Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei marked the start of His Majesty's 63rd birthday celebrations with the customary giant national flag hoisting ceremony yesterday.

Held at the Yayasan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah open space area, the ceremony saw 20 Royal Brunei Navy personnel hoisting the 3.7m by 7.3m giant flag (12 by 24 feet), accompanied by music played by the Royal Brunei Police Force band in the background.

A team of 63 flag bearers consisting of personnel from the Fire and Rescue Department and the Prisons Department were also involved in the ceremony.

The Minister of Home Affairs and advisor to the birthday celebrations, Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Adanan Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Hj Md Yusof attended the event as guest of honour.

The minister proceeded to distribute national flag measuring 1.8 metre by 3.7 metre to all four district officers.

The ceremony was followed by the singing of the national anthem and patriotic songs, performed by a choir group composed of personnel from the Language and Literature Bureau, Brunei-Muara District Office, Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Department and the Fire and Rescue Department.

The giant flag will continue to be flown until the end of the month.

Throughout the month-long celebrations, the public is encouraged to hoist the national flag at their residences to display the spirit of collective national pride and patriotism and deep sense of appreciation for the monarch and country as well as love for His Majesty.

Also present during the event were the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, National Committee members, permanent secretaries, deputy secretaries, and heads of departments and their deputies, penghulus, as well as village chiefs.

Similar ceremonies were also held in other districts.

More than 300 people turned up for the flag hoisting ceremony at the Menara Cendera Kenangan in Kuala Belait where District Officer Hj Jamain Momin presented the flag to Hj Omar Hj Abd Rahman, permanent secretary at the Prime Minister's Office.
In Temburong District, Acting Temburong District Officer Matusin Orang Kaya Sura Hj Tuba handed over the flag to Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs Dato Paduka Serbini Hj Ali at the Celebration Park in Bangar.

At the Pasarneka and Tamu Complex, Tutong, the ceremony saw Tutong District Officer Hj Idris Hj Mohd Ali handing over the national flag to Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs Hj Mohd Mandi Pehin Orang Kaya Digadong Seri Diraja Dato Laila T_Itama Hj Abd Rahman.-- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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