BY Rokiah Mahmud

Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (Yayasan) marked the 30th anniversary of its establishment with a Doa Kesyukuran ceremony at An-Naura Hall of Yayasan Complex in Bandar Seri Begawan on Wednesday.

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik, Chairman of the Committee of Governors of Yayasan, attended the ceremony. His Royal Highness was welcomed by State Mufti Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned as the Deputy Chairman II of the Yayasan Committee of Governors; Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof as the Chairman of the Yayasan Board of Directors; Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar as the Deputy Chairman; and Permanent Secretary (Planning, Land Use and Environment) at the Ministry of Development Dr Nor Imtihan binti Haji Abdul Razak as Yayasan Acting Managing Director.

At the ceremony, His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik handed over donations to Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam. The organisation received BND50,000 to support services and training for the differently-abled group at the centre.

The organisation also received another BND50,000 to assist in funding the construction cost to build Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam School. The contribution was received by Senior Trustee of Pusat Ehsan Dato Paduka Haji Alimin bin Haji Abdul Wahab.

on Wednesday, His Royal Highness also handed over BND50,000 to the Society for the Management of Autism Related issues in Training, Education and Resources (SMARTER) Brunei.

Around 50 per cent of the donation will be used to coordinate teaching and learning matters for children living with autism while the remainder will be used to fund tuition fees for children from low income families.

Yayasan was established by 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 on October 5, 1992 in conjunction with the Silver Jubilee of His Majesty’s accession to the throne. Its establishment served as a medium of charitable endowment of His Majesty and members of the royal family as a symbol of care and love of his subjects, as well as the formation of a prosperous society.

With its 30 years of establishment, Yayasan has carried out programmes, projects and activities to improve and stimulate socio-economic development and well-being of the country’s citizens and residents.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin