Badaruddin Othman

In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Othman is patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name: Badaruddin. The Arabic-derived word 'bin' or 'binti' / 'binte', if used, means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.
Yang Berhormat Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia
Badaruddin Othman
PSSUB DPMB
Badaruddin (right) with the Ambassador of Indonesia in 2020.
3rd Minister of Religious Affairs
Assumed office
22 October 2015
MonarchHassanal Bolkiah
DeputyAbdul Mokti
Bahrom Bahar
Tassim Hassan
Preceded byMohammad Abdul Rahman
4th Minister of Home Affairs
In office
29 May 2010 – 22 October 2015
DeputyHalbi Mohammad Yussof
Preceded byAdanan Yusof
Succeeded byAbu Bakar Apong
Other positions
2nd Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs
In office
25 May 2005 – 29 May 2010
MinisterZain Serudin
Preceded byYahya Ibrahim
Succeeded byBahrom Bahar
Diplomatic positions
High Commissioner of Brunei to Papua New Guinea
In office
August 1986 – March 1987
Ambassador of Brunei to Indonesia
In office
August 1986 – March 1987
Personal details
Born
Badaruddin

23 September 1942
Burong Pingai Ayer, Kampong Ayer, Brunei
Children6
EducationAl-Azhar University
OccupationPolitician, teacher, writer and diplomat
CabinetCabinet of Brunei

Badaruddin bin Othman (born 23 September 1942), pen name Badaruddin H.O., is a nobleman, politician and diplomat from Brunei who currently serves as the Minister of Religious Affairs (MoRA) since 2015. He also formerly held the position of Minister of Home Affairs (MoHA) from 2010 to 2015. Within the limited group of political leaders, Pehin Abdul Aziz bin Umar and Pehin Badaruddin were regarded as the two primary proponents of the MIB philosophy and the heads of the more orthodox Islamic faction.

Early life and education

Badaruddin is born on 23 September 1942, at Kampong Burong Pingai Ayer. He obtained a master's degree in Islamic legal policy from Al-Azhar University in Egypt between 1968 and 1971. He also attended the Pekan Brunei Malay School between 1950 and 1956, Kolej Islam Malaya in Klang, Selangor, between 1962 and 1967, and Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah in Singapore between 1956 and 1961.

Early career

Initially, Badaruddin was employed as a teacher in 1968, but later assigned by the Government of Brunei in 1971 as a Religious Officer, he later held positions as Superintendent of Information and Tabligh, Director of Information, Chief Information Officer, Director of Information, and Director of the Da'wah Islamiah Center. He began his career with the government in 1971. From August 1986 to March 1987, he then served as High Commissioner in Papua New Guinea and Ambassador to Indonesia. From 1 January 1989 to 1999, he served as the Prime Minister's Department's Permanent Secretary. In 1994, the government was concerned over foreign TV broadcasts would have on the values of the nation. In response, he stated during a broadcasters' training session that Brunei needed to address the problem even if it was challenging to monitor international transmissions.

Ministerial career

Badaruddin became a Member of the Public Service Commission and Acting Chairman of the Public Service Commission from 19 May 2001 to 23 May 2005. He was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs from 24 May 2005 to 28 May 2010, and later Minister of Home Affairs from 29 May 2010 to 21 October 2015. He urged the populace to immunize themselves against COVID-19 in order to protect themselves. He brought this up on 20 November 2021, in light of the relatively few MoRA employees and members of the general public who are reluctant to get immunized. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has granted permission for the Turkiye and Syria Earthquake Humanitarian Fund and the National Committee for Turkiye and Syria Earthquake Humanitarian Fund to be established in the wake of the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake. Badaruddin and Dato Nazmi Mohamad attended the committee meeting on February 14 at Digadong Hall in their capacity as special advisors.

Strict Measures for Chinese New Year Festivities

During Badaruddin's tenure in February 2015, the MoHA underhad verified that the government of Brunei had placed severe limitations on Chinese New Year performances as part of a gradual crackdown against non-Muslim cultural and religious activities in the nation. Lion dances may only be seen for a short while on just three days (February 19–21) and on three specific locations (the temple, Chinese residences, and school hallways). It is definitely forbidden to hold performances in any kind of public space or commercial institution.

