|     Ishan Ibrahim     |

THE Mercedes-Benz Autohaus officially opened its doors to the public yesterday in a motoring extravaganza, showcasing eight high-performance Mercedes-AMG 43 vehicles at its showroom in Beribi.

Fitted with numerous AMG enhancements from the creators of the 45, 63 and 65 AMG model lines, every vehicle screams ‘Drive me’, because in the AMG family, performance is paramount.

From coupes and sedans to SUVs and roadsters, the power and handling of the 43 line-up beckon to the world’s most passionate drivers. All that is left to do is just grip the wheel and press the accelerator.

The 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo engine provides impressive performance with its 270kW (367hp) maximum power and peak torque of 520 newton metres: sprinting from rest to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds, its speed is electronically limited at 250 km/h.

The newly eveloped front axle, the taut elastokinematics and the highly precise steering make a substantial contribution to the agile driving experience.

The new owner can expect exemplary performance and characteristics from these AMG automobiles, such as a 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo engine with modified engine control unit; increased boost pressure and far higher dynamics; high-revving, 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission with double-declutching function when shifting down and exhilaratingly short response times in ‘Sport Plus’ mode; AMG Performance 4MATIC all-wheel drive with rear-biased torque distribution of 31 to 69 per cent (front axle to rear axle); and an AMG Ride Control sports suspension with adaptive variable damping in three stages, where the mode can be selected via button, adopted from the Mercedes-AMG 63 series.

With the 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission, the discerning driver can expect short shift times complemented with high efficiency that essentially translate to a driving experience that is simply sublime – the multiple downshift allows even faster short bursts of speed, while the double-declutching function in the ‘Sport’ and ‘Sport Plus’ transmission modes make for an even more emotive driving experience.

The defined ignition adjustments also provide faster gearshifts in the ‘Eco’ and ‘Comfort’ modes.

The ‘Manual’ mode can be enabled by pressing a button on the centre console. The gear changes are based on the selected transmission mode, and the driver can change gears using the paddles on the steering wheel.

Moreover, the transmission stays in the selected gear and does not automatically shift up when the engine speed reaches the limit.

The new Mercedes-AMG 43 line-up can be viewed at the Mercedes-Benz Autohaus in Beribi.

The post Mercedes-Benz Autohaus displays AMG 43 models appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Azlan Othman     |

THE Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong as the Acting Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports on Sunday officiated the opening of the 24th Brunei Masters Open Athletics Championship.

The championship began on Saturday.

The track and field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas became the focal point of athletes from several Asian countries. More than 200 athletes comprising senior citizens from Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Melaka, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Labuan, Republic of Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan and India took part in the championship.

The country is represented by the Brunei Darussalam Veteran Athletics Association.

The championship is divided into more than 20 events according to age categories. It aimed to foster the spirit of solidarity and close relation among the athletes towards a healthy citizen.

The post Veteran athletes take to the field appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Fadhil Yunus     |

DPMM FC striker Rafael Ramazotti put his injury woes behind him after scoring a brace in a come-from-behind 2-2 draw against Balestier Khalsa in the Great Eastern-Hyundai S League at the Toa Payoh Stadium in Singapore last night.

The Brazilian forward has been out of action for nearly three months before marking his return to the starting line-up with a goal recently.

With the visitors hoping for a strong finish after their hopes of a silverware ended, the back-to-back S League top marksman was in every mood in helping his team to stage a revival.

But in a season that DPMM FC were having, it was never going to be easy. Balestier Khalsa took the lead from their first opportunity after DPMM FC goalkeeper Mu’izzuddin Ismail fumbled a Hazzuwan Halim free kick as Huzaifah Aziz tapped the ball home.

Mu’izzuddin nearly gifted a second goal four minutes later from a similar situation but Jonathan Tan fired the ball over from the edge of the box.

The DPMM FC shot-stopper showed why he is the currently the preferred choice after denying Hazzuwan with a stunning save from point blank range in the 19th minute.

The Tigers received another chance but Hazzuwan headed Jonathan cross over.

DPMM FC got their first real attempt of the game but Rafael Ramazotti headed over Daud Gazale’s free-kick.

It turned out to be a fascinating personal duel between Hazzuwan and Mu’izzuddin but on this occasion it was the latter that got the better of the former after keeping out his attempt.

Balestier Khalsa’s goalkeeper Zaiful Nizam pulled off a stunning reflex save to deny DPMM FC midfielder Nurikhwan Othman from opening his account for the club.

With Hazzuwan been busy taking set piece duties, there was an element of surprise as midfielder Raihan Rahman curled a perfect free-kick to double his side’s lead on the hour mark.

The visitors breathed new lease of life in the match with Ramazotti taking full advantage reacting the quickest from a free kick after the defence fluffed their lines.

DPMM FC’s Rosmin Kamis unleashed a good drive which flew straight at Zaiful.

The Gegar Gegar men looked poised to draw matters but Zaiful had other ideas after somehow keeping out Ramazotti’s header which was bound for the top corner following a cross from Mu’iz Sisa.

But there was no keeping out Ramazotti who found the equaliser for DPMM FC after powering home a firm header from Shahrazen Said’s cross eight minutes from time.

The post Ramazotti double rescues DPMM FC appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|      Fadhil Yunus     |

THE national fencing team ended their campaign in the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games at the MATRADE Exhibition and Convention Centre in Segambut yesterday.

Mohammad Hardiwan Shah bin Rahim went the farthest among the country’s fencing representatives after managing to get out of the round in the Men’s Individual Sabre event.

In the quick preliminary round, the national fencer had to contend with a tough group of competitors from Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore and Vietnam.

Singapore and Vietnam are traditionally the most skilled athletes in the sport.

However, Mohammad Hardiwan’s progress was halted after losing 15-10 to Indonesia’s Ricky Dhisullimah in the table of 16.

