Rokiah Mahmud
Awangku Mohd Hazeq bin Pengiran Abdul Aziz never thought his design would have been selected as the logo for the 38th National Day celebration.
“I don’t have any background in creative arts,” said the fresh graduate from Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD). “And looking at the past National Day logos, I had no confidence in winning as I felt my own design was too simple.”
The logo is in the shape of a flower, which signifies national spirit, unit and cooperation among the people towards the development of the nation. Three green leaves and eight yellow flower petals combined to form the number 38, and a total of 12 dewdrops at the end of the leaves are representations of goals in achieving Brunei Vision 2035.
The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports opened up entries for the logo design contest in December 2021, with entries due on January 16. The logo, the ministry stated, must contain elements such as the date and the number 38 in both romanised and Jawi script, the theme Menjayakan Wawasan Negara (Accomplishing the National Vision) and need to work well across media formats.
It needed to be recognisable while small, such as being presented as an Instagram icon, but also work well on tote bags, T-shirts or large outdoor banners.
Awangku Mohd Hazeq first heard of the competition through his uncle, who encouraged him to try his luck.
He was reluctant, given that he knew little about the intricacies of art and design but nevertheless submitted the logo, and didn’t think too much about it afterwards. In his own words, he was just “playing around” with the number 38.
In February, he was announced the winner, awarded BND1,000 and his ‘very simple’ design made into the symbol of the 38th anniversary of the country’s independence. It was a day he’d never forget.
“The feeling was so surreal,” he said, remembering that he received news that he won when he was preoccupied with preparation of his graduation ceremony.
The logo appeared on various national day memorabilia and promotional media, becoming widely recognised throughout the country.
Awangku Mohd Hazeq highlighted that Brunei Darussalam will remain a sovereign and independent country, with people who always support the nation and adhere to the Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) philosophy.
“I felt very proud and honoured when I saw the logo I made being installed in several public areas,” he said. “It made me more appreciative of what I have done.”
