Sultan Of Brunei: Is The Monarch Still Alive?

The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, is currently the world's longest-reigning living monarch, having ascended to the throne in 1967. He is also the world's longest-serving current head of state. Bolkiah is one of the few remaining absolute monarchs in the world and is the 29th sultan to ascend to the Bruneian throne. He is also the prime minister of Brunei and, as of 2023, is said to have a net worth of $30 billion.

The Sultan of Brunei is the head of state and government

The Sultan of Brunei is the monarchical head of state and head of government in his capacity as prime minister. Since gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1984, Brunei has been ruled by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, who is also the current prime minister.

The sultan is the absolute monarch of Brunei and holds full executive authority, including emergency powers. As the ruler of Islam, he does not wield all authority alone. Brunei has been in a state of emergency since 1962, which is renewed every two years, and during this time, the sultan retains absolute authority.

The sultan's role as head of state and government is codified in the 1959 Constitution of Brunei. The constitution outlines the sultan's powers and responsibilities, including the authority to appoint and remove ministers, approve policies, and dissolve the Legislative Council.

The sultan's role as head of state also includes ceremonial duties, such as representing Brunei at international events and meetings with foreign dignitaries. The sultan is often involved in diplomatic relations and has worked to strengthen ties with other countries.

In addition to his role as head of state and government, the sultan of Brunei also holds other positions, including the Minister of Finance, Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of Defence, and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The sultan of Brunei is known for his extravagant lifestyle, including a large car collection, a private zoo, and a luxurious palace. He has also been criticised for implementing strict Islamic criminal penalties and anti-LGBT legislation.

The current Sultan is Hassanal Bolkiah

Hassanal Bolkiah was born on 15 July 1946 and is the eldest son of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III. He was crowned on 5 October 1967, at the age of 21, after his father abdicated.

Hassanal Bolkiah is also the prime minister of Brunei and has held this position since the country gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1984. He is the world's longest-reigning current monarch and the longest-serving current head of state.

The Sultan is known for his lavish lifestyle and extravagant spending. He has a private zoo, a large car collection, and a private Boeing 747. He has also commissioned the building of a $600 million palace, known as Istana Nurul Iman, which has 1,788 rooms and covers an estimated 2.2 million square feet.

In recent years, the Sultan has faced criticism and condemnation for implementing strict Islamic criminal penalties, including the death penalty for homosexuality and adultery. However, he has since backtracked on these laws, stating that they will not be enforced.

Brunei's longest-reigning monarch

Brunei's current Sultan, Hassanal Bolkiah, is the world's longest-reigning current monarch and the longest-serving current head of state. He has been the Sultan of Brunei since 1967 and became Prime Minister when the country gained independence from the UK in 1984.

Hassanal Bolkiah is one of the few remaining absolute monarchs in the world. He is the 29th Sultan to ascend to the Bruneian throne, following the abdication of his father, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, in 1967.

Hassanal Bolkiah was born on 15 July 1946 and became Crown Prince at the age of 15 in 1961. He received military training in Britain and studied in Malaysia before his father's abdication. He was crowned the 29th Sultan of Brunei in 1968, at the age of 21.

As of 2023, Hassanal Bolkiah is said to have a net worth of $30 billion. He celebrated his Golden Jubilee on 5 October 2017, marking 50 years since he ascended to the throne.

Hassanal Bolkiah is known for his lavish lifestyle, which includes a private aviation fleet, a private zoo, and a collection of luxury cars. He has spent billions on yachts, cars, statues, casinos, and other extravagant purchases. He once commissioned a 1,788-room palace, known as Istana Nurul Iman, which is the world's largest residential palace.

The Sultan's extravagant spending has fascinated outsiders for decades. He reportedly paid Michael Jackson $17 million to perform at his 50th birthday party, which was attended by Britain's then-Prince Charles and lasted over two weeks.

Hassanal Bolkiah's younger brother, Prince Jefri Bolkiah, was accused of misappropriating around $40 billion in state funds, leading to a long-running feud between the two siblings.

Brunei, a small country with a predominantly Muslim population, has faced international scrutiny for its interpretation of Islamic laws, which allow harsh punishments for adultery, sodomy, and rape. The Sultan has been criticised for promoting a conservative interpretation of Islam that contrasts with the lifestyles of the royal family.

Brunei's independence from the UK in 1984

British Rule and the Decline of the Bruneian Empire

The British began to exert influence over Brunei in the 19th century, as part of their colonial expansion in Southeast Asia. This marked the beginning of the decline of the Bruneian Empire, which had once controlled much of Borneo, the Sulu Archipelago, and neighbouring islands.

British Protectorate and World War II

In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate, ceding control of its foreign affairs to Britain. This was followed by further territorial losses, including the cession of Sarawak to the English adventurer James Brooke, who became known as the White Rajah.