His compatriot Muhd Anaqi Danish bin Asahrin, who also competed in the same event, unfortunately bowed out early in the preliminary rounds of the competition.

Meanwhile, Hajah Anis Sabrina binti Haji Yahya did not make it to the knock-out rounds, suffering similar fate as Anaqi in the Women’s Individual Foil event despite getting one win to her name.

Singapore’s Amita Berthier won gold in the Women’s Individual Foil after beating Philippines’s Samantha Kyle Catantan 15-7 in the final.

The Singaporean teenager had to dig deep after trailing from 5-1 down in the semi-final to move into the gold medal match with a 15-9 win.

The post Brunei fencing team end SEA Games stint appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Hakim Hayat     |

UNITED States’ Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, Craig Allen, hosted an event to celebrate the 241st Independence Day of the United States at the Indera Samudra Grand Hall at The Empire Hotel & Country Club in Jerudong yesterday evening.

The event, carrying the theme ‘Hawaii – Spirit of Aloha’, was attended by the guest of honour, Minister of Energy and Industry at the Prime Minister’s Office, Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Awang Haji Mohammad Yasmin bin Haji Umar.

Government officials, mem-bers of the diplomatic comm-unity, business executives, media representatives, and other guests were also present.

The ambassador, on the similarities between Hawaii and Brunei, said, “Like Brunei, Hawaii has a wonderfully warm and hospitable culture and is superb at welcoming visitors and making them feel at home. In this day and age where people talk about our differences, I feel it is important to instead focus on how we are the same. No matter what race, religion, politics, or location, fundamentally we hold the same values, such as compassion, hospitality, and respect.”

The ambassador also praised the long standing and deep rooted friendship the US and Brunei have shared for many decades. “We have been treaty partners since 1850 – 172 years ago. We’ve built on our relationship over the years, and we’re proud of our collaboration,” he said.

He also looked back at some of the many cooperations both countries shared in different sectors over the past year including in military exercises, combating human trafficking, engagement with Brunei’s local communities, people-to-people engagement through flagship programmes like Fulbright, and through the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI).

He also shared that US-Brunei trade and economic relations expanded significantly in 2016 reaching new heights. “I have full confidence that our bilateral partnership will continue to produce dividends for both the Bruneian and the American people in the years ahead. We will continue to work hard on every file within our diplomatic portfolio to expand the relationship between our countries in a practical, pragmatic and meaningful manner. Indeed, our two countries have consistently had positive relations at the highest levels of government for many decades, and we are assured that this will continue for many years to come. As Asia-Pacific partners with a long and glorious history of cooperation, friendship and mutual support, we have every expectation to see the United States and Brunei continuing to build, prosper and defend our mutual interests,” he concluded.

As a gift of appreciation, the US Ambassador presented the guest of honour with a Leiomano, a traditional Hawaiian implement adorned with shark teeth.

The event was enlivened with special performances by Brunei-based band, Hawai’iFever. The national anthems of the Brunei Darussalam and the United States were performed by Bruneian international singer Maria Grace Koh.

The post Ambassador hails decades-long US-Brunei ties appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Fizah HAB     |

TO CELEBRATE the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship in the startup ecosystem, the Brunei Rice Bowl Startup Awards are now open for nomination.

During a press conference held yesterday at the Knowledge Hub (KHub) in Anggerek Desa Technology Park by the Creative Core BN, the country partner for the Asean Rice Bowl Startup Awards (ARBSA), said that that it was the first time in three years that the ARBSA would be receiving nominees and representatives from all 10 Asean member countries, including Brunei.

The Brunei Rice Bowl Startup Awards are divided into five categories: Best Social Impact Startup, Best E-commerce/Supply Chain Startup, Founder of the Year, Best Newcomer and Startup of the Year.

The award aims to reward excellence, best practices and innovation in startups across the region, recognising the excitement, risks and hard-work involved in developing a startup, as well as the influence each person has on driving the success of their company.

In addition, the award also functions as a global platform for startup businesses to find partnership opportunities and investment from local and foreign investors.

The Asean Rice Bowl Startup Awards, organised by New Entrepreneurs Foundation (Malaysia) is the official Southeast Asia circuit for the Global Startup Awards, which is divided into three rounds – national level, regional level and global level.

The regional ARBSA winners will represent Southeast Asia at the Global Startup Awards finale in 2018.

Eligible to all startup companies under five years, the nominations are open until August 30.

The nominations can be made by via bit.ly/bruneiricebowlstartupawardsnominations, and the criteria are available online on Facebook at bruneiricebowlstartupawards.

The post Nominations open for Brunei Rice Bowl Startup Awards appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Danial Norjidi     |

IT IS important for schools to plan and implement strategies to identify students who need assistance and implement appropriate programmes to enhance their quality at an early stage rather than during the year they sit for an examination.

This was highlighted in a speech by Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, Minister of Education during the ceremony for the presentation of School Incentive Awards for Primary School Assessment (PSR), GCE ‘O’ Level/IGCSEs and ‘A’ Level, Co-Curriculum Incentive Awards 2016, certificates of recognition to teacher coaches under the Literacy and Numeracy Coaching Programme (LNCP) and a colloquium on best school practices at Rimba II Secondary School yesterday.

In his speech, the minister congratulated the schools that were able to increase their academic performance, noting that such achievement does not arrive without earnest effort from all stakeholders in the respective schools.

He also said that while the Ministry of Education introduced a number of initiatives, the success of an initiative lies in the extent to which the school’s implementation of it is effective. “Of course, the main roles in ensuring the success of such initiatives are those of principals and school leaders.

“School leaders who have a vision for their school to succeed will strive towards achieving that by carrying out any initiative, either from the Minister of Education, Cluster Leaders or from sharing with other school leaders.”

