| Rokiah Mahmud |
THE joyous and much-anticipated nationwide celebration 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’s 71st birthday officially began with the hoisting of a giant national flag in the capital yesterday in a ceremony held at the foyer near Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex.
Present as guest of honour at the event was Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz bin Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar, Chief of Adat Istiadat Negara, in his capacity as the Advisor of the National Executive Committee for His Majesty’s 71st birthday celebrations.
The giant national flag – measuring 3.7 metre by 7.3 metre – was received by the guest of honour and later handed over to the Royal Brunei Navy.
The flag was then hoisted by personnel from the Royal Brunei Navy to the tune of the national anthem played by the Royal Brunei Police Force band, accompanied by anthem singing by choir teams from the Language and Literature Bureau, Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Department, Fire and Rescue Department and the Gema Suara Merdeka choir team from Mukim Sengkurong.
The giant national flag hoisted to start off the 71st birthday celebrations 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
The guest of honour at the ceremony Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz bin Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar, Chief of Adat Istiadat Negara who is also the Advisor of the National Executive Committee for His Majesty’s 71st birthday celebrations with attendees of the event. – PHOTOS: ROKIAH MAHMUD
The Chief of Adat Istiadat Negara hands over His Majesty’s 71st birthday poster to the Belait District Officer
The Chief of Adat Istiadat Negara hands over the national flag to the Brunei-Muara District Officer
Flanking the navy personnel were 71 flag bearers comprising staff from the Fire and Rescue Department and Prisons Department.
After this, national flags measuring 1.8 metre by 1.2 metre and posters for His Majesty’s 71st birthday celebration were handed over by the guest of honour to the district officers of the Brunei-Muara, Belait, Tutong and Temburong districts.
Additional flag hoisting ceremonies were later held in all four districts shortly after this main event.
The guests of honour for these subsequent flag hoistings were as follows: Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Mohd Yusof, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Brunei-Muara District); Haji Azhar bin Haji Ahmad, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications (Belait District); Haji Noor Jusmin bin Haji Abdul Samad, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (Tutong District); and Ahmaddin bin Haji Abdul Rahman, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance (Temburong District).
Citizens and residents in the nation are urged to hoist the national flag at their residences, government buildings and business premises starting July 1. Those bestowed with titles are urged to hoist their personal flags.
The giant national flag will remain hoisted in the capital until July 31.
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