|      Abdul Hakiim Yakof      |

YAYASAN Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (YSHHB) School recently hosted a briefing on the 2017 Primary School Assessment (PSR) examinations, attended by over 200 parents/guardians of Year 6 students.

Held at the school’s lecture theatre, the briefing was led by Senior Academic Teacher Noraniza binti Haji Abdul Rahman. Also present were YSHHB School Chief Executive Officer Noorhaizamdin bin Haji Mohd Mosbi, Year 6 teachers and the heads of departments.

Noraniza noted that 153 students will be sitting for the PSR examinations, with the 2017 target achievement set at a 100 per cent pass rate, with 50 per cent acquiring five ‘A’s.

The briefing aimed to share with parents/guardians the target achievement set for each subject, and to allow students, teachers and parents to work together towards improving students’ performance.

Senior Academic Teacher Noraniza binti Haji Abdul Rahman speaks at the PSR examinations briefing.

Parents and guardians listening to the briefing at the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (YSHHB) School Lecture Theatre. – PHOTOS: ABDUL HAKIIM YAKOF

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|     Hakim Hayat     |

THE Hurricanes emerged as champions of the 4th Ultimate Frisbee Disc Means War Tournament yesterday, after beating Magni 7 in the finals of the competition’s Upper Pool category.

The Banana Split team came third in the same category.

Meanwhile, Flying Pizza came in first in the Lower Pool category, with Rebels and Hakuna Matata placing second and third respectively.

Trophies and medals were presented to the winners by Dato Paduka Dr Haji Affendy bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS), in a prize presentation ceremony after the final match, at the Jerudong Sports Complex.

Also present at the ceremony were YB Naim bin Haji Kamis, a Legislative Council member, who is also the Penghulu of Mukim Kota Batu and Kianggeh; and Pengiran Anak Mohd Sofian bin Pengiran Anak Haji Ibrahim, the Acting Deputy Director of Youth and Sports.

Dato Paduka Dr Haji Affendy bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports presenting the winning trophy to a representative of Team Hurricanes.

Permanent Secretary at the MCYS presenting the first runner-up trophy to a representative of Team Magni 7. – PHOTOS: DEAN KASSIM

Permanent Secretary at the MCYS in a group photo with members of Team Hurricanes.

A total of 14 frisbee teams from across the country took part in the tournament, which was organised by Disc Means War and its director, Hazim Sulaiman, with the support of the Brunei Adventure Recreation Association (BARA).

According to co-organiser Muhammad Abdul Wafi bin Haji Sofian, around 280 frisbee players attended yesterday’s competition, which he said was the largest tournament that they have put together to date.

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|      Daniel Lim      |

THE Ministry of Education recently held a certificate presentation ceremony to the canteens and kiosks of sixth form centres, colleges and government schools in the Belait District following its grading programme.

The event was held at the multi-purpose hall in the Sungai Tali Primary School in Lumut.

According to the results shown during the event, two school canteens based in the Belait District received a ‘B’ grade, 10 received ‘C’ grade and three received ‘D’ grade. None received an ‘A’ or ‘F’ grade.

Present as the guest of honour was Pengiran Haji Rosli bin Pengiran Haji Halus, Acting Director of Administration and Services at the Ministry of Education. He was welcomed by Hajah Jamilah binti Haji Mohammad Ali, Assistant Head of Health Promotion Unit of the Department of Schools, Ministry of Education.

The event aimed to improve and enhance the quality of service provided by school canteens and kiosks, see how they handle the containment of infectious diseases and/or non-infections – such as obesity, diarrhoea and food poisoning – from spreading. The event also promotes the development and maintenance of positive attitudes and the responsibility of the owners of the canteens and kiosks.

Guest of honour, Pengiran Haji Rosli bin Pengiran Haji Halus, Acting Director of Administration and Services at the Ministry of Education at the event.

The guest of honour presenting a certificate to one of the owners of the school canteens. – PHOTOS: DANIEL LIM

Fifteen canteens from schools based in the Belait District (Cluster 6) had their evaluation assessment last year from March to September.

They were evaluated in 16 different categories and were graded based on how well they did in each category.

The event started with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa Selamat. The results of the evaluation was then given to the people who attended, some of which were the owners and staff of the canteens and kiosks under evaluation, followed by a briefing on healthy eating and Halal food for canteens by Rusydiah binti Haji Sudin and Mohd Noorsuffian bin Haji Yahya.

The certificates were then given out to the owners and staff of canteens and kiosks who attended the event and complementary gifts were given to the presenters of the briefing. The event was previously held in the Brunei-Muara District and is planned to be held in the Temburong District in the future.

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|      Danial Norjidi      |

BAIDURI Bank’s range of Wealth Management services are designed to cater to everyone, offering people of all income tiers products and solutions tailored to their needs.

Financial planning plays a big part in ensuring people are able to achieve their goals, and as such Baiduri Bank has a wide variety of wealth management products and services designed to help customers not only save but also grow their wealth.

