|    Syazwani Hj Rosli    |

MD TAHA bin Ladin, 54, was the proud owner of a brand-new Hyundai Accent yesterday, after being announced the grand winner of Pan Bright Travel Service’s ‘Travel & Win Promotion’ Grand Draw from September 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017.

The presentation ceremony for the lucky draw was held at the Royal Brunei Recreation Club in Berakas, with Rahman bin Haji Abu Bakar, the Managing Proprietor of Pan Bright Travel Service, on hand to distribute the prizes.

When his name was announced as the grand winner, Md Taha was given the choice of either the Hyundai Accent or an exclusive Hermes Birkin bag. He chose the former, despite having bought a new car of his own recently.

In an interview with the Bulletin, Md Taha expressed gratitude for the ‘rezeki’ granted to him, and said that he would take his parents along for rides in the new car.

Md Taha also said that he purchased seven return tickets to Jakarta from Pan Bright during the promotional period, but did not expect that he would be taking home a brand-new Hyundai Accent in the Grand Draw.

Md Taha bin Ladin with his Hyundai Accent. – PHOTOS: SYAZWANI HJ ROSLI

A group photo of the winners

The ceremony also saw three others winning prizes sponsored by Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) and Singapore Airlines, including return economy-class tickets to various destinations.

Air tickets to London and Melbourne were presented by Aji Puteh, the Head of Asia Sales of RB, to Lilies Indah Turwahyuni and Lam Mei Choi, respectively.

Goh Nyuk Chen received an air ticket for Tokyo from Aldrin Arumugam, the General Manager of Singapore Airlines in Brunei.

Other Winners

– Lilies Indah Turwahyuni – Air ticket to London

– Lam Mei Choi – Air ticket to Melbourne

– Goh Nyuk Chen – Air ticket to Tokyo

The post Winner opts new car despite owning one appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

THE Ambassador of The People’s Republic of China to Brunei Darussalam, Yang Jian and a delegation of embassy officials recently visited Hengyi’s Oil Refinery and Petrochemical Plant site at Pulau Muara Besar (PMB).

The Chinese Ambassador said, “This landmark project signifies the close relationship between The People’s Republic of China and Brunei Darussalam. I would like to express my appreciation to His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Government, the private sectors and local communities for their continued support towards the project.

“I look forward to its full operation, which will help boost local economy and promote a collaboration between our two nations.”

On hand to receive the delegation were Shen Xiao Fei, Deputy Director of the Integrated Project Management Team for Hengyi PMB project. Also present during the visit were senior officials from the Chinese Embassy and Hengyi’s senior management. The group was taken on a site tour of the island and briefed on the progress of the project by Hengyi’s senior officials.

Shen in his welcoming remarks said, “On behalf of Hengyi, we are delighted to welcome the ambassador to Hengyi’s PMB site. Hengyi is in the process of building seven jetties, some of which will be used to offload cargo and machineries for construction of the main refinery concourse. We will soon be starting construction of the power-plant once approval from the relevant authorities are obtained.”

Yang Jian, Ambassador of The People’s Republic of China to Brunei Darussalam tours the Hengyi’s Oil Refinery and Petrochemical Plant site at Pulau Muara Besar. – HENGYI

During the visit, Ambassador Yang Jian met representatives of Hengyi’s contractors and reiterated the need for Chinese companies and citizens on PMB to respect the local culture and religious customs with emphasis on high quality output and a well-managed HSE policy.

The site visit concluded with a group photograph of the delegation with Hengyi’s senior management team and contractors on the island.

A partnership between Damai Holdings Limited and Hengyi, the project will muster USD3.445 billion in investments, and support around 971 jobs with spin-off opportunities. The first phase of the project site occupies 260 hectares on PMB. Currently the main construction activities include the building of seven jetties and the workers dormitories which will accommodate up to 10,000 workers at its peak. Once completed in 2019, the refinery is expected to intake eight million tonnes of crude per year and produces enough Gasoline and Diesel to meet local demand.

The post Hengyi project signifies Brunei, China ties: Envoy appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|    James Kon    |

RECIPIENTS of the National Housing Scheme (RPN) have been warned not to carry out extension of their premises without first seeking approval from the relevant authorities.

The warning came from Dr Nor Imtihan binti Haji Abdul Razak, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Development, during a press conference last Thursday on ‘Kemaskini Data Pemohon Skim Perumahan Negara’ (KSPN) 2017.

“The first priority, when planning to carry out extensions, is to apply for permission,” she said. “Enforcement personnel from the Department of Housing Development are also conducting monitoring activities to make sure that people are complying with the regulations.”

