Senior Citizens Honoured For Their Loyalty And Contribution
By Sobrina Rosli

Tutong - Senior citizens were honoured yesterday for -their valuable contributions to the early years of Brunei's growth and development.

The Mukim Ukong Consultative Council in the district of Tutong spearheaded the celebration honouring the elderly members of the society.

Present during the ceremony was the Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mawardi Abdullah.

He said in his speech that the ceremony reflected the community's appreciation towards their senior citizens and their own unique contributions to the development of the village, particularly in preserving the Mukim Ukong's heritage and tradition.

Mukim Ukong is an excellent example of how the senior members of the society still have a part too play on the growth of its community. The elderly comprised 10 per cent of the 223 population of the village.

Three seniors received the award for Mukim Ukong Senior Citizen Loyal Service. The award was given to the deserving senior citizens, who fit the criteria of having vast experiences during his or her long life and the willingness to share these experiences and knowledge of the Tutong district culture with the younger generations.

One of the senior citizen recipients was Marak Buntak, who is 102 years old. He was born in Sungai Damit village and worked as a farmer and sagomaker during his younger years. Among the winning qualities that earned him the award is his vast experience, especially about the district's history and tradition.

The Tutong district is the third largest district in Brunei. It is a home to a population" of around 44,400 consisting of a mix of local Malays and indigenous groups like the Tutong, the Kedayan, Dusun and Iban.

There have been efforts to preserve the Tutong culture which include a plan to beautify the surroundings of the Tutong cultured houses and stage. An old official building of the Tutong district officer will also be used to preserve the historical and heritage of the Tutong tribes and their respective cultures.

Hopefully it will become a platform to present the uniqueness of the Tutong culture as a whole. Other than the potential as attractive tourist destination, the district can also be a population reference especially for future generations and students to pattern their research on. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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