ASEAN, Brunei Darussalam, and the Interplay of Foreign Policy and Public Opinion

Abstract

Background: Acknowledging that past studies on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have focused on elite and state-centric viewpoints, this study centers on people's perspectives. The case of Brunei Darussalam, as one of the region's smallest nations, reveals unique elements in the interaction between public opinion and foreign policy. Given the Sultanate's consistent stance on closer ties with the regional organization, as evidenced by the positive responses during its ASEAN chairmanship in 2021, do the Brunei public hold similar views? Methods: To reveal Brunei's perceptions vis-à-vis ASEAN and explore the relationship between those views and the Sultanate's ASEAN policies, this qualitative case study examines the applicability of Boucher's 2024 analytical framework of the 'top-down' approach, which argues that the people eventually embrace elites' views on foreign policy. It utilizes the secondary survey data published in the State of Southeast Asia 2025. It utilizes the survey report published in the State of Southeast Asia 2025. Results: This study reveals consistency between Brunei respondent's perceptions with that of the Sultan in the following areas: 1) Measures to enhance ASEAN's resilience; 2) How ASEAN should respond to the Myanmar Issue and the South China Sea dispute; 3) Questions of alignment amid the great power rivalries influencing the Southeast Asian region; and 4) Perceptions of trust. Conclusions: The alignment between the Brunei respondents' perceptions of ASEAN and the Sultan's implemented policies reveals a unique nexus in shaping public perceptions of foreign policy matters, making Boucher's top-down approach applicable to the case study.

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