|     Aziz Idris     |

THE spirit of Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations in the country continues despite the last week of Syawal drawing close.

Royal Brunei Airlines (RB), the Sultanate’s national carrier, did not miss the opportunity to entertain guests at their annual RB Aidilfitri Open House at Indah hall, Royal Brunei Recreation Club yesterday.

Among those attending the celebrations were members of RB Board of Directors, members of the Diplomatic Corps, corporate clients, business partners, travel agents as well as RB staff and invited guests.

The post RB holds Hari Raya open house appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Rokiah Mahmud     |

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 has consented to bestow Long Service Medal (PKL) on 160 recipients in conjunction with the monarch’s  birthday celebrations.

The ceremony took place at the Ministry of Education’s (MoE) new building in Old Airport, Berakas. The medals were presented by the Minister of Education, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman. Also present was Deputy Minister of Education, Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar.

In welcoming remarks, Pengiran Haji Rosli bin Pengiran Haji Halus, Acting Director of Administration and Services, Administration and Services Department, in his capacity as the chairman of the organising committee for the PKL awards presentation for MoE and departments under it, said that the awards signify the appreciation of His Majesty for the contribution of MoE’s officers and staff.

Also, the awards served as a mechanism to enhance the recipients’ morale and motivation so that they would contribute more in their work, he added.

One of the recipient, Dr Hajah Norbaya bin Haji Shaminan, Education Officer and class teacher of Year 1B at Katok A Primary School told the Bulletin that she has been working with the Ministry of Education for 27 years.

Asked about her working experience, Dr Hajah Norbaya explained that to be where she is now, she faced a lot of hurdles and encountered many challenges, especially in dealing with students with special needs.

Being in the field for almost three decades, Dr Hajah Norbaya explained that there are not many teachers who have skills to teach differently-abled students.

“We need to apply techniques and skills that we gained and put aside our personal emotion. We must know how to handle them and deliver the knowledge to them just like other students,” she said

Being a class teacher for Year 1B at Katok A Primary School for the past seven months, teaching physical education and arts, Dr Hajah Norbaya explained that her techniques would gradually encourage the hearing impaired students to express themselves.

Dr Yabit bin Alas, Director of the Language Centre at Universiti Brunei Darussalam expressed his gratitude to His Majesty for the PKL awards.

He worked with the Ministry of Education for 27 years. He said all civil servants need to be honest while at the same time seek innovative ideas.

The post 160 MoE long service staff receive awards appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Azaraimy HH     |

BRUNEI Tourism Board is currently preparing for the upcoming month-long Brunei December Festival.

Wardi bin Haji Mohammad Ali, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Tourism) at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism said several programmes are in place to attract foreign tourists to the country, as well as local residents to know this country better by travelling domestically.

Addressing the press during the river cruise familiarisation trip for travel agents in Tutong River yesterday, the deputy permanent secretary said over 20 programmes have been arranged, while board members held discussions with stakeholders not just focusing in Brunei-Muara, but also other districts as well.

He said the strategy being arranged included promotional events for the festival.

Among the events include ‘Bandarku Ceria’ in all four districts, where each district will be showcasing their activities based on their suitability and strengths.

“For example, there will be a Regatta in the Tutong District; Belait District will organise a Bicycle Expedition from Kuala Belait to Bandar Seri Begawan; Temburong District will organise a Night Run that received a rave review last year; and Brunei-Muara District will promote its new destination sites such as the Eco-Corridor, the new Sungai Kebun Bridge, and other several tourism destination points,” he said.

“We are also planning several events such as a motor show, mass wedding ceremony, and others,” he added.

“We hope the events will get the support from all parties to ensure all the programmes run successfully and at the same time will provide an opportunity for the public opportunities to get to know the country better.”

The post Learn more about Brunei in month-long December Festival appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Azaraimy HH     |

VISITORS to Tutong District will be able to enjoy an exciting cruise along the pristine Tutong River soon.

The Tutong River Cruise, one of the packages under the Destinasi Tutong, an initiative of the District Tourism Promotion and Coordination Body, will be launched for public bookings in August 2017.

Ahead of the launch of the Tutong River Cruise, several travel agencies, including Sinar Tours, PJ Majestic, Royal Brunei Holidays and Sunshine Borneo Tours and Travel, yesterday took a familiarisation trip to the Tutong River to get a taste of what the river cruising can offer for tourists, and look into how it can be packaged.

The serene Tutong River offers visitors and tourists a place of tranquility, an aesthetic getaway to relieve the stress of urban life.

Though close to urban dwelling, the river is still surrounded by unsullied natural vegetation. Fringed with mangrove and swarms and governed by un-disturbed primary forest, it is home to bountiful flora and fauna.

Various bird species still roam around, and it is not impossible that visitors could have close encounters with the deadly crocodiles or witness mesmerising fire flies at night, or take a perfect photo of a hornbill.

Yesterday’s test cruise was led by Wardi bin Haji Mohammad Ali, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Tourism) at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism, and joining him was Muhammad Amir bin Haji Umarali, Chief Executive Officer-cum-Chairperson of Tutong District Tourism Promotion and Coordination Body.

