| Lyna Mohamad |
THE Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB) Municipal Department, Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) hosted a Tahlil, Surah Yaasiin and Doa Kesyukuran in a religious ceremony held at the Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Mosque in the capital yesterday to mark the 48th anniversary of the renaming of Bandar Brunei to Bandar Seri Begawan.
The guest of honour was Minister of Communications Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yusof, in his capacity as the Acting Minister of Home Affairs.
Senior officials, heads of departments, members of BSB Municipal Department, officers and staff of the MoHA and the departments under it as well as mukim penghulus and village heads in the vicinity of the capital were also present.
The ceremony started with a mass recitation of Surah Yaasiin and Tahlil led by Mudim Haji Metassim bin Haji Metussin, followed by the reading of Doa Kesyukuran by Mosque Officer at the Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Mosque Ustaz Zulkifli bin Haji Murat.
Bandar Brunei was renamed to Bandar Seri Begawan on October 4, 1970 in commemoration of the contribution of Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam in the development and modernisation of Brunei Darussalam.
The capital city area has been expanded from the 1,287 hectare to 10,036.24 hectares with the consent 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 and was officially announced by the MoHA on July 19, 2007.
Throughout the development of the capital city, various forms of rapid development have been achieved in several aspects including infrastructure, communications, religion, education, economy, welfare, business, security and social.
