A Doa Selamat ceremony was held yesterday at Surau Ad-Difa’, Bolkiah Garrison, for the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) contingent who are set to be deployed with the Malaysian Battalion 850-12 (MALBATT 850-12) as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeeping mission.
The 30-member RBAF contingent, led by Major Pengiran Muhammad Syahir Fadillah bin Pengiran Salleh, comprises three officers and 27 other ranks, including two RBAF Women Military personnel. They are scheduled to depart for Malaysia today and then continue their journey with the MALBATT-12 contingent to Lebanon for a 12-month deployment.
The ceremony, which included a religious talk on ‘Akhlak Dalam Berjihad’, aimed to seek blessings from Allah the Almighty for the safety and success of the RBAF contingent. The talk emphasised the importance of discipline, ethics and upholding RBAF Core Values in carrying out their duties.
Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Defence II Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Commander of the RBAF Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Muhammad Haszaimi bin Bol Hassan and Malaysian High Commissioner-Designate to Brunei Darussalam Datuk Mohd Aini bin Atan were present.
Acting Director of the Department of International Organisations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Defence Executive Committee members, RBAF Executive Committee members, senior officers and personnel from the Ministry of Defence as well as families of the personnel involved in the peacekeeping mission also attended the ceremony.
Brunei Darussalam has been actively involved in the UNIFIL mission under MALBATT since 2008, demonstrating its commitment to international peace and stability. The participation also strengthens Brunei’s diplomatic relations and military cooperation with other nations, showcasing the capabilities of the RBAF on the international stage. – Lyna Mohamad