In an interview, Awang Wardi explained that the trip aimed to test the attractiveness of the river cruise and familiarise it with the local travel agents who will be offering river cruise as a package to their designated overseas markets.

“It is hoped that the trip will help the travel agents create attractive packages that suit their respective markets. It showed them the potential of Tutong District as a whole as one of the travel destinations ahead of the launching of the Destinasi Tutong Package next month,” he said.

The trip began with a briefing by Muhamad Amir at the Pekan Tutong jetty. The group departed from the jetty and travelled towards Kampong Suran, an area where the Tutong community first settled in, crossed the big Sungai Tutong signboard, Tamu Tutong, Tutong Bridge and Seri Kenangan Beach before arriving at Kampong Penabai, where the group had the opportunity engage in crab catching, using a traditional ‘Bintur’.

Along the way, the group also enjoyed watching the local wildlife found in the vicinity of the river. The trip concluded at Kuala Tutong where the group visited a boat factory.

Supporting this initiative, the Tourism Development Department (TDD) said that it will emphasise on standards and quality of the products and services, including the level of comfort and safety of tourists taking on the river cruise. The familiarisation trip helped the participating travel agents to be better informed and provided them with an opportunity to explore how to better their offerings to various market segments by pro-moting community-based events.

The event also provided a preview of what will be on offer during the nationwide Brunei December Festival this year in which Tutong District is one of the venues.

The Brunei Tourism Board said it will continue to work closely with various government agencies, event management companies, hotels and restaurants, travel agents, airline companies, local companies and foreign embassies in Brunei Darussalam to make the country one of the preferred holiday destinations. By facilitating more leisure and recreational options such as these, the board hoped to develop the tourism industry by increasing the number of international visitors.

James Park, locally known as Abang James, is the President of Sinar Tour, a subsidiary of Korea-based Shinning Tour. He expressed his confidence over the river cruise as a travel product.

“Before the cruise, I didn’t expect much from it, but after experiencing a couple of hours here, I felt it’s wonderful.”

He said nature-based cruise like this has a big potential in markets such as Korea, because according to him, Koreans look for a unique experience when deciding to travel to Brunei, and this cruise can surely provide it.

James said the next step will be to bring his travel team to Tutong for further studies, adding that his immediate plan is to come up with sunset packages. For Koreans the chance to experience the atmosphere where the river connects the ocean is worth enjoying, he added.

According to him, Brunei has one of the best sunsets on the planet, making it a good value proposition for travellers, and experiencing it at the site where the river connects the ocean will be wonderful.

Meanwhile, Peter Chieng, Managing Director of Majestic Tour, also expressed his enthusiasm over the river cruise experience. Majestic Tour mainly markets its travel products to the Chinese market. The local company handles around 15,000 tourists a year and most of them are from eastern and southern China.

Peter said a lot has improved since his last visit to the river and now he is looking at the place as a potential travel product. “Most of the tours by the company were in Bandar Seri Begawan area and now we will look into Tutong and Belait.”

He pointed out that river cruise in Tutong has big scope, with its pristine condition and the potential of observing natural phenomenon such as the fireflies.

“Nature tour is very effective for the Chinese market because it is becoming very hard to come by in China, and the Chinese are willing to travel far to see it. Brunei is also a short distance from China. Its clean air and green forests have a big appeal on Chinese tourists. The tourists love the local food, cooked by local families.”

According to him, this is something that is not easy to come by in other countries because of the commercialisation of the industry in a big way.

“Chinese tourists are trying to get away from something that is a commodity, and the cruise is something different, it is personal in nature. Thus we are reaching out to a very different market, and I believe that once we package it properly, it will be a very popular product,” Peter said.

The post Cruising to tourism success appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Fadhil Yunus     |

YTE Morsjaya will be hoping to avoid defending champions Easyway at least before the final after staging a routine 129-86 win over Tutong basketball team in the MK Group Cup at the Brunei Basketball Association Court in Batu Bersurat last night.

YTE Morsjaya secured a place in the quarterfinals after boasting a perfect 3-0 record and though they are on course of avoiding Easyway it would be best to meet them all the way in the final.

Arnel Caringal, the team’s head coach, has emphasised that Easyway is the team to beat and that his group of players are on par as group rivals Juramas, who they face in the decisive final group match.

YTE Morsjaya did not finish top of the group in last year’s tournament and will hope not to repeat the same occurrence again this year.

“We were beaten by Easyway in the semi-finals in the crossover because we were not able to get the number one spot,” said Arnel in a post-match interview with the Bulletin.

“I have no doubt that the team (Easyway) is favourites in lifting the title again this year. It is not easy to beat them.”

However, Arnel would not have any qualms if they were drawn against Juramas who he rated as a similar strength to his side.

“Against Juramas we have a good chance. We cannot compare Juramas to Easyway because Easyway is really strong,” he continued.

“The line-up of Juramas is almost the same as us,” the head coach continued.

