The first flight of Brunei Darussalam's intending haj pilgrims left the country for Madinah Al-Munawwarah at 11:22 yesterday morning. 248 intending pilgrims boarded the Royal Brunei aircraft, BI4201.

Present to bid farewell were Yang Berhormat Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, Minister of Religious Affairs; Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Retired Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohammad Yussof, Minister at the Prime Minister's Office; and Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Doctor Awang Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar, Minister of Health. Also present were Awang Haji Khairuddin bin Haji Abdul Hamid, Acting Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister of Finance and Economy as Chairman of Darussalam Holdings Sendirian Berhad's Board of Directors.

Source: Radio Television Brunei