WORLD renowned underwater explorer and Luminox brand ambassador, Scott Cassell, took time out from diving and met with His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam at a Hari Raya Aidilfitri gathering held at the Officer’s Mess of Bolkiah Garrison last night.

Accompanying His Majesty were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik, His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel and Her Royal Highness Princess Ameerah Wardatul Bolkiah.

In his brief conversation with His Majesty, Cassell praised Brunei’s “heroic” move to ban shark fishing in the Sultanate before expressing his fondness for the well-preserved corals reefs he witnessed while diving in Arbana reef and oil-rig recently.

His Majesty then asked the ocean explorer about the duration of his stay in the Sultanate, to which Cassell replied three days. The monarch jokingly replied, “Not long enough”.

Cassell together with the team from Crystal Time Pte Ltd from Singapore, distributor of Luminox watches, and members of Poni Divers Club also wished His Majesty and other members of the royal family ‘Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri’.

Cassell told the Bulletin that “It was an honour to shake hands with my hero”.

Cassell praised Brunei recently and called Brunei’s move to blanket the ban of sharks as a “heroic act”.

He was previously quoted as saying, “Brunei has become a ‘hero country’ of leadership that other countries all around the world should look at.” - Borneo Bulletin (3 September 2013)