Arnel said that they have sealed qualification but their clash against Juramas will determine the final positioning of the group.

With more technically gifted opposition in the horizon, the head coach expressed delight with the defensive showing after lamenting that his charges have allowed Walltique Sdn Bhd to come back in the third quarter in the group opener.

The winner of Group ‘B’ will have a lighter workload against the fourth best-placed team in Group ‘A’ in the quarter-finals but it is the semi-finals which would likely pose a huge challenge.

With both sides hoping to be the second team in the final on August 6, Arnel said that his charge is fully prepared against the much-anticipated affair against Juramas.

“We are starting to gel as a team. Everybody knows their game now and we’re getting ready for the game against Juramas of course.”

Arnel added that their imports will only be harder to play against for any team as each game progressed.

“We want to see how our imports will play if it is imports vs imports. We will see what happens,” he said.

The head coach also illustrated the importance of top defence by minimising the opponents’ from scoring whilst referencing a basketball cliché.

“We want to limit the points of the opponents if we want to win. The best offence is defence. You need to defend first before you make a point.”

YTE Morsjaya’s duo Shaheed Davis and Nick Stover were the highest scorers of the game with the former bagging 41 points and the latter netting 40 points.

Meanwhile, in the second game, Juramas hammered Hainan 114-32. Juramas and YTE Morsjaya will decide who top Group ‘B’ tomorrow.

The post YTE Morsjaya bid to avoid Easyway with kind draw appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Fadhil Yunus     |

BRUNEI Darussalam under-15 national team manager Morni Zakaria highlighted that the young charges can compete with other countries following their promising campaign in the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Under-15 Youth Championship at Chonburi, Thailand.

The under-15 national team ended the campaign in fourth place with five points, winning once in the process as well as two draws and two losses.

The current generation etched their name into age group folklore after tasting victory for the first time in six appearances at under-15 level.

“The Brunei under-15 team can compete with other nations,” said Morni in an interview with the Bulletin shortly after the team and officials arrived from Bangkok, Thailand at the Brunei International Airport in the wee hours of Thursday morning.

Morni predicted that the young charges may had a long and trying campaign but nevertheless the national juniors sprung a surprise or two.

The team manager indicated that with a little stroke of luck they could have converted the draws into victories and a loss into a draw including the game against Group ‘B’ winners Vietnam.

“We thought we would receive a footballing lesson but once we shared the same pitch with Timor Leste, we could have won by five or six goals. We also missed a penalty,” continued Morni.

“Against Vietnam we nearly drew the game only to have conceded with a last-gasp winner. We were under pressure but the players showed that they can compete with their opponents.”

The team manager also revealed that they fell short against Malaysia owing to injuries to three main players in the squad as well as errors littering in the game.

Morni elaborated that the Cambodia match was the highlight of the tournament after posting a historic 2-0 win at the Chonburi Campus Stadium.

“The team was great against Cambodia. We, the coaching staff and management provided our full support not only through motivation but every morning outside their accommodation we provide motivation and recite Al-Fatihah in order for us to achieve success,” said Morni.

The rejuvenated young Wasps came into the match against Philippines knowing that a victory could help them pip Cambodia into third place if results went their way.

“We targeted that we can win against the Philippines. We can score a lot of goals but unfortunately luck was not on our side.

“As team manager, I feel proud and happy because the under-15 national team can enhance the dignity of the country this year.”

The national under-15 team will be preparing for the AFC qualifiers this September.

He continued that exposure in boosting their game is fully important and continuous training must be maintained.

“One of the benefits was that we arrived in advance to take part in friendly games against two leading clubs (Chonburi FC under-15s and Bangkok Glass under-15s) in Thailand.”

The team manager added that they used all the players to find out which players would start in the first game against Timor Leste.

Morni advised the young charges should play more friendly games and compete in international competitions, adding that he saw potential to lift their game with the players in par with other countries.

Morni also shared that an AFF representative stated the Brunei under-15s have been improving and did not expect their good showing in the competition.

“We lost by a small margin during both matches. It is a good approach to play in friendly matches when we play international competitions,” said the team manager.

Present at the Brunei International Airport to welcome the under-15 national team was Pengiran Mohd Amirrizal bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud, Acting General Secretary of National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD).

The post Brunei can compete with other nations: Manager appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Aziz Idris     |

WITH its rich biodiversity, unspoiled rainforests and magnificent reefs, Brunei lures to its shores not just nature tourists, adventure buffs and scientists, but the everyday traveller as well.

Recognising the value and importance of this biodiversity, the Brunei government has stepped up conservation efforts to protect the country’s natural ecosystems and wildlife from harm.

An example of this is a survey – the first of its type in Brunei – conducted since January 2017 for Marine Endangered Species (MES) at the sheltered waters of Brunei Bay.

The survey team is made up of a researcher from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) working together with a local company – Sakam Enterprise – with support from the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism through the Heart of Borneo (HoB) Project, and the First Institute of Oceanography (FIO), State Oceanic Administration (SOA), China.

