Rokiah Mahmud
A swearing-in ceremony for the new Legislative Council (LegCo) members was held at the Conference Hall of the Department of Councils of State yesterday.
The ceremony was in accordance with Section 49 of the Brunei Constitution of 1959 of which each LegCo member shall take their oath or sworn-in and recite their declaration in the presence of LegCo Speaker prior to taking up their responsibilities and chairs.
Present at the ceremony was LegCo Speaker Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Lela Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Dato Setia Haji Mohamed Taib.
Members of the LegCo comprise of ex-officio members, titled persons, persons who have achieved distinction and appointed district representatives.
First to be sworn-in were the ex-officio members, comprising Cabinet ministers: Special Advisor to His Majesty and Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Diraja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Isa bin Pehin Datu Perdana Manteri Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Ibrahim; Minister of Religious Affairs Yang Berhormat Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman; Minister at the PMO Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof; and Minister of Health Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar. Other ex-officio members included are: Minister at the PMO and Minister of Finance and Economy II Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah; Minister of Home Affairs Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ahmaddin bin Haji Abdul Rahman; Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin; Minister of Development Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Muhammad Juanda bin Haji Abdul Rashid; Minister of Education Yang Berhormat Datin Seri Setia Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh and Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Yang Berhormat Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mustapha.
The swearing-in ceremony was followed by appointed member (titled person) Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Haji Mohd Yusof.
This was followed by appointed members (distinction achievers) Yang Berhormat Hajah Safiah binti Sheikh Haji Abdul Salam; Yang Berhormat Lau How Teck, Yang Berhormat Chong Chin Yee, Yang Berhormat Dr Haji Mahali bin Haji Momin, Yang Berhormat Haji Salleh Bostaman bin Haji Zainal Abidin Yang Berhormat Hajah Rosmawatty binti Haji Abdul Momin and Yang Berhormat Pengiran Haji Isa bin Pengiran Haji Aliuddin.
Following the swearing-in ceremony were appointed members (district representatives) with representatives for the Brunei-Muara District Yang Berhormat Amran bin Haji Maidin representing Zone 4, Yang Berhormat Lawi bin Haji Lamat representing Zone 3; Yang Berhormat Zainol bin Haji Mohamed for Zone 5; Yang Berhormat Mohammad Ali bin Tanjong representing Zone 1 and Yang Berhormat Haji Daud bin Jihan of Zone 2.
Representatives from the Belait District were Yang Berhormat Salleh bin Haji Othman for Zone 1 and Yang Berhormat Mohammad bin Abdullah @ Lim Swee Ann of Zone 1.
Meanwhile, the Tutong District were represented by Yang Berhormat Haji Mohamad Danial @ Tekpin bin Ya’akub for Zone 1 and Yang Berhormat Abdul Aziz bin Haji Hamdan representing Zone 2.
District representative of Temburong District was Yang Berhormat Haji Sulaiman bin Haji Nasir.
Secretary to the Cabinet Minister’s Council and Clerk to the LegCo Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Jaya Dato Paduka Haji Judin bin Haji Asar and Deputy Clerk to the LegCo Rose Aminah binti Haji Ismail also attended the ceremony.
With an oath recited by, it will be the responsibility of members of the LegCo to help take care of and maintain national goals, achieve prosperity and to see life progress among the citizens and residents of Brunei Darussalam.
The oath also aims to accomplish the government’s responsibilities towards political and socio-economic activities.
