Hassanal Bolkiah: The Sultan of Brunei

Part[2]

Philanthropy

Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation

The Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation (Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah; YSHHB), often referred to as the Yayasan, was established on 5 October 1992. Created by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and his family, the foundation serves as a vehicle for their philanthropic contributions. Yayasan operates based on five guiding principles: finance, development, welfare, education, and religion.

In a speech on 28 January 2009, Hassanal Bolkiah approved the establishment of “The Committee for the Palestinian Humanitarian Fund.” The Palestinian Humanitarian Fund received a $50,000 grant from the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation, raising the total amount to $61,000. Donation boxes were placed at the Foundation’s School and the Foundation Building Complex to further support the fund.

However, at a meeting of the YSHHB Committee of Governors on 2 October 2018, Prince Abdul Malik revealed that more than $115,000 had been embezzled from the organization. He reported eight instances of breach of trust involving five employees, totaling $115,528, occurring between 2004 and 2016. The fraud was discovered after the Prime Minister’s Office Audit Department conducted its first audit since the foundation’s inception in 1992.

Scholarships

Hassanal Bolkiah, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), envisions future leaders of Brunei possessing exceptional leadership skills and being well-prepared to navigate the rapidly changing world. To attract and nurture outstanding young leaders for Brunei’s defense and security sectors, the Supreme Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Scholarship Scheme was established in 2005. This scholarship offers tuition at prestigious international universities and military academies. Since its inception, over fifty exceptional Bruneians have been awarded this scholarship, which covers tuition, living expenses, stipends, and an annual round-trip ticket. In addition to offering a broad range of disciplines, the scholarship recipients represent Brunei abroad as youthful ambassadors.

Aligned with the founding objectives of the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation, particularly concerning education, a unique scholarship program called “Sultan’s Scholar” was formed. In 2006, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah approved the “Sultan’s Scholar” award. The Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation expanded the “Sultan’s Scholar” Scholarship Scheme in 2013 to include studies up to the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

Personal Life

Interests

Hassanal Bolkiah played polo with Prince Charles on 15 July 1996, to commemorate his 50th birthday. He played polo competitively when he was younger, at one point even representing the Indian Army’s 61st Cavalry team. In recent years, he has frequently attended polo matches, especially since two of his children started playing competitive polo. As part of the sultan’s 70th birthday celebrations, a friendly polo match between the Brunei team and the 61st Cavalry Indian Army team was held, paying tribute to his long-standing friendship with the latter.

On 8 February 2015, Hassanal Bolkiah competed in and won the Richard Mille Gold Cup, a charity polo match held at Padang 1, Royal Brunei Polo and Riding Club (RBPRC) Jerudong, in support of the Children’s Cancer Foundation (YASKA). The following day, he led his team to victory in the Richard Mille Exhibition Polo Match. His black team defeated the white team 7–5 on the eighth day of the four-team charity competition at the same venue to advance to the final.

In addition to polo, Hassanal Bolkiah enjoys playing badminton and squash.

Marriages and Issue

The Sultan married his first cousin and first wife, Pengiran Anak Saleha, who later carried the title Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Raja Isteri (Her Royal Highness the Queen Consort) at Istana Darul Hana on 29 July 1965. He married Mariam Abdul Aziz (formerly titled Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Isteri) as his second wife in 1981 when she was an ex-flight attendant for Royal Brunei Airlines. According to Brunei’s sharia law, Mariam was stripped of all royal titles in 2003, and the Sultan proclaimed a first-stage divorce from her, according to a statement made by Prince Sufri Bolkiah on state-run television. The Sultan married 33-year-old former Malaysian TV3 anchor Azrinaz Mazhar Hakim (formerly known as Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Isteri) in a private wedding held in Kuala Lumpur in August 2005. On 16 June 2010, the Grand Chamberlain announced that the Sultan was divorcing his third wife and would strip her of all royal titles after five years of marriage, citing “special reasons” without further details, following weeks of rumors in the capital. It was also known that he had an adopted daughter named Afifa Abdullah with Mariam.

Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah is the current Pengiran Muda Mahkota (Crown Prince) and the Sultan’s heir, as the eldest son of the Sultan and Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha. As of 2012, Hassanal Bolkiah has five sons and seven daughters with his three wives. As of 2020, he also has 18 grandchildren.

Titles and Styles

Full Title

5 October 1967 – present: His Majesty the 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 Negara Brunei Darussalam.
Malay (Rumi): Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam.
Malay (Jawi): کباوه دولي يڠ مها موليا ڤادوک سري بݢندا سلطان حاج حسن البلقية معز الدين والدولة ابن المرحوم سلطان حاج عمر علي سيف الدين سعد الخير والدين، سلطان دان يڠ دڤرتوان نݢارا بروني دارالسلام.

Awards and Honours

Academic Honours

The Sultan received numerous honorary doctorates throughout his reign, showcasing his recognition in various fields:

• Moscow State University for International Relations (MGIMO): Awarded an honorary doctorate in 2005.
• University of Oxford, England: Held an Honorary Doctor of Law degree, which was returned on 6 May 2019 following a letter from the university, although it was not officially revoked.
• University of Aberdeen, Scotland: Received an Honorary Doctor of Letters degree, which was revoked on 17 April 2019.
• Chulalongkorn University, Thailand: Conferred an Honorary Doctorate.
• Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Yogyakarta, Indonesia: Received an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humanities and Culture in 2003 .
• National University of Singapore: Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws on 27 January 2005.
• King’s College London (KCL): Conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Law on 14 April 2011, which was rescinded on 6 June 2019 by the Fellowships and Honorary Degrees Committee at KCL, upon recommendation of the KCL Chairman Christopher Geidt, due to the Sultan’s endorsement of severe penalties for homosexuals in Brunei.
• Universitas Indonesia: Awarded an honorary doctorate in philosophy and humanities on 21 April 2011.
• Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia: Conferred the Honorary Doctorate of Islamic Leadership on 23 March 2019.

Military Honors

Hassanal Bolkiah has been the recipient of numerous military honors, both within Brunei and internationally:

• British Army: Appointed Honorary Major General in 1984.
• Royal Air Force (RAF): Made an Air Chief Marshal in 1992 by Queen Elizabeth II, although Buckingham Palace clarified that the Queen did not personally decide on awarding this honor.
• Royal Navy: Appointed Honorary Admiral in 2001.
• Indonesian Military: Made an honorary member of the Indonesian Satgas Atbara Special Operations Unit in April 2008.
• Pakistan’s Special Service Group (SSG): Awarded the rank of Honorary Colonel Commandant during his visit to the SSG headquarters in Cherat, effective from 3 April 2005.
• Indian Army: Presented with a red beret and paratrooper wings of the Black Hawk paratroopers during his state visit to India.
• Philippines: Awarded the Order of Lakandula Grand Collar by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on 30 January 2009 during his state visit to the country.

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