In their initial survey, the team found a pod of 15 Irrawaddy dolphins in the Brunei side of the bay (70 per cent of Brunei Bay is claimed by Malaysia, with the remaining 30 per cent belonging to Brunei). There has not been any MSE research conducted in the bay prior to this latest study.

“When we visited the Brunei waters, we found that marine mammals like the Irrawaddy dolphins – the group of dolphins that we came across – are the same ones that we encountered in the Malaysian side of the bay,” said Dr Saifullah Arifin bin Jaaman @ Sharman, an Associate Professor of UMT’s Institute of Oceanography and Environment during an interview with the Bulletin.

Dr Saifullah has conducted similar studies on MES on the Malaysian side of Brunei Bay during the mid 2000’s, coming up with the hypothesis that the marine mammals would rove around Brunei Bay, socialising with each other and searching for food and shelter.

Irrawaddy dolphins can be found across the coastal areas of the Indian Ocean stretching from India to Indonesia. They prefer deep pools of large rivers and sheltered inshore, brackish marine waters, such as mangrove swamps – these are found in abundance in Brunei Bay.

He added that studies done on the Brunei side of the bay are crucial as they allow his team of marine life experts to compare it with research on the Malaysian side and come up with applicable deductions.

The studies are conducted once every three months in an observation boat; areas or hotspots where the dolphins tend to congregate are noted and these areas will be earmarked for special protection.

Sakam Enterprise believes that the number of sightings of Irr-awaddy dolphins has decreased compared to five to 10 years ago. The local company plans to bring in ‘high-tech’ devices to aid in their research – these will include tagging devices, observation drones, and sampling devices.

“Once the data has been collected, we can learn the population dynamics, behaviour, feeding and social structure of this unique species of dolphins, enabling us to better protect them,” said Mohammad Vol Haji Momin, an officer from Sakam’s Conservation Programme.

“When the data is available, we can create better understanding among the public on why there is a need to maintain a healthy marine environment.”

Meanwhile, Dr Saifullah added that the fact that there are sightings of Irrawaddy dolphins in Brunei Bay and other MES, which are “good environment health indicator species”, means that the quality of the marine environment of the bay is “very good”.

“These marine mammals are referred as ‘indicator species’ due to the fact that these species won’t be present in an area if the marine environment isn’t in a good condition,” Dr Saifullah explained.

The post Brunei Bay Irrawaddy dolphin sightings bring hope to marine scientists appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Syazwani Hj Rosli     |

THE Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) of the Ministry of Communications yesterday launched the ‘Brunei International Airport V40 Drive Away, Spend & Win Campaign’, which runs until May 20, 2018.

In his welcoming remarks, Acting Deputy Director of Civil Aviation Muhamad Emmy Shamdy Khairul bin Haji Kadir said the campaign is one of the starting points towards the modernisation of the Brunei International Airport.

He also expressed his hope for more similar events in the future, to place the airport as one of the Top 100 under the British-based consultancy, Skytrax.

“It is hoped that such campaigns will encourage more airlines to come, with more spending by passengers inside the departure area,” he said.

A ribbon-cutting was held at Gate 1 of the Brunei International Airport by Pengiran Azaleen bin Pengiran Dato Haji Mustapha, the Head of Retail Banking and Branch Network of Baiduri Bank; Julian Wee, from MS Titanstar; and Zakaria bin Haji Mohammad Ali, the Acting Director of Civil Aviation.

While it lasts, any passengers holding a valid boarding pass at the Brunei International Airport will stand a chance to be in the running for the grand draw when they spend at all participating outlets.

This gives travellers a chance to win the all-new Volvo V40 when they spend at the airport.

Participants are required to fill up the entry forms available at all participating outlets, attach the receipt and place the completed form into the lucky draw box at Gate 1, next to Volvo V40 display.

In addition, Baiduri Bank Visa cardholders are entitled to double their chances when they spend using their cards during this period. Frequent spenders will stand a chance to win the grand prize of a brand-new Volvo V40 worth $42,000.

The participating outlets are Anjung Saujana, Burger King, DST, KFC, Paloma and Aewon Brunei.

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|     Aziz Idris     |

HUNDREDS turned up at the capital on Wednesday to catch the Pentarama performance night organised by the Information Department in celebration of 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 71st birthday.

Held at the parking lot across the Royal Regalia Building, the Pentarama aims to spread positive messages on education, nationalism and religion among the community.

Legislative Council member cum Mukim Berakas B Penghulu YB Pengiran Haji Ali bin Pengiran Maon attended as the guest of honour. Also present was Acting Deputy Director of Information cum event chairperson Hajah Noorashidah binti Haji Ali Omar.

The glittery night began with the traditional ‘Jipin Dindang Disayang’ dance, followed by a group medley performance of the theme song ‘Pentarama’ and ‘Dirgahayu’ by local artistes.

This year, Pentarama was performed by the Information Department employees who were top winners of a recent talent competition.

Local invited artistes included Hasrina, Andie Othman and popular comedian, Dang Kasum.

The crowd was kept entertained with drama and comedy sketches as well as fun quizzes.

