Sixty-one people were awarded with state decorations and medals yesterday morning as part of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam's birthday honours, which comprised local and foreign state dignitaries, military and government officers, entrepreneurs and members of academia.

The Investiture Ceremony was held shortly after His Majesty delivered the birthday titah. The highest award of the day, the Darjah Paduka Keberanian Laila Terbilang Yang Amat Gemilang (DPKT) First Class was awarded to Indonesia Military (TNI) Admiral, Agus Suhartono and Pehin Orang Kaya Pendikar Alam Dato Paduka Awang Haji Hasrin bin Dato Paduka Haji Sabtu, Commissioner of Police from the Royal Brunei Police Force. This award carries the title of 'Dato Paduka Seri'.

The Darjah Pahlawan Negara Brunei Yang Amat Perkasa (PSPNB) First Class, which carries the title 'Dato Seri Pahlawan' were conferred to Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Brigadier General Awang Muhd Taweh bin Abdullah, Brigadier General (Land) Awang Haji Yusof bin Haji Abdul Rahman of the Royal Brunei Land Forces, First Admiral Awang Haji Abdul Halim bin Haji Mohd Hanifah of the Royal Brunei Navy, Brigadier General (AirForce) Awang Haji Jofri bin Haji Abdullah of the Royal Brunei Air Force and First Admiral Awang Abdul Aziz bin Mohd Tamit.

For the Darjah Setia Negara Brunei Yang Amat Bahagia (PSNB) First Class, three ministers were awarded. They were the Minister of Energy at the Prime Minister's Office, Pehin Datu Singamanteri Col (Rtd) Dato Seri Paduka Haji Mohd Yasmin bin Haji Umar; the Minister of Religious Affairs, Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohammad bin Pengiran Haji Abdul Rahman; and the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Paduka Awang Haji Hazair bin Haji Abdullah. This award carries the title 'Dato Seri Setia'.

Datin Paduka Dayang Hajah Hayati binti Pehin Orang Kaya Shahbandar Dato Seri Paduka Haji Mohd Salleh, the Attorney-General was conferred with the Darjah Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei Yang Amat Mulia (SPMB) First Class. The award carries the title 'Datin Paduka Seri Laila Jasa'.

The Darjah Paduka Seri Laila Jasa Yang Amat Berjasa (DSLJ) Second Class were conferred to CEO of Royal Dutch Shell, Mr Peter Voser; Executive Director for Upstream International and Executive Board Member of Royal Dutch Shell, Mr Malcolm Brinded; Dr Babu Sukumaran; Dr Lim Hoek Seng; and Professor Uta Meyding Lamade. This award carried the title of 'Dato' or 'Datin Seri Laila Jasa'.

Thirteen awardees were conferred with the Darjah Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei Yang Amat Mulia (DPMB) Second Class, which carries the title 'Dato' or 'Datin Paduka'. It was awarded to Pengiran Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar, Datin Dayang Hajah Adina binti Othman, Pehin Datu Panglima Colonel (Rtd) Awang Haji Abdul Jalil bin Haji Ahmad, Awang Haji Matsatejo bin Sokiaw, Awang Haji Mohd Roselan bin Hj Mohd Daud, Awang Haji Hisham bin Haji Mohd Hanifah, Dr Awang Haji Zulkarnain bin Haji Hanafi, 204 Colonel Awang Haji Harith bin Haji Abdul Karim, Begawan Pehin Khatib Awang Haji Hamidon bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Haji Abd Hamid, Awang Haji Zakaria bin Haji Ismail, Dr Awang Haji Md Isham bin Haji Jaafar, Professor Madya Dr Dayang Hajah Zaitun binti Haji Taha, Matron Dayang Hajah Hadijah binti Haji Hassan.

The Darjah Seri Ugama Islam Negara Brunei Yang Amat Bersinar (SSUB) Third Class was conferred to Pengiran Haji Mohd Tashim bin Pengiran Haji Hassan, Awang Haji Mail bin Besar, Dayang Hajah Mahani binti Haji Musa, Dayang Hajah Seimah binti Haji Abdul Salam and Dayang Hajah Rusma binti Haji Kepli.

Meanwhile, Awang Haji Sulaiman bin Haji Ahad, Awang Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Mohd Yussof, Awang Yahya bin Haji Idris, Awang Haji Salleh Bostaman bin Haji Zainal Abidin, 205 Colonel Pengiran Zulkifli bin Pengiran Haji Ismail, Awang Haji Md Yunos bin Bolhassan, Awang Haji Mohammad Alimin bin Haji Mohd Tanjong, Awang Haji Daud bin Haji Duraman, Awang Poh Eng Hong, Professor Madya Dr Awang Haji Hashim bin Haji Abdul Hamid, Awang Haji Ahmad bin Haji Tudin, Awang Haji Nasir bin Haji Damit, Awang Haji Othman bin Haji Judin, Awang Haji Ibrahim bin Mohd Yusoff, Awang Haji Metussin bin Haji Mohammad, Awang Haji Ismail bin Pehin Orang Kaya Ratna Setia Dato Setia Awang Haji Abdul Hapidz, Pengiran Julaihi bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Othman, Awang Haji Jabair bin Abdullah, Dayang Hajah Hartini binti Abdullah, Dr Dayang Hajah Rahmah binti Haji Md Said, Dayang Hajah Hasnah binti Ibrahim, Dayang Hajah Ainun binti Haji Abdullah, Sister Dayang Liang Swee Leng, Sister Dayang Teresa Wong Ng Moi and Dayang Esther Linau Batang were all conferred with the Darjah Setia Negara Brunei Yang Amat Bahagia (SNB) Third Class.

Finally, Mr Akinobu Nomura and Dr Haji Shaukat Zinna were conferred the Darjah Paduka Seri Laila Jasa Yang Amat Berjasa (SLJ) Third Class. - Borneo Bulletin (16th July 2011)