TANAH JAMBU, Monday, 25 November 2024 – Six officers from the Ministry of Defence received the OBOE Endeavour Academic Excellence Award from the Australian Government in recognition of their outstanding results during the recently concluded 14th Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Command and Staff Course (CSC) 2024. The ceremony was held today at the Defence Academy Royal Brunei Armed Forces (DA RBAF),Tanah Jambu.
Present as the Guest of Honour was His Excellency Luke Lazarus Arnold, High Commissioner of Australia to Brunei Darussalam. Also present were Yang Mulia Brigadier General (Udara) Dato Seri Pahlawan Mohammad Sharif bin Dato Paduka Haji Ibrahim, Commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) as representative of Commander RBAF, Acting Service Commanders, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence; members of the Australian High Commission, Directors, RBAF Officers and recipients from 2018 to 2023.
The ceremony commenced with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and was followed by welcoming remarks from Yang Mulia Colonel Pengiran Sharifuddin bin Pengiran Haji Yusof, Commandant of DA RBAF. In his speech, he acknowledged the commitment from both Brunei Darussalam and Australia in upholding their long-standing relationship for over two decades in advancing ties through defence activities. He also highlighted the award as an avenue to achieve shared goals as he extended warm congratulations to the recipients of the OBOE Endeavour Academic Excellence Award from the 14th RBAF Command and Staff Course. The Commandant remarked on the historical significance of ‘OBOE’ as a shared history between the two countries, expressing sincere gratitude to the Australian Government for its continuous support in enhancing the course by recognising excellence.
In his speech, His Excellency Luke Lazarus Arnold congratulated the award recipients for their outstanding results and emphasised the increasing prestige of the OBOE Awards visit program. His Excellency highlighted that this partnership symbolises shared commitment and serves as a fundamental foundation for sustaining peace, stability, and prosperity in the shared Indo-Pacific region, especially during this rapidly changing landscape and increasingly complex strategic challenges. His Excellency also expressed hope that participants seize this opportunity to not only gain valuable insights and knowledge but also to involve themselves in the experience, build lasting friendships, and further strengthen the camaraderie with their Australian peers.
The Guest of Honour was invited to present awards to six recipients; 805 Major (Udara) Haji Ilhamdi bin Haji Md Dali, 854 Major (Udara) Dayangku Nurazriana binti Pengiran Hassanan, and 904 Major (Udara) Mohd Adi Faiz bin Haji Abu Bakar, all from the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF), along with 928 Lieutenant Commander Muhamad Adib Izzuddin bin Haji Ramli and 929 Lieutenant Commander Mohd Shahrul Idham bin Haji Bungsu from the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN), and Mohammad Hazwan bin Mohammad Azani from DA RBAF.
The OBOE Endeavour Academic Excellence Award is an academic excellence programme from the Australian Government, awarded to CSC participants who have achieved outstanding results during the course. These officers will be invited to Australia to meet Senior Military Officers from the Australian Defence Force, touring selected Australian military bases, participate in educational and cultural activities, and engage in dialogues as well as discussions. This year’s award recipients will leave for Australia from 30 November 2024 to 5 December 2024.
The program aims to educates officers about Australia, focusing on its Defence Force, regional security, and shared interests. It is hoped that such programs will strengthen ties between the two Armed Forces and enhance bilateral defence relations between Brunei Darussalam and Australia. This is the seventh time the awards ceremony has been held since it began in 2018.
ENAM PEGAWAI MENERIMA ANUGERAH OBOE ENDEAVOUR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE 2024
TANAH JAMBU, Isnin, 25 November 2024 – Seramai enam orang pegawai daripada Kementerian Pertahanan telah menerima anugerah OBOE Endeavour Academic Excellence dari Kerajaan Australia sebagai pengiktirafan terhadap pencapaian cemerlang di dalam Kursus Maktab Turus Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei (ABDB) sesi ke-14. Acara tersebut berlangsung hari ini di Akademi Pertahanan Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei (AP ABDB), Tanah Jambu.
Hadir selaku Tetamu Kehormat ialah Tuan Yang Terutama Luke Lazarus Arnold, Pesuruhjaya Tinggi Australia ke Negara Brunei Darussalam. Turut hadir ialah Yang Mulia Brigedier Jeneral (Udara) Dato Seri Pahlawan Mohammad Sharif bin Dato Paduka Haji Ibrahim, Pemerintah Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei (TUDB) selaku wakil kepada Pemerintah ABDB, Pemangku-pemangku Pemerintah Angkatan Tentera, Timbalan Setiausaha Tetap, Kementerian Pertahanan; kakitangan dari Suruhanjaya Tinggi Australia, Pengarah-pengarah, Pegawai-pegawai ABDB serta penerima-penerima anugerah dari tahun 2018 hingga 2023.
