Also present during the ceremony was His Royal Highness Prince General Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, General of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. His Majesty and the Crown Prince were greeted upon arrival at the BRIDEX Connference Hall by Deputy Minister of Defence, Yang Mulia Dato Paduka Mustappa bin Haji Sirat who also had the honour to present His Majesty and His Royal Highness with the hardcopy of the new Defence White Paper.
“Defending the Nation’s Sovereignty: Expanding Roles in wider Horizons”, the new Defence White Paper, reflects a comprehensive and proactive approach to the security of Brunei Darussalam. Its foundation remains the stability of the nation itself and its capacity to manage its own affairs.
The initiatives put forward in the White Paper will significantly enhance the transparency of, and the nation’s control over, our immediate security environment. Awareness of, and the capacity to respond rapidly to, activities in border areas and our more immediate maritime approaches will be strengthened. Close cooperation with civil agencies will ensure a robust response to transnational security challenges and to natural disasters.
It sets out clear priorities for responding to the more immediate challenges while identifying important areas in which the armed forces will need to be developed in the longer term. The balance that it establishes between current preparedness and future development is important, matching available resources to priority defence needs.
The White Paper is also notable in that it is not simply content to provide policy solutions to immediate planning challenges. It gives considerable attention to how Defence’s planning processes can be further developed and the types of studies that need to be undertaken to support even more comprehensive and informed decision-making. Linking that depth of analysis with clear policy direction will ensure the most efficient use of national resources and maximise the defence contribution to the nation’s security and well-being.
The primary focus of the White Paper is, however, on how Brunei Darussalam should further develop its own capacity to protect the nation and promote its interests, often shared with neighbours, in this complex world. Four qualities are essential to this: Knowledge, Integration, Speed and Weight.
The event was one of the hallmarks during BRIDEX 2011 and was witnessed by foreign dignitaries, delegations and international media. The Defence White Paper builds upon the foundations established in its predecessor, Defending the Nation’s Sovereignty, in 2004 and developed further in the 2007 Defence White Paper Update. The comprehensiveness of the guidance it provides reflects the skills and insights of the officers, both military and civilian, who have contributed to its preparation.