| Daniel Lim |
FIVE households with less fortunate individuals in the Belait District were handed donations in the form of food items and basic necessities as part of the annual Kembara Amal Ramadhan programme of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and Community Development Department (JAPEM) on Tuesday morning.
The programme was aimed at lessening the burden of the needy and the less fortunate throughout the country in Ramadhan and to help them in their preparations for Hari Raya.
The contributions were handed over by a group of officers and staff from the MCYS and JAPEM.
Among them was the Acting Director of the Youth Development and Sports Division Haji Rosmadee bin Haji Mohd Daud.
Legislative Council (LegCo) member and Village Head of Kampung Labi 1 Yang Berhormat Hanapi bin Mohd Siput, Head of JAPEM for the Belait District Noridah binti Haji Ishak and Acting Village Head of Kampong Lumut 1 Haji Abdul Azizi bin Haji Abdul Gani were also present.
One of the recipients, Nur Aini Nazihah binti Mohd Jofri, 21, who suffers from cerebral palsy, a movement disorder, told the Bulletin that she is grateful for the donation from MCYS and JAPEM.
“It’s a great thing to receive these donations yearly from MCYS and JAPEM. We are really grateful for this. It really helps me and my family during Ramadhan and in our preparations for Aidilfitri,” said Nur Aini Nazihah, who was accompanied by her family members.
Another recipient, Hajah Disa binti Haji Wahid, 78, was similarly delighted to receive the contributions, emphasising that the aid will go a long way in helping her large family. “I have the responsibility of taking care of my 16 children, some of whom are unemployed,” she said.
Also receiving the aid were Julaimahwati binti Masri, Mohammad Hazari bin Wahid and Rusli bin Matamit.
Meanwhile, a separate religious event also part of the Kembara Amal Ramadhan programme was held the same morning at the STKRJ Lorong Tiga Selatan Seria Mosque.
More than 140 participants comprising students and teachers from various government and private secondary schools, religious schools and Arabic schools from the Belait District, as well as members from the Youth Development Centre, Belait District Youth and Sports Association, a number of government agencies, and the STKRJ Lorong Tiga Selatan Seria Mosque Takmir Committee participated in the event.
Besides encouraging youth to get more involved in religious activities, the Kembara Amal Ramadhan programme aimed to foster closer ties between the youth and the associations and government agencies involved in the events held under it, as well as to enliven the holy month of Ramadhan through conducting Al-Quran recitation and understanding sessions.
Present at the religious event as the guest of honour was Yang Berhormat Hanapi. Also in attendance were Permanent Secretary at the MCYS Datin Paduka Dr Hajah Norlila binti Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Jalil and various heads of department under the MCYS in the Belait District.
The ceremony began with a recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah led by the guest of honour, followed by a mass Al-Quran verses recitation, where the participants read Surah Adh-Dhuha to Surah Al-Masad of Al-Quran.
The event also included a reading of Takhtim Al-Quran and Tahlil, as well as a recitation of Doa Khatam and a Dikir Marhaban performance by participants. The mosque Imam then led a reading of the Doa Peliharakan Sultan dan Negara Brunei Darussalam.
To bring the event to a close, the guest of honour on behalf of MCYS presented several Waqaf items comprising a high pressure water gun and several emergency lights to the mosque.
Head Imam Md Shahirwandy bin Samsudin receivied the donation on behalf of the STKRJ Lorong Tiga Selatan Seria Mosque.