Cablegate: Sultan's Son to Be Made Crown Prince

R 300929Z MAR 98
FM AMEMBASSY BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7707
INFO ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS

UNCLAS BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 000209

DEPT FOR EAP/PIMBS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL BX
SUBJECT: SULTAN'S SON TO BE MADE CROWN PRINCE

1. AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE PRIME MINISTER'S
OFFICE ON THURSDAY, MARCH 26, STATED THAT THE
SULTAN'S ELDEST SON, PRINCE AL-MUHTADEE
BILLAH, WILL BE CROWNED "PUTERA MAKHOTA" OR
CROWN PRINCE, AT A CEREMONY TO BE HELD IN
AUGUST.

2. THE CEREMONY IS EXPECTED TO BE LARGE AND
LAVISH, STEEPED IN TRADITION, WITH A
PROCESSION THROUGH THE TOWN CENTER, AND
GUESTS FROM ASEAN AND AROUND THE NORLD WILL
BE INVITED TO ATTEND.

3. COMMENT. WHILE THE CONFERRING OF THE
TITLE "PUTERA MAKHOTA" ON PRINCE BILLAH BY
SULTAN HASSNAL BOLKIAH CONFIRMS THAT BILLAR
WILL SUCCEED HIM, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO
INDICATION THAT THE SULTAN INTENDS TO
ABDICATE IN BILLAH'S FAVOR, A PRECEDENT SET
BY THE SULTAN'S OWN FATHER, SULTAN OMAR ALI
SAIFUDDIEN, WHO STEPPED DOWN IN 1967. MOST
BRUNELANS BELIEVE THAT THE SULTAN WILL
CONTINUE TO REIGN FOR MANY YEARS TO COME, BUT
THAT PRINCE BILLAH WILL BEGIN TO REPRESENT
THE SULTAN AT SOME OF HIS MANY OFFICIAL
ENGAGEMENTS WITHIN BRUNEI. END COMMENT.

RASE

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