BANK Islam Brunei Darusslaam (BIBD)’s Acting Head of International Banking Group Syed Alwi bin Syed Abdillah Alkaff, and Deputy Head of Government Relations and Special Projects Haji Mohd Yusri bin Haji Wahsalfelah recently successfully completed the 3rd Cambridge Islamic Finance Leadership Programme (Cambridge-IFLP).
During the event, Professor Humayon Dar, Executive Chairman of Cambridge Islamic Finance (IF) Analytica, also recognised Haji Mohd Yusri as a top-class potential for leadership in Islamic banking and finance.
Haji Mohd Yusri was among six outstanding delegates who showcased exceptional leadership qualities and proactivity in discussions and activities, and was awarded the Cambridge Islamic Finance Leadership Award.
Dr Sofiza Azmi, Programme Director, commented, “BIBD delegates stood out with their enthusiasm and professionalism. They contributed to discussions in a meaningful manner and provided high level thought leadership.” BIBD’s attendance at the event is in line with its mission and strategy to create worldclass professionals that would support Brunei’s long-term development plan, Brunei Vision 2035, to be a nation widely recognised for the accomplishments of its well educated and highly-skilled people. The programme was held at the Clare College, a member of the University of Cambridge syndicate. A total of 50 delegates, speakers and mentors from 15 countries from the US, Europe, Middle East and Asia participated in the five-day residential programme.
Notable mentors and speakers included Dato Paduka Iqbal Ahmad Khan (CEO of Fajr Capital), Rafe Haneef (CEO of CIMB Islamic Bank), Dato’ Izani Ghani (Executive Director of Khazanah Nasional Berhad), Dr Hamed Meerah (Secretary General of Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions, Bahrain), Dr Zahid Parvez (Principal of Markfield Institute of Higher Education, UK), and Datuk Dr Mohd Daud Bakar (Chairman of Amanie Advisors).
Professor Humayon Dar, Executive Chairman of Cambridge IF Analytica presenting a certificate to Haji Mohd Yusri bin Haji Wahsalfelah
THE Public Works Department (JKR) at the Ministry of Development announced the temporary road closure for the opening of ‘I-Beam’ works for the Sungai Kebun Bridge Construction Project.
The opening of ‘I-Beam’ works will be held today from 11pm to 6am the next day.
Road users are advised to exercise caution and comply with traffic signs.
The public can contact the department through Darussalam line 123, its live chat on +6738333123, Facebook: Jabatan Kerja Raya, Brunei Darussalam and email: pro@pwd.gov.bn.
MICROSOFT is looking to work with the Ministry of Education (MoE) and stakeholders in Brunei Darussalam to produce a distinct holistic ‘Education Transformation Framework’ to influence the direction of education in the country towards the global advancement of technologies.
This was stated by Don Carlson, Education Director of Microsoft Asia Pacific, during his ‘Educational Digital Transformation’ talk at the second keynote address for the 3rd Politeknik Brunei International Symposium on Innovative Teaching and Learning (ISITL 2017) at the Orchid Garden Hotel.
Present at the talk was Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Nawi, Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary (Core Education) at the Ministry of Education, as the representative of Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar, the Deputy Minister of Education.
Chairperson of the organising committee of the 3rd ISITL 2017, Politeknik Brunei (PB) Director, Denis Ho Mun Tai as well as other officials were also present.
Carlson’s talk focussed on the issue of the need for education transformation at a time when businesses are going through enormous digital transformation reforms, posing a key question – “Is the need for education transformation different from a decade ago, or is it just another step in the evolution of education systems around the world?”
Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Nawi, Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary (Core Education) at the Ministry of Education and Politeknik Brunei Director, Denis Ho Mun Tai in a group photo at the event. – JAMES KON
His session also touched on how technology may or may not help with education transformation as seen from the various education systems around the world.
Carlson highlighted the national priorities in education comprising three components – ‘Quality of Education’ comprising teacher capacity, personalisation of learning and student analysis; ‘Skills for Employment’ comprising STEM education, 21st Century skills and regional competitiveness; and ‘Equity and Access’ which covers geography, technology and gender.
“Mobile technology and e-learning, we cannot separate these two, and it is a question of how to make them work. We have put together an ‘Education Transformation Framework’ where there are 10 critical components. Among these are ‘leadership and politics’, ‘establishing a vision’, and ‘21st Century pedagogy’,” Carlson said.
“We will pair each of the components with leaders in their respective fields to develop corresponding white papers. Each of the components needs to be looked at holistically and analysed thoroughly during the formulation of the papers.
“We will be more than happy to work with the MoE, to work with our partners in the industry to help develop a framework like this. We can learn from other countries and we will work with the ministry to continue to support the teachers and students of Brunei Darussalam for the future,” he added.
TUTONG District held a launching of eight package tours yesterday, including the ‘2 Days and 1 Night’ and ‘Day Trip’ packages, with the aim of showcasing hotspots and site attractions to draw more local and international tourists into the district.
The event was officiated by Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, in a ceremony at the Pekan Tutong Jetty.
Also present at the launch were several members of the Legislative Council, permanent secretaries, foreign ambassadors and diplomatic corps, members of the Brunei Tourism Board, Tutong District Officer, penghulus and village heads as well as Tutong Tourism Service Providers.
The promotion of the ‘Tutong Destination Packages’ is a collaborative effort between the Tourism Development Department of the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism and the Tutong District Tourism Promotion and Coordination Body to step up on existing efforts to boost package tours in the country.
