The Brunei-Muara District was last year able to collect nearly $190,000 from sponsors to help cover expenditures for activities to commemorate His Majesty's birthday celebration in the district.

This was yesterday revealed by Brunei-Muara District Officer Dato Paduka Awang Hj Md Yussop bin Bakar in his welcoming speech during a ceremony to hand over the sponsorship for the monarch's upcoming 63rd birthday celebrations.

Over $400,000 was utilised for His Majesty's birthday celebrations in the Brunei-Muara District last year. The administrative committee for His Majesty's birthday celebration in Brunei-Muara District was able to raise sponsorships amounting to half the total expenditure.

Dato Paduka Awang Hj Md Yussop bin Bakar, in his capacity as chairman of the administrative committee for His Majesty's 63rd birthday celebrations in the Brunei-Muara District, later conveyed his heartfelt gratitude to the sponsors for their generosity.

"This year some 30 activities will be organised for the monarch's 63rd birthday celebration in the Brunei-Muara District. Some of the activities will need financial assistance from sponsors," he said.

In a separate speech, Hj Ghazali bin Pehin Jawatan Dalam Seri Maharaja Dato Seri Utama (Dr) Hj Awang Mohd Jamil Al-Sufri, the chairperson of the organising committee for the ceremony, expressed his gratitude to the sponsors.

He also expressed hopes that the collection this year will be able to match or exceed the sum raised last year.

So far, nearly 100 companies and individuals have come forward to contribute to the monarch's upcoming birthday celebrations in the Brunei-Muara District.

The biggest contributions came from Brunei Gas Carriers and Brunei Shell Tankers ($5,000), NBT (Brunei) Sdn Bhd ($5,000) and Hua Ho Department Store ($5,000), Lim Seng Kok ($4,000), GHK ($4,000) and Lim Ming Siong ($4,000).

Dato Paduka Awang Hj Md Yussop bin Bakar received the contributions from the many sponsors during the ceremony held at the Muhibbah Hall of the Brunei-Muara District Office. - Borneo Bulletin (16th Apr 2009)