By Azaraimy HH
More than 3000 members of the Mukim and village consultative councils, including foreign guest speakers, were invited to a dinner in conjunction with the Mukim and Village Consultative Assembly at the Rizqun International Hotel last night.
The lavish dinner, sponsored by the Ministry of Home Affairs, was housed in two main conference halls at the hotel and featured traditional song and dance performances.
Present as the guests of honour were Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Mohd Yusof and his wife.
Also present were foreign speakers, Malaysian Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development, Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman; Indonesia's Director General of Social Empowerment, Ministry of Social Affairs, Dr Gunawan Sumodiningrat; Director of Central Singapore Development Division, People's Association, the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, Mr Chia Tze Yee, and Mr Chamnan Wattanasiri from Thailand's Department of Community Development, Ministry of Interior.
High-ranking government officers, including the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, permanent secretaries, district officers, penghulus, village heads and government officers also attended the function.
The dinner kicked off with a welcoming speech by the Brunei-Muara District Officer, Dato Paduka Awang Haji Md Yussop bin Bakar, and the singing of the national anthem led by the four district officers.
Mukim and village consultative councils nationwide will congregate in an assembly in a bid to strengthen and enhance leadership at grassroots level for the prosperity and development of Bruneian society.
They will converge under the theme of "Bersama Memantapkan Pembangunan dan Kesejahteraan Masyarakat" or "Enhancing the Development and Prosperity of Community Together".
The assembly, held in conjunction with His Majesty's 61st birthday, is being held for the second time. The previous assembly was held in 1996. The assembly will involve 37 mukims and 168 village consultative councils, with more than 3,500 members.
- Borneo Bulletin
(8th August 2007)