When asked about the vertical housing located at Kampong Lambak Kanan/Salambigar, the Deputy Permanent Secretary said that the 300-unit apartment project is expected to be completed by May this year.

“The eligibility of the applicants for those apartments is currently under discussion,” she said.

Dr Nor Imtihan binti Haji Abdul Razak, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Development speaking at the media conference. – BAHYIAH BAKIR

The post RPN residents warned over illegal extensions appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|    Wani Roslan    |

RAHMAH binti Haji Jimin was filled with an excitement when she unexpectedly won the first prize of $3,000 Shopping Voucher at the NBT Toyota 50^th anniversary promo draw yesterday at the Ballroom of the Hua Ho Manggis Mall.

Rahmah, who was accompanied by her husband, Mohd Shafiee bin Abdullah and their son, Mohd Aniq, had bought a new Toyota Vios 1.5 Auto in February. She drove to Hua Ho Manggis Mall from Kampong Pandan in Belait District to participate in the lucky draw.

Meanwhile, the second prize was won by Muhd Akmal Wafiuddin bin Nordin who walked away with a $2,700 shopping voucher, while third prize was won by Hajah Norhafizah binti Haji Muhd Bokhari, who won a $2,500 shopping voucher.

The winners were drawn by Haji Haliluddin bin Dato Haji Talib, General Manager of Baiduri Finance Bhd; Irwan bin Lamit, Managing Director of BIBD At-Tamwil; and Barudin bin Haji Kudil, General Manager of Takaful Brunei Am.

Winners of the lucky draw in a group photo. – WANI ROSLAN

The NBT Toyota 50^th anniversary promo draw was opened for customers who bought and registered their new Toyota between January 1 and March 30 this year. It was organised to appreciate and reward customers for their support for NBT and Toyota over the last half century.

Fifty prizes valuing $35,000 – including shopping vouchers, electrical household appliances, mobile phones and bicycles – were brought home by lucky winners yesterday.

Haji Ahmad Omar bin Haji Husin, Deputy Managing Director of NBT, congratulated the winners and thanked customers for their support. “We definitely could not be where we are today without your unwavering confidence and trust in Toyota and NBT.”

Also present at the event were Leong Cheng Soon, Senior General Manager (Sales) of NBT, and Marketing and Sales Managers.

The post $35K worth of prizes at NBT lucky draw appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|    James Kon    |

A TOTAL of 1,356 Bruneians received medical treatment in Malaysia last year, a near two-fold increase compared to 2011 when only 701 individuals availed healthcare services in the neighbouring country.

Over the years, the Malaysia healthcare sector has seen encouraging numbers from Brunei. The cultural and religious similarities with the Sultanate make Malaysia a prime destination to seek healthcare services.

To further create awareness on its services and strengthen its presence in Brunei, the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), better known as Malaysia Healthcare, with the support of Tourism Malaysia in Brunei yesterday held a briefing for local travel agents and industry stakeholders at The Rizqun International Hotel.

Also present at the event were Tourism Malaysia Director in Brunei Haji Ibrahim Seddiqi bin Talib and representatives from the Malaysian High Commission in Brunei Darussalam.

Malaysia Healthcare Marketing Head Yazmin Azman highlighted in her presentation the significance of the Brunei market to Malaysia Healthcare, adding that MHTC is looking to strengthen cooperation with relevant stakeholders in Brunei.

“Malaysia and Brunei have had strong diplomatic ties and established much fruitful collaboration across multiple industries and now we are exploring potential partnerships in healthcare. With all that Malaysia Healthcare can offer, especially in terms of quality and price, we are confident that more can be done to attract Bruneians for treatment in Malaysia.

“Malaysia Healthcare is keen to foster active partnerships with hospitals in Brunei for patient referrals to Malaysia as well as to identify potential partners and distribution channels for healthcare travel packages,” she noted.

Tourism Malaysia Director in Brunei Haji Ibrahim Seddiqi bin Talib and a representative from the Malaysian High Commission in Brunei Darussalam at the briefing. – PHOTOS: JAMES KON

Malaysia Healthcare Marketing Head Yazmin Azman delivers her presentation

Touching on recent achievements, she said that Malaysia Healthcare has gone from strength to strength in the last few years. Malaysia was named Medical Travel Destination of the Year at the International Medical Travel Journal Medical Travel Award 2015 and 2016 as well as Best Country in the World for Healthcare by International Living’s Annual Global Retirement Index from 2015 to 2017, she pointed out.

According to her, another reason to look at Malaysia as a good destination for medical treatment is that the country’s healthcare professionals are highly qualified and have received medical training from well-known institutions in Malaysia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and Europe.

