| Dr Muhammad Hadi bin Muhammad Melayong, Senior Special Duties Officer, Secretariat Office, MIB Supreme Council |
IN HIGHLIGHTING the importance of studying and knowing the history of this country based on the Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) philosophy, it is best to observe the sabda (speech) delivered by Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam in conjunction with the opening of the first Annual General Meeting of the Brunei History Association (PESEBAR) in 1984.
The sabda is more meaningful than the written expressions of Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien for which he wished to be understood by every citizen and people of Brunei Darussalam, particularly in connection with the sovereignty of the country.
The struggle to restore the sovereignty of the country as we know has been pioneered by Al-Marhum and 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 with the people of Brunei after the Second World War. Among other things, the sabda mentioned:
…Dan sudah kena pada masanya kerana ini adalah satu cara sangat berpatutan dan sempurna untuk menguatkan minat-minat dan kasih sayang rakyat kepada negara. Di samping itu dapat pula meluaskan pengetahuan yang sebenar tentang sejarah Negara Brunei Darussalam. Dengan mempunyai pengetahuan tentang negara sendiri mereka akan dapat mengetahui asal-usul mereka sebagai orang-orang Brunei yang terbilang dan termasyhur di sisi bangsa-bangsa lain dari zaman dulu kala lagi. Sebagaimana jua dengan amalan bangsa-bangsa lain yang mempunyai sejarah di dunia ini maka rakyat Negara Brunei Darussalam perlu memelihara dan mengetahui dengan mendalam peristiwa-peristiwa dan cerita-cerita yang terjadi di negara sendiri kerana dengan pengetahuan itulah mereka melangkah ke masa hadapan dengan penuh percaya kepada diri sendiri serta iman kepada Allah SWT.
…Penyelidikan-penyelidikan dan kajian-kajian yang mendalam yang bertujuan untuk menghidupkan dan meninggikan nama Negara Brunei Darussalam di mana-mana jua adalah satu perkara yang patut digalakkan dan diberi pertolongan oleh sekelian yang berkenaan.
Therefore it is an obligation and responsibility for all citizens and residents of Brunei Darussalam to know and understand the history of Brunei Darussalam for the survival of the MIB declared on January 1, 1984.
The reason why the history of this country needs to be reviewed and investigated is so that the national legacies are known to the young generation, who will eventually become the heirs of Brunei’s future. The legacy of the past serves as a guide so that the mistakes from back then don’t repeat themselves. For example, many past events are shown through the history of this country, which sometimes illustrates the wrongdoing of our leadership who did not follow the MIB philosophy.
Eventually this brought failure to the management and administration of the country. This is the essence of why we need to learn from past events.
This was mentioned in His Majesty’s titah in conjunction with the new Islamic year of 1440 Hijrah celebrations, in which he mentioned the history of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) emigration 1,400 years ago and emphasised the importance of history as a guide and lesson:
Hijrah adalah sebahagian daripada Sejarah Islam. Sejarah, tidak hanya merakam satu-satu peristiwa, malah mengandungi iktibar dan pengajaran. Di sinilah harga sejarah itu. Sekiranya tanpa sejarah, kita pun tidak akan tahu apa nasib Islam dan umatnya.
Di sinilah juga hikmah, Allah SWT memerintahkan Nabi berhijrah untuk menyelamatkan Islam dan Umat Islam.
Ini semua namanya ilmu: ‘Ilmu Sejarah’. Peranannya sungguh besar, selaku ‘cermin kehidupan’. Daripadanya, kita dapat melihat gambaran keadaan, bagaimana negara dan umat pada ketika itu, dan bagaimana mereka berusaha dan berjuang? Dari sejarah juga, kita tahu siapa kawan dan siapa lawan. Semuanya terakam dalam sejarah.
Therefore, we need to observe the history of this country especially in terms of the implementation of MIB-based policies, which have been passed on and based on virtues pioneered by Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien since 1953.
To acquire blessings from Allah the Almighty, all the systems and policies of governance implemented should be based on Islam, which is the main axis of the MIB. The journey of the past will be a lesson to the leadership of our nation in achieving and retaining the glory and excitement of social and state life.
It is evident that Brunei’s leadership has always adhered to the teachings of Islam blessed by Allah the Almighty. After all, the system of state administration with MIB is a heritage that has been hardened by Sultan Berkat, the third Sultan of Brunei who came from Ta’if, from the offspring of the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
As long as this heritage continues to be maintained, the leadership of this country will always be blessed by Allah the Almighty by way of Thayyibatun Wa Rabbun ghafur as mentioned in Al-Quran.
