|    Fadhil Yunus    |

DPMM FC’s future opponents Home United FC bowed out of the AFC Cup just days before the pair’s highly-anticipated Singapore Cup quarter-final first leg clash at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore on Sunday.

The 2017 Great Eastern-Hyundai S League title contenders were protecting a 2-1 first-leg win against Ceres-Negros in the Asean zonal final but the Filipino side completed a comeback after sealing a 2-0 win at the Panaad Park and Football Stadium in Bacolod City.

The Singaporean side missed out on a place in the AFC inter zone semi-finals as their bid for a rare quadruple became a double in a matter of weeks.

The Protectors crashed out of the Singapore League Cup in the group stages but are in the quarterfinal draw in the Singapore Cup and are 10 points adrift of league leaders Albirex Niigata (S) with two games in hand.

DPMM FC will have fresh memories of their next opponents’ conquerors whom coincidentally they had a similar two-legged battle with at the same stage of the Singapore Cup last year.

The 2016 United Football League (UFL) runners-up took a 3-0 first-leg lead against the then-S League winners before completing a 6-2 aggregate win.

Aidil Sharin’s men, who still have a chance to close the gap on Albirex in the league to four points, were responsible in DPMM FC’s largest defeats under the guidance of head coach Steve Kean which culminated in the 9-3 loss last May.

However, Kean and his charges could pile further misery to a Home United side eager to bounce back from missing out on entering the last four of a continental competition.

The visiting side were stunned in the second minute after Ceres midfielder Jose Porteria fired home to put the Filipino side ahead on the away goals rule.

The dominant Ceres pulled further ahead after Manuel Ott executed a perfect free kick as they held firm to go through despite the Singaporean side coming agonisingly close after Stipe Plazibat rattled the woodwork.

Ceres Negros will now travel to Dunshabe and have a two-legged tie against 2015 AFC Cup runners-up FC Istiklol to negotiate with as they pursue to create further history as a Filipino side being represented in a major cup final.

The post DPMM FC’s next opponents Home United suffer AFC Cup exit appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|    Khairil Hassan    |

BURGER King Brunei agreed to sponsor the Brunei Futsal League (BFL) despite the league ending this week at the Indoor Stadium, Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas.

The country’s most competitive futsal tournament reaches its end on Sunday, with a champion set to be crowned after the final match between Malaysian invitational side Kuantan Rangers and Arbisyam FC – the only two undefeated sides remaining.

The tournament, which started in April, is reaching an exciting climax as only three points separate table toppers Arbisyam FC (18 points), Miri FA (17 points) and Kuantan Rangers (16 points).

“We are happy to support local based communities,” said Lim Kai Wei and Izam Ahmad, Marketing Managers of Burger King Brunei.

“Futsal is one of the top sports in Brunei and we are happy to be the first fast-food chain in Brunei to support a national league like the BFL.

“The BFL is also a good avenue for us to promote our brand and put out some new products for the public to try,” they added.

Rosdin Abdul Aziz, Chairman of NFABD’s Futsal Standing Committee, welcomed the sponsorship by Burger King Brunei.

“Futsal is the second most popular sport in Brunei after football, and I believe that with more support like this which we are getting from Burger King Brunei, futsal has the potential to be the number one sport in Brunei one day,” he said.

“Our league is now much better than last year, and for the first time, we have foreign teams (Kuantan Rangers and Miri FA) playing in our league,” he added.

The post BFL receives sponsorship, ends league with clash of the unbeaten appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

TWO members from Institution of Surveyors, Engineers and Architects (PUJA) Brunei, Surveyor Division were elected to serve on the Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors (PAQS) Board.

PAQS is one of the world’s most recognised organisation, comprising 14 members of professional quantity surveying institutions from Australia, Brunei, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Korea and South Africa, with affiliate institutions from the United Kingdom and Europe.

A six-person PUJA Brunei delegation headed by its Vice President and Chairman of Surveyor Division, Mohd Shafie bin Haji Mohd Yusof, attended the 21st PAQS Congress from July 21-26 in Vancouver, Canada.

During the congress, two members of PUJA Brunei were elected to the PAQS Board. Haji Mohammad Hanafi bin Pehin Dato Haji Abdul Rahman was elected the Secretary of PAQS for a two-year term, while Aaron Wong Chuan Xing was elected the Chairman for the Young Surveyor Group of the PAQS for a two-year term.

Participants of the congress comprised of professionals, scientists, quantity surveyors, technologist, students and academicians from all over the world.

Themed ‘Green Developments: The New Era’, the 21st PAQS 2017 Congress saw a range of technical papers being presented on the subject of Building Information Modeling (BIM), sustainability, leadership, change management, current industrial practice, education, economics and disaster management. Visits to technical site were also arranged.

The 22nd PAQS Congress will be held in Sydney, Australia.