Malaysia also enacts stringent regulations and standards for safety and quality healthcare set by its Ministry of Health (MoH) that are benchmarked against the highest standards in the world.

Malaysia Healthcare recently unveiled a ‘Share My Love’ campaign as a continuation of the ‘Malaysia Loves You’ campaign launched last year.

Share My Love carries the message of love, unity and kindness and invites all to come and experience Malaysia’s excellent healthcare and indulge in the famed Malaysian hospitality.

“This concept encompasses the essence of Malaysia’s healthcare which provides great care, compassion and warmth at the same time and it is this very love and welcoming spirit that we hope to convey to all who come to our shores,” Yazmin explained.

The post Rise in number of Bruneians seeking Malaysia healthcare appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|    Azaraimy HH    |

HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam joined residents of Kampong Sengkarai and its surrounding areas for the first Friday prayer at the newly-built Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam Mosque in Kampong Sengkarai.

Upon arrival, the monarch was received by Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman and State Mufti Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned.

His Majesty was accompanied by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Maharaja Setia Laila Diraja Sahibul Irshad Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Rahim bin Pengiran Indera Mahkota Pengiran Anak (Dr) Kemaludin Al-Haj.

As soon as the monarch arrived, His Majesty was ushered in to sign a golden plaque, followed by chanting of Takbir for three times, led by the Minister of Religious Affairs.

The first Azan (call to pray) for Friday prayer at the mosque was performed by Imam Haji Md Deli bin Haji Raya.

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam signing a
golden plaque at the mosque

His Majesty, His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, and His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik performing prayers

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; and His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik with senior government officials and residents of Kampong Sengkarai. – PHOTOS: AZROL AZMI

The newly-built Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam Mosque in Kampong Sengkarai

Cabinet Ministers and senior government officials performing Friday prayer

The Friday prayer was led by Imam Haji Jaya bin Haji Yahya, the Mosque Affairs Officer of Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam Mosque.

The mosque was built on a five-acre coastal land site at a cost of $3,833,535 and the allocation was made by the Brunei Islamic Religious Council through the Zakat Asnaf Al-Gharimin fund.

Completed on February 3, 2017, the beautifully designed mosque is equipped with modern facilities including prayer halls for male and female congregants, conference room, classroom, library, Jenazah administration room and a passage facility for people with disability.

The mosque can accommodate 1,000 congregants and was overflowing with worshippers yesterday.

A worshipper performing ablution

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|     Abdul Hakiim Yakof      |

YAYASAN Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (YSHHB) introduced the ‘Breakfast for Schools’ programme – an initiative which provides free breakfast to hundreds of students from less fortunate families in several schools across the Brunei-Muara District. This is organised to highlight the importance of breakfast, particularly for students.

The Belait District will be included in the programme this year.

It has been found that many students omit their morning meal due to several reasons, among them: tight schedules that leave no time to prepare breakfast, lack of time to eat breakfast due to the need to arrive at school early, and insufficient funds to prepare a nutritious breakfast.

This year, 987 less fortunate students and families from the Brunei-Muara and Belait districts were identified to be beneficiaries of this programme.

Schoolchildren enjoying the free breakfast. – ABDUL HAKIIM YAKOF

Some 393 students from four schools in the Brunei-Muara District will receive the free breakfast: 300 from Awang Semaun Secondary School; 50 from Masin Secondary School; 30 from Lumapas Primary School; and 13 from Junjongan Primary School.

In Belait, 594 students from four schools will benefit from the programme: 150 from Perdana Wazir Secondary School; 300 from Anthony Abell College; 58 from Pengiran Setia Negara Pengiran Mohammad Yusof Primary School; and 86 from Muhammad Alam Primary School.

Students from Brunei-Muara will receive their free breakfast – of which delivery began on April 5 – every Wednesday and Saturday until November 30, 2017.

Meanwhile, in the Belait District, breakfast is distributed every Tuesday and Thursday beginning April 3, and will continue until November 30, 2017.

The programme, which has drawn a positive response is organised in collaboration with the Department of Schools, Ministry of Education and supported by Ideal Multifeed Farm (B) Sdn Bhd, who will be providing two eggs for each student. For YSHHB, a 250ml carton of fresh milk will be contributed for each student.

Breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day. Research has shown that students who eat breakfast are more energetic, more focused and perform better in studies compared to those who skip it.

The post Free breakfast for less fortunate schoolchildren appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Daniel Lim     |

THE ‘Sultan Bolkiah Carnival 2017’, organised by the School of Business from Institute of Brunei Technical Education (IBTE) officially opened at IBTE’s Sultan Bolkiah Campus.

