Ibnu Basit Apong

Major General (Retired) Pengiran Haji Ibnu Basit bin Pengiran Haji Apong (born 20 January 1942), also known as Ibnu Ba'asith, is a nobleman, soldier and politician in the Government of Brunei whole formerly took office as the Deputy Minister of Defence from 1986 to 2005, and the first local officer to be the commanding officer of the Boat Sections of the Boats Section AMDB (present day Royal Brunei Navy) from 1965 to 1966.

Military career
An announcement that there was a space available for officer cadets to train at the Federation Military College in the Federation of Malaya for two years was made early in December 1960 by the local newspaper and radio station. This marked the start of the "three musketeers" expedition. at mid-December, seventeen young men appeared for the Tasek Lama selection process. They were questioned at the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien College (SOAS) gymnasium by a panel of four officers from the Royal Federation of Malaya Armed Forces. Out of the seven individuals that were shortlisted, three were selected: Sulaiman Damit, Mohammad Daud, and Awangku Ibnu. They were sworn in before the magistrate on 24 December 1960, and the following day they departed Brunei.

Awangku Ibnu was posted to several roles within the Brunei Malay Regiment (BMR) upon his graduation from the Federation Military College, Port Dickson on 1 January 1961 prior to the regiment's establishment on 31 May 1961. During his first year as junior cadets, they received basic military training including parade drills, leadership, weapon handling, tactics, and the military code of justice. They also got academic education in preparation for the Higher School Certificate, or GCE 'A' Levels. Their senior cadet training posed greater challenges in the second year. By 4 November, the cadets were temporarily assigned to a battalion at Chepa Base in Kelantan and Mentakab Base in Pahang as members of the Royal Federation of Malaya Armed Forces. They were able to serve and get more experience as a result.

Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III appointed Sulaiman, Muhammad, and Awangku Ibnu as second lieutenants on 8 December 1962. The ceremony was officiated by Malaya's Yang Di-Pertuan Agong. Following their complete completion of training, each of the three cadet officers was promoted at a sovereign's procession. It was an important day for the three cadets and a historic turning moment for the BMR. Over time, the first three local officials received important positions and responsibilities, including some of the tasks formerly carried out by British Loan Service staff members. His military training started in 1961 and continued until 1962 at the Federation of Malaya Military College in Sungai Besi.

He spent three months learning seamanship and navigation at the Marine School Labuan while serving in the Boat Sections AMDB. Soon after, he was chosen to was commanding officer. He was also linked to the Marine Department while he was in the Boat Sections AMDB to sail to Limbang and Labuan. Soon after, he was chosen to take a 2-week navigation course in Singapore and return home with the freshly purchased riverine patrol boat in mid-1966. He was granted the chance to enroll in an advanced course in Kota Kinabalu as a result of his good job performance. Three local military officers, Captains Sulaiman, Awangku Ibnu, and Mohammad, departed in 1967 to attend the British Army School of Infantry at Warminster for a three-month advanced training on small weapons and tactics. After joining an infantry brigade in England, they were supposed to divide up and serve three months each with three separate British battalions in Germany. On 1 July 1969, the three senior local military officers were elevated to the next rank of major along with a loan service officer, Captain H. N. Houghton.

Pengiran Ibnu was afterwards transferred back to AMDB's Rifle Company after serving his time in the Boat Sections. He was appointed as adjutant during the coronation of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. He was made a major in 1969 and assigned the charge of leading Rifle-2 Company. With the formation of the Second Battalion on 2 January 1975, at a temporary location in Bolkiah Camp, the AMDB developed. Lt. Col. Pengiran Ibnu was the one who created it. He was assigned to the Palace as the Sultan's aide-de-camp (ADC) in 1977. He continued serving with the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment (RBMR) after being promoted to brigadier general and then major general. Notably, he took involved in an event when one of his ship's crew went overboard and was saved while passing through the Sarawak River during a deployment to Kuching.

