# 2015 Bruneian cabinet reshuffle

Hassanal Bolkiah carried out the fifth reshuffle of his government on 22 October 2015, replacing nine cabinet ministers. The announcement was delivered during a televised speech at 2:20 pm. The previous cabinet had been reshuffled in 2010 for a five-year term, followed by the next one in 2018.
Most notably, the sultan appointed himself as minister of trade and foreign affairs, a role previously held by his brother, Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, since 1984. The 2015 cabinet reshuffle further consolidated the sultan's authority, with him taking over the foreign affairs and trade portfolio following his brother's retirement. Simultaneously, the sultan retained control of key portfolios, including finance, defence, and the prime ministership. This reorganisation represented a significant step in centralising power within the monarchy, with Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah being the only remaining direct member of the royal family in the new administration as the senior minister at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
A possible reason for the cabinet reshuffle could be the sultan's emphasis on the importance of effective governance in fostering the nation's gratitude. During the televised announcement, he highlighted the critical role of the government and its machinery—comprising leaders, officials, and employees—stating that justice is the cornerstone of all good deeds. The sultan warned that without justice, welfare and blessings would inevitably diminish, which could have influenced his decision to reorganise the cabinet and reinforce the centralisation of power.
On 26 October 2015, members of the newly formed cabinet were sworn in for a five-year term during a ceremony at the palace. Three days later, on 29 October, the sultan chaired the first cabinet meeting following the reshuffle, which was also held at the palace.

## Cabinet-level changes

| Minister | Position before reshuffle | Result of reshuffle |
| Bahrin Abdullah | Deputy Minister of Finance | Became Minister of Development |
| Hazair Abdullah | Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports | Left the government |
| Abu Bakar Apong | Minister of Education | Became Minister of Home Affairs |
| Ali Apong | Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister's Office | Became Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism |
| Abdullah Bakar | Minister of Communications | Left the government |
| Yahya Bakar | Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism | Left the government |
| Zulkarnain Hanafi | Permanent Secretary (Higher Education) at the Ministry of Education | Became Minister of Health |
| Hassanal Bolkiah | Prime Minister of Brunei Minister of Defence Minister of Finance | Prime Minister of Brunei Minister of Defence Minister of Finance Minister of Foreign Affairs |
| Abdul Rahman Ibrahim | Minister of Finance II | Became Minister of Finance II and Minister at the Prime Minister's Office |
| Lim Jock Seng | Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade II | Became Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade II and Minister at the Prime Minister's Office |
| Prince Mohamed Bolkiah | Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Left the government |
| Halbi Mohammad Yussof | Deputy Minister of Home Affairs | Became Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports |
| Suyoi Osman | Minister of Development | Became Minister of Education |
| Badaruddin Othman | Minister of Home Affairs | Became Minister of Religious Affairs |
| Pengiran Mohammad | Minister of Religious Affairs | Left the government |
| Mustappa Sirat | Deputy Minister of Defence | Became Minister of Communications |
| Adanan Yusof | Minister of Health | Left the government |

## Junior ministerial changes

| Minister | Position before reshuffle | Result of reshuffle |
| Hamdan Abu Bakar | Permanent Secretary (Security and Enforcement) at the Prime Minister's Office | Became Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister's Office |
| Amin Liew Abdullah | Finance and Business Development Director of Progen Holdings | Became Deputy Minister of Finance |
| Abdul Mokti Daud | Ambassador of Brunei to Saudi Arabia | Became Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs |
| Roselan Daud | Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office | Became Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister's Office |
| Suhaimi Gafar | Permanent Secretary (Technical and Professional) at the Minister of Development | Became Deputy Minister of Development |
| Yusoff Ismail | Deputy Minister of Education | Left the government |
| Abdul Wahab Juned | Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister's Office | Left the government |
| Hisham Hanifah | Permanent Secretary (Policy and Investment) at the Ministry of Finance | Became Deputy Minister of Finance |
| Abdul Aziz Mohd Tamit | Commander of the Royal Brunei Navy | Became Deputy Minister of Defence |
| Adina Othman | Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports | Left the government |
| Pengiran Bahrom | Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs | Became Deputy Minister of Education |
| Erywan Yusof | Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Became Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade |

## Later changes

Between the 2015 and 2018 cabinet reshuffles, several minor changes were introduced. On 21 September 2017, the PMO announced that Kamaluddin Bungsu had been appointed permanent secretary, and Jamain Julaihi was named deputy minister (energy) and industry. Later, on 1 December 2017, Zulkarnain Hanafi was replaced as minister of health in a minor cabinet reshuffle, marking the first such change since 2015. A swearing-in ceremony for the new health minister, Isham Jaafar, whose appointment took effect on the same day as Zulkarnain's dismissal, was held at the palace on 4 December.
| Minister | Position before reshuffle | Result of reshuffle | Effective from |
| Jamain Julaihi | Permanent Secretary (Downstream and Power) at the Prime Minister's Office | Became Deputy Minister (Energy) and Industry at the Prime Minister's Office | 21 September 2017 |
| Zulkarnain Hanafi | Minister of Health | Left the government | 1 December 2017 |
| Isham Jaafar | Medical Director of Jerudong Park Medical Centre | Became Minister of Health | 1 December 2017 |