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Welcome Reception In honour of His Excellency Dr Jamil Mahmoud Mohamed Merdad, Ambassador, Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, 15th April 2009 – Al Malik Faisal Hall, Jamiyah Singapore

Jamiyah Singapore held a Welcome Reception in honour of His Excellency Dr Jamil Mahmoud Mohamed Merdad, Ambassador, Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Jamiyah Singapore, on 15th April 2009.

Amongst the distinguished guests present were Haji Alami Musa, President, Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, Mufti Syed Isa Semait, Hj S.M.Abdul Jaleel, Chairman of Mini Environment Group of companies and Chairman of the Bencoolen Mosque Management Committee, Mr Rustom Ghadiali, President of the International Religious Organisation Singapore, and Master Lee Zhiyang, President of the Taoist Mission amongst other religious and community leaders.

Our renowned guest and his entourage were given a very warm welcome by President, Haji Abu Bakar Maidin who expressed his appreciation to his Excellency Dr Jamil Mahmoud Mohamed Merdad for his gracious acceptance of our invitation despite a heavy schedule and diverse commitments.

The President then spoke on the longstanding relationship between Jamiyah Singapore and the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and on the magnanimity of His Majesty in his support of developmental needs of mosques, madrasahs and Islamic Organizations in Singapore throughout the years. He commended King Abdullah’s Vision and initiatives for durable peace and inter-religious harmony for the world and ended his speech on a note of hope that the warm relationship between the Royal Kingdom and Singapore will continue and be enhanced with His Excellency’s assuming office, to the benefit of the Muslim and other communities in Singapore.

His Excellency Dr Jamil Mahmoud Mohamed Merdad responded to Haji Bakar’s speech by thanking everyone for their warm welcome, and to convey the regards of not just the King but all the people in Saudi Arabia.  Reiterating that what he intends to do is not something new, he said that as in our past relationship, the Kingdom would continue to maintain the special bond between our people.

“We are all with you, we are all together regardless of proximity”

The session ended with the presentation of memento, a specially crafted Kris, by President Haji Abu Bakar to His Excellency, Dr Jamil Mahmoud Mohamed Merdad.