Some 4,000 invited guests attended the Royal Banquet (Majilis Santap) to commemorate His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam's 70th birthday last night at the Banquet Hall of the Istana Nurul Iman.

Guests comprising of state dignitaries, Cabinet Ministers, foreign diplomatic guests, high-ranking government officials and specially invited guests attended the Royal Banquet hosted by His Majesty and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam.

The royal banquet is an annual tradition held on the occasion of His Majesty's birth anniversary celebration.

Present to accompany Their Majesties during the event were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman; His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah and Her Royal Highness Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Zariah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Bini Hajah Faizah binti Dato Haji Nasir; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Norhayati binti Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abdul Rahman; His Royal Highness Prince 'Abdul Malik and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Raabi'atul Adawiyyah binti Pengiran Haji Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince 'Abdul Mateen and His Royal Highness Prince 'Abdul Wakeel.

Meanwhile, accompanying the royal entourage for Her Majesty were Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Rashidah Sa'adatul Bolkiah, Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Majeedah. Nuurul Bolkiah, Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Hafizah Sururill Bolkiah, Her Royal Highness Princess Azemah Ni'matul Bolkiah, Her Royal Highness Princess Fadzilah Lubabul Bolkiah, Her Royal Highness Princess Ameerah Wardatul Bolkiah, Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Nor'ain, Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Amal Umi Kalthum Al-Islam and other members of the royal family.

Among the foreign dignitaries attending the royal banquet last night were Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore; General Prawit Wongsuwon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Kingdom of Thailand; Dato Seri Paduka Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Musa bin Haji Aman, Chief Minister of Sabah; Dato' Sri Douglas Uggah Embas, Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister I, as the personal representative to Chief Minister of Sarawak; and Datuk Amar Haji Awang Tengah bin Ali Hasan, Minister of Resource Planning and Environment II and Minister of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development, Trade and Investment of Sarawak.

Prior to the Royal Banquet, the national anthem of Brunei Darussalam was sung, followed by a Doa Selamat read by Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Dr. Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned, the State Mufti.

Guests donned in their white traditional Malay dress and formal banquet attires were treated to a variety of sumptuous delicacies, especially prepared by the Istana's kitchen staff.

While enjoying the food spread, guests were also entertained by a blend of soothing and celebratory music played by the brass band from the Royal Brunei Police Force and Senandung Budaya from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

A colourful 20 minutes fireworks display in the vicinity of the Istana Nurul Iman towards the end of the Royal Banquet enlivened the atmosphere of the night, with guest whipping out their camera phones to document the spectacle.

The Royal Banquet marks the beginning of two-weeks of nationwide celebration of His Majesty's 70th birthday.

Source:
@BRUDIRECT.COM

by BruDirect.com

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