As is stated on the bank’s website, “Careful planning is important. The key is to set priorities and work steadily towards long-term goals, eg buying a home, saving for your child’s education or planning for your retirement.”

A good first step suggested by the bank is to carry out a Retirement Gap analysis, which customers can do online or with one of the bank’s own Personal Financial Planners – qualified wealth management professionals who bring the right knowledge, expertise and guidance to identify and help you achieve your specific financial goals.

As the bank explains, a Retirement Gap is identified when a shortfall is predicted between income and expenses. This will lead to the next step in the analysis which is to determine how to bridge the gap by looking at how big the difference is and identifying what steps can be taken on both the income and expense sides to lessen the gap, if possible.

When the analysis shows a negative gap between incomes and expenses, one might want to spend less in one’s working years and save more.

“Money saved can be put into investments with higher return base on individual risk appetite,” states the bank. “Likewise, you may want to revise your expectation of retirement and reduce your retirement income, so that the capital sum will not be so huge as to be unattainable. Or you may want to retire at a later age.”

Baiduri Bank has a wide array of Wealth Management products and services. – BAIDURI BANK

“A positive gap means that you have a better financial health and have better cash flow. You may want to continue that way and perhaps look into some investment products and diversify some of your portfolio so as to achieve your retirement goal earlier.”

Baiduri Bank’s Personal Financial Planners can guide customers by taking an in-depth look at income, expenses, cost of living and the goals of your retirement lifestyle and interpret the data to make recommendations that are appropriate to the customer.

“It is never too late to begin a retirement gap analysis. Spend more time planning for your retirement and take a look at your financial plan annually to make sure you are in a comfortable position.”

In addition to the Gap Analysis, Baiduri Bank’s website also offers a Retirement Planning Calculator and Risk Profile Assessment.

In terms of actual wealth management products, one example is the Fixed Deposit, where customers can “make your funds work for you”.

As is stated on the bank’s website, “If you have some extra savings, put some aside in a fixed deposit to maximise the growth potential of your savings through an investment with better interest rates as compared to a normal BND Savings Account.”

Certificate of Deposit (CD) is another wealth management product. As described on the website, Certificates of Deposit are similar to savings accounts in that they are guaranteed by the issuing bank, and thus practically risk-free.

Its benefits include an attractive high yield due to closed-ended term investment; fixed term and fixed interest rate; and it is intended to be held until maturity, the CD funds will be withdrawn together with the accrued interest.

Life Insurance is an effective savings tool to help people realise their dreams and aspirations, whether it is for further education, an exotic vacation or to retire comfortably with the assurance that you are financially secure.

Baiduri Bank works with AIA and Great Eastern to offer a combination of insurance protection and savings benefits.

Another product the bank offers is Structured Deposit, which is a combination of a saving account and a structured investment where capital is guaranteed by the issuing bank. They are different from savings accounts in that the Structured Deposit returns depend usually on the performance of an underlying financial instrument.

A Foreign Currency Savings Account is an investment that suits the moderate investor, offering an interest rate that is better than the BND Savings Account and BND Term Deposit Account.

In addition, investors also get to take advantage of favourable exchange rate movements, with the convenience of withdrawing or depositing cash at any time.

A wide selection of currencies is available to choose from, ranging from the Australian dollar, Canadian dollar, Hong Kong dollar, New Zealand dollar, Euro, US Dollar and Great Britain Pound.

Another product is the Baiduri Twin Currency Deposit, which offers the opportunity to get a competitive yield on a foreign exchange linked deposit.

Customers can enhance yields on short-term investments by taking a relative view of how two currencies move against each other. Principal and yield are paid in full upon maturity, either in Base Currency or Alternate Currency.

Baiduri Bank has a wide array of wealth management products that are geared to cater to the individual needs of each customer, and those who wish to learn more can do so by speaking with a financial planner at any of the bank’s branches, at the bank’s Wealth Management Centre, which is located at Unit 10, 2nd Floor, Block A, Kiarong Complex, or via their website, www.baiduri.com.bn.

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|      Fizah HAB      |

LOOKING to strengthen ties, 60 BMW Brunei members and their families yesterday attended the Association of Brunei Bavarian Motor Work (BMW) gathering for the first time at Seri Kenangan Beach in Tutong.

Various activities were lined up for the day, including live band performances by local bands and recreational games. Additionally, a special exhibition showcased 40 BMWs dating back to the ’80s right up until present day models.

Speaking to the Bulletin, BMW committee member Mohd Nur Sham bin Haji Abdullah Sani explained that this year’s theme, ‘Families,’ hopes to bring loved ones together.

It also allows BMW members the opportunity to exchange views on BMW vehicles, have their vehicles checked by BMW experts who too are members, and give new members the chance to register into the club.

The gathering later saw the presentation of a token of appreciation by BMW representative Pengiran Mohd Azmi bin Pengiran Mad Daud to QAF Auto Sdn Bhd representative Ishak bin Haji Abang.

