Haiphong, 02 April 2014. KDB DARULEHSAN safely arrived in Hai Phong, Socialist Republic of Vietnam on Tuesday, 29th April 2014 at 0905 local time, 5 days after departing from Qindao, People’s Republic of China. The Deployment is led by 612 Maj (L) Willie bin Padan, the Commanding Officer of KDB DARULEHSAN, together with a complement of 68 crew members.In attendance to receive KDB DARULEHSAN’s arrival was the Director of Foreign Relation Department of Hai Phong, Mr Hoang Xuan Son as well as several high ranked officials from the Vietnam People’s Navy. Also present was the Brunei Defense Attache to Vietnam, 312 Lt Col Mohd Ismaon bin Hj Zainie.
Meanwhile in the following afternoon, the Commanding Officer paid a courtesy call to the Leader of People’s Committee of Hai Phong. Whilst at the same time, the ship’s crew made haste to prepare and organize for the evening’s upcoming cocktail reception. The event began at 1930 local time with the arrival of Mr Hoang Xuan Son as one of the Guest of Honour together with Rear Admiral Nguyen Van Ninh, Deputy Commander of Vietnam People’s Navy. Also invited were Defence Attaches from Indonesia, Thailand as well as the United States of America.
In gesture of KDB DARULEHSAN’s kind invitation to their cocktail reception, the Vietnam People’s Navy also organized a dinner reception of their own the following evening. Several of the ship’s Officers were invited to the reception held at Navy Guesthose 27C, Dien Bien Phu Street, Hai Phong City. Meanwhile earlier in the morning, the Vietnam People’s Navy also invited several of the ship’s crew to partake in a friendly volleyball and futsal match, merely to strenghten the bond and as a solidarity gesture between the two nations.
KDB DARULEHSAN departed Hai Phong at 1000 local time on Friday 2nd May 2014 and will be expected to arrive back in Muara Naval Base on Monday 5thMay 2014. Present to bid farewell was Mr Hoang Xuan Son, Director of Foreign Relation Department of Hai Phong.
KDB DARULEHSAN’s arrival was a first by a Royal Brunei Navy ship to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and it was also a timely one, as the nation was a day from celebrating its 39th Reunification Day, to commemorate the fall of Saigon during the Vietnam War. It was also a sign of ever fostering relations between the two nations, as well as to signify initial steps to carry out last year’s Memorandum signing.
