National holiday: National Day, 23 February (1984)
Constitution: 29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984)
Legal system: based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic
Shari'a law supersedes civil law in a number of areas
Suffrage: none
Executive branch:
chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister His Majesty Paduka Seri
Baginda Sultan Haji HASSANAL Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah (since 5
October 1967); note—the monarch is both the chief of state and head
of government
head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister His Majesty Paduka
Seri Baginda Sultan Haji HASSANAL Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah
(since 5 October 1967); note—the monarch is both the chief of state
and head of government
cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by
the monarch; deals with executive matters
note: there is also a Religious Council (members appointed by the
monarch) that advises on religious matters, a Privy Council (members
appointed by the monarch) that deals with constitutional matters,
and the Council of Succession (members appointed by the monarch)
that determines the succession to the throne if the need arises
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council or Majlis Masyuarat Megeri (a privy council that serves only in a consultative capacity; NA seats; members appointed by the monarch) elections: last held in March 1962 note: in 1970 the Council was changed to an appointive body by decree of the monarch; an elected Legislative Council is being considered as part of constitutional reform, but elections are unlikely for several years
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chief justice and judges are sworn in by the monarch for three-year terms
Political parties and leaders: Brunei Solidarity National Party president]; the PPKB is the only legal political party in Brunei; it was registered in 1985, but became largely inactive after 1988; it has less than 200 registered party members; other parties include Brunei People's Party or PRB (banned in 1962) and Brunei National Democratic Party (registered in May 1985, deregistered by the Brunei Government in 1988)
International organization participation: APEC, ASEAN, C, CCC,
ESCAP, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato Haji PUTEH Ibni
Mohammad Alam
chancery: Watergate, Suite 300, 3rd floor, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20037