Pentarama performance night will make its way across the remaining districts, starting with the Belait District tomorrow, Tutong District on July 26 and in the Temburong District on July 29.

The public is welcome to witness the performances for free in their respective districts.

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|     Danial Norjidi     |

TRADE, climate change, security and Commonwealth values will be among the topics to be discussed when the 2018 Commonwealth Summit takes place in the United Kingdom in April next year.

Tim Hitchens, Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Summit 2018, shared this while speaking to the Bulletin following a visit to Brunei Darussalam on Wednesday.

Leaders from more than 50 countries are expected to attend next year’s summit, which will be held on the week beginning April 16, 2018 in London and Windsor. The summit will see the UK take over as chair of the Commonwealth until 2020, and Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle being among the summit venues for the first time.

“In April next year we will be having a week of meetings in London. These are meetings with Commonwealth leaders which happen every two years. They are known as the Commonwealth Summit, and we will be getting about 10,000 people coming to town. We’ll have 50 heads of states, 50 foreign ministers, and a thousand journalists – it’s a big, big event,” said Hitchens.

He added that they will also be looking at what the Commonwealth has achieved in the 20th Century, and also what it will mean in the 21st Century and what lies in store for it.

“Because of that, we’re doing a lot of talking to young people around the Commonwealth about what they want the Commonwealth to represent in the 21st Century,” the CEO said.

“And so, part of my aim in this trip around Southeast Asia, travelling to Kuala Lumpur, and here to Bandar Seri Begawan, and tonight and tomorrow to Singapore, is to talk to people, particularly the young people, about what they want the Commonwealth to stand for in the 21st Century.”

On the significance of the summit to Brunei, he said: “It’s an opportunity for Brunei to showcase itself, to showcase its values, and to showcase the place of Southeast Asia in the world.”

Asked on what he hopes to see achieved through the summit, he said, “We have, first of all, set a number of specific challenges that all 52 of us are facing in the Commonwealth.

“The first of those is that the forces of protectionism in international trade are rising, and how can we as countries which have relied on free trade, how can we increase trade between each other? At the moment total trade between all of us in the Commonwealth is $800 billion. How do we get it up to $1 trillion? That’s the first challenge we set.

“Second is climate change,” he said, noting the Paris Agreement. “We all agreed to Paris two years ago, but actually five of us have still not ratified Paris, so how do we actually persuade everyone in the Commonwealth to ratify Paris and make it real and help, particularly, the smaller, vulnerable countries and island states – those that are most susceptible to climate change challenges.

“The third challenge is around the new specific security threats we face in the 21st Century, and of these, I’d particularly pick out cyber security and countering violent extremism – both of which are issues currently being faced not just by the big mature economies, but all of us.

“The last one is just focusing a bit on what Commonwealth values mean to us. It’s an intangible concept, but when I was in Malaysia yesterday talking to Malaysian business people, they were saying that they find it easier to do business with Commonwealth countries in Africa than non-Commonwealth countries in Africa.

“They explained that this is down to the language advantage, the legal understanding, and the sense of trust engendered by these common bonds. And so, it’s just looking at what those values are.

“Every time I talk to young people, they know what Commonwealth values are; there’s something to do with moderation, with tolerance, a bit of living with people who are different from you, and I think those are the values that we want to express and support through the summit”.

The post Commonwealth to reassess values, discuss pressing world issues in 2018 UK meetings appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Hakim Hayat     |

TWENTY new Muslim converts received financial assistance to perform the Haj this year under the Haj passage funds from 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.

A ceremony was held yesterday to handover the Haj passage funds to the selected individuals at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) Building in Jalan Dewan Majlis.

Minister of Religious Affairs and President of the Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB) Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman handed over the funds to the Muslim converts who will be travelling under Haj packages offered by Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd, Straits Central Agencies (B) Sdn Bhd and Raudah Al-Amin Sdn Bhd.

A total of B$187,410.00 in passage funds and travel allowances derived from the Zakat Asnaf Muallaf money collection have been granted to the 20 Muslim converts. They have been granted the Haj passage funds according to rates given to Government officers which is B$4,500 per person.

Those who are travelling under the premium package ‘Zamrud’ from Darussalam Holdings was given B$7,200 to make-up the total cost of B$11,700 while another convert was granted with B$7,350 to make-up the cost for Raudah Al-Amin All-In package worth B$11,850.

Another convert was granted with B$10,460 to make-up the cost for Strait Central Agencies (B) Sdn Bhd’s Economy Package worth B$14,960. Each of them will receive a B$2,000 travel allowance as well.

According to MoRA, the money was derived from the Zakat Asnaf Muallaf collection and the selection of Muslim converts to perform the Haj this year was based on interviews and also based on regulations set by the MUIB.

The ceremony yesterday also saw the minister handing over payment of the Haj packages to the respective travel agencies offering the Haj packages.

The post Muslim converts receive financial assistance for Haj appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|    Daniel Lim    |

A FIRE broke out at a house in STKRJ Lorong Tiga Selatan, Seria, Belait District yesterday.

After receiving a call at 2.55pm, the Fire and Rescue Department dispatched four fire engines and personnel from the Seria Fire Station, led by Acting Assistant Superintendent Muhammad Ali bin Hassan, Seria Fire Station Commander.

A water tanker from the Kuala Belait Fire Station was also sent to assist the fire fighting operation.

Upon arriving at the scene at 3.02pm, the firefighters managed to control the blaze and fully extinguished the fire within two hours.

Present at the scene to help the operation were Haji Jamail bin Haji Linap, Penghulu of Mukim Seria, and Warrant Officer II Afendi from the Royal Brunei Armed Forces.

The occupants of the house are safe as they relocated to a neighbour’s house.

It was found that the cause of the fire came from excessive heat generated by the charging of a phone through an extension cord.

The post House on fire following phone charging mishap appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Azlan Othman     |

THE atmosphere was euphoric as the Green Jewel of Brunei Darussalam welcomed its benevolent monarch and members of the royal family yesterday.

Despite being the least populated district, citizens and residents, including from the remote parts of Temburong District, gathered at the Civic Centre Complex field in Pekan Bangar to grab the opportunity to greet 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 during the monarch’s traditional meet-and-greet session with people in conjunction with His Majesty’s 71st birthday celebrations.

His Majesty’s get-together with people is one of the most important celebrations in the country’s annual calendar of events as it is a platform for the people to get up close with their much adored ruler.

Rich in unspoiled natural heritage and astounding diversity, Temburong District is the second district to host the event for citizens and residents to express their birthday wishes to their beloved ruler which started in Tutong District on August 18.

Also in attendance at the royal get-together ceremony were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik and His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen.

The main road was decorated with neon lights, arches and national flags and the beating of Hadrah reverberated across the town, welcoming His Majesty’s motorcade.

Present to greet His Majesty and the members of the royal family were Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, Minister of Home Affairs, who is also the Chairman of the National Executive Committee for His Majesty’s 71st birthday celebrations, and other committee members.

As the royal entourage arrived, school students and teachers in the district lined up along the road from the helipad to the Civic Centre Complex field, waving national flags to welcome the Sultan, while teachers from the Arabic Preparatory School in Temburong District displayed placards wishing ‘Sanah Helwah HM’ which means ‘Happy Birthday to His Majesty’.

“It is our new style to greet His Majesty. We wish to express our gratitude to the monarch and we are excited to be able to greet our beloved ruler,” said Assistant Principal of the school Hashidah binti Haji Awang.

“We have lined up since 8.30am and our students from Years 5 to 8 took part in the stage performances at the Civic Centre Complex. Some 80 students from the Arabic school were involved in the celebrations,” she said.

Mohd Zool Fadli bin Haji Mahbub, a teacher from Sultan Hashim Batu Apoi Primary School said over 40 students and English teachers from the Centre for British Teachers (CfBT) teaching at the school were among those who welcomed His Majesty on arrival. “At the school, the students were also involved in drawing His Majesty’s portrait, an annual tradition to show their love for the monarch,” he said.

Mohd Ali bin Abdullah, Health and Safety Manager of China State Construction Engineering which has undertaken the CC4 package for Temburong Bridge project, said on the occasion of the meet-and-greet ceremony, the company has presented a birthday cake and a souvenier in the form of a brocade titled ‘Good Luck and Prosperity’, crafted in China.

Mohd Amir Hairil bin Haji Mahmud, the Temburong District Officer, in his welcoming speech pledged undivided loyalty to His Majesty on behalf of the government servants, mukim penghulus, village heads, members of the private sector and citizens and residents of the district and expressed their unwavering support to the monarch’s leadership in ruling the nation.

The joy and gratitude of the people of Temburong District to the monarch were reflected in the stage performances that carried the theme ‘Visionary Ruler, Guided Nation’. The spectacle portrayed performances by over 400 students, officers, cadet personnel and members of Village Consultative Council who greeted His Majesty and members of the royal family.

Meanwhile, citizens and residents lined up in a specially-built tent to exchange greetings with His Majesty and the royal entourage.

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|     Fadhil Yunus     |

STREET Roc punched their ticket to the quarterfinals after registering a comprehensive 134-64 win over BBA in the MK Group Cup at the Brunei Basketball Association Court in Batu Bersurat last night.

The team tipped to occupy the final semi-final slot in the competition will need to stop the Easyway express in their final game to win Group ‘A’.

Street Roc head coach Pong Bing Chao was pleased with his team’s performance after seeing his side locking up second spot.

“The team is getting better and better since the first match. We have six new players excluding the import who just joined the team,” said Pong in a post-match interview with the Weekend Bulletin.

The six new players who linked up with the squad only during the past three months, have already shown experience especially with the national team.

The team had to make personnel changes following the exit of some players due to other commitments.

Pong explained experience will not be an issue but more focus will be towards working on communicating with the game and teamwork.

The win paved the way for an interesting group clash against defending champions Easyway, especially with the Street Roc players playing against one of their seniors on the opposite end of the court.

