Thousands of people including state dignitaries, cabinet ministers, foreign diplomatic guests, high-ranking government officials and specially invited guests attended a royal banquet last night to celebrate the 65th birthday of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam at the Royal Banquet Hall of Istana Nurul Iman.

At the grand banquet, His Majesty was accompanied by Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hjh Saleha, HRH Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, HRH Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah, HRH Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, HRH Pg Anak Isteri Pg Anak Hjh Zariah, HRH Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah, YAM Pengiran Bini Hjh Faizah binti Dato Haji Nasir, HRH Prince Hj Jefri Bolkiah, YAM Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Norhayati binti Pg Jaya Negara Pengiran Hj Abdul Rahman, HRH Prince Hj 'Abdul 'Azim, HRH Prince 'Abdul Malik, HRH Prince 'Abdul Mateen and other members of the royal family.

Among the foreign dignitaries attending the banquet last night were: HRH Princess Basma binti Talal and Dato Seri Setia Al-Sayed Walid Ismail Al-Kurdi of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; Dato' Sri Ismail bin Yaakob, Malaysia's Minister of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism, and wife; Pehin Sri Dr Haji Abdul Taib bin Mahmud, Chief Minister of Sarawak and wife; Datuk Musa Haji Aman, Chief Minister of Sabah and wife; Professor Ir Purnomo Yusgiantoro, Minister of Defence, Indonesia and wife; Mr Cesar V Purisima, Secretary for Finance, Philippines and wife; and, Dato Paduka Seri Chief Admiral Agus Suhartono of Indonesia. - Borneo Bulletin (16th July 2011)