He highlighted that, for this, the involvement of all parties, especially teachers is important. “It is not enough if our teachers spend time in class just to convey what is in their lesson plans without trying to make sure that every student can follow it,” he said, adding that school leaders who care for the quality of learning and teaching in a classroom will be able to see the results.

“A school leader is not only responsible for seeing that the administration/management of the school is run properly and that the facilities are sufficiently comfortable for learning purposes, but also responsible for seeing what is going on in the classroom – monitoring teacher’s teachings and monitoring children’s learning progress.

“Indeed, the demands on school leaders at this time are very challenging and we should take this responsibility seriously because the success of a school and its students is placed on the shoulders of school leaders.”

The minister went on to note that some schools have shown consistent achievements that are constantly increasing from year to year. He said that although the increase is sometimes not high, it always shows a positive trend.

“This, I believe, is due to the planning and implementation of a structured and accurate strategy for achieving excellence.

“It is very important for schools to plan and implement strategies to identify students who need assistance and then plan and implement appropriate and correct programmes to improve the quality of this group of students in the early stages of schooling rather than during the year they sit for examination,” he said. “From that, I hope that the improvement of school achievement is consistently produced and maintained from year to year.

“In addition to the expectation for school achievements that are consistent and improving from year to year, I also hope that efforts made at this time to increase the involvement of parents and communities in school activities can be sustained.”

He said he was very grateful to the school community, the public and private sector who have helped in various activities to improve the conduciveness of school environments such as grass cutting, cleaning up school areas and providing various donations and support.

“I honestly feel very proud that our own school leaders have succeeded in enabling the culture of collaborating in harmonising parents and the community in this matter,” he said.

The minister proceeded to share that the hope of the ministry is that the spirit of “ringan sama dijinjing berat sama dipikul” will be cultivated as the community and parents are among the most important contributors to the development of any educational institutions including in co-curricular activities.

He noted that as with other countries, good achievement in education is a key agenda in ensuring the progress of a nation.

This, he said, is typically measured through student academic achievements especially in general assessments such as GCE ‘O’ and ‘A’ Levels as well as international standards assessments such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS).

“In order to achieve the desired goal, we need to establish a strong ecosystem that can be built through cooperation and collaboration between departments and units within this ministry with other sectors whether within or outside of the Ministry of Education.”

The post Early learning initiatives for students a must appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Danial Norjidi     |

THE Ministry of Education (MoE) held a ceremony yesterday for the presentation of School Incentive Awards and Co-curriculum Incentive Awards 2016 as well as a colloquium on best school practices.

The event took place at Rimba II Secondary School and saw the attendance of Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, the Minister of Education as the guest of honour, who presented the awards to the recipients.

Also present was Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar, the Deputy Minister of Education, and 304 school leaders from government primary and secondary schools.

The School Incentive Awards were presented in different categories for the Primary School Assessment (PSR), GCE ‘O’/IGCSE Level and ‘A’ Level Examination. A total of 25 primary schools, 11 secondary schools and three sixth form centres received the awards.

Under the PSR Incentive Awards, among the recipients for Category I – schools that achieved or surpassed the target of 79 per cent grades A-C in PSR for the year 2016 were: Kiarong Primary School, Muda Hashim Primary School, Keriam Primary School, Binturan Primary School, Bebuloh Primary School, Penapar Primary School, Rambai Primary School, Panchong Primary School, Kasat Primary School, Lubok Pulau Primary School, Batu Marang Primary School, Negalang Primary School, Bakiau Primary School, Pengiran Muda Mahkota Primary School, Benutan Primary School, OKPS Bukit Sawat Primary School, DMS Dian Sukang Primary School, Batang Mitus Primary School, Bukit Panggal Primary School, Danau Primary School, AR Tanjong Maya Primary School and Sungai Teraban Primary School.

Meanwhile, the recipients under Category II of the PSR Incentive Awards – ‘The Most Improved School in PSR’ were Pengiran Pekerma Setia Diraja Sahibul Bandar Primary School, Penanjong Primary School, Bebuloh Primary School and Labi Primary School.

Two schools – Sufri Bolkiah Secondary School and Pengiran Anak Puteri Hajah Masna Secondary School – received the GCE ‘O’ Level and IGCSE Incentive Award under Category I for achieving or surpassing the target of 49.1 per cent achievement of 5 ‘O’ Levels/IGCSEs.

Recipients in the second category of the GCE ‘O’ Level and IGCSE Incentive Award for schools that had an increase in its achievement of 5 ‘O’ Levels/IGCSEs from 2015 to 2016 included Sayyidina Ali Secondary School, Berakas Secondary School, Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam Secondary School (SMJA), Muda Hashim Secondary School, Pengiran Isteri Hajjah Mariam Secondary School, Rimba II Secondary School and Sayyidina Abu Bakar Secondary School.

The third category of the GCE ‘O’ Level and IGCSE Incentive Award was won by Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar Secondary School for having 100 per cent attainment of 5 ‘O’ Levels/IGCSEs in 2015 and 2016.

For the GCE ‘A’ Level 2016 Incentive Award, for which the first category applied to schools who achieved or surpassed the goal of 70 per cent attainment of three or more ‘A’ Levels, the recipients were Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College (Maktab Sains) and Meragang Sixth Form Centre.

In the category for schools that achieved or surpassed 88 per cent attainment of two ‘A’ Levels, recipients comprised Maktab Sains, Sengkurong Sixth Form Centre and Meragang Sixth Form Centre.

The next awards up for presentation were the Co-Curriculum Incentive Awards. The aim of these awards was to support and enhance the overall participation of schools consistently in co-curricular activities organised by the Co-Curriculum Education Department.

For the Active School Category, the recipients were Dato Ratna Haji Mohd Jaafar Primary School, Maktab Sains and Duli Pengiran Muda Al-Muhtadee Billah College (Maktab Duli) in the primary, secondary and sixth form levels.

