Aminuddin Ihsan () is a former Bruneian commander of the

Royal Brunei Armed Forces The Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF); ms, Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei, (ABDB), is the collective term for the military forces of the sultanate of Brunei Darussalam. They consist of the Royal Brunei Land Forces (RBLF), the Royal Brunei ...

who serves from 2009 until 2014 and also the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports from 2018 until 2022.

Biography

Early life and education

Aminuddin Ihsan was born on 23 July 1966 and graduated with a

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University o ...

degree in

civil engineering Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewa ...

and a

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Th ...

degree in military studies. He later attended courses such as the

United Nations Military Observer A United Nations Military Observer (UNMO) is a military official deployed by the United Nations to provide support to a UN mission or peace operation. Described as the "eyes and ears" of the UN Security Council, observers fulfill a variety of roles ...

(UNMO) and

Staff Officer A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, enlisted and civilian staff who serve the commander of a division or other large military ...

Course, the Battalion Tactics Course and the Joint Staff Course in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. It is notable that he obtained

fellowship A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

while in the

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal A ...

Defence & Strategic Studies.

Military career

On 19 September 1988, he was officially commissioned into the

Royal Brunei Land Forces The Royal Brunei Land Forces (Malay: Tentera Darat Diraja Brunei, abbreviated TDDB) is the land component of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. The RBLF has responsibility for maintaining the territorial defence of Brunei Brunei ( , ), form ...

as a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

. Aminuddin took up many positions during his military career such as a

platoon leader {{unreferenced, date=February 2013 A platoon leader (NATO) or platoon commander (more common in Commonwealth militaries and the US Marine Corps) is the officer in charge of a platoon. This person is usually a junior officer – a second or first ...

of Company 'D' 1st Battalion (1Bn RBLF), troop leader of the Auxiliary Battalion, commanding officer in the Infantry Battalion, deputy commanding officer and commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion (2Bn RBLF), Commander of the RBAF Training Institute and the Commander of the RBLF. On 31 December 2009, he was appointed as the 8th Commander of the RBAF by succeeding

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

Halbi bin Mohammad Yussof. Aminuddin would then be succeeded by

Mohammad Tawih Tawih bin Abdullah (; born 9 June 1964) is a former Bruneian soldier and the 9th Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) who serves from 2014 until 2018. Education From January until December 1984, he underwent training at the Offic ...

on 29 January 2014.

Political career

After retirement from the military, he carried out diplomatic tasks as the Brunei High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 15 May 2014 until 30 January 2018. On 12 November 2014, Queen Elizabeth II presented credentials to high commissioner Aminuddin at Buckingham Palace,

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. On 24 April 2017, Aminuddin Ihsan was named the 2017 Diplomat of the Year from Asia category during the Tata DIPLOMAT magazine Awards Ceremony. On 30 January 2018, Aminuddin became the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports after an announcement regarding the cabinet reshuffle was made by the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. After another cabinet reshuffle on 7 June 2022, he would then be succeeded by Nazmi Mohamad as the Minister.

Personal life

Aminuddin Ihsan is married to Datin Nurhayana Janis binti Abdullah and they have three children together. He is the son of the late

nobleman Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteris ...

, Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Abidin bin Orang Kaya Perwira Abdul Rashid.

Awards and honours

Awards

* 2017 Diplomat of the Year from Asia – (24 April 2017)

Honours

National

Order_of_Seri_Paduka_Mahkota_Brunei_Third_Class_(SMB)

Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei The Most Honourable Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei ( ms, Darjah Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei Yang Amat Mulia), also translated as The Most Honourable Order of the Crown of Brunei, is an order of Brunei Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei D ...

Third Class (SMB) – (2003) * Pingat Jasa Kiebaktian (PJK)

Meritorious Service Medal (PJK) – (2007) * Ordine del Famoso Valore (Brunei)

Order of Paduka Keberanian Laila Terbilang First Class (DPKT) – Dato Paduka Seri (15 July 2010) * Sultan's Silver Jubilee Medal (1992)

Silver Jubilee Medal – (5 October 1992) * Brunei General Service Medal

General Service Medal * Brunei_Long_Service_Medal

Long Service Medal (Armed Forces) * Royal_Brunei_Armed_Forces_Golden_Jubilee_Medal

Royal Brunei Armed Forces Golden Jubilee Medal – (31 May 2011)

Foreign

* : **

Combat Commander’s Badge – (2005) * : ** Pingat_Jasa_Gemilang_(Tentera)_ribbon

Pingat Jasa Gemilang The Pingat Jasa Gemilang ( en, Meritorious Service Medal) is a Singaporean national honour and medal instituted in 1962. It may be awarded to any person who has performed "''service of conspicuous merit characterised by resource and devotion to ...

(PJG) – (9 June 2010) ** Darjah_Utama_Bakti_Cemerlang_(Tentera)_ribbon

Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang The Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang ( en, Distinguished Service Order) is a Singaporean national honour instituted in 1968. It was created to replace the ''Pingat Bakti Chemerlang'' ( en, Distinguished Service Medal) and is awarded to any person w ...

(DUBC) – (12 April 2012) * : ** Bintang_Yudha_Dharma_Utama_(Indonesia)

Bintang Yudha Dharma Utama (BYD) – (22 August 2011) * : ** Panglima Gagah Angkatan Tentera (PGAT) – (4 October 2011) * : **

Order of the Crown of Thailand - 2nd Class (Thailand) ribbon

Order of the Crown of Thailand The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันมีเกียรติยศยิ่งมงกุฎไทย; ) is a Thai order, established in 1869 by King Rama ...

Second Class (KCT)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aminuddin Ihsan 1966 births Living people Government ministers of Brunei Bruneian military leaders High Commissioners of Brunei to the United Kingdom