Lyna Mohamad
Some 157.5 metric tonnes of Safawi dates – kurnia peribadi (personal gift) from 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 – will be distributed to all Muslims in the country.
The distribution was officially launched by Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (Yayasan) at a ceremony officiated by His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik, Chairman of the Yayasan Committee of Governors.
His Royal Highness was greeted on arrival by Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Indera Setia Diraja Sahibul Karib Pengiran Anak Haji Idris bin Pengiran Maharaja Lela Pengiran Muda Abdul Kahar, Chief of Adat Istiadat Negara and Deputy Chairman I of the Yayasan Committee of Governors; 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 as Chairman of the Yayasan Board of Directors; Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar as Deputy Chairman of the Yayasan Board of Directors; and Permanent Secretary (Planning, Land Use and Environment) at the Ministry of Development Dr Nor Imtihan binti Haji Abdul Razak as Acting Managing Director of Yayasan.
The event at An-Naura Hall of the Yayasan Complex in the capital began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah by Chief Syar’ie Judge Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Seri Utama Dato Paduka Seri Setia Haji Awang Salim bin Haji Besar.
It continued with an address by Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi.
It was followed by His Royal Highness delivering a sabda and the distribution of dates to representatives of uniform personnel, the public and private sectors as well as Muslim convert associations.
The event concluded with a Doa Selamat recited by Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Seri Utama Dato Paduka Seri Setia Haji Awang Salim.
The dates will be distributed to all Muslims in the Sultanate in conjunction with the fasting month of Ramadhan. All Muslims, regardless of race, age and nationality, will receive 300 grammes of dates.
His Majesty’s personal gift portrays the monarch’s care for all citizens and residents in the country.
