George Edwin Coster

CPM
CPM
	Coster (standing) at Lapau in 1973
Born	George Edwin Coster; 9 January 1924; Hendon, Middlesex, England
Died	October 2014 (aged 90)
Alma mater	Wadham College
Occupations	Aviator; police officer;
Known for	Member of Privy Council for Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III
Military career
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Rank	Flight lieutenant
Unit	Home Guard; Transport Command
Battles/wars	World War II Burma Campaign; ;

OBE (9 January 1924 – October 2014) or also referred to as G.E. Coster, was a nobleman, aviator and police officer from England who served in several high-ranking positions which included being a member of the Brunei Privy Council

and Assistant Brunei Police Commissioner.

Military career

Born in

glider tugs as the war was coming to a conclusion in the Pacific War. Repatriating prisoners of war from Burma and bringing them back to Singapore was one of his last tasks.^[1]

Law enforcement career

After taking a break, Coster launched a tiny commercial airline from Hong Kong, but it never really got off the ground. Shortly after, in time for the emergency, he accepted a position in the Federation of Malaya Police's Special Branch. Numerous chances arose from this job, one of which was a Commendation for his assistance in recovering the remains of Sir Henry Gurney, the British High Commissioner who was killed in an ambush on Peter's Hill on 6 October 1951.^[1]

In 1963, Coster signed a contract with the Royal Brunei Police and was first assigned as an Assistant Commissioner in the Special Branch. He completely revolutionised and reorganised the force in this capacity, eventually rising to the position of Head of Intelligence and Security for the Sultan. Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III was obviously pleased with Coster's performance since he bestowed upon him several honours and appointed him to the Privy Council on 2 July 1973.^[1]

In June 1969, local vendors have been advised by Coster to exercise caution when importing products. According to him, there was a legal ban in Brunei on the activities that provoke strong emotions, particularly those that support communists or communist ideology. The interest and security of the country were jeopardised by them. In front of local traders at a news conference, he declared that the majority of the goods were imported from China. The news conference was convened after special agents seized more than 700 items from Chinese propaganda that were brought in from Hong Kong over the previous two months.^[2]

The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III implemented a number of security measures in the wake of the former rebels' 1975 flight to Malaysia. The sultan then proposed that intelligence from the British should compensate for any information lost due to the split with the east Malaysian Special Branches. Coster, supported by the Commissioner of Police, declined the Sultan's proposal, citing Brunei's potential loss of intelligence services from such connections.^[3]

Coster passed away in October 2014 after retiring in 1980.^[1]

Awards and honours

Coster was bestowed the manteri title of Yang Dimuliakan (The Exalted One) Pehin Datu Permakawi Diraja by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III in 1973. He has earned the following honours;^[4]^[1]^[5]

National

Order of the British Empire Officer (OBE; 1969)
Colonial Police Medal (CPM; 1966) for Meritorious Service^[6]

1939–1945 Star
War Medal 1939–1945
Burma Star
Defence Medal
General Service Medal (1918 GSM) for Malayan Emergency

Foreign

Brunei:
- Order of Pahlawan Negara Brunei First Class (PSPNB) – Dato Seri Pahlawan
- Order of Setia Negara Brunei Second Class (DSNB) – Dato Setia
- Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei Second Class (DPMB) – Dato Paduka
- Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Medal First Class (PHBS; 1969)^[7]
- Meritorious Service Medal (PJK)
- Excellent Service Medal (PIKB)
- Long Service Medal (PKL)
- Coronation Medal (1968)
- Royal Police Medal 1965
Malaysia:
- Active Service Medal (PKB)