| Rokiah Mahmud |
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 and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam, along with other members of the royal family, graced the 15th Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration, held at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Berakas yesterday.
Accompanying Their Majesties at the event were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik, Chairman of the Board of Governors of Yayasan; Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah binti Pengiran Haji Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Amal Umi Kalthum Al-Islam.
Upon arrival at the ICC, Their Majesties and members of royal family were greeted by Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Indera Setia Diraja Sahibul Karib Pengiran Anak Haji Idris bin Pengiran Maharaja Lela Pengiran Muda Abdul Kahar, Deputy Chairman I of the Board of Governors of Yayasan; Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned, the State Mufti in his capacity as the Deputy Chairman II of the Board of Governors of Yayasan; Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, Minister of Home Affairs and Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, Minister of Religious Affairs as members of the Board of Governors of Yayasan; Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister of Defence II in his capacity as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Yayasan and Dato Paduka Eddie bin Dato Paduka Haji Sunny, Managing Director of Yayasan.
The special ceremony commenced with recitation of Doa Selamat by the State Mufti. In his welcoming address Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi said that Yayasan’s this year’s Hari Raya celebration is focussed on participants from corporate entities including government-linked companies (GLCs) and private companies that require local graduates to grow their entities as well as degree holders from higher education institutions who are seeking employment in the private sector.
“Existence of these corporate entities and GLCs play a vital role in enhancing the country’s economic growth through creating and providing job opportunities for local graduates,” he added.
The event, which served as platform to bring together local jobseekers and private sector companies and facilitate cooperation between them with the theme ‘Developing the National Economy by Empowering the Private Sector’, also witnessed His Majesty delivering a titah.
Special stage performances by Taman Asuhan Kanak-Kanak (TASKA), primary and secondary students of the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah School further enlivened the celebration.
The event also saw a Junjung Ziarah with participants by Their Majesties and members of the royal family. Later, His Majesty toured an exhibition featuring 24 private sector companies that offer job placement for local jobseekers.