Hamdillah Abdul Wahab Explained

Honorific Prefix:Dato Paduka
Hamdillah Abdul Wahab
Honorific-Suffix:DPMB SNB
Office1:Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources
Term Start1:24 May 2005
Term End1:29 May 2010
Minister1:Ahmad Jumat
Yahya Bakar
Predecessor1:Office established
Successor1:Office abolished
Monarch1:Hassanal Bolkiah
Occupation:Politician and engineer
Education:Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien College
Alma Mater:McGill University (BEng)

Dato Paduka Haji Hamdillah bin Haji Abdul Wahab is a Bruneian politician and engineer who became the deputy minister at the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources from 2005 to 2010. He is also the founding president of the Brunei Energy Association (BEnA) and the Brunei-Japan Friendship (BJFA).[1] [2]

Education

Dato Hamdillah graduated from McGill University in Montreal in 1974 with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He had positions as a plant technician at the Shell Stanlow Refinery in the United Kingdom, a technical advisor at the Shell International Head Office in Den Haag, a research assistant at the Pulp & Paper Research Institute at McGill University, and plant manager at the Shell Pernis Refinery in Rotterdam, Holland.[3]

Early career

At Brunei LNG (BLNG), Brunei Shell Funds, Brunei Shell Petroleum, and Brunei Shell Tankers, Dato Hamdillah held the position of director of the board. He also served on the steering committee of the Brunei Gas Masterplan, a member of the Belait Municipal Council, was a member of the Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) council, and was an advisor to ketua kampung of Kampong Lumut under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

At BLNG, he served as CEO. In November 2000, he chaired the APEC CEO Summit, E-Trade Fair, and SME Business Forum. He served as the co-chair of the SME Informal Caucus in 2000, the SME Committee in 1997, and an ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC) member from 1996 to 2000.

Political career

On 24 May 2005, Dato Hamdillah was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, under Ahmad Jumat.[4] He became the first private sector employee to be appointed to a government position. He acts as the representative minister while the minister is absent or on leave.[5] Despite the strong trade numbers between ASEM (Asia–Europe Meeting) member nations, he stated there was still more space for development in September 2005.[6]

Despite holding a ministerial position in the ministry, Dato Hamdillah would also become the chairman of the Brunei HoB National Council. He highlighted the necessity of completing the paper that outlined the institutional structures and procedures that would govern the HoB Initiative. He pointed out that similarly sustainable money was necessary for the HoB's sustainable development. In order to achieve the shared goals, "our friends from the World Wildlife Fund will be assisting us to develop a long term financing scheme," he stated.[7]

Other works

Following his tenure with the Brunei government, he was reported to have transitioned into a regional businessman with a plethora of industry interests.[8]

The Brunei Japan Friendship Association (BJFA) chose Dato Hamdillah as its president. The BJFA has placed a renewed focus on volunteerism, business, and youth development under his direction.[9] He and the Japanese ambassador would often provide encouraging messages to visiting Japanese high school and university students.[10] In July 2018, he also gave an overview of JBFA's initiatives to strengthen ties between Brunei and Japan, including a one-week study tour to Japan for Bruneian university students interested in industry and culture.[11]

Personal life

Dato Hamdillah have a sibling named Dato Paduka Haji Mohammad Alimin,[12] chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA).[13] According to what his brother said in an interview with Inspire, his family was deeply religious. Their mother would ensure that they had to abide by the regulations. In addition, Mohammad Alimin said that their father, Abdul Wahab, did not spend enough time with them throughout their formative years since it was an acknowledgement of his own limitations, which included his inability to read and write and the trouble he had signing his name.

Honours

Dato Hamdillah is known to be awarded the following honours:

National

Foreign

References

  1. Web site: 2018-07-24 . Mr. Michiaki HIROSE (Chairman of TOKYO GAS CO.,LTD.) newly appointed Chairman of the Japan Brunei Friendship Association visits Brunei . 2024-02-16 . www.bn.emb-japan.go.jp.
  2. Web site: BJFA - Our Team . 2024-02-16 . www.bruneijapan.org . en-US.
  3. National Business Conference 2005 in Brunei
  4. Web site: Aemy Azlena . Sonia K . 2007-05-25 . Crown Prince visits Brunei's industrial areas . 2024-02-16 . sultanate.com.
  5. Web site: 2009-06-08 . US eatery looks to source from Brunei . 2024-02-16 . www.intrafish.com . en.
  6. Web site: 2005 . Entrepreneurial Boost for Asia, Europe Trade . 2024-02-16 . asef.org.
  7. Web site: 2010 . Heart of Borneo . 2024-02-16 . wwfint.awsassets.panda.org . 4.
  8. Web site: 2011-11-13 . Convergence 2011. From Success to Significance . 2024-02-16 . anakbrunei.org . en-US.
  9. Web site: BJFA . 2024-02-16 . www.bruneijapan.org . en-US.
  10. Web site: 2017-08-10 . Courtesy call by students from Wakayama prefecture and BJFA members . 2024-02-16 . www.bn.emb-japan.go.jp.
  11. Web site: Brunei, Japan seek to further boost bilateral ties . 2024-02-16 . borneo363.rssing.com.
  12. Web site: 2016-01-11 . Interview with Dato Alimin Wahab . 2024-02-16 . YES Inspire Magazines . en.
  13. Web site: Dato Paduka Haji Mohammad Alimin bin Haji Abdul Wahab, and Pehin Dato Haji Ahmad Wally Skinner Aviation Week Network . 2024-02-16 . aviationweek.com.
  14. Web site: 2013-11-06 . Pehin Dato Lim Jock Seng and Dato Paduka Hamdillah Receive Japanese Decorations . 2023-12-26 . Embassy of Japan in Brunei.