The eight new packages comprise the Tutong Thursday Market; Tutong Cottage Industry Tour; Experience Tutong Culture; Experience Kiudang Day Trip; Back to Nature; Tutong River Cruise; 2 Days and 1 Night package; Explore Tutong Package; and the 2 Days, 1 Night Village Package.
The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the travel agency, Hasa Incentives Sdn Bhd, with the Kampong Rambai Village Consultative Council committee and Puteri Maya Enterprise, as well as between Sinar Tour Sdn Bhd and a boat entrepreneur, Sri Melati Enterprise was also held.
Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali witnessing a signing of the Memorandum of UnderstandingDato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, in a group photo. – PHOTOS: DEAN KASSIM
According to statistics gathered by the Tutong District Tourism Promotion and Coordination Body in 2016, 1,680 people visited various places of interest in the Tutong District. From that number, 450 used tour packages while the rest were Frequent Independent Travellers (FITs).
The numbers also showed that 70 per cent were local visitors, 25 per cent were foreign tourists, while the remaining five per cent composed mainly of school visits and research students.
Up until July this year, approximately 1,085 visitors bought tour packages either through the Tutong District Tourism Promotion and Coordination Body or travel agents. From these figures, 63 per cent were locals; 25 per cent foreigners; and 12 per cent students, researchers and official visits.
According to the Tourism Development Department, among the popular packages were the Tutong City Tour, the Tutong Cottage Industry Tour, the Tutong Educational Tour and the Tutong Islamic Tour.
Currently, the most popular packages for 2017 are the Kiudang Tour and Tutong City Tour.
During yesterday’s launching ceremony, several booths were set up, showcasing tourism products under the village consultative councils in Tutong District. The product operators involved in the creation of the Tutong Destination Packages also participated in the event.
Members of the Brunei Tourism Board, along with some foreign ambassadors, were later given the opportunity to experience the Tutong River Cruise Package, which includes a scenic view of Pekan Tutong and an area called Lurah Saban, which was an early settlement of the Tutong people.
The new Tutong Destination Packages add variety to the tour packages currently offered by travel agents.
According to the Tourism Development Department, this should benefit tourists by offering them more choices, while encouraging them to extend their stay in Brunei.
DATO Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, yesterday lauded the efforts of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Tutong District Office, Tutong District Tourism Promotion and Coordination Body, Village Consultative Council Committee and the Tutong District community in actively promoting tourism products and services to both local and foreign visitors.
In his speech at the launching of eight new Tutong Destination Packages, the minister also highlighted the popularity of the Tutong District among Bruneians, saying, “People come from all districts to queue as early as 6am, to buy ‘rojak’ and wrapped glutinous rice (pulut panggang).
“Other than food, we also have Tasek Merimbun here, which has been declared as one of the Asean National Heritage sites since 1984, Brunei’s largest blackwater lake with an area of 220 hectares; a refreshing waterfall at the Wasai Bedanu Recreational Park; the Batu Mapan Recreational Park; and a beautiful beach at Seri Kenangan, which is set on a sliver of land, with the South China Sea on one side and the Tutong District on the other, with arguably one of the best spots for sunsets in Brunei.
“There are many great attractions here in Tutong, which have yet to be discovered by visitors. Other than the flora and fauna that you can see in the parks and the cruise along the Tutong River, there are also interesting tales that you learn about this town when taking a city tour. In addition, you will also find a number of community-based activities.”
Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong enjoys a cruise down the Tutong River. The cruise is one of eight tour packages launched yesterday to showcase to tourists the hotspots and attractions of the Tutong DistrictDato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, launching the Tutong Destination Package promotionDato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali touring the exhibition area. – PHOTOS: DEAN KASSIM
Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali then cited the district’s leading local produce, such as the stingless bee honey from the Tasbee Meliponiculture Farm, the herbal tea of Kampong Kiudang, and the sago and virgin coconut oil from Kampong Tanjong Maya, while encouraging all those present to explore what Tutong District has to offer.
He also encouraged airlines, hotels and travel agents to collaborate with these tour product providers to add more variety and choice to their existing tour programmes.
“This is vital in making Tutong District as another main tourist destination in Brunei Darussalam,” he said.
The minister then concluded his speech on the hope that with more arrivals through chartered flights from China, and by providing exciting tour options, visitors would choose to stay longer in Brunei and further contribute to the economy.
THE Brunei Halal Showcase (BruHAS 2017) was officially launched yesterday at the BRIDEX Conference Hall in Jerudong.
Co-organised by the Energy and Industry Department at the Prime Minister’s Office and Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA), BruHAS 2017 is being held from August 23-25.
The event consists of four key activities: The Halalan Thayyiban Product and Services Expo (EKSPPHAT), the 2nd International Seminar on Halalan Thayyiban Product and Services (SAPPHAT II), BruHAS 2017 Dialogue on Halal Certificate and Halal Label Order (Amended) 2017 and Halal Logistics, and Halal Clinic.
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 launched the opening of BruHAS 2017.
In his speech, the minister congratulated and thanked UNISSA for its commitment and involvement in co-organising BruHAS 2017.
“This is the second year that it has co-hosted the seminar, further cementing the role that academic institutions can play in supporting industrial development,” he said.
