Taib Besar

Mohamed Taib bin Besar (died 1974) was a nobleman, magistrate and civil servant in the Government of Brunei whole formerly took office as the State Secretary from 1967 to 1969, and Acting Land Commissioner from 1961 to 1962. Additionally, he was a member of the Council of Ministers and Legislative Council.

Biography
Taib studied at a English school in Labuan. His career in the government of Brunei began as a clerk at the British Resident's Office in October 1934, transferred to the Public Works Department (PWD) in January 1935. On 1 May 1935, he was moved to the Forestry Office in Kuala Belait. On 1 June 1940, he would be promoted to the position of a state administrative officer and appointed as the Assistant Land Revenue Collector at the Ministry of Development's Lands Department. During Japan's occupation of Brunei, he was appointed Belait District Officer from 1 May 1941 to 16 November 1946, where he was transferred back to the British Resident's Office as their Secretary of State until the 1959 Constitution of Brunei came into force in September, followed by the replacement of the British Residency by a High Commission. With the consent of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, he was appointed to be Magistrate (judge) Class I on 3 June 1958.

Taib then became the clerk of the State Council (present day Legislative Council) from October 1959 to 22 April 1962, and from 10 December 1961 to 22 April 1962, he co-currently became the Acting Land Commissioner under the Lands Department. In January 1965, he was appointed as a Government Assistant. He took office as the Assistant State Secretary on 18 January 1964. Later on 1 March, he finally stopped being a member of the PWD. On behalf of Menteri Besar Marsal Maun, he launched the Brunei State Scout camp at Gadong Estate in the morning of 19 June 1965. Earlier that year on 15 May, he officially opened the Short Course for Small School Teachers at the Brunei Malay Teachers' School. In March 1966, he led a Bruneian delegation consisting of Pengiran Yusuf, Mohd Salleh and J.S. Gould to the Asian Conference for Children in Bangkok.

Since 1 June 1967, Taib was appointed as the successor to Pengiran Yusuf in the office of State Secretary of Brunei. Despite announcing his retirement on 22 March 1969, he wasn't immediately replaced until 25 March 1970. He has completed 36 years of service with the government until his retirement, and therefore succeeded by Acting State Secretary Pengiran Abdul Momin. On 23 July 1969, he went on leave after his retirement and was temporarily replaced by Pengiran Abdul Momin. In 1974, he was appointed as a member of the Council of Ministers and Legislative Council. During his time in office, he has represented Brunei in many international conferences and has made great effort in improving the public image of his country and inter-ethnic groups. He retired from civil service in 1970.

Personal life
Taib died in 1974.

As of 1964, Taib has two children; a son and a daughter. His son Abdul Rahman (born 1942) would go on to serve several high-ranking positions in the Government.

Namesakes

 * Jalan Dato Mohd. Taib, a road in Bandar Seri Begawan.

Honours
For his service as the Secretary to the Resident (SR) at the British Resident's Office in Brunei, Queen Elizabeth II awarded the then 42-year old Taib as a member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) during the 1958 Queen's Birthday Honours. This was followed by the awarding of the Order of Setia Negara Brunei Third Class (SNB) by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III in 1963. He has earned the following honours:

National

 * BRU_Order_of_Merit_of_Brunei.svg Order of Paduka Seri Laila Jasa Second Class (DSLJ; 1968) – Dato Seri Laila Jasa 
 * BRU_Order_of_Loyalty_to_the_State_of_Brunei.svg Order of Setia Negara Brunei Second Class (DSNB) – Dato Setia
 * BRU_Order_of_the_Crown_of_Brunei.svg Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei Second Class (DPMB; 15 August 1966) – Dato Paduka
 * Omar_Ali_Saifuddin_Medal.jpg Omar Ali Saifuddin Medal (POAS)
 * Sultan_Hassanal_Bolkiah_Medal.gif Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Medal First Class (PHBS; 12 February 1969)
 * Pingat_Jasa_Kiebaktian_(PJK).gif Meritorious Service Medal (PJK)

Foreign

 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom:
 * Order_of_the_British_Empire_(Civil)_Ribbon.svg Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE; 1958)