For the School Excellence category, Rimba I Primary School, Sports School and Maktab Duli were named the recipients for primary, secondary and sixth form levels.

In addition to the presentation of the Incentive Awards, yesterday’s proceedings also featured a colloquium on the best school practices.

The colloquium saw two school leaders invited to speak, beginning with Colm McDermott, the Principal of Pusar Ulak Primary School, who delivered a presentation on “Guided Reading”. The second speaker was Abdullah bin Ismail, the Principal of Berakas Secondary School, whose presentation was entitled, ‘Vision of Leadership: Theory into Practice’.

The main objective of this colloquium was to unite thinking towards the latest trends and strategies in education development through the sharing of opinions and views among school leaders and teachers.

Yesterday also saw the presentation of certificates to 29 teachers who completed the Literacy and Numeracy Coaching Programme to become the first cohort of Local Coaches.

Also among the attendees at yesterday’s event were: Dr Haji Azman bin Ahmad, Acting Permanent Secretary at the MoE; Nadia Lee Siew Hoon binti Abdullah, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Core Education) at the MoE; Dr Haji Norarfan bin Haji Zainal, the Rector of Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA); Hajah Anis Faudzulani binti Haji Dzulkiflee, Acting Director-General of Education; as well senior officers and officers from the Ministry of Education.

The post Minister presents incentive awards to schools appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Azlan Othman     |

DEMENTIA is becoming an increasing public health concern in Brunei Darussalam.

According to the Asia-Pacific Region report of Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) in 2015, there are about 2,000 people living with dementia in the Sultanate.
Most of these cases are undiagnosed, said Dr Hazri bin Haji Kifle, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Policy) at the Ministry of Health (MoH), during the Dementia Care Skills Course held at the Radisson Hotel in the capital yesterday.

Dementia is an umbrella term for a group of terminal conditions that progressively diminish brain function. Symptoms include increasing memory loss, confusion, and difficulties with speaking and understanding. Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia, accounting for nearly two thirds of cases. Other types include vascular dementia and mixed dementia.

Dementia is one of the major causes of disability and dependency in older people worldwide. It is not a normal part of ageing and has physical, psychological, social and economic impact, not only to the person who has it but also on their carers, families and society, Dr Hazri said.

“There is often lack of awareness and understanding of dementia, so it is usually unrecognised, leading to late diagnosis. In the Asean region, Brunei is predicted to have the third highest proportion of older people by 2040 (behind Thailand and Singapore).

“There is also a concern with the rate of non-communicable diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes and renal disorders. These two factors will likely contribute to an increased prevalence of dementia in the near future,” he added at the start of the five-day ‘Train-the-Trainer’ programme.

“In May this year, the World Health Assembly endorsed the Global Action Plan for Dementia 2017-2025 with the aim to improve lives of people with dementia, their families and those who care for them, while decreasing the impact of dementia on families, communities and countries,” Dr Hazri said.

According to him, the Brunei Darussalam Declaration on Strengthening Family Institution: Caring for the Elderly was adopted at the 7th Asean Ministerial Meeting for Social Welfare and Development in 2010.

“Asean member states agreed to develop social support systems and encourage the development of education programmes to enhance the ability of families to take care of the elderly and strengthen family and community care through skills training and lifelong learning.

“Brunei is committed to take action in support of this, with the Dementia Care Skills Course ‘Train-the-Trainer’ programme as one of our initiatives to tackle the disease,” he noted.

Dr Hazri said that the programme is also aligned with one of the Brunei Vision 2035 goals, which is to achieve a high quality of life.

“I believe that this workshop will meet its objective, and hence, will help ensure that the high quality of life is also extended to those living with dementia,” he added.

“Furthermore, in line with the Ministry of Health’s strategic priority – which is to bring forward the ‘Health is Everyone’s Business’ agenda – I hope that this workshop will further strengthen the collaboration between the MoH, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and various organisations by working together on dementia issues.

The ‘Train-the-Trainer’ programme is organised by Alzheimer’s Disease International’s Asia Pacific Regional Office (ADI-APRO) and Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation Malaysia (ADFM), in collaboration with the MoH, Brunei Darussalam. Its objective is to provide training for caregivers on the best practices of Alzheimer’s associations and other organisations around the world, including an overview of dementia, effective commu-nication, understanding behavior, care worker issues and support services.

Fifteen officers from the MoH and the MCYS, medical officers, geriatric and neurology nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists, physiotherapists, community development and social welfare officers and full time volunteers are attending the programme.

The course is delivered by trainers including D Y Suharya, Regional Director of ADI-APRO; Datin Jacqueline Wong, Honorary Secretary of ADFM; Mazni Kaswani, Senior Programme Executive at Alzheimer’s Disease Association Singapore; as well as Dr Onn Lih Vei and Suryati Kalman, co-facilitators from the Raja lsteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital.

The post Dementia, a big challenge appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Fadhil Yunus     |

BRUNEI Darussalam ushered a new sporting hero after Basma Lachkar won silver with a score of 9.54 points in the Women’s Compulsory Taijiquan finals in the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre yesterday.

The national wushu exponent, who was making her debut in the SEA Games, reasserted the undoubted strength and quality of Brunei Darussalam, continuing the legacy accentuated by Faustina Woo Wai Sii in the Duilian event.

Brunei continue to be a strong force in wushu despite a backdrop of stern competition attributed by the excellent work of national coach Li Hui in nurturing talents from the Sultanate.

Basma, the country’s latest treasure, is a prime example that the country delivers great promise of making shockwaves in major competitions.

National wushu coach Li Hui heaped praise to the Brunei rising star who announced her arrival in the international scene.

“It’s a big achievement for Basma to win silver in the individual event,” commented the national coach.

“Basma and Guat Lian have seen vast improvements,” he continued.

“Basma is only 14 years and she also joined the training in China where she trained really hard. Most of the athletes have lost weight while training in China.”

