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Hassanal Bolkiah Empower Foundations, Jalan Perdana Menteri, Bandar Seri Begawan, BA 1511, Brunei Darussalam, Bandar Seri Begawan (2026)

02/03/2026

Brunei sultan to undergo knee replacement surgery

Brunei's ruler, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, will undergo knee replacement surgery this weekend, with a recovery period expected to last between two and three months, his office said.

The 79-year-old sultan, one of the world's longest-reigning monarchs, will be limiting his presence at national and official ceremonies during the recovery process for rest and physiotherapy sessions, the office said in a statement on Tuesday (Jan 13).

"However, His Majesty will continue to carry out official duties during the period," it said, adding the surgery would take place in Brunei on Sunday.

The sultan, who ascended the throne in 1967, holds multiple roles in Brunei, serving also as its prime minister, armed forces commander, finance minister, foreign minister and defence minister.

Once the world's wealthiest man, the sultan remains hugely popular in the tiny, oil-rich nation on the island of Borneo, despite holding a firm grip on power in the country of nearly half a million people.

He was briefly hospitalised in Malaysia in May last year due to fatigue during a summit of Southeast Asian leaders in Kuala Lumpur.

15/09/2025

Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah discharged from IJN, to remain in KL for a few more days of rest

Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has been discharged from hospital and will remain in the Malaysian capital for a few more days to rest, his office said on Saturday.

Sultan Hassanal was admitted to hospital in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday due to fatigue, though his office had insisted the world’s longest-serving monarch was in “good health”.

“His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah ... praise be to God, is back at the Grand Hyatt Hotel after resting a few days at the National Heart Institute, Kuala Lumpur,” his office said in an Instagram post on Saturday.

“Medical experts have advised His Majesty to continue resting for a few more days before departing back to Brunei,” it added.

The 78-year-old sultan was in Kuala Lumpur for a summit with other Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders.

A statement from the Brunei prime minister’s office — a position held by the sultan — on Tuesday said the monarch had been feeling tired and that Malaysian health experts had advised him to rest for a few days at the National Heart Institute.

Sultan Hassanal ascended the throne in 1967.

He is one of the richest people on the planet, and comes from a family that has ruled Brunei, a small Muslim nation perched on the north of the tropical island of Borneo, for more than 600 years.

His decades ruling Brunei have seen the country gain full independence from Britain and living standards soar to among the highest globally.

But his reign has also been marked by controversies including the introduction of tough Islamic laws legislating penalties such as severing of limbs and death by stoning.

15/09/2025

Brunei ruler returns home after hospital admission in Malaysia

Brunei's ruler Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah returned home on Tuesday, the prime minister's office said, after resting in Malaysia following his admission to a Malaysian hospital with fatigue last week.

The sultan, 78, returned to Brunei with his consort Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha, after meeting Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, the office said in a statement on Tuesday night.

The Sultan was admitted to the National Heart Institute for fatigue during a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders last week in Kuala Lumpur. He was discharged at the weekend and had remained in Malaysia to rest.

"He is in good condition and the recovery process has gone smoothly after being discharged from the National Heart Institute recently," Anwar said in a post on X.

The sultan holds multiple roles in the small Southeast Asian nation, serving as Brunei's prime minister, armed forces commander, finance minister, foreign minister and defence minister.

15/09/2025

Brunei held a ceremonial grand parade on Tuesday, setting off a series of events to celebrate the 79th royal birthday.

The event took place at Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar 'Ali Saifuddien, a renowned park in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital city of Brunei, where state dignitaries, grassroots leaders, and other distinguished guests were dressed in traditional costumes for the event on Tuesday.

Personnel from the Royal Brunei Land Force, Royal Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force, Royal Brunei Police Force, and members of uniformed government departments and associations were inspected by the Sultan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah.

People from all walks of life in the country thronged the capital to witness the grand parade, which was followed by the conferment of state honors and decorations at the Istana Nurul Iman, the royal palace.

Brunei is an oil-rich country in Southeast Asia, located in the northern part of the island of Borneo.

09/06/2025

Brunei King, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, arrives in Malaysia for 46th Asean Summit

Brunei King, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has arrived in Kuala Lumpur to the 46th Asean Summit and related summits which will be held at the KLCC from Monday (May 26).

Prior to leaving Istana Nurul Iman in Bandar Seri Begawan, the Doa Selamat was recited by State M***i Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz Juned.

Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Mohd Amin Liew Abdullah; Minister of Foreign Affairs II Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Erywan Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Mohd Yusof; and High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam to Malaysia Brigadier General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Mahmud Saidin, as well as Senior Officers from the Malaysian Royal Air Force.

