Asmalee Ahmad

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Asmalee Ahmad
اسمالي احمد
Ambassador of Brunei to China
In office
20 March 2001 – 2002
Preceded byMahdini Basir
Succeeded byAbdul Hamid Jalil
Ambassador of Brunei to Myanmar
In office
20 May 1997 – 2001
Preceded byHussin Sulaiman
Succeeded byYusof Abu Bakar
Personal details
Born (1941-05-18) 18 May 1941 (age 82)
Brunei
Occupation
  • Diplomat
  • artist

Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Asmalee bin Pengiran Ahmad (born 18 May 1941) is a Bruneian artist and retired diplomat who formerly held the position of ambassador of Brunei to China from 2001 to 2002,[1] and Myanmar from 1997 to 2001.[2]

Diplomatic career[edit]

Pengiran Asmalee worked for the Department of Welfare, Youth, and Sports, the Department of Radio and Television Brunei, and the Department of Language and Literature Bureau from 1962 until 1996. On 13 May 1996, he announced his retirement as the Department of Welfare, Youth, and Sports' director. On 20 May 1997, the Government of Myanmar approved his appointment to succeed Hussin Sulaiman as ambassador, with a residence in Yangon.[3] From 29 to 31 May 1998, Pengiran Asmalee, the ambassador of Myanmar, accompanied Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on his tour to Myanmar.[4]

Pengiran Asmalee was appointed as the ambassador to China on 20 May 1997. He was involved in several state visits especially during the Sultan's two trips to China in 2001: one for the informal gathering of APEC business leaders and the other for the high-level debate on human capacity building. In September 2004, he made a second working visit to China. Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah also visited China for the first time in March 2002 and in May 2001, Prince Mohamed Bolkiah traveled to China for the 4th Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers' Conference.[5]

Artistry[edit]

Mosaic mural (left) at the Language and Literature Bureau in 2015

As a youngster, Pengiran Asmalee developed an interest in painting as a pastime. "The only ways that chronological facts can be documented and the past, present, and environment accurately portrayed are through painting and photography," he said. His panorama painting of Brunei Town in the 1940s and 1950s and his 7.5-by-2.5-foot painting of Bandar Seri Begawan in 1984, both of which portray the same place, demonstrate historical evolution.[6]

Pengiran Asmalee created a style known as "Zikirism," which is akin to Pointillism and involves painting with pure colour dots while firmly remembering Allah as he is influenced by his Islamic beliefs. In actuality, Islamic ideology is the basis for a number of his works. Even though he didn't start painting full-time until after he retired, he was nevertheless able to complete a sizable number of works while employed by the Bruneian government.[7]

One of the oldest outdoor artworks in the nation is a 30 metres (98 ft) wide mosaic mural located on the front of the Language and Literature Bureau. The artwork was finished in 1965 and commissioned by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, was fashioned using mosaic tiles that were manufactured in accordance with a painting that was created in 1963 by experienced local artist Pengiran Asmalee.[8]

Personal life[edit]

Pengiran Asmalee was born on 18 May 1941. He has three kids and is married.[3]

Honours[edit]

He is known to have been awarded the following honours:[9]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Asian Art News. AsianArtNews. 2001. p. 44.
  2. ^ Sidang kemuncak tidak rasmi ASEAN kali ke-2 di Kuala Lumpur serta Majlis memperingati ulang tahun ke-30 ASEAN (in Malay). Bahagian Penyelidikan, Dokumentasi dan Penerbitan, Jabatan Penerangan, Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Negara Brunei Darussalam. 1998. p. 19.
  3. ^ a b "THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR" (PDF). uzo.sakura.ne.jp. 20 May 1997. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  4. ^ "His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, and goodwill delegation conclude visit to Myanmar". uzo.sakura.ne.jp. 1 June 1998. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  5. ^ "diplomatic relations brunei darussalam & the people' s republic of china". www.mfa.gov.bn. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Reflections of Bandar Seri Begawan". Reflections of Bandar Seri Begawan. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  7. ^ "Pg Dato Asmalee". Maziyah Yussof. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  8. ^ "Art-rageous Endeavours - Brunei Tourism". www.bruneitourism.com. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  9. ^ Dirgahayu: kenang-kenangan sempena hari keputeraan Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam yang ke-44 tahun 1990 (in Malay). Jabatan Pusat Sejarah. 1990. p. 154.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Ambassador of Brunei to China
20 March 2001 – 2002
Succeeded by
Preceded by Ambassador of Brunei to Myanmar
20 May 1997 – 2001
Succeeded by