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A FORMER field supervisor at Tasek Merimbun was listed as one of the 10 recipients of the 2017 Asean Biodiversity Heroes Award at a ceremony in Manila, Philippines on August 7. Eyad Samhan was awarded for significant contributions to research on fauna and flora in Brunei and in the region. The inaugural award forms part of the celebration of Asean’s Golden Jubilee.

The Asean Biodiversity Heroes is a programme designed to recognise outstanding individuals from the Asean region who have contributed significantly to biodiversity conservation and advocacy efforts in their respective countries.

Other recipients of the awards were Sophea Chhin, a government official from Cambodia; Alex Waisimon, a conservation worker from Indonesia; Nitsavanh Louangkhot Pravongviengkham, president of an import-export public company from Lao PDR; and the Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Professor Zakri Abdul Hamid.

Others who made the list included Dr Maung Maung Kyi, the chairman of a conservation association from Myanmar; Dr Angel C Alcala, a university professor from the Philippines; Professor Leo Tan Wee Hin, a professorial fellow and Director of the Faculty of Science at the National University of Singapore; Dr Nonn Panitvong, founder and webmaster of Thailand’s Biodiversity Conservation Group; and Professor Dang Huy Huynh, the Vice Chair of Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment.

Each Asean Biodiversity Hero received a US$5,000 cash prize, a special Heroes medal and trophy.

Apart from the Asean Biodiversity Heroes Award, the 10 also received the Hyundai Icon for Biodiversity Award, a special prize from HARI Foundation, Inc (HFI).

The inaugural Asean Biodiversity Heroes honours inspirational and valiant individuals who have helped curb biodiversity loss. Each hero, in their own different way, has made significant impact on biodiversity conservation in their communities, countries, and the region.

The Asean Biodiversity Heroes were selected by the Asean member states. The nominating agencies considered the relevance of the nominees’ contributions to biodiversity conservation, the impact of these contributions to biodiversity conservation efforts in their countries and the region, the replicability of their actions, and the recognition they received in communities where they belong.

The heroes from the 10 Asean member states will be known as the faces of biodiversity conservation in the Asean region. They will be invited to speak in forums, workshops, press conferences, and other events to share their experiences in conserving biodiversity to inspire others to do the same.

According to Roberto V Oliva, the Executive Director of Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), the 10 Asean Biodiversity Heroes were honoured for dedicating their lives for the cause of biodiversity conservation.

“Under great sacrifice to themselves and their families, they have shown tenacity, perseverance and focus to protect our web of life. Our heroes have shown us clearly what love for self, what love for children and grandchildren and what love for one’s country is. It is embracing the cause of biodiversity conservation. Asean biodiversity, which is the region’s life support system, is still rich because of you,” he said.

The Asean Biodiversity Heroes is supported by the Asean Secretariat; the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs; the European Union through the Biodiversity Conservation and Management of Protected Areas in Asean (BCAMP) project; and HARI Foundation, Inc (HFI), the corporate social responsibility arm of Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc (HARI).

The post Brunei fauna, flora researcher earns top award appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     James Kon     |

AS A mutual partner in upholding peace and security in the country, the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) will always be ready to support the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF).

This is particularly in development planning where the RBAF has experience in training and procuring equipment which it can share with the RBPF.

The continuous support from the RBAF was assured by RBAF Commander Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah in his speech as the guest of honour at the passing out parade of the police male and female Recruit Squad 1/2016 yesterday at the parade ground of the Police Training Centre.

The commander highlighted, “The RBAF and RBPF always work together in various platforms – either through joint operations such as the patrol of land and sea or in education and training conducted by both forces.

“We also carry out duties together as the International Monitoring Team in Southern Mindanao of Philippines,” he said.

Sending a strong message to uphold the image of the police force, he iterated, “RBPF personnel are the frontliners who communicate directly with the public every day. Therefore, our attitude and behaviours – such as being courteous, professional, honest and trustworthy – are vital.”

Overall, he said, “The RBPF is tasked with the responsibility to enforce the laws and safeguard the interests of the public by maintaining peace and security in Brunei Darussalam. The duties carried out individually will reflect the professionalism of the RBPF in the eyes of the community as well as visitors from overseas.”

Carrying out duties efficiently and professionally, he explained, “Will give a good image and convince the local community as well as foreign visitors on the effectiveness of the law as well as the level of security in the country.

“Indirectly, it will also persuade more foreigners to come to Brunei as well as potential foreign investors to invest in the country,” he said.

He also stressed, “Do not act biased or prejudiced to any parties while enforcing the law or providing assistance because this kind of attitude can damage the image of the RBPF and erode the trust as well as confidence of the public towards the force.”

One of the themes frequently reminded by 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 in many titahs is on the importance of security and peace to support the continuous development agenda of the country.

He said, “We as the security agencies are ready in our duties and responsibilities to maintain peace and security, where currently it is very challenging and needs the cooperation among all of us.

