Ibnu Basit Apong

In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Pengiran Apong is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Pengiran Ibnu Basit. The word "bin" or "binti"/"binte" means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.

• Military officer
• politician

Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Sanggamara Diraja Major General (Retired) Ibnu Basit Apong PSPNB DSNB DSLJ
ابن باسيت اڤوڠ
Pengiran Ibnu in 2024
1st Deputy Minister of Defence
In office 21 October 1986 –24 May 2005
Military service
Allegiance	Brunei
Branch/service	Royal Brunei Navy
Years of service	1962–1986
Rank	Major General
Commands	Boat Sections KDB Maharajalela (P-22) Rifle-2 Company

Pengiran Ibnu Basit bin Pengiran Apong (born 20 January 1942) or sometimes spelled Ibnu Ba'asith, ^[1] is a nobleman, soldier and politician in the Government of Brunei whole formerly took office as the Deputy Minister of Defence from 1986 to 2005, and the first local officer to be the commanding officer of the Boat Sections of the Boats Section AMDB (present day Royal Brunei Navy) from 1965 to 1966. ^[2]

Military career

Pengiran Ibnu enlisted as an officer cadet in the first-ever recruiting for the Brunei Malay Regiment, which included Sulaiman Damit and Mohammad Daud (known as the three musketeers) ^[3] in 1960, and began his career as an army officer. He was posted to several roles within the Brunei Malay Regiment (now known as Royal Brunei Armed Forces) upon his graduation from the Federation Military College (FMC), Port Dickson on 1 January 1961 prior to the regiment's establishment on 31 May 1961. ^{[4] [5]}

He spent three months learning seamanship and navigation at the Marine School Labuan while serving in the Boat Sections (AMDB). Soon after, he was chosen to was KDB Maharajalela commanding officer. He was also linked to the Marine Department while he was in the Boat Sections AMDB to sail to Limbang and Labuan. Soon after, he was chosen to take a 2-week navigation course in Singapore and return home with the freshly purchased riverine patrol boat in mid-1966. He was granted the chance to enroll in an advanced course in Kota Kinabalu as a result of his good job performance. ^[1]

Pengiran Ibnu was afterwards transferred back to AMDB's Rifle Company after serving his time in the Boat Sections. He was appointed as adjutant during the coronation of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. He was made a major in 1969 and assigned the charge of leading Rifle-2 Company. ^[5] With the formation of the Second Battalion on 2 January 1975, at a temporary location in Bolkiah Camp, the AMDB developed. Lt. Col. Pengiran Ibnu was the one who created it. ^[6]

He was assigned to the Palace as the Sultan's aide-de-camp (ADC) in 1977. He continued serving with the Royal Brunei Armed Forces after being promoted to brigadier general and then major general. ^[5] Notably, he took involved in an event when one of his ship's crew went overboard and was saved while passing through the Sarawak River during a deployment to Kuching. In 1986, ^[7] he announced his retirement and was then named Deputy Minister of Defense later that year in October. ^{[1] [8]} On 24 September 1987, he arrived in Malaysia at the request of Dato' Abu Bakar Mustapha. ^[9]

Other appointments

Additionally a member of the Privy Council, he is vice president of the Brunei Darussalam Olympic Council and advisor to the Ex-Soldiers Association of Brunei Darussalam. ^{[5] [2]} He is also a member of Mesyuarat Adat Istiadat Negara (MAIN). ^[10] During an interview with Pelita Brunei Pengiran Ibnu Apong advised RBAF personnel who were still in service to remain faithful to their leaders above everything else, including their commanders, the monarch, and the people. ^[4] On 21 October 2022, him together with Mohammad Daud attended the "FMC Intake 5’s 60th anniversary reunion". ^[11]

Personal life

Pengiran Ibnu is married and they have four children. ^[5] He is son of Pengiran Datu Penghulu Pengiran Haji Apong, and brother of Pengiran Umar, a police officer in the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF).

Honours

Major Pengiran Ibnu in 1969

Lieutenant Awangku Ibnu (3rd, right) in the 1960s

Pengiran Ibnu was bestowed the title of Yang Amat Mulia (The Most Noble) Pengiran Sanggamara Diraja on 10 February 1977, making him a member of cheteria. ^[12] He had been previously holding the title of Pengiran Datu Penghulu in 1973 and as Pengiran Ratna Indera in 1974. ^{[5] [2]} Pengiran Ibnu received medals of honor and given the title of honorary president for advancing the vision of Veterans Confederation of ASEAN Countries (VECONAC) on 7 October 2016. ^[13] Moreover, he has earned the following honours; ^{[1] [10]}

National

See also: Orders, decorations, and medals of Brunei

• Order of Pahlawan Negara Brunei First Class (PSPNB; 10 February 1976) – Dato Seri Pahlawan ^[14]
• Order of Setia Negara Brunei Second Class (DSNB) – Dato Setia
• Order of Paduka Seri Laila Jasa Second Class (DSLJ) – Dato Seri Laila Jasa
• Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Medal (PHBS; 1968) ^[15]
• Pingat Bakti Laila Ikhlas (PBLI)
• Proclamation of Independence Medal (1997)
• Coronation Medal (1 August 1968)
• Sultan of Brunei Silver Jubilee Medal (5 October 1992)
• Sultan of Brunei Golden Jubilee Medal (5 October 2017)
• National Day Silver Jubilee Medal (23 February 2009)
• Royal Brunei Armed Forces Silver Jubilee Medal (31 May 1986)
• General Service Medal (Armed Forces)
• Long Service Medal (PKL)

Foreign

•   Malaysia:
  • Installation Medal of the Sultan of Pahang as 7th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (1980)
•   Selangor:
  • Sultan Salahuddin Silver Jubilee Medal (3 September 1985)
•   United Kingdom:
  • Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977)

References

1. "1st Commander". navy.mindef.gov.bn. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
2. Sidhu, Jatswan S. (22 December 2009). Historical Dictionary of Brunei Darussalam. Scarecrow Press. pp. 101–102. ISBN   978-0-8108-7078-9.
3. "A lasting legacy » Borneo Bulletin Online". A lasting legacy. 11 December 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
4. "Berita – Kebawah DYMM amat prihatin kepada pesara..." www.pelitabrunei.gov.bn. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
5. "BRUNEIresources.com – Pengiran Sanggamara Diraja". www.bruneiresources.com. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
6. "MINDEF – RBLF History". www.mindef.gov.bn. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
7. Southeast Asian Affairs. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. 1987. p. 96.
8. Menon, K.U. (1987). "BRUNEI DARUSSALAM IN 1986: In Search of the Political Kingdom". Southeast Asian Affairs: 85–101. ISSN   0377-5437. JSTOR   27908570.
9. Foreign Affairs Malaysia. Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 1987. p. 119.
10. "Senarai Ahli majlis Mesyuarat Adat Istiadat". adat-istiadat.gov.bn.
11. "60 years on, veterans are steadily marching forward". freemalaysiatoday.com. 21 October 2022.
12. "Pendekatan Mengenai Istiadat Mengurniakan Gelaran Di Negara Brunei Darussalam" (PDF). www.pelitabrunei.gov.bn (in Malay). 14 July 2004. p. 11. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
13. "Brunei's veterans conferred medals of honour | The BT Archive". btarchive.org. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
14. "Pengorniaan Musim Pertama Taghun 1976" (PDF). Pelita Brunei. 11 February 1976. p. 1. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
15. "96 di-kurniakan bintang2 dan pingat2" (PDF). Pelita Brunei. 16 April 1969. p. 8. Retrieved 19 August 2023.

Political offices
Preceded by Office established	1st Deputy Minister of Defence 21 October 1986 – 24 May 2005	Succeeded by Yasmin Umar
Military offices
Preceded by Office established	1st Commander of the Royal Brunei Navy 1965–1966	Succeeded by Kefli Razali