Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – October 15, 1994

After the prayer I read the reports and wrote my memoirs. A group of the leaders of Islamic groups and scholars of Indonesia came. They were all wearing ties and with shaved beards and in non-clerical clothing. They introduced everyone and our ambassador gave a short speech. Then one of them, named Mr. Haj Hassan Masri, spoke and praised Iran and the Islamic Revolution. All of them are affiliated with the government. I gave them a detailed speech about paying more attention to the governmental and social aspect of Islam and attention to the unity of the Islamic world. Then the members of our embassy in Jakarta came with their families. I asked after them. Their children sang an anthem and they spoke about the problems of their children's high school.

We went to the Protocol Palace for the farewell ceremony. We had a short negotiation and spoke about OPEC's management and the necessity of raising oil prices. I emphasized Indonesia's purchase of oil from Iran, and he said Indonesia's refinery was built based on Iranian oil; we said goodbye.

Effat and the accompanying ladies also separately had a farewell ceremony with Mr. Suharto's family. The reception ceremony and the negotiations and the visits and the women's hospitality were separate, and Suharto's family had much affection and respect for our family and were impressed by our hospitality in Tehran. Dr. Velayati's wife and the painter lady and an Iranian woman translator are also with them.

We went to the airport. The ladies arrived late, and we were kept waiting for half an hour. We flew toward Brunei. At three in the afternoon we landed at Brunei Airport. There is a one-hour time difference with Jakarta. Now the time here is four in the afternoon.

At the airport, the Sultan's brother, who is the Foreign Minister, had come to welcome. We went toward the city without ceremony. The roads and the surrounding environment are very clean and pleasant and the weather is favorable; 38 degrees Celsius. The Sultan's brother gave explanations on the way. In the city, there was a popular welcome on both sides of the street. They had also brought schoolchildren. Most of the women were with full hijab and beautiful white clothing. There are also those without hijab. It is free; most have chosen hijab. The environment is religious and the government and the people are interested in religion.

We entered the Nur Iman Palace. The official reception ceremony was there. I stood with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on the podium. The anthems of the two countries were played, along with the firing of twenty-one guns. The sound of the cannon was very loud and so close that the ground shook and the smell of gunpowder spread in the air.

He stood there and I went alone and passed in front of the ceremonial guard and reviewed it; usually the host and guest go together. I returned to the podium and the rest of the ceremony was carried out. I have not seen this type of ceremony until now. The palace is huge and was built ten years ago for the beginning of the country's independence. It is much larger than the need of a small country of two hundred and sixty thousand people, but they are rich and have a monarchy and have ceremonies.

We sat for a while with the companions in a luxurious hall. Before entering the hall, we passed in front of the long row of Bruneian figures and resident ambassadors. I shook hands and greeted everyone. I did not shake hands with two women ambassadors, but I expressed affection. Three brothers and the Sultan's son were also there. In the hall, the servants brought tea and sweets with special ceremony and in a row and knelt down.

With Sultan Bolkiah, we exchanged the usual greetings. He is very taciturn. Almost without my question, he does not speak at all. He proposed that we have a private meeting. I said let me pray first so that it is not missed. We went together, I performed ablution. He sat and I prayed.

Then we went for a private negotiation. There were only two translators who conveyed our words through English to Persian and Malay. He asked whether I had something to say to him in the private meeting; I was surprised. He himself had requested the private meeting. I said no, the talks are general, and I asked him to raise a topic. He said to tell him about the situation in the Middle East and the crisis in the Persian Gulf region. I explained the issue of Iraq and Kuwait and the American presence and the issues of Azerbaijan and Afghanistan. He did not get to the talks between the two countries and we ended the meeting. I went toward the residence palace called the Onberg Palace, which was built by the British during the colonial era. First we got into the Sultan's special ceremonial car; it did not start. He was embarrassed. Similar to the situation that happened to us during the trip of Mr. Suleiman Demirel, the President of Turkey. We changed the car. The palace is a pleasant place and relatively luxurious. Many of the companions are also here. I rested for two hours and read the reports.

At eight in the evening, we went toward the Nur Iman Palace for the banquet ceremony. This time Mr. Haj Hassan, the Minister of Religious Affairs, was accompanying me; the same person who had brought the invitation letter to Iran. He is impressed by the environment and conditions of Iran and expresses intense devotion and also speaks Arabic well.

On the way he gave many explanations and said that they have 45 mosques and the Friday prayer leaders and muezzins receive about one thousand three hundred dollars a month in salary from the government. He said satellite is forbidden here, but many have it. He had collected many Persian words that are in their language and culture; like sarband, angur, gandom, and piyaleh. He studied at Al-Azhar University in Egypt. He asked that we give them Iranian films.

Before the banquet ceremony, we had a negotiation. I proposed that they invest in the Turkmenistan gas pipeline project that passes through Iran. It was arranged that he would examine it. He cannot answer questions well. For example, the amount of energy or oil or gas production; his general information is low.

The dinner was in a very huge and luxurious hall and with the presence of more than a hundred dignitaries and ambassadors. Before dinner, three people recited a detailed prayer for me and the Sultan, which he said is recited in all ceremonies. The anthems of the two countries and my speech and his were carried out. The dinner was more detailed than Indonesia and the food was very good. Very beautiful orchid flowers had been placed. The ladies separately had a banquet ceremony and they too were satisfied.