BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: A historic moment for Brunei Darussalam took place yesterday when the nation and its people witnessed the Majlis Istiadat Bersanding Pengantin Diraja of His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah binti Pengiran Haji Bolkiah, ©BRUDIRECT.COM reported.
The Majlis Istiadat Bersanding Pengantin Diraja held in the grandeurs befitting royal court traditions and customs at the Balai Singgahsana Indera Buana of the Istana Nurul Iman.
His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, and Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha graced the ceremony.
Also present were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah; His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah and His Royal Highness Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Zariah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Bini Hajah Faizah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Norhayati; His Royal Highness Prince Haji ‘Abdul ‘Azim; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Muta-Wakkilah Hayatul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Majeedah Nuurul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Hafizah Sururul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Fadzilah Lubabul Bolkiah; and Her Royal Highness Ameerah Wardatul Bolkiah.
Also in attendance, Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Nor’ain; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Amal Umi Kalthum Al-Islam; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Amal Rakiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Amal Nasibah; Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Babu Raja Pengiran Anak Hajah Besar as well as other members of the Royal Family.
The ceremony was also graced by the presence of His Majesty’s foreign guests – His Excellency Tun Dato Laila Utama Pehin Sri Dr. Haji Abdul Taib bin Mahmud, Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak and wife, Yang Amat Berbahagia Toh Puan Datin Ragad Kurdi Taib; Yang Amat Berhormat Dato Seri Paduka Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Musa bin Haji Aman, Chief Minister of Sabah and wife, Yang Amat Berbahagia Datin Seri Panglima Hajah Faridah binti Haji Tussin; His Highness Prince Saud bin Abdul Mohsen bin Abdul Aziz, Governor of Hail Region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Yang Berhormat Datuk Amar Haji Awg Tengah bin Ali Hasan, Second Minister of Planning and Environment, of Sarawak and wife, Yang Berbahagia Dato Dyg Hajah Norliah binti Datuk Haji Awg Daud.
The Majlis Istiadat Bersanding Pengantin Diraja began with the entrance of four Awang-Awang (ceremonial youths), followed by the lighting of Dian Empat (Four Ceremonial Candles) in the centre of which was place Kasur Namat, a royal cushion of yellow cloth laid upon a mat.
Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Dewa Major General (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Awg Haji Mohammad bin Haji Daud, duly informed Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz bin Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar that the ceremony to invite the Royal Couple was ready, who then informed His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.
His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam gave his consent for the ceremony to invite the royal couple to proceed.
Datin Dyg Hajah Edah binti Haji Mohd Noor, wife of Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Lela Dato Seri Setia Awg Haji Abdul Rahman bin Dato Setia Haji Mohamed Taib and Datin Paduka Dyg Hajah Jahrah binti Haji Mohammad, wife of Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia Dr. Haji Awg Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong as well as other wives of royal dignitaries proceeded to invite the Royal Bride.
Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Indera Setia Diraja Sahibul Karib Pengiran Anak Haji Idris bin Pengiran Maharaja Lela Pengiran Muda Abdul Kahar, Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Maharaja Setia Laila Diraja Sahibul Irshad Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Rahim bin Pengiran Indera Mahkota Pengiran Anak Dr. Kamaludin Al-Haj and a number of Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran-Pengiran Cheteria proceeded to invite His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik to the Balai Singgahsana Indera Buana.
Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Dr. Ustaz Haji Awg Abdul ‘Aziz bin Juned, the State Mufti also sought for His Majesty’s consent to await the arrival of His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik.
The Royal Bride entered the Balai Singgahsana Indera Buana flanked by Datin Dyg Hajah Edah, and Datin Paduka Dyg Hajah Jahrah. Leading them was Juru Bini followed by wives of Royal Dignitaries and a Dayang-Dayang carrying Kaskol Langguai, 7 females carrying one Puan, one Tarian, one Kabok and Panastan, one Kiap, one Chupu, one Pasigupan and one Kaskol, as well as Dian Enam Belas carried by 16 Dayang-Dayang.
Upon stepping in the Balai Singgahsana Indera Buana, His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik was sprinkled with Bunga Rampai followed by the pouring of water at the groom’s feet.
His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik arrived at the Balai Singgahsana Indera Buana flanked by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah, together with Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Indera Setia Diraja Sahibul Karib Pengiran Anak Haji Idris and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Maharaja Setia Laila DiRaja Sahibul Irshad Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Rahim as well as several Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran-Pengiran Cheteria.
The arrival of His Royal Highness was led by 40 Sinipit carried by Awang-Awang, Yang Mulia Juru Bini, Hulubalang Diraja carrying Pemuras and Karga and the Hulubalang Asgar carrying Kalasak and Kampalan, followed by 4 Dian Bunga, Nasi Tumpang, Dian Tunggal carried by Awang-Awang and 2 male Pahawai – one carrying Kiap and one carrying Pasigupan as well as His Royal Highness’ decorations, and 2 Pengangun Pengantin Diraja.
His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik was led by Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Dr. Ustaz Haji Awg Abdul ‘Aziz into the Balai Singgahsana Indera Buana.
As soon as His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik arrived at the ‘Tempat Persandingan Diraja’, His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam took his son’s right hand and placed it gently on the Royal Bride’s head, to signify the official union of the Royal Couple. The symbolic moment was accompanied by 17 cannon-fire salutes.
Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz, read out the Letter of Proclamation for the Royal Bride who was bestowed with official royal title.
Doa Selamat was read by the State Mufti, Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Dr. Ustaz Haji Awg Abdul ‘Aziz.
The Royal Couple then left the Singgahsana and was led by His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel, accompanied by Royal Regalia.
Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Dewa Major General (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Awg Haji Mohammad informed Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz that the Majlis Istiadat Bersanding Pengantin Diraja had been duly conducted, who then informed His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.
Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz in turn graciously informed His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam that the ceremony has been completed.
His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam later signalled for the Majlis Istiadat Bersanding Pengantin Diraja to be brought to a close. The ‘Majlis Istiadat Perkahwinan Diraja’ demonstrates the excellence of the national philosophy based on Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB). This Malay traditional courtesy and customs-characterised ceremony portrays succinctly the loftiness of pure and noble cultural values which Bruneian uphold.
Present were Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran-Pengiran Cheteria, Cabinet Ministers, Members of Councils, Deputy Ministers, Pengiran-Pengiran Peranakan, Pehin-Pehin Manteri, Manteri-Manteri Hulubalang, Manteri-Manteri Pedalaman, Heads of Diplomatic Mission, Members of the Legislative Council, Permanent Secretaries and heads of government departments.
Born on the Jun 30, 1983, His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik is the second prince and the sixth child of His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Her Majesty the Raja Isteri. His Royal Highness began his early education with a private tuition at the Istana Nurul Iman and attended classes at the Brunei Malay Teachers Association School. His Royal Highness earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education Studies, English Medium, graduating with Upper Second Class Honours at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) on the October 30, 2008.
Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah is the second child in the family of ten siblings of Pengiran Haji Bolkiah bin Pengiran Haji Jaluddin and Pengiran Hajah Noor’aismah binti Pengiran Haji Ismail. Born on the October 27, 1992, Yang Amat Mulia began her formal education in 1997 at Al-Falaah School.