The carnival featuring 26 vendors has stalls inside IBTE’s Multipurpose Hall as well as the parking lot beside the hall and surrounding areas of the campus.

The opening ceremony yesterday and started around 9.30am with the arrival of the guest of honour Pengiran Hajah Norashikkin binti Pengiran Dr Haji Amir Mohd Yussof, Head of the School of Business of IBTE, who also officiated the event.

This was followed by the recitation of the Surah Al-Fatihah. Pengiran Hajah Norashikkin and Cikgu Juradyani binti Haji Akup, Programme Leader of the School of Business at the IBTE Sultan Bolkiah Campus then addressed the gathering.

Pengiran Hajah Norashikkin binti Pengiran Dr Haji Amir Mohd Yussof, Head of the School of Business of IBTE touring the carnival. – PHOTOS: DANIEL LIM

The Head of the School of Business of IBTE during the ribbon cutting ceremony

The guest of honour giving a speech at the launch

Guests at the carnival

The ceremony continued with a ribbon cutting by the guest of honour, who toured the booths – selling food, drinks, clothing and other miscellaneous items – set up by the institute’s HNTec Business and Finance students.

The booth was part of the activities under the students’ programme.

The carnival also featured a car show at the campus parking lot, showcasing more than 50 cars competing against one another in terms of style and looks.

A reptile show and an Ultimate Frisbee tournament are also open to the public at the carnival.

The booths and activities are meant as an exercise to give the students hands-on experience of organising and running an event successfully, as well as inspire a sense of entrepreneurship within them.

It was also organised to support some local businesses which had stalls set up at the carnival.

The carnival will be open from 8am to 5pm today. Additional activities such as a futsal tournament will be held at the Track and Field of Anthony Abell College (AAC) in Seria.

The post Fun and floric at IBTE ‘Sultan Bolkiah Carnival appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

A TOTAL of 207 students of Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha Girls Arabic Religious Secondary School (SUAMPRIPAHS) were pleasantly surprised when they received incentive prizes along with other awards for their excellent academic performance during a ceremony at the school’s multipurpose hall in Kg Katok yesterday.

The Rector of Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) Ustaz Dr Haji Norarfan bin Haji Zainal, presented the awards to academic achievers as the guest of honour.

The ceremony started with the singing of the national anthem and recitation of Surah Al-Baqarah followed by speeches from the Principal Ustazah Hajah Rusidah binti Haji Talip and the guest of honour.

Rector of UNISSA, Dr Haji Norarfan bin Haji Zainal giving a speech at the ceremony

The Rector of UNISSA presenting an award to a recipient. – PHOTOS: LYNA MOHAMAD

Photos above and below show the Rector of UNISSA presenting awards to top performing students

Prizes were presented to winners of different categories which included Best Student in Assessment conducted by the school, Best Student who successfully attended the four Year Programme in Sanah 8, Best Student in Final Year Exams for Sanah 9 and Sanah 10 Normal Track, Students with 100 per cent attendance, Best Student in Brunei Religious Education Certificate (SPUB) and BCGCE ‘O’ Level and Excellence in Co-Curriculum and Academic.

The Improvement in Achievement of SPUB and BCGCE ‘O’ Level for 2016 award was also presented.

In Sanah 7 category, 33 students were awarded in the Best Student in Assessment conducted by the school. A total of 32 students successfully attended the four year programme in Sanah 8, six students were awarded Best Student in Final Exams for Sanah 9 Fast Track while 27 students received the award in Sanah 9 Normal Track.

A total of 19 students received awards for the Sanah 10 Normal Track category, 21 students were awarded in the SPUB category, 13 received awards for the Best Students in BCGCE ‘O’ Level category while 22 were awarded for achieving a perfect attendance.

Meanwhile, 17 religious teachers were awarded for the Improvement in Achievement of Certified Examinations SPUB and 11 teachers received awards for the BCGCE ‘O’ Level category.

Several performances including a stage drama and citation as well as a speech by the Exemplary Student award recipient enlivened the event.

The post Double surprise for SUAMPRIPAHS students appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

Zainal Abidin bin Haji Kepli, Director of Information and Communication Technology of the Ministry of Education (centre) presents an award to a recipient, as Cikgu Awang Abdullah looks on. – SYAZWANI HJ ROSLI

|     Syazwani Hj Rosli     |

SIXTY-SEVEN former students of Berakas Secondary School (SMB) yesterday received their academic excellence awards at a ceremony at the school’s multipurpose hall.

The ceremony began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and verses from the Al-Quran followed by a speech by the school principal.

Cikgu Abdullah bin Ismail said that there was a 12.05 per cent increase in the number of passing students for the Brunei Cambridge GCE ‘O’ Level in 2016 from 28.8 per cent in 2015.

