Vietnam VP visits places of interest

THE Vice-President of Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Truong My Hoa, on her third day official visit to the country yesterday, went for a tour to a number of Brunei Darussalam's tourist attractions.

Her itinerary began with a visit to the Brunei Museum in Jalan Kota Batu, near the capital. The Museum houses exhibits of artifacts and specimens from diverse areas such as Archaeology, Ethnography, History and Natural History. As a cultural and educational showcase forthe sultanate, the Museum attracts both local and foreign visitors.

After visiting the Brunei Museum, the Vietnamese leader proceeded to the Royal Customs Wharf for a tour of Kampong Ayer.

Upon arrival at the wharf, the vice president was welcomed by the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs Hj Mohd Mahdi Pehin Orang Kaya DiGadong Seri Diraja Dato Laila Utama Hj Awg Abdul Rahman.

Also present were Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Yussof Bakar, Brunei-Muara District Officer and other senior officials from the Home Affairs Ministry.

The tour took the Vietnamese visitors cruising along the Brunei River passing through Sungai Kedayan and Kampong Sungai Tamoi taking in sights such as the Istana Nurul Iman, as well as to several other villages that make up the reknown Kampong Ayer such as Kampong Burung Pingai, Peramu, Saba and Sungai Kebun before returning to the wharf.

During the one-hour journey, a brief history on Kampong Ayer dubbed the "Venice of the East" was narrated followed by a video presentation.

The morning's visit programme ended with a tour of the Royal Regalia.

In the afternoon the Vietnamese Vice-President Truong was granted an audience by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam at Istana Nurul Iman. Later she visited the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in the capital. She also met with officials of the Brunei Economic Board of Development.

Last night the Vietnamese Vice-President attended a dinner reception hosted by Ha Hong Hai, the Ambassador of Vietnam to Brunei Darussalam.The Brunei Times