Showcase of BMW vehicles and free car inspection at the event.

BMW members at the gathering. – PHOTOS: FIZAH HAB

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|      Ishan Ibrahim      |

THE Minister of Home Affairs, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, yesterday launched the ‘Safety Guide’ app at the Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien.

The ‘Safety Guide’ app, developed by the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) with the cooperation of various agencies, aimed to educate and guide users on the basics of preparation in the face of challenges during emergencies or disasters.

The core contents of the app included a ‘Doa’ to avert disaster, procedures on giving emergency assistance, actions to take during emergencies or disasters, safety guidelines on fire emergencies and actions to be taken during a threat of terrorism.

The ‘Safety Guide’ app can be downloaded for free at the App Store for iOS users and Google Play for Android users, and can be accessed in both English and Malay.

The Minister of Home Affairs, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong with senior government officials at the launch of the ‘Safety Guide’ app at the Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien yesterday. – ISHAN IBRAHIM

The general public is advised to download the app and educate themselves to prepare for any eventualities.

Attendees at the event included Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yusof, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA); Haji Idris bin Haji Ali, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the MoHA; Haji Mohammad Sunadi bin Haji Buntar, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the MoHA; Abdul Rahim bin Haji Ismail, Acting Director of the NDMC; heads of departments under MoHA, and officers and staff.

The Minister of Home Affairs also attended children’s colouring activities organised by NDMC and presented the ‘Guidelines on Basic Emergencies and Public Safety’ book to members of the public.

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|    Fadhil Yunus    |

THE National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) has made efforts to combine sports science in the field of football coaching with a physiology course in collaboration with the High Commission of the Republic of Singapore at the NFABD House which began yesterday.

Morni bin Zakaria, Executive Committee Member of NFABD, said that psychology is a study of the function of body, anatomy, organs and interactions with the environment.

“In this case, interactions with physiology is interrelated and also needed in football,” the guest-of-honour said during an opening ceremony.

The NFABD executive committee member advised participants to seize the opportunity to comprehend better the benefits which will be presented in the course whether it is in theory or practical.

The three-day physiology course conducted by an established expert in Sports Medicine and Physiology at the Singapore Sports Institute, Dr Abdul Rashid Aziz, will focus on the extensive studies on athletes’ conditions and training during Ramadhan.

The short course, which ends on Wednesday, also offers a range of theoretical and practical case studies such as Muscles and Energy Systems, Training Principles, Physiological demands in Football, Aerobic and Anaerobic Training, Training Load and many more.

Officials and participants in a group photo. – KHAIRIL HASSAN

Morni asserted that the participants can gain insight to Dr Abdul Rashid’s vast experience and expertise in the field of sports science despite the short length of the course.

He also took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Lim Hong Huai, the High Commissioner of the Republic of Singapore to Brunei Darussalam, for providing cooperation and support to NFABD efforts in bringing in an expert from Singapore.

A total of 41 local head and assistant coaches from the teams in the DST Super and Premier Leagues, physical education coaches from the Ministry of Education, coaches from the Department of Youth and Sports and NFABD staff coaches are currently taking part in the course.

The executive committee member added that it already serves as a great opportunity to the participants as it can be used as well as possible in enhancing their knowledge in the field of coaching as an added value in expanding their own expertise to be applied to football players.

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|     Lyna Mohamad     |

THE Creative Core BN and Kaleidoscope Studio co-hosted an Art & Design Technology Open Day yesterday at the iCentre in Anggerek Desa.

Jointly supported by Teach Me Guru and the iCentre, the event showcased talks and sessions run by several locals who are currently active in art and design technology.

Among the guest speakers were Haji Osman bin Mohammad, founder of the Creative Space Art Gallery and Studio, Shuu A Rani, the founder of East & Charlie, and Khairul Anwar, the chief operations officer of DotRoot Technologies.

Currently an adjunct professor for Creative Arts and Communications at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), Haji Osman delivered a talk titled ‘An Artist in Brunei’ about his 35 years of experience and journey as an artist.

Having retired from civil service, Haji Osman is now a full-time artist, designer and creative/media consultant.

Having participated in both local and international exhibitions, he is one of the pioneers of the Brunei Artists Association which was established in 1975.

Shuu A Rani sharing her personal story of venturing into the design industry without a formal college education and training.

Haji Osman bin Mohammad, founder of the Creative Space Art Gallery and Studio, delivering his talk. – PHOTOS: LYNA MOHAMAD

A section of the attendees yesterday.

Shuu A Rani, meanwhile, shared her personal story of venturing into the design industry without a formal college education and training in ‘A Young Entrepreneur’s Journey’.

Shuu is also one of the co-founders of Apollo, a green start-up which has won several competitions and has also worked with the likes of GQ Magazine, Insider Magazine and Disney.

