Rokiah Mahmud & Daniel Lim
As the nation celebrated the Islamic New Year of 1442 Hijrah on Thursday, 18 couples welcomed their bundles of joy into the world.
The Brunei-Muara District recorded the birth of 13 babies (10 boys and three girls) delivered at Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital while the Belait District recorded five births (two boys and three girls) at the Suri Seri Begawan Hospital, Kuala Belait.
The new year’s first baby was born at 9.21pm on Thursday. The parents of the baby boy weighing 3.43kg are Md Hazmi Syafie bin Haji Shahri and Norabidah binti Abdul Hamid.
In expressing gratitude for the blessings, a Doa Kesyukuran ceremony for babies born in the Brunei-Muara District was held at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) yesterday.
Presentation of gifts were officiated by Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, Minister of Defence II Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof in his capacity as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Perbadanan Tabung Amanah Islam Brunei (TAIB) handed over gifts from TAIB, and Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar.
Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar also presented gifts.
The Belait District ceremony was held at the multi-purpose hall of the Muhammad Jamalul Alam Mosque, Kuala Belait.
Guest of honour Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health Haji Abdul Manap bin Othman was accompanied by Perbadanan TAIB Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications’ Haji Afero Eswandy bin Haji Mohammad.
Legislative Council member Yang Berhormat Hanapi bin Mohd Siput, Belait District Officer Ramlee bin Haji Jamudin, Belait District Head Religious Officer Mohamad Aliyani bin Haji Ismail, as well as officers and staff members from government agencies in the district were also present.
The first birth in the Belait District was recorded on August 20 at 6.45am. The baby boy weighing 3.48kg was born at the Suri Seri Begawan Hospital in the Belait District.
The child’s parents are Norhazirah binti Hanafi and Mohammad Mu’iz bin Sham Khiruddin.
The last delivery was at 4.52pm. Zaimah binti Jaladi and Awangku Mohd Adanan bin Pengiran Haji Ahmad are the parents of the baby girl weighing three kilogrammes.
The fathers of the newborns received the gifts which among others included baby essentials and a religious book titled Panduan Menyambut Kelahiran presented by Haji Abdul Manap.
The fathers also received a BND200 SiManja savings account along with baby essentials each from Perbadanan TAIB presented by Haji Afero Eswandy.
The ceremony concluded with the recitation of Doa Selamat.