The head coach added that Brunei’s improvement in their wushu performances have received notice from coaches and referees from other countries.

It was a perfect routine complimented with a combination of poise and balance putting her into silver medal contention with one more final competitor to perform a routine.

Meanwhile, her compatriot Ang Guat Lian finished sixth place after registering a score of 9.15 points.

Brunei Darussalam female wushu exponents also received training from a new coach known as Zhao Chunjie.

Philippines Agatha Chrystenzen bagged the gold medal after tallying 9.66 points while Singapore’s Ho Lin Ying claimed bronze after registering 9.44 points.

The post Brunei win silver in wushu appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Achong Tanjong     |

A TEAM from the Powerboat Association of Brunei Darussalam will be participating in the 2017 Terengganu F3000 Powerboat International Championship at the Warisan Waterfront Island in Kuala Terengganu from August 24-26.

Acting Director of Youth and Sports Haji Azahar bin Haji Adenan yesterday presented the national flag to Hajah Siti Aisah binti Haji Abdul Jalil, the team manager cum secretary general of the Association. The flag presentation ceremony took place at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS).

The team comprises Haji Nordin bin Haji Mohamad (pilot), Md Yusrin bin Haji Ramlee (pilot), Zailan bin Zaini (radioman) and Haji Ramlee bin Haji Mohd Yassin (radioman).

The team, which leaves for Terengganu today, will go up against teams from host country Malaysia, as well as New Zealand, Brazil and Papua New Guinea.

This is the first time the Brunei team is competing in Malaysia.

In response to their experience in the previous championship, Haji bin Nordin noted that they competed at the FIH 20 Nation Cup in Singapore and United Arab Emirates.

Their best achievement was in the Borneo Championship (F2 category) in Sabah, where they won second place in 2008. In a local competition, the team was named champion in HST60 category and champion in the same categories in Sibu and Kuching.

The other pilot, Md Yusrin of Penanjong Racing, won the top three positions in the 50hp category held locally and aboard (Sarawak). The 27-year-old got involved in the racing championship starting 2014.

In this championship in Terengganu, he will compete in the 200cc hp category.
Md Yusrin said the team looks forward to competing in the Sarawak Powerboat Race in September or October this year.

The team expressed appreciation to the MCYS for its support.

The Powerboat Association of Brunei Darussalam was formed in 2003 and has over 20 members.

The post Brunei team revved up for F3000 powerboat showdown appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Rokiah Mahmud     |

SABRE Travel Network Brunei Sdn Bhd will host the annual Brunei Travel Fair on August 26 and 27, at the International Convention Centre in Berakas.

The two-day event will provide travel partners including airlines, national tourist offices, hotels and travel agents with a unique platform to promote and showcase their products and services. Members of the public are welcome to attend the travel fair, which will provide the convenience of shopping for a wide range of travel deals under a single roof.

Irene Soon, the General Manager of Sabre Travel Network Brunei said the company is proud to be once again organising the event.

She added, “We thank our partners and travellers for their participation throughout the years and taking part in the 14th edition of the event.

“With support of our partners, we will deliver new and unique contents to travellers in search of their dream vacations,” she said.

Meanwhile, Abdul Halim bin Haji Abdul Rahman, Senior Manager, Sales and Marketing of Sabre Travel Network Brunei said Sabre will provide more than 50 terminals to the 10 participating Sabre-connected travel agencies during the fair to further ensure the very best service for travellers.

“The fair also provide excellent opportunities for Brunei-based travellers for both overseas and domestic travel packages, making it an event on the travel calendar that shall not to be missed,” he said.

Among the participating travel agents during the weekends are Anthony Tours & Travel Agency, At-Taqwa Travel Tours, Century Travel Centre, Darussalam Holdings, Freme Travel Services, Grace Travel, JJ Tour Service, Pan Bright Travel Service, Southern Cross Travel Agencies and Strait Central Agencies.

The national tourism organisations including Brunei Tourism Board, Sabah Tourism Board, Sarawak Tourism Board, Taiwan Tourist Bureau, Tourism Authority Thailand and Tourism Perak Management Berhad will be participating in this year’s Brunei Travel Fair.

Baiduri Bank Berhad, Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD), Standard Chartered Bank and Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) will showcase their own booths to extend support to participating travel agents and provide assistance to visitors.

The fair will be open from 9am to 9pm offering guests and customers their preferred travel agents for attractive fares during the travel fair.

For RB, any of their guests who purchase their flight tickets during the travel fair will stand a chance to win three times daily lucky draw prizes including one economy class return ticket to any short haul destinations for six winners, complimentary of 5,000 Royal Skies Miles (six winners) and RB Goodie Bag (six winners). The three lucky draw session will be carried out at 1pm, 5pm and 9pm daily.

Guests who spend $500 and above are eligible to participate in the ‘Betterfly: Better catch ‘em all’ game for a chance to win more vouchers and gifts for their next travels.
Royal Skies members are eligible to participate in RB Fidget Spinning Challenge open for two categories: Category 1 for kids under 13 and Category 2 for adults. The kid’s category will stand a chance to win two return economy class tickets to any regional destination while adults will win one return economy ticket to any regional destination.

There will be Royal Skies membership enrolment campaign where a new member is entitled for bonus miles and Royal Skies exclusive merchandise and Bonus Miles to be given away to the first 50 guests/members who purchase BI tickets during the two-day fair.

In partnership with Tourism Malaysia, RB will also be organising another campaign during the two-day event. First 200 passengers purchase of air ticket are entitled to discount of $30 per passenger to Kuala Lumpur, first 200 passengers purchase of air ticket entitled to discount of $15 per passenger to Kota Kinabalu, first 30 passengers purchase of holiday package are entitled to discount of $50 per passenger to Kuala Lumpur and first 30 passengers purchase holiday package are entitled to discount of $30 per passenger to Kota Kinabalu.

