The second batch of haj pilgrims from Brunei Darussalam departed for Madinah on Friday morning aboard Royal Brunei Airlines flight BI4203. They arrived in the Saudi Arabian city in the afternoon, ready to embark on their spiritual journey.
This flight carried a total of 254 individuals, including officials from the Brunei Darussalam Pilgrims Affairs Office (Medical) and representatives from Darussalam Services Sdn Bhd (DSSB). Of these, 251 were intending haj pilgrims, comprising 121 men and 130 women, all under the care of DSSB.
Accompanying the pilgrims were three medical officers from the Brunei Darussalam Pilgrims Affairs Office, ensuring their health and safety throughout the pilgrimage.
Haji Md Isa Shawal bin Haji Awang Basuni from Darussalam Services emphasised the priority placed on the pilgrims’ safety. “All of the prospective haj pilgrims under Darussalam Services are wearing blue so everyone can identify one another. Each of them also has special name tags with important details and contact numbers for emergencies,” he shared.
He added that medical officers are available to assist pilgrims throughout the haj.
A group of senior officials were present at Brunei International Airport to bid farewell to the pilgrims. These included Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman; Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Defence II Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof; Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar; and Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Mohammed Abdullah Al-Buraithin.
A prayer for the pilgrims’ safety was recited by Begawan Pehin Khatib Dato Paduka Awang Haji Emran bin Haji Kunchang, while the call to prayer (Azan) was performed by Imam Haji Hamdini bin Haji Garif, an officer of Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Mosque.
Safiah binti Haji Manudin, aged 62, shared her joy at finally being able to perform Haj this year after registering in 2019. “I am truly happy and delighted to finally receive the call to perform haj this year,” she said. She had been preparing for this moment ever since she registered, even attending Haj courses in 2022 to ensure she was ready.
She expressed her peace of mind in traveling with DSSB, confident that everything would proceed smoothly with fellow Bruneians by her side. – Adib Noor