“We must always recognise the changes in our surroundings and be wise to plan for swift and effective actions,” he added.

In addition, the guest of honour mentioned that cooperation with stakeholders inside and outside of the country will continuously be strengthened in the context of a whole nation approach.

“Regional and international cooperation either bilateral or through platform of Aseanapol and Interpol will also be strengthened,” he added.

Also in attendance were Commissioner of Police Dato Paduka Seri Haji Mohd Jammy bin Haji Muhd Shah Al-Islam and senior police officers.

A total of 94 police recruits successfully completed their training to take part in the passing out parade.

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|     Lyna Mohamad     |

“WITH our clients getting increasingly affluent, their lifestyles and appetites have evolved with them. They are more discerning and sophisticated, with an affinity for convenient electronic payments and service.”

Pierre Imhof, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Baiduri Bank, underscored this in his welcoming speech at the launching of the bank’s Visa Platinum Debit Card yesterday where he also highlighted that Baiduri Bank had always been in the forefront of innovation, developing new and cutting edge products and services.

“This has been made possible through the support of their partners such as Visa International who has been very supportive in the bank’s quest to provide the most advanced products in the Brunei market,” he added.

“Our focus on clients stems from our belief that they deserve only the best in life. We are our client’s financial partner and we want our products to be designed to do more for our clients,” said the CEO.

Baiduri takes pride to launch their latest offering of the bank’s Visa Platinum Debit Card, a product that challenges the norms by enhancing daily conveniences while extending exclusive privileges to suit their clients’ lifestyles, said Imhof.

Imhof further added that the VisapayWave contactless payment feature and the on the spot card issuance will complement the existing range of financial products, services and value-added benefits that Baiduri is offering to its clients. “We are pleased to partner with Baiduri Bank to launch the Baiduri Visa Platinum Debit Card that is enabled with VisapayWave solution,” said Ooi Huey Tyng, the Visa Country Manager for Singapore and Brunei.

She added that Baiduri has been an excellent partner in driving higher usage of contactless payments and based on VisaNet data, there have been more than 30 per cent growth in terms of transactions on Baiduri Visa Classic Debit Card.

“The launch of the Platinum Debit Card will definitely accelerate the growth of VisapayWave in Brunei and achieve the country’s goal in becoming cashless,” she said.

The launch at the Indera Kayangan Ballroom of The Empire Hotel & Country Club in Jerudong was officiated by the guest of honour, Yusof bin Haji Abdul Rahman, the Managing Director of Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam.

Customers enjoy cashless convenience for both local and overseas purchases as the debit card is deducted directly from an allocated Baiduri savings or current account, eliminating the hassle of settling month end bills and customers spend what they have and not beyond their means.

This debit card is best in the market rewards programme as it gives cardholders up to 4x bonus points with every purchase and points accumulated have no expiry and redemption are instant with no minimum amount required.

Redemptions for the rewards programme can be done at any of the over 2,000 participating merchant outlets here where the Instant Rewards logo is displayed.

The VisapayWave feature, meanwhile, is a breakthrough technology that allows customers to make purchases of BND100 and below by simple tap on a contactless payment terminal without the need of a signature and customers can complete their transactions faster and more conveniently hence eliminating the need to swipe or sign for purchases.

Accepted at millions of establishments globally and access to over 70,000 ATMs in the Visa Global ATM Network, cardmembers also enjoy complimentary 24/7 concierge service across the world and access to the Visa Global Exclusive Privileges.

Customers applying for the debit card now until December 31, 2017 enjoy a five-year annual fee waiver and on top of that between August 9 to November 30, 2017, Baiduri Visa cardmembers stand a chance to win a curated trip for two to Paris, Maldives or Tokyo when they spend BND100 using their Baiduri Visa Cards.

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|     Abdul Hakiim Yakof     |

THE first group of Haj pilgrims from Brunei Darussalam departed for Madinah via Royal Brunei Airlines flight BI4210 yesterday.

The flight carried 254 passengers, including officers from the Haj Medical Affairs Office, Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd and Straits Central Agencies Sdn Bhd.

One hundred and ten pilgrims were with Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd, 51 male and 59 females, while 139 pilgrims were with Straits Central Agencies Sdn Bhd, 61 male and 78 females.

Present to bid them farewell were Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, Minister of Religious Affairs; Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, in his capacity as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Perbadanan Tabung Amanah Islam Brunei (TAIB); Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Zulkarnain bin Haji Hanafi, Minister of Health; Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud, Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs; Hisham bin Abdul Wahab bin Abdullah Zaraa, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Brunei Darussalam; Dato Paduka Seri Haji Mohd Jammy bin Haji Muhd Shah Al-Islam, Commissioner of Police; Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Mohd Yusof, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs; Haji Harun bin Haji Junid and Roslan bin Haji Taja’ah, Deputy Permanent Secretaries at the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

A recitation of Doa Selamat was led by Begawan Pehin Khatib Dato Paduka Haji Suhaili bin Haji Metali Al-Hafiz to bless the ceremony, while the Azan (call to prayer) was carried out by Mudim Haji Metassim bin Haji Metussin.

