| Nuri Sufri |
THE successful leadership of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) and the unwavering effort and commitment of the soldiers that serve the country and its people are pivotal to the peace and stability of Brunei Darussalam.
The RBAF will continue to safeguard the interests of the Sultanate in maintaining its sovereignty and to carry forward the institution’s legacy since it was established in 1961.
This year marks the 55th anniversary and notable achievements of the RBAF, following a series of successful exercises including the recent Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Plus Maritime Security (MS) and Counter Terrorism (CT) Exercise jointly hosted by Brunei and Singapore, the 44th Pacific Area Senior Officers Logistics Seminar (PASOLS) which Brunei Darussalam co-hosted with the United States, and the Brunei International Skill-At-Arms Meet (BISAM), Brunei’s prestigious international shooting event competition, which has sparked the interest of larger countries such as the People’s Republic of China.
With the support of the Government of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the RBAF has consistently been successful in sustaining its troops for humanitarian and peace keeping operations under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and Mindanao, as well as carrying out operations to counter terrorism, aggression and insurgency.
A file photo of ADMM-Plus Maritime Security (MS) and Counter Terrorism (CT) Exercise. – DEAN KAS-SIM
“I think the most significant achievement has been our ability to establish ourselves (RBAF) as a credible contributor to regional peace and stability. We are no strangers especially in the Asia Pacific region. Other regional and international armed forces see us as professional and capable armed forces despite our relatively small size,” said Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah, the Commander of the RBAF.
“For that I wish to express our gratitude to His Majesty as the Minister of Defence and the Supreme Commander of the RBAF, for His Majesty’s guidance and support and to the Government and the Bruneian people for their trust, confidence and support to put us where we are today,” he added.
This year’s theme, ‘RBAF Generation with a Vision’, signifies the commitment of the men and women who have served and those presently serving under the military organisation towards realising and supporting the national aspiration of Brunei’s Vision 2035.
The RBAF 55th anniversary will be held on May 31, at the newly-established Defence Academy in Kg Tanah Jambu for the first time, and members of the public will be given the opportunity to be exposed to the recruitment process, training and gain knowledge on the organisation as a whole.
While recruitment stands as the main concept of this year’s celebration, representatives from various Peace Keeping Operations (PKOs) will also share their personal experiences based on their missions abroad.
The ceremonial grand parade of military personnel, ‘Perbarisan Raksasa’, is the highlight of the event and among the activities available to members of the public during the celebration include a blood donation campaign, various sports activities and a sermon (Ceramah Khas) titled ‘Keamanan Negara, Menagih Rahmat Perlindungan Allah’, which will also be included in correlation with the event and presented at mosques in all four districts.
Bearing in mind the country’s present economic conditions, the RBAF has meticulously planned the event within its means, and without compromising the meaning of the celebration, which will be attended by military personnel and their families, as well as the public.
“I also wish to acknowledge and praise the dedication, commitment and the hard work of all members of the RBAF and Ministry of Defence for our achievements,” the commander added.
The post RBAF to celebrate 55th anniversary appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.