Yesterday’s event concluded with an indoor night market organised by DARe (Darussalam Enterprise), featuring local food and drink vendors, live art displays and local music acts. Among the displays were a 2D digital painting demo by United Network Entertainment and a 3D design workshop by Sesame World Technology.

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|     Ishan Ibrahim     |

THE Information Department – through the Nationhood Unit under the Nationhood and Community Division- continued its nationalism briefing yesterday with a talk at Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam Secondary School (SMJA) to strengthen the patriotic spirit among students and teachers.

Information Department Officer Ali Termizzi bin Haji Ramlli @ Haji Ramli discussed the procedure to hoist the national flag, as well as the history and meaning behind the national anthem, ‘Allah Peliharakan Sultan’.

The students later watched a video presentation on ‘Kibarkanlah Dengan Megah Bendera Negara’ and a video animation on how to hoist the national flag. This was followed by the ‘Kuiz Kenegaraan’ for students.

The briefing concluded with the presentation of prizes to students who had correctly answered the quiz questions, and a souvenir to the school authority.

Students participating in the ‘Kuiz Kenegaraan’. – PHOTOS: ISHAN IBRAHIM

Section of the students at the briefing.

The programme is part of concerted efforts by the Information Department to instil the spirit of patriotism among students, and to respect and embrace the national anthem and national flag.

The programme was attended by Principal Haji Jumaata bin Sonadey Haji Mornie, deputy principals, teachers and 193 students of Year 7.

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THE Student Affairs Section and the Student Representative Council (MPP) of Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) recently held a Qiyamullail during mass Subuh prayer and participated in the Bandarku Ceria activities.

The Qiyamullail event which included Zikir and Selawat marked the beginning of the two-day event which began on February 4 at UNISSA’s temporary Surau, according to a press release.

In a knowledge sharing session for students, a Takzirah titled ‘Learning from the Muslim Warriors’ was presented by Siti Julaiha binti Puasa, a third-year undergraduate student from the Faculty of Syariah and Law.

The activity aimed at promoting the stories and history of Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) old friends as role models.

On Sunday, the students performed mass Subuh prayer at Jame’ ‘Asr Hassanil Bolkiah to enliven the mosque and to generate a sense of love towards the place of worship.

The Qiyamullail event held at UNISSA’s temporary Surau.

Rector of UNISSA Dr Haji Norarfan bin Haji Zainal participating in the cycling activity at Bandarku Ceria. – PHOTOS: UNISSA

A child at the ‘Al-Fatihah Clinic’.

The event continued with an aerobic exercise led by Muhamad Ikhwan bin Syahmi of the MPP’s Sports and Logistic Unit, followed by cycling and walking towards the Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien to enliven the Bandarku Ceria event which aimed at encouraging a healthier lifestyle among residents of UNISSA.

The students also held an ‘Al-Fatihah Clinic’ to help people refine their recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah.

The day also saw a Photohunt Race held for UNISSA students as a way to strengthens solidarity between them.

Also present at the event were deputy rector, assistant rector, dean of Student Affairs and a number of officers and staff of UNISSA.

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|     Azlan Othman     |

THE Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation in Brunei yesterday, presented donations to victims of the recent fire that razed 24 houses in Kampong Lorong Dalam and Kampong Pandai Besi in Kampong Ayer, during a ceremony held at the Community Development Department (JAPEM) of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

Chung Lit Yan, Chairman of the Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, presented the donations along with a multi-function floating platform to the victims.

Present to witness the event was Mohammad Johardi bin Hamdi, Acting JAPEM Officer on behalf of the the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

The fire victims expressed their gratitude for the donations.

Masiah @ Makiah binti Japarali, one of the fire victims, thanked the foundation for its support. She said that she and her family of nine are now renting a house with a monthly rent of $600. She added that her husband is currently unemployed, hoping that they can find a permanent accommodation soon.

Chung Lit Yan, Chairman of the Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, presenting the multi-function floating platform to one of the recipients. – AZLAN OTHMAN

Another recipient of the donation, Serudin bin Haji Mohammad Yusof, also currently unemployed, shared with the Bulletin that he is currently staying at the multipurpose hall in Kampong Sungai Asam with eight of his family members.

He also hoped for recveiving housing assistance from relevant authorities.

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|     James Kon     |

AS PART of its 25th anniversary celebrations, Perbadanan Tabung Amanah Islam Brunei (TAIB) will be organising two events featuring Ustaz Don Daniyal bin Don Biyajid, a religious guest speaker from Malaysia.

The first event is a ‘Kuliah Subuh’ (dawn lecture), which is set to take place at 6.15am on February 10, at the Jame’ ‘Asr Hassanil Bolkiah; while the second event is the ‘Ceramah Perdana’ (premier talk) at 8pm on the same day, at the Indoor Stadium.

The details of both events were announced in a press conference yesterday at the TAIB corporate office in the Airport Mall, which was chaired by Zamzaipa binti Haji Ismail, the Head of the Finance Department at TAIB and chairperson of the organising committee.