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|     Hakim Hayat     |

ARSHADUR Rahman, Bank of England’s Islamic finance specialist, praised Brunei’s vision to become a regional Islamic financial hub.

Arshadur, who was on a short visit to Brunei Darussalam, commended the ambition, which he said shows the country’s strong desire to thrive and develop in the sector.

“An important thing is that because this is a fairly young and growing area, it is even more important to share knowledge and experience between jurisdictions, to improve overall understanding of the sector,” he told the Bulletin in a recent interview.

Arshadur also said that the Islamic finance appears to have seen more interest over the last few years, signalled by the growing number of financial institutions offering Syariah-compliant products and services.

The UK’s central bank is currently working on the establishment of a Syariah-compliant central bank deposit facility to provide Islamic banks in the UK with greater flexibility in meeting their requirements under international liquidity rules.

It is also as part of its commitment to promote a more diverse market, able to provide a range of banking products and services to cater to different demographics.

Arshadur added, however, that it is worth bearing in mind that despite double digit growth over the last few years, the global perspective of Islamic finance is that it is still a relatively new sector, starting from a low base, whereas the conventional financial system has grown over centuries.

He also shared that the global financial crisis almost a decade ago affected all areas of the financial services sector, including Islamic finance, either directly or indirectly.

Syariah-complaint financial institutions and economies were not immune to the effects of the downturn, despite opinions from some parts of the market pre-crisis that Islamic finance might effectively be ‘decoupled’ from the conventional market.

“This was found not to be true because many parts of the market were hit… so the decoupling between Islamic and conventional banking systems was not found to really apply here because the global market is an interconnected financial system,” Arshadur said.

He also shared his view that Islamic finance is not inherently more or less risky than other forms of finance, but the risks would depend on individual firms and the business models they chose to implement.

Arshadur was invited as a guest speaker to share the UK’s experience as a global financial centre and Islamic finance during the recently concluded Brunei Darussalam Islamic Investment Summit (BIIS 2017).

The Islamic finance specialist also shared the Bank of England’s responsibilities in promoting a diverse and level-playing field for financial institutions in the UK, including Islamic financial institutions.

“A number of jurisdictions see Islamic finance as a way to provide diverse range of products and services… the Bank of England is committed to diversity as a statutory body.

“We see Islamic finance fitting in the framework of a more diverse and pluralistic financial service,” he said, adding that the Bank of England does not promote one form of finance over another but aims to as much as possible to provide a level playfield for all types of finance, so people can go into the market and select products and services at their own preference.

As one of the oldest central banks in the world, Arshadur said that the Bank of England’s objective is to maintain monetary and financial stability, for the good of the people of the UK.

“It is a large organisation and does a lot of things like implementing monetary policy, and acting as the prudential regulator for banks, insurers, and the largest investment companies,” he shared, adding that the central bank is also supervising five stand-alone Islamic banks, and a number of conventional banks that also offer Syariah-compliant financial products.

Arshadur’s job as a specialist in Islamic finance involves him working with colleagues across the Bank of England in establishing a central bank liquidity facility to allow Islamic banks in the UK to have greater flexibility in managing their liquidity, as part of the prudential regulations under the ‘Basel III’ rules, which require financial institutions to have sufficient capital and manage their liquidity effectively to ensure their customers are protected.

Explaining further about the rationale behind the implementation of the Syariah-compliant central bank deposit facility, Arshadur said that in the wake of the global financial crisis, banks were required to hold a buffer of high quality liquid assets (HQLA), which they could sell quickly and reliably if they needed to raise cash during a stress event.

However, the range of HQLA which are also non-interest-based is more limited, leaving Islamic banks with less choice of instruments to hold.

Banks can also place deposits with the central bank to meet their HQLA requirement.

In the UK however, Islamic banks cannot currently do this because the Bank of England’s existing deposit facilities are interest based – this is why the Bank of England is working to establish a deposit facility which is not interest based.

“We recognised this as a challenge. We therefore undertook a few years ago to assess the feasibility of establishing an Islamic Syariah-compliant central bank deposit facility, which is in its implementation phase now.

“The facility will be non-interest-based and available for use by any banks which are prohibited from engaging in interest-based activity – this could potentially include some banks which do not identify themselves specifically as being Islamic,” Arshadur explained, adding that they hope this will provide Islamic banks with more flexibility in meeting their liquidity requirement, as with conventional banks.

On his perspective on the long-term growth of Islamic finance, Arshadur said it is still too early to forecast its success.

“There is certainly an interest in Islamic finance, partly motivated clearly by faith and also some ethical proposition and commercial considerations but the question is how quickly that will progress and how it will expand over time because there are lot of factors… in the medium longer term, I hope it will work well although there may be hiccups along the way,” he said.

The post Brunei’s Islamic financial hub vision earns kudos appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Azrol Azmi     |

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, yesterday afternoon received Letters of Credence from the three newly appointed envoys to Brunei Darussalam.

His Majesty received Letters of Credence from Richard Stephen Lindsay, High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Brunei Darussalam; Motohiko Kato, Ambassador of Japan to Brunei Darussalam; and Peter Hermann Wolff, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Brunei Darussalam.

Following the ceremony, His Majesty received in separate audiences the newly appointed envoys to Brunei Darussalam.

Richard Stephen Lindsay previously served as the Head of Security Policy Department at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Motohiko Kato formerly held the post of Envoy Extraordinary, Minister Plenipotentiary and Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Japan in the United Kingdom.

Meanwhile, Peter Hermann Wolff had served as Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Paraguay.

The ceremony took place at the Istana Nurul Iman.

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|     Fadhil Yunus     |

THE executive committee of the National Pencak Silat Federation Brunei Darussalam (PERSIB) has called for all teaching organisations affiliated with PERSIB nationwide to be involved in a competition in conjunction with the Golden Jubilee 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 Ascension to the throne in the near future.

During a meeting at the Sports Village in Berakas yesterday, President of PERSIB Pengiran Haji Mohammad bin Pengiran Haji Ludin said that their appearance will help enliven the atmosphere in implementing and perfecting silat in its pure and most original form.

“Hopefully at that time we will be able to showcase the demonstration to all layers of community in Brunei Darussalam and what more people from overseas directly or indirectly,” said Pengiran Haji Mohammad in his welcoming remarks.

The president also heaped praises and paid his respects to the leaders and representatives of teaching organisations nationwide for upholding their responsibilities, adding that existing relations have been built.

The meeting received a favourable response in terms of attracting participation with 17 out of 27 teaching organisations present.

He said that whether the lectures and workshops that have been held will be sufficient for their knowledge and left it all to the organisations to take the lead.

“Are we already satisfied of the workshops, lectures and others? Do we feel that all this is enough? I leave it to the teaching organisations and associations who are wise to develop more which is no longer considered foreign under PERSIB as well as others.”

The president called ways of how to address and invite enthusiasts of pencak silat in the country.

“My call in this meeting is no other and no different which is to address, invite and guide enthusiasts of pencak silat in the country moreover to youths and the younger people in the future.

“At the very least, the association will be able to study and find the purpose of the goal. What I’ve outlined is the daily implementation for the associations which is directed towards the future of silat.”

The president also reiterated that the executive committee only takes good lessons in light of recent disillusioning news of negative views, adding that the role of the administration is to welcome teaching organisations who can raise their concerns to PERSIB.

Conveying his appeal, he also hoped that the future of silat will be preserved and not only today’s leaders but also the successors who will be able to coordinate the association.

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|     James Kon     |

TEAM A (NBD Tuggers) and Team B (EWC) will be representing Brunei Darussalam Tug-of-War Association in the Asian Indoor Tug-of -War Championship taking place this weekend at Republic Polytechnic, Singapore.

The teams yesterday departed for Singapore after a sendoff by Pengiran Iskandar bin Pengiran Haji Jadid, Secretary of the Brunei Darussalam Tug-of-War Association and Valentine Hon, General Manager of Kingston Beverage & Creamery.

According to team manager Haji Salleh bin Haji Osman, “The team has come together for intensive training in the past 10 days and is ready to do their best in the championship.”

However, he also noted that among the traditional favourite teams to lift the championship are Taiwan and China. Other participating teams are from Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau.

Haji Salleh also thanked Brunei Darussalam Tug-of-War Association as well as the Youth and Sports Department and Kingston Beverage & Creamery as sponsor.

The teams comprised 10 pullers (eight to be fielded in the match and two for substitution). The combined weight for the eight pullers is 640kg.

In previous tournaments, Team A was the champion of the Singapore Tug-of-War invitational in 2014 while in 2012, the team came in second place in the Singapore Open.

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|     Fadhil Yunus     |

UPCT held an appreciation dinner to commemorate the accomplishments of their riders who yielded positive results during last weekend’s 7th Lof Cycling Challenge organised in conjunction with the 71st Birthday 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 at the Rizqun International Hotel last night.

Also in attendance during the dinner was Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul ‘Ali Yil-Kabier bin Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz.

UPCT ‘A’ captured the coveted team title with the ‘B’ team placing third and also accomplished top honours in the elite and novice categories.

“Tonight’s event allowed us the opportunity to celebrate and show appreciation to all the riders as well as being able to gather all sponsors, management, riders as well as crew,” said a representative in his welcoming remarks.

