BY Azlan Othman, Rokiah Mahmud & Daniel Lim

The public turned out last night across the country to witness the total lunar eclipse, which lasted late into the evening and was marked with a special prayer and sermon.

At the Balai Khazanah Islam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Deputy Minister (Security and Law) at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dato Seri Paduka Haji Sufian bin Haji Sabtu and Permanent Secretary (Civil Service Governance) at the PMO Ajman bin Haji Meludin were present with eclipse watchers, astronomy enthusiasts, students, teachers as well as children.

At Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Mosque, Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Mohd Tashim bin Pengiran Haji Hassan, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) Haji Mohammad Rosli bin Haji Ibrahim and Deputy Permanent Secretary (Policy and Religious) at the MoRA Haji Mohd Serudin bin Haji Timbang were present for the Sunnat Gerhana Bulan prayers.

A special sermon reminding Muslims to offer supplications during an eclipse and recite Zikir was held

In the Belait District, Noor Azlin bin Haji Mohammad from the Survey Department with his colleagues guided the public on how to view the occasion. He said the astronomy phenomenon represented an opportunity to educate and raise awareness of the beauty of the solar system and the surrounding natural world.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin