Mohamed Taib bin Besar was born in 1916, and studied at an English school in
Labuan. He began his career in the
government of Brunei as a
clerk at the
British Resident's Office in October 1934 and transferred to the
Public Works Department (PWD) in January 1935. On 1 May 1935, he was moved to the
Forestry Office in
Kuala Belait. He was then appointed Secretary to the Resident (SR) at the British Resident's Office until the
1959 Constitution of Brunei came into force on 29 September 1959, whereupon the British Residency was replaced by a
High Commission. With the consent of
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, he was appointed Magistrate (judge) Class I on 3 June 1958. He took office as the Assistant State Secretary on 18 January 1964 In January 1965, he was appointed Government assistant, and, on 15 May, he officially opened the Short Course for Small School Teachers at the Brunei Malay Teachers' School. On behalf of
Menteri Besar Marsal Maun, Taib launched the Brunei State Scout camp at Gadong Estate on 19 June 1965. In March 1966, he led a Bruneian delegation consisting of
Pengiran Yusuf,
Mohd Salleh and J. S. Gould to the Asian Conference for Children in
Bangkok. Then, 29 July 1966, he officiated at the opening of
Awang Haji Mohammad Yusof Katimahar Malay School. On 1 June 1967, Taib was appointed as the successor to Pengiran Yusuf in the office of the State Secretary of Brunei. Despite announcing his retirement on 22 March 1969, he wasn't replaced until 25 March 1970. Upon his actual retirement on 23 July 1969, he had completed 36 years of service with the government and was temporarily succeeded by Acting State Secretary
Pengiran Abdul Momin. == Later life and death ==