Arya News - Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has awarded the 2026/2027 Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah “Sultan’s Scholar” scholarships to five top students, who will study medicine, engineering, urban planning, dentistry and Islamic studies at universities in the UK, Australia, Ireland and Egypt.
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, awarded the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Sultan’s Scholar 2026/2027 scholarship to five exceptional students during a ceremony at Istana Nurul Iman on Thursday.
Also in attendance were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Chairman of the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Committee of Governors; and His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The five recipients of the prestigious Sultan’s Scholar 2026/2027 scholarship are Dayangku Nurul Fadhlina Natasya binti Pengiran Haji Shahril Azman, a graduate of Sekolah Tinggi Arab Hassanal Bolkiah, who will pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Syariah Islamiyyah (BA Syariah Islamiyyah) at Al-Azhar University, Egypt; Lee Jing Jing, a graduate of Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College, who will pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Dental Science at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; Syed Abd Rahman bin Syed Azmal, a graduate of Jerudong International School (JIS), who will pursue a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Syasya Amalyna binti Haji Mohamad Saiful Bahrin, a JIS graduate, who will pursue a Bachelor of Medicine MBChB at the University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom; and Farah Alyah binti Abdul Rahman, a JIS graduate, who will pursue a Bachelor of Science in Urban Planning and Real Estate at University College London, United Kingdom.
State Mufti Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abd Aziz bin Juned recited Doa Selamat.
His Majesty and members of the royal family also graciously took the opportunity to mingle with the recipients of the ‘Sultan’s Scholar’ Scholarship Award.
Before departing the event, His Majesty joined the ‘Sultan’s Scholar’ Scholarship Award recipients for a group photograph.
Also present at the ceremony were members of the Board of Trustees of Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah; the Chairman and members of the Board of Directors of Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah; members of the Steering Committee for the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah ‘Sultan’s Scholar’ Scholarship Scheme; permanent secretaries and deputy permanent secretaries from the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Religious Affairs; senior officers from government departments and officers from Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah; ‘Sultan’s Scholar’ alumni; and principals from sixth-form institutions across the country.
The recipients signed their scholarship agreements on Thursday at An-Naura Hall, Level 2, of Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex in the heart of the capital, after the awarding ceremony at Istana Nurul Iman.
Minister of Education Datin Seri Setia Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, the guest of honour, witnessed the signing.
The scholarship recipients were each accompanied by two guarantors comprising their parents or immediate family members.
Meanwhile, a recipient of the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah ‘Sultan’s Scholar’ Scholarship Award for the 2022/2023 academic session Haji Mohammad Wajdi bin Mohammad Ja’afar, who will be pursuing his Master’s degree, also signed the agreement during the ceremony.
Haji Mohammad Wajdi has completed his Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering at the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, and will pursue a Master of Science in General Structural Engineering at Imperial College London, United Kingdom.
Signing the agreements on behalf of Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah were Deputy Minister of Development and Acting Managing Director of Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Datin Seri Paduka Dr Nor Imtihan binti Haji Abdul Razak with Assistant Managing Director of Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Major (Rtd) Awang Sopian bin Haji Mohammad Yassin.
In line with one of the main goals of Brunei Vision 2035 to produce a well-educated and highly skilled population with a high quality of life, the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah ‘Sultan’s Scholar’ Scholarship Scheme serves as a human capacity development programme aimed at nurturing the next generation of leaders who will serve the interests of religion, nation, monarchy and country, while contributing to the country’s socio-economic development.