“For the first time in SMB’s history, we achieved 40 per cent passes for our Year 11 students. I would also like to announce that SMB is now ranked in the Top 10 for secondary schools and colleges across the country,” he said.

Cikgu Abdullah also congratulated the students for achieving good results and thanked parents and teachers who supported the students.

The award is hoped to act as a stimulus to guide every student with their development, particularly in raising the bar of their academic excellence and achievement in the future, and as a platform for students to do well in their examination.

Zainal Abidin bin Haji Kepli, Director of Information and Communication Technology of the Ministry of Education who was the guest of honour presented the awards.

The event concluded with a Doa Selamat and a group photo session.

The post SMB among Top 10 in secondary schools, colleges appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Fizah HAB     |

AFTER opening its first branch in Jalan Batu Satu and the second in Tutong District, the household and hardware outlet, MR DIY has opened its third branch in Times Square Shopping Centre, Berakas yesterday.

Mr DIY Manager in Brunei, Abdul Muhaymin bin Wanasan said the new location is aimed to create a more accessible location for residents in Lambak and Muara.

Mr DIY offers more than 20,000 products ranging from household goods as well as electrical appliances, stationery, car accessories, gift items and toys.

Founded in 2005, MR DIY has over 250 outlets in Malaysia and neighbouring countries including Thailand and it is looking to expand into other Asean member countries.

Customers flock into the new branch of Mr DIY in Times Square Shopping Centre. – FIZAH HAB

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|     Izah Azahari     |

THE Ministry of Communications yesterday acknowledged the hard work and services of 71 officers and staff from the ministry and the departments under it.

Minister of Communications Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Mustappa bin Haji Sirat attended as the guest of honour.

The Long Service Medal (PKL) was presented to the 71 officials, in conjunction with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s birthday celebrations.

Minister of Communications Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Mustappa bin Haji Sirat with the Long Service Medal recipients and retirees. – PHOTOS: BAHYIAH BAKIR

The Minister of Communications presenting a certificate to a pensioner

The day also saw certificates and souvenirs presented to 45 retirees (of 2016) for their services.

The event began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah led by Anuar bin Haji Salim, an officer from the Mosque Affairs Department under the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

In his speech, Ministry of Communications Special Duties Officer (Level 1) cum event chairman Tasad bin Haji Tamam highlighted that Long Service Medals are awarded in appreciation of officials who have served 20 years with the government.

A motivation talk was delivered by Head of the Special Education Unit at the Ministry of Education Haji Ali Yusri bin Haji Abdul Ghafor, following which the guest of honour presented recipients with their awards, certificates and souvenirs.

Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications Haji Azhar bin Haji Ahmad, directors, heads of department and senior officers from the ministry and departments under it attended the event.

The post 71 awarded PKL for services, dedication appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Azaraimy HH     |

MARKING its 63rd anniversary, the Prisons Department yesterday held a forum on ‘Paving Your Way Home Reintegration Programme’ at the Prisons Department Training Centre.

Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) Haji Idris bin Haji Ali attended as guest of honour.

Prisons Department Acting Director Haji Ismail bin Haji Murat; department heads, senior officers and officers from MoHA; as well as residents of the Maraburong Prison Institution; Rakan Seliaan (RS) – the women’s prison institution; and family members attended the forum.

Carrying the theme ‘Bersabar Berusaha Berbakti,’ the programme looked to change the public mindset and encourage public support for inmates released back into society, and dissolve the stigma associated with former inmates. It also encouraged former inmates to try their hand at entrepreneurship as a means of getting back on their feet and contributing towards society.

After the Al-Quran verses recitation by Surhidi bin Wahab and a welcoming speech by Prisons Counsellor Iman Sufiena binti Haji Shawal came a Paving Your Way Home video presentation and a forum discussion on reintegration.

Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) Haji Idris bin Haji Ali with Prisons Department Acting Director Haji Ismail bin Haji Murat, senior MoHA officers and panelists. – PHOTOS: AZARAIMY HH

Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs presenting souvenirs to Mohammad Isham bin Haji Abu Bakar (pic above) and Meriam binti Haji Arshad (pic below)

The ‘Paving Your Way Home Reintegration Programme’ forum in session

Four invited panelists helped shed light on the aspects of reintegration.

Prisons Assistant Counselor Fariszal bin Ali from the Counselling and Aftercare Services of the Prisons Department discussed the role the Counseling and Aftercare Division plays in reintegrating former inmates back into society.