“I hope this effort will continue in the years to come and I would also urge other academic institutions to collaborate more with government agencies in the national economic development agenda.
Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Awang Haji Mohammad Yasmin in conversation with exhibitors from Seri Pekatan Sdn BhdMinister 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 in a group photo with other attendees. – PHOTOS: BAHYIAH BAKIR
“Promoting Halalan Thayyiban products and services also allows us to fulfil a religious obligation or ‘Fardhu Kifayah’ to bring fairness and balance to the wider community, and share a positive image of our Islamic values,” he added.
The opening ceremony also saw welcoming remarks delivered by Dr Hajah Mas Nooraini binti Haji Mohiddin, the Co-Chairperson of the BruHAS 2017 Organising Committee and Dean of the Faculty of Syariah and Law at UNISSA.
“BruHAS 2017 is a testament of Brunei Darussalam’s effort in developing and expanding its local Halal industry,” she said.
She explained the main objectives of BruHAS are creating awareness on the development of the local Halal industry, exposure of local Halal products and services, and supporting local MSMEs in their business ventures to become internationally competitive and be a global player.
The expo, EKSPPHAT, is taking place until August 25 and features 54 participants comprising local and Brunei-based international companies from the food industry, cosmetics, modest fashion, household products and Halal service providers.
Meanwhile, the SAPPHAT II is taking place until today, and features four keynote presentations and 10 presenters sharing their experiences and information on matters related to Halalan Thayyiban.
In addition, BruHAS 2017 will also feature a dialogue on Halal Certificate and Halal Label Order (Amended) 2017 and Halal Logistics, which will take place tomorrow morning.
The BruHAS Halal Clinic is an open and interactive session for the public to enquire subjects related to Halal applications, Halal guidelines and standards, Halal investments, and Halal analysis.
Experts and officers from the Halal Food Control Division of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, UNISSA and the Halal Science and Metrology Centre of the Ministry of Health will be present to assist and give advice. Both the BruHAS 2017 Dialogue and Halal Clinic are open to public.
“We welcome participation from the public especially, so that we can further improve our effort to make the Halal industry one of the mainstays of the economy of our beloved nation, Brunei Darussalam,” added Dr Hajah Mas Nooraini.
“Insya Allah, through BruHAS 2017, Brunei Darussalam will gain further prominence as a global Halal knowledge hub and also as a major producer and supplier of Halal products and services.”
THE local Halal industry generated revenue of B$88 million by the end of 2016, according to data reported from 35 companies.
This was shared in a speech by 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 during the opening ceremony of the Brunei Halal Showcase 2017 (BruHAS 2017) at the BRIDEX Conference Hall in Jerudong yesterday.
“Alhamdulillah, we have seen growth of Brunei Darussalam’s Halal sector over the last five years. Brunei Darussalam is currently ranked 12th overall among 73 countries according to Thomson Reuters report on Global Islamic Economy 2017. This is an improvement of five places from 17th position last year,” the minister said.
He shared that this increase is attributed to the growth of Halal travel and strong performance in the Halal food ecosystem development. The Halal certification-led food product lines have also made a strong entrance in the UK market and Brunei Halal is getting due recognition as a result.
“At the end of 2016, the revenue generated by the local Halal industry was an estimated B$88 million reported from 35 companies with 835 jobs, mainly from the Halal food sector.
“I believe there are more than 35 companies in our Halal food manufacturing industry today. Hence, I encourage the Halal industry to report their data into the Business Reporting Portal to enable the government to better understand the contribution of the Halal industry to the economy and introduce appropriate strategies to develop and grow the industry further. May Allah the Almighty continue to bless Brunei with continued growth.
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 with Simpor Pharma personnel at the Brunei Halal Showcase 2017 . – BAHYIAH BAKIR
“We must also leverage on our existing Halal food and pharmaceutical industry and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and grow the sector to expand in high-value niche areas of the Halal food and pharmaceutical industry.
“The Global Halal food and lifestyle sector is slated to grow to three trillion US dollars by 2021, so we should be looking forward to allow our local MSMEs to benefit from this trend.”
The minister highlighted that ‘Halalan Thayyiban’ is a lifestyle principle that local MSMEs should be proud to hold onto. “It gives us and what we offer the unique identity of not just meeting the minimum acceptable standards according to Islamic law, but also to adhere to the Maqasid Syariah that aims to ensure the entire value chain can provide the highest standard for food that is ethical, humane, responsible and sustainable.”
This, he said, is not limited to slaughter, but ranges from ethical and sustainable farming, to transportation, slaughter, processing and logistics to provide integrity in the entire supply chain. “It is a standard that the global community, whether Muslims or non-Muslims, aspire for.”
The minister highlighted, “We must create opportunities and the ecosystem for our local MSMEs to enter into and thrive in the Halal sector – through improving efficiency of obtaining Brunei Halal certifications, generating awareness of reaching the standards to obtain certification and creating collaboration between our MSMEs and foreign direct investments (FDIs) in the Halal sector so that our MSMEs can benefit from international support and economic spin-offs from the FDI activities.”
Elaborating further, he shared, “First of all, from the government’s and regulator’s perspective, it is our duty that MSMEs and the public are able to understand and access information on Halal certifications, guidelines, and standards, while also making the process efficient, clear and convenient.”
Over the past year, the government has reduced the time taken to obtain Halal certification of food products from more than six months to 45 calendar days, he noted.