Majlis dimulakan dengan bacaan Surah Al-Fatihah dan diikuti dengan ucapan alu-aluan oleh Yang Mulia Kolonel Pengiran Sharifuddin bin Pengiran Haji Yusof, Komandan AP ABDB. Dalam ucapannya, beliau menghargai komitmen daripada Negara Brunei Darussalam dan Australia, dalam memelihara hubungan erat mereka yang telah terjalin selama lebih dua dekad melalui aktiviti-aktiviti pertahanan. Beliau turut menekankan bahawa penganugerahan tersebut sebagai saluran untuk mencapai matlamat bersama serta mengucapkan tahniah kepada para penerima-penerima anugerah OBOE Endeavour Academic Excellence daripada Kursus Maktab Turus ABDB sesi ke-14. Beliau turut menyentuh tentang kepentingan sejarah OBOE sebagai ristaan sejarah yang dikongsi diantara kedua-dua negara, dan menyampaikan penghargaan tulus ikhlas kepada Kerajaan Australia atas sokongan berterusan mereka dalam meningkatkan kursus ini dengan mengiktiraf kecemerlangan.
Sementara itu, dalam ucaptama Tuan yang Terutama Luke Lazarus Arnold, beliau mengucapkan tahniah kepada para penerima-penerima anugerah atas pencapaian cemerlang mereka dan menekankan peningkatan prestij program lawatan Anugerah OBOE. Beliau turut menyifatkan bahawa perkongsian ini sebagai melambangkan komitmen bersama dan berfungsi sebagai asas penting bagi mengekalkan keamanan, kestabilan, dan kemakmuran di rantau Indo-Pasifik, terutama dalam landskap yang pesat berubah dan cabaran strategik yang semakin kompleks. Tuan Yang Terutama juga menyampaikan harapan agar para peserta dapat merebut peluang ini untuk bukan sahaja memperolehi pengetahuan dan pemahaman yang bernilai tetapi juga untuk melibatkan diri dalam pengalaman tersebut, membina persahabatan yang berkekalan, serta memperkukuhkan semangat setiakawan dengan rakan-rakan mereka dari Australia.
Tetamu Kehormat kemudiannya dijemput untuk menyampaikan anugerah kepada enam orang penerima; 805 Mejar (Udara) Haji Ilhamdi bin Haji Md Dali, 854 Mejar (Udara) Dayangku Nurazriana binti Pengiran Hassanan, dan 904 Mejar (Udara) Mohd Adi Faiz bin Haji Abu Bakar, kesemuanya dari Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei (TUDB), bersama-sama dengan 928 Leftenan Komander Muhamad Adib Izzuddin bin Haji Ramli, dan 929 Leftenan Komander Mohd Shahrul Idham bin Haji Bungsu daripada Tentera Laut Diraja Brunei (TLDB), dan Mohammad Hazwan bin Mohammad Azani daripada AP ABDB.
Anugerah OBOE Endeavour Academic Excellence ialah Program Kecemerlangan Akademik daripada Kerajaan Australia, yang dianugerahkan kepada peserta-peserta Kursus Maktab Turus yang telah mencapai keputusan cemerlang semasa menjalankan kursus tersebut. Pegawai-pegawai ini akan dijemput ke Australia untuk bersemuka dengan Pegawai-pegawai Kanan dari Angkatan Pertahanan Australia, melawat pangkalan tentera Australia yang terpilih, mengambil bahagian dalam aktiviti-aktiviti pendidikan dan kebudayaan serta pengelibatan dalam dialog dan perbincangan. Penerima-penerima anugerah pada tahun ini akan berlepas ke Australia bermula pada 30 November 2024 hingga 5 Disember 2024.
Program ini bertujuan untuk memberigakan pegawai tentang Australia, yang memfokuskan pada Angkatan Tentera Australia, keselamatan serantau dan kepentingan bersama. Program seumpama ini diharap akan dapat mengeratkan hubungan antara kedua-dua Angkatan Tentera dan meningkatkan hubungan pertahanan dua hala antara Negara Brunei Darussalam dan Australia. Majlis penyampaian anugerah ini adalah kali ketujuh diadakan sejak ianya pertama kali diadakan pada tahun 2018.