World War II marked a significant disruption, with the Japanese occupying Brunei from 1941 to 1945. The British returned after the war, and negotiations for Brunei's independence began.

Self-Government and Constitutional Developments

In 1959, Brunei achieved self-government, and a new constitution was implemented. This constitution provided for a British High Commissioner, who replaced the British resident, and retained British responsibility for defence and foreign policy.

However, Brunei's path toward independence was not without challenges. In 1962, a small armed rebellion against the monarchy occurred, which was suppressed with British assistance. This led to the ban of the pro-independence Brunei People's Party and influenced the Sultan's decision not to join the Malaysian Federation.

Negotiations for Independence

Despite these setbacks, Brunei continued to push for greater autonomy. In 1971, a new agreement was signed between Brunei and the United Kingdom, granting Brunei full internal self-government while the UK retained responsibility for external affairs and defence.

In 1979, a treaty was signed between the two countries, paving the way for Brunei's full independence. This treaty addressed key concerns of the Sultan, including assurances from neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia that they would recognise Brunei's independence.

Independence Day

Finally, on January 1, 1984, Brunei gained its independence from the United Kingdom, becoming a fully sovereign state. This marked the end of British rule in Brunei and the beginning of a new era as an independent Islamic sultanate.

The country's independence was celebrated with various ceremonies and the proclamation of independence by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, who has served as the prime minister and absolute monarch of Brunei since independence.

Brunei's movement towards stricter Islamic practices

At the time of the country's independence from the United Kingdom in 1984, the Sultan proclaimed the concept of a Malay Muslim monarchy, or Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB), as the national philosophy. This philosophy blends Malay language, culture, customs, the teaching of Islamic laws and values, and the monarchy system.

The movement towards stricter Islamic practices in Brunei has included measures such as banning the sale of alcoholic beverages and requiring that Muslim children receive religious instruction. The country has also implemented courts for Islamic law (Sharīʿah or Syariah) to help Muslims settle personal matters such as marriage disputes, with the Sultan having long wanted to expand this to include criminal offences by Muslims.

In 2013, the Sultan announced that Syariah would become official policy the following year, with the first phase covering crimes with lesser punishments, such as fines and prison sentences for offences such as failing to observe the fast during Ramadan. This first phase was implemented in May 2014. The second phase, covering crimes penalized by corporal punishments, such as whipping or amputation for theft, was delayed after international backlash. The final phase, covering crimes with severe punishments, such as stoning for adultery or sodomy and the death penalty for insulting the Qurʾān, took effect in April 2019.

The implementation of these harsh Islamic punishments has sparked widespread condemnation and protests around the world, with celebrities and Western governments alike calling for boycotts of companies owned by the Bruneian royal family, particularly the Dorchester Collection hotels. In response to this backlash, the Sultan has backpedalled on these laws, promising that they will not be enforced. However, Brunei will keep these laws on its statute books.

The Sultan's commitment to stricter Islamic practices in Brunei is driven by his ambition to increase his base of authority as well as his own religious passion. Large sums of money have been spent on numerous Muslim programs, with the nation continuing to amass significant income from oil. Brunei has utilized its oil wealth to support Islamic education, build lavish mosques, and enable religious pilgrimages to Mecca and other religious events. The state has also established and extended a variety of higher Islamic educational institutions to produce a large number of Islamic scholars.

In addition, the Sultan has established foundations to support secular and religious studies and constructed ornate mosques. He has also started to steer the sultanate toward a stricter interpretation of Islam, repressing reformism and promoting a fundamentalist interpretation of Islam connected to the Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB) through the state-run media and educational system.

The day-to-day management of religious affairs in Brunei falls within the purview of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, which was established in 1986. A State Mufti, appointed by the Prime Minister's Office, issues religious decrees in the interim. The function of the mufti is quite evident in Brunei, where religious enthusiasm is growing. The mufti defends a number of religious bans, including the prohibition against alcohol.

The movement towards stricter Islamic practices in Brunei has also been influenced by the country's Islamic bureaucracy, which has long told the monarch and the public that Brunei must completely enforce God's law, as they interpret it. This includes the State Mufti, who has played a major role in creating drafts of the Syariah Penal Code Order (SPCO). The influence of the Islamic bureaucracy is underscored by Dominik Mueller, an expert on Islam in Southeast Asia at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, who stated that:

> "The sultan has increasingly turned to religion over the past three decades, especially since his first pilgrimage to Mecca in 1987. He has repeatedly stressed the obligation from Allah to introduce the Sharia penal code, and the blessings this would bring, in this world and the afterlife...This mirrors the State Mufti's narrative. The influence of the Islamic bureaucracy cannot be overstated. Its leaders have long told the monarch and the public that Brunei must completely enforce God's law, as they interpret it."

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