Badaruddin Othman

Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Badaruddin bin Haji 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 Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB) philosophy and the heads of the more orthodox Islamic faction.

Early life and education
Badaruddin was 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 the non-resident 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.

Pehin 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 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.

Ministerial career
Pehin Badaruddin urged the populace to immunise themselves against COVID-19 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. Him alongside Dato Nazmi attended the committee meeting on 14 February at Digadong Hall in their capacity as special advisors.

Strict Measures for Chinese New Year Festivities
During Pehin Badaruddin's tenure in February 2015, the MoHA announced 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 Pehin 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."

Syariah Penal Code
The government of Brunei was emphasising that the new legislation, Syariah Penal Code (2013), was not intended to discriminate and was encouraging opponents to hold off until they see how it was implemented, amid a global outrage over the country's intention to apply syariah law. According to Pehin Badaruddin, the nation sought to impose Islamic rule as early as 1974, which was ten years prior to gaining independence from Britain. But at the time, he said, the nation lacked the necessary number of qualified individuals to move on with it. Instead, they gathered the required information and sought advice from experts, and in 2007 they were able to produce a draft of the Syariah penal code.

Political positions
Brunei is a "negara zikir, negara beradat," according to Pehin 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.

Mass media
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. In 2018, he expressed the opinion that the Western mass media occasionally has a tendency to misinterpret the ideologies of the ASEAN region's governments and citizens. Unaccustomed to media attention, the Bruneian government has expressed disapproval of some of this coverage, particularly from Western media outlets.

Pehin Badaruddin attacked remarks made by a number of non-Legislative Council (LegCo) parties who believe his ministry's increased budget allocation was a waste and a hindrance to the nation's development strategy. In his motion of adjournment on the last day of the 15th LegCo session on 22 March 2019, the minister referred to the ideology as unwise and not local, attributing their viewpoints to those who lack comprehension and grasp of the national education policy and objectives.

Social media posts that make disparaging and slanderous comments against the MoRA have the potential to undermine Islamic principles. On 1 March 2022, on the fifth day of the 18th LegCo Meeting, he stated that anyone who makes such statements may face legal repercussions.

Melayu Islam Beraja
As the Director of Information, Pehin Badaruddin defined the term MIB in two papers that were given at seminars and printed in Pelita Brunei. He restated that, conceptually speaking, the proposal was not new because Brunei has always been home to a Malay sultanate. According to him, the MIB concept holds that Brunei cannot be regarded as a multiracial, multireligious, or multicultural society even if its population also consists of non-Malays and non-Muslims. He has been a prominent figure in the limited group of political leaders, leading the more orthodox branch of Islam. In the 1990s, opposing the move toward a materialistic, consumer-oriented society was a central tenet of MIB ideology.

Personal life
Pehin 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.

Awards and honours
Pehin 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

 * Lee Kuan Yew Fellowship (1995)
 * S.E.A Write Award (1998)
 * Mastera Literary Award (1999)

Honours

 * BRU Islamic Religious Order of the State of Brunei.svg Order of Islam Brunei First Class (PSSUB; 1998) – Dato Paduka Seri Setia
 * Ordine della Corona del Brunei (Brunei).png Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei Second Class (DPMB; 1987) – Dato Paduka
 * Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Medal.gif Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Medal (PHBS; 2010)
 * Pingat Bakti Laila Ikhlas (PBLI).gif Pingat Bakti Laila Ikhlas (PBLI; 2002)
 * Pingat Jasa Kiebaktian (PJK).gif Meritorious Service Medal (PJK; 1998)
 * Long Service Medal (PKL).jpg Long Service Medal (PKL; 1999)
 * Sultan's_Silver_Jubilee_Medal_(1992).gif Silver Jubilee Medal (5 October 1992)
 * BRU_Independence_Medal_ribbon.png Proclamation of Independence Medal (1997)