Why have a political party in a nation without elections?
A valid question — one I've heard for 20 years.
Part 5 of our series looks at NDP from the inside:
Its purpose, its moral discipline, and its place within Brunei’s MIB political culture.
Not to promote the party —
But to explain why its existence matters more than people think.
A fresh, honest, thought-provoking read.
Watch for the drop.
This column continues our series on Understanding Brunei’s Political System and Culture through MIB.
In earlier parts, we explored the roots of MIB governance, participatory ideals, and the evolving bond between the ruler and the rakyat.
Discussing Brunei’s political system and culture would be incomplete without acknowledging the existence of a political party within this national ecosystem.
This fifth part focuses on the National Development Party (NDP) — its purpose, philosophy, and its place within Brunei’s moral and political framework.
Disclaimer: This essay aims not to promote NDP but to provide an understanding of the existence of a political party in Brunei — why it exists, why it is relevant, what its objectives are, and how it fits into the nation’s political and cultural system.
☕ KopiTalk with MHO
Part 5 — The Conscience of a Nation: NDP and the Meaning of Moral Participation under MIB
(Understanding Brunei’s Political System and Culture through MIB — Series Part 5)
In my two decades with the National Development Party (NDP) — the only registered political party in Brunei — I’ve often been asked: Why have a political party in Brunei? Why get involved when the nation is ruled under Emergency Laws?
What’s the point when NDP members aren’t in the Legislative Council? Some even say, “You’re wasting your time.”
These questions arise not from cynicism but from a quiet uncertainty — from a generation still contemplating how politics, in its moral and participatory sense, fits within Brunei’s Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB) system.
When NDP was officially registered on 31 August 2005, it signified a turning point.
His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, had previously ordered the reactivation of the Legislative Council (LegCo) in a titah (royal address) delivered on his 58th birthday in July 2004.
The Council was officially reconvened on 25 September 2004 after a 21-year absence, with its first agenda being the proposed amendment of the 1959 Constitution.
In his titah, His Majesty proposed constitutional amendments to strengthen the monarchy and enhance government–citizen relations through official consultation mechanisms — establishing a formal venue for discussion and public input, with representatives appointed by His Majesty.
Many of NDP’s early committee members were once part of the Brunei People’s Party (PRB), which had been banned since the 1960s.
Their return through lawful means reflected reconciliation, not resistance — His Majesty’s confidence that loyalty, when grounded in sincerity, can take many forms.
For us, it was never a revival of opposition politics but a restoration of trust — a gentle assurance that dialogue and moral participation still have a home under MIB.
From the beginning, NDP was never a party of protest or populism. Our founders described it as:
“Sebuah gerakan dakwah yang berpolitik dan sebuah pertubuhan politik yang berdakwah.”
A movement of da'wah that engages in politics, and a political organisation that nurtures moral discipline.
This philosophy, articulated by Haji Mahmud Morshidi Othman, the second President of NDP, remains our guiding principle.
NDP’s mission is to guide Bruneians to participate responsibly in nation-building — not through confrontation, but through adab, amanah, and ikhlas.
Politics here is not about power; it is about purpose.
Our vision is simple — for Brunei Darussalam to remain a Baldatun Thayyibatun Wa Rabbun Ghaffur — sebuah Negara Melayu Islam Beraja yang Aman, Makmur dan Mendapat Keampunan Allah SWT (peaceful, prosperous, and blessed by God the Almighty).
Our mission echoes MIB: loyalty to His Majesty as Ulil-Amri, defence of Islam as Ad-Din, promotion of Malay identity, and commitment to Al-‘Adl wal Ihsan — justice and compassion — as the pillars of governance.
NDP exists to serve the nation by serving its conscience.
NDP sees itself not as an adversary but as a strategic partner to His Majesty and the Government.
Its role is not to oppose but to propose; not to compete for power but to complement it with conscience.
Within Brunei’s MIB political system, NDP serves as an alternative voice in development — a bridge connecting the palace and the rakyat, ensuring shared progress built on faith and trust.
The party’s existence aims to close any widening gap between the ruler and the people.
In NDP, we often say, “Walaupun tidak tidur sebantal, mimpi raja dan rakyat tetap sama.” — though not sharing the same pillow, the dreams of the ruler and the people are one.
This reflects His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah’s Golden Jubilee titah in 2017: “Raja dan rakyat berpisah tiada.” The bond between the King and his people is inseparable — a sacred trust that defines Brunei’s monarchy.
