| Hakim Hayat & Aziz Idris |
THE swearing-in of the recently appointed Legislative Council (LegCo) members was held yesterday as part of a ceremonial process to officially welcome them to the country’s parliamentary institution.
As stipulated in Article 49 of the Constitution of Brunei Darussalam, the LegCo members read out the oath in the presence of YB Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Lela Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Dato Setia Haji Mohamed Taib, the Speaker of the Legislative Council, at a ceremony held at the Legislative Council Building in Jalan Dewan Majlis.
The appointed ex-officio members of the Legislative Council who took their oaths before YB Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Lela Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman were Cabinet Ministers YB Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, Minister of Home Affairs; YB Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, Minister of Education; YB Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance II; YB Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade II; YB Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Awang Haji Mohammad Yasmin bin Haji Umar, Minister of Energy and Industry at the Prime Minister’s Office; YB Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, Minister of Religious Affairs; YB Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Bahrin bin Abdullah, Minister of Development; YB Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism; YB Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Mustappa bin Haji Sirat, Minister of Communications; YB Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports and YB Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Zulkarnain bin Haji Hanafi, Minister of Health.
YB Pehin Datu Imam Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Hamid bin Bakal; YB Pehin Orang Kaya Pendikar Alam Dato Paduka Seri Haji Hasrin bin Dato Paduka Haji Sabtu and YB Pehin Orang Kaya Putera Maharaja Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Ghani bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Dewa Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Rahim also took their oaths in the capacity as LegCo members who were appointed as individuals bestowed with titles.
For appointed persons who have achieved distinction, YB Haji Umarali bin Esung; YB Haji Abdul Hamid @ Sabli bin Haji Arshad; YB Ong Tiong Oh; YB Siti Rozaimeriyanty binti Dato Seri Laila Jasa Haji Abdul Rahman; YB Nik Hafimi binti Abdul Haadii; YB Khairunnisa binti Haji Ash’ari, and also YB Iswandy bin Ahmad also read their oaths during the ceremony.
Other members appointed to the LegCo as District Representatives also read their oaths – YB Pengiran Haji Ali bin Pengiran Maon, Penghulu of Mukim Berakas ‘B’; YB Naim bin Haji Kamis, Penghulu of Mukim Kota Batu; YB Haji Tahamit bin Haji Nudin, Penghulu of Mukim Gadong ‘A’; YB Haji Mohimin bin Haji Johari @ Jahari, Village Head of Kampong Limau Manis; YB Pengiran Haji Mohamed bin Pengiran Haji Osman @ Othman, Village Head of Kampong Masjid Lama, Pekan Muara, Sabun and Pelumpong; YB Haji Abdul Hamid bin Haji Mumin, Penghulu of Mukim Liang; YB Hanapi bin Mohd Siput, Village Head of Kampong Labi I; YB Haji Abdul Wahab bin Apong, Penghulu of Mukim Tanjong Maya; YB Haji Ramli bin Haji Lahit, Penghulu of Mukim Telisai and YB Haji Emran bin Haji Sabtu, Penghulu of Mukim Bokok.
The speaker in his brief remarks said the meeting will deliberate the budget expenditure for 2017-2018 and urged Legislative Council members to lay out discussions in a constructive manner, for the benefit of the people and the country.
The first meeting of the 13th session of the Legislative Council will be held on March 6 at the LegCo Building where 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 will preside over the ceremonial opening where he will also deliver a titah.
Previously appointed LegCo members have been dissolved as of August 6, 2016 and the new appointments that were sworn-in yesterday were announced on January 13, 2017.
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