“We must now aim to certify in less than half of this time while maintaining the efficiency and transparency of the process. The government will also continue to conduct dialogues and socialisation of Halal Certificate and Halal Label Order (Amended) 2017 to raise awareness and listen to feedback from businesses and the public.”
Twelve such dialogues were conducted throughout the country, and the minister asserted that the issues raised by businesses and consumers must be addressed in a timely and efficient manner.
“Secondly, we must ensure that foreign direct investment companies and government-linked companies (GLCs) in the Halal sector provide necessary support to our local MSMEs.”
As examples, he noted Simpor Pharma, an FDI manufacturing facility producing Syariah-compliant pharmaceutical products; Ghanim International Corporation Sdn Bhd, a GLC for marketing and branding Halal food products at home and overseas; as well as Western Foods and Packaging Sdn Bhd, a plant for palm oil refining and manufacturer of industrial margarine.
“I urge our local MSMEs to make full use of them, either to manufacture, brand, market and distribute their products in the domestic, regional and global markets.”
The minister said that FDI companies will continue to remain an important source of expertise, resources and international networks to expand the market reach of Brunei Darussalam’s Halal sector, adding that they are also an important source of employment for the sector.
He shared the examples of two FDI companies that are expected to begin operating by the end of 2017 – Western Foods and Packaging Sdn Bhd as well as Saahtain Foods, producer of ready-to-eat meals – that are expected to generate 132 jobs in their operational phase.
Touching on future diversification, the minister affirmed, “Looking ahead, we must continuously think of other opportunities to ensure the competitiveness and sustainability of our Halal sector. This means finding areas where Halalan Thayyiban principles will continue to be relevant to current and future international consumer trends.
“There are many untapped sectors outside food and pharmaceutical sectors. There are opportunities in the logistics, technology, financial, education, tourism, and business sectors that can all be enhanced through the Halalan Thayyiban principle,” he continued.
“With that in mind, I would urge our local entrepreneurs to reflect on this and also invite FDIs to explore these opportunities. This is also in line with long-term economic diversification efforts of the nation.
“Thus, we encourage nurturing our best and brightest minds to take a multi-disciplinary approach to both understand essential Islamic values and gain technical knowledge across various fields. We see our local academic institutions, such as UNISSA, as one of the keys to realising this.”
THE Brunei Darussalam National Athletics team made more history after setting a new national record with a time of 40.21s in the 4x100m finals in the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium yesterday.
The national team involving Abdul Rahim Abdullah, Md Noor Firdaus Ar-rasyid Haji Md Idris, Md Faaizul Abdullah and Md Fakhri Ismail shattered their own record which they set at the Singapore Open last April which was a time of 40.92s.
The national quartet now shaved the national record twice in the space of two years having also revised the time in the last edition in Singapore.
Brunei ended in fifth place ahead of Singapore who had a quicker national record and Laos as Thailand successfully retained their title with a new SEA Games record of 38.90s eclipsing the old mark of 38.95s.
The incredulity to Thailand’s accomplishment of posting a magnificent time yielded a profound effect as it forced countries to set new national records including four others in the process.
Indonesia settled for silver with a time of 39.05 while Philippines claimed bronze with a time of 39.11s. Malaysia finished fourth with a time of 39.27s.
The Brunei Darussalam National Athletics team. – FADHIL YUNUS
Philippines was backed with a formidable squad with current 200m and 400m winner Trenten Anthony Beram and multiple SEA Games winner Eric Shauwn Cray in their ranks.
However, it was Thailand who was the team to beat at the start who extended their dominance in the discipline – their sixth in the last seven editions.
The Thais has only missed out on SEA Games gold in the 4x100m relay in 2011 in recent history.
Philippines’s Anfernee Lopena was off to a good start only to be matched by Thailand’s Kristada Namsuwun’s whose opening leg the catalyst of them taking to the front of the queue.
The Thai sprinter handed the baton to Bandit Chuangchai who was eating up the back straight and was added pressure by a Laotian runner.
At this juncture, Indonesia was also establishing themselves among the pack and got into medal position and on contrast the hosts was off the pace.
Indonesia and Thailand were challenging the gold in the home front as Jaran Satnoengram provided the acceleration to bring his team onto dreamland.
The seven teams were setting their sights on the SEA Games record and the Asian record as they looked to forge their name among the record books.
THE National Karate team received a warm welcome yesterday at the Arrival Hall of the Brunei International Airport, after they claimed the bronze medal at the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur.
Welcoming the contingent was Haji Noor Jusmin bin Haji Abdul Samad, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, who also presented the congratulatory sashes on the female Kata trio comprising Amirah Syahidah binti Abdul Rahim, Aufa Bazilah binti Abdul Razak and Wahidah binti Kamarul Zaman.
Also present were senior officers of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.
Amirah Syahidah said that the team was happy and proud to bring home the medals.
“We were nervous but all our effort and hard work paid off,” she added.
The team won bronze alongside Indonesia in the Female Team Kata after they lost 5-0 in the semifinals against Vietnam, who claimed top prize after beating Malaysia 3-2.
