The Institute of Asian Studies (IAS) held a special event to recognize and thank three staff members, Professor of Borneo Studies Victor T. King and administrative staff members Zainah Omar and Mariah Suleiman, for their many years of service to IAS.

Hosted by Director of IAS Dr. Bruno Jetin and Deputy Director Dr. Noor Hasharina Hassan, the event was graciously attended by Vice Chancellor of Universiti Brunei Darusssalam Datin Dr. Anita B. Z. Pehin Dato Abdul Aziz.

Professor Victor T. King is transitioning to semi-retirement after a long period of engagement with Brunei. Dr. King worked at the Brunei Museum in 1984 and 1985 while on sabbatical, was a regular visitor to UBD from its foundation and served as external examiner in Sociology and Anthropology at UBD in 1999-2000 and again in 2009-2010.

Professor King was then among the first of the academics to be appointed to the Institute of Asian Studies in 2012-2013 as an Eminent Visiting Professor. He returned to the Institute in 2014-2015 as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow, and for the past four years from 2017 has been in the post of Professor of Borneo Studies at IAS. Finally, Professor King plans to continue his association with IAS as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow in Borneo Studies.

Zainah Omar is retiring after having worked at IAS since its founding in 2012 and having worked at UBD since 1986.

Finally, Mariah Suleiman has served as Assistant Registrar at IAS since 2015 and is being rotated to a different unit at UBD as part of a routine administrative reshuffling. She will be replaced by Mohammad Zainul Akmal bin Zaini.

We will greatly miss Victor, Zainah and Mariah, but we take heart in knowing that they are all still close by and will remain in contact, and we warmly welcome Zainul to IAS!!