Brunei sultan's daughter weds in elaborate ceremony
AFP News – Sun, Sep 23, 2012Related Content
View PhotoPrincess Hajah Hafizah Sururul Bolkiah and her groom Pengiran Haji Muhammad Ruzaini …
View PhotoPhilippine President Benigno Aquino (far left) along with Cambodia's PM Hun Sen (2nd …
View PhotoBrunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (centre) returns after blessing the royal couple …
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Glittering
jewels and the echoes of a 17-gun salute marked the climax of wedding
celebrations for the daughter of one of the world's wealthiest men, the
Sultan of Brunei.
Princess Hajah Hafizah Sururul Bolkiah, 32, and Pengiran Haji
Muhammad Ruzaini, 29, were presented to the royal court in a lavish
traditional ceremony at the sultan's 1,700-room palace on Sunday.Although the couple were legally wed on Thursday after signing the marriage contract, Sunday's event marks the height of more than a week of festivities in the tiny oil-rich Muslim sultanate on Borneo island.
The bride, dressed in a crystal-beaded beige and silver gown, was ushered into the throne room by sixteen royal guards carrying ceremonial spears and shields.
She was seated at the head of the hall in front of 3,000 guests, including Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Philippines President Benigno Aquino and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Visibly nervous, the groom, wearing beige and gold brocade to complement his wife's ensemble, was escorted to the bridal dias where the sultan took Ruzaini's hand and placed it on the bride's forehead -- a symbolic blessing and gesture of affection in Malay culture.
The monarch also bestowed the groom with the royal title "Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak", which roughly translates as "Son of His Highness" and is reserved only for the upper tiers of Brunei's aristocracy.
Two pots of crystal flowers, with eggs tied on to the stalks, were placed next to the bride and groom on the dias to represent the hope of a fertile marriage.
The brief 20-minute ceremony concluded with the state religious leader reading a prayer for the newlyweds asking for God's blessing of the union.
As the smiling couple were ushered out of the room by the bride's younger brother Prince Abdul Mateen, they took turns to kiss the hands of the royal family, including the monarch and Queen Saleha.
A state banquet will be held in the evening, where Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and other foreign dignitaries are expected to attend.
Queen Elizabeth II also sent a message to the Brunei royal family -- which has ruled the sultanate for 600 years -- congratulating the newlyweds and wishing them "a happy wedding day and many blessed years together".
The pomp and pageantry of the royal wedding is a rare source of excitement in Brunei, which is known for its slow pace of life and lack of nightlife -- alcohol is largely banned under Islamic practice.
It is the first time one of the sultan's children -- five sons and seven daughters from three marriages -- has married since 2007.
Hafizah, who has a degree in business administration, is the fifth child of the sultan and Queen Saleha and works as an officer at the finance ministry. Ruzaini is a civil servant in the prime minister's office.
The sultanate, which dates back to the 15th century, is a Malay Muslim absolute monarchy which gained full independence from Britain in 1984.
Situated on a sliver of Borneo island, with Malaysia and Indonesia occupying the rest, it is a major producer of oil and liquefied natural gas.
The energy wealth has brought Brunei's citizens, who number fewer than 400,000, one of the highest per capita incomes in Asia.
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( What's this? )
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may
they are not invited coz they're all Gurangis Beauties now hehehe naku at ang mahaderang si annabelle rama pa ang nambugaw sa mga artista dun noon, oh I will never forget that, hot news yun noon at si Sen. Miriam pa ang nagpa-imbestiga...
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May Comment •
Having worked in Brunei, gave me this opportunity to share and counter some of the criticisms;
Brunei is one of the richest muslim country, 2nd to Qatar in terms of per capita income. With a population 400,000, roughly 30,000 are Pilipino OFW/migrant workers. Hence, around 8% of the countries population are Pilipinos. I think that’s already compelling reason for our President to accede the invitation of Sltan of Brunei to attend for his daughter wedding.