Haji Noor Jusmin bin Haji Abdul Samad, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, presenting the congratulatory sashes on the female Kata trioThe National Karate team in a group photo. – PHOTOS: ABDUL HAKIIM YAKOF
BRUNEI Darussalam’s trio of Ampuan Ahad bin Ampuan Kasim, Haji Naim bin Brahim and Pengiran Haji Tengah bin Pengiran Haji Tejudin bagged a silver medal in the Men’s Triples at the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games at the National Lawn Bowls Centre, Bukit Kiara in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
The national lawn bowlers fell to a 19-9 defeat to Malaysia’s trio of Mohamad Fairus bin Abdul Jabal, Mohd Amir bin Mohammed Yusof and Mohammad Syamil Syazwan bin Ramli in the final.
Thailand trio of Wattana Kadkhunthod, Anan Naksaray and Thanakrit Thammasarn claimed bronze.
The lawn bowlers’ validated confirmation that the country has bettered their overall performance compared to the previous edition in Singapore after tallying two silver and six bronze with five competition days to spare.
“During the early stages of the game, we were a stretched out a little bit but we bounced back and closed down their score,” said Pengiran Haji Tengah in an interview.
The national lawn bowler said that they were only expecting to win bronze before admitting that Malaysia were the favourites to win gold.
The male National Lawn Bowls team with their silver medals. – FADHIL YUNUSThe female National Lawn Bowls team with their bronze medals. – INFOFOTO
The national trio had to concede defeat after 17 ends with two ends to go because they were not able to chase the points Malaysia had built though Naim showcased a good level of play.
“We are very blessed and privileged to reach the final,” concluded the national lawn bowler.
His team-mate Ampuan Ahad was nearly in tears following their excellent journey and remarkable effort towards reaching the final.
“We’re extremely honoured to reach the semi-finals and winning silver today. The three of us made history,” he said.
The national lawn bowler dedicated the victory to the Brunei supporters both at home and those who have made the trip to Malaysia.
Their final result was an improvement compared to their first meeting in the preliminary rounds when the national trio lost to the hosts 27-7.
Brunei recorded two out of three victories in the preliminary rounds after edging Thailand 19-17 and defeating Philippines 16-12.
Meanwhile, the female National Lawn Bowls team comprising Hajah Ajijah binti Muntol, Norafizah binti Matossen and Suhana binti Md Daud added bronze to the country’s haul in lawn bowls after beating Thailand in the Women’s Triples event.
Presenting the medals was Malaysia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Khairy Jamaluddin.
The national lawn bowlers’ silver success marked the second time that the nation has achieved the medal colour in this edition after the heroics of Basma Lachkar in wushu.
COMMANDER of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah yesterday received a courtesy call from Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Murray, Commander of the British Forces Brunei and Commanding Officer of the Second Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles.
During the courtesy call held at the Ministry of Defence in Bolkiah Garrison, the RBAF Commander congratulated Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Murray on his recent appointment as the Commander of the British Forces Brunei and Commanding Officer of the Second Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles.
Both sides commended the longstanding military-to-military interactions between Brunei Darussalam and the United Kingdom. These interactions of various scopes have been instrumental in forging closer rapport and trust between both militaries.
Both sides looked forward to continuing the legacy of cooperation between the two armed forces.
Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah with Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Murray, Commander of the British Forces Brunei and Commanding Officer of the Second Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles during the courtesy call. – MINDEF
BANGKOK Hospital, a leading healthcare facility in Thailand, has appointed Grace Travel Agency as its Brunei service centre.
The official announcement in this regard was made during a press conference held at the Emperor’s Court in Hua Ho Manggis Mall last night.
Present during the event were Biravij Suwanpradhes, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Brunei Darussalam; Ralf Krewer, International Marketing Director at Bangkok Hospital; and Calvin Goh, Manager of Grace Travel Agency Sdn Bhd.
The press conference began with welcoming remarks by Calvin Goh, followed by a presentation on the background, services and facilities offered at Bangkok Hospital by Ralf Krewer. The guests then posed for a group photo with Biravij Suwanpradhes (see photo).
As of July 12, Grace Travel Agency has acted as Bangkok Hospital’s local representative in promoting hospital services such as patient referral, providing information and assisting in any logistical matters in Brunei.
– PHOTO: ABDUL HAKIIM YAKOF
Bangkok Hospital, part of Bangkok Dusit Medical Services (BDMS), one of the largest privately-owned hospital groups in Southeast Asia, was established in 1972 as one of the first private hospitals in Thailand and has expanded operations to become a tertiary care facility with dedicated hospitals for cancer and cardiology.
With three hospitals, 35 medical centres and 27 specialised clinics, Bangkok Hospital offers the full spectrum of diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitation facilities in addition to translation services in 32 languages.
The hospital has received Joint Commission International’s (JCI) Disease or Condition-Specific Certification (DCSC) in the areas of acute coronary syndrome, heart failure programme, breast cancer conserving therapy programme and primary stroke centre.
The hospital has also received accreditations from the Hospital Accreditation (HA) of Thailand, European Air Medical Institute (EURAMI) and Telemedicine for the Mobile Society (TEMOS).
TELEKOM Brunei Berhad (TelBru)has announced its milestone success in connecting a majority of its client base to the company’s Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) network, bringing the country closer to a full overhaul of its Internet infrastructure from old copper connections, a press release stated.
Since undergoing transformation in 2013 that witnessed intense strategic planning to better equip Brunei to facilitate multi-faceted aspects of day-to-day living and operations that rely on quality Internet connection, 80 per cent of TelBru’s subscribers are now reaping the benefits of high speed Internet access.