“We are given the opportunity to commemorate the achievements of finishing in first place in the team event of the 7th Lof Cycling Challenge and also third in the team with our individual riders scooping elite and novice honours,” the representative further added.

He also conveyed his gratitude to the sponsors in contributing to the team’s success as well as expressing hopes that the team will be maintained for both in the country and abroad.

Meanwhile, Team Manager Ahmad Munadi Khairi bin Haji Sabtu echoed the representative’s sentiments that the objective is to keep the current team members in the squad.

“We also hope to find potential from our batch of riders to be represented overseas,” added the team manager.

UPCT made shockwaves in the national scene considering that last weekend’s cycling event was their first major competition on home soil having already enjoyed considerable success beyond these shores recently in the KK Cycling Challenge.

The team have only been formed in November 2016 and currently there are a total of 36 riders boasting former national riders as well as 25 crews.

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|     Fadley Faisal     |

A BRUNEI Barista won the first runner-up spot in the APAC Category at the annual The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf ®Barista World Competition and Asia Pacific Barista competition last month in Kuala Lumpur.

Ayu Siti Mauweyah, Assistant Outlet Manager of The Coffee Bean Brunei outlet at the BSP Headquarters in Panaga, was placed first runner-up with her signature drink ‘Affogato Pungent Infusion’ which uses chilli as a main ingredient, also winning the Best Signature Beverage Prize.

Ayu has worked with The Coffee Bean Brunei outlet since 2014 and said her trainer Syukri bin Rosli inspired her to compete internationally and supported her dreams from the start.

The 26-year-old Barista also marked a milestone for Brunei and The Coffee Bean Brunei outlet as the first lady Barista.

Ayu has competed for three straight years in the competition since 2015.

The post Lady Barista does Brunei proud appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

NEW York inspired Yellow Cab Pizza Co opened its first flagship store in Brunei yesterday. The Minister of Home Affairs, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong officiated the event with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and unveiling of signage.

Located at Shakirin Complex in Kiulap, YTT Sdn Bhd is the franchise holder of Yellow Cab Pizza Co both in Brunei and East Malaysia. Their next plan is to enter Sarawak and Sabah market as well as Labuan within five years.

Yesterday’s opening began with a welcoming speech delivered by the Chairman of YTT Sdn Bhd, Dato Paduka Haji Harun bin Haji Ismail, who amongst all noted that their journey began with three friends who happened to be abroad and tasted the Yellow Cab Pizza.

Having liked the pizza served, it led them to negotiating with the CEO of Yellow Cab Pizza Co and Max’s Group, Peter King on how they could bring one of New York’s finest iconic foods to Brunei.

“These friends had absolutely no food and beverage industry experience but this was no barrier to them. They brought another two friends into the business, who also had no experience in the business and thanks to Peter’s foresight, he allowed these newbies to enter the business,” the chairman said.

He further stated that it was a very long 10 months expending a lot of resources, but with passion and enthusiasm, they finally brought in the franchise and opened their first flagship store yesterday.

“We also believed that it is our responsibility to support the employment of young Bruneians and help them rise through the ranks,” Dato Paduka Haji Harun said.

The chairman disclosed that YTT have also signed an agreement with Yellow Cab Pizza Co for a franchise in Labuan, Sabah and Sarawak and will be the first franchise operator from Brunei.

Established in 2001, Yellow Cab Pizza specialises in New York-style pizza known for serving premium ingredients and generous toppings and the pizzas are crisp and slightly charred in the bottom, dense and chewy in the middle, and slightly gooey on top.

The pizzas come in 10” (regular), 14” (larger) and 18” (New Yorker) sizes with their bestsellers are the New York’s Finest and Manhattan Meatlovers or if go for the four flavours in one great pizza of the Four Seasons: NY Classic.

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AUTORITI Monetari Brunei Darussalam (AMBD) yesterday published its bi-annual policy statement for the first half (ending in June) of 2017.

In the Policy Statement 1/2017, AMBD remarked that the global economy continued to expand, though at relatively moderate rate, said a press release. The domestic economy showed improvement in recent export data contributed by higher crude prices. Domestic inflation in 2017 is expected to be in the range of -1.1 to -0.1 per cent.

AMBD also highlighted that the key financial soundness indicators in the banking sector remained at healthy levels amid challenging global environment.

AMBD continues to review the regulatory environment to provide conducive financial sector landscape. AMBD is developing and upgrading the legislative and regulatory framework in alignment with international standards and best practices.

Brunei Darussalam remains committed to the Currency Board Arrangement, and the Currency Interchangeability Agreement with The Republic of Singapore. This provides Brunei Darussalam a credible and well-understood monetary policy arrangement.

Brunei Darussalam continues to benefit from low domestic inflation and high confidence in the durability of the country’s macroeconomic stability.

AMBD will continue to enhance its policymaking and regulatory capacity to fully undertake the responsibilities placed upon it.

