2018 Bruneian cabinet reshuffle
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Hassanal Bolkiah carried out the sixth reshuffle of his government on 30 January 2018,[1][2] replacing some of the nation's longest-serving ministers. The announcement was delivered during a televised speech at 2:30 pm.[3] While the previous cabinet had been reshuffled in 2015 for a five-year term,[4][3] the sultan unexpectedly introduced this significant change at the start of 2018.[5]
The reshuffle saw six ministers replaced, two women appointed as deputy ministers, and several other promotions introduced. Among those replaced were Yasmin Umar, the minister of energy and industry, and Lim Jock Seng, the minister at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and minister of foreign affairs and trade II.[6][7] In the PMO and Ministry of Education, two female deputy ministers took office, marking a notable step forward. Meanwhile, the sultan retained control of the key portfolios of foreign affairs, finance, defence, and the prime ministership. Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah continued his role as senior minister in the PMO, while Isa Ibrahim, a trusted confidante of the sultan, returned to the cabinet as a PMO minister.[8]
The government provided no clear explanation for the reshuffle,[a] which came after the abrupt dismissal of Zulkarnain Hanafi as health minister on 1 December 2014.[10][11] Addressing the nation, the sultan emphasised that the reshuffle aimed to bring fresh perspectives to senior leadership and accelerate the country's development, particularly in achieving the goals of Wawasan Brunei 2035. He also reaffirmed his commitment to combating corruption, a priority that gained prominence after Brunei dropped three places in Transparency International's global rankings, from 38 in 2013 to 41 in 2016. Notably, the nation improved its position to 32 in 2017.[8]
On 1 February, the new government was sworn in at the palace to commence their national duties for the designated term. The sultan attended the ceremony at his palace, where the grand chamberlain, Pengiran Alauddin, read the letters of appointment.[12] A week after the reshuffle, on 7 February, a Special Cabinet Ministers Meeting was held at the palace.[13]
This was the last major cabinet reshuffle before the COVID-19 pandemic in Brunei, and was followed by one more reshuffle in 2022.[14]
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Junior ministerial changes
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