Vocational and Skill Training Division Head Mohd Hilmi bin Wasli touched on the role the division plays in equipping inmates’ with skills and opportunities, in preparation for their release.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Isham bin Haji Abu Bakar and Meriam binti Haji Arshad shared with attendees their success stories. The pair are both members of ‘Rakan Seliaan – Friends Under Supervision of Aftercare Peers.’

Today, Mohammad Isham is the owner of a car wash business, while Meriam owns a fruit and vegetable business. Both parties started from the very bottom, and worked hard to develop their business.

The session was chaired by Pengiran Shahridin bin Pengiran Embran of the Maraburong Prison Institution.

Speaking to the Sunday Bulletin, Mohammad Isham said he was initially a worker at a car wash company. His hard work earned him a promotion and soon he was learning the ins and outs of the business. Eventually, he opened up shop.

“The business keeps me busy, and I am looking to expand – if the situation permits. There was a lot of struggle in the beginning (trying to make a living), but the knowledge and encouragement I received kept me very focus on what I wanted to do, which was to stand on my own and be an active contributor to a law-abiding society.”

“Family encouragement and support are crucial factors,” he added.

Meanwhile, Meriam said she used her husband’s $250 old pension’s allowance to get her business off the ground. Back then, it was all about picking and selling coconuts. Today, the 59-year-old has expanded to selling other fruits and vegetable.

“It was a very hard in life in the beginning,” she said.

On a good day, she would make over $200 plus, but bad days would see no more than $18 collected in the till.

Fortunately, her strong determination pulled her through, and today she has an employee to help with picking the coconuts.

With the help of her granddaughter, Meriam has taken her business online.

Promoting my freshly made coconut juice on Facebook has been relatively successful, she said, adding that people would order between 20 – 30 bottles for events.

She is considering expanding her business, but lacks the capital to purchase certain equipment required to create special coconut drinks.

Starting the business has not only helped Meriam reintegrate back into society, but also brings a sense of fulfilment at being able to actively contribute to society.

She urged others not to be discouraged in the face of obstacles, to stay focussed and positive, and to not get involved with illegal things.

“Life is a struggle – it just depends on how a person overcomes the challenges,” she reminded.

The post Forum looks to dissolve stigma associated with former inmates appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|      Fadhil Yunus      |

DPMM FC head coach Steve Kean bemoaned his side’s profligacy in front of goal following a disappointing 2-1 defeat at the hands of Balestier Khalsa FC in the Great Eastern-Hyundai S League at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore on Friday night.

The Gegar Gegar men surrendered a 1-0 lead as two quick-fire goals in the second half condemned the former winners to their third league defeat this season.

“We’re disappointed with the result but if you look at the chances that we’ve had we’ve had enough chances not only to win this game but win two or three games,” Kean said in a post-match interview.

“It’s not like us in front of goal. We’re normally sharp, we normally put the chances away but tonight we missed a lot of opportunities.”

The head coach also explained that failing to add cushion to the scoreline with a second goal invited pressure to his charges.

Kean is disappointed by DPMM FC’s lack of bite in front of goal

“Because we didn’t get the second goal, then I’d think we’ve brought pressure on ourselves,” continued the head coach.

However, the former Blackburn Rovers heaped praise on the Tigers after a good performance in the second half.

Meanwhile, his opposite number Marko Kraljevic thought that it was one of the finest matches he has seen his side played this season.

“They played a great game. Today was one of the best games this year,” said Kraljevic.

The Balestier head coach was still pleased with his side’s performance despite seeing defender Hanafi Salleh gifted a 21st minute penalty which Rafael Ramazotti converted.

“Even when we were 1-0 down, we were playing a good game and were making the chances.

“In the second half, we scored two goals and I think we could score few more goals,” concluded Kraljevic.

DPMM FC missed the chance to narrow the gap and remain seven points adrift of league leaders Albirex Niigata (S).

The Brunei-based outfit slipped to 8th, their lowest position since the end of the 2013 season.

The post Kean bemoans missed chances appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|      James Kon      |

A TOTAL of B$18,700 cash was awarded to athletes and coaches from the Brunei Darussalam Sepak Takraw Association and Brunei Darussalam Fencing Federation for successfully bagging medals in international championships last year.

Athletes and coaches from the Brunei Darussalam Sepak Takraw Association received the lion’s share, pocketing B$14,500 for grabbing a bronze medal at the 5th Asian Beach Games in Vietnam last year.

Mohammad Selamat Yakup, Zatie Hidayat bin Saidi, Abdul Hadi Ariffin bin MAtali, Mohd Alifuddin bin Jamaluddin managed to clinch a third place finish after losing to Myanmar 2-1 (21-19, 5-21, 14-21) in the semi-final.

