Ministry of Religious Affairs (Brunei)

The Ministry of Religious Affairs (MORA or MoRA; Malay: Kementerian Hal Ehwal Ugama, KHEU) is a cabinet-level ministry in the government of Brunei which is responsible for the propagation of Islam and its upholding as the state religion,^[4] as well as oversees the Islamic religious education in the country. It is currently led by a minister and a deputy minister, whereby the incumbents are Badaruddin Othman^{[lower-alpha 2]} and Pengiran Mohammad Tashim^{[lower-alpha 1]} respectively.^[2] The ministry is headquartered in Bandar Seri Begawan.

Ministry of Religious Affairs

Kementerian Hal Ehwal Ugama
Ministry of Religious Affairs' logo
Ministry of Religious Affairs building
Ministry overview
Formed	1 January 1984 (1984-01-01)
Preceding Ministry	Department of Customs, Religious and Social Welfare
Jurisdiction	Government of Brunei
Headquarters	Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei 4°55′02.1″N 114°56′47.8″E
Annual budget	$263 million BND (2021)
Minister responsible	Badaruddin Othman, Minister
Deputy Minister responsible	Pengiran Mohammad Tashim[lower-alpha 1]
Website	www.kheu.gov.bn
Footnotes
[1][2][3]

History

The Jabatan Adat Istiadat, Ugama dan Kebajikan Masyarakat (Department of Customs, Religious and Social Welfare)^[5][6] was established on 1 July 1954.^[7] Once located in the Royal Secretariat Building's General Office (now known as the Secretariat Building). The department was formed by designating Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam as the Pegawai Adat Istiadat, Ugama, and Kebajikan Masyarakat (Customs, Religious, and Social Welfare Officer) with the approval of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III.^[8]

On 29 September 1959,^[9] the Religious Section was renamed the Department of Religious Affairs (Jabatan Hal Ehwal Ugama)^[10][11] under the power bestowed by the Brunei 1959 Constitution, with Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Ali serving as its new leader.^[12] On 21 October 1970, the construction of their new B$375,000 headquarters were completed in Tutong, near Hassanal Bolkiah Mosque.^[13]

Budget

In the fiscal year 2021–2022, the ministry had been allocated a budget of B$263 million,^{[lower-alpha 3]} a two percent increase from the previous year.^[1]

List of ministers

Ministers

No.	Portrait	Minister	Term start	Term end	Time in office	Ref.
Chief of Adat Istiadat Negara
–		Pengiran Anak Mohamed Alam	1 July 1954	29 September 1959	5 years, 90 days	[15]
State Religious Affairs Officer
1		Pengiran Muhammad Ali	1 May 1960	August 1962	2 years	[15]
2		Pengiran Anak Kemaluddin Al-Haj	1 September 1962	1970	8 years	[16]
3		Zain Serudin	1 November 1970	1 January 1984	13 years, 61 days	[17][16]
Minister of Religious Affairs
1		Zain Serudin	21 October 1986	29 May 2010	23 years, 220 days	[18]
2		Pengiran Mohammad	29 May 2010	22 October 2015	5 years, 146 days	[18]
3		Badaruddin Othman	22 October 2015	incumbent	8 years, 325 days	[19]

Deputy minister

No.	Portrait	Minister	Term start	Term end	Time in office	Ref.
1		Yahya Ibrahim	21 October 1986	25 May 2005	18 years, 216 days	[20]
2		Badaruddin Othman	25 May 2005	29 May 2010	5 years, 4 days	[21]
3		Pengiran Bahrom	29 May 2010	22 October 2015	5 years, 146 days	[21]
4		Abdul Mokti	22 October 2015	30 January 2018	2 years, 100 days	[22]
(3)		Pengiran Bahrom	30 January 2018	21 May 2022	4 years, 111 days	[21]
4		Pengiran Mohammad Tashim	21 May 2022	incumbent	2 years, 113 days	[23]

