Bandar Seri Begawan - In keeping with the Hari Raya Aidilfitri tradition of sending greeting cards to friends and family, the Brunei Postal Service Department with the help of Azam Teknik Printing and Trading launched the sale of special cards available only in post offices in the country.
Popular before the 90s, the rise of information technology brought upon an increase in the use of e-mail, chatting and Short Message System (SMS), making the simple greeting "Selamat Hari Raya" less meaningful and personal. Aside from receiving the cards and feeling thought of and appreciated, the act itself strengthens ties between friends and family. Some may keep the cards as a collection or even display the cards during the month of Syawal.
Though shops have already started selling Hari Raya cards, the Brunei Postal Service Department recommends the public to buy cards from the post offices as it would be more convenient to buy stamps or send with less hassle. The cards have been on sale on September 6, 2007 and will be available at counters until October 6, 2007.
At the counter section of the Main Post Office, the Postmaster General, Hj Awang Abdul Kadir Tengah gave out packets of the cards to postmasters from all four districts in a simple ceremony.
He then launched the sale of the cards by scribbling a short message in one of the cards and putting it into the mailbox.
This time round, the selection of cards has significantly grown and the public can choose from a vibrant variety depending on their tastes and preferences. The cards can be purchased individually from $0.60 to $1.50. At the Mail Processing Centre and Main Post Office, they are available in packs of five or 10 cards. The Brunei Postal Services Department also advised the public to send their cards as early as possible to avoid delays.
Source: www.bruneitimes.com (12 September 2007)