Sultan Hassanal then proceeded to walk past the Static Guard of Honour mounted by 1st Battalion, Royal Rangers Regiment (Ceremonial Infantry).

Malaysia, as Chair of Asean this year, is carrying the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability”, which demonstrates Asean’s commitment to ensure regional resilience and prosperity, as well as to strengthen collaboration in the face of emerging global challenges and external pressures.

09/06/2025

Brunei says sultan 'in good health' after being admitted to Malaysian hospital

Brunei's ruler Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is in good health after being admitted to hospital in Malaysia due to tiredness during a regional summit, his office said on Tuesday.
The 78-year-old sultan was admitted to the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur and would stay there for several days on the advice of Malaysian medical experts, his office said.

"His majesty ... is in good health," it said in a statement. "His majesty has been feeling tired."

The hospitalization of the sultan, who has ruled Brunei since 1967, was earlier confirmed by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and host of this week's leaders' summit.
"He's a little bit tired and resting," Anwar told a press conference, without elaborating.
The sultan was once the world's wealthiest man and remains hugely popular in the oil-rich nation on the island of Borneo, despite holding a firm grip on power in the country of nearly half a million people.

The sultan holds multiple roles in Brunei, serving also as its prime minister, armed forces commander, finance minister, foreign minister and defense minister.
Under his rule, Brunei gained full independence from Britain in 1984 and has seen a rise in living standards to among the highest levels in Asia.

21/04/2025

Principal Dayang Hajah Azizah binti Haji Mohammad (pic left) delivered a welcoming address to the students.

The session continued with a familiarisation and briefing programme at Al-Azkiyaa Hall, providing new students with an overview of the institution’s structure and expectations. The event was also attended by Head of Arabic School Pengiran Mohamad Aminuddin bin Pengiran Haji Hussin.

SMALHB remains the only pre-university institution in Brunei dedicated to preparing students for university-level education, continuing its commitment to fostering academic and religious excellence. – Lyna Mohamad.

21/04/2025

Deputy PM MoFA Union Minister pays official visit to Brunei Darussalam

At the invitation of Dato Seri Setia Haji Erywan bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Haji Mohd Yusof, Minister of Foreign Affairs II of Brunei Darussalam, the Myanmar delegation led by U Than Swe, Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, paid an official visit to Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam on 22 and 23 January 2025.
During the visit, on the morning of 22 January 2025, the Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister attended the briefing event on the construction of the new Myanmar Embassy building located in the diplomatic compound in Bandar Seri Begawan. He received updates on the progress of the construction and gave necessary instructions after the briefing. He also attended the cornerstone laying ceremony of the Myanmar Embassy building and laid the foundation.
Afterwards, the Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister visited other two land plots out of three obtained under the agreement for reciprocal exchange of land for the construction of diplomatic premises between Myanmar and Brunei Darussalam and observed the possibility of building residences for Myanmar Embassy staff. Then, he inspected the functioning of the Myanmar Embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan, met with the Embassy staff and gave instructions.
On the evening of 22 January 2025, Minister of Foreign Affairs II of Brunei Darussalam hosted an official dinner in honour of the Myanmar delegation at the Rumbia Restaurant in Bandar Seri Begawan.
On the morning of 23 January 2025, the Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs had a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs II at Assarraa VIP Guest House villa 2 and had an audience with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah of Brunei Darussalam in the afternoon at the Istana Nurul Iman Palace. During the meetings, they cordially exchanged views and discussed matters on the promotion of cross-sector cooperation, especially on trade, defence, health, education and people-to-people exchanges and collaborating more closely in regional organization ASEAN and international arenas. Furthermore, the Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs updated the Myanmar Government’s efforts to ensure peace, development, and democracy in the country and the latest developments in Myanmar.

21/04/2025

Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, meets with Sultan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah in Beijing, capital of China,

21/04/2025

Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah to visit China

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah will pay a state visit to China from February 5 to 7, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.

21/04/2025

Thaksin and Anwar meet Brunei leader

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim have met with the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, for a wide-ranging discussion on Asean affairs, according to a post on the Malaysian leader’s official X account.

Thaksin joined the meeting in his role as an informal adviser on Asean affairs to Mr Anwar. Each time he travels abroad, Thaksin has to seek court permission as he is currently on bail pending the outcome of a lese-majste case against him.

Among the topics discussed at the meeting on Tuesday was the conflict in Myanmar and ways to revive the Asean Five-Point Consensus (5PC), Mr Anwar wrote in the same post.

