ROYAL BRUNEI LAND FORCE LEADERSHIP

COMMANDER OF THE ROYAL BRUNEI LAND FORCES

​​​​BRIGADIER GENERAL ALDI BIN HAJI HASSAN
S.M.B., P.S.B., P.J.K., psc (j)
COMMANDER OF THE ROYAL BRUNEI LAND FORCES

Brigadier General Aldi bin Haji Hassan was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in October 1998 after completing his Officer Cadet Training at the SAFTI Military Institute (SAFTI MI), Republic of Singapore, in October 1997. He began his military career as the Platoon Commander of ‘A’ Company, First Battalion Royal Brunei Land Forces.

Over the course of his military service, Brigadier General Aldi has held various key command and staff appointments. These include Officer Commanding of the Special Task Platoon 1Bn RBLF, Staff Officer Grade 3 Training at RBLF Headquarters, Second-in-Command of Courses Company at the Training Centre RBAF, Officer Commanding of the Officer Cadet School RBAF, and Officer Commanding of C Company 1Bn RBLF. He was later appointed Officer Commanding of the School of Infantry at the Training Institute RBAF and subsequently served as the Acting Chief Instructor of the same institute. His leadership capability continued to be recognised when he was appointed as the Commanding Officer of 1Bn RBLF, followed by a staff appointment as Assistant Chief of Staff Admin at RBLF. He then served as Deputy Commandant of the Training Institute RBAF, Chief of Staff of the Royal Brunei Land Forces, and later, Chief of Staff at Joint Force Headquarters RBAF. In September 2024, Brigadier General​ Aldi was appointed as Deputy Joint Force Commander and subsequently served as the Acting Joint Force Commander starting 11 January 2025 until 31 July 2025. On 1 August 2025, he officially assumed the appointment as the 15th Commander of the Royal Brunei Land Forces.

Brigadier General Aldi’s international operational experience includes serving in the International Monitoring Team in Mindanao, Republic of the Philippines, from 2004 until 2005 as part of the Brunei Contingent. Upon returning from the mission, he was conferred with the Pingat Jasa Kebaktian – Meritorious Service Medal. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel on 30 October 2015 and to the rank of Colonel in July 2023.

Throughout his career, Brigadier General Aldi has attended numerous military courses locally and abroad. These include the Platoon Commander Course at Pusat Latihan Tentera Darat (PULADA), Malaysia in 2000, the Light Role Reconnaissance Commander Course at the School of Infantry, Warminster, United Kingdom in 2001, the Jungle Warfare Tracking Instructor Course at Training Team Brunei, Seria in 2002, the Company Tactics Course (Kursus Komandan Kompi, SUSDANKI) at Pusat Pendidikan Infantri (PUSNIKIF) in Bandung, Indonesia in 2009, the Battalion Tactics Course at SAFTI MI, Singapore in 2011, and the Command and Staff Course at the Defence Academy RBAF in 2013. He also completed the Executive Development Programme at the Ministry of Defence, Brunei Darussalam, in 2017 and attended the Program Pendidikan Regular Angkatan (PPRA) at the Lembaga Ketahanan Nasional Republik Indonesia (LEMHANNAS RI) in January 2024.

In recognition of his exemplary service, Brigadier General Aldi was awarded the Most Blessed Order of Setia Negara Brunei, Fourth Class in 2019 and the Most Honourable Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei, Third Class in 2023 by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.

Brigadier General​ Aldi is an all-around sportsman and a golf enthusiast. He is married to Dayangku Noor Hafidzah binti Pengiran Haji Ahmad and is blessed with four sons and three daughters.​

DEPUTY COMMANDER OF THE ROYAL BRUNEI LAND FORCES

​​​​COLONEL​ MUHAMMAD WATA BIN ABDULLAH AWAT

Colonel Muhammad Wata bin Abdullah Awat began his military career when he enlisted as a recruit in Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) on 8 April 1996, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 18 October 1996. 

Throughout his service, he has held various appointments such as Platoon Commander at Second Battalion Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF), Mortar Platoon Commander at Third Battalion RBLF, Officer in Command of Second Battalion RBLF, Second-in-Command of Second Battalion RBLF and later as the Commanding Officer of Second Battalion RBLF.

Colonel Muhammad Wata represented RBAF as part of an International Monitoring Team in Mindanao, Republic of the Philippines from 01 September 2006 until 24 September 2007, and later had the opportunity to be appointed as a Defence Attaché in the Republic of the Philippines from 2017 unitl 2020. Upon returning to Brunei Darussalam, Colonel Muhammad Wata was appointed as the Director of Personnel, Directorate of Personnel at the Ministry of Defence. As of 20 October 2022, he took command as Deputy Commander of Royal Brunei Land Force.

