Azlan Othman
The Sultanate welcomed the arrival of 10 babies on 1st of Muharram, 1444 Hijrah with a shower of gifts to mark the occasion.
The Brunei-Muara District recorded the birth of nine babies – eight at the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital and one at Jerudong Park Medical Centre (JPMC). One delivery was also reported in the Belait District.
A ceremony was held at the Women and Children Centre of RIPAS Hospital on Sunday, which saw the attendance of Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman and spouse; and Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office cum Acting Minister of Health Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof and spouse.
Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Mohd Tashim bin Pengiran Haji Hassan and spouse; Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) Haji Mohammad Rosli bin Haji Ibrahim; Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health (MoH) Haji Maswadi bin Haji Mohsin, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Policy and Religious) at the MoRA Haji Mohd Serudin bin Haji Timbang and Deputy Permanent Secretary (Security and Welfare) at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) Nor Hamidah binti Haji Hamidon also attended.
As with previous years, Perbadanan Tabung Amanah Islam Brunei (Perbadanan TAIB) and Takaful Brunei contributed the gifts.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Perbadanan TAIB Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi handed to parents gifts from TAIB, while Haji Maswadi presented gifts from Takaful Brunei.
Each Hijrah baby was gifted BND200 and a religious book courtesy of the MoRA, as well as a BND250 voucher for enrolment into Takaful Nur Savings, BND200 in Akaun Simanja, BND50 hamper and ‘gym mat’.
A similar ceremony was held in the Belait District, attended by Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary (Policy and Management) at the MoH Dr Hajah Anie Haryani binti Haji Abdul Rahman.
The event was held as an expression of gratefulness to Allah the Almighty and to glorify the Islamic new year of 1444 Hijrah.
