Continuous professional development among leaders is important to prepare for the increasingly complex security challenges, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Defence II Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof said.
He was speaking as the guest of honour during the closing ceremony where 37 local and international military officers received certificates for completing the 14th Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Command and Staff Course (CSC) at the Defence Academy RBAF (DA RBAF) yesterday.
The minister also acknowledged the improvement in the Cumulative Grade Point Average (cGPA) achieved by Cohort 14.
He also took note of the enhancements to the programme for the upcoming year, including the introduction of a transition to a Master’s programme, which will elevate the status and prestige of the CSC of the RBAF through a partnership with Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), in line with the need for lifelong learning.
The minister expressed pride in the first-ever participation from the Royal Cambodian Army, bringing the total number of participating nations to 19 since the inception of the CSC of the RBAF underscoring the vital role of defence diplomacy in strengthening international friendships and regional security cooperation.
The course was participated by officers from the Ministry of Defence (MinDef) and RBAF, security agencies including the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) and the Internal Security Department (ISD), as well as 18 international military officers from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
A total of four recognition awards were given to course participants this year with the Overall Excellence Award handed to Major Cai Chengyi from Singapore, who also received the Academic Excellence Award.
Meanwhile, the RBAF Commendation Award was presented to Lieutenant Commander Muhamad Adib Izzuddin bin Haji Ramli, RBN, representing the DA RBAF.
The Commandant’s Award was presented to Mohammad Hazwan bin Mohammad Azani, also from the DA RBAF.
The 40-week course, delivered in partnership with UBD, aims to broaden officers’ perspectives and professional expertise using practical and academic approaches and disciplines to explore the current strategic environment issues and their implications for those working in defence and security.
Members of Defence and RBAF Executive Committee, Commissioner of Police RBPF, Acting Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), foreign diplomatic missions, resident and non-resident defence advisers and defence attachés accredited to Brunei Darussalam, directors, commandants and UBD faculty members, as well as senior officers from the MinDef, were also in attendance. – Azlan Othman
