His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muthadee Billah, the Crown Prince has expressed happiness at efforts to raise funds and other assistance in helping Tsunami victims. All these, His Royal Highness pointed out, demonstrate the noble characteristics of the Brunei people which should be upheld. His Royal Highness made the remark Monday at a doa selamat and appreciation ceremony for volunteers and donors of the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation Initiative Humanitarian Relief Fund for Tsunami Victims in Aceh.
His Royal Highness was greeted upon arrival at the International Convention Centre in Berakas by the Minister of Education, Pehin Dato Haji Awang Abdul Aziz, who is also the chairman of the Yayasan Administrative Board and the Chairman of the foundation's Board of Directors, Pehin Dato Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin. Accompanying the Crown Prince at the function was His Royal Highness Prince Abdul Malik.
The function commenced with the recitation of the Surah Al-Fatihah led by Pehin Dato Ustaz Awang Haji Abdul Hamid bin Bakal. In his welcoming address, the foundation's chairman of the board of directors, stressed that the many initiatives taken to help the victims showed overwhelming sympathy of the rakyat and residents of Brunei Darussalam toward the Aceh survivors.
His Royal Highness said that he welcomed the initiative by the foundation to deliver assistance to Aceh, which signified Brunei Darussalam's care and deep sympathy. His Royal Highness said that apart from achieving its objective, the initiative of the foundation has also given valuable experience in forming ideas, planning, coordination and most importantly its implementation. This involved the logistic support of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and Royal Brunei Airlines. To all those concerned, His Royal Highness expressed his appreciation and gratitude.
His Royal Highness then consented to present the appreciation certificates to 356 volunteers of whom 78 were directly involved with the humanitarian mission in Aceh. These consisted of the Armed Forces personnel as well as the medical officers from the Ministry of Health. Several members of the media also received their appreciation certificates for their roles in bringing us the pictures and stories of our humanitarian mission there.
To bless the event, doa selamat was read by Pehin Dato Ustaz Awang Haji Abdul Hamid. Prior taking leave of the ceremony His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince consented to receive the junjung ziarah from the volunteers.
