Country report and updates: Brunei
Conscription
Conscription does not exist
Conscription has never existed in Brunei.
The government stated in 1989 that it had no plans to introduce compulsory military service. [2] [3]
Recruitment
Only ethnic Malayans, who form 67 percent of the population, are allowed to join the armed forces. [1]
Conscientious Objection
There is no known legal provision for conscientious objection.
Desertion
No information available.
Annual statistics
The armed forces are 5,000-strong, that is, 1.61 percent of the population. [4]
Sources
[1] The Fareast and Australasia 1997. Europa Publications.
[2] Zulkarnen, Isaak 1995. 'Defending Brunei Darussalam', in: Asian Defence Journal, 5/1995.
[3] UN Commission on Human Rights 1991. Report of the Secretary-General prepared pursuant to Commission resolution 1989/59. United Nations, Geneva.
[4] Institute for Strategic Studies 1997. Military Balance 1997/98. ISS, London.
Stay up to date with our international antimilitarist activism.