The Brunei Darussalam Fencing Federation received B$4,200 for grabbing a silver and a bronze in the South East Asia Pacific Junior and Cadet Fencing Championship in Philippines.

Mohd Anaqi Danish bin Asahrin took silver in the men’s sabre individual cadet after losing to Australia’s Jeremy Siu the 15-19 in the final while compatriot Nadira Pang binti Mohd Rais Pang bagged the bronze medal after losing 15-10 to the Philippines’ Drew Celso in the semi-finals in the women’s sabre individual cadet event.

Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, in a group photo with the recipients. – DEAN KASSIM

Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, handed over the rewards.

Haji Noor Jusmin bin Haji Abdul Samad, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, said “The Sports Excellence Incentive Scheme has a number of functional dimensions to motivate the active participation of sports within the community and create opportunities to achieve progress.

“It also serves to pay tribute to the sacrifice and contribution of athletes to the country. ”

National sepak takraw coach Rawat Paechompoo said, “We are happy to receive such a recognition.”

He added that the team was currently training hard in hope of participating in the upcoming SEA Games in Malaysia.

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|     Azlan Othman     |

MOSQUE youths should not to be misled and influenced by groups or people may take over the agenda of youth programmes organised by the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) with ulterior motives.

Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman said this at a dialogue session with mosque youths and preachers.

He said MoRA’s youth programmes are inseparable from the ministry’s goal to provide religious guidance to citizens and residents of Brunei Darussalam to mould them into perfect Muslims in terms of faith and religious practices.

According to the minister, perfect faith and good deeds mean adhering to Islamic faith and practising the teachings of Ahli Sunnah Wal Jama’ah, commonly followed or implemented in the Sultanate.

Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman delivering his speech. – PHOTOS: AZLAN OTHMAN

Attendees during the dialogue session

The MoRA is responsible for ensuring that the programmes followed by the youth are pure and do not deflect from the goal of strengthening the faith and practice of religion in the country. Thus, the ministry, through relevant departments, will continue to review and monitor the youth programmes, especially their content and instructors, he added.

The minister also advised the youths to sincerely take part in activities organised by MoRA to strengthen their faith.

Also present during yesterday’s discussions were Dato Paduka Awang Haji Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud, Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs; Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Mohd Yusof, Permanent Secretary at the MoRA; Roslan bin Haji Taja’ah, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Administrative and Financial Affairs) at the MoRA; directors, assistant directors, senior officers and staff of MoRA.

Held at Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha Girls Arabic Religious Secondary School in Kampong Katok, the dialogue session organised by the Youth Unit of the Mosque Affairs Department offered mosque youths, preachers and converts an opportunity to have a direct dialogue with the Minister of Religious Affairs and officials of the ministry and put forward suggestions in organising religious activities.

Earlier, Director of Mosque Affairs Haji Abdul Rajid bin Haji Mohd Salleh said 200 mosque youth leaders, preachers and newly-converted youths converged at the event to exchange ideas and views on youth activities. The dialogue session was also a follow-up to the recent ‘Love the Mosque’ carnival held at Sultan Sharif Ali Mosque in Sengkurong.

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|     Fadhil Yunus     |

BRUNEI Darussalam Sports School Council (MSSSBD) head coach Rosni Hajah Yahya emphasised the need for more exposure matches whether it is local or regional following a 59-25 defeat to the Sri Lanka School Team at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex yesterday.

The main challenge currently faced by the team is the difficulty of having a complete squad for training due to academic commitments.

“It is challenging and as a coach we follow their times. If the players are free and if they’re finish school like at 5:30pm, only then we can start training,” said Rosni in an interview.

“Training is not enough for them and we need more time for training,” continued the head coach.

However, Rosni welcomed the exposure match against the Sri Lanka School Team and hoped that there will be more invited teams from overseas to allow them to play these kinds of matches despite not gaining exposure by sending the team overseas.

“In view of today’s match, we have less communication because the players rarely met,” said Rosni.

She added that their weaknesses were a lot of unforced errors because of lack of training.

Brunei Darussalam Sports School Council (MSSSBD) and Sri Lanka School Team pose in a group picture. – KHAIRIL HASSAN

The team train five times a week but the main limitation is they could not assemble a complete squad.

“They showed their abilities today and from there we can see what we can add again.”

Asked what her plans were: “Keep on training and get more exposure whether it is local or regional.

“We will conduct more training as planned and try to develop netball by finding players who possess the competencies armed with their physical ability which is hoped,” continued Rosni.

“As a manager and head coach, we in MSSSBD hope that they can cope with training and studies because for us their first priority is academic.”

“Past players have succeeded and some of the players can be considered as icons because aside from training they can devote their time to their studies,” she concluded.

