THE sound of 21 cannon shots reverberated across the capital yesterday morning, marking the occasion of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s 68th birthday.

Twenty-four Military Police personnel from the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) led by Major Mardini bin Abdul Rahman, Deputy Commanding Officer of RBAF Military Police, fired the cannon shots in the ceremony, which attracted scores of onlookers and visitors.

The annual ceremonial affair, which usually takes place during the Grand Parade at the Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien for His Majesty’s birthday, is carried out every July 15.

The grand parade for the monarch’s birthday celebration is scheduled to take place on August 14.

It was also previously announced that the date had been declared a special holiday for the country.

The two-week long celebration for the occasion begins August 1 and will continue throughout the month. - Borneo Bulletin (16 July 2014)