Other examples of Brunei history that showed the wrongs of the management of government administration can be traced to a conversation between Sultan Hashim and the author of the book City of Many Waters (published in London in 1923), which tells the tale of an English engineer who worked in Kampong Ayer during the reign of Sultan Hashim. Below is an excerpt of what Sultan Hashim said:
“I want to build a small house looking seawards. So that I can eat the wind there in comfort and with the telescope examine the ships that enter the port. Sometimes ships come now and they do not tell me about them. They believe I am getting old. And perhaps they are right. But my brain is by no means dry yet.”
This demonstrates the dishonesty and distrust among some of the country’s leaders who are supposed to help manage the governance of the country, but instead took advantage by stealing government revenues from the trade activities. This is a lesson to be learnt about the practice of negative values that damage the country with regard to the managing of the country’s financial results.
In view of the fact that the MIB is a system in the country’s administration, as it has been ordained by His Majesty, the practice and appreciation of the good values of MIB shall be applied and practised in the national administrative affairs as stated by the Sultan in his titah on 21st of Jamadilakhir 1439 Hijrah equivalent February 7, 2018 at Istana Nurul Iman, Bandar Seri Begawan:
Akhirnya, kepada semua termasuk pihak perhubungan, pelancongan, belia dan sukan serta luar negeri, luruskanlah tujuan masing-masing. Jangan bengkok-bengkok. Tidak ada gunanya memilih jalan lain dari jalan kita yang sedia ada. Jalan kita ini sudah cukup bagus, kalau ia diikut, Insya Allah kita selamat. Apakah jalan yang unik lagi hebat itu? Iaitu MIB. MIB adalah pakaian Brunei. Kita memakainya sejak lebih dari enam ratus tahun lagi. Jadi mengapa didalam zaman yang dinamakan zaman moden ini ia mahu dipertikaikan? Yakinlah barangsiapa yang mempertikaikan MIB, mereka itu bukan purih Brunei atau tidak berjiwa Brunei.
In considering, the obligation of every citizens and residents of Brunei Darussalam, the Secretariat Office of the MIB Supreme Council is always ready to cooperate in spreading the understanding and subsequently to strengthen the practice and appreciation of those values if MIB in the aspect of life. Earlier this year, the MIB Secretariat organised lecturers and seminars to officers and staff of the Ministry of Finance, the new students of Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali, Public Relation Officers, etc.
The aim of the talk was to give a clear understanding and knowledge about MIB to prevent dishonest practice and to embed MIB as a way of life.
Furthermore, we hope to avoid the influence of negative elements such as the practice of nepotism, cronyism and selfishness in management of this country as Sultan’s titah on February 7, 2018:
Di antara tanda-tanda pemimpin mabuk kuasa itu ialah licik mengatur rancangan atau strategi bagi kepentingan sendiri seperti mengamalkan kronisme dan nepotisme untuk mengkukuhkan kedudukan dan kuasa. Beta yakin perbuatan seperti ini tidak mendatangkan sebarang kebaikan melainkan keburukan belaka kepada negara dan tidaklah boleh dibiarkan terus berlaku.
Insya Allah, with the new Cabinet reforms announced by His Majesty on February 7, 2018, progress and development will continue to be enjoyed by the people of this country.
Hopefully we will maintain Brunei’s sustainability as a welfare state to enable the country’s citizens and residents to be able to equally receive charity funds for their hereafter investment.
This is what we should achieve by practising MIB values to produce a just, honest, trustworthy, sincere, attentive and free-to-face leadership, as mentioned by the Sultan in a titah below:
Untuk menjadi pemimpin, keperluan untuk menguatkan amalan konsep MIB sangatlah mustahak. Jangan sekali-kali cuba menganut ideologi atau sistem lain dari ideologi dan sistem MIB. Kalau mahu jadi pemimpin yang baik, maka peganglah kuat-kuat prinsip ini dan juga jangan jadi pemimpin mabuk kuasa melakukan apa saja untuk kepentingan diri sendiri, lebih daripada kepentingan untuk negara.
It is an important responsibility for every member of the community in safeguarding and preserving the history of this country by learning the country’s culture and Islamic traditions.
History is crucial for the strengthening of Brunei Darussalam’s status as an MIB state, which sets Islam as the official religion and our source of reference and guiding light.