Mohd Ariffin bin Abdullah and Khairul Abidin bin Md Yassin were elected as village heads of RPN Kampong Panaga ‘B’ and ‘C’ following a three-day voting session.
Mohd Ariffin said he has a wealth of experience in ensuring the village’s well-being as he was the acting village head for the whole of RPN Kampong Panaga since June 2019.
“With the Village Consultative Council, the village has hosted a variety of activities including cleaning campaigns, religious gatherings, as well as sports and entrepreneurship events to promote a healthy lifestyle and the growth of homegrown businesses,” he added.
Mohd Ariffin hopes to continue the initiatives that have been laid to help better support and cater to the village’s needs.
The 52-year-old is a pension officer at the Community Development Department at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports prior to the election.
Meanwhile, Khairul Abidin, 48, said that while he has little experience, as this is his first time in the role, his discipline developed through his 18 years serving as a sergeant in the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) will help ensure the village’s safety and well-being.
“Having been trained to be a leader, I hope to bring the sense of discipline and responsibility in representing the village and its residents,” he added.
Khairul Abidin worked as a supervisor mechanic at a private company after having served in the RBAF for 18 years.
From October 20, villagers cast their votes via the PMKK e-Voting App with physical voting held yesterday.
Acting Belait District Officer Awangku Arif Anuar bin Pengiran Haji Ahmad witnessed the voting at Panaga Primary School multi-purpose hall.
He was accompanied by Legislative Council member and Mukim Bukit Sawat Penghulu Yang Berhormat Haji Mohd Salleh bin Haji Othman.
The outcome will be presented to the Ministry of Home Affairs for further processing.
The next vote will be at the Kampong Pandan Community Hall for the village head of Kampong Pandan ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘F’ on October 29. – Daniel Lim