He has, amongst others, attended courses and seminars both locally and overseas which includes the Platoon Commander Battle Course in United Kingdom, the 109th Basic Airborne in Singapore in 1998, 81mm Mortar Platoon Commander Course in United Kingdom, Grade 2 Command and Staff Course in Australia in 2010, Command and Staff Course in 2012 and the 13th Executive Development Program on Public Policy and Management in 2016.

Colonel Muhammad Wata is married to Lieutenant Colonel Siti Norlelawati binti Hj Emran and is blessed with three daughters and one son. He is an avid sportsman, playing badminton, football, volleyball, and particularly enjoys fishing.​​​

FIELD COMMANDER OF THE ROYAL BRUNEI LAND FORCES

COLONEL​ MOHAMMAD FAKARUDDIN ZURAIDIE BIN HAJI RAMLI

Colonel Mohammad Fakaruddin Zuraidie bin Haji Ramli was born on 31 March 1977. He began his career in the Infantry as a Platoon Commander in ‘C’ Company, Third Battalion, Royal Brunei Land Force (3Bn RBLF) after commissioning in 2000 at the Royal Military Academy Sandurst, United Kingdom. After which, he successfully completed the Special Forces Regiment (SFR) selection and served as a Troop Leader in September 2002.

Throughout his career, Colonel Zuraidie spent much of his service in the SFR holding various command and staff appointments within the unit, ultimately as the Commanding Officer from September 2016 to December 2018. He also served as Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations, RBLF before being deployed to represent the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) as part of the International Monitoring Team (IMT-M17) in the Republic of Philippines as the Team Site Leader from October 2020 until April 2022. He was then appointed as the Deputy Commandant of Training Institute RBAF until June 2023 after which he took command as the second Field Commander of RBLF.

Colonel Zuraidie has attended various professional courses and seminars locally and abroad pertaining to Special Operations. Pertinent courses relevant to current appointment among others are Platoon Commander Course in 2001 (Brunei), 38th Company Tactics in 2010 (Singapore), 19th Advanced Infantry Officers in 2010 (Singapore), Battalion Tactics Course in 2012 (Singapore), 4th Command and Staff Course in 2014 (Brunei) and Executive Development Programme for Senior Government Officers in 2017 (Brunei).  He received his MA in International Security from Massey University, New Zealand in May 2016. He also attended Indonesian Armed Forces Command and Staff College (2024).

In recognition of his service, Colonel Zuraidie was awarded the Excellent Service Medals in 2010 (PIKB), Golden Jubilee Medal (2011), Long Service Medal and Good Conduct in 2016 (PKLPB), Meritorious Service Medal (2024) and The Most Blessed Order of Setia Negara Brunei, Fourth Class (PSB) for his representation in the International Monitoring Team and his contribution in strengthening Defence Diplomacy between Brunei, Malaysia and the Republic of the Philippines as well as peace efforts in Mindanao through his active involvement. Colonel Zuraidie has also been awarded various medals from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Colonel Zuraidie enjoys Mountain Biking in his free time and has participated in various Mountain Biking International events abroad.

CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ROYAL BRUNEI LAND FORCES

​COLONEL ERWAN BIN HAJI IBRAHIM

Colonel Erwan bin Haji Ibrahim assumed the role as Chief of Staff Royal Brunei Land Force on 04 December 2023. He was a graduate in Architectural Studies and was enlisted to the Royal Brunei Armed Forces on 30 August 1999. After graduating from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, United Kingdom in 2000 he held his first military appointment as a Platoon Commander, Alpha Company, 1Bn Royal Brunei Land Force.

From 2003 to 2005 he was serving with the Combat Engineers as Troop Commander and Second in Command of the Squadron. He was trained by the Royal Engineers in the UK, undertaking, Troop Commander Course and International Search Advisor Course. During his tour with the Combat Engineers, he had the opportunity to join Operations Badai Berlalu which was a disaster relief operations for the Tsunami Aftermath in Aceh in 2005.

Afterwards he was posted to the Ministry of Defence with various responsibilities which among others were to set up the Office of Strategy Management. Besides overlooking the performance of the organisation, his other responsibilities include as the scholarship officer for the Ministry of Defence Scholarship Scheme and as a coordinator for the Executive Development Programme. He then had the experience of setting up a new outfit the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (SHHBIDSS).

In 2008 he had the opportunity to further his studies at the Fudan University in Shanghai China, undertaking Masters in Business Administration. After graduating he was then heading the Office of Strategy Management in 2010. Two years later he was posted to command the Chemical Biological Radiological and Explosive unit and was sent to Singapore to attend the CBRE Defence Advisor course. Subsequently, he was appointed as the SO2 Inspectorate Unit of the Royal Brunei Land Forces (RBLF). In 2015, he took on the role of the head of the Doctrine Unit within RBLF. By 2017, he was appointed as the Commanding Officer of the Third Battalion (3Bn RBLF). Following this, he assumed the position of Staff Officer Grade 1 (Land) at the Directorate of Force Capability Development.

