Sulaiman Damit

Major General (Retired) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Sulaiman bin Haji Damit (28 March 1941 – 8 July 2016) was a Bruneian nobleman, diplomat and military officer who served as the commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) from 1990 until 1994. He and Ariffin Abdul Wahab were the first local servicemen to be promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1976.

Early life and education
Sulaiman was born on 28 March 1941, at Kampong Keriam, in Tutong District. He received his formal education at the Malay School in Seria from 1948 until 1952. He then pursued his studies at the Anthony Abell College, Seria, from 1953 until 1960.

Military career
Early in December 1960, the local newspaper and radio station released an announcement that there was a spot available for officer cadets to train at the Federation Military College in the Federation of Malaya for two years. This was the beginning of the "three musketeers" voyage. Midway through December, 17 young men showed up for the Tasek Lama selection procedure, where they were interrogated by a panel of four officers from the Royal Federation of Malaya Armed Forces in the gymnasium of Sultan Omar 'Ali Saifuddien College (SOAS). Three people were chosen out of the seven who were shortlisted; they were Sulaiman, Mohammad bin Daud, and Awangku Ibnu. On 24 December 1960, they took their oaths before the magistrate and left Brunei the next day through Singapore. They had basic military training during their first year as junior cadets, including parade drills, weapon handling, tactics, leadership, and the military code of justice. Additionally, they received academic instruction to get them ready for GCE 'A' Levels or the Higher School Certificate. The second year of their senior cadet training was more challenging. As part of the Royal Federation of Malaya Armed Forces, the cadets were temporarily posted to a battalion at Chepa Base in Kelantan and Mentakab Base in Pahang by 4 November 1961. This allowed them to serve and gain further experience. On 8 December 1962, Sulaiman, Mohammad, and Awangku Ibnu were appointed as second lieutenants by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III. The Yang Di-Pertuan Agong of Malaya officiated the event. The three cadet officers each received the promotion after successfully completing their training, with a sovereign's parade. For the three cadets, it was a crucial day, and for the BMR, it was a historic turning point. The first three local officers were given significant roles and positions over time, taking on some of the duties that had previously been performed by British Loan Service employees. In 1961, he began his military training at the Federation of Malaya Military College in Sungai Besi until 1962. He also went to Overseas Joint Warfare, Old Sarum and Royal College of Defence Studies, London.

Captains Sulaiman, Awangku Ibnu, and Mohammad, three local military officers, left in 1967 to attend a three-month advanced course on small arms and tactics at the British Army School of Infantry at Warminster. They were then expected to attach to an infantry brigade in England before splitting up and spending a month each with three different British battalions in Germany. Together with a loan service officer, Captain H. N. Houghton, the three senior local military officers were promoted to the next rank of Major on 1 July 1969.

On 27 January 1976, him alongside Ariffin Abdul Wahab were promoted by Brigadier Norman Roberts to the rank of lieutenant colonel. Colonel Sulaiman, who was elevated to the rank of brigadier general in 1986, assumed the role of Commander Task Force. He was appointed as the second commander of the RBAF from 10 August 1990 to 29 September 1994. During his tenure as commander, he oversaw further expansion of RBAF's bilateral defence ties with friendly countries. The RBAF maintained a total strength of 4,200 men in 1991 (not including reserve personnel). 1991 marked a "coming of age" for the RBAF with a major organisational structure revamp. The Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF), Royal Brunei Navy (RBN), Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF), RBAF Support Services (RBAF SS), and Training Institute Royal Brunei Armed Forces (TI RBAF) were the five divisions that made up the RBAF as of 1 October. RBAF also earned its first blue beret in November 1992, for the participation of its officers in the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia.

Later life and death
Upon his retirement in 1994, Sulaiman was appointed as ambassador of Brunei to Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt. He held the post from 7 September 1995 to 3 June 1998. Dato Sulaiman died on Friday, 8 July 2016, at the age of 75. He was laid to rest at Bukit Sugan Muslim Cemetery in Tutong. He was survived by his wife, three sons, two daughters and five grandchildren. His son, Lieutenant Colonel (U) Mohammad Khairul, is the chief instructor at the Defence Academy Royal Brunei Armed Forces (DA RBAF).

Honours
Sulaiman was awarded the manteri title of Yang Dimuliakan (The Exalted One) Pehin Datu Indera Setia by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on 3 October 1974. Examples of local and foreign honours awarded to him;

National

 * BRU Order of Famous Valour.svg Order of Paduka Keberanian Laila Terbilang First Class (DPKT) – Dato Paduka Seri
 * BRU Order of the Crown of Brunei.svg Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei First Class (SPMB) – Dato Seri Paduka
 * Sultan_Hassanal_Bolkiah_Medal.gif Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Medal (PHBS; 1968)
 * Sultan's_Silver_Jubilee_Medal_(1992).gif Sultan of Brunei Silver Jubilee Medal (5 October 1992)
 * 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
 * Brunei_Long_Service_Medal.jpg Long Service Medal and Good Conduct (PKLPB)
 * BRU_Independence_Medal_ribbon.png Proclamation of Independence Medal (1997)

Foreign

 * 🇲🇾 Malaysia:
 * Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia - PSM.svg Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM; 1995) – Tan Sri
 * Courageous Commander of the Order of Military Service (PGAT; 1994)
 * 🇹🇭 Thailand:
 * Order of the White Elephant - 1st Class (Thailand) ribbon.svg Knight Grand Cross of the Order of The White Elephant (PCh (KCE); 1991)
 * Order_of_the_Crown_of_Thailand_-_1st_Class_(Thailand)_ribbon.svg Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Thailand (PM (GCCT); 1987)
 * 🇮🇩 Indonesia:
 * Bintang Yudha Dharma Utama (Indonesia).png Bintang Yudha Dharma Utama 1st Class (1993)
 * 🇸🇬 Singapore:
 * Darjah_Utama_Bakti_Cemerlang_(Tentera)_ribbon.png Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang (Tentera) (DUBC; 4 February 1994)
 * 🇵🇭 Philippines:
 * PHI_Legion_of_Honor_2003_Commander_BAR.svg Commander of the Philippine Legion of Honor (1991)
 * 🇰🇷 South Korea:
 * Tong-il Security Medal Ribbon.svg Order of National Security Merit Tong-il (1992)