IN CONJUNCTION with the 40th birthday of His Royal Highness Prince (Dr) Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, Pro-Chancellor of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), Pro-Chancellor of Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) and Pro-Chancellor of Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB), the Ministry of Education (MoE) held mass Maghrib, Sunnat Hajat, thanksgiving prayers, and a mass recitation of Surah Yaasiin at the UBD mosque.

The guest of honour at the event was Minister of Education, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong.

Also present were Deputy Minister of Education, Dato Seri Setia Awg Haji Yusoff bin Haji Ismail; Permanent Secretary (Higher Education) at the MoE cum Vice-Chancellor of UBD, Dato Paduka Dr Haji Zulkarnain bin Haji Hanafi; Acting Rector of UNISSA, Pengiran Anak Dr Haji Amiruddin Alam Shah bin Pengiran Anak Haji Ismail and Acting Vice-Chancellor of ITB, Associate Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah binti Haji Sulaiman.

The event commenced with a mass Maghrib prayer followed by mass Sunnat Hajat prayer led by Ustaz Haji Jufri bin Haji Hidup, Imam at the UBD mosque. The recitation of Surah Yaasiin ensued followed by a Doa for the special celebration of His Royal Highness’s 40th birthday and ended with a mass Isyak prayer.

Hundreds of invited guests comprising heads of department, senior officers as well as officers at the MoE, directors and teachers from various schools, technical and vocational institutions and higher education institutions attended the event. Meanwhile, the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) also held a similar event at the RBPF Headquarters’ Surau in Gadong.

Some 250 police personnel took part in the event. The guest of honour was Commissioner of Police Dato Seri Pahlawan Awang Bahrin bin Mohd Noor. The prayers were led by APO Corporal 6472 Mohd Yusrin bin Hj Abu Bakar, Imam at the RBPF Headquarters’ Surau. - Borneo Bulletin (17 February 2014)