On top of the discounts, the customers will also stand a chance to win one lucky draw prize to Malaysia for purchase at Brunei Travel Fair and 100 pieces of discounts vouchers at Kadaiku, Sabah Souvenir & Handicraft sponsored by Sabah Tourism Board for the first 100 customers purchasing air tickets to Kota Kinabalu.

The post Wide range of travel deals under one roof at Brunei Travel Fair appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Azlan Othman     |

CONSTRUCTION site accidents are on the rise in the country. A total of 68 cases were recorded last year, up by eight cases compared to 2015.

However, fatalities at construction sites have declined to four cases last year, compared to nine in 2015. Three death cases have been recorded so far this year.

The figures were revealed by Deputy Minister of Development, Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Ghafar while speaking at the HSSE Construction Conference held in conjunction with Buildex 2017 at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Berakas yesterday

According to statistics from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), 6,300 worldwide deaths occur each day due to job-related accidents and work-related illnesses.

In Brunei Darussalam, the two highest types of accidents recorded are ‘fall from height’ and ‘struck by falling object’.

According to the construction industry average, the country has posted work-related fatality amounting to 4.5 per 100,000 workers in 2015, down to 2.0 in 2016.

In the United Kingdom, the rate stood at 0.48 for 100,000 workers by 2015.

“This country needs to work hard to fix this problem. It is therefore important that we jointly cultivate a healthy and safe work place to reduce these accidents and death cases to achieve the target of the ministry to zero death,” the deputy minister said.

He added, “Workplace health and safety culture is one of the primary objectives in the Ministry of Development. I am grateful that the Public Works Department launched their own Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) manual to streamline all its activities within international standards.

With the manual in place and with OHSMS implemented properly from top management down to all level of employees, he said the safety standards within the department will be raised significantly into another level that will result in a culture of prevention.

He continued, “This great effort will not succeed if not taken seriously by all parties. We also urge all agencies to establish and implement their OHSMS to ensure compliance to legal obligation and to show commitment to safety and health of their workers and stakeholders.

“A focus on safety and health puts people first and that is the right thing to do. I was informed that the three-day conference started with visits to four landmarks of Brunei’s construction projects. The site visit will be beneficial to all participants as it showcases HSSE management system being practised in Brunei.

“The site visits include Temburong Bridge, Mengkubau Dam, Ulu Tutong Dam and Pulau Muara Besar Bridge. I thank all parties involved in making sure the visits run well and provide valuable knowledge to the participants.”

The three-day conference covers topics such as raising safety concerns and bringing international best practices to Brunei; importance of health in HSSE management; sharing experience in managing HSSE risk in the construction industry and fire safety risk assessment.

Delegates attending this event also experienced a scaffolding demonstration by a leading training providers in Brunei.

The post Construction site mishaps on the rise appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Fizah HAB     |

WITH the consent 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, the Syariah Court of Brunei Darussalam announced that the country will start Hari Raya Aidiladha celebration on Saturday, 10th of Zulhijjah 1438 Hijrah, corresponding to September 2, 2017.

The moon sighting announcement was verified by Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Seri Utama Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Salim bin Haji Besar, the Chief Syar’ie Judge, and was broadcasted last evening over state broadcaster Radio Television Brunei (RTB).

The moon sightings were held at DST Headquarters in Tungku Link, Tanjung Batu and Bukit Agok in Brunei-Muara District, Bukit Ambok in Tutong District and Bukit Lumut in Belait District.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) also held the Ruqyah (moon sighting) event yesterday at the Multaqa Hall, MoRA Building in Jalan Menteri Besar.

Attending the ceremony was Minister of Religious Affairs, Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman; the Chief Syar’ie Judge in his capacity as the member of Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB), Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Seri Utama Dato Paduka Seri Setia Haji Awang Salim bin Haji Besar; Deputy Minister of Education, Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar; Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud; Permanent Secretary at the MoRA, Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Mohd Yusof as well as Deputy Permanent Secretaries at the MoRA, Haji Harun bin Haji Junid and Roslan bin Haji Taja’ah; Director of RTB, Haji Muhammad Suffian bin Haji Bungsu; Acting Director of Information Mawardi bin Haji Mohammad; Haji Hassan bin Haji Metali, Chief Registrar of the Syariah Court of Appeal – who deliberated the results of the moon sighting.

The post Nation to mark Hari Raya Aidiladha from September 2 appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

GONE are the days of teaching through conventional methods or teacher-centred approaches and educators need to push boundaries by challenging traditional assumptions.

This was stated by Minister of Education Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman while opening Politeknik Brunei’s 3rd International Symposium on Teaching and Learning at the Orchid Garden Hotel yesterday.

“There is a need to give students opportunities to learn creatively in tandem with technological progress and while human factor and resources are still a crucial part of education, reading materials and resources must still remain an important part of students’ lives,” he said.

The minister also noted that it needs technology to implement mobile learning and the Ministry of Education has over the years taken efforts in providing quality education and raising standards of teaching through educational innovations.

“Education innovation is one of the main platforms for providing quality education which is to be shared by all educational institutions – whether private or public, mainstream or specialised.

“What better platform to begin innovation than with mobile learning and innovation in technologies, which currently has caused ongoing global interest among people in the digital era,” the minister said.

He further noted that education through mobile learning technologies has evolved through innovation, enabling students to manage today’s technological changes, adding that students today should be independent critical thinkers, highly innovative and ever ready to face what is in store for them.

“The future has now arrived for us to embrace changes that have been brought about by technology. It is thus crucial for educators to better equip and prepare our students with the necessary skills through the use of technologies and mobile learning for enhancing students’ personal learning experiences.”

The minister also noted that wireless communication technology, in a world where modern technologies are rapidly growing, has already become an integral part of our daily surroundings.

“As mobile phones with high capabilities extend to all areas of human life, it is expected that this wireless device becomes accessible for all. Access to such inexpensive and sophisticated devices has changed the landscape of our learning process in so many ways,” he added.

“Mobile learning is a relatively new concept in education, particularly in this region, and Brunei is no exception. Thus, it has now become pertinent for learners and educators to share what works and what does not when using mobile learning devices.

“For the education sector in Brunei, a major challenge for educators and trainers is how to develop learning material for effective delivery using mobile devices,” the minister pointed out.

Learning material should make use of multimedia, he said, adding that everyone should conduct research and complete projects using the modern capabilities of mobile devices and learning about the best practices in mobile learning.

The generation today is undeniably growing to be more tech-savvy than the previous generations, and mobile phones, among all modern communication devices, is probably one of the most powerful communication media, richer than e-mail or chat as it is able to act as a learning device despite its technical limitations, the minister said.

Touching on the symposium’s theme, ‘Mobile Learning and Innovation in Technologies’, he noted that the theme is relevant as it offers dissemination of information, skills and knowledge – through sharing the experiences of educational innovators from various sectors.

“Our educators today need to be offered opportunities to be bold and use innovations for enhancing learning and they should not fear such advancement in technology.”

The minister also highlighted that it is imperative to have the drive to continually innovate and improve on innovative education practices either through mobile learning, other creative technological innovations or learning avenues.

Mobile technology is having an increasing prevalence in life and it plays a vital role in learning different knowledge dimensions, causing a shift from teacher-led learning and encouraging students to use technology in more efficient and smart ways.

On this note, the minister urged educators to continue improve the quality of their teaching programmes as well as to work closely with each other and build strong relationships with one another, while simultaneously challenging the traditional notion of the type of work set for the students.

“Mobile technology gets learning away from the classroom environment with little or no access to the teacher, though the learning process can hardly be accomplished without a teacher’s direction or guidance,” he said.

The post Mobile tech can change education appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

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 consented to watch the Polo Tournament in the 29th SEA Games Kuala Lumpur 2017, held at the Equestrian Park Putrajaya between Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia.

His Majesty was greeted on arrival at the Equestrian Park Putrajaya by Dato Badlishah bin Haji Ahmad, Chief Executive Officer of the Putrajaya Leisure and Service Group and later watched the Polo Tournament between Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia.

Brunei Darussalam Polo Team comprises His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen and Her Royal Highness Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah.

Also present to watch the tournament were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah, President of the Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah, as Manager of the polo team and Her Royal Highness Princess Fadzilah Lubabul Bolkiah.

In the match, Brunei Darussalam Polo Team was defeated by the Malaysian Polo Team by four – 12 in Four Chukka.

National Polo Team’s next match will be against Thailand Team at the Royal Selangor Polo Club tomorrow.

Also in attendance accompanying His Majesty at the event were the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof and Dato Paduka Haji Alaihuddin bin Pehin Orang Kaya Digadong Seri Lela Dato Seri Utama Haji Awang Mohd Taha, High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam to Malaysia.

The requirement of reaching the gold medal match has not changed with the national polo team needing to record two wins but an opening-day defeat will mean perfection from this point.

The top two in the league will advance to the final and a guaranteed silver on August 29 with the bottom two having to square off in the subsidiary final for the battle for bronze on August 28.

The post Sultan attends SEA Games Polo appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

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 consented to attend a get-together ceremony with Brunei Darussalam’s contingent taking part in the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur, at the Royale Chulan Kuala Lumpur yesterday morning.

Also in attendance at the get-together ceremony were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah, President of the Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah in his capacity as Manager of the polo team; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen and Her Royal Highness Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah, both participating in the mixed polo event at the 29th SEA Games; and Her Royal Highness Princess Fadzilah Lubabul Bolkiah as Manager of the netball team.

Soon after arrival, His Majesty was invited for a group-photo session with Brunei Darussalam’s contingent and later introduced to the Bruneian athletes competing in various events.

Also accompanying His Majesty at the ceremony was Dato Paduka Haji Alaihuddin bin Pehin Orang Kaya Digadong Seri Lela Dato Seri Utama Haji Awang Mohd Taha, High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam to Malaysia.

Brunei Darussalam’s contingent at the 29th SEA Games comprises 172 people including 105 athletes and 67 officials. Brunei is participating in 14 events and so far, the country has collected one silver medal in wushu and five bronze medals – in sepak takraw (three), netball and wushu (one each).

The post Sultan meets Brunei’s SEA Games contingent appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Fadhil Yunus     |

BRUNEI Darussalam’s national sepak takraw team went down 2-0 to Myanmar in their opening Group ‘B’ match of the Men’s Quadrant in the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games at the Titiwangsa Indoor Stadium yesterday.

The national team lost in straight sets and though they ran close losing 21-19 in the first set it was one-way traffic in the second going down 21-9.

Myanmar’s national team coach told his charges to move forward and they duly obliged as evident with all of the running from the early stage of the match.

There were also good rallies which is not quite often seen at doubles because there are only two other players on either side of the net and is difficult to defend.

But there were a collection of good rallies which was mostly finished off by Myanmar’s Aung Thu Min.

Unfortunately, Brunei’s attempt to save set point was left unfulfilled as Mohd Alifuddin Jamaludin went long with his effort who had no disgrace after putting in plenty of points in his service.

Brunei opened the second set and needed to get a point or two in their service.

Myanmar’s Aung Myo Swe cushioned the ball beautifully before being rounded off with a beautiful strike by Thant Zin Oo.

Brunei’s Md Alifuddin provided a powerful serving but most of the strikes were converted by Thant Zin Oo at the net in the second set.

It was his strike partner Aung Thu Min who did most of the damage in the first half as his team-mates opted for him to complete the job in the second.

Myanmar did a terrific job to keep the ball alive from out of play and it was Aung Thu Min with his long limbs to force Brunei to commit the error.