Philippines is very lucky since the Sultanate of Brunei like the Pilipinos. He (the Sultan) is friendly to almost all SITTING Philippine president. For sure he has a lot of investment in the Philippines. In fact more than half of workers in Istana ( Palace ) are Pilipinos and they are all treated very well in Brunei ( won’t go further to their employment benefits). The Istana (Palace ) was built by a Pilipino contractor/investor from Makati.
Have you heard Pilipino OFW maltreated in Brunei? Probably? But in a very rare cases, un unlike those working in other muslim (Arab) countries. The Pilipino & other foreign workers are treated well in Brunei.. Minsan, at madalas yung pa ngang mga Pilipino at foreigners ang mga pasaway.
In Brunei, no alcohol allowed in Public places.Yes, the Pilipinos & other foreigners are allowed only to drink inside their dwelling place. No guns, visible even for the policemen (reserved only for military). No carnaping, holdapper, agaw celfone, agaw alahas or agaw sasakayan. Pity crimes is limited.
Probably, Brunei is the safest muslim country on earth. Visit Brunei, budget airlines now provide promo airfares. The seat back for tourist; Public transpo is very limited, almost all the people drive cars.
Well, for P15 (gas) and P 9 (diesel) pesos a liter equivalent, driving is not expensive.-
Rex
Diyan magaling ang Pinoy, kita agad yung mali ...hehehe
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tox •
Ngayon lang kasi kayo nakakita ng goverment na walang magnanakaw, kaya yumaman sila ng ganyan.. kahit sa park nila walang nagnanakaw ng gamante dun.
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Don
iba ang brunei kasi maliit na bansa parang singapore kayang imanage ang population of less than 300K.
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Bobon •
where's that tiny oil rich borneo island that has make brunei citizens one of the highest per capita in asia? Is that near our spratly islands owned by china?
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Andy
add for there child for borneos.
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Angelie Patolin •
Congratulations and best wishes to the newlyweds. Anyway, bakit si p-noy ang sisihin nyo sa kahirapan ng mga tao dito sa pilipinas? Ung mga tao mismo ang dapat sisihin. gumawa sila ng paraan para di sila maghirap wag ung tatamad-tamad.
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Rex
Magaling ang mga Pinoy, madiskarte at masipag.. ang kulang lang ay disiplina . Sa simpleng pagtapon ng basura at pagdura sa kalye ay di pa magawa ... Tulungan kasi ang Bayan para tuloy tuloy na ang pag unlad . Simulan muna sa sarili ..
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jovitruiz •
may royal wedding version din tayo, yung mga katutubo sa ifugao. oh char! hindi mayaman sa pera pero mayaman sa kultura.
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Ghero Louie
Swagg is a secret term for "gay men" way back 60's...maybe Cali Swagg is one of those...LOL
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Andy
more than love like you.
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mc_sliver_2689 m
tinamaan ko ng bullets mo..haha
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Troilus •
I've heard a story before that Sultan Kudarat's new capitol building, provincial hospital, and dome were actually funded mostly by brunei, and that the Mangudadato's (who are actually muslim royals or descendants of a muslim royal family in mindanao) have ties with brunei's royal family. Not sure if a hearsay though, but the Mangudadatu's are real Muslim royal bloods.
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sally •
Alam ba ninyo na ang Brunai territory ay kasama sa Pilipinas at naka lease din sila? Kung hindi lang sana denidestort ng mga magmananakaw na Politico at kung righteous lang sila ang totoo we do not have to go this stress at lalo na sa poverty!
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Intsik Beho •
o ano? me claim ba kayo sa BRUNEI?? anong basis??? tang na.....lahat na lang nai claim nyo.....hindi nyo kaya lumaban...
mga baklang maton !! -
Dragon Dawn •
Now that's real royalty, not half-naked princess with prematurely balded half man William.
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Myrna •
They look like the Maranao Datus in Mindanao. Look at Singkil dance and you will see the resemblance.
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