The Extravagant Life Of The Sultan Of Brunei

The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, is one of the world's longest-reigning monarchs and one of the few remaining absolute monarchs. He ascended to the throne in 1967, following the abdication of his father, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, and was crowned in 1968. The Sultan is also the prime minister of Brunei and holds several other ministerial positions. He is one of the world's richest individuals, with a fortune estimated at $30 billion, derived mainly from the country's oil and gas reserves. The Sultan is known for his lavish lifestyle, which includes a vast car collection, private jets, and a luxurious palace.

The Sultan's wealth and spending

The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, is one of the world's wealthiest royals, with an estimated net worth of $28-30 billion. He has been ranked among the wealthiest individuals in the world and was once regarded as the world's richest man. His wealth in the early 1990s was estimated at $40 billion, and his fortune today is estimated to be around three-quarters of that.

The Sultan's wealth comes primarily from oil and natural gas, which has made Brunei fantastically wealthy. The country gained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1984 and had one of the highest per-capita incomes of any nation at the time.

The Sultan of Brunei is known for his extravagant spending. He has used his wealth to prop up currencies and stock markets in Southeast Asia and has made loans to neighbouring countries. He reportedly sold at least $300 million of his assets to Southeast Asian nations during the Asian economic crisis in 1997-98.

The Sultan has a passion for luxury and opulence, which is reflected in his numerous indulgences. He is famous for his collection of rare cars, which includes a gold-coated Rolls-Royce, 450 Ferraris, 380 Bentleys, and several private jets. His car collection is estimated to be worth over $5 billion and includes over 7,000 vehicles. He also owns homes in England, the United States, and elsewhere, including a $38 million mansion in Beverly Hills, California.

The Sultan's palace, Istana Nurul Man, is the world's largest residential palace, with 1,788 rooms, 257 bathrooms, gold-plated escalators, and an 800-car underground garage. It is larger than the Vatican and is said to have cost $350 million.

The Sultan's spending also extends to personal indulgences, such as flying his barber in from London's Dorchester Hotel to cut his hair, which reportedly costs $20,0000 per haircut. He has also hosted lavish parties, featuring performances by celebrities such as Elton John, Diana Ross, and Michael Jackson, who was paid $17 million for a concert.

The Sultan of Brunei's wealth and spending are legendary, and he is known for his love of luxury and opulence. His indulgences range from rare car collections to extravagant palaces and parties, reflecting his status as one of the world's wealthiest royals.

Brunei's oil and gas reserves

In terms of natural gas, Brunei holds 9.2 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves as of 2017, ranking 35th globally and making up about 0.133% of the world's total natural gas reserves. This equates to approximately 66 years of gas left at current consumption levels.

The country's GDP is heavily reliant on exports of oil and gas, with about 60% of its GDP stemming from gas and crude oil exports. Brunei Shell Petroleum is the largest oil and gas producer in the country, contributing 90% of its oil and gas revenues.

In recent years, Brunei has sought to increase its oil and gas production. In 2019, the country announced financing for developing oil and gas fields, aiming to increase petroleum production by 30% by 2025. In March 2022, the energy minister announced plans to boost oil and gas production following the discovery of 42 million barrels of oil equivalent.

However, Brunei has also faced challenges in the oil and gas sector. In 2019, Malaysia revoked a cross-border agreement with Brunei to jointly develop offshore fields due to disputes over revenue sharing. Additionally, there have been efforts to diversify the country's economy beyond oil and gas, with the Ministry of Finance and Economy identifying five key areas for economic diversification, including tourism, information-communications, and technology.

The Sultan's introduction of Islamic law

The Sultan of Brunei is the monarchical head of state and head of government in his capacity as prime minister. Since independence from the British in 1984, only one sultan has reigned, though the royal institution dates back to the 14th century.

The current Sultan, Hassanal Bolkiah, has been in power since 1967, and is one of the world's few absolute monarchs. He is also one of the world's richest men, with Forbes estimating his wealth at $20 billion.

In 1967, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah assumed the throne and began to expedite the process of fortifying Islamic customs in Brunei. This campaign was driven by his ambition to increase his base of authority, as well as his own religious passion. As the nation continued to amass significant income from oil in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, large sums of money were spent on numerous Muslim programs.

Brunei utilised its oil wealth to support Islamic education in addition to building lavish mosques and enabling religious pilgrimages to Mecca and other religious events. The state established and extended a variety of higher Islamic educational institutions in an effort to produce a large number of Islamic scholars.

Following Brunei's independence in 1984, the Sultan committed enormous resources to the sultanate's Islamic development. In addition to creating the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation in 1992 to support secular and religious studies, he constructed ornate mosques. He not only gave financial backing to Islamic projects but also started to steer the sultanate toward a stricter interpretation of Islam. He repressed reformism and promoted a fundamentalist interpretation of Islam connected to the Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB) through the state-run media and educational system.

