| Dr Muhammad Hadi bin Muhammad Melayong Senior, Special Duties Officer, Secretariat Office, MIB Supreme Council |
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 has stated in his many titah that the Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) is a our national policy which shall be adopted in the country’s system of government administration.
The Secretariat of the MIB Supreme Council, in collaboration with the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) organised an MIB briefing to provide officers of the force deeper understanding on the concepts of the philosophy.
This briefing was presented by the author and focussed on the challenges of MIB from a historical perspective in the present era of globalisation. The talk was given to the inspector cadet officers of the RBPF’s Trial Squad 1/2017 and 2/2017 at the Police Training Centre, RBPF Headquarters in Gadong.
The essence of His Majesty’s titah requires that all government servants, not just limited to ministers, secretaries and officers and especially those with authority, to fulfil their duties with full responsibility and accountability in accordance with MIB. His Majesty reminded that the management and administration of the country would go smoothly and efficiently if we abide by the values of MIB. We no longer have to doubt and dispute its practice as it has already become part of our soul and identity as Bruneians.
Insya Allah, the adoption and implementation of MIB in Brunei’s system of government in the Brunei way or ala Brunei will be able to create a better living environment, which is mentioned in Al-Quran as Baldatun Tayyibatun Wa Rabbun Ghafuur.
As His Majesty reaffirmed, the Brunei environment must remain Bruneian and this beautiful environment must be maintained forever because Brunei is a place of deen. We must not let it be tainted by any form of disadvantages including acts of dishonesty and falsehoods. Behaviours that contradict the teachings of Islam, Malay culture and practices of the monarchy such as dishonesty and acts of mistrust will give rise to corruption, breach of trust, cronyism, nepotism, unfairness, selfishness and other undesired societal scourges.
This matter was highlighted in His Majesty’s titah in conjunction with His Majesty’s visit to the RBPF Headquarters in Gadong on Tuesday, March 31, 2015. Among other things, His Majesty stated:
…. Kerana itulah kerjaya polis, sememangnya wajar untuk dihargai dan dihormati. Bagaimana ia tidak patut dihargai, bukankah polis itu tunggak harapan bagi semua orang? Semua kita ini, tanpa ada kecualinya adalah bergantung harapan kepada polis. Polislah yang mengawal segalanya: mengawal Bandar, mengawal desa dan malah mengawal Negara beserta isi didalamnya.Ini tidak diragukan lagi adalah, sebagai satu kelebihan atau keutamaan jawatan polis itu. Kelebihan atau keutamaan ini tidak dimiliki oleh lain-lain jawatan, melainkan hanya tertentu kepada jawatan polis sahaja. Kerana itu, penyandang-penyandang jawatan ini mustahaklah mengekalkan prestasi mereka, dan dalam masa yang sama, mesti pula mengamalkan sikap tegas dan amanah.Polis tidak boleh lemah. Sikap dan pendirian mereka mesti kuat, tidak boleh dirayu atau dipujuk-pujuk untuk mendapatkan simpati. Lebih-lebih lagi, penjawat polis, sama sekali tidak boleh curang terhadap tugasnya. Bilakah seorang polis itu boleh dianggap curang? Macam-macam sebab seorang polis boleh dianggap curang, seperti tidak bersungguh-sungguh menjalankan tugas, dalam makna mengabaikan tugas, atau apabila seorang polis melakukan perkara-perkara yang menyalahi undang-undang, padahal polis adalah penguatkuasa undang-undang itu.
As such, the duties and responsibilities entrusted upon the RBPF act as a symbol of obedience and loyalty to the king based on the adoption of MIB values. We don’t allow it to be tainted by any form of disadvantages including dishonesty and falsehood, as stated by His Majesty:
…; “Wajib Ta’at” ini adalah, setiap rakyat, sesiapa pun jua adalah tidak boleh derhaka kepada Raja. Menderhakai Raja hukumnya haram dan berdosa besar.
Then the duties and obligations of each of the people of this country, in particular the staff and officers or leaders when carrying out the administrative machinery of the country shall uphold the titah of His Majesty as the Head of State and Head of Religion as set out in the State of Brunei 1959 Constitution, Amendment of 2004 and 2008 which states that:
PART III EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY, Executive authority and principal officers
4. (1) The supreme executive authority of Brunei Darussalam shall be vested in His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan. (1A) His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan shall be the Prime Minister. (1B) His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan shall be the Supreme Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces.
(2) The executive authority shall be exercised by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan.
And also states that:
3. (2) The Head of the official religion of Brunei Darussalam shall be His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan.
This subject has been touched on by the author in a briefing held for the first time by the Office of the Secretariat of the MIB Supreme Council with the co-operation of the RBPF. The briefing presented included the historical practice of MIB in the government administration system since its foundation in 1368. This includes the history of the RBPF that was officially established in the 1920s, whose responsibility is to serve, protect and preserve the peace of this country.
There is no doubting that the important role entrusted to the RBPF is to defend and preserve the way of life of the Bruneian.
The history of the struggle of the RBPF in sovereignty for the sake of patriotism and obedience to the king, religion and nation should be heeded by the younger generation, in particular members of the security forces. The history of Brunei has shown the courage and heroism of the RBPF members who had fought to defend the sovereignty of the nation and gone through bloody events such as the Second World War II and the 1962 rebellion.
In view of MIB as a way of life, it shall be the responsibility of all to understand, learn, adopt and appreciate His Majesty’s titahs from January 1984 until the present day; it is worth noting that the number of these that make mention of MIB is more than 50.
As a means of reflection, I’ve attached herewith an excerpt of His Majesty’s titah on February 7, 2018, where His Majesty reaffirmed to the people of Brunei and officers and staff of the Government of Brunei Darussalam the importance of MIB to be accepted as a Bruneian identity:
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 barang siapa yang mempertikaikan MIB, mereka itu bukan purih Brunei atau tidak berjiwa Brunei.
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.
Di antara tanda-tanda pemimpin mabuk kuasa itu ialah licik mengatur rancangan atau strategi bagi kepentingan sendiri seperti mengamalkan kronisme dan nepotisme untuk mengukuhkan kedudukan dan kuasa. Beta yakin perbuatan seperti ini tidak mendatangkan sebarang kebaikan melainkan keburukan belaka kepada negara dan tidaklah boleh dibiarkan terus berlaku.
Maka demikian itulah juga perkara konsep dan dasar. Janganlah terus-terus terpesona mengikut orang lain tetapi lihatlah dahulu ke dalam diri siapa kita sambil mengenalpasti apa keperluan kita yang sebenarnya. Inilah cara yang lebih baik dan bijaksana untuk dilakukan bukan dengan mengambil dan memakai apa saja yang dilihat atau didengar daripada jauh tanpa perhitungan yang mendalam.
Kita adalah bangsa dan negara merdeka. Kita dituntut untuk berfikir dan bertindak sebagai bangsa dan negara yang merdeka juga. Kemerdekaan akan kurang bererti dengan hanya membanggakan sahaja tetapi akan lebih bererti bila mana kita pandai mengisinya. Dimanakah mengisi kemerdekaan itu dan oleh siapa? Tentu saja tidak lain oleh kita sendiri. Di sini ada Menteri-Menteri, Timbalan-Timbalan Menteri dan Setiausaha-Setiausaha Tetap, mereka inilah barisan paling hadapan yang diamanahkan untuk mengisi kemerdekaan supaya kemerdekaan kita itu benar-benar bermakna.