With FTTH customers now receiving at least 10Mbps based on TelBru’s minimum bandwidth package, Brunei is now poised to efficiently implement the Internet of Things (IoT) initiative that requires fast Internet connectivity that has potential applications in fields such as education, health, transportation, finance, resource conservation as well as, among others, for the home.
In the four years since introducing high speed broadband, the company has seen an uptake in its services with many either opting for, or migrating to, TelBru’s 15Mbps broadband package.
These Volume Based Broadband (VBB) packages were revamped to increase the minimum bandwidth speed from 1Mbps to 10Mbps and with infrastructure that can withstand higher capacities, TelBru has the capability to offer 2.5Gbps should clients require such an arrangement, whilst 10Gbps ports have already undergone testing.
With roll-outs still underway, the remaining 20 per cent of TelBru’s clients still on copper will eventually be connected to fibre or alternative technology that can deliver high-speed Internet similar to available infrastructure for Brunei’s Water Village that utilises Fixed Wireless Broadband.
As part of the company’s proactive endeavour to connect strategic areas that aims to benefit residents and business customers, several areas are currently in the planning stages of fibre connectivity of which includes the up and coming Pulau Muara Besar that will benefit from dependable Internet access, while areas such as pre-existing housing projects including Bukit Beruang and Meragang are currently being fitted with FTTH networks.
Additionally, the recently completed Lugu housing area is undergoing preparations for FTTH as TelBru continues to meet residential requirements for data.
Moving forward, TelBru will continue to keep abreast with the country’s needs in line with the company’s responsibility towards nurturing a tech-savvy population as outlined in Brunei Vision 2035.
YAYASAN Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (Yayasan) handed over donations totalling $23,100 yesterday to several families in different locations in the Brunei-Muara District whose homes were affected in recent fire incidents.
Dato Paduka Eddie bin Dato Paduka Haji Sunny, Managing Director of Yayasan first handed over the donations to three families who were affected by a recent fire in Kampong Bakut Siraja Muda ‘A’ in Kampong Ayer. The presentation was held at the residence of Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Ismit bin Pengarah Mukim Haji Naim, the Penghulu of Mukim Peramu.
Dato Paduka Eddie later visited the homes of fire victims in RPN Kampong Rimba and RPN Kampong Lambak Kanan, and presented the donations to them.
As a charitable body concerned with the welfare of the people, it is part of Yayasan’s mission to support those affected by unfortunate incidents such as fires in the hope that the assistance will help alleviate some of their burdens.
Photos above & below show Dato Paduka Eddie bin Dato Paduka Haji Sunny, Managing Director of Yayasan handing over donations to families affected in recent fire incidents. – PHOTOS: HAKIM HAYAT
Dato Paduka Eddie taking a closer look at the site of the recent fire that gutted the house of one of the donation recipients
THE Minister of Health, Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Zulkarnain bin Haji Hanafi, attended ‘The “Belt and Road” High Level Meeting For Health Cooperation: Towards A Health Silk Road’ in Beijing, China from August 18-20.
The meeting themed ‘Build Health Belt and Road, Share Health Development’ is one of the agenda in the ‘Belt and Road’ Initiatives introduced by the President of the People’s Republic of China in 2013.
The initiative brings together more than 60 countries from Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa along the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Maritimes Silk Road (the ‘Belt and Road’), according to a press release.
It is an effort to develop the global economy and connectivity in areas such as trade, infrastructure, finance, investment, culture and education among the Belt and Road countries, the release said.
The forum convened health ministers, senior officials, representatives from international health bodies, scholars and delegates of health industries to further facilitate and strengthen health cooperation among the countries.
?The Minister of Health, Dato Seri Setia? Dr Hj Zulkarnain Hj Hanafi. – FILE PHOTO
With the vision ‘Towards a Health Silk Road’, China and all the countries involved have plans of cooperating in several health priority areas, including prevention and control of infectious disease, healthcare capacity building, personnel training, and exchange and promotion of traditional medicine.
In the plenary session, Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Zulkarnain expressed Brunei Darussalam’s firm support for the framework of the ‘Belt and Road’ Initiatives for Health Cooperation. He stated that the initiative plays an important role as a common platform to find solutions in addressing health issues.
The minister also shared that the Health Silk Road can achieve its aspiration of building sustainable development through a holistic approach which emphasises on the ‘Health is everyone’s business’ agenda. This can be reached through engagement between the health system and the wider community through multi-sectoral collaborations that deliver behavioural change at the population level.
The Brunei delegation had the opportunity to meet the Vice-Premier of China, Liu Yan Dong and China’s Minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, Li Bin. The meetings discussed bilateral cooperation and matters contributing towards continuous improvement of healthcare delivery through collaborative projects between Brunei Darussalam and the People’s Republic of China.
The delegation also had a bilateral meeting with the Director-General of World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to discuss current health policy issues.
The programme of the ‘Belt and Road’ Forum for Health Cooperation included thematic sessions which discussed vaccine safety, maternal and child health nutrition and the importance towards global sustainable health development, innovation-driven sustainable health development and hospital cooperation.
The delegation also attended roundtable discussions on matters surrounding the International Accre-ditation and Supervision, International Investment and Trade, Global Health Youth Leaders and the importance of exercise in people’s lifestyle. During the sessions, the delegates shared Brunei Darussalam’s experiences with the rest of the participants.
