Belait Residents On Their First Encounter With Royal Couple

Kuala Belait – Residents of Belait District took their first opportunity for a closer look at the Royal Couple, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee-Billah and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah, at the Get Together and Thanksgiving Ceremony yesterday.

The function took place at the Padang Bandaran in Kuala Belait.

Upon arrival, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee-Billah, and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah at the Jalan Maulana helipad were greeted by Pehin Dato Haji Awang Isa, the Special Adviser to His Majesty at the Prime Minister's Office and Minister of Home Affairs, and his wife, Pehin Dato Awang Haji Adnan, the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, the Permanent Secretaries at the Ministry of Home Affairs with their wives and the Belait District Officer and his wife.

The Get-Together and Thanksgiving Ceremony began when the Royal Couple boarded a special motorcade from the Banquet Hall to the Padang Bandaran.

During the 15-minute procession, as with the main Wedding procession in Bandar Seri Begawan a few days ago, the Royal Couple's motorcade was flanked and escorted by an entourage bearing decorative wedding ornaments like the sirih junjung, the dian tunggal, the bunga dian, the bungs telor, the gangsas and the bunga manggar.

Along the entire route of the procession, rows and rows of school children lined up waving the national and other decorative flags.

The entourage that escorted the Royal Couple's motorcade consisted of the many layers of society and ethnic people who live in the Belait District, including the Asli Malays, the Tiong Hwa, the Ibans, Dusuns, Belait people and Indian communities.

Their participation clearly demonstrated that the Royal Wedding Get-Together Ceremonies had been conducted with all the races, irrespective of lineage or backgrounds.

The arrival of the Royal Couple to the Royal Dais at the Padang Bandaran was greeted by the Belait District Officer and his wife as well as the members of the executive organising committee.

In the background, a crescendo of hadrah beats by a hundred youths could be heard together with the sprinkling of scented leaves.

This Get-Together Ceremony with the Royal Couple had been eagerly awaited by those in the Belait District and this was clearly evident when as soon as the Royal Newly-Weds emerged onto the Royal Dais, their adoring public immediately surged forward towards the Dais to have their first closer glimpse of the the Royal Couple.

For a great many of them, they also took this as a golden photo-opportunity.

Tourists were also among the crowds who flocked together to have a closer look.

Dato Awang Haji Mohd Yussop, the Belait District Officer, in his welcoming speech on behalf of the rakyat and residents of the district, reaffirmed that the presence of their Royal Highnesses gracing the Belait District was a priceless opportunity for the people.

He said that the Royal Couple’s visit was also an honour from the heir to the wise and just leadership and a historic event to remember.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee-Billah and Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah were then treated to a variety of spectacular field performances.

Attending with Their Royal Highnesses were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah, Yang Mulia Datin Hajah Faezah, His Royal Highness Prince Haji Abdul Azim, His Royal Highness Prince Abdul Malik, His Royal Highness Prince Abdul Mateen and Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Rashidah Saadatul Bolkiah.

The performances were themed around the pallet of colours that symbolise love and affection through the imaginative uses of flowers, costumes and props.

These dances that entertained the Royal couple also generated an upbeat aura of joy and an unmistakable buzz of excitement amongst the spectators and participants in marking their own historic day.

Among the dances performed was the Junjung sireh dance, the Wedding silat, the Malay joget dances all backed up by a chorus of songs.

The rakyat and residents of the Belait district were only too happy to celebrate the Royal Wedding and would not have missed out on their opportunity to be a part of the whole ceremonial festivities.

With the field performances over, the Crown Prince and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah were respectfully invited to meet and greet the executive committee members, the performers, the rakyat and the residents of the Belait district.

The Belait District has the honour of being the first district to hold this particular Get-Together Ceremony.

Equally so, this is also the first time that the Royal Couple graced this district together since their official union.

The mere presence of the Royal Couple in Belait was viewed as a priceless opportunity for many of the residents here, which had also allowed the rakyat to take a closer look at the Royal couple and to share the joyous moment with them.

Indeed, many of those here today had arrived much earlier just to catch a better glimpse of the Royal Couple in their district.

Toddlers were also brought by their parents and the elderly were also here to be part of the spirit of the festivities.

For those who had not missed the opportunity to see the Royal Couple up close, yesterday's Thanksgiving Ceremony indeed provided that golden opportunity to come and see closely for themselves their Royal Newly-Weds.

After receiving many well-wishes from the adoring public, Their Royal Highnesses were then respectfully ushered in to the Banquet Hall for a sumptuous luncheon.

Doa Selamat was read by Awang Mohammad Bahrin bin Haji Alias, the Syaraie' Sub-ordinate Court Judge.

Before their departure, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee-Billah, and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah received more well-wishes and greetings from the invited guests and members of the public.

This Get-Together ceremony had undoubtedly been eagerly awaited by the people of the Belait District as it offered them their first glimpse and opportunity to meet the Royal Couple at first hand.

It was also their first opportunity to convey and offer their sincerest greetings and joyous best wishes to the Royal Couple.

The welcoming reception yesterday was stupendous and vividly illustrated the love, respect and loyalty of the people of Belait. -- Courtesy of Radio Television Brunei

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