HIS Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman yesterday arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for a six-day official visit.

The visit is aimed at strengthening relations between Brunei and Malaysia, as well as enhance defence and economic cooperation, Bernama reported.

Accompanying Their Royal Highnesses are His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Muntaqim and Her Royal Highness Princess Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah.

Welcoming His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah at the Subang Air Base were Dato’ Seri Hishammuddin bin Tun Hussein, Minister of Defence, Malaysia, as the Minister-in-Attendance and his spouse, Datin Seri Tengku Marsilla binti Tengku Abdullah; Dato’ Hamzah bin Zainuddin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia, and his spouse, Datin Norashikin binti Dato’ Abdul Ghani; Datuk Wan Hamidah Wan Ibrahim, Chief of Ceremony; Brigadier General Dato’ Haji Romlee bin Yahya, the Commander of Subang Air Base; and Dato’ Abdullah Sani Omar, Undersecretary for Southeast Asia II.

Also welcoming Their Royal Highnesses was Dato Paduka Haji Ishaaq bin Haji Abdullah, the High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam to Malaysia. Their Royal Highnesses then walked-past a static guard comprising 28 Malaysian Armed Forces personnel.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah later boarded a separate motorcade to the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was accompanied by Dato’ Seri Hishammuddin bin Tun Hussein, the Minister of Defence, Malaysia, as the Minister-in-Attendance, while Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah was accompanied by Datin Seri Tengku Marsilla binti Tengku Abdullah, the wife of the Malaysian Minister of Defence.

Upon arrival at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Their Royal Highnesses were greeted by Robert Dallimore, the general manager of the hotel, and Their Royal Highnesses were later introduced to the hotel’s officials.

Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah was also presented with a bouquet of flowers.

Accompanying Their Royal Highnesses were Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, Minister of Development, and Dato Paduka Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Later in the afternoon, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince left for the National Mosque, Kuala Lumpur, to perform mass Friday prayers.

Upon arrival, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was greeted by Tan Sri Dato’ Syaikh Haji Ismail bin Muhammad, the Imam Besar of the National Mosque.

After performing mass Friday prayers, and before departing the National Mosque, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince visited the Heroes’ Mausoleum (Makam Pahlawan) located within the ground of the National Mosque. The mausoleum is the burial ground of several Malaysian leaders and politicians.

Accompanying His Royal Highness the Crown Prince were Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, Minister of Development, and Dato Paduka Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Earlier on Friday, before Their Royal Highnesses departed for Kuala Lumpur, a Doa Selamat was read by Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Yahya bin Haji Ibrahim.

Present at the His Majesty The Sultan’s Flight Hanger in Rimba to bid farewell to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince were Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Amal Umi Kalthum Al-Islam and other members of the royal family.

Also present at the airport to bid farewell to Their Royal Highnesses were YAM Pengiran-Pengiran Cheterias, Cabinet Ministers, the Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, the Commissioner of Police, the High Commissioner of Malaysia to Brunei Darussalam, Permanent Secretaries at the Prime Minister’s Office and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as well as officials from the Malaysian High Commission in Brunei Darussalam.

Their Royal Highnesses are also scheduled to have an audience with the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, and the Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tuanku Hajah Haminah. Their Royal Highnesses will also be attending a royal banquet at the Istana Negara.

According to Bernama, the official welcome for Their Royal Highnesses will be held at the Dataran Putra in Putrajaya, after which Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will host a lunch at Seri Perdana.

HRH the Crown Prince is also scheduled to visit the Defence Ministry and hold discussions with Malaysia’s Minister of Defence.

HRH the Crown Prince is also scheduled to take part in a training session and demonstration with the Malaysian Armed Forces at the Terendak Camp in Malacca and the Iskandar Camp in Mersing, Johor, after which HRH would be conferred the Green Beret and the honorary PARA wings.

HRH the Crown Prince, who is also the Chairman of the Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam, is also scheduled to visit Bank Negara Malaysia and attend a special briefing on the Islamic financial system, the Greater Kuala Lumpur/Klang Valley Development Initiative and the Kampung Baru Redevelopment Plan.

Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah, meanwhile, will visit the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, and the Permata Pintar Negara Centre at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in Bangi. - Borneo Bulletin (9 November 2013)