As part of the programme, the Brunei Darussalam delegation also made working visits to the China Health Industry Expo, and several healthcare institutions in Beijing including the China National Pharmaceutical Group Corporation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, General Electric (GE) Healthcare, Zhongguancun life science park and medical imaging companies.
THE hydrogenation plant which is being built in Brunei Darussalam as part of the world’s first Global Hydrogen Supply Chain Demonstration Project will fuel cars used during the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
Plans are also in place for expanding it into a commercial plant going forward, said Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Awang Haji Mohammad Yasmin bin Haji Umar, the Minister of Energy and Industry at the Prime Minister’s Office, in an interview with the Weekend Bulletin recently.
“This is basically a plant that will produce hydrogen, and hydrogen will be the fuel for the future, because hydrogen fuel is zero emission. There is no carbon at all.”
He said that prior to this project there hadn’t been a medium to ship hydrogen. “A breakthrough only came a few years ago and now we have material that we can use on-board a tanker and with this material, you can transport the hydrogen.”
It was also shared that the hydrogenation plant is being set up at the Sungai Liang Industrial Park (SPARK), and that initially the plant will have around 50 operators – engineering, technicians, etc. Going forward, there are also plans to expand the plant into a commercial plant.
“In the future, people will not only use hydrogen for fuel of the car, they can also use it for electrical power, because it is a small system and it is very clean,” he added.
The minister first announced the project while delivering a keynote address at the First East Asia Energy Forum in Bohol, the Philippines earlier this month.
Concept art of the Brunei Hydrogen Production & Hydrogenation PlantMinister 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. – PHOTOS: BAHYIAH BAKIR
In his keynote address, the minister shared that under the first Hydrogen Supply Chain Demonstration Project, liquefied hydrogen will be transported from Brunei Darussalam to Japan to fuel the cars used during the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
In a recent press release, four companies – Chiyoda Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsui & Co Ltd; and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha – announced the creation of the Advanced Hydrogen Energy Chain Association for Technology Development (AHEAD) and the launch of the world’s first Global Hydrogen Supply Chain Demonstration Project.
The project, a subsidised ‘Technology Development Project to establish Hydrogen Society/Technology Development for the Utilisation of Large Scale Hydrogen Energy’, is funded by the National Research and Development Agency, the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation, and demonstrates ‘The Hydrogen Supply Chain utilising the Organic Chemical Hydride Method’.
The press release shared a project outline, under which the project is described as the construction of a Global Hydrogen Supply Chain Demonstration Plant comprising a hydrogenation plant in Brunei Darussalam and a Dehydrogenation Plant in Kawasaki’s coastal region of Japan using Chiyoda’s SPERA Hydrogen Technology.
Hydrogen will be procured in Brunei and transported by ship to Kawasaki, Japan in liquid form at ambient temperature and pressure. Hydrogen gas will then be extracted from the liquid in Kawasaki and supplied to consumers.
The project scale involves the supply of 210 tonnes (max) of Hydrogen in 2020, equivalent to filling 40,000 fuel cell vehicles. In terms of supply, hydrogen will be produced by Steam Reforming from the processed gas derived from the Natural Gas Liquefaction Plant of Brunei LNG Sdn Bhd.
It was mentioned that construction will take place from August 2017 to December 2019, and operation will be from January – December 2020.
The project will be constructed considering Phase II of the ‘Strategic Road Map for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells’, issued by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) in 2014 and revised in 2016, and aims to realise Global Hydrogen Transport and Supply Technology for full-scale Hydrogen Power Generation around 2030.
“This hydrogen demo project is a stepping stone for commercialisation of projects post 2020,” the press release said.
The technology utilises hydrogen for emission free power generation, which can contribute to fulfil the December 2015 COP21 Paris Agreement requiring greenhouse gas reductions to combat global warming.
ACCORDING to findings of a study by the Language and Literature Bureau (DBP), 50.5 per cent of the public in Brunei communicates in Malay Language at home.
Only 31.5 per cent of them use it to speak with friends and 38.8 per cent converse in the country’s official language at workplace, the study has found.
The research also showed a drastic drop in the use of Malay Language among secondary school students. Only 48.6 per cent of them use it at home while 38.8 per cent communicate with friends in Malay Language and 43.7 per cent speak it at school.
However, the survey also indicated that 82.2 per cent of primary school students communicate in Malay Language at home. Malay Language is the favourite of 80.3 per cent of them when conversing with friends while 62.1 per cent speak it at school.
The survey, carried out from November 2016 to May 2017, involved as respondents more than 1,000 primary students, some 1,600 secondary school and college students and 500 members of the public.
The study aimed to find out the level of Malay Language usage among citizens of the country.
The survey found that 71.9 per cent primary school respondents prefer to read Malay language mass media materials, however only 39.4 per cent watch Malay TV programmes and 52.2 per cent listen to Malay radio channels.
According to the findings, 53.6 per cent secondary students read Malay Language materials while a meagre 8.3 per cent watch Malay TV programmes and 27.3 per cent listen to Malay radio channels.
Some 65.9 per cent of the general public reads Malay media materials, but only 15.6 per cent of them watch Malay TV programmes and 36 per cent listen to Malay radio channels.
According to Hajah Sariani binti Haji Ishak, Acting Deputy Director of DBP, “The findings show primary students are still utilising Malay Language, however at the secondary level, its usage has dropped, and at the community level, less people are using the Malay Language.”
Overall, she said, the use of Malay Language is disappointing because many people are using a ‘Rojak’ language – meaning a mix of Malay and English languages.