His Majesty has repeatedly emphasised this relationship: a reciprocal obligation between monarch and people, a shared trust for national welfare, and a pillar of unity spanning six centuries.
He calls for inclusive development, ensuring no one is left behind, and demonstrates this through his annual district visits — direct engagement that embodies leadership by presence.
This bond, His Majesty reminds us, is the catalyst for harmony and progress.
Government officials are also reminded that their foremost duty is the welfare of the rakyat — to resolve matters swiftly and justly.
NDP aligns with this vision — a loyal intermediary translating that inseparable bond into civic participation and community-building under MIB values.
As a political organisation, NDP has always operated on this understanding — that service and sincerity must come before structure and status.
In resonance with this spirit, the recent ucapan/ceramah by Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Dr Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned, the State Mufti, titled “Negara Kita Ditanai Dengan Sedekah” (Our Nation Is Nurtured by Charity), offers a profound moral reminder.
He emphasised that Brunei’s strength lies not only in its wealth but also in the continuous acts of sedekah, service, and compassion that sustain the nation’s blessings.
This message mirrors the foundation of NDP’s politik berhemah — that serving the nation is itself a form of ibadah and sedekah, a sincere contribution to the spiritual and social well-being of the rakyat.
In this sense, NDP’s existence aligns with the Mufti’s vision: to cultivate a society where governance, politics, and service flow from the same wellspring of faith, gratitude, and moral responsibility.
As a political organisation, NDP operates within Negara Zikir — where service is remembrance. Our brand of politics is politik berhemah, guided by discipline, humility, and sincerity.
As His Majesty reminded us, public service must be “kaya dengan disiplin dan amanah” — rich in discipline and trustworthiness.
Leadership and citizenship are both acts of ibadah. When one governs with fairness and the other obeys with sincerity, the nation prospers — not only economically but spiritually.
Public apathy toward politics runs deep. Some see politics as irrelevant, others as risky.
Many youths shrug, saying, “Buat apa bepolitik, buang masa saja, inda jua kana dangar, kana jaling, kana maraki mata saja.”
But the real issue is not a lack of power — it is a lack of participation. A society that stops participating eventually stops caring — and when society stops caring, the nation begins to decline.
That is why NDP reaches out through civic education, youth programs, and public dialogues — to revive awareness and shared responsibility. MIB is not only about obedience but also about partnership between ruler and ruled, bound by amanah.
Brunei’s Emergency era is often mistaken for political stillness. Yet within it lies quiet evolution — the maturing of civic ethics.
Emergency Laws may limit activity, but they do not limit responsibility. They demand discipline, wisdom, and restraint.
NDP chooses to operate within these boundaries — loyally and purposefully — as a platform for guided participation.
In Brunei, democracy may not mean ballots and rallies, but trust and dialogue. Under MIB, consultation (musyawarah) is a democracy guided by faith.
Politics in Brunei is not dead; it has been refined. A political party’s purpose is not to divide but to unify, not to pursue power but to strengthen conscience.
NDP’s mission is to reframe politics — to demonstrate that it can exist as cooperation, not confrontation.
We do not push against the government; we push ourselves — to show that loyalty and critical thought can coexist, that one can be patriotic yet still seek improvement.
When people see inefficiency or misuse of power, despair is easy. But despair is not reform. Change begins with conscience — islah nafs, self-correction before systemic correction.
Real reform begins when honesty replaces complacency and service replaces status.
Our politics is not about slogans but sincerity. And sincerity — ikhlas — is the hardest form of politics.
NDP’s guiding motto is:
“Menjunjung Titah Membangun Bangsa.” — Upholding the Decree, Building the Nation.
Brunei’s future depends not on the loudness of protest but on the purity of service.
Our goal is not representation in the Legislative Council, but representation in conscience — reminding everyone that progress must walk hand in hand with prayer.
As His Majesty reminds us, governance is measured not by systems but by sincerity.
When authority acts with integrity and citizens respond with trust, MIB becomes alive.
NDP’s role is not ornamental; it is essential — a quiet conscience keeping the nation’s moral engine running.
KopiTalk Reflection
Politics in Brunei may not mirror other nations — and perhaps it never should. Yet politics exists here, quietly, in the rhythm of service and loyalty.
NDP stands as proof that participation can exist without opposition, reform without rebellion, and faith as the truest form of freedom.
If politics elsewhere is about seizing power, ours is about serving purpose — the purest form of democracy under the light of MIB. (MHO/11/2025)
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