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Brunei : Brunei Government Profile

2015/02/18

 Brunei-Sultan-Hassanal-Bolkiah-

Head of state: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah

Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the world's longest-reigning monarchs, became sultan in October 1967 next his father, Sir Haji Omar Ali Saifuddin, abdicated. He was crowned in August 1968.

In 1991 he introduced a conservative ideology called Malay Muslim Monarchy, which presented the monarchy as the defender of the faith.

Apparently aimed at pre-empting calls for democratisation, it is said to have alienated Brunei's large Chinese and expatriate communities.

In September 2004 the sultan reopened Brunei's parliament, 20 years next it was suspended. Observers said it was a tentative step towards giving some political power to the country's citizens.

The sultan was born in 1946 and was educated in Malaysia and Britain. He has two wives and is one of the world's richest individuals.

Government

Under Brunei's 1959 constitution, the Sultan is the chief of national with full executive authority, inclunding emergency powers since 1962 which is renewed each 2 years. The Sultan is assisted and advised by five councils, which he appoints.

A Council of Ministers, or cabinet, which currently consists of 14 members (inclunding the Sultan himself), assists in the government of the government. The Sultan presides over the cabinet as Prime Minister and as well holds the positions of Minister of Defense and Minister of Finance. His son, the Crown Prince, serves as Senior Minister. One of the Sultan's brothers, Prince Mohamed, serves as Minister of Foreign Affairs. In May 2010, the Sultan appointed the initial female Deputy Minister and elevated the position of both National Mufti and Attorney General to ministerial rank.

The Legislative Council, with appointed seats and minimal powers, was re-introduced following 2004 constitutional amendments issued by the Sultan. Later, a small number of the Legislative Council seats were not instantly elected by village leaders.

The Government of Brunei assures continuing public support for the current form of government by providing economic benefits such as subsidized food, fuel, and housing; free education and medical care; and low-interest loans for government employees.

Government Type: constitutional sultanate (locally known as Malay Islamic Monarchy)

Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan - 22,000 (2009)

Administrative Divisions: 4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah);

  • Belait
  • Brunei-Muara
  • Temburong
  • Tutong

Independence Date:1 January 1984 (from the United Kingdom)

Legal System: Brunei's legal system is based on English common law, with an independent judiciary, a body of written common law judgments and statutes, and legislation enacted by the Sultan. The local magistrates' courts try most cases. Additional critical cases go before the High Court, which sits for about 2 weeks each few months. Brunei has an arrangement with the United Kingdom whereby United Kingdom judges are appointed as the judges for Brunei's High Court and Court of Appeal. Final appeal can be made to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London in civil but not criminal cases. Brunei as well has a separate system of Islamic courts that apply Sharia law in family and other matters involving Muslims. Brunei has not submitted an International Court of Justice jurisdiction declaration; and is a non-party national to the International Criminal Court (ICCt).

Government type: 

constitutional sultanate

Administrative divisions: 

4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei-Muara, Temburong, Tutong

Independence: 

1 January 1984 (from the UK)

National holiday: 

National Day, 23 February (1984); note - 1 January 1984 was the date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date of independence from British protection

Constitution: 

29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984)

Legal system: 

based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic sharia law supersedes civil law in a number of areas; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 

18 years of age for village elections; universal

Legislative branch: 

The Sultan appointed a council with 29 members as of 2 September 2005; the council has met in March of each year since then

Judicial branch: 

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders : 

National Development Party or NDP [YASSIN Affendi]

Political pressure groups and leaders: 

NA

International organization participation: 

ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, C, CP, EAS, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Flag description: 

yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double width) and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem in red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands