The orders, decorations, and medals of Brunei consist of Bintang-Bintang Kebesaran (translatable as 'state decorations') and Pingat-Pingat Kehormatan (literally 'medals of honour'). Both are awarded by the Sultan of Brunei on the basis of merit, especially on the contributions to the country. The investiture of some of the state decorations also include the conferment of titles, whereby they become part of the awardees' personal names in official correspondence or when mentioned in formal media in the country. The decorations and medals are under the responsibility of Jabatan Adat Istiadat Negara, a government department under the Prime Minister's Office, which also oversees Bruneian royal traditions and protocol.
The insignia are displayed in the Royal Regalia Museum located in the capital.
The actual investiture involves awardees being given badges in a ceremony by the Sultan or sometimes the Crown Prince upon the Sultan's discretion. The ceremony is traditionally held in Lapau which is a type of ceremonial hall for royal ceremonies in the Bruneian culture. At present, the state decorations to the third class are always conferred by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah in a royal ceremony held annually on the day of the Sultan's birthday on 15 July at Balai Singgahsana Indera Buana, a ceremonial hall within Istana Nurul Iman, the Sultan's palace. Meanwhile, the state decorations of lower classes as well as medals of honour are conferred by the Sultan or the Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah in other ceremonies on other days, although commonly held in conjunction with the said birthday celebration. They had been traditionally held at the Lapau building in Bandar Seri Begawan's city centre but in recent years they have been held at the Lapau hall within the palace instead to accommodate the growing number of awardees. [1]
The following are the lists of state decorations and medals of honour of Brunei. [2] All of their names are styled in the Malay language, nevertheless many of the names have also been officially given the equivalents in English, that is by the Department of Adat Istiadat.
Name in Malay | Official English translation | Class | Ribbon | Title | Post-nominal letters |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Darjah Kerabat Mahkota Brunei | The Royal Family Order of the Crown of Brunei | - | - | DKMB | |
Darjah Kerabat Laila Utama Yang Amat Dihormati | The Most Esteemed Family Order of Laila Utama | - | Dato Laila Utama | DK / DK I | |
Darjah Kerabat Seri Utama Yang Amat Dihormati | The Most Esteemed Family Order of Seri Utama | - | Dato Seri Utama | DK / DK II | |
Darjah Seri Ugama Islam Negara Brunei Yang Amat Bersinar | The Most Eminent Order of Islam Brunei | First Class | Dato Paduka Seri Setia | PSSUB | |
Second Class | Dato Seri Setia | DSSUB | |||
Third Class | - | SSUB | |||
Fourth Class | - | SUB | |||
Fifth Class | - | PUB | |||
Darjah Paduka Laila Jasa Keberanian Gemilang Yang Amat Cemerlang | The Most Illustrious Order of Paduka Laila Jasa Keberanian Gemilang | First Class | Dato Paduka Seri | DPKG | |
Second Class | Dato Laila | DLKG | |||
Third Class | - | DKG | |||
Darjah Paduka Keberanian Laila Terbilang Yang Amat Gemilang | The Most Exalted Order of Paduka Keberanian Laila Terbilang | First Class | Dato Paduka Seri | DPKT | |
Second Class | Dato Laila | DKLT | |||
Third Class | - | DKT | |||
Darjah Pahlawan Negara Brunei Yang Amat Perkasa | The Most Gallant Order of Pahlawan Negara Brunei | First Class | Dato Seri Pahlawan | PSPNB | |
Second Class | Dato Hamzah Pahlawan | DHPNB | |||
Third Class | - | PNB | |||
Fourth Class | - | PJB | |||
Darjah Setia Negara Brunei Yang Amat Bahagia | The Most Blessed Order of Setia Negara Brunei | First Class | Dato Seri Setia | PSNB | |
Second Class | Dato Setia | DSNB | |||
Third Class | - | SNB | |||
Fourth Class | - | PSB | |||
Darjah Paduka Seri Laila Jasa Yang Amat Berjasa | The Most Distinguished Order of Paduka Seri Laila Jasa | First Class | Dato Paduka Seri Laila Jasa | PSLJ | |
Second Class | Dato Seri Laila Jasa | DSLJ | |||
Third Class | - | SLJ | |||
Darjah Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei Yang Amat Mulia | The Most Honourable Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei | First Class | Dato Seri Paduka | SPMB | |
Second Class | Dato Paduka | DPMB | |||
Third Class | - | SMB | |||
Darjah Perwira Agong Negara Brunei Yang Amat Setia | The Most Faithful Order of Perwira Agong Negara Brunei | First Class | - | PANB | |
