Memories of first National Day still fresh

BRUNEI DARUSALAM'S independence celebrations began with the official opening ceremony of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium on 23rd September 1983. That date coincided with the 70th birthday of His Majesty's father, Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Saadul Khairi Waddien.

On 31st December 1983, the independence celebration was continued with the lighting up of coloured light decorations in Bandar Seri Begawan. Lighted and really beautifully decorated archways were built all over the country.

Many Bruneians thronged to Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in the city centre for the recital of 'Surah Yassin' and 'Doa Selamat'. Despite the heavy rain, the mosque was filled to capacity and many prayed in the open courtyard drenched with rain.

After the ceremony, everyone went to Taman Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien. With everyone coming from all the districts, the place was jammed to the brim. They came with one purpose the Proclamation of Independence for Brunei Darussalam at the stroke of midnight.

At 12.01am, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah read the Proclamation of Independence and His Royal Highness Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Saadul Khairi Waddien led the calling out three times of 'Allahu Akbar' after the proclamation.

The Taman was immediately lighted up with the words of "Allahu Akbar" and "Merdeka Negara Brunei Darussalam 1984" in Roman and Arabic scripts accompanied with the beatings of the hadrah and the firing of the 21-gun salute.

It was a long journey but now Brunei had resumed its full political independence.

Fifty four days later, in totally contrasting weather, on a hot and sunny day on 23rd February 1984, there was another big crowd. This time the crowd was at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium. They came with one purpose to participate in Brunei's first National Day celebrations.

The celebrations for the first National Day was participated by everyone in Brunei. Very much like today, prior to the celebrations, many preparations were made. Rehearsals for the field performances and for the march past were held in the weeks prior to the National Day.

In the city centre and along the main roads coloured lights and arches decorate the roads once again. Bandar Seri Begawan lit up brightly and colourfully at night. Everyone looked forward to the first national day especially since the Proclamation of Independence had gone smoothly on the eve of 1st January 1984.

The first National Day started at dawn. Many woke up early and by dawn all kinds of vehicles were heading towards the national stadium. Some came as early as 3.30 in the morning. There were already thousands of participants from every corner of Brunei Darussalam, from the young to the old, parents and their children, teachers and all their students as well as teams of various organisations and ministries both private and public.

The first national day was also attended by foreign representatives including a King, a President, several Prime Ministers, Ambassadors, High Commissioners and many other representatives and guests from more than 70 countries around the world. Prominent among those were from Asean, the Commonwealth and Islamic countries.

!The national anthem "Allah Peliharakan Sultan" was sung by students of colleges and upper secondary schools when His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaullah arrived. The students' singing was accompanied by music played by the combined bands of the Royal Brunei Police Force and the Royal Brunei Armed Forces.

!A combined school band comprising of various schools' students wearing attractive uniforms performed several displays including the formation of eight cardinal directions with a circle at the centre signifying Brunei's independence; a second pattern representing a ship helm while symbolising development in line with Islamic principles; and a third pattern representing a rotating fan signifying the prosperity of the country in line with development in the scientific and technological world.

!Other performances included a 'silat' martial arts demonstration performed by 500 youths, a dance display by a contingent of young Brunei ladies wearing green and brown 'kebayas', a contingent of 550 young farmers that were displaying beautiful patterns representing fertility, strength of character and perseverance, and a contingent of young fishermen displaying the kilong and a traditional fishing boat.

!The march past in front of the crowd was led by 40 youths carrying the giant Brunei Darussalam flag measuring 12 feet by 24 feet. Other participants in the march past were civil servants and personnel from all the Brunei Shell companies and subsidiaries.

!There were also a hadrah performance performed by 1,200 Bruneians all wearing 'cara Melayu' while another 10,000 students held coloured umbrellas and flip cards to display the slogan in Jawi. Patriotic songs were all sung throughout the performances.

!The recital of the first oath of loyalty was led by Awang Haji Abd Rahim bin Haji Metussin who was a student at the Sixth Form Centre (now Maktab Duli Pengiran Muda Al-Muhtadee Billah).

At the same time, gold coloured confetti showered the crowd from two huge balloons floating in the air above the stadium. Exactly 1,984 balloons were released together with 1,404 pigeons representing the year of 1984 and the year of hijra of 1404.

!Just as the proclamation of independence ceremony had gone so smoothly, so too did the very first national day ceremony. Similarly, everyone was involved in the Proclamation so was the first national day, it had been participated by everyone in Brunei Darussalam.

That first national day set the setting and standards for the next twenty four national days including the one tomorrow.

Happy 25th National Day to everyone!The Brunei Times