| Izah Azahari |
IN CONJUNCTION with the 33rd National Day celebration of Brunei Darussalam, a total of 2,100 officers and staff under the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) came together to celebrate the joyous occasion at the Chancellor Hall of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) .
Present as the guest of honour at the special assembly was Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Awang Haji Othman, the Minister of Religious Affairs, who also delivered a special lecture titled ‘Signifikan Titah Pemasyhuran Kemerdekaan’, loosely translated as the ‘Significance of the Proclamation of Independence Titah’.
Also present at the event were the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, Dato Paduka Haji Awang Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud; Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Mohd Yussof; Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Administrative and Financial Affairs), Roslan bin Haji Taja’ah; Acting Ra’es of the Religious Teachers University College of Seri Begawan (KUPU SB), officers and staff at the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
The event opened with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and a special doa recited by Haji Haris bin Suboh, Acting Senior Religious Officer of Jame’ ‘Asr Hassanil Bolkiah, who quoted passages from the Doa Kemerdekaan which was read on the eve of celebrating the Declaration of Independence of Brunei Darussalam at the main mosques all over the country on December 31, 1983, followed by the singing of the national anthem, and the special lecture.
During the lecture, the minister mentioned that the Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) is at the core of the country and is apparent that Brunei’s proclamation as a MIB will remain as a political will to ensure the peace, safety, welfare and happiness of its citizens. The MIB country of Brunei will interact with other countries on the basis of mutual respect, equality and territorial integrity, free from foreign interference, he added.
Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, the Minister of Religious Affairs, at the event. – PHOTOS: DEAN KASSIM
The Minister of Religious Affairs delivering the special lecture
Invited guests at the ceremony
The minister said that he has high faith and confidence in that will and that it will last forever through generations of Bruneians from this era to the next as they will be able to remain as a country that practises the Malay Islamic Monarchy in nature, concept and philosophy, taking Brunei’s own experience as an example in maintaining itself as a country ruled by a monarchy for the past 1,500 years.
The challenge now, stressed the minister, is the need to always be vigilant in keeping the spirit of love for the country and nation, to be smart in interactions with countries all over the world, having self-confidence in unity, as well as acquiring knowledge and a strong economy.
On top of that, the minister added that it is also important to last as a nation that obeys Allah the Almighty, and be thankful towards Allah the Almighty’s blessings through realising the concept of a Baldatun Tayyibatun Warabbun Ghafur country.
The event ended with a Selawat Badriyyah performance by the teaching staff and students of the Institut Tahfiz Al-Quran Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.
The objectives of the event were to boost morale and improve the quality of services in the field of religion, to strengthen unity among the people in upholding the leadership of the king and monarchy as a Zikir Nation that supports the Islamic Syariah, in addition to equally strengthening the ties amongst those working under the MoRA, and as a form of celebrating the 33rd National Day.
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