I would like to extend my gratitude to 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 for the recent get-togethers across all four districts.
The emotional rollercoaster in the past two years had been taxing on the population, especially when we thought we had had a handle on the situation only to see the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant.
There had been times when a lot of us wondered if there was light at the end of the tunnel, especially at the start of the second wave, when there were a lot of unknowns that felt menacing. Restrictive measures were introduced for the first time since the onset of the pandemic. Sure, a lot of us were venturing into uncharted territory – working or studying from home – and the period of adjustment at times seemed painful and overwhelming.
Not only did we live through it, both the authorities and the public were more prepared to weather the storm of the third wave.
I was one of the people, who attended the get-together in the Brunei-Muara District on Sunday.
When I looked at fellow well-wishers, it struck me how far we’ve come, from movement control to gathering for a chance to see our beloved monarch in person. It would have been unimaginable only a short few months ago.
While the performances were entertaining, the most significant moment was when His Majesty looked me in the eyes as I wished him a happy birthday.
The get-togethers may have been celebrations of His Majesty’s 76th birthday on paper; but to the vast majority of us, they were also testament our monarch’s care for his subjects is why we are on the right trajectory towards normalcy.
Proud Bruneian