Asked how they would approach the Easyway game, Pong emphasised that they need to have a strong defence.

“We must work very hard on defence. Easyway have won many cups and since the first one until now they have maintained the same players so their chemistry is very good.”

Pong said they have to put the extra work in defence since they only have one import whereas other sides have the luxury of fielding two imports.

“I’m satisfied with the defence in today’s game. Scoring is not a problem but defence is a problem,” he said.

Street Roc’s Dandre Fey recorded a game high of 33 points while Tan Kah Boon clocked 16 points and Apollo Martinez contributed 15 points.

The head coach indicated that his charges have their work cut out against the title favourites which is scheduled tomorrow.

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DST’s Ihsan Kasih concluded its Syawal celebrations with Hari Raya gatherings for special needs children in Temburong, Tutong and Belait Districts yesterday. Celebrations in Tutong were held in the morning at the Community Hall of Kampong Serambangun, while the same morning, celebrations in the Belait District took place at the Kuala Belait Conference Hall.

A similar event was also held at the Multi-Purpose Hall, Bumiputra Complex in Temburong District, a press release stated.

Leading the DST Ihsan Kasih Hari Raya team was Ang Siok Tuan, General Manager of Group Finance at DST. In the Belait District, DST’s Hari Raya celebrations were led by Haji Amer Iskandar bin Pehin Dato Haji Zakaria, Assistant General Manager of Business Division.

Meanwhile, in the Temburong District, DST’s Ihsan Kasih Hari Raya team was led by Hajah Fa’ikah binti Ahmad, Assistant General Manager of Group Facilities Management.

DST invited over 800 registered students, parents/guardians, teachers, officers and representatives from respective centres including the Centre for Children with Special Needs (KACA), Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam, SMARTER Brunei, Pusat Bahagia, and the Hearing Impaired under the Special Education Unit, Ministry of Education.

The highlight of the celebration was the presentation of green packets by the chief guests.

DST also provided musical entertainment, games and mascot appearances for the special guests.

The celebration with the children, as part of DST Ihsan Kasih’s overall Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project, was aimed at sharing the joyous experience, and showing care, love and concern to the special needs community.

The Hari Raya gatherings hosted by DST also helps foster better understanding among fellow DST staff, parents and children and representatives from each centre.

Yesterday’s events marked the end of DST’s Hari Raya celebrations with special needs individuals which began on July 14 at the International Convention Centre in Berakas for those in the Brunei-Muara District.

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AUTORITI Monetari Brunei Darussalam (AMBD) hosted a prize-giving ceremony for the winners of the Investment Challenge 2017 recently.

The competition, co-organised by AMBD and Brunei Darussalam Capital Market Association (BCMA), was opened to undergraduates of local higher learning institutions in Brunei Darussalam.

The objectives of this competition were to cultivate awareness on financial investment, introduce asset allocation concepts and generate interest in financial investment and capital markets.

Seven teams, each comprising four members, participated in the competition. The four participating higher learning institutions were Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB), Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA), Kolej International Graduate Studies (KIGS), and Politeknik Brunei.

The competition kicked off with a training session for all participating teams, conducted by UOB Asset Management (B) Sdn Bhd.

During the competition, four panel judges were appointed to evaluate the per-formances of the teams based on several criteria including quantitative returns on investment, qualitative aspect such as portfolio diversification, and analysis of their investment strategy.

The prizes were presented to the winners by Yusof bin Haji Abdul Rahman, the Managing Director of AMBD.

The first place winner of the competition was UNISSA LANS, winning the top prize of a five-day fully sponsored attachment programme with Lion Global Investors Limited in Singapore, trophies and accompanying prizes. The second place went to UTB, with prizes including a three-month attachment programme at Baiduri Capital and Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) Securities, trophies and accompanying prizes. The third place went to UNISSA Year 3.

The prizes were sponsored by AMBD, Lion Global Investors Limited, UOB Asset Management (B) Sdn Bhd, Baiduri Capital, and BIBD Securities.

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|     Azlan Othman     |

SIX Brunei Darussalam students recently participated in the first Global Robotics Challenge, also known as ‘H2O Flow’, at Washington DC in the United States, with three wins, two losses and one draw.

“Interestingly, they were also invited to a Special All-Girls Team Exhibition Match launched by Ivanka Trump, the daughter of American President Donald Trump,” Awangku Muhammad Rahimi bin Pengiran Haji Zahari, lecturer in Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department of Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB), told the Weekend Bulletin yesterday.

The students were accompanied to the United States by two mentors from UTB, Dr Sharina binti Yunus and Khairuddin bin Haji Ghafar.

In ‘H2O FLOW’, the participating teams learned about real-world water scarcity and contamination issues.

The Brunei students from several private and government schools and higher education institutes, were thrilled at being part of a unique global initiative to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.

During the challenge, the Brunei participants formed an alliance with two different countries in a face-off against teams from three other countries.

A total of 162 countries competed in the global challenge, on July 17-18.

“We would like to thank everyone for such a wonderful event, which is cooperation at its best. Thank you, as well, to everyone who supported us from the beginning with their time, funding, support and inspiration,” said Awangku Muhammad Rahimi.

