© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Brunei Tuesday, on the first leg of his two-nation trip that will also include Singapore. He is the first Indian Prime Minister to travel to Brunei on a bilateral visit.
While embarking on the trip, Modi had expressed confidence in “advancing India’s historical ties with Brunei Darussalam and deepening its strategic partnership with Singapore”. Modi said he was looking forward to his meetings with Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and other members of the royal family to advance the historical relationship to new heights.
Haji Hassanal Bolkiah was coronated as the 29th Sultan of Brunei on August 1, 1968. His full title goes as His Majesty The Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.
He is the second-longest reigning monarch in the world after the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The British formally withdrew from Brunei on January 1, 1984 after having held the country as a protectorate for 95 years. After taking charge, Bolkiah began to create a native bureaucracy, cracked down on corruption and made frequent trips throughout the country to interact with citizens as well as to promote himself as ruler.
He is married to Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha and has five sons and seven daughters, according to the Prime Minister’s Office of Brunei Darussalam. Brunei has been ruled by the same royal family for 600 years, according to France 24.
Known for his extravagant lifestyle, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, with a net worth of $30 billion, has regularly featured at the top of lists of the world’s richest individuals.
He also possesses the world’s largest private car collection, valued at an estimated $5 billion, according to NDTV. He has over 7,000 luxurious vehicles in his collection, of which 600 are Rolls-Royce cars, earning him an official Guinness World Record.
Some notable mentions among his collection are: a Bentley Dominator SUV, a Porsche 911 with Horizon Blue paint and an X88 power package, and a 24-carat gold-plated Rolls-Royce Silver Spur II. One of his prized possessions also include a custom-designed Rolls-Royce with an open roof and an umbrella, lavishly designed with gold.
The Sultan has a private fleet of VIP aircraft since 1979, consisting of Boeing 747-8 (V8-BKH) Boeing 767-200 (V8-MHB) and Boeing 787-8 (V8-OAS), as well as helicopters such as Sikorsky S70 and S76.
The Istana Nurul Iman, the primary home of the Sultan, is the largest residential palace in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Built over two million square feet, the palace has golden domes, vaulted roof and almost 1,800 rooms, according to a France 24 report. The palace has five swimming pools, 257 baths, 110 garages and also a private zoo with 30 Bengal tigers and various bird species.
