BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

MOSQUE officers from Indonesia’s Aceh recently paid a courtesy visit to the surau (prayer hall) of Sultan Saiful Rijal Technical College (MTSSR).

In a phone interview, Ustaz Rahman Patan, leader of the 15-member delegation, said the two-day visit was aimed at exchanging cultures and knowledge.

“We are here to strengthen silaturrahim (relations) with our Muslim brothers and sisters in Brunei. Even though our visit is very short and we will not be able to witness the royal wedding this Sunday, we are glad to have visited places of interest.

“The warm welcome by the mosque committee and jemaah (congregants) from Surau MTSSR has made this trip a very memorable one,” he added.

The Indonesian delegation, who were in the country for the first time, visited the iconic Masjid Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien in the capital, ‘Jame ‘Asr Hassanil Bolkiah in Kg Kiulap, the Royal Regalia and Kampong Ayer.

Imam Hj Mohd Asyraf Hj Bujang of Surau MTSSR accompanied the Indonesian delegation throughout the visit.

Meanwhile, the youth bureau of the surau also held educational visits during the school holidays.

Imam Hj Mohd Asyraf said the visits were aimed to engage youth with mosque and religious activities as well as to strengthen relations.

Some 50 youth members of the surau joined the visit to the new Maritime Museum, the Sultan’s Flight and the Royal Brunei Land Force (TDDB) equestrian centre.

It was hoped that the visit would encourage youth to spend their school holidays with useful activities.

He added that mosque and surau institutions are not entirely for religious activities, but are also responsible in promoting community harmony by organising gatherings among residents.

The Brunei Times