| Hakim Hayat |
TENS of thousands of people are expected to throng the capital this Sunday in a get together ceremony to express their undivided loyalty and appreciation to 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 on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee Celebration of the monarch’s Accession to the Throne.
One of the main highlights of the event will be the opening and renaming of the multi-million-dollar Sungai Kedayan Eco-Corridor regeneration project, apart from cultural performances, decorated vehicles and bicycles procession and also traditional boating activities in the Brunei River.
The event is set to be a grand finale of the month-long celebrations and activities lined up in conjunction with the Golden Jubilee of His Majesty’s reign.
In a press conference held at the Brunei-Muara District Office in Old Airport yesterday to shed more light on the event that will start at 8.15am on October 22, Executive Members of the Jawatankuasa Sektoral Keraian Daerah-Daerah dan Mukim including Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yusof, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) called on the public to come in droves to the capital to celebrate the momentous occasion of the Golden Jubilee with His Majesty and members of the royal family and to express their appreciation to the monarch’s wise leadership over the last five decades which has enabled rapid socio-economic developments in the country.
Abdul Mutalib said the Sunday morning’s programme will be a colourful manifestation of the Golden Jubilee Celebration, which among others will see a procession of over 30 decorated cars and bicycles carried out by different government and private agencies, vibrant cultural performances specially put up by thousands of students and members of different associations and also the opening and renaming of the Sungai Kedayan Eco-Corridor project, where the public can meet His Majesty and members of the royal family in a get-together session.
The Eco-Corridor, which will be the venue for the get-together event will house hundreds of tents to accommodate well-wishers and will also be equipped with all basic amenities for the convenience of the public. There are seven access points to the Eco-Corridor that the public can use to enter the venue during the ceremony.
Meanwhile, to spruce up the day’s atmosphere and bring back nostalgic memories of activities of early settlers of the iconic Kampong Ayer, several water activities are also planned this Sunday at the Sungai Kedayan Eco-Corridor area, including kayak and 10-15 rower traditional boat races, a ‘Perahu Jumpong’ race, ‘Perahu Labi-labi’ and net fishing – which are all activities that can be traced back to the Kampong Ayer’s early beginnings centuries ago.
No road closures will be effected in the capital during the event, but members of the public are advised to come early and carpool to avoid heavy congestion. Over 2,200 car parking areas will be available at parking lots around the capital, and those parking areas under the management of the Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Board and private companies will be open free of charge.
Relevant enforcement authorities, including hundreds of personnel from the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF), will be present throughout the event to direct traffic to designated parking areas and maintain safety of the public. The public are also advised to obey traffic rules and regulations to avoid congestion.
Abdul Mutalib also appealed to the public to maintain cleanliness of the capital during the event and make use of designated bins provided in the areas and be mindful of their safety, especially children.
The regeneration of the Sungai Kedayan Eco-Corridor project was implemented under the 10th National Development Plan and commenced in January last year. The project runs along the Sungai Kedayan river mouth near the city’s famous landmark, the Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Mosque and Istana Darussalam to the Edinburgh Bridge.
The major construction works involved river dredging and land reclamation, the construction of a river wall featured with a conducive promenade and a crescent-featured pedestrian bridge connecting both sides of the Sungai Kedayan. The project site was previously a living suburb of eight villages in the Sungai Kedayan that have been resettled elsewhere in Kampong Ayer and on the main land.
Also speaking at the press conference yesterday were Haji Marzuke bin Haji Mohsin, Permanent Secretary (Technical and Professional) at the Ministry of Development; Datin Paduka Dr Hajah Norlila binti Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Jalil, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS); Haji Kamaludin bin Haji Bungsu, Permanent Secretary (Manpower and SHENA) at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO); and Haji Mohammad Sunadi bin Haji Buntar, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the MoHA.
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