| Aziz Idris |
DRESSED in colourful attire, over 100 students staged a memorable performance at Padang Bandaran Kuala Belait yesterday in a show of love and admiration for 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.
This was part of the field performances lined up to celebrate the 70th birthday of a benevolent monarch.
Pengiran Haji Reza Redzuan bin Pengiran Haji Rani, the performance director, explained that 130 students from various primary and secondary schools participated in the performances this year.
Despite the last-minute changes made to the performances and the limited amount of time to get the choreography approved, he said, “I believe we did our best and we managed to receive the royal approval.”
The performance carried the theme ‘Raja Tersohor, Negara Makmur, Rakyat Bersyukur,’ loosely translated to ‘Admired Monarch, Prosperous Nation, Grateful People.’
Mesmerising poetry recital by Merangking Primary School Year 6 student Izz Atul Fatihah and choir groups
The Tai Chi demonstration catches the attention of the crowd. PHOTOS: FAZA SURAJ / INFOFOTO
One of the performances lined up for the day
The field performances began with a Nasyid Al-Fatihah staged by choir groups, with pra-vocational students using sign language to relay the message.
This was followed by a mesmerising poetry recital by Merangking Primary School Year 6 student Izz Atul Fatihah, who won the hearts of the crowd.
The 11-year-old used a blend of poetry and story-telling with backup songs by choir groups to bring the theme to life.
Photos above and below show Silat exponents demonstrating their prowess and agility
Self-defence demonstration
In the grand finale, Silat exponents, young and old, showcased their physical prowess and agility, before a burst of confetti filled the skies – much to the delight of the crowd.
Following this, His Majesty descended from the royal dais to the field to greet and mingle with the performers.
Apart from the field performances, organisers hosted additional performances as well as exhibitions at nearby tents, set up by various associations representing the district.
The nine additional performances and exhibitions set up for the monarch and other members of the royal family included a Tai Chi demonstration, combination of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and First Battalion of the Royal Gurkha Rifles marching band, and a youth recitation of Khatam Al-Quran.
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