James Kon
The ‘ever evolving’ security environment caused by dramatic shifts in geopolitical situations around the world made it vital to prepare and anticipate changes with defence and security requirements, said Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Commander Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Muhammad Haszaimi bin Bol Hassan yesterday.
In his remarks to a new intake of students of the Command and Staff Course (CSC), the RBAF Commander said the current security structure around the world has been tested by shifts in geopolitical challenges.
“Some of these challenges are beyond our control and cannot be resolved simply by force or conventional approach,” he said, adding that “it is vital to prepare and anticipate changes within the defence and security requirements”.
The 13th intake of the CSC will include 18 RBAF officers, one Royal Brunei Police Force officer and 16 international military officers from 14 countries – Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Jordan, South Korea, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand and the United States.
The course is a 40-week programme delivered in partnership with Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) as its primary academic provider.
The programme aims to expand the participants’ professional and academic knowledge towards a contemporary strategic environment and provide insights of its implications on their nature of work as defence and security specialists.
By the end of the course, successful course participants will be awarded the UBD Graduate Diploma in Defence and Security Studies with an opportunity to pursue their Master’s degree in Defence and Security Studies.
Held at the Auditorium of the Defence Academy RBAF, the opening ceremony was attended by Vice-Chancellor of UBD Dr Hazri bin Haji Kifle, RBAF Service Commanders, RBAF Joint Force Commander, RBPF Deputy Commissioner, senior officers, foreign defence advisors and attachés to Brunei Darussalam as well as representatives from high commissions and embassies in Brunei Darussalam.
The ceremony saw the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Surah Al-Kahfi led by a representative of the course participants, and the flag-unfurling symbolising the cooperation between the participating countries.
The flag-unfurling also emphasised the significance of building strong bonds among course participants throughout the programme.
