Hassanal Bolkiah carried out the fifth reshuffle of his government on 22 October 2015, replacing nine cabinet ministers. The announcement was delivered during a televised speech at 2:20 pm. The previous cabinet had been reshuffled in 2010 for a five-year term, followed by the next one in 2018.
Most notably, the sultan appointed himself as minister of trade and foreign affairs, a role previously held by his brother, Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, since 1984. The 2015 cabinet reshuffle further consolidated the sultan's authority, with him taking over the foreign affairs and trade portfolio following his brother's retirement. Simultaneously, the sultan retained control of key portfolios, including finance, defence, and the prime ministership. This reorganisation represented a significant step in centralising power within the monarchy, with Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah being the only remaining direct member of the royal family in the new administration as the senior minister at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
A possible reason for the cabinet reshuffle could be the sultan's emphasis on the importance of effective governance in fostering the nation's gratitude. During the televised announcement, he highlighted the critical role of the government and its machinery—comprising leaders, officials, and employees—stating that justice is the cornerstone of all good deeds. The sultan warned that without justice, welfare and blessings would inevitably diminish, which could have influenced his decision to reorganise the cabinet and reinforce the centralisation of power.
On 26 October 2015, members of the newly formed cabinet were sworn in for a five-year term during a ceremony at the palace. Three days later, on 29 October, the sultan chaired the first cabinet meeting following the reshuffle, which was also held at the palace.
Cabinet-level changes Colour key Minister Position before reshuffle Result of reshuffleBahrin AbdullahDeputy Minister of FinanceBecame Minister of Development Hazair Abdullah Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Left the governmentAbu Bakar ApongMinister of EducationBecame Minister of Home AffairsAli ApongDeputy Minister at the Prime Minister's OfficeBecame Minister of Primary Resources and TourismAbdullah BakarMinister of CommunicationsLeft the governmentYahya BakarMinister of Primary Resources and TourismLeft the government Zulkarnain HanafiPermanent Secretary (Higher Education) at the Ministry of Education Became Minister of HealthHassanal BolkiahPrime Minister of BruneiMinister of DefenceMinister of FinancePrime Minister of BruneiMinister of DefenceMinister of FinanceMinister of Foreign AffairsAbdul Rahman IbrahimMinister of Finance IIBecame Minister of Finance II and Minister at the Prime Minister's OfficeLim Jock SengMinister of Foreign Affairs and Trade IIBecame Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade II and Minister at the Prime Minister's Office Prince Mohamed Bolkiah Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Left the government Halbi Mohammad YussofDeputy Minister of Home AffairsBecame Minister of Culture, Youth and SportsSuyoi OsmanMinister of DevelopmentBecame Minister of Education Badaruddin Othman Minister of Home Affairs Became Minister of Religious Affairs Pengiran Mohammad Minister of Religious Affairs Left the governmentMustappa SiratDeputy Minister of DefenceBecame Minister of CommunicationsAdanan YusofMinister of HealthLeft the government
Junior ministerial changes Colour key Minister Position before reshuffle Result of reshuffleHamdan Abu BakarPermanent Secretary (Security and Enforcement) at the Prime Minister's OfficeBecame Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister's OfficeAmin Liew AbdullahFinance and Business Development Director of Progen HoldingsBecame Deputy Minister of FinanceAbdul Mokti DaudAmbassador of Brunei to Saudi ArabiaBecame Deputy Minister of Religious AffairsRoselan DaudPermanent Secretary at the Prime Minister's OfficeBecame Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister's OfficeSuhaimi GafarPermanent Secretary (Technical and Professional) at the Minister of DevelopmentBecame Deputy Minister of DevelopmentYusoff IsmailDeputy Minister of EducationLeft the governmentAbdul Wahab JunedDeputy Minister at the Prime Minister's OfficeLeft the governmentHisham HanifahPermanent Secretary (Policy and Investment) at the Ministry of FinanceBecame Deputy Minister of FinanceAbdul Aziz Mohd TamitCommander of the Royal Brunei NavyBecame Deputy Minister of DefenceAdina OthmanDeputy Minister of Culture, Youth and SportsLeft the governmentPengiran BahromDeputy Minister of Religious AffairsBecame Deputy Minister of EducationErywan YusofPermanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and TradeBecame Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Later changes Between the 2015 and 2018 cabinet reshuffles, several minor changes were introduced. On 21 September 2017, the PMO announced that Kamaluddin Bungsu had been appointed permanent secretary, and Jamain Julaihi was named deputy minister (energy) and industry. Later, on 1 December 2017, Zulkarnain Hanafi was replaced as minister of health in a minor cabinet reshuffle, marking the first such change since 2015. A swearing-in ceremony for the new health minister, Isham Jaafar, whose appointment took effect on the same day as Zulkarnain's dismissal, was held at the palace on 4 December. Colour key Minister Position before reshuffle Result of reshuffle Effective fromJamain JulaihiPermanent Secretary (Downstream and Power) at the Prime Minister's OfficeBecame Deputy Minister (Energy) and Industry at the Prime Minister's Office21 September 2017Zulkarnain HanafiMinister of HealthLeft the government 1 December 2017Isham JaafarMedical Director of Jerudong Park Medical CentreBecame Minister of Health1 December 2017
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