On October 5, 2017 Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah (71), kicked off the celebration of his 50-year-rule of the oil-rich nation. After the passing of the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Hassanal has become the second longest reigning monarch after United Kingdom's revered Queen Elizabeth II – who has reigned for 66 years to date. He ascended to the throne in 1967.
The peaceful and harmonious ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nation) member state sprung to life in this momentous golden jubilee celebration which saw Hassanal riding on an ornately decorated golden royal chariot pulled by 50 royal guards through the capital city – Bandar Seri Begawan. His appearance was greeted by large crowds of Bruneians who had been waiting for hours under the infamously hot and humid tropical climate to meet the sultan in person as they cheered and waved to their revered ruler. The Straits Times reported many had come as early as 3am to secure their spot along the three kilometres procession route. Meanwhile, others were present to catch a glimpse of the charming 26-year-old Prince Abdul Mateen, who is sixth in line to the throne. Mateen recently participated in the 29th Kuala Lumpur SEA Games in the equestrian polo event.
"The King's duty is to be fair to the people, and it is the duty of the people to be loyal to the King. The King is responsible to know the ups and downs of his people while the people must be sympathetic to the King," Hassanal said. "This is the principle of the life here which has been in existence for 600 years."
Well-wishers from all around the world congratulated Hassanal through social media. Sourced from Twitter.
On the same day, well-wishers across the world took to social media to congratulate Hassanal. The TRT (Turkish Radio and Television Corporation) tweeted, "Golden Jubilee Celebration in Brunei, marking Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah's 50 years in power as the 29th Sultan of Brunei," along with pictures of the grand procession.
In another tweet on social media platform Twitter, Filipino Bob Reyes said, "Friends in Brunei: Mabuhay on the 50th anniversary of the accession to the throne of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah!"
High Commissioner of India to Brunei, Nagma Mallick expressed, "under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty, Brunei Darussalam has become one of the most prosperous and peaceful countries in the world. Brunei continues to stride ahead in the economic and social sectors."
Other head of states and prominent figures including Malaysian Prime Minister Naijb Razak, Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Myanmar's De Facto Leader Aung San Suu Kyi, will also be gathering in Brunei for a banquet today.
List of prominent guests and head of states who will be attending a banquet that will be held in Brunei on October 6, 2017.
Under Hassanal's rule, Brunei has gained full independence from the British Empire and the tiny ASEAN nation has some of the world's highest living standards. Brunei's per capita GDP (gross domestic product) remains among the highest in the world due to its rich energy reserves, the government and government-linked institutions provide most employment, and its approximately 400,000 citizens enjoy generous state benefits as reported by AFP (Agence France-Presse).
(Melissa Chin contributed to this article.)