By: P. Marilyn
Date: Thursday, March 1, 2007
Source: Borneo Bulletin
 

Dato Paduka Ahmad Bukhari (R) signing on behalf of the State Mufti's Office and Awang Hj Mohd Salleh (L) for the Social & Sports Welfare Cooperative Body.	State Mufti (L) at the signing ceremony.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the State Mufti's Office and Social & Sports Welfare Cooperative Body under the Ministry of Health (Koperasi BKSS) yesterday for the publication of a book entitled "Cigarettes & Smoking".

The book "Cigarettes & Smoking", which is a translated copy of the State Mufti's 2004 religious decree on "Rokok & Merokok", contains information from medical officers about the dangers of smoking.

State Mufti Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Ustaz Awang Hj Abdul Aziz bin Juned was among those who attended the signing ceremony, which was held at Darulifta Brunei Darussalam

The State Mufti's Office will be responsible for preparing materials for the book, while the Welfare Cooperative Body will cover the cost of publishing 1,000 copies of the anti-smoking book.

Signing on behalf of the State Mufti's Office was Dato Paduka Ahmad Bukhari bin Pehin Siraja Khatib Hj Abu Hanifah. The Social & Sports Welfare Cooperative Body, meanwhile, was represented by Awang Hj Mohd Salleh bin Hj Mohiddin.

The signing of the MoU was witnessed by Hj Mohidin bin Hj Mustapha, the Head of Publishing and Publication, and Hj Mun Taha bin Begawan Pehin Khatib Dato Paduka Awang Hj Mohd Said.

"Youths need to be aware of the dangers of smoking... (as) it is a threat to the welfare of the people in the country," Dato Paduka Ahmad Bukhari said prior to the signing of the MoU.

The involvement of the State Mufti's Office in the publication of the "Cigarettes & Smoking" book marks another milestone for Brunei in the battle against smoking.

Brunei has previously organised an international smoking seminar that gathered specialists from the World Health Organisation, scientists as well as theologians to discuss issues on cigarettes and smoking.

Meanwhile, yesterday's event also saw the handing over of sponsorship for the publication of the State Mufti Religious Decree 2005 or "Fatwa Mufti Kerajaan 2005" from Brunei Shell Marketing Sdn Bhd.