| Hakim Hayat |
SIX Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) officers who recently graduated with outstanding results in the Defence Academy’s RBAF Command and Staff Course (CSC) have received the OBOE Endeavour Award from the Australian Government.
As part of the award, the first-time recipients from Brunei will be invited to Australia to meet with key Australian Defence Force leaders, visit an Australian military base, participate in educational and cultural activities, and engage in dialogues and discussions.
Guests of honour RBAF Commander Major General Pengiran Dato Paduka Seri Aminan bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud and Acting High Commissioner of Australia to Brunei Darussalam Leah Mottram presented the award to the six officers during a ceremony held at the RBAF Defence Academy in Kampong Tanah Jambu.
The recipients are 643 Lieutenant Colonel Norsuriati binti Haji Sharbini, 618 Commander Norharirayati binti Yakub, 660 Major Pengiran Haji Saiful Amirul Bakri bin Pengiran Haji Ramlee, 700 Major (U) Mohd Khairul bin Pehin Datu Indera Setia Dato Paduka Seri Haji Sulaiman, 724 Major Mohd Ghazali bin Haji Hussin and 730 Major (U) Mohd Anwar Shah bin Napiah.
In his speech, the RBAF Commander noted that the OBOE Endeavour Award was one of the initiatives proposed during the Brunei-Australian Joint Defence Working Committee in March this year. It will be awarded annually to RBAF officers.
He expressed confidence this will further strengthen military cooperation between Brunei and Australia, adding, “I am sure it will raise competitiveness among the student officers, thereby raising the standards of the CSC.”
He also looks forward to more initiatives materialising in the near future, such as the proposal of having the Australian Defence Force’s Operational Planning Instructors observer the Operational Planning Phase of the next CSC.
“This will definitely be beneficial not only to our CSC students, but also to the Australian Defence Force through the sharing of knowledge and experiences,” he added.
Meanwhile, Defence Adviser of Australia accredited to Brunei Darussalam Colonel David Hay in his remarks noted that the award proposes to further the bilateral defence relations by introducing the Brunei award recipients to the Australian Defence Force and to key aspects of their national power and identity.
“Australia very much values our defence relationship with Brunei, and we view this programme as a wonderful opportunity to continue to foster and grow our people-to-people links, links that we know will play an important role in our journey together,”
The name ‘OBOE Endeavour Award’ was chosen to commemorate the Australian Forces contribution to the successful liberation of Borneo from Japanese occupation during Operation OBOE in World War II, which marked the beginning of Brunei Darussalam and Australia’s defence relationship.