| Rokiah Mahmud and Daniel Lim |
WHILE the rest of the nation is ushering in the new Islamic year 1439 Hijrah, several families across the country were busy welcoming something new of their own.
The festive atmosphere was made even merrier with the birth of 18 babies on the 1st of Muharram.
The Brunei-Muara District recorded the birth of 14 babies (eight boys and six girls); while the Belait District recorded four births (one boy, three girls). No births were reported in the Temburong District.
The first baby of the new year was delivered at 6.43pm on Thursday.
To celebrate the arrival of the newborns, a thanksgiving ceremony was held yesterday at several hospitals nationwide.
Proud parents of the 14 babies born in the Brunei-Muara District gathered at the Women and Children’s Centre at the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital to meet with sponsors who have contributed towards their children’s future, as well as senior government officers who were present to celebrate the joyous occasion.
Present as guests of honour were Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Zulkarnain bin Haji Hanafi and their spouses.
Also present were Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof in his capacity as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Perbadanan Tabung Amanah Islam Brunei (TAIB) and its subsidiaries; Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud and spouse; and Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yusof in his capacity as a member of the Board of Directors for Syarikat Takaful Brunei Darussalam Sdn Bhd and its subsidiaries, and his spouse.
In the Belait District, the ceremony was held at the Suri Seri Begawan Hospital.
Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs Haji Idris bin Haji Mohd Ali and his spouse handed over gifts to the parents of the newborns.
Parents from both the Brunei-Muara and Belait districts were presented with $200 worth of maternity and baby essentials as well as a religious book from the Ministry of Religious Affairs; a $200 ‘Si Manja’ savings account and baby essentials from Perbadanan TAIB; a $250 Takaful Nur Savings voucher; and a baby hamper from Syarikat Takaful Brunei Darussalam Sdn Bhd and its subsidiaries.
Besides serving as a gesture of gratitude for the birth of the newborns, the ceremony also represents one of the ways for the Islamic Da’wah Centre to exalt Islam in the country and to encourage the use of the Islamic calendar.
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