He often attends mosques and surau throughout the country for the obligatory Friday prayers. The sultan decreed that Islamic celebrations such as Early Years Celebration Prophet's birthday, Isra and Miraj and Nuzul Al Quran are to be celebrated on a large scale. Mosques, prayer halls and stations were built across the country. Hassanal Bolkiah is Head of Religion, and Islam is the official religion of the country. Hassanal Bolkiah was also the chairman of ASEAN Summit in 2013 when Brunei Darussalam hosted the Hassanal Bolkiah was chairman of Summit APEC Leaders in 2000 when Brunei Darussalam hosted the summit. Hassanal Bolkiah established the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation (YSHHB). In 2004, the Legislative Council, which had been dissolved since 1962, was reopened. He has recently favoured Brunei government democratisation and declared himself Prime Minister and President. In 1991, he introduced a conservative ideology to Brunei called Melayu Islam Beraja ( Malay Islamic Monarchy, MIB), which presents the monarchy as the defender of the faith. īolkiah addressed the United Nations General Assembly on Brunei Darussalam's admission to the United Nations in September 1984. He appointed himself as Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Royal Brunei Police Force. As Minister of Defence he is therefore the Supreme Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, as well as an Honorary General in the British and Indonesian armed forces and an Honorary Admiral in the Royal Navy.
In addition, he currently holds the portfolios of Minister of Defence, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Finance. Bolkiah, as Prime Minister, is also the head of government. On 9 March 2006, the Sultan was reported to have amended Brunei's constitution to make himself infallible under Bruneian law.
Under Brunei's 1959 constitution, the sultan is the head of state with full executive authority, including emergency powers since 1962. Like his father, he has been knighted by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, of which Brunei was a protectorate until 1984. His coronation was held on 1 August 1968, and made him the Yang di-Pertuan ( Head of State) of Brunei. He became the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam on 5 October 1967, after his father abdicated. Hassanal Bolkiah with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Indonesian President Joko Widodo, 6 October 2017