The Sultan, who is also Brunei's Minister of Defense and Supreme Commander of the RBAF, announced a major shake-up of the government one day earlier in a televised speech.

Six long-serving senior government ministers including Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Lim Jock Seng, Minister of Energy and Industry Mohammad Yasmin, and Abdul Rahman, the Second Finance Minister, were replaced.

Also on January 31, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Haji Awang Halbi was accredited as the Second Minister of Defence.-VNA