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The Royal Brunei Armed Forces
will soon celebrate its 42nd anniversary. Within that span
of time, the Armed Forces have steadily developed, giving
utmost priority to defence. The Commander of the Royal
Brunei Armed Forces said His Majesty's government has
allocated a huge amount of money to turn the RBAF into a
force to reckoned with. Such advocation, he said, has made
the Armed Forces into a competent and credible military,
whose mission is critical in preserving the country's
sovereignty.
Pehin Major General Dato
Paduka Seri Haji Mohd Jaafar bin Haji Abdul Aziz made the
remarks at the handing-over ceremony of his post as the
Royal Brunei Armed Forces Commander. Yang Dimuliakan Pehin
said every level of leadership within the military must
emphasize on the welfare and wellbeing of personnel under
their charge. This will not only enhance the coherence
between the leaders and the personnel but also helps improve
their productivity and efficiency in their profession. Yang
Dimuliakan Pehin believed the Armed Forces will always
ensure that the professionalism of its personnel would be
maintained at its highest level and become a model for
others. At the same time, he called for the spirit of
solidarity between the Armed Forces and other government
agencies to be sustained in fulfilling the objective of
overall security of the nation.
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The new
Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Pehin Major
General Haji Awang Halbi, in his reply stressed the
importance of restoring the dignity and prestige of the
Armed Forces. As a defence institution known for its high
discipline and code of ethics, he noted of late that the
Force's image has been tainted due to certain influences.
Among the aspects that tarnish its image are a lack of
respect and sense of loyalty toward the institution.
Earlier, there was the
signing of documents marking the official handing-over of
the post by the outgoing Commander to the newly elected
Commander. At this function, Pehin Haji Mohd Jaafar also
presented his personal contributions to all suraus of the
Royal Brunei Armed Forces.
Pehin Haji Mohd Jaafar is the
seventh local to hold the post. He started his career in
the military in June 1969. After graduating from training
in Australia as a cadet officer, he was promoted as a
lieutenant in December 1970. In the early stages of his
army career, Yang Dimuliakan Pehin was appointed as a
platoon leader for 3 years.
Meanwhile, Pehin Major General
Haji Awang Halbi began his career as a recruit of the 37th
intake of the “Askar Melayu Diraja Brunei” in August 1975.
After completing the standard course at the Royal Military
Academy Sandhurst, he held several important posts including
the Commanding Officer of the Second Battalion of the Royal
Brunei Land Forces.
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