Latest news with #RoyalBruneiArmedForces
The Star
27-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Banquet marks royal birthday in Brunei
Their Majesties at the banquet on July 26. - BB/ANN BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha graced a banquet at Istana Nurul Iman on July 26 in conjunction with His Majesty's 79th birthday celebration. The royal banquet was preceded by the singing of the national anthem and recitation of Doa Selamat by State Mufti Pehin Datuk Seri Maharaja Datuk Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Awang Abdul Aziz Juned. Guests in traditional Malay costume and formal attire dined on various dishes while bands from the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Royal Brunei Police Force, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, and Brunei Youth Symphony performed at the venue. The royal banquet concluded with a display of fireworks. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN
The Star
11-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
From battlefield to brotherhood in Brunei
Australian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Michael Hoy and Deputy Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Brigadier General (U) Datuk Seri Pahlawan Mohd Sharif Datuk Paduka Ibrahim at the event. - BB/ANN BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Australian High Commissioner to Brunei Michael Hoy said the importance of Operation Oboe to Brunei, Australia and the United States 'could not be understated'. He said this during a commemorative ceremony at the Brunei-Australia Memorial yesterday to mark the 80th anniversary of the Oboe Landings during World War Two. 'Operation Oboe ended World War Two on Borneo, returned the Sultan to his rightful place, and set Brunei on course to becoming the modern, thriving nation we see today. 'Having troops from Australia, Brunei and the United Kingdom on parade today is a testament to the close relationships we have maintained since 1945.' Jointly hosted by the Australian High Commission in Brunei and the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), the ceremony's message of courage, resilience and reconciliation was reinforced through the Australian High Commission's recently launched Saksi Sejarah (Witnesses of History) photo exhibition at Brunei Energy Hub Dermaga Diraja until June 15. Deputy Commander of the RBAF Brigadier General (U) Datuk Seri Pahlawan Mohd Sharif Datuk Paduka Ibrahim was also present. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sultan Hassanal of Brunei, the world's longest-reigning living monarch
Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, recuperating in a Kuala Lumpur hospital after being treated for "fatigue", is the world's longest-reigning living monarch -- and one of its richest people. He ascended the throne at the tender age of 21 in 1967 in the tropical kingdom perched on the northern tip of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Descending from a family that ruled Brunei for more than 600 years, the absolute monarch today at 78 still holds numerous positions in his oil-abundant state. He is the country's prime minister, defence minister, finance and economy minister, as well as foreign affairs supremo. Apart from his political duties, the sultan is also commander-in-chief of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and the Inspector-General of the Royal Brunei Police Force. Under his stewardship, Brunei became one of the world's richest countries and gained independence from Britain in 1984 after almost a century of colonial rule. While the sultan has long lost the title of the world's richest man to tech billionaires, his wealth remains the stuff of legend. The Guinness Book of World Records says his home, Istana Nurul Iman, which translated in English means "Palace of the Light of Faith" is the largest residential palace in the world. - Lavish lifestyle - The sultan is also renowned for owning the world's largest private car collection. His gigantic fleet boasted at least 7,000 cars, valued at more than five billion dollars. Parties thrown by him and younger brother Prince Jefri Bolkiah in the 1980s and 1990s were said to be extravagant, costing millions of dollars with guests hanging out with stars like Michael Jackson. Brunei's living standards have soared to among the highest globally under his rule. But his reign has also been marked by controversies including the introduction of tough Islamic laws legislating penalties such as the severing of limbs and death by stoning. Brunei was the first country in East or Southeast Asia to introduce sharia law at a national level in 2019 after years of delays. The harsh laws included death by stoning for adultery and gay sex and the amputation of a hand or foot for theft, which rights campaigners branded as "barbaric". Those punishments, however, have not been actively enforced following international backlash. Analysts said at the time the new code might be partly symbolic, as Sultan Hassanal was seeking to burnish his Islamic credentials among conservatives and win more support amid concerns about the economy. The royal family was also deeply embarrassed by a sensational feud between Sultan Hassanal and Prince Jefri over the latter's alleged embezzlement of $15 billion during his tenure as finance minister in the 1990s. During the scandal, salacious details emerged of the prince's jet-set, un-Islamic lifestyle, including allegations of a high-priced harem and a luxury yacht he owned called "Tits". llk-jhe/tc
France 24
27-05-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Sultan Hassanal of Brunei, the world's longest-reigning living monarch
He ascended the throne at the tender age of 21 in 1967 in the tropical kingdom perched on the northern tip of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Descending from a family that ruled Brunei for more than 600 years, the absolute monarch today at 78 still holds numerous positions in his oil-abundant state. He is the country's prime minister, defence minister, finance and economy minister, as well as foreign affairs supremo. Apart from his political duties, the sultan is also commander-in-chief of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and the Inspector-General of the Royal Brunei Police Force. Under his stewardship, Brunei became one of the world's richest countries and gained independence from Britain in 1984 after almost a century of colonial rule. While the sultan has long lost the title of the world's richest man to tech billionaires, his wealth remains the stuff of legend. The Guinness Book of World Records says his home, Istana Nurul Iman, which translated in English means "Palace of the Light of Faith" is the largest residential palace in the world. Lavish lifestyle The sultan is also renowned for owning the world's largest private car collection. His gigantic fleet boasted at least 7,000 cars, valued at more than five billion dollars. Parties thrown by him and younger brother Prince Jefri Bolkiah in the 1980s and 1990s were said to be extravagant, costing millions of dollars with guests hanging out with stars like Michael Jackson. Brunei's living standards have soared to among the highest globally under his rule. But his reign has also been marked by controversies including the introduction of tough Islamic laws legislating penalties such as the severing of limbs and death by stoning. Brunei was the first country in East or Southeast Asia to introduce sharia law at a national level in 2019 after years of delays. The harsh laws included death by stoning for adultery and gay sex and the amputation of a hand or foot for theft, which rights campaigners branded as "barbaric". Those punishments, however, have not been actively enforced following international backlash. Analysts said at the time the new code might be partly symbolic, as Sultan Hassanal was seeking to burnish his Islamic credentials among conservatives and win more support amid concerns about the economy. The royal family was also deeply embarrassed by a sensational feud between Sultan Hassanal and Prince Jefri over the latter's alleged embezzlement of $15 billion during his tenure as finance minister in the 1990s. During the scandal, salacious details emerged of the prince's jet-set, un-Islamic lifestyle, including allegations of a high-priced harem and a luxury yacht he owned called "Tits".
Int'l Business Times
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Sultan Hassanal Of Brunei, The World's Longest-reigning Living Monarch
Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, recuperating in a Kuala Lumpur hospital after being treated for "fatigue", is the world's longest-reigning living monarch -- and one of its richest people. He ascended the throne at the tender age of 21 in 1967 in the tropical kingdom perched on the northern tip of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Descending from a family that ruled Brunei for more than 600 years, the absolute monarch today at 78 still holds numerous positions in his oil-abundant state. He is the country's prime minister, defence minister, finance and economy minister, as well as foreign affairs supremo. Apart from his political duties, the sultan is also commander-in-chief of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and the Inspector-General of the Royal Brunei Police Force. Under his stewardship, Brunei became one of the world's richest countries and gained independence from Britain in 1984 after almost a century of colonial rule. While the sultan has long lost the title of the world's richest man to tech billionaires, his wealth remains the stuff of legend. The Guinness Book of World Records says his home, Istana Nurul Iman, which translated in English means "Palace of the Light of Faith" is the largest residential palace in the world. The sultan is also renowned for owning the world's largest private car collection. His gigantic fleet boasted at least 7,000 cars, valued at more than five billion dollars. Parties thrown by him and younger brother Prince Jefri Bolkiah in the 1980s and 1990s were said to be extravagant, costing millions of dollars with guests hanging out with stars like Michael Jackson. Brunei's living standards have soared to among the highest globally under his rule. But his reign has also been marked by controversies including the introduction of tough Islamic laws legislating penalties such as the severing of limbs and death by stoning. Brunei was the first country in East or Southeast Asia to introduce sharia law at a national level in 2019 after years of delays. The harsh laws included death by stoning for adultery and gay sex and the amputation of a hand or foot for theft, which rights campaigners branded as "barbaric". Those punishments, however, have not been actively enforced following international backlash. Analysts said at the time the new code might be partly symbolic, as Sultan Hassanal was seeking to burnish his Islamic credentials among conservatives and win more support amid concerns about the economy. The royal family was also deeply embarrassed by a sensational feud between Sultan Hassanal and Prince Jefri over the latter's alleged embezzlement of $15 billion during his tenure as finance minister in the 1990s. During the scandal, salacious details emerged of the prince's jet-set, un-Islamic lifestyle, including allegations of a high-priced harem and a luxury yacht he owned called "Tits". A general view of the main gate of Istana Nurul Iman, official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah AFP The National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur on May 27, 2025, after Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah was admitted due to fatigue AFP