Zamzaipa affirmed that both events are open to the public, with an expected audience of 300-500 at the ‘Kuliah Subuh’, and around 5,000 at the ‘Ceramah Perdana’.

Brunei’s Ustaz Haji Khairul Nazif bin Haji Damit will also give a special talk at the ‘Ceramah Perdana’.

Free tickets for the ‘Ceramah Perdana’ will be made available tomorrow at selected TAIB branches, with a limit of three free tickets allowed per person.

The tickets will be available at the Perbadanan TAIB main office in the capital, TAIB Kuala Belait, TAIB Tutong, TAIB Temburong, Platinum TAIB and the TAIB Financing Centre on the first floor of The Airport Mall.

Ustaz Don Daniyal bin Don Biyajid from Malaysia will be in Brunei for ‘Kuliah Subuh’ and ‘Ceramah Perdana’ on February 10. – PHOTOS: JAMES KON

Zamzaipa binti Haji Ismail, the Head of the Finance Department at TAIB and chairperson of the organising committee, speaking with the media at the press conference.

Tickets for the ‘Ceramah Perdana’ will also be distributed on February 10, after the ‘Kuliah Subuh’. Members of the public are advised to obtain the tickets as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Zamzaipa said, “The ‘Ceramah Perdana’ was the result of collaboration with Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor (Kuiscell Sdn Bhd) to invite Ustaz Don Daniyal bin Don Biyajid for a series of talks in Brunei.”

She added, “We would also like to acknowledge the Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB), the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs for their support.”

Perbadanan TAIB celebrated its 25th anniverdary on September 29, 2016 and a series of activities were organised to celebrate the occasion.

As a financial institution that provides Syariah-compliant financial solutions, TAIB is committed to giving back to the local community in terms of education as well as contributing to the country’s development in line with the goals of Brunei Vision 2035.

TAIB has also collaborated with MUBN Learning and Growth Company to organise a Tarbiyyah project for 250 underprivileged children, last December.

In January, with the support of DARe (Darussalam Enterprise) and a start-up hub, TAIB organised an entrepreneurship programme to educate participants on developing the necessary business proposals and skills required for entrepreneurs.

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|     Hakim Hayat     |

BRUNEI has high potential to be a hub for innovative business ideas, given its huge Internet and social media penetration, combined with a mainly English-speaking population and its central location in South-east Asia, said Soon Loo, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of DARe (Darussalam Enterprise), yesterday at the conclusion of DARe’s pilot Startup Bootcamp Programme.

Nineteen aspiring young entrepreneurs were given the chance to pitch business ideas and product development before a panel of top investors on the ‘Demo Day’, following the 100-day accelerator programme that examined a wide range of ideas in different industries such as aquaculture, agriculture, human resource management, education, fashion and retail.

Some of the presenters are already established in the local market, with a keen desire to expand beyond Brunei’s borders, aside from receiving adequate funding to start-up their business ideas.

At the DARe Demo Day yesterday, six investors from Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore were part of the panel assessing the four-minute pitch allowed to each team, in a bid to attract regional angel investors or venture capitalists to invest in their respective products and company equity.

The DARe Startup BootCamp Demo Day in progress. – PHOTOS: AZROL AZMI

Soon Loo, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of DARe delivering his opening briefing.

Vanessa Teo from Zeneco Solutions and Haji Mohammad Loqman Al-Hakim bin Haji Hamdan from Al-Huffaz Management during the pitching session of the DARe (Darussalam Enteprise) Startup BootCamp Demo Day.

A section of the panellists during the event.

The first presenter, Haji Mohammad Loqman Al-Hakim bin Haji Hamdan from Al-Huffaz Management, pitched an exciting platform that allows people to easily find accredited Al-Quran teachers, based on their location.

With its ever-growing customer base in Brunei and abroad, the company has set its sights on becoming the world’s largest Al-Quran after-school learning service provider.

Local entrepreneur Vanessa Teo from Zeneco Solutions, who has created an application to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of farm systems through data analytics, was also among those delivering their ideas yesterday.

DARe said that the Startup Bootcamp will run three times a year, and will be restarting this month. Those interested in joining the next cycle are welcome to ask DARe for more information.

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|     Lyna Mohamad     |

THE Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) is making continuous progress in various fields related to its main roles and responsibilities, said Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, Minister of Religious Affairs, during a meeting yesterday with the newly appointed members of the Legislative Council (LegCo).

“These developments include religious education, mosque affairs, the propagation of Islam, Syariah law, Halal food, Zakat collection and distribution, Haj and Umrah management, corporate management and the spread of Islamic teachings through special events,” said the minister.

He also said that MoRA is working towards upgrading the capacity and professionalism of its officers, while ensuring that their services meet the required standards of excellence.

The minister further noted that Brunei has the advantage of being a monarchy in which religious affairs are administered through the mainstream of government services, allowing Islam to be propagated in accordance with the country’s political and socio-cultural landscape.

