His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha, yesterday left for Saudi Arabia to perform the Umrah. His Majesty will also attend the Fourth Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit Conference which will be held on August 14 and 15 in Mecca.

Accompanying His Majesty and Her Majesty are His Royal Highness Prince 'Abdul Malik; His Royal Highness Prince 'Abdul Wakeel; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Rashidah Sa'adatul Bolkiah;

Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Majeedah Nuurul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Hafizah Sururul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess 'Azemah Ni'matul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Fadzilah Lubabul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Ameerah Wardatul Bolkiah; as well as other members of the royal family.

Before departing, a doa selamat was read at the Istana Nurul Iman by Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned, the State Mufti.

Present to bid farewell to His Majesty and Her Majesty at the Sultan's Flight Hangar in Rimba were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah; His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah and Her Royal Highness Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Zariah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince 'Abdul Mateen; and Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Amal Umi Kalthum Al-Islam as well as a member of the royal family.

Also present were Pengiran-Pengiran Cheteria; Members of the Privy Councils; Cabinet Ministers; Deputy Ministers; Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and Acting Com-missioner of the Royal Brunei Police Force with their spouses.

The Fourth Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit Conference was called for by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz to examine the situation in many countries of the Islamic world, intensify efforts to confront this situation, address the sources of discord and division therein and reunify the Muslim Ummah and promote Islamic solidarity, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation web site said.

The conference will be preceded by two meetings, the first at the level of Foreign Ministers to prepare for the summit and the second at the level of senior officials to prepare for the ministerial meeting. - Borneo Bulletin (9 August 2012)