Finally, AMBD will also contribute towards achieving the aspirations of the Brunei Government to develop the country as a reputable Islamic financial centre.

The full version of AMBD Policy Statement 1/2017 can be found on AMBD’s website at www.ambd.gov.bn.

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|     James Kon     |

MEMBERS of the public are in for a variety of treats, as DST will be celebrating its 18th anniversary since the launch of flagship prepaid mobile service ‘Easi’ with a mini carnival that takes place tonight from 7pm to 10pm and tomorrow from 10am to 6pm at the Jerudong Park Amphitheatre.

At the mini carnival, visitors will also witness the launch of a new product together with brand ambassadors.

Visitors could also take part in the fun ‘Teh Tarik’ Competition and ‘Spin Tia’ at the ‘Easi Gallery Booth’ or visit the ‘Easi Gallery’ that showcases the history of Easi prepaid services since 1999, including the classic recharge cards, starter packs, and milestones throughout the years.

An assortment of food, beverages and lifestyle products will also be available from DST partners, including Swensens, Aranda Cafe, SugarBun, The Coffee Bean Brunei, MyTown Restaurant, Ideal Café and Grill, Roasted Sip, Wing-it!, N & Z Collection, Living Space Gallery and Syarikat Muqtazza.

In addition, members of the public are invited to witness prize presentations for DST’s promotional activities and participate in the lucky draw with an Apple iPhone 7 Plus 128GB as the grand prize, the winner of which will be announced tomorrow at 5.30pm.

DSTIncomm will be offering sales of handsets as well as Samsung contract plans, while Easi Starterpack and recharge cards will also be on sale.

Since its launch on July 26, 1999, ‘Easi’ has seen tremendous growth over the years.

DST then introduced additional services to the prepaid such as Easi Roaming in 2004, 3G mobile services and GO!Broadband for Easi in 2008, and Easiload in 2010.

In 2013, the Easi Loyalty Programme was launched to give more benefits to DST’s prepaid subscribers.

In the same year, Easi Transit, Easi Recaj App and the 4G mobile and GO!broadband services were also launched.

Last year, the Easi Transit service, now known as Easi 4G Tourist Pack, was upgraded with extra features including 4G service to better serve visitors coming to Brunei.

The post DST to celebrate 18th anniversary since launch of ‘Easi’ service appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Fizah HAB     |

THE second group of intend-ing Haj pilgrims from Brunei Darussalam departed for Madinah via Royal Brunei Airlines flight BI4203 yesterday.

The flight carried 254 passengers, including five officers from the Haj Medical Affairs Office and Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd.

Sending off the pilgrims were Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Padu-ka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, the Minister of Religious Affairs; Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports in his capacity as the Chairman of Perbadanan TAIB Board of Directors; and Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Zulkarnain bin Haji Hanafi, the Minister of Health.

Also in attendance were Hisham bin Abdul Wahab bin Abdullah Zaraa, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Brunei Darussalam; Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud, the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs; and Dato Paduka Seri Haji Mohd Jammy bin Haji Muhd Shah Al-Islam, the Commissioner of the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) as well as the permanent secretary and deputy permanent secretaries at the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

To bless the send-off, the Doa Selamat was recited by Pehin Khatib Dato Paduka Haji Emran bin Haji Kunchang followed by Azan lauded by Mudim Haji Abdul Latif bin Haji Saman.

First-timers Salleh bin Haji Mahmud and spouse, Safiah binti Abdullah, felt blessed to have the chance to perform the Haj pilgrimage and hoped to be blessed with good health during the trip.

Meanwhile, for Zulfariq Zara bin Zainuddin, it was his second time to Makkah but his first time performing the Haj pilgrimage with his wife, Amalina binti Ghani.

He also mentioned that they had made preparation via participating in several classes and reading several Haj-related materials.

He also expressed his hope for a safe journey throughout the pilgrimage.

The post Second group of Haj pilgrims departs for Madinah appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Fadley Faisal     |

THE swift actions of a quick-thinking Chinese Malaysian man helped prevent a house from going up in smoke on Friday.

The Fire and Rescue Department dispatched two fire trucks and 10 personnel from the Muara Fire Station after receiving a distress call at 9.31pm.

ABK 34 Md Ali bin Husin led the team, only to find that the Malaysian had doused the Kampong Tanah Jambu house fire using a rubber hose attached to a nearby water pipe.

A loose connection on a distribution board was said to be the cause of the fire. No injuries or fatalities were reported, and damage is estimated to stand at $1,300.

The Fire and Rescue Department advises the public to take safety measures and ensure their premises are equipped with fire extinguishers, fire blankets or smoke detectors. They are also reminded to ensure electrical switches are turned off before leaving the building and to make sure LPG gas is equipped with BSM certified cylinders, hoses and heads. Cooking should not be left unattended and ensure gas head valves are turned off when not in use to avoid leakage.

