Belait Convert Family Gets New Home

Belait, Brunei Darussalam, 01 Ramadan 1437/06 June 2016 (MINA) – The Islamic Da’wah Centre (PDI) handed over a bungalow Sunday to a family of five in Belait, making it the fourth given to families of converts this year.

The four bungalows were built by BINA JAJ Contractor at a total cost of $233,904 and were completed around October last year.

Three of the bungalows were given to selected families in Temburong in April, Brunei Times wa quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

All of the bungalows have three bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a toilet.

The main room was also designed to face the qiblat or the direction for Muslims to pray so tenants can conveniently fulfil their religious obligations.

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A press statement from the PDI said that from 1993 to 2015, the centre built 82 houses to be given to families who needed them, with five built in Brunei-Muara, 30 in Tutong, 18 in Belait and 29 in Temburong.

It added that the housing assistance is among the means used by the PDI to propagate Islam to the converts, help them improve their lives and encourage them to be punctual in fulfilling their religious obligations.

Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Dato Paduka Hj Abdul Mokti Hj Mohd Daud said there are many more plans to help improve the lives of Muslim converts and the underprivileged in the country as this will be a continuous drive for the PDI.

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All of these efforts, he said, are aimed not only at ensuring their worldly welfare but also to make sure they are on track for the Hereafter by performing their religious obligations.

Earlier, he handed over a mock key to Mursidi Abdullah, husband of the recipient, Merlini Abdullah, in a ceremony at Sekolah Ugama Sungai Taring in Kg Lumut. Merlini and her family are Iban Muslims.

The deputy minister also signed a plaque during his visit to the house, located in Simpang 366 of Kg Lumut.

Representing the family, Merlini’s daughter, Zarinah Mursidi, expressed the family’s joy over getting the new house after living with a relative in Kg Pandan 8 for 30 years.

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Despite the relative’s willingness to help, Zarinah said the family didn’t want to burden them further.

She said the new house now accommodates her parents, herself as a single mother and her two children.

Zarinah, who works for a private company, said once she gets enough money, she may help finance an extension on the house, adding more rooms to provide more space for her family.

“But overall, the house is comfortable enough for us, and we’re thankful to the PDI for giving us this house.

“This may also be our first time spending Ramadhan together in our new home, so we’re kind of excited,” she added. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)