Notes

1. His current official Malay name is Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Haji Mohd Tashim bin Pengiran Haji Hassan.^[3]
2. His current official Malay name is Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman.^[3]
3. ≈US$190 million as of July 2022^[14]

References

1. Hj Abu Bakar, Rasidah (23 March 2021). "Over 650 Syariah offences prosecuted since 2013". The Scoop. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
2. The Scoop (7 June 2022). "HM announces major cabinet shakeup — full list of appointees". The Scoop. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
3. Ali Rahman, Muhammad Khairulanwar (8 June 2022). "Perlantikan, Pertukaran Menteri Kabinet, Timbalan Menteri" (PDF). Pelita Brunei (in Malay). No. 67 #69. pp. 3–4. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
4. "Laman Utama - Pengenalan". www.kheu.gov.bn (in Malay). Retrieved 6 September 2017.
5. Mohammad bin Pengiran Haji Abd Rahman (Pengiran Haji) (2007). Islam di Brunei Darussalam zaman British, 1774-1984 (in Malay). Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Brunei, Kementerian Kebudayaan Belia dan Sukan. p. 206. ISBN 978-99917-0-557-6.
6. Awang Abdul Aziz bin Awang Juned (Pehin Tuan Imam Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji.) (1992). Islam di Brunei: zaman pemerintahan Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzuddin Waddaulah, Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam (in Malay). Jabatan Pusat Sejarah Brunei Darussalam.
7. Perjalanan Negara Brunei Darussalam memasuki alaf baru (in Malay). Jawatankuasa Tertinggi Penerbitan Buku Perjalanan Negara Brunei Darussalam Memasuki Alaf Baru. 1999. p. 120.
8. Jabatan Adat Istiadat Negara. "Sejarah Ringkas". www.adat-istiadat.gov.bn (in Malay). Retrieved 15 May 2024.
9. "Laman Utama - Sejarah". www.kheu.gov.bn (in Malay). Retrieved 6 September 2017.
10. Pameran sejarah perkembangan Islam di Brunei sempena memperingati kedatangan tahun Hijrah 1400 (in Malay). Muzium Brunei. 1979.
11. Sejarah penubuhan mahkamah syariah Negara Brunei Darussalam (in Malay). Jabatan Kehakiman Negara, Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Negara Brunei Darussalam. 2005. p. 160. ISBN 978-99917-920-0-2.
12. Jabatan Adat Istiadat Negara. "Sejarah Ringkas". www.adat-istiadat.gov.bn (in Malay). Retrieved 15 May 2024.
13. "Pembenaan bangunan Pejabat Hal Ehwal Ugama, Tutong telah siap" (PDF). Pelita Brunei. 21 October 1970. p. 3.
14. "263,000,000 BND to USD - Bruneian Dollars to US Dollars Exchange Rate". XE.com. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
15. Pemimpin Perkhidmatan Hal Ehwal Ugama (1954-1962)
16. Awang.), Abdul Aziz bin Awang Juned (Pehin Tuan Imam Dato Paduka Seri Setia Haji (2008). Islam in Brunei: During the Reign of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam. Brunei History Centre, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports. p. 68. ISBN 978-99917-34-55-2.
17. Pemimpin Perkhidmatan Hal Ehwal Ugama (1962-1970)
18. "The Cabinet 2010". The Cabinet 2010. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
19. "Menteri-Menteri Cabinet" (PDF).
20. Brunei Export-Import, Trade and Business Directory - Strategic Information and Contacts. Lulu.com. 2013. p. 213. ISBN 978-1-4387-0635-1.
21. "Laman Utama - Menteri Hal Ehwal Ugama". www.mora.gov.bn. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
22. "Pelita Brunei - Sabtu 24 Okt 2015 by Putera Katak Brunei - Issuu". issuu.com. 24 October 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
23. "Timbalan Menteri Hal Ehwal Ugama". Ministry of Religious Affairs. Retrieved 24 October 2023.

External links

• Official website (in Malay)