“This allows religion to function as the backbone of the country’s unity,” he said. “It is most important to remember that our country has upheld religious faith as the guiding light of an effective and good administration.”

Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, Minister of Religious Affairs, during the meeting yesterday with the newly-appointed members of the Legislative Council.

Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, Minister of Religious Affairs, and officials from the ministry in a group photo with the newly-appointed members of the Legislative Council. – PHOTOS: SIM Y H

The minister also expressed his confidence that current and future LegCo members would continue to ensure the steady progress of religious affairs in Brunei, through proper methods of planning and execution.

The meeting also featured a presentation on the history and role of MoRA by Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Mohd Yusof, the Permanent Secretary at the MoRA, which was followed by a dialogue session between MoRA officials and LegCo members.

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|      Fadhil Yunus      |

DPMM FC head coach Steve Kean expressed his satisfaction after returning from a pre-season tour in Bangkok, Thailand, with an unbeaten record ahead of their S League opener against Home United FC at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium on March 3.

The Gegar Gegar men remained unbeaten during the pre-season preparations after concluding the tour with four draws against a host of Thai clubs.

“The type of games that you get in Thailand are obviously very competitive,” said Kean in an interview with the Bulletin after a training session at the Jerudong Mini Stadium on Monday.

“We went there two years ago and we went on to win the title so like I said a number of times last season we didn’t feel that we’ve had a good start to the season because we never played any competitive matches.

“We went to play four games and we’re unbeaten and always score first against the Thai teams which were excellent. The week before that some of the other Singapore teams went to Thailand and found it very tough.

“For us to come back unbeaten against the Thai teams that’s already been back a few weeks more than us (they’ve had a head start on their preparations) was excellent,” he continued.

The head coach called their performance against Chainat FC in their third friendly match outstanding adding that they were way ahead than they were at that stage last season.

The club has added firepower to accompany leading striker Rafael Ramazotti in former Tampines Rovers man Billy Mehmet.

DPMM FC head coach Steve Kean conducting a training session yesterday. – KHAIRIL HASSAN

“We’ve only been back but he has already got a good understanding with Rafa. I’m sure that will give us a different dimension because you’ve always got to just change the team a little bit because the opposition can get used to playing against the same players year in year out.”

The Gegar Gegar men are still considering an overseas player who plays in a centre back role with quota still available though it could be confirmed next week.

He also hailed all the players who had attended the trials as “excellent”.

The head coach asserted that the slot for a centre back role is still vacant which was previously occupied by former defender Brian McLean.

The club have also recruited former national goalkeeper Alizanda Sitom in his return to competitive football with the veteran impressing the head coach and will be providing stiff competition to current number one Wardun Yussof.

“Alizanda can bring a competitive edge because I felt last year maybe Wardun was a little bit comfortable. I think with Alizanda it’s like a second lease of life”.

“He’s got bags of experience. He’s not here as a training goalkeeper. He’s here to push Wardun”, the head coach affirmed.

Asked if Alizanda will be challenging for the number one goalkeeping spot, Kean replied, “Definitely! If the friendly matches that we’ve seen are anything to go by, he’s excellent.

“He might be slightly smaller than Wardun but his explosiveness and speed to get across the line and up into the corner are excellent,” he continued.

“He’s here to try and get into the starting eleven.”

The goalkeeping pair was reunited after spending their playing years together with the Brunei team who participated in the M League.

Kean asserted that the duo of Mehmet and Ramazotti could cause S League defences all sorts of problems highlighting that the latter has been the top scorer for the last couple of years while heaping praise on the former’s movement.

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|      Rokiah Mahmud      |

THE HEALTH Promotion Centre (HPC) under the Ministry of Health in collaboration with Ghanim International Corporation Sdn Bhd yesterday held a one-day workshop on ‘Healthier Choice Initiative’.

The workshop was officially launched at the HPC by Dr Justin Wong, Medical Superintendent (Public Health) of Public Health Service at the Ministry of Health.

During the workshop, senior dietician at the HPC, Haji Zakaria bin Haji Kamis, explained that in a public survey on healthier food choices, 98 per cent of the respondents said wanted to have healthier food choices made available in supermarkets in the country.

Haji Zakaria explained that there are many healthier choices available in stores, but many people are not aware of how to make the right choices.

The ‘Healthier Choice’ label, which has been used in most countries, could provide awareness in selecting the healthier option.

Senior dietician at the Health Promotion Centre under the Ministry of Health Haji Zakaria bin Haji Kamis delivering his presentation. – PHOTOS: ROKIAH MAHMUD

A number of healthier choice products on display at the event.

The HPC also took the initiative of visiting several supermarkets in doubling their efforts in promoting a ‘Healthy Supermarket’ and to provide advice and explanation on healthier options.

In an effort to shape Brunei into a healthier nation, the HPC also introduced the Healthier Choice logo on food that have met certain nutrient criteria set as a benchmark for every selected items and products approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The one-day workshop also held a discussion on business opportunities for food industries locally and internationally, food labelling regulation in Brunei, public-private partnership, healthier choice product marketing, as well as an open dialogue session.

