Brunei Deputy Defense Minister and Chairman Murad Met

August 29, 2008

A high-level meeting was held recently between His Excellency Pehin Datu Singamanteri Col (B) Dato Seri Paduka Mohammad Yasmin, Deputy Defense Minister of Negara Brunei Darussalam, and MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad at Camp Darapanan . 

 

The Brunei diplomatic delegation also included the Permanent Secretary of the Deputy Defense Minister, Brunei Embassy Defense Adviser Col Maiddin, Brunei IMT Head of Contingent Col Tajuddin and the Aide de Camp.

 

Senior officials of the MILF Central Committee to include Vice Chairman Ghazali Jaafar for Political Affairs, Mohagher Iqbal Chairman of the MILF Peace Negotiating Panel were also present.

 

His Excellency Pehin gave assurances of unwavering commitment and strong support of the Brunei government headed by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, to the ongoing peace process between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP).

 

For his part, Chairman Murad conveyed the endless gratitude and fraternal fervor of the Bangsamoro people to the royal government of Brunei and her people strongly headed His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah

 

Earlier, the Brunei Deputy Defense Minister held a meeting in Manila with his Philippine counterpart Secretary Gilberto Teodora Jr of the Department of National Defense (DND), Secretary Hermogenes Esperon Jr of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AF) Chief of Staff General Alexander Yano. 

 

Brunei has a 10-man contingent with the Malaysia-led International Monitoring Team (IMT) that principally monitors the ceasefire accord between the MILF and government. Relatedly, Brunei also expressed readiness to help in the socio-economic development aspect of the GRP – MILF peace process.