When he first heard that ASEAN was holding a contest to select a 40th Anniversary logo, Mr. Haji Othman bin Haji Salleh, a designer from Brunei Darussalam, did not think about taking part. But after getting strong encouragement from his wife and a close friend, the designer decided to give the contest a shot.

As it turned out, it was a good thing that he let himself be persuaded. Mr. Othman emerged as the winner of the competition.

A delighted Mr. Othman received official word of his win on 13 February 2007 from Mr. Ong Keng Yong, the Secretary-General of ASEAN.

Mr. Haji Othman bin Haji Salleh standing beside his winning logo

“Winning this prestigious competition is a source of pride for the nation,” Mr. Othman said. “I am very glad and honoured to be chosen as the winner.” Not surprisingly, given they key role that she played, he is quick to thank his wife for her support and encouragement.

A veteran with some thirty years of design experience under his belt, Mr. Othman recalled having to work under serious time pressure given his decision to enter the contest only at a late stage. Because he wanted to have a good understanding of “the essence of ASEAN” before starting to design the logo, he spent some time doing research at the ASEAN website, even as the deadline loomed.

Mr. Othman found his inspiration in the ASEAN emblem and the tagline, Ten Nations One Community. “I feel they (emblem and tagline) strongly reflect a stable, peaceful and prosperous ASEAN where nations are bonded together in development, at the heart of a dynamic Asia,” he said. He knew that he wanted his design to carry this message as ASEAN celebrated its 40th Anniversary.

The designer at work

Art and design have been a large part of Mr. Othman’s life. He studied art in school and began his career as a designer in 1977 in Radio Television Brunei. He is currently a senior designer at Brunei's Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports. Mr. Othman is convinced that artistic and creative people in both the visual and performing arts can play an important role in the comprehensive development of nations. He also feels that the arts have a place in the ASEAN Community and supports projects such as the ASEAN Creative Artistes Interaction and the ASEAN Dance Festival as a way to foster a spirit of regional and international cooperation.

“The arts showcase the diversity of ASEAN and artistic expression can be a strong impetus for promoting greater understanding and friendship among the ASEAN Member Countries,” Mr Othman said.

Throughout 2007, as he sees the logo that he created displayed across the region during ASEAN’s 40th Anniversary, Mr. Othman can take heart that his own artistic contribution will be bringing about greater awareness and understanding of ASEAN, in ASEAN.

Posted on 15 February 2007