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TELEKOM Brunei Berhad’s (TelBru) Smart Nation campaign is steadily gaining momentum, following the first flagship roadshow that took place earlier this year, with the Cosmopolitan College of Commerce and Technology (CCCT) opting to introduce the company’s initiative to its students yesterday, said a press release.

Ranging from possibilities in – but not limited to – agricultural, power management, disaster relief and healthcare solutions towards addressing global urban challenges, today’s roadshow focused on the latest in technology that can be tailor-made into co-creating a future of better living through tech-enabled solutions with existing and potential applications in a variety of fields.

With the consideration that progress for Smart Nation requires consolidated effort across various stakeholders, ranging from the private sector to educational institutions and policymakers, TelBru is encouraged by the positive feedback it has thus far received and expresses hope that more institutions will step forward.

Being the main telecommunications provider in Brunei that strives to continuously improve its services and infrastructure, TelBru aspires to become the pioneering solutions provider in the country through the likes of Internet-of-Things and big data over the backbone of TelBru’s continuous Fibre Optic rollouts.

Yesterday’s roadshow, which was opened with welcoming remarks from Nadirah binti Jambol, the CCCT’s Acting Director of Studies, also saw the introduction of Brunei’s Smart Nation Online Community (SNOC).

TelBru and CCCT staff in a group photo following the Smart Nation presentation yesterday

The Cosmopolitan College of Commerce and Technology’s Acting Director of Studies, Nadirah binti Jambol, and staff members.

CCCT students and staff seizing the opportunity to interact with TelBru’s representatives.

This is to encourage students to contribute their ideas, whilst at the same time exposing them to endless tech-solution possibilities shared by other members of TelBru’s SNOC, comprising those from Brunei’s ICT community, researchers and general members of the public.

Furthermore, several mini exhibitions were also established to provide students with the opportunity to engage with TelBru personnel.

These exhibitions included awareness drives for several of TelBru’s services, ranging from Nationwide WiFi to residential FTTH connections, TelBru’s bootcamp for app development as well as a ‘Virtual Reality’ experience area made available to students.

Schools that wish to engage TelBru’s Smart Nation roadshows are encouraged to contact the company through its headquarters at Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex in the capital or TelBru’s various social media platforms.

The post TelBru outlines Smart Nation potential appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|      Lyna Mohamad      |

THE correlation between competition and sustainable economic growth as a result of increased productivity is crucial in achieving Brunei Vision 2035, said Dr Hajah May Faezah binti Haji Ahmad Ariffin, the Deputy Permanent Secretary (Economy and Finance) at the Prime Minister’s Office, during the official opening of the Asean Experts Group on Competition (AEGC) Regional Workshop yesterday, at The Rizqun International Hotel in Gadong.

Hosted by the Department of Economic Planning and Development (JPKE) and the Competition and Consumer Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Of?ce, the three-day workshop was organised in collaboration with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the New Zealand Commerce Commission (NZCC) and the Asean Secretariat, and with support from the Competition Law Implementation Programme (CLIP) of the Asean-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA).

In her speech, Dr Hajah May Faezah also pointed out that generating efficiency and productivity in the economy serves as one of the fundamental aims of competition law enforcement, particularly in the key target sectors, which in turn contribute to accelerated economic growth.

“This may have particularly strong effects on the cost of production, making the country more competitive – an important determinant in attracting foreign direct investment and promoting domestic business growth,” she said.

She also said that deterring anti-competitive behaviours such as cartels or abusive dominant behaviours can stimulate firms to be more efficient and innovative, in addition to increasing consumer choice and product quality.

Dr Hajah May Faezah binti Haji Ahmad Ariffin, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Economy and Finance) at the Prime Minister’s Office, in a group photo with the participants of the workshop. – AZROL AZMI

“Therefore, in addition to fostering economic growth, competition law plays an important role in supporting higher consumer welfare,” said Dr Hajah May Faezah.

To date, nine Asean member states (AMSs) already have competition laws in place including Brunei Darussalam, which passed its Competition Order in 2015.

Headlined ‘Competition Economics in Practice’, the workshop has gathered more than 30 senior officials from local government agencies and regional competition agencies within Asean, to focus on the economic underpinnings of competition law enforcement.

The two-day workshop also offers practical components to economic concepts, including cases, practical experiences and perspectives by several competition practitioners from the AMSs.

Specifically, the workshop will cover the use of economic concepts and analyses in the key prohibitions of competition law, which include cartels, bid-rigging, anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominance and anti-competitive mergers.

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|      Ishan Ibrahim      |

HIS Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office will open the Higher Education Expo 2017 which will be held on February 11 and 12.

The prestigious event is scheduled to take place at the Bridex Hall 1 and 2, Jerudong from 9am to 9pm.