On 22 October 2013, the Sultan announced that the kingdom would implement Sharia-mandated criminal codes, including the death by stoning as a punishment for adultery. Applicable only to Muslim citizens, the new code was slated to be phased in over the course of the next six months. The Sultan's legislation, which came into effect in 2019, imposed the death penalty by stoning for homosexuality and adultery, sparking protests around the world and calls for boycotting companies owned by the Bruneian royal family.

The Sultan has blamed globalisation and greater integration with the outside world for a perceived erosion of social morality. In 2012, the government made religious education mandatory for Muslim children and ordered the closing of all businesses on Friday, the Muslim sabbath. Brunei also prohibits publications of other religions and the display of other religious symbols such as the Christian crucifix. Proselytising by religions other than Islam is strictly forbidden.

The day-to-day management of religious affairs is within the purview of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, which was established on 1 January 1986, two years after Brunei attained independence. A State Mufti is appointed by the Prime Minister's Office to issue religious decrees in the interim. In Brunei, where religious enthusiasm is growing, the function of the mufti is quite evident. The mufti defends a number of religious bans, including the prohibition against alcohol.

Unambiguously speaking, the Sultan stated on 15 July 1996, that it was divinely mandated to create an Islamic Criminal Law Act. Additionally, he assigned a working group of Sharia experts, including a professor from Pakistan, to investigate the issue. Changes among the monarch's religious advisors corresponded with a greater focus on the Islamic penal code.

Despite international criticism and calls for boycotts, the Sultan said in 2009 and again in 2012 that Sharia law will soon be fully incorporated into civil and criminal law.

The Sultan's absolute monarchy

The Sultan of Brunei is the monarchical head of state and the country's prime minister. The current Sultan, Hassanal Bolkiah, is one of the world's few remaining absolute monarchs. He is also the world's longest-reigning current monarch and the longest-serving current head of state.

The Sultan of Brunei has full executive authority, including emergency powers, and is the head of government in his capacity as prime minister. He also serves as the state's finance minister and defence minister.

The Sultan's role as the absolute monarch of Brunei is steeped in a long history. The royal institution dates back to the 14th century, with the first sultan, Muhammad Shah, founding modern Brunei in the early 1360s. Since Brunei's independence from the British in 1984, only one sultan has reigned, although generations can be traced back to Muhammad Shah.

In addition to his wealth and extravagant spending, the Sultan of Brunei has also garnered international attention for his hard-line view of Islam. In 2014, Brunei became the first East Asian country to adopt strict Islamic Sharia law, which allows for punishments such as stoning for adultery and amputation for theft. The implementation of these laws sparked international condemnation and criticism.

Brunei's history and independence

Brunei, officially Brunei Darussalam, is a country in Southeast Asia on the northern coast of the island of Borneo. It is the only sovereign state entirely on Borneo; the remainder of the island is divided between Malaysia and Indonesia.

History

Brunei was known to be trading with and paying tribute to China in the 6th century CE. It then came under Hindu influence through allegiance to the Majapahit empire, based in Java. In the 14th century, it was renamed "Barunai", possibly influenced by the Sanskrit word "varuṇ", meaning "seafarers". The word "Borneo" is of the same origin.

When the ships of the Magellan Expedition anchored off Brunei in 1521, the fifth sultan, Bolkiah, controlled most of Borneo, the Sulu Archipelago, and neighbouring islands. However, towards the end of the 16th century, the territory was torn by internal strife. Brunei's power declined through the 19th century, notably with the cession of Sarawak to the English adventurer James Brooke, and the expansion of Sarawak through additional land grants to Brooke.

Independence

In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate, and in 1906, a British resident was appointed as a colonial manager to advise the sultan. Despite the presence of a foreign administration, Brunei's significance began to revive with the start of petroleum production in 1929.

In 1959, self-government was achieved and the British resident was replaced by a high commissioner. Britain, however, remained responsible for defence and foreign policy. Brunei adopted a written constitution, and in 1962, a partly elected Legislative Council with limited authority was installed. This move towards representative government was interrupted by a revolt, which was suppressed with British help. The sultan then called a state of emergency and suspended most provisions of the constitution.

In 1979, the United Kingdom and Brunei signed a treaty whereby Brunei would become fully independent in 1984. Malaysia and Indonesia both gave assurances that they would recognise Brunei's status, allaying fears of incorporation by a larger neighbour.

Brunei duly gained independence on 1 January 1984, and an Islamic sultanate was proclaimed. The Legislative Council was suspended, and a ministerial form of government was introduced. The sultan became prime minister and appointed members of his family to most other positions.

Brunei has retained its status as a constitutional absolute monarchy ruled by the Sultan, with economic growth in the 1990s and 2000s transforming the country into an industrialised nation.

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