The ''Jabatan Adat Istiadat Negara'' ( abbrev: JAIN) is a

government department Ministry or department (also less commonly used secretariat, office, or directorate) are designations used by first-level Executive (government), executive bodies in the Machinery of government, machinery of governments that manage a specific se ...

under the Prime Minister's Office that functions to guarantee the constant maintenance of Royal Customs. It has been translated literally as the Office of State Customs, the Department of the State Customs or the State Department of Customs and Traditions, even though it does not have an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

name. In order to guarantee that the practice and implementation, particularly the (Royal Ceremonies), are always in accordance with the

philosophy Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...

Melayu Islam Beraja ( abbrev: MIB; Jawi: ; ) was officially proclaimed as the national philosophy of Brunei on the day of its independence on 1 January 1984 by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. MIB is described as "a blend of Malay language, culture, and Malay customs, t ...

preaching A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present contexts. E ...

and teaching the public through

lecture A lecture (from ) is an oral presentation intended to present information or teach people about a particular subject, for example by a university or college teacher. Lectures are used to convey critical information, history, background, theo ...

s, briefings, and workshops on (Customs) are regularly held.

History

On 1 July 1954, the (Department of Customs, Religious and Social Welfare) was founded. Its first offices were located at the General Office of the Royal Secretariat Building (now known as the Secretariat Building). With the consent of

Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien (Jawi script, Jawi: ; 23 September 1914 – 7 September 1986) was the 28th Sultan of Brunei, reigning from 1950 until his abdication in 1967 to his oldest son, Hassanal Bolkiah. Over the course of his ...

, the department was established with the royal appointment of Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam as the (Customs, Religious, and Social Welfare Officer). With the authority granted by the Brunei 1959 Constitution, the Religious Section became the Department of Religious Affairs on 29 September 1959, and Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Ali became its new head. The (Department of Customs and Social Welfare) was first founded in October 1961, as a result of the (Social Welfare Section) appointing Mohamed Salleh bin Haji Masri as its director, and the creation of the (Brunei Social Welfare Department). Since then, Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam has served as the Yang Di-Pertua Adat Istiadat Negara of the . Following the construction of the

Lapau The Lapau, also known as the Royal Ceremonial Hall, is a ceremonial hall in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. It is where the royal ceremonies, state investiture and some state events are traditionally held. It was the place where the present Sulta ...

in 1968, the (JAIN) relocated and took up temporary residence at the bottom of the structure. His son, Pengiran Anak Haji Mohammad Yusof, took over as head of JAIN on 1 December 1981. The development of the JAIN happened gradually under his direction. The

Sultan of Brunei The Sultan of Brunei is the monarchical head of state of Brunei and head of government in his capacity as prime minister of Brunei. Since independence from the British in 1984, only one sultan has reigned, though the royal institution dates bac ...

has been using JAIN since its founding, particularly when it comes to giving someone national honours. JAIN is currently housed in a permanent structure next to the Lapau. Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz's work and endeavours led to the foundation of this structure.

Functions and responsibilities

Any new addition or modification to Bahasa Dalam requires the approval of JAIN. Documentation is essential for the dissemination of Bahasa Dalam knowledge. It is advised that pertinent authorities, such the

Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (, Jawi: ), abbreviated DBP, is the government body responsible for coordinating the use of the Malay language and Malay-language literature in Malaysia. History DBP Malaysia was established as Balai Pustaka in Joh ...

, produce books with Bahasa Dalam glossaries with JAIN's assistance. The following are the roles and duties of JAIN: * To perform traditional and official national ceremonies as instructed, including His Majesty The Sultan's Birthday celebrations, royal weddings, crown prince announcements, opening ceremonies, and more. * To educate the populace and citizens of this nation about customs through lectures, workshops, briefings, and courses. * To write invitations, setting up seats, greeting visitors, and bringing in certain equipment to improve State and Ceremonial Councils. * To give guidance and support on protocol to government agencies,

non-governmental organisations A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...

(NGOs), and associations that work with customs. This includes advice on how to conduct the ceremony, how to use royal ornaments and instruments, how to arrange people in specific positions during the ceremony, and how to handle the departure of state dignitaries and members of the royal family. * To serve as

secretary A secretary, administrative assistant, executive assistant, personal secretary, or other similar titles is an individual whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, program evalu ...

for meetings of the Conference of Customs, the special committee for the arrangement of government officials' positions in the

public service A public service or service of general (economic) interest is any service intended to address the needs of aggregate members of a community, whether provided directly by a public sector agency, via public financing available to private busin ...

at official government meetings, and others as needed. * In charge of confirming that the design and dimensions of restricted goods, such as the government's and the royal family's personal

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

, individual flags, and the

flag of Brunei The national flag of Brunei holds deep historical and symbolic significance, reflecting the nation's royal heritage and unity. First introduced in 1906 when Brunei became a British protectorate, the flag originally featured the now-familiar yello ...

, are accurate when they are provided by certain parties. * To oversee and plan the activities of Title Granted Persons, including financial loan applications (

home A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or more human occupants, and sometimes various companion animals. Homes provide sheltered spaces, for instance rooms, where domestic activity can be p ...

auto loan Car finance refers to the various financial products which allow someone to acquire a car, including car loans and leases. History Car financing started with the General Motors Acceptance Corporation circa World War 1. Car purchases T ...

s), applications for exiting the nation, personal flag requirements, processing allowance awards during the Title Awarding Ceremony, processing title allowances, processing funeral allowances for deceased royal and aristocrats.

List of chiefs

The title of Chief (''Yang Di-Pertua'') of Adat Istiadat Negara was formally elevated to ministerial level on 6 May 2024. Only four individuals have held the title since 1954:

Adat Istiadat Council

Functions

The Adat Istiadat Council is to be established, as per the Customary Law and the 1959 Bruneian Constitution as amended in 2006. The

chairman The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the gro ...

and other members of the council are appointed by the

and will serve as long as the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan see fit. Furthermore, the Adat Istiadat Council () will have the authority to counsel both the Yang Di-Pertuan and His Majesty the Sultan on issues pertaining to the traditions of the .

Members

Meetings of the Adat Istiadat Council are usually held at the Bilik Mesyuarat West Wing of the Prime Minister's Office Building. Among other things, the Adat Istiadat Council is in charge of periodically monitoring the evolution of customs, taking appropriate action, and guaranteeing that customs are perfectly implemented in accordance with the ideal of maintaining their authenticity and integrity. Pengiran-Pengiran,

Cheteria The Cheteria are a group of noble dignitaries within the Brunei, Sultanate of Brunei whose position ranks below the Vizier, Wazir (Vizier) but above the Manteri. Each carry specialised tasks and report directly to the List of sultans of Brunei, Su ...

Cabinet Ministers A cabinet in governing is a group of people with the constitutional or legal task to rule a country or state, or advise a head of state, usually from the executive branch. Their members are known as ministers and secretaries and they are ...

, Council Members, the Royal Brunei Police Commissioner, the

Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces The Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces () is the professional head of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF). He is responsible for the overall management, administration, and the operational control of the entire military of Brunei. The c ...

, and Pehin-Pehin Manteri make up the members of the council. As for the 2024–2025 year, the members were:

References

{{Authority control Government of Brunei 1959 establishments in Brunei