| James Kon |
MEMBERS of the public can help ease the burden of victims of the recent Kampong Pandai Besi ‘A’ and Kampong Lurong Dalam fires by donating to a charity fund through SMS Brunei Prihatin.
The charity collection through SMS was launched yesterday at the theatre hall of the Brunei-Muara District Office.
The event was officiated by the Minister of Home Affairs, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, and the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof.
The collection through SMS will continue until January 31.
To donate members of the public should send an SMS typing the word BANTU followed by the amount they wish to donate – $1, $5, $10 or $20 (without spacing) – to 38111 for DST and Progresif Cellular users. An example of a $5 SMS donation is: BANTU5.
Minister of Home Affairs, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong during the launch of DST SMS Brunei Prihatin while the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof looks on. – BAHYIAH BAKIR
The fire that destroyed 26 houses – 11 in Kampong Pandai Besi ‘A’ and 15 in Kampong Lurong Dalam – broke out at 12.16pm on December 7. It affected the lives of 140 people of which 92 of them were from Kampong Lurong Dalam and 48 were from Kampong Pandai Besi ‘A’.
In the wake of the fire, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) has provided temporary shelter for the victims at the Sungai Kebun Menjalin Sports Complex.
Currently, seven families comprising 39 individuals are staying at the shelter.
Also present at the ceremony were Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yusof, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs; Datin Paduka Dr Hajah Norlila binti Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Jalil, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports; and other officials from various government agencies.
Representing DST at the event was Abdul Lattif bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohammad Yusof, a member of its Board of Directors, while Progresif Cellular was represented by Normah binti Haji Ahmad, a member of its Board of Directors.
The newly established fund was announced on December 13 after it received the consent of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.
Members of the public can make their contributions through donation boxes located in mosques nationwide, at the four district offices, banks, department stores and public buildings in the country.
Donors can also send their contributions to the secretariat of the Kampong Pandai Besi ‘A’ and Lurong Dalam Fire Victims Charity Fund located at the building of the Brunei-Muara District Office or Finance and Administration Division, Second Floor, Community Development Department under the MCYS.
Members of the public who wish to transfer donations through banks can send their donations to the charity fund’s Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) account at 1010103487.
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