TANAH JAMBU, 16 May 2025 – In Week 4 of the Junior Officer Development Course (JODC) 1/2025, the course participants had the honour of receiving a visit from His Excellency Lieutenant General Domingos Raul “Falur Rate Laek“ to the Defence Academy, Royal Brunei Armed Forces (DA RBAF). The visit offered a meaningful opportunity to engage with international stakeholders at a high level and emphasised the critical role of diplomacy in strengthening global defence collaboration.
Throughout the week, the course participants immersed in the National Security Studies module, enquiring into the historical foundations of Brunei aspects. The module aims to equip future leaders with a robust understanding of security frameworks and key historical issues that enhance Brunei’s diplomatic engagement, providing for the course participants to develop their critical thinking in analysing the current contemporary security challenges.
The week began with a comprehensive introduction to Brunei’s history. The course participants attended a series of engaging lectures, including a three-day program led by renowned local historian, Dr. Mohd Rozan bin Hj Mohd Yunos. His sessions covered pivotal moments in Brunei’s history, such as the British Protectorate era, Japanese Occupation, 1962 Rebellion, and the origin of the Maqasid Syariah. These lectures deepened participants’ understanding of how Brunei’s strategic institutions have evolved to ensure national identity and survival.
Further enriching the learning experience, the course featured sessions on Brunei’s Post-War situations, the conceptual reinforcements of Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) Philosophy by the invited speakers from Universiti Brunei Darussalam, and the nation’s Defence Policy and Diplomacy as outlined in the Defence White Paper 2021 by the invited speakers from the Directorate of Defence Policy, Ministry of Defence. All the sessions provided valuable perspectives on Brunei’s philosopichal framework, diplomatic strategies and its role in shaping international relations.
To complement classroom learning, the course participants also scheduled for educational visits to Borneo Research Centre (penBorneo) and Brunei History Centre. These tours offered first-hand insights into the factors that have shaped Brunei’s strategic approaches to diplomacy. The course participants also witnessed authentic Brunei’s artifacts collections and studied the detailed genealogy of the Brunei’s Sultanate reign.
