HIS Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam officially opened the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Museum yesterday during the 52nd RBAF anniversary celebrations.

The museum, located at the Bolkiah Garrison, exhibits a variety of military equipment, and provides visitors with background information on the RBAF as well as events that have taken place over the course of its 52-year history.

The RBAF Museum holds the objective of providing a backdrop for the Armed Forces’ historical records as well as to act as a reference for both current and future generations.

After signing a plaque to official open the museum, His Majesty proceeded to tour the various galleries and displays on show.

There are a number of displays at the museum, beginning with the Overview Gallery, which showcases Brunei’s history, and how the local warriors bravely fought to protect the sovereignty of the country.

It also retells the stories of the courageous Bruneian people in the Castillian War all the way up to the establishment of the Sultanate’s uniform units in the post-World War era.

There is also a Timeline Gallery that showcases the brief history and development of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces throughout the 50-year timeline of the organisation, not only in its duty to ensure the stability of the country and its people, but also proactively responding to the current regional and global needs.

Another display exhibited at the museum is the Training Gallery, within which various forms of training and exercises undertaken by the RBAF personnel are showcased. These various forms of training are on display to show how RBAF personnel have gone about enhancing their military knowledge, skills and technical know-how in line with current needs.

The Formative Years Gallery has on display the earlier years of the RBAF’s establishment, highlighting the landmark development of the Brunei Malay Regiment as a precursor to the present RBAF including recruitment, recruit training in Malaya and the grand parade to celebrate the return of the first batch of Brunei army cadets.

Another gallery is that of Capabilities Development, which showcases the development and advancement of the RBAF’s warfare capacity, in terms of tactics and infrastructure.

There is also a display on the local, regional and international roles of the RBAF, which illustrates the various activities and humanitarian missions that have been conducted by the Royal Brunei Land Forces (RBLF), Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) and the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) at both national and international levels.

The museum also boasts an Annex Gallery, which is designated as a multi-purpose lounge that can also be used as a mini exhibition centre for selected events.

A lecture theatre with a capacity of 30-40 persons is another feature, with a hall dedicated for the hosting of lectures, briefings and seminars as well as video presentations on Brunei’s Ministry of Defence and other related things.

The museum’s outdoor area boasts an open courtyard that allows visitors to have a closer look at a number of the RBAF’s own collections of military transport and weaponry from the three major units under RBAF. - Borneo Bulletin (2 June 2013)