Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah will undergo knee replacement surgery this weekend and is expected to spend between two and three months in recovery, according to an official statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday (Jan 13).
The 79-year-old monarch, one of the world’s longest-reigning rulers, will temporarily scale back his physical participation in national and official ceremonies during the recovery period to allow time for rest and physiotherapy. However, the statement stressed that Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah will continue to carry out his official duties throughout the period.
“His Majesty will limit his presence at official and national events during the recovery process,” the statement said, adding that the surgery is scheduled to take place in Brunei on Sunday. No further medical details were disclosed, but officials said the procedure was planned and routine.
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah ascended the throne in 1967 and has ruled the oil-rich Southeast Asian nation for nearly six decades. Over that time, he has consolidated power, holding multiple key positions simultaneously. In addition to being head of state, he serves as prime minister, minister of defence, minister of finance and economy, minister of foreign affairs, and commander of the armed forces.
Despite the concentration of authority, the sultan remains a highly respected and popular figure in Brunei, a small but wealthy nation of nearly half a million people on the island of Borneo. The country’s generous welfare system, funded largely by oil and gas revenues, has helped sustain public support for the monarchy.
Once widely regarded as the world’s wealthiest individual during the height of Brunei’s oil boom, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah continues to symbolise stability and continuity in the conservative Islamic monarchy. His public appearances and annual addresses are closely followed by citizens, and his health is a matter of national interest.
The announcement follows a brief hospitalisation in May last year, when the sultan was admitted to a hospital in Malaysia after experiencing fatigue while attending a summit of Southeast Asian leaders in Kuala Lumpur. He later resumed duties after medical observation.