BY Rokiah Mahmud

The second flight of haj pilgrims this year returned home to Brunei on Sunday, after the month-long journey away from family members and loved ones.

The pilgrims, under Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd (DHSB) packages, landed at 10.03am.

Family members had gathered at the Brunei International Airport Arrival Hall as early as 7.30am.

Seven Brunei Darussalam Haj Affairs Officers and 195 pilgrims, which included four officers from DHSB, were on the second flight.

Welcoming the pilgrim’s return home were Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman; 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 of Finance and Economy Dato Seri Paduka Haji Khairuddin bin Haji Abdul Hamid in his capacity as DHSB’s Chairman Board of Directors; and Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Mohd Tashim bin Pengiran Haji Hassan and their spouses.

Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin advised the returning pilgrims to follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs), which included self-isolation for three days before they could meet or gather with their family members.

Also present at the airport was Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, Emad bin Abdul Aziz bin Saad Al-Muhanna.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin