By Sonia K. and Grace Jiu
His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday consented to hand over keys to new terrace houses and land titles to 64 residents in Belait District.
The event took place at Sayyidina Ali Secondary School.
Among the 64 residents, 22 received land titles under the grant scheme for houses built on Temporary Occupied Land (TOL) and 42 received house keys to terrace houses under the National Housing Plan of Kampong Pandan, Kuala Belait.
His Majesty later visited various terrace house units in Kampong Pandan, where enthusiastic members of the public welcomed the monarch into their homes.
Accompanying His Majesty during the visit were Minister of Home Affairs, Pehin Dato Awg Hj Adanan; Minister of Development, Pehin Dato Hj Abdullah; Acting Belait District Officer, Hj Mohammad bin Hj Abd Rahman; and other top government officials.
His Majesty first visited Sayyidina Ali Secondary School, where the ruler mingled with students and teachers who took photographs with the monarch.
The school's principal, Cheong Huat Joo, welcomed His Majesty. The school was established in 1994 and now has 1,358 students.
His Majesty visited exhibits on various subjects, and cut a cake prepared for him and also tasted it. His Majesty also viewed Silat and Taekwondo performances by the students.
His Majesty's next destination was the Belait District Police Headquarters in Panaga, Seria. His Majesty then proceeded to the Brunei Shell Refinery where he was greeted by Managing Director of Brunei Shell Petroleum, Dr Grahaeme Henderson, and was later briefed on the refinery and its milestones by Refinery Manager, Hj Yahya Hj Mohd. The refinery was built in 1983 and in 2005 the turnover of the refinery was B$350 million.
Next on His Majesty's itinerary was a visit to the 32-metre high partially red-white checkered lighthouse in Kampong Sungai Kayu Ara, which was completed in November 4, 2004 at a cost of $937,212.08.
His Majesty also visited the homes of two penghulus and a village head in the district, and also some of the residences of the recipients of land titles and terrace house units.
His Majesty also visited the Sungai Liang Health Centre, Lumut Post Office and the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Co-Generator, before ending his extensive visit to the district at the Lumut Liang Recreational Club.
- Borneo Bulletin
(24th May 2006)
