CHIEF OF STAFF
Captain Mohammad Faizal Ezam bin Haji Abas is the current Chief of Staff of the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN), a position he has held since 10 October 2025. He previously served as the Commandant Naval Training, Royal Brunei Navy, from 14 June 2024 until his current appointment.
He enlisted into the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) on 8 May 2000 and was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant in August 2001 upon completing the Naval Officer Cadet Course at the Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, United Kingdom.
Following his commissioning, he began his naval career as an Officer Under Training onboard the missile gunboat KDB SETERIA. In 2002, he was transferred to the Engineering Department as the Assistant Marine Engineering Officer. In January 2003, he attended professional engineering training overseas, completing the Marine Engineering Application Course at HMAS CERBERUS, Australia.
In June 2003, Captain Mohammad Faizal Ezam was appointed as Senior Marine Engineering Officer (SMEO) for the Offshore Patrol Vessel Project in Scotland, where he served until July 2006. Upon his return to Brunei, he assumed several appointments including Staff Officer Grade 2 Navy at the Directorate of Force Capability Development, Ministry of Defence, followed by roles as Fleet Engineering Officer and Staff Officer Grade 2 Inspectorate at the Royal Brunei Navy Headquarters.
In August 2008, he was once again posted overseas as SMEO for the Ijhtihad Project (Fast Patrol Boat) and Darussalam Project (Patrol Vessel) in Bremen, Germany, serving until May 2011. Upon his return, he was posted to KDB DARUSSALAM as part of the first crew and the maiden voyage team, serving as the Marine Engineering Officer until January 2016. During the induction of the Ijhtihad and Darussalam Class vessels into fleet service, he was later re-assigned as Fleet Engineering Officer (2013–2014) and Base Marine Engineering Officer (2014–2017).
In January 2017, he was appointed Commanding Officer Logistics, Royal Brunei Navy, a position he held until November 2018. He subsequently served as Staff Officer 1 Logistics at the Directorate of Logistics, Ministry of Defence, from 2018 to 2020. On 31 December 2020, he was posted to the Directorate of Intelligence, Ministry of Defence, and appointed as the Brunei Darussalam Defence Attaché to the People's Republic of China, serving in Beijing until 13 February 2024.
Throughout his career, Captain Mohammad Faizal Ezam has attended several career-enhancing courses, including the Command and Staff Course at the RBAF Defence Academy in 2013, and the Executive Development Programme at the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (SHHBIDSS) in 2018.
In recognition of his dedicated service, he has been awarded the General Service Medal, Excellent Service Medal, and Meritorious Service Medal (P.J.K). He also received a Commemorative Medal from the People's Liberation Army upon completion of his tenure as Defence Attaché to the People's Republic of China.
Captain Mohammad Faizal Ezam is married to Pengiran Hajah Noralifpahwati binti Pengiran Haji Jaludin and they are blessed with two sons and a daughter. In his leisure time, he enjoys playing golf, cycling, and jogging.
