Ministry of Defence (Brunei)
The Ministry of Defence Brunei (MinDef; Malay: Kementerian Pertahanan) is Brunei’s cabinet-level body responsible for national security and the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF). It was established on 1 January 1984, when Brunei gained independence from the United Kingdom. MinDef oversees the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, the Royal Brunei Malay Reserve Unit, and the Gurkha Reserve Unit. It is divided into Civilian Staff (led by a Permanent Secretary) and Military Staff (led by the Commander of the RBAF). The headquarters are at Bolkiah Garrison in Bandar Seri Begawan.
Leadership and structure: The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, serves as the Minister of Defence and Supreme Commander of the armed forces. The position of Second Minister of Defence has existed at times, most recently with Halbi Mohd Yussof. The Deputy Minister of Defence role has appeared intermittently since 1986 and was temporarily revived in 2022–23. The ministry employs about 1,728 people (2024). Its 2024 defence budget is 796.3 million Brunei dollars, up 28% from 2023–24; the 2022–23 budget was 597.67 million BND.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 02:20 (CET).