Following the passing of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III in 1986, a cabinet reorganisation took place. As the Supreme Commander of the RBAF, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah assumed the mantle of his late father's defence ministry. He also named the retired Brigadier General Pengiran Ibnu as his Deputy Defence Minister later that year in October. On 24 September 1987, he arrived in Malaysia at the request of Dato' Abu Bakar Mustapha.

Other appointments
Additionally a member of the Privy Council, he is vice president of the Brunei Darussalam Olympic Council and advisor to the Ex-Soldiers Association of Brunei Darussalam. He is also a member of Mesyuarat Adat Istiadat Negara (MAIN). During an interview with Pelita Brunei Pengiran Ibnu Apong advised RBAF personnel who were still in service to remain faithful to their leaders above everything else, including their commanders, the monarch, and the people. On 21 October 2022, him together with Mohammad Daud attended the "FMC Intake 5’s 60th anniversary reunion".

Personal life
Pengiran Ibnu is married and they have four children. He is son of Pengiran Datu Penghulu Pengiran Haji Apong, and brother of Pengiran Umar, a police officer in the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF).

Legacy
Pengiran Ibnu was bestowed the title of Yang Amat Mulia (The Most Noble) Pengiran Sanggamara Diraja on 10 February 1977, making him a member of cheteria. He had been previously holding the title of Pengiran Datu Penghulu in 1973 and as Pengiran Ratna Indera in 1974. Pengiran Ibnu received medals of honor and given the title of honorary president for advancing the vision of Veterans Confederation of ASEAN Countries (VECONAC) on 7 October 2016.

Namesakes

 * Surau Pengiran Ratna Indera, a place of worship in the 2nd Battalion's Tutong Camp

Honours
Moreover, he has earned the following national and foreign honours;

National Foreign
 * BRU_Order_of_the_Hero_of_the_State_of_Brunei.svg Order of Pahlawan Negara Brunei First Class (PSPNB; 10 February 1976) – Dato Seri Pahlawan 
 * BRU_Order_of_Loyalty_to_the_State_of_Brunei.svg Order of Setia Negara Brunei Second Class (DSNB) – Dato Setia
 * BRU_Order_of_Merit_of_Brunei.svg Order of Paduka Seri Laila Jasa Second Class (DSLJ) – Dato Seri Laila Jasa
 * Sultan_Hassanal_Bolkiah_Medal.gif Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Medal (PHBS; 1968)
 * Pingat_Bakti_Laila_Ikhlas_(PBLI).gif Pingat Bakti Laila Ikhlas (PBLI)
 * BRU_Independence_Medal_ribbon.png Proclamation of Independence Medal (1997)
 * Pingat_Pertalaban_Haji_Hassanal_Bolkiah.gif Coronation Medal (1 August 1968)
 * Sultan's_Silver_Jubilee_Medal_(1992).gif Sultan of Brunei Silver Jubilee Medal (5 October 1992)
 * Sultan's_Golden_Jubilee_Medal_(2017).jpg Sultan of Brunei Golden Jubilee Medal (5 October 2017)
 * Brunei_National_Day_Jubilee_Medal.jpg National Day Silver Jubilee Medal (23 February 2009)
 * Royal_Brunei_Armed_Forces_Silver_Jubilee_Medal.jpg Royal Brunei Armed Forces Silver Jubilee Medal (31 May 1986)
 * Brunei_General_Service_Medal.png General Service Medal (Armed Forces)
 * Long_Service_Medal_(PKL).jpg Long Service Medal (PKL)
 * 🇮🇩 Indonesia:
 * Bintang Yudha Dharma Utama rib.svg Bintang Yudha Dharma Utama (1990)
 * 🇲🇾 Malaysia:
 * Installation Medal of the Sultan of Pahang as 7th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (1980)
 * Selangor:
 * MY-SEL Silver Jubilee Medal 1985.png Sultan Salahuddin Silver Jubilee Medal (3 September 1985)
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom:
 * UK Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977)