In a test of 50 Brunei Malay words, held as part of the survey, a majority of the members of the public were found to be well versed in Malay Language.
Most respondents opined that the community needs to prioritise the use of Malay Language and to preserve it.
BARELY minutes after Pan Bright Travel Service opened the booths at the Brunei Travel Fair 2017 yesterday its agents found a long queue of people waiting for their turns to grab the best prices for their travel packages.
Pan Bright Sales and Business Development Manager, Nur Khadijah binti Abdullah said, “Our agents were into the job as soon as we opened our booths following the launching.”
As in the previous years, Pan Bright has occupied four booths out of the 50 to ensure that the visitors get the best service.
“Our first day at the fair has been good and I would like to extend my appreciation to our visitors and customers alike for the tremendous support they have given. For those who missed the opportunity to visit the fair today please come tomorrow as seats are running out fast,” said Nur Khadijah.
Apart from the promotional fare to several destinations, Pan Bright is also offering travel packages for Australia, Cambodia, China, Maldives, Thailand, Vietnam, New Zealand, Indonesia, Dubai, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and Europe.
Participants at the event. – BAHYIAH BAKIR
Among the attractions are packages suited for honeymooners such as the 4D3N Paradise Island Resort & Spa or Olhuweli Beach & Spa, 3D2N Phuket Free & Easy or the number of Bali packages such as the Bali Delight Tour or the Bali Dolphin Tour.
General Manager Johnnie Cheong, meanwhile, noted that an additional attraction is the ‘Travel & Win a Hyundai or a Birkin’ promotion which marks its 4th year in a row.
“One lucky winner will once again have the choice of driving away a brand new Hyundai car or bring home an exclusive Hermès Birkin bag as the grand prize,” he added.
Customers just need to spend BND200 on any travel-related product or service to participate in the lucky draw.
TAIWAN is looking at bringing back direct flights between Brunei and Taiwan.
This was stated by William Lin, the representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Brunei Darussalam, during a reception at the Orchid Garden Hotel recently.
The event was hosted by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s Kuala Lumpur office for local travel agents to discuss the promotion of Brunei-Taiwan tourism.
Lin added that direct flights were available from Taiwan to Brunei from 1996 to 2004.
Lin said one of his main missions in the country is to promote tourist arrivals from Taiwan through the resumption of direct flights.
“The six top destinations in the region for Taiwanese tourists are Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia, with two-way tourism for all these countries totalling four million people. If we can contribute just one per cent of four million visitors for Brunei-Taiwan tourism – 40,000 people – with the return of Brunei-Taiwan direct flights, that would be great,” said Lin.
William Lin, the representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Brunei Darussalam, speaking at the event. – JAMES KON
Lin arrived in Brunei Darussalam in May this year to enhance bilateral ties between Brunei Darussalam and Taiwan.
He shared how a group comprising 30 Taiwanese tourists was impressed with the ecotourism attractions in Temburong during their recent visit to Brunei, adding that they also enjoyed a round of golf at The Empire Hotel & Country Club.
However, the group lamented the need to make a transit stop before arriving in Brunei, taking nine hours before reaching their destination, and expressed their hope to see the return of direct flights between the two countries.
Tony Wu, Director of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s Kuala Lumpur office also deli-vered a presentation showcasing Taiwan’s attractions to local travel and tour agents.
THE 8th Asean Scout Association for Regional Cooperation (ASARC) meeting was held yesterday at the Brunei Darussalam Scouts Headquarters in Jalan Gadong, Bandar Seri Begawan.
The latest meeting was attended by scout representatives from eight countries – Brunei Darussalam (as the host), Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam.
Attendees included the Scout Chief Commissioner and International Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam; ASARC Chairman, Atty Wendel E Avisado of Boy Scouts of Philippines; ASARC Secretary General, Dr Mohd Effendy bin Rajab of the Singapore Scout Association; ASARC 1st Deputy Secretary General, Brata Tyrana Hardjosubroto of the Indonesian Scout Movement; and Deputy Secretary of State Agong 2 ASARC, Rajalingam Ramasamy from the Malaysian Scouts Association.
A number of issues were discussed during the meeting.
Among them were the confirmations of minutes of meetings from the last ASARC gathering in Jakarta, Indonesia on August 13 last year; the ASARC Accreditation Approval with the Asean Secretariat; the 6th Asean Scout Jamboree in Tagum City, Davao, Philippines from November 27 to December 2, 2017; as well as the confirmation of membership of the National OrganiSation of Vietnam Scouts.
A group photo of the ASARC delegates. – ACHONG TANJONG
Members of the delegation were also brought to the Brunei Darussalam Scouts Association Project at KM 12, Liang-Labi Road in Kampung Sungai Mau, the Belait District to survey a four-hectare tree-planting area initiated by the Brunei Darussalam Scouts Association in 2008.
While there, the delegates got the opportunity to plant Tulung and Kapur trees (also known by the botanical name Dryobalanops aromatica Gaertn) to mark the occasion of the first ASARC meeting in Brunei.
The Asean Scout Association for Regional Cooperation was declared and officially established on September 5, 2007 in Kuala Lumpur during the 1st Asean Scout Conference.
The ASARC aims to uphold Asean’s spirit of enhancing friendship and brotherhood, as well as fostering cooperation among the various scouts associations in Asean.