Children should be supervised when playing with fireworks and avoid playing with matches. Candles or oil lamps should be stored in safe places and extinguished when not in use.

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|     Hakim Hayat     |

MEMBERS of the public yesterday got the opportunity to learn more about ‘Ikebana,’ the Japanese art of flower arranging during a demonstration and workshop held at the Times Square Shopping Centre in Berakas.

Held in collaboration with the Japanese Embassy in Brunei Darussalam, the demonstration was led by distinguished Ikebana Master Risho Saito, who is a member of the Sogetu Teachers’ Association and is the Sogetsu Yamaguchu branch manager.

Application to participate in the activities has since closed, however, individuals keen on observing the workshop are welcome to the Atrium of the Times Square Shopping Centre from 5pm to 6.30pm today. The Ikebana demonstration will be held at 4pm.

Ikebana is a distinctive and traditional Japanese art in which flowers and plants are specially arranged in a vase for appreciation. The activity is similar to flower arrangement, but there are a number of differences that sets it apart. For instance, while flower arrangement uses flowers primarily, Ikebana also makes use of grasses, trees and many different kinds of plants.

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|     Achong Tanjong     |

THE spotlight was yesterday cast on Universiti Brunei Darussalam’s (UBD) ‘Discovery Year in Asean member countries’ during an educational talk held in conjunction with the Asean@50 Exhibition at the International Convention Centre.

UBD Deputy Director of Global Relations Dr Sabrina binti Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Daud explained that the Discovery Year (DY) programme offers students a host of choices to acquire firsthand experience outside of the university. Students embark on the programme during their third year, engaging in two semesters of DY activities accumulating 32 modular credits (MCS).

Broad options are available for students during their ‘DY – Study Abroad Programme,’ namely, i) Gain academic knowledge at an established international university over two semesters, ii) Incubation – Spend one semester developing a potential business idea and transforming it into a final product/service for a potential target market, iii) Internship – Spend a semester working full time at an organisation locally and abroad; and iv) Community Outreach – Spend one semester engaged in a non-profit community project aimed at reaching out to the needy community.

UBD has over 95 partner universities across 18 different countries, with 35 partner universities in Asean member countries for the DY Study Abroad programme.

Dr Sabrina pointed out that the DY (2011 – 2017) to seven Asean countries had seen the participation of up to 2,000 students. Students opted for Malaysia (making up 26 per cent) given the similarity in culture and religion; followed by Indonesia at 14 per cent. The activities are 67 per cent study aboard, 17 per cent internship and 16 per cent community outreach programmes.

UBD’s DY Internship is with Asean University Network (AUN) Secretariat, Thailand; SEAMEO Secretariat, Thailand; Asean Secretariat, Indonesia; Mercy Relief, Singapore; and Heartware Network, Singapore.

The DY Community Outreach partners with Indo-China Starfish Foundation, Cambodia, FPT University, Vietnam, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Malaysia, Surin Rajabhat University, Thailand and Universitas Airlangga, Indonesia.

For the DY Incubation, students were exposed to multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary enterprising projects such as start-up companies and developing alternative energy – powered cars.

UBD has eight academic faculties, eight research institutes and two support centres. It notched a major milestone this year for breaking into the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, attaining a creditable 349th rank.

With over 26,000 universities in the world, QS has placed UBD among the top 1.3 per cent of universities worldwide. UBD is one of only 13 universities in Southeast Asia to be ranked in the Top 400 in the world.

It is a massive achievement for the 32-year-old university, which made headlines the first year it participated in the QS Asia university rankings in 2014.

UBD has become one of the fastest rising universities in 2015, when it leapt 57 places to an overall ranking of 118 in the region.

UBD developed an innovative and broad-based GenNEXT curriculum, with emphasis on producing adaptable and entrepreneurial future-ready graduates with a passion for life-long learning.

Recently, UBD opened the Centre for Lifelong learning, offering a degree in Digital Economy, and introducing more pathways for higher education for mature students and the community.

While the rankings attest to its growing international reputation, UBD remains fully committed to its primary mission of producing highly-educated and industry relevant students with the necessary skills and expertise for the nation’s future workforce and in supporting the Brunei Vision 2035.

UBD faculties and research institutes have focussed on key areas of research relevant to Brunei Darussalam; Energy Studies, Biodiversity and the Environment, Islamic Studies, including Islamic Governance and Asian Studies.  For the first time, UBD is now ranked as a ‘high’ research intensive university by QS.

UBD will continue to strive towards becoming a world class university and fulfil its primary mission of producing highly-educated and well-trained students with the necessary skills for the workforce and nation building.

Invited students from schools across the country attended the educational talk.

Meanwhile, Dr Paul Ong of National University of Singapore (NUS) pointed out in his talk that NUS is a leading global university centered in Asia. It is Singapore’s flagship university offering a global approach to education and research with focus on Asian perspective and expertise.

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