Malaysia and the independence of Brunei in 1963. Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin III rejected this proposed resolution and postponed the opening of the Legislative Council to December 19, 1962.
By December 9, 1962, the rebellion was effectively broken when Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin III declared PRB illegal and condemned the TNKU for treason although sporadic incidences continued to occur. The Sultan also publicly stated Brunei's intention not to join the Malaysian federation. The rebellion ended five months later with the capture of Yassin Affandi. PRB leader, A.M. Azahari, who was in Manila
during the outbreak of the rebellion, fled into exile in Jakarta
.
. Subsequently on May 7, 1974, the PRB was formally reactivated with the naming of an executive committee with A.M. Azahari as president.
The PRB continued to garner international moral and material support throughout the 1970s and resulted in the United Nations General Assembly adopting Resolution 3424 that established principles of succession and legitimacy that any government established in Brunei should meet.
In 12 September 2005, former political prisoner and Secretary General of PRB, Yassin Affandi, co-founded the National Development Party
. The National Development Party is the third political party that is operating legally in Brunei to date.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
.
PRB was established as a left leaning party in 1956 and aimed to bring Brunei into full independence from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The party sought to democratise the government by shifting the national leadership from the palace to the people.
In 1961, PRB rejected the proposal for membership in federation with Malaysia, proposed by Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
's Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah, AC, CH was Chief Minister of the Federation of Malaya from 1955, and the country's first Prime Minister from independence in 1957. He remained as the Prime Minister after Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore joined the...
even though the government of Brunei was favourable to the federation. On January 12, 1962, PRB leader A.M. Azahari was appointed to the Brunei Legislative Council
Legislative Council of Brunei
Legislative Council of Brunei is the parliament in Brunei.-History:...
and PRB won all 16 of the elected seats in the 33 seat legislature in August 1962.
The first meeting of the Legislative Council was scheduled on December 5, 1962 and PRB stated that it would submit a resolution for the return of British North Borneo
North Borneo
North Borneo was a British protectorate under the sovereign North Borneo Chartered Company from 1882 to 1946. After the war it became a crown colony of Great Britain from 1946 to 1963, known in this time as British North Borneo. It is located on the northeastern end of the island of Borneo. It is...
and Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
to Brunei in order to form an independent state known as the North Borneo Federation
North Borneo Federation
The North Borneo Federation, also known as Kalimantan Utara or North Kalimantan was a proposed political entity which would have comprised the British Colonies of Sarawak, British North Borneo and the protectorate of Brunei.By 1956, the governments of Sarawak, North Borneo, and the State of Brunei...
, the rejection of Brunei's entry into Malaysia and the independence of Brunei in 1963. Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin III rejected this proposed resolution and postponed the opening of the Legislative Council to December 19, 1962.
PRB's Rebellion
On December 8, 1962 an armed insurrection by the PRB now known as the Brunei Rebellion broke out in Brunei and bordering areas of North Borneo and Sarawak. The rebels were known as the Tentera Nasional Kalimantan Utara (TNKU) or North Kalimantan National Army and a few key towns were occupied by the TNKU. The Brunei police however remained loyal to the Sultan and his government and additional British troops landed from Singapore by the evening of the same day.By December 9, 1962, the rebellion was effectively broken when Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin III declared PRB illegal and condemned the TNKU for treason although sporadic incidences continued to occur. The Sultan also publicly stated Brunei's intention not to join the Malaysian federation. The rebellion ended five months later with the capture of Yassin Affandi. PRB leader, A.M. Azahari, who was in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
during the outbreak of the rebellion, fled into exile in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
.
PRB in exile
On July 13, 1973 PRB detainees who had refused to renounce the party staged an escape and reconstituted the party in exile. In December, an Ad Hoc Committee for the Independence of Brunei was established in Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
. Subsequently on May 7, 1974, the PRB was formally reactivated with the naming of an executive committee with A.M. Azahari as president.
The PRB continued to garner international moral and material support throughout the 1970s and resulted in the United Nations General Assembly adopting Resolution 3424 that established principles of succession and legitimacy that any government established in Brunei should meet.
Current status of PRB
PRB today is believed to be still operating in exile although it is most likely dormant .In 12 September 2005, former political prisoner and Secretary General of PRB, Yassin Affandi, co-founded the National Development Party
National Development Party (Brunei)
The National Development Party is a political party in Brunei. Although legally registered as a political party in Brunei, it has not been able to gain electoral representation as legislative elections have not been held in Brunei since 1968...
. The National Development Party is the third political party that is operating legally in Brunei to date.