The 5PC is a set of agreements to end the Myanmar political crisis and facilitate national dialogue. It emerged from an April 2021 meeting in Jakarta between nine Asean leaders and Senior Gen Min Aung Hlaing, who staged the coup that overthrew the elected government in February 2021.

The 5PC is a set of agreements to end the Myanmar political crisis and facilitate national dialogue. It emerged from an April 2021 meeting in Jakarta between nine Asean leaders and Senior Gen Min Aung Hlaing, who staged the coup that overthrew the elected government in February 2021.
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Min Aung Hlaing and the State Administration Council, as the junta is officially known, have repeatedly rebuffed requests by Asean representatives to meet with members of the ousted government or armed ethnic groups, branding all of them as “terrorists”.

Mr Anwar described Tuesday’s meeting as the “most productive” the informal advisory group has held.

“We had very engaging discussions with His Majesty, the most senior Asean leader with a wealth of invaluable experience, across a wide spectrum of matters concerning Asean,” Mr Anwar said, referring to the Sultan.

While Asean remains bound by the 5PC, no effort should be spared to continue the engagement process with all relevant stakeholders, he said.

In this regard, Mr Anwar said he, Thaksin and the Sultan had discussed how best to work towards a positive trajectory to resolve the Myanmar crisis and keep Asean’s respective foreign ministers informed.

The discussions also dealt with concerns over the rising tide of problems associated with a thriving illicit economy dominated by the narcotic drug trade, human trafficking and widespread scam operations, he said.

As for ongoing territorial disputes related to the South China Sea, Mr Anwar said the three agreed that there should be greater multilateral diplomatic progress, so that Code of Conduct negotiations — which have dragged on for three decades — should be concluded sooner rather than later.

A substantive focus was also given to how best to enhance intra-Asean trade and foster greater economic collaboration, including the imperative of a business-friendly and more effective regulatory framework, he said.

Mr Anwar said a strategic thrust in this regard is to promote vibrant capital inflow and stimulate more robust intra-regional growth for shared regional prosperity.

In their talks about cryptocurrencies, he said they discussed the importance of establishing a proper blockchain infrastructure and enabling digital accessibility as key prerequisites for healthy and progressive development for the region.

21/04/2025

Xi holds talks with Brunei's Sultan

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Sultan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah in Beijing on Thursday, calling on the two countries to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and strategic coordination.

Xi said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties more than 30 years ago, the two countries have continuously deepened political mutual trust, actively aligned development strategies, and achieved fruitful results in practical cooperation in various fields.

The two countries have also maintained good coordination in international and regional affairs, set an example of relationship between countries of different sizes, which features equality and mutual benefit, and made positive contributions to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity, he added.

Xi said the joint building of a China-Brunei community with a shared future conforms to the trend of the times, serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples, and opens a new chapter in bilateral relations.

He called on the two countries to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and strategic coordination, respect and trust each other, and always be good neighbors facing each other across the sea, good friends trusting each other, and good partners for common development.

Xi said the two countries should enhance the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Brunei's Wawasan 2035, and advance the two flagship projects of the Guangxi-Brunei Economic Corridor and the Hengyi Petrochemical project.

Xi said China is willing to encourage more Chinese businesses to invest in Brunei, support Brunei's development of the digital economy, artificial intelligence, and new energy industries, and help the country to achieve economic diversification.

He said China supports hybrid rice research cooperation between the two countries and hopes that Brunei will better use platforms such as the China International Import Expo and the China-ASEAN Expo to expand exports of quality agricultural and fishery products to China.

Xi also underlined the need for the two countries to deepen exchanges and cooperation in fields such as education, culture, tourism and sports.

China and Brunei should jointly advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, safeguard international fairness and justice, and play a positive role in promoting global and regional peace and stability, Xi said.

Hassanal spoke highly of China's remarkable achievements in maintaining sustained and rapid economic growth and lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty.

He said the three major global initiatives proposed by China are playing a key role in promoting world peace, stability and development, which demonstrates China's sense of responsibility as a major country.

He expressed his appreciation to China for supporting Brunei's economic diversification strategy, saying that bilateral cooperation has benefited the people of Brunei.

Brunei firmly adheres to the one-China policy and is willing to consolidate a strategic cooperative partnership with China to bring more benefits to the two peoples, he said, adding that Brunei will strengthen political mutual trust, deepen cooperation on trade, agriculture, fishery and energy, and promote people-to-people exchanges with China.

After the talks, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of a number of documents on judicial cooperation, Belt and Road cooperation, and cooperation in fields such as economy, trade and media.

Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Sultan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 6, 2025. Xi held talks with Hassanal, who is on a state visit to China, in Beijing on Thursday. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

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