By Sim YH –
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, SEPT 26 – It is important for senior officers to develop their knowledge and skills to effectively manage the complex relationship between defense and the broader government, economic and social goals that shape the country’s future.
The Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Muhammad Haszaimi bin Bol Hassan emphasized the ability to act quickly and proactively implement public policies that are forward-thinking (forward-thinking) are important in joint efforts to realize the goal of Brunei Vision 2035.
He said this while speaking at the Closing Ceremony of the 19th Series Executive Development Program (EDP) for Senior Government Officials which took place at Centrepoint Hotel, Gadong, today.
He also touched on the diversity of the EDP program in terms of curriculum design and the profile of its participants which is in line with the approach of the whole country to deal with the various challenges of the world in this modern age.
The ceremony was also attended by high commissioners and ambassadors from friendly countries; permanent secretaries from ministries and acting permanent secretaries of the Ministry of Defence, acting deputy commissioners of the Royal Brunei Police who joined the EDP, heads of the armed forces, acting heads of the armed forces and acting heads of the joint forces, representatives from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP), National University of Singapore (NUS), directors, senior officers from the Ministry of Defense as well as representatives from other stakeholders.
At the event, Acting Director of the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies (IPPSSHHB), Haji Abdul Malik bin Haji Kamis shared the highlights of the entire program and emphasized the institute’s commitment to fostering continuous learning and empowering professional development.
The ceremony also witnessed speeches from faculty members from LKYSPP, NUS, Professor Tan Soo Jie Sheng and representative of the program participants, Lieutenant Colonel Isewandy bin Murni where he shared the perspectives and practices of the participants throughout the program.
At the event, a total of 29 participants received certificates of completion of the 19th Series EDP course in the field of Public Policy and Management organized by the Ministry of Defence.
In addition to the capacity development aspect, the program is also an important platform for the country to improve national defense diplomacy and strengthen defense relations with friendly countries.
In this EDP, participants from seven friendly countries also took part, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Sultanate of Oman, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The 12-week program, which started on July 9, was run by IPPSSHHB in collaboration with experienced and well-known academics and experts from LKYSPP, NUS.
In addition, the participants also had the opportunity to make a study tour to the Republic of Singapore from 11 to 16 August as part of the external component of the program.
So far, a total of 476 senior officers have successfully followed the EDP organized by the Ministry of Defense since it was first introduced in 2004.