Aung Thu Min provided a fine block after stretching his long leg which was a recurrent theme in the first set.

The Myanmar player got his leg very horizontal and covered much of the net.

Myanmar made the early running as they did in the first set and nearly replicated the block from moments ago from Aung Thu Min as Brunei got themselves on the board.

Brunei attempted to block a shot but was ruled as illegitimate as Myanmar opened up a 5-2 lead.

The ball was swapped to the right hand side as Aung Thu Min did what he did best with a powerful strike.

Md Alifuddin tried to send the ball to his teammates who ducked out off the way and hoped that the ball would clip the tape and go over.

Myanmar reserve Aung Pyae Tun was introduced in the match who has been known as a familiar face in the regu and doubles.

Brunei closed the gap with two points down following excellent strong spiking from their number one Ismail Ang.

Aung Pyae Tun continued to make his mark after flicking with a back spike with his right foot over the right shoulder.

Md Alifuddin provided a left-footed swerving service but the innovative Myanmar had other ideas as they swapped over to Thant Zin Oo for a smart finish.

Muhamad Basyiruddin bin Haji Kamis made strong work and trimmed down the lead to 9-6 despite the attempts of a block from Aung Pyae Tun.

Myanmar almost made it with a tape service and was kept alive but Aung Pyae Tun made the block to extend his side’s lead even further.

Brunei called a time out but it was Aung Pyae Tun again who contributed in turning on the heat against the Bruneian charges.

Basyiruddin’s shot returned to the net and it was three in a row for Myanmar’s service as they closed in victory.

Brunei made a change as the excellent Mohd Alifuddin was replaced by Nur Alimin bin Sunggoh as they were trying different behind the baseline.

Myanmar was within touching distance of getting two points in the group after running away with a 19-8 lead.

Thant Zin Oo, who had a brilliant game alongside the tall striker Aung Thu Min, set up championship point with 12 match points.

Ismail Ang only delayed the inevitable with a good strike as the margin of the score was not in their favour.

But on the next serve Ismail Ang put it in his own net which confirmed victory for Myanmar.

The post Brunei start quadrant opener with loss appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Khairil Hassan     |

SOME of the athletes representing Brunei Darussalam in the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games 2017 returned home yesterday and Tuesday night.

Wushu athletes comprising officers, athletes and coaches returned home from Kuala Lumpur to a heroes’ welcome yesterday afternoon and were greeted by Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) Datin Paduka Dr Hajah Norlila binti Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Jalil at the Arrival Hall of the Brunei International Airport.

The wushu team returned home with a haul of one silver medal and a bronze medal. Also present were officers and staff from the Youth and Sports Department, MCYS.

Earlier, 19 members of the Brunei Darussalam Contingent comprising officers, netball, equestrian (endurance) and aquatic (synchronised swim) athletes arrived at midnight on Tuesday. The netball team returned home with a bronze medal.

To greet and present the sash was Haji Amer Hamzah bin Pehin Orang Kaya Amar Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Zakaria, Acting Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports. Also present were officers and staff from the Youth and Sports Department, MCYS.

In an interview with the Bulletin, Basma Lachkar, owner of the silver medal, said she felt very happy and thankful to the coaches and all who supported her.

“I felt very nervous as it was my first time and just performed my best. I was very surprised when they announced the results, I was shocked and happy all at once. I would love to join the SEA Games again and try my best and achieve better results.

“I hope to get more training and improve more and prepare for more international tournaments,” said the 14-year-old debutante with a smile.

The post Heroes’ welcome for Brunei athletes appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Aziz Idris     |

UNIVERSITI Brunei Darussalam School of Business and Economics (UBD SBE) hosted the first International Conference Business, Economics and Finance (ICBEF) 2017 yesterday at the Senate Room, Chancellor Hall, UBD.

Present to officiate the event was Dr Haji Azman bin Ahmad, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Higher Education) at the Ministry of Education.

The two-day conference features over 60 presentations by local and international speakers comprising practitioners in government organisations, research institutions, local businesses as well as academia who will share knowledge and experience, providing insights into key sustainable practices for firms in Asia.

The conference carries the theme ‘Change, Challenges and Opportunities: Strategies for a Sustainable Future in Asia’.

The Chairman of ICBEF, Professor Ahmed M Khalid told the audience that the theme is timely as the social changes and economic shifts in Asia in the 21st Century, coupled with financial crises, pose significant challenges to sustainable development and business environment in Asia and around the globe.

He said the conference hopes to provide researchers a platform to present and exchange research findings, innovative ideas and industrial practices in the area of sustainable business development.

He added that the theme is ‘much needed’ to discuss and develop strategies to ensure productivity of workers and successful business practices.

As part of the opening ceremony, Professor Charles Horioka, Vice-President and Research Professor at the Asian Growth Research Institute, Japan, presented a keynote address entitled ‘Do people leave bequests? If so, why and does it matter?’
Meanwhile, Professor Guler Aras, a Professor of Finance and Accounting at Yildiz Technical University (YTU), Turkey who is also the Founding Director, YTU Centre for Finance, Governance and Sustainability, shared her views as guest speaker on the topic ‘Integrated Approach to Corporate Sustainability’.

With an unprecedented new horizon opening up for the future of Asia, the conference calls for in-depth discussion to identify new sources of opportunities, by exploring new strategies that enable changes, enhance sustainable growth and meet rising challenges facing firms in Asia.

The two-day event will also cover various issues including business management, marketing, human resource management, accounting and finance, economics and information systems.

One of the highlights of the conference is a panel discussion where local and international experts share their thoughts on the theme today at 3.30pm at the Senate Room, Chancellor Hall, UBD.

The conference is supported by Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD), Inter house Company, Baker Hughes, Armtrix Enterprise and bruneihalal.

The post Conference focusses on sustainable future in Asia appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.