| Rokiah Mahmud, Daniel Lim, Pg Fairol RMF & Abdul Hakiim Yakof |
THE joyous and much-anticipated nation-wide celebration of the 34th Brunei Darussalam National Day has officially begun with the hoisting of a giant national flag in the capital yesterday.
The event at the open area of the Yayas-an Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex was officiated by the guest of honour Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports.
It started with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa Peliharakan Sultan and Brunei Darussalam, led by Mudim Haji Amran bin Haji Mohd Salleh, Mosque Affairs Officer at the Ministry of Religious Affairs. The giant national flag – measuring 3.7 metres by 7.3 metres – 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.
This was followed by the singing of the national anthem ‘Allah Peliharakan Sultan’ by a choir formed by students of Berakas Secondary School comprising 34 males and 34 females.
It was thereafter accompanied by the singing of two patriotic songs along with the waving of mini flags.
The minister then handed over normal-sized national flags and national day posters to the Brunei-Muara District Officer, Acting Tutong District Officer, Acting Belait District Officer and Acting Temburong District Officer.
In Brunei-Muara District, the event was held at the car park area of the Brunei-Muara District Office.
The guest of honour was Misle bin Haji Abdul Karim, Brunei-Muara District Officer.
The event began with a march-past comprising the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Band Cadets and members of the Belia Cinta Tanah Air programme.
After the handing over of the giant-sized flag to the guest of honour, the flag was hoisted by personnel from the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) accompanied with the singing of the national anthem.
The guest of honour then distributed the national flags to 16 penghulus in the Brunei-Muara District accompanied by the village heads.
The event was enlivened with a choir performance from the Suara Anak Seni, Mukim Gadong ‘A’ choir group.
Also present were members of the Legislative Council, officers and staff of the Brunei-Muara District Office.
Meanwhile, in Belait District, the flag hoisting ceremony was held at Menara Cendera Kenangan, in Kuala Belait.
Present to oversee it was Abdol Hazis bin Haji Ahad, the Acting Belait District Officer.
He was accompanied by members of the Legislative Council – YB Haji Abdul Hamid bin Haji Mumin, Penghulu of Mukim Liang who is also the Acting Penghulu of Mukim Bukit Sawat and YB Hanapi bin Mohd Siput, the Village Head of Kampong Labi 1 who is also the Acting Penghulu of Mukim Labi.
The district’s heads of departments, mukim penghulus and village heads, principals and headmasters of schools, heads of companies, members of Mukim and Village Consultative Council (MPMK) and representatives of various associations were in attendance.
The national flag was transported to the venue in a convoy led by Mohammad Abdul Hadi bin Haji Mohammad Syarifuddin, the Second Special Duties Officer, who was also the flag bearer.
Other convoy members were the Belait District Explorer Association, Persatuan Kereta Tahan Lasak Brunei (PKTLB), TTK, XPDC Motors and Scooter Owners.
They were greeted by the police, army and fire cadets from various schools in the district.
Recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa Selamat was led by Akop bin Haji Lamat, Mosque Affairs Officer of Muhammad Jamalul Alam Mosque.
The flag was passed to Abdol Hazis who then passed it to the Belait Police District for the hoisting.
As the flag ascended, the national anthem and a patriotic song ‘Bendera Negara’ were sung by the Wardah 2.0 choir group from Mukim Seria.
The Acting Belait District Officer then handed over flags to the mukim penghulus and a representative of the Belia Cinta Tanah Air programme.
In Temburong District, the flag hoisting was held at the open area near the wharf in Pekan Bangar. The guest of honour was Mohd Amir Hairil bin Haji Mahmud, the Temburong District Officer.
Accompanying him were Superintendent Haji Azree bin Haji Abdul Manaf, the Commandant Police for Temburong Police District who is also the co-chairman of the ceremony; YB Haji Emran bin Haji Sabtu, a member of the Legislative Council and Penghulu of Mukim Bokok; and Mohammad Khairul Shahrul bin Haji Duahim, the Acting Assistant Temburong District Officer.
The district’s heads of departments, representatives of uniformed organisations and non-governmental organisations, as well as members of the MPMK, villagers and private companies were also in attendance.
The event commenced with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah followed by the marching in of a team of national flag bearer led by Mohammad Khairul Shahrul. He then handed over the flag to the Temburong District Officer.
The songs ‘Allah Peliharakan Sultan’, ‘Bendera Negara’ and ‘Brunei Bumi Bertuah’ were presented by a choir group from the Sultan Hassan Secondary School.
Mohd Amir Hairil then gave flags to the mukim penghulus and participants of the Belia Cinta Tanah Air programme.
The flag raising event for Tutong District was held at the open area of the Community Hall Complex in Pekan Tutong.
It began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa Selamat by Hazman bin Haji Hussin, the Chief Imam of Kampong Bukit Udal Mosque.
The guest of honour was Haji Adnan bin Haji Adam, the Acting Tutong District Officer while the flag bearer was Abdul Kahar bin Haji Yahya, the Acting Special Duties Officer of the Tutong District Office.
The national flag was handed over to Haji Adnan who then gave it to the RBPF for the hoisting.
The RBAF Army Cadets from Mahad Islam Brunei, Muda Hashim Secondary School, and Sayyidina Othman Secondary School as well as the Brunei Darussalam Scouts Association, Brunei Darussalam Red Crescent Society, Tutong District Volunteer Association (SUKA) and members of the Belia Cinta Tanah Air programme took part in the event.
It was further enlivened by the song ‘Berkibarlah Bendera’ performed by the Wira Bangsa choir group. Haji Adnan then gave flags to the mukim penghulus in Tutong District and participants of the Belia Cinta Tanah Air programme.
Those bestowed with titles are urged to hoist their personal flags while members of the public need to hoist the normal flag from February 16-25.
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