TEMBURONG District came alive yesterday as it hosted the get-together ceremony with His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam in conjunction with His Majesty’s 67th birthday celebration.

Huge crowd of people including foreign nationals residing in the district flocked to the community field area in Bangar Town to witness the colourful field performance. This year the district choose the theme “Raja Teladan Kepimpinan Negara”, which carried the meaning that all subjects and residents in the country follow the monarch’s leadership in leading the progress and development of the nation.

This year the district also displayed a special performance “Sejahtera Raja Berdaulat”, with the concept of blessing and reverence for His Majesty’s leadership and personality.

The special performance had three segments: Segment 1 – pattern of fan with five colours, which reflects five pillars of Islam as a Malay nation with various ethnic groups and Islam as the official religion. It also reflects five Mukims available in the Temburong District – Mukim Bangar, Mukim Batu Apoi, Mukim Bokok, Mukim Labu and Mukim Amo.

Segment 2 – Umbrella pattern with five colours and Segment 3 – the grand finale.

The colourful performances involved about 367 participants comprising school children from primary and secondary schools as well as Arabic school in the district, officers and staff from the government departments, members of uniform organisations, associations, voluntary bodies, members of cadets and also members from the Village and Mukim Consultative Councils.

Upon arrival at the Bangar Town Helipad in Temburong District, His Majesty accompanied by HRH Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah and HRH Prince ‘Abdul Malik were greeted by the Minister of Home Affairs, Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman and Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, as well as Commander of Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Commissioner of Police, permanent secretaries and deputy permanent secretaries at the Ministry of Home Affairs and Acting Temburong District Officer, Awg Haji Abdul Hamid bin Dato Paduka Haji Abdullah.

His Majesty and other members of the royal family then proceeded to the official residence of the Temburong District Officer for a rest.

The ceremony began with the motorcade signalling the arrival of His Majesty and other members of the royal family to the get-together venue. Soon after the arrival, the national anthem ‘Allah Peliharakan Sultan’ was sang and followed by loud cheers of ‘Daulat Kebawah Duli Tuan Patik’ and a speech from the Acting Temburong District Officer.

His Majesty and other members of the royal family then witnessed the final of the national level Tug-of-War competition between teams from the Brunei-Muara and Belait Districts.

The competition was won by the Brunei-Muara District and they will represent the country at the Inter-Borneo Tug-of-War Championship to be held on September 29 at Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien in the capital.

His Majesty also consented to present the prizes to winners in the competition. - Borneo Bulletin (27 September 2013)