BY Azlan Othman

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 announced the reshuffle, retaining and appointment of several new Cabinet ministers on Tuesday afternoon.

The monarch also announced the appointment of the Sultanate’s first female minister during a titah broadcast live on Radio Television Brunei (RTB).

With the last Cabinet reshuffle dated January 30, 2018, His Majesty said, “I feel the time has come to change and appoint new Cabinet ministers and deputy ministers, and to retain some of them to strengthen the government machinery to enhance the effectiveness of each ministry.”

The transfer and appointment of Cabinet ministers and deputy ministers are as follows:

– Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof will replace Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud as Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office;

– Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Ahmaddin bin Haji Abdul Rahman will replace Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong as the Minister of Home Affairs;

– Dato Seri Paduka Dr Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin to replace Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Apong as the Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism;

– Dato Paduka Awang Haji Mohd Juanda bin Haji Abdul Rashid to replace Dato Seri Setia Ir Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gafar as the Minister of Development;

– Datin Seri Paduka Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh to replace Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sulaiman as the Minister of Education;

– Pengiran Shamhary bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mustapha to replace Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yusof as the Minister of Transport and Infocommunications;

– Haji Nazmi bin Haji Mohamad to replace Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin as the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports;

– Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Haji Mohd Tashim bin Pengiran Haji Hassan to replace Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar as the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs;

– Mohamed Riza bin Dato Paduka Haji Mohamed Yunos will serve as the Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office;

– Dato Paduka Haji Sufian bin Haji Sabtu will serve as the Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office;

– Brigadier General Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Abdul Razak bin Haji Abdul Kadir will serve as the Deputy Minister of Defence;

– Haji Khairuddin bin Haji Abdul Hamid will serve as the Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy; and

– Pengiran Hajah Zety Sufina binti Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Sani will serve as the Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy;

His Majesty also said the Deputy Minister of Development position is “not yet required.” The four-year appointment took effect on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, His Majesty will continue to hold the posts of Prime Minister; Minister of Defence; Minister of Finance and Economy; and Minister of Foreign Affairs;

– His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, will retain the post as the Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Meanwhile, retaining their posts are:

– Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Diraja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Isa bin Pehin Datu Perdana Manteri Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Ibrahim as Special Adviser to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office;

– Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman as Minister of Religious Affairs;

– Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar as the Minister of Health;

– Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah as Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II;

– Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Erywan bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Haji Mohd Yusof as Minister of Foreign Affairs II; and

– Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Matsatejo bin Sokiaw as Deputy Minister of the Department of Energy at the Prime Minister’s Office.

His Majesty said the appointments should be held with absolute loyalty and responsibility. The monarch also thanked outgoing officials for their services rendered, before expressing hopes they would receive multiple rewards from Allah the Almighty.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin