Timor-Leste joins the ASEAN club, with Prabowo's signature

Timor-Leste formally joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during the group's summit in Kuala Lumpur, after a long wait, thanks in no small measure to the tireless support of Indonesia, which once brutally occupied the tiny territory.

Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto , who has a checkered military past which included tours of duty in East Timor (as Timor-Leste was previously known), was one of the 10 ASEAN leaders who signed the declaration of admission of Timor-Leste.

Indonesia has been the primary supporter for Timor-Leste's admission, perhaps more out of a sense of guilt rather than any real strategic value, but since ASEAN moves by consensus, it has taken 14 years to get the entire bloc's approval. Some member states had expressed concerns that the economically undeveloped nation would slow down the move toward an ASEAN community.

Indonesia invaded East Timor, formerly a Portuguese colony, in 1975 with the encouragement of the United States, which feared a domino effect in Southeast Asia after losing the Vietnam War to the communist north.

For the next 24 years, East Timor became a huge project for the Indonesian Military (TNI), which brutally occupied and administered the territory, until the violent separation of 1999.

The two countries quickly buried the hatchet post-separation, setting up the "Truth and Friendship Commission" in 2005 to investigate violence surrounding the 1999 United Nations-held referendum, but agreeing from the start that there would be no legal consequences. The past was forgiven, though not forgotten.

This move also helped to counter or mitigate the impact of the UN Special Panel for Serious Crimes investigation, which indicted several TNI officers for their involvement in crimes against humanity.

Successive Indonesian leaders since then have gone to great lengths to patch up relations with the newly independent nation, including in sponsoring Timor-Leste to join the ASEAN bloc.

It is not clear how Prabowo personally feels, but as the sitting president, he was the one who signed the declaration of admission when it finally happened this year.

The TNI had been the most bitter of institutions over the loss of East Timor, and some veteran soldiers to this day have not forgiven then-president B.J. Habibie for allowing the UN referendum that Indonesia overwhelmingly lost. In 1999, the TNI even foiled Habibie's re-election bid.

The TNI was heavily invested in East Timor and lost many soldiers during the 25-year campaign. During his Army years, Prabowo served several tours of duty in East Timor, as did Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.

Prabowo has visited more than 30 countries since his inauguration in October 2024, but Timor-Leste, despite its proximity, has not been one of them. Timor-Leste Prime Minister Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao did attend Prabowo's inauguration in Jakarta.

Prabowo may find little if any strategic value in Timor-Leste now that Indonesia has done its part in helping Timor-Leste join ASEAN, out of a sense of guilt.

At any rate, Prabowo is not as invested or interested in ASEAN as all his predecessors, despite devoting time and resources to foreign policy. In Kuala Lumpur last week, he cut short his attendance at the ASEAN summit, and delegated for his senior ministers to represent him.

One initiative he has thrown to ASEAN is for the group to admit Papua New Guinea as a full member from the current observer status, arguing that the additional member would strengthen the group's hands in international diplomacy. The response to his idea, from ASEAN member states and the Indonesian foreign policy community, has been lukewarm.