| Lyna Mohamad |
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 yesterday conferred state decorations on 24 individuals at the Balai Singgahsana Indera Buana of Istana Nurul Iman at the Audience and Investiture Ceremony.
Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam also graced the ceremony held in conjunction with His Majesty’s 72nd birthday celebration.
His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah binti Pengiran Haji Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel; His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah and Her Royal Highness Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Zariah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Bini Hajah Faizah binti Dato Haji Nasir; and His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah were also present at the ceremony.
The ceremony also saw in attendance Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Muta-Wakkilah Hayatul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Majeedah Nuurul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Hafizah Sururul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Fadzilah Lubabul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Ameerah Wardatul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Amal Umi Kalthum Al-Islam as well as other members of the royal family.
The ceremony began with the titah by His Majesty, followed by the presentation of state decorations.
Three high-ranking military personnel, including two from abroad, received the Most Exalted Order of Paduka Keberanian Laila Terbilang first Class (DPKT) that gives the recipient the title of ‘Dato Paduka Seri’. They are Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces Air Chief Marshal TNI Dato Paduka Seri Hadi Tjahjanto; Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Major General Pengiran Dato Paduka Seri Aminan bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud; and Chief of Defence Forces of the Royal Thai Armed Forces General Dato Paduka Seri Tarnchaiyan Srisuwan.
Recipients of the Most Gallant Order of Pahlawan Negara Brunei (PSPNB), carrying the title ‘Dato Seri Pahlawan’, are Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Brunei Police Force Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Mohd Irwan bin Haji Hambali and Brigadier General Dato Seri Pahlawan Khairul Hamed bin Haji Lampoh.
The Most Blessed Order of Setia Negara Brunei First Class (PSNB) which carries the title ‘Dato Seri Setia’, was bestowed upon Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohammad Isham bin Jaafar; Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud; Minister of Finance II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade II Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Erywan bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Haji Mohd Yusof; Minister of Development Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gafar; Minister of Energy and Industry Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mat Suny bin Haji Mohd Hussein; Minister of Education Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sulaiman and Minister of Communications Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yusof.
Meanwhile, recipients of the Most Honourable Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei First Class (SPMB) which carries the title ‘Dato Seri Paduka’ are Dato Seri Paduka John Barry Mortimer; Deputy Minister of Finance Dato Seri Paduka Awang Ahmaddin bin Haji Abdul Rahman; Deputy Minister of Energy and Industry Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Matsatejo bin Sokiaw; Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Datin Seri Paduka Dayang Hajah Elinda binti Haji CA Mohamed; and Deputy Minister of Education Datin Seri Paduka Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh.
Another member of the Judiciary receiving the state decoration was Dato Seri Laila Jasa James Kerr Findlay, the sole recipient of the Most Distinguished Order of Paduka Seri Laila Jasa Second Class (DSLJ) which carries the title ‘Dato Seri Laila Jasa’.
Three recipients received the Most Honourable Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei Second Class (DPMB) which carries the title ‘Dato Paduka’. They are Assistant Commissioner of Police Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Jefri bin Pengiran Haji Abdul Hamid, Assistant Commissioner of Police Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Hassan bin Pehin Penyurat Haji Ahmad and Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yussoff bin Pengiran Haji Bahar.
Meanwhile, the Most Blessed Order of Setia Negara Brunei Third Class (SNB) was conferred on Senior Superintendent of Police Husaini bin Haji Matzin and Senior Superintendent of Police Haji Zaini bin Haji Abdul Rahim.
A Doa Selamat was read by State Mufti Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned to bless the ceremony upon conclusion.
The ceremony also saw the presence of special guests of His Majesty – Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Mohd Shafie bin Haji Apdal and spouse; Deputy Chief Minister, Minister of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development and Second Minister for Urban Development and Natural Resources of Sarawak Datuk Amar Haji Awang Tengah bin Ali Hassan as representative of Sarawak Chief Minister; Secretary of Finance, Republic of the Philippines Carlos Garcia Domingues III and spouse; Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs of Indonesia Dr H Wiranto and spouse; Minister for Social and Family Development and Second Minister in the Ministry of National Development of Singapore Desmond Lee and spouse; General Dato Paduka Seri Tarnchaiyan Srisuwan and spouse; and Air Chief Marshal TNI Dato Paduka Seri Hadi Tjahjanto and spouse.
Yesterday’s ceremony also saw the presence of Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran-Pengiran Cheteria, Cabinet Ministers, Pengiran-Pengiran Peranakan, members of the Legislative Council, deputy ministers, Manteri-Manteri Pendalaman, members of the Diplomatic Corps, permanent secretaries and senior government officials.