Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation become self-governing in 1959). In May 1961, the UK and Malayan governments proposed a larger federation called Malaysia, encompassing the states of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak, Brunei, and Singapore. Initially, Indonesia was mildly supportive of the proposed Malaysia, although the PKI (Partai Komunis Indonesia — Indonesian Communist Party) was strongly opposed to it. In Brunei, it was unclear whether the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III would support Brunei joining the proposed Malaysian state because of the implied reduction of his political office, and Brunei's oil revenues ensured Brunei's financial viability were it to choose independence. Furthermore, a Brunei politician, Dr.
Foreign relations of Brunei as close military relations with the latter island-state. Aside from relations with other ASEAN states, of which the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia are key partners, Brunei also has extensive relations with the Islamic and Arab world outside its region. Brunei became a member state of the United Kingdom Commonwealth in 1984, ASEAN, the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) in 1984, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, a major player in BIMP-EAGA in 1994., a founding member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995, Since 2009 Brunei and the Philippines signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that seeks