| Azlan Othman |
CLOSE to 40,000 government officers and staff, students, and members of mukim and village consultative councils, youth associations and government-linked companies will line up along the roads during the procession to mark the Golden Jubilee 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 Accession to the Throne.
The procession next Thursday will start at 10am at the main gate of the Istana Nurul Iman and will make its way to the main roads around the capital ending at noon. There will also be more than 45,000 other spectators comprising tourists, citizens and residents along roads covered by the procession, said Minister of Education, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman as the Co-Chair of the Jawatankuasa Sektoral Perarakan Jubli Emas Sambutan Jubli Emas Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam Menaiki Takhta, during a press conference yesterday.
Also present at the press conference were Chief of Adat Istiadat Negara, Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz bin Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar; Minister of Home Affairs, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong; Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance II, Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim as Co-Chairpersons of the Jawatankuasa Tertinggi Sambutan Jubli Emas.
“Out of the nearly 40,000, around 22,000 are from government and private educational institutions while a total of 16,751 are from government ministries and departments, mukims and village consultative councils, youth associations and government-linked companies,” Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi said.
Earlier, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar who is also the Co-Chair of Jawatankuasa Tertinggi Sambutan Jubli Emas Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam Menaiki Takhta, said the Golden Jubilee Celebrations will start with the opening of Gendang Jaga-Jaga on Tuesday at the Lapau Ceremonial Hall.
This will be followed by mass Maghrib prayers and Isyak and Doa Kesyukuran on October 4 with a special focus at the Jame’ ‘Asr Hassanil Bolkiah. A Ceremonial Guard of Honour, Audience and Royal Procession will take place on October 5 at the Istana Nurul Iman and around the capital.
The Royal State Banquet will be held on October 6 while the Doa Selamat and Closing of Gendang Jaga-Jaga will be on October 8. As for the 50 Times Khatam Al-Quran, it will be conducted at the Istana Nurul Iman on October 11.
On October 14, the opening of Sungai Kebun Bridge will take place while floats procession and fireworks will be on display from Dermaga Diraja to Jalan Residency.
A Tahlil ceremony will be held at the Royal Mausoleum on October 18, while on October 22 a Get-Together Ceremony at the Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien in the capital and the opening of the nearby Sungai Kedayan Eco-Corridor will take place. There will also be field performances and floats procession on that day.
Members of the public are urged to visit the main events such as the procession, floats procession, fireworks display, get-together with citizens and residents, and launching of the Eco-Corridor as it is a golden opportunity to glorify the auspicious celebration and to express their gratefulness and loyalty to His Majesty, said Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar.
The Acting Minister of Religious Affairs, Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud as Deputy Co-Chair for the Rancangan-Rancangan Keugamaan dan Majlis Kesyukuran, said some 1,500 public servants, uniformed personnel, NGOs, students and government asset companies will be involved in the 50 Times Khatam Al-Quran at the Istana Nurul Iman.
The recitation of verses from Al-Quran actually started last Monday at the Jame’ ‘Asr Hassanil Bolkiah.
Meanwhile, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi said the procession is held in a grand manner as it is a historic moment for the people of Brunei Darussalam to cherish.
His Majesty and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam will be paraded on a Royal Chariot.
“Several suraus, grandstands and toilets are allocated for the comfort of the public; the grandstands are for the senior citizens, mothers and their children and will be available in front of the Royal Regalia Building, the Yayasan Complex near the Water Taxi Wharf, and in front of the Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Mosque.
“Uniformed personnel, paramedics, red-crescent personnel and students from the Medical Institute will also be stationed at designated areas,” said the Minister of Education.
On another note, the Minister of Development, Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Bahrin bin Abdullah as Co-Chair of Jawatankuasa Perasmian dan Peringatan Kenang-Kenangan said the opening of the Sungai Kebun Bridge will also be highlighted with two firework displays and floats procession involving 37 vessels and boats.
A test-run for the bridge will be held from October 2-12; however, the bridge will be closed to motorists during the opening night.
The Minister of Communications, Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Mustappa bin Haji Sirat, who is also the Co-Chair of Jawatankuasa Perarakan Jubli Emas said that all roads will remain open as usual except those used for the procession which would be closed.
The affected roads are Jalan Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha, Jalan Sultan Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien, Jalan McArthur, Jalan Masjid Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien and Jalan Stoney.
All students taking part in the procession will use shuttle buses available at the Land Transport Department office, the Jame’ ‘Asr Hassanil Bolkiah parking lots, the government buildings and the stadium parking area.
Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar urged the local media to share accurate information to foreign media covering the Golden Jubilee Celebration to portray the good image of the nation.
There is a need for the public to maintain cleanliness; a ‘Cleanliness Awareness Campaign’ will be held tomorrow in all four districts. The campaign, themed ‘Clean and Green Brunei’, aims to create a clean environment ahead of the celebrations.
Others in attendance during the press conference were Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Penggawa Laila Bentara Istiadat Diraja Dalam Istana Pengiran Haji Alauddin bin Pengiran Paduka Tuan Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar, Grand Chamberlain, as Deputy Chairperson of the Jawatankuasa Tertinggi Sambutan Jubli Emas; Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, as member of the Jawatankuasa Tertinggi Sambutan Jubli Emas; Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister Office, Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Mohd Roselan bin Haji Mohd Daud who is the Co-Secretariat and Head of Secretariat of the Jawatankuasa Tertinggi Sambutan Jubli Emas; Commissioner of Police, Dato Paduka Seri Haji Mohd Jammy bin Haji Muhd Shah Al-Islam as member of the Jawatankuasa Tertinggi Sambutan Jubli Emas; and Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah, who is also a member of the Jawatankuasa Tertinggi Sambutan Jubli Emas.
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