The Sri Lanka School Team will conclude their exposure series against the national team.

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|     Fadhil Yunus     |

BRUNEI Darussalam national golfer Qawim Aslimon defended his title in the 15th Pusat Ehsan Charity Golf Tournament 2017 after carding a score of 71 at the RBA Golf Club in Berakas yesterday.

The national golfer also claimed his third title of the year following successes in a world amateur golf tournament in Malaysia and the locally held Pantai Mentiri Open.

Qawim, who received the coveted Patron’s Challenge Trophy for his efforts, was humbled with the victory despite being tagged as one of the favourites as one of the country’s top golfers.

“It’s my aim. I didn’t expect to win because there are a lot of good golfers. There’s my brother (Qazzri) and Khairul Kamis so it’s a good challenge,” Qawim said in an interview with the Bulletin.

With a tough set of competitors in the field not least including former Baiduri Masters winner Khairul Kamis, the golfer acknowledged that his brother Qazzri also posed a genuine threat to his title credentials.

He was quite satisfied with his performance with the win wrapped up with a few holes to spare despite a tiny blip at the end.

“I bogeyed on my last hole so I made an even par,” continued the golfer who represented the country during the 28th Southeast Asian Games (SEA) in Singapore two years ago.

The national golfer will be setting his sights firmly in the Sabah Open at the end of the month.

Deputy Minister of Development, Dato Paduka Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Abdul Gafar presenting the trophy to winner Qawim bin Haji Aslimon. – BAHYIAH BAKIR

Qawim also agreed that the conditions are windy compared to previous days of competition.

Asked if his latest triumph served as a good preparation towards boosting his confidence and maintaining his level of performance in leading up towards a major competition, Qawim indicated that he will take it one step at a time.

“I am aiming for another win and if there’s a chance to win I will grab it,” concluded the national golfer.

Other winners included Almas Syadwanie Kamis who won the ladies gross event after posting a score of 78 and experienced golfer Wan Man Haji Wan Hil who won the overall nett category.

A total of 263 participants took part in the competition with the proceeds going to support the children and youth with special needs at the Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam and to the centre’s monthly expenses and development plans.

Deputy Minister of Development, Dato Paduka Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Abdul Gafar, presented the prizes.

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|     Syazwani Hj Rosli     |

SPECIALIST retailer, Mothercare opened its new store at an official grand opening ceremony at Delima Satu yesterday.

The two-storey concept store launched under Retail Manager, Benson Kong, spans over 7,000 square feet.

The store provides a stress-free shopping experience and features a new overhead navigation signage, bold perimeter signage, new till backdrop, lighting and an Early Learning Centre toyshop with play areas.

Shoppers can browse over 3,000 products which include nursery furniture, children’s clothing, maternity wear, pushchairs and car seats.

Mothercare products are also available which include Tommee Tippie, Madela, Avent, MAM, Dr Brown, Nuk, Munchkin, Lansinoh, Ameda, Innosense, Babyjogger, Babyzen, Stokke, Graco, Silver Cross, Maxi-Cosi, Britax, Mc Laren, Ergobaby, SkipHop and Trunki and many more.

The new Mothercare store at Delima Satu. – BAHYIAH BAKIR

“This is a pivotal moment for us as we turn Mothercare into a state of the art store,” said Benson Kong. “Our larger stores have a wide range of products offering customers more choices along with an enhanced shopping experience.”

Meanwhile, Bebeland also opened its second branch next to the new Mothercare store.

Brands available at Bebeland include Minoti, Orange Juice, Adidas, Joie, Hauck, Hasbro, Vtech, Little Tikes, Lego, Mattel, and Smart Trike, among others.

Mascot appearances and other fun activities including a Nerf Target Shootout and photo contest enlivened the event.

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|     Daniel Lim     |

A FAMILY of nine was left homeless after a fire destroyed their wooden house in Kampong Mumong, Belait, last Saturday.

A Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said that personnel from the Kuala Belait and Seria fire stations were immediately dispatched to Simpang 41-22 in Jalan Dipa Negara, following a distress call at around 9.44pm.

The firefighters took more than 10 minutes to bring the blaze under control, and two hours to completely extinguish the flames.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

The fire being controlled by the firefighters on scene. – DANIEL LIM

The house owner, Haslan bin Tapa, told the Bulletin that they had been unable to salvage their belongings while fleeing from the scene.

There were no casualties, as the occupants managed to escape unscathed in the incident.

Muhd Ronni bin Abdullah Labau, an Assistant Officer of the Community Development Department (JAPEM), was present at the site to offer support and reassurance to the fire victims.

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