Despite his growing interest in golf and an avid photographer, he spends most of his time with his family.[EE1]  Married to an Occupational Therapist, Hajah Neza Ariyanti binti Abdul Rahman and blessed with three daughters and two sons.

COMMANDANT COMBAT SERVICE SUPPORT OF THE ROYAL BRUNEI LAND FORCES

​​LIEUTENANT COLONEL AZHAR BIN MATZAN

Lieutenant Colonel Azhar bin Matzan graduated from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology with B.A (Hons) in Economics and Finance.  He began his military career when he enlisted into the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) in October 2003.  He is a second-generation cadet graduate from the Royal Military Academy of Sandhurst (RMAS) United Kingdom in 2005, where his late father had also graduated from the RMAS United Kingdom in 1973.  Upon his return, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant and was posted to Third Battalion Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF) where he was appointed as Platoon Commander, Alpha Company.

During his tour in Third Battalion RBLF, Lieutenant Colonel Azhar held the post of Platoon Commander, Alpha Company, and was subsequently appointed as Second In Command of Alpha Company Third Battalion RBLF where he stayed until 2009.  In late 2009, Lieutenant Colonel Azhar was appointed as the Quartermaster Officer of Support Battalion RBLF and held various appointments after, including Officer In Charge Store-Sub Depot Logistics Depot Combat Service Support (CSS RBLF), Staff Officer Grade 2, Logistics Office (G4) RBLF Headquarters, Second-In-Command Logistics Depot CSS RBLF and as Commanding Officer, Logistics Depot CSS RBLF in July 2018. He assumed the appointment as the Deputy Commandant Combat Service Support on 01 November 2021 and is currently appointed as Commandant Combat Service Support on 01 March 2023.

Throughout his service, Lieutenant Colonel Azhar has attended various military courses including Platoon Commander Course, Range Management Course, Junior Staff Course, Basic Logistics Course in Australia, Advance Logistics Course in Singapore and most recently in 2016, he attended the 47th Goh Keng Swee Command and Staff College in SAFTI Military Institute, Singapore and graduated with a Diploma in Organisational Leadership.

Lieutenant Colonel Azhar is blessed with three beautiful children, Alya, Hakeem and Arianna. In his spare time, he loves to travel with his family and enjoys playing sports, particularly badminton.​​

CHIEF MEDICAL SERVICES OF THE ROYAL BRUNEI LAND FORCES

COLONEL (DOCTOR) UMMI SUZEYANNA BINTI HAJI JOHARI

Colonel (Doctor) Ummi Suzeyanna binti Haji Johari has been appointed as the 9th Chief Medical Services on 06 May 2024 and is the first woman to assume the post. She underwent her medical training at the University of Queensland, Australia and graduated with Bachelor of Biomedical Science in 2004 and Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in 2008. She completed her Postgraduate Year 1 training in Mackay Base Hospital, Queensland in 2009. She began her career in the Royal Brunei Armed Forces when she was commissioned as a cadet at the Officer Cadet School in Sungai Akar Camp on 30 April 2010. She was promoted to Captain on 27 August 2010.​

 Colonel (Dr) Ummi began her service as a Medical Officer for the Medical Services, Royal Brunei Land Force at Medical Reception Station (MRS) Berakas Garrison in September 2010. She attended the Medical Officer Cadet Course at Singapore Armed Forces Military Training Institute from 01 November 2010 to 30 January 2011. She then underwent her Postgraduate Year 2 training in Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital in Brunei Darussalam from 05 March 2012 till 03 March 2013. Shortly after, she continued on with her medical training with the General Practitioner Vocational Training Scheme and was promoted to Major on 28 July 2014.

She continued her tour as Medical Officer in MRS Bolkiah Garrison and graduated with Master of Science in Primary Health Care in 2016. She was posted to MRS Tutong Camp in 2017 and then promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on 06 December 2019. In 2021, she attended the 16th Executive Development Program for Senior Government Officials and continued with her medical officer duties at MRS Penanjong Garrison. Colonel (Dr) Ummi was awarded The Excellent Service Medal (P.I.K.B.) in 2022 by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam. She was appointed as the Deputy Chief Medical Services (Clinical) on 12 June 2023.

Colonel (Dr) Ummi was born on 26 January 1983. She is married to Pengiran Ashrin bin Pengiran Mohd Zaidi and is blessed with three children. Colonel (Dr) Ummi prefers hiking and outdoor photography in her spare time.

