|     Hakim Hayat     |

PREPARATIONS are in full swing for the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) to officially mark its 56th anniversary this year with a grand parade on September 17 at the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) Base in Muara.

Held in lieu of its actual date on May 31, which occurred during the month of Ramadhan, the grand parade will feature all units of the RBAF coming together in a military display of its capabilities and solidarity.

In the run-up to the celebrations that will also be open to members of the public, around 200 posters to promote and mark the occasion were distributed to representatives from government ministries and departments in a ceