MIB Council

(illustration from Brunei Times)

BY COMMAND of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Lela Dato Setia Hj Abd Rahman Dato Seri Setia Hj Mohamed Taib, Minister of Education, has been appointed as the chairman of the Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) National Executive Council for a three-year term effective August 15, 2009.

Meanwhile, Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Jawatan Luar Pekerma Raja Dato Seri Setia Utama Dr Ustaz Hj Md Zain Hj Serudin was appointed as the vice-chairman of the council.

A total of 18 members have been appointed to the MIB National Executive Council.

The secretariat of the council, consisting of 11 appointed members, is now headed by director of the Academy of Brunei Studies (APB) at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), Dr Siti Norkhalbi Hj Wahsalfelah, who is also secretary to the MIB National Executive Council.

The first meeting of the council was held yesterday at the Senate Room of UBD's Chancellor Hall, chaired by Pehin Dato Hj Abd Rahman.

Several topics were discussed at the closed-door meeting, including the coordination, administration, budget and further dissemination of plans as well as consolidation of the national philosophy.

The council's secretariat office is currently based at the APB at UBD.

Among some of the roles of the secretariat is to manage administrative work of the MIB National Executive Council and other committees on MIB, to coordinate as well as supervise lectures and public talks on MIB at the university and outside it.

Their roles also include editing articles on Brunei written by the university academic staff prior to presentation or publication and coordinating interpretation of MIB statements of the national philosophy.

A committee for the MIB concept was established in 1985 and upgraded to become a national MIB concept in 1990. In 2001, it was further upgraded to become the MIB National Executive Council.

In May this year, His Majesty in his titah raised the issue of the efficacy of the MIB National Council and asked whether the council was still active during a special MIB forum organised by people who are bestowed with titles.

The monarch enquired whether there was any shor-tage of qualified persons to chair the council or if the council was deemed no longer relevant.

His Majesty also expressed confidence that the MIB concept has been fully embraced by the nation and that it is not merely a slogan but a system which guides people's way of life.

extracted from The Brunei Times, 2nd October 2009