“We look forward to next year’s challenge in Mexico City!” he added.

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|     Danial Norjidi     |

DARUSSALAM Assets Sdn Bhd presented a donation to Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam (Pusat Ehsan) yesterday, providing a year of full financial support to two special needs students requiring high support throughout their programmes at the centre.

Pusat Ehsan recently introduced its ‘Special Needs Student Adoption Scheme’, where special needs students’ expenses can be supported for one year. Through this scheme, sponsors invest in the life, growth and development of students of Pusat Ehsan.

Present during the handover of the donation were Dato Seri Paduka Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah, Deputy Minister of Finance and Deputy Chairman and CEO of Darussalam Assets Sdn Bhd; Datin Paduka Magdalene Chong, General Counsel and Chief Operating Officer of Darussalam Assets Sdn Bhd; Pengiran Datin Hajah Noraini binti Pengiran Dipa Negara Laila Diraja Pengiran Haji Abdul Momin, Executive Trustee of Pusat Ehsan; Haji Ahmad bin Haji Abdul Rahman, Policy and Planning Trustee of Pusat Ehsan; as well as Darussalam Assets’ and Pusat Ehsan’s staff members.

“We have wanted to give back to the society since our incorporation,” Dato Seri Paduka Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew said. “The decision to engage with Pusat Ehsan and their ‘Special Needs Student Adoption Scheme’ seemed like the natural step towards executing this corporate social responsibility initiative. Pusat Ehsan does tremendous work in providing assistance to the special needs community in Brunei and we commend on these efforts.”

Speaking on behalf of Pusat Ehsan, Haji Ahmad said he is excited to “embark on this newly formed relationship with Darussalam Assets”, whose contribution will not only make an impact on the two students’ successful participation in their daily programmes at Pusat Ehsan, “but also to their health and well-being as a whole”.

“We welcome contributions and donations in any way, shape or form, and we are thankful for Darussalam Assets’ recent involvement. We are pleased to be involved in Darussalam Assets’ commendable efforts to incorporate charity into their corporate culture,” he added.

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UNIVERSITI Brunei Darussalam (UBD) signed an agreement with FPT University (FPTU) yesterday to collaborate in the teaching of English language at the UBD-FPT Global Centre in Da Nang, Vietnam, marking the first UBD campus outside of Brunei Darussalam and the first overseas campus established in the region by an Asean university.

The UBD-FPT Global Centre aims to be the main English language training facility in Asean, offering the opportunity for the Vietnamese community and international students to be trained to become marketable individuals.

“We hope to share our innovative and effective English language teaching approaches that we have used successfully with Bruneian and international students in UBD, so that Vietnamese students and international students at FPT will also benefit,” said Dr Noor Azam bin Orang Kaya Maha Bijaya Haji Othman, Director and Visiting Professor of UBD-FPT Global Centre.

Thirteen UBD teachers and two professors are posted in Da Nang to serve the UBD-FPT Global Centre.

Signing on behalf of UBD was Datin Dr Hajah Anita Binurul Zahrina binti Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Wijaya Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Aziz, Vice-Chancellor of UBD, while representing FPTU was its President, Dr Le Truong Tung. The signing ceremony was held at the UBD-FPT Global Centre, Massda Building, Da Nang, Vietnam.

Since 2012, UBD and FPTU have had student exchanges between them. Students from UBD have carried out their Discovery Year, an experiential year out of the university, while UBD has also received students from FPTU for UBD’s short-term programme: Intensive English Proficiency Course (IEPC).

FPTU, a private university established by FPT Corporation – the biggest info-technology company in Vietnam – has more than 20 branches globally. The university currently has a campus in Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park, Hanoi and two others campuses in FPT City – Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City.

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PROVIDING entrepreneurial opportunities to youths is required to produce strong and independent individuals to lead the Asean community.

This was stated by the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, during the AMMY X and Plus 3 in Jakarta, Indonesia, chaired by Imam Nahrawi, Minister of Youth and Sports Indonesia recently.

Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi highlighted the Asean Action Plan for the youth 2016-2020, measures to ensure continued success of young entrepreneurs and the need to create a cooperation network with other successful entrepreneurs.

He also highlighted the continuous support for the Youth Development Index (YDI) to measure Asean achievements in youth development. The YDI measures the welfare of the youth in areas such as education, health, employment, values and identity.

Asean expressed gratitude to the Governments of the People’s Republic of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea that offered youth ex-change programmes to engage youths in character building activities to develop leadership skills.

Bruneian youth, Nurizzatul Izzah binti Haji Abdul Rahman, received the Asean Youth Award (AYA).

Meanwhile, Amal Nis-yyah binti Haji Mulok, a representative of the Society for Community Outreach and Training (SCOT), received the Asean Ten Accomplished Youth Organisations (TAYO).

Brigadier General (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Yussof bin Haji Abdul Rahman, Brunei Ambassador to Indonesia and Haji Noor Jusmin bin Haji Abdul Samad, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports were also present at the event.

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