Second Class | - | PaNB |
Below is a list of the current medals of honour (Pingat-Pingat Kehormatan):
Name in Malay | Official English translation | Class | Ribbon | Post-nominal letters |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pingat Pertalaban Omar Ali Saifuddin | Omar Ali Saifuddin Coronation Medal | - | - | |
Pingat Omar Ali Saifuddin | Omar Ali Saifuddin Medal | First Class | POAS | |
Second Class | ||||
Pingat Hassanal Bolkiah Sultan | Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Medal | First Class | PHBS | |
Second Class | ||||
Pingat Bakti Laila Ikhlas | - | - | PBLI | |
Pingat Jasa Kebaktian | Meritorious Service Medal [3] | - | PJK | |
Pingat Tabah Kerja Laila Lutanan | Government Office Medal | - | PTKL | |
Pingat Indah Kerja Baik | Excellent Service Medal [3] | - | PIKB | |
Pingat Pengisytiharan Kemerdekaan | Proclamation of Independence of Brunei Medal | - | - | |
Pingat Kerja Lama | Long Service Medal [3] | - | PKL | |
Pingat Perjuangan | Campaign Medal | First Class | - | |
Second Class | ||||
Pahlawan Periwara | Supreme Gallantry Star | - | PP | |
Asgar Pahlawan | Distinguished Warrior Star | - | AP | |
Penglima Lasgar | Warrior Soldier Star | - | PL |
There are also several medals which are awarded in conjunction with certain national events:
Name in Malay | Official English translation | Class | Ribbon |
---|---|---|---|
Pingat Puspa | Coronation Medal | Gold | |
Silver | |||
Pingat Jubli Menaiki Takhta - Pingat Jubli Emas - Pingat Jubli Perak | Jubilee Medal Ascension to the Throne - Golden Jubilee Medal - Silver Jubilee Medal | Gold | |
Silver | |||
Bronze | |||
Pingat Jubli Hari Kebangsaan - Pingat Jubli Perak | National Day Jubilee Medal - Silver Jubilee Medal | - |
The following are the medals of honour specifically for the armed forces of Brunei:
Name in Malay | Official English translation | Ribbon | Post-nominal letters |
---|---|---|---|
Pingat Kerja Lama Polis | Police Long Service Medal | PKLP | |
Pingat Polis Diraja Brunei 1965 | Royal Police Medal 1965 | - | |
Pingat Polis 50 Tahun | Police Golden Jubilee Medal | - | |
Pingat Perkhidmatan Polis | Police General Service Medal | - | |
Pingat Jubli Intan Polis 75 Tahun | Police Diamond Jubilee Medal | - | |
Pingat Laila Tugas | General Service Medal (Police) | - |
Name in Malay | Official English translation | Ribbon |
---|---|---|
Pingat Mulia Gelaran Resemi | Inauguration Medal [4] | |
Pingat Laila Tugas (GSM) | General Service Medal (Armed Forces) | |
Pingat Kerja Lama dan Perangai Baik (Tentera) | Long Service Medal (Armed Forces) | |
Pingat Jubli Perak 25 Tahun Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei | Royal Brunei Armed Forces Silver Jubilee Medal | |
Pingat Jubli Emas 50 Tahun Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei | Royal Brunei Armed Forces Golden Jubilee Medal |
Name in Malay | Official English translation | Ribbon |
---|---|---|
Pingat Pasukan Simpanan Gurkha | Gurkha Reserve Unit Medal | |
Pingat Kerja Lama dan Perangai Baik | Long Service Medal (Gurkha Reserves) | |
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The Pingat Hassanal Bolkiah Sultan is an honorary medal of Brunei. The award is subdivided into two classes: the first class Darjah Pertama and the second class Darjah Kedua.
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The Most Esteemed Family Order of Laila Utama is an order of Brunei. It was established on 1 March 1954 by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III. The order carries the post-nominal letters "DK" or "DK I" as well as the title "Dato Laila Utama".
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Dato Laila Utama Haji Mohammad Abbas Al-Sufri bin Haji Ibrahim MVO was a nobleman, civil servant and courtier from Brunei who previously served as the acting personal secretary to Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III. He had a career in the government service of Brunei, in which he held a number of important positions such as being a member of the Privy Council of Brunei.
Pengiran Mohamed Ali bin Pengiran Mohamed Daud, simply known as Pengiran Ali, was a Bruneian nobleman, teacher and politician whom formerly held the position of Deputy Menteri Besar from 1962 to 1965, Legislative, Executive, and Privy Councils. He emphasized the significant impact he played in Brunei's history, notably from the 1950s to 1960s, and was also the first of the "three M's" that the British government dreaded.
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