Brunei Darussalam was under the rule of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and the Northern Ireland before joining WHO in May 1953. At the Sixth World Health Assembly, Brunei Darussalam was assigned to the Western Pacific Region as an area, ''without prejudice to any questions regarding sovereignty''. On 1 January 1984, it gained its full independence and sovereignty from the United Kingdom, and on 25 March 1985, Brunei Darussalam joined WHO as a Member State. Brunei Darussalam was covered by the WHO Representative Office in Singapore from May 1956 until 1964 when the WHO Rerepesentative Office was transferred to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.