CHIEF DENTAL SERVICE OF THE ROYAL BRUNEI LAND FORCES


COLONEL DR JEFRI BIN HAJI ABDUL RAZAK 

Colonel Dr Jefri bin Haji Abdul Razak was born on 5 March 1975. After having completed his secondary and tertiary education in the UK, he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Dentistry from King’s College London in 1998 and served as a Dental Officer at the Ministry of Health, Brunei Darussalam for a year. He was commissioned into the RBAF as a Captain on 3 November 1999 as the first local Bruneian Regimental Dental Officer (RDO).

He underwent his initial officer training at the RBAF Training Institute and later on proceeded with his cadet training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and the Defence Medical Services Training Centre Aldershot, UK for six months. He predominantly served as RDO for the Dental Centre in Berakas Garison and attended the Senior Command and Staff Course in Singapore in 2007. In December 2007, he was appointed as the Chief Dental Officer of Dental Services RBAF, the first local Bruneian to have done so in the organisation’s 35-year history. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 2008 and on 19 February 2016 with the consent of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Negara Brunei Darussalam, he was promoted to Colonel.

Beyond the various military and dental short courses, workshops and seminars locally and abroad, Colonel Dr Jefri had the opportunity to undergo his dental postgraduate training in 2011 and successfully attained a Masters Degree (with Merit) in Dental Public Health from King’s College London, UK as well as a Diploma in Dental Public Health from the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 2012. He has also attended the 10th Executive Development Programme at the Ministry of Defence, Brunei Darussalam in 2013 and the 44th Stanford-NUS Executive Program in International Management at National University Singapore in 2024.

Professionally, Col Dr Jefri is an appointed member of the Interim Dental Council of Brunei Darussalam and contributes to the conduct of Dental Programmes at University Brunei Darussalam, Brunei Polytechnic and the Institute of Brunei Technical Education. Internationally, he has the honour of having been elected as Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Section of Defence Forces Dental Services under the FDI World Dental Federation in 2023, coordinating annual meetings of military dentists worldwide.

In recognition of his service, Colonel Dr Jefri was awarded The Most Honourable Order of Setia Negara Brunei 4th Class (PSB) in 2014 and The Most Honourable Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei 3rd Class (SMB) in 2019 by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.

Colonel Dr Jefri is married to Riana Dewi binti Haji Aji and is blessed with five children. He enjoys maintaining health, wellness and personal fitness. ​

LAND FORCES SERGEANT MAJOR


FIRST WARRANT OFFICER MOHAMMAD HASWANDI BIN HAJI PAUN 

First Warrant Officer Mohammad Haswandi bin Haji Paun was born on 20th September 1978. He was enlisted in the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) on 8th April 1996 and underwent six months of recruit training. On 2nd January 1997, he was assigned as a Rifleman at A Company, First Battalion, Royal Brunei Land Forces (1Bn RBLF). 
Throughout his career, First Warrant Officer Mohammad Haswandi attended various courses such as 2IC Section Commander course on 28th July 1998 leading to his promotion to Lance Corporal. In the following year, he attended GPMG Commander Course in April 2000 and Infantry Small Arm Coaching in March 2003 at School Infantry Weapon in Singapore, Section Commander Course on 5th July 2002 as well as Weapon Coaching and Instructor Course on 18th February 2005, Drill instructor on 12th February 2004. He was later promoted to Corporal on 12th October 2001. 
First Warrant Officer Mohammad Haswandi also attended Platoon Sergeant Course and began his career as Platoon Sergeant in B Company, 1Bn RBLF before being promoted to Sergeant on 1st October 2008. He also attended Range Management Course and Company Sergeant Mejar Course at School of Infantry RBLF. He served as an Instructor at the Recruit company, Training Institute RBAF from 2006 to 2010. He promoted to Staff Sergeant on 16th August 2013 and was appointed as Company Quarter Master B Company, 1Bn RBLF. 
In 2014, First Warrant Officer Mohammad Haswandi was selected as a member of the Malaysian Battalion (850-12) to serve in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), where he held the role of Troop Sergeant. He was promoted to Warrant Officer 2 on 22nd June 2017 and since then had been appointed as the Company Sergeant Major for B Company, D Company, and Command Company, 1Bn RBLF. On 1st December 2020, he was appointed as Drill Sergeant Major at 1Bn RBLF. In December 2021, after being promoted to Warrant Officer 1, he was appointed Regiment Sergeant Major of the 1st Battalion RBLF for a two-year term. On 4th November 2023, he was appointed as the Field Sergeant Major at Field Headquarters, RBLF, and is set to assume the position of Land Forces Sergeant Major on 3rd February 2025.
First Warrant Officer Mohammad Haswandi was awarded General Service Medal (GSM) in 1997, RBAF Golden Jubilee Medal in 2011, United Nations Peacekeeping Medal in 2015, Pahlawan Periwara (PP) in 2018  and The Most Blessed Order of Setia Negara Brunei (PSB) in 2023 .
He is married with three children and enjoys playing golf and hiking.