Details of the exhibition were revealed during a press conference held at the Ministry of Education (MoE) yesterday led by Hajah Anis Faudzulani binti Haji Dzulkiflee, Senior Special Duties Officer (Higher Education) and Director of Higher Education Division; Haji Ibrahim bin Haji Bagol, Head of Scholarships Section; and Dr Chin Wei Keh, Director of Institute of Brunei Technical Education (IBTE).

Major international institutions of higher education such as Glasgow Caledonian University, RMIT University, Michigan State University, INTI College, University of Nottingham, Osaka University, Kagawa University, Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation, Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor and SEGI University are expected to take part in the expo.

All public institutions of higher education in the country that include Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali, Universiti Teknologi Brunei, Religious Teachers University College of Seri Begawan, Politeknik Brunei and Institute of Brunei Technical Education will be participating in the event.

Private sector institutions that will attend the expo include Laksamana College of Business, Kolej International Graduate Studies, Micronet International College, Kemuda Institute and Brunei Darussalam Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Hajah Anis Faudzulani binti Haji Dzulkiflee, Senior Special Duties Officer (Higher Education) and Director of Higher Education Division; Haji Ibrahim bin Haji Bagol, Head of Scholarships Section; and Dr Chin Wei Keh, Director of Institute of Brunei Technical Education (IBTE), speaking at the press conference. – ISHAN IBRAHIM

Other agencies that will participate include DARe (Darussalam Enterprise), Brunei Shell Petroleum Co Sdn Bhd, E-Village under the National Entrepreneurship Agenda initiative of the Ministry of Education (MoE).

On the inaugural day, the event will be open to the public at 10.30am.

Like in the previous year, the MoE will be represented by the Scholarships Section, Higher Education Division, principally the Education Loan Facility Scheme (SBPP), Higher Education Centralised Admission System (HECAS) and Brunei Darussalam National Accreditation Council, to respond to any queries.

The expo will also showcase the various initiatives connected to higher education in the country.

It is hoped that students will take the opportunity to interact with the participating institutions on relevant issues such as entry requirements.

Visitors can also appreciate the efforts of the MoE in increasing student entry and generating more graduates through quality programmes that are beneficial to the development of the nation’s economy.

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|      Wani Roslan      |

THE Ministry of Communications (MinCom) in its effort to provide a better transport and communication system has structured five key areas in its Strategic Plan (2017-2022) that are still being considered and refined.

This was stated by Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Mustappa bin Haji Sirat, Minister of Communications, in a Muzakarah (lecture) session with the representatives of the MinCom and members of the Legislative Council (LegCo) yesterday, which took place at the Al-Mahabbah Meeting Room at the ministry.

The minister explained that the first strategy is focussed on customers, whereby the departments under the Ministry of Communications will pay more attention to the aspirations and needs of the public and establish a harmonious and friendly relationship with customers.

The second strategy is to strengthen the regulatory framework by revaluating the laws and regulations related to transport and communications with the aim to enhance connectivity and reliability of the public transport system and increase the ridership from 1.9 million to 3-3.5 million in 2020.

“The regulatory framework plays an important role. Communication is important to ensure the people have the opportunity or economic activities to engage in entrepreneurial activities. The roles of communication and transportation are to ensure the mobility of every citizen and resident, making sure it’s convenient, smooth and runs without any hindrance,” said the minister.

The third strategy is to achieve efficiency and cost effective management in the framework of public-private partnership (PPP) or corporatisation.

This strategy aims to make the ministry’s system management more convenient and create an approach for the public and private sectors to collaborate closely. In PPP, the public sector has the time and space, while the private sector has the resources and in facing the economic challenges, cooperation should be enhanced to utilise the existing resources, the minister said.

The fourth strategy is to improve the infrastructure including ports and airports. It is a continuous effort of the ministry to improve services for the public with the aim of increasing economic activity, the minister added.

Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Mustappa bin Haji Sirat, Minister of Communications, speaking at the Muzakarah session with the representatives of the Ministry of Communications and members of the Legislative Council yesterday. – PHOTOS: BAHIYAH BAKIR

The Muzakarah session in progress.

The fifth strategy is to focus on Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) to cultivate the aspect of security, health and environmental care in the management of communication and transportation.

“The strategic plan will also be emphasising on achievements or a performance-based approach in providing services particularly to improve people’s movement and mobility in line with efforts to contribute to national economic growth. This is to ensure that all these comforts have their own specific goals,” said the minister.

“With connectivity and reliability, the contribution of the communication sector to the country’s economic development will be more substantive by providing more business space and employment opportunities,” he added.

Yesterday’s session also featured the ministry’s plan for 2017 which include major initiatives to better public transport, road safety and mobile phone coverage.

The event was a platform to discuss viewpoints and suggestions on how to improve service quality standards and operational efficiency while providing participants the opportunity to share and exchange information on relevant issues.

Also present was Haji Azhar bin Haji Ahmad, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications as well as heads of divisions and departments under the Ministry of Communications.

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