Badaruddin bin Othman (born 23 September 1942), pen name Badaruddin H.O., is a nobleman, politician and diplomat from Brunei who currently serves as the Minister of Religious Affairs since 2015. He also formerly held the position of Minister of Home Affairs from 2010 to 2015. Within the limited group of political leaders, Pehin Abdul Aziz bin Umar and Pehin Badaruddin were regarded as the two primary proponents of the MIB philosophy and the heads of the more orthodox Islamic faction.

Biography

Early life and education 
Badaruddin is born on 23 September 1942, at Kampong Burong Pingai Ayer. He obtained a master's degree in Islamic legal policy from Al-Azhar University in Egypt between 1968 and 1971. He also attended the Pekan Brunei Malay School between 1950 and 1956, Kolej Islam Malaya in Klang, Selangor, between 1962 and 1967, and Al-Juned Arab School in Singapore between 1956 and 1961.

Political career 
Initially, Badaruddin was employed as a teacher in 1968, but later assigned by the Government of Brunei in 1971 as a Religious Officer, he later held positions as Superintendent of Information and Tabligh, Director of Information, Chief Information Officer, Director of Information, and Director of the Da'wah Islamiah Center. He began his career with the government in 1971. From August 1986 to March 1987, he then served as High Commissioner in Papua New Guinea and Ambassador to Indonesia. From 1 January 1989 to 1999, he served as the Prime Minister's Department's Permanent Secretary. In 1994, the government was concerned over foreign TV broadcasts would have on the values of the nation. In response, he stated during a broadcasters' training session that Brunei needed to address the problem even if it was challenging to monitor international transmissions.

Badaruddin became a Member of the Public Service Commission and Acting Chairman of the Public Service Commission from 19 May 2001 to 23 May 2005. He was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs from 24 May 2005 to 28 May 2010, and later Minister of Home Affairs from 29 May 2010 to 21 October 2015. He urged the populace to immunize themselves against COVID-19 in order to protect themselves. He brought this up on 20 November 2021, in light of the relatively few MoRA employees and members of the general public who are reluctant to get immunized. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has granted permission for the Turkiye and Syria Earthquake Humanitarian Fund and the National Committee for Turkiye and Syria Earthquake Humanitarian Fund to be established in the wake of the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake. Badaruddin and Dato Nazmi Mohamad attended the committee meeting on February 14 at Digadong Hall in their capacity as special advisors.

Personal life 
Badaruddin is married and has six children; including Nabil Daraina.

Nabil Daraina and Ramzidah Abdul Rahman, a husband and wife team have been charged with 152 counts of corruption relating to stealing more than $7 million from Brunei's judicial system. Up until January 2018, they were both senior judges in Brunei's judicial system. Police detained them in relation to the theft of money from the Bankruptcy Office of the High Court. The funds were reportedly used to purchase high-end vehicles and other valuable items worth $3.2 million. Former Senior Magistrate Hj Nabil was charged with eight counts of money laundering; he was found guilty on six of them and exonerated on the other two owing to inadequate evidence.

Bibliography

Awards and honours 
Badaruddin holds the title of Yang Berhormat (The Honourable) Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia. Additionally, he has earned the following awards and honours;

Awards 

 Lee Kuan Yew Fellowship (1995)
 S.E.A Write Award (1998)
 Mastera Literary Award (1999)

Honours 

  Order of Islam Brunei First Class (PSSUB) – Dato Paduka Seri Setia (1998)
  Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei Second Class (DPMB) – Dato Paduka (1987)
  Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Medal (PHBS) (2010)
  Pingat Bakti Laila Ikhlas (PBLI) (2002)
  Meritorious Service Medal (PJK) (1998)
  Long Service Medal (PKL) (1999)
  Silver Jubilee Medal (5 October 1992)
  Proclamation of Independence Medal (1 January 1984)

References 

Living people
1942 births
Government ministers of Brunei
Al-Azhar University alumni
High Commissioners of Brunei to Papua New Guinea
Ambassadors of Brunei to Indonesia
Bruneian writers
Bruneian Muslims
Bruneian educators