Restrictions on Christmas Celebrations

Once again under Badaruddin's leadership, MoRA has apparently visited local businesses to make sure they are not putting up Christmas decorations, such as Santa hats and banners with holiday wishes. Local Islamic religious authorities have supported the ban, stating that, according to some interpretations of Islam, embracing Christmas customs was equivalent to copying another religion and is therefore forbidden. MoRA stated in a statement that "these enforcement measures are... intended to control the act of celebrating Christmas excessively and openly, which could damage the aqidah of the Muslim community."

Political positions

Brunei is a "negara zikir, negara beradat," according to Badaruddin in 2018. This phrase encapsulates the notion of a nation focused on Islamic devotional actions, God-remembrance, as well as its customs and traditions. According to syariah law, children who have lost their father, children born out of wedlock or abandoned, or children disowned due to an oath taken by a husband and wife denying parenthood are all considered orphans, according to Badaruddin.

Personal life

Badaruddin is married and has six children; including Nabil Daraina.

Nabil Daraina and Ramzidah Abdul Rahman, a husband and wife team have been charged with 152 counts of corruption relating to stealing more than $7 million from Brunei's judicial system. Up until January 2018, they were both senior judges in Brunei's judicial system. Police detained them in relation to the theft of money from the Bankruptcy Office of the High Court. The funds were reportedly used to purchase high-end vehicles and other valuable items worth $3.2 million. Former Senior Magistrate Hj Nabil was charged with eight counts of money laundering; he was found guilty on six of them and exonerated on the other two owing to inadequate evidence.

Books

  • Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Othman, (Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang) (1984). Kemerdekaan (in Malay). Jabatan Penerangan, Jabatan Perdana Menteri.
  • Haji Othman, Badaruddin (1998). Episod-episod Si Awang (in Malay). Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Brunei, Kementerian Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan. ISBN 9789991701301.
  • Haji Othman, Badaruddin; Mohammad bin Pengiran Haji Abd. Rahman, (Pengiran Haji) (2006). Keunggulan bahasa dan sastera Melayu/Indonesia menyongsong tatanan baru dunia (in Malay). DBP Brunei.
  • Haji Othman, Badaruddin (2008). Agama rasmi (in Malay). Jabatan Penerangan, Jabatan Perdana Menteri. ISBN 9789991749044.
  • Haji Othman, Badaruddin (2009). Hidup diharungi, mati ditempuhi (in Malay). Pusat Da'wah Islamiah, Kementerian Hal Ehwal Ugama. ISBN 9789991735986.
  • Othman, Badaruddin (2011). Dari atas mimbar (in Malay). Pusat Da'wah Islamiah, Kementerian Hal Ehwal Ugama. ISBN 9789991755458.
  • Othman, Badaruddin (2011). Tahu Bersyukur. Pusat Da'wah Islamiah, Kementerian Hal-Ehwal Ugama. ISBN 9789991755304.
  • Haji Othman, Badaruddin (2010). Takdir itu begini (in Malay). Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Brunei, Kementerian Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan. ISBN 9789991707082.
  • Haji Othman, Badaruddin (2010). Ilahi selamatkan Brunei Darussalam (in Malay). Pusat Da'wah Islamiah, Kementerian Hal Ehwal Ugama Negara Brunei Darussalam. ISBN 9789991755021.
  • Haji Othman, Badaruddin (2014). Kita terlanjur Allah maha pengampun (in Malay). Pusat Da'wah Islamiah, Kementerian Hal Ehwal Ugama. ISBN 9789991762500.
  • Haji Othman, Badaruddin (2018). Memandang ke hadapan sambil menoleh ke belakang (in Malay). Pusat Da'wah Islamiah. ISBN 9789991783376.
  • Haji Othman, Badaruddin (2018). Calak bangsa (in Malay). Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Brunei, Kementerian Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan. ISBN 9789991768298.
  • Haji Othman, Badaruddin (2020). Dari atas mimbar (in Malay). Pusat Da'wah Islamiah. ISBN 9789991783772.
  • Haji Othman, Badaruddin (2020). Hemat2 (in Malay). Pusat Da'wah Islamiah. ISBN 9789991783840.

Awards and honours

Badaruddin holds the manteri title of Yang Berhormat (The Honourable) Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia. Additionally, he has earned the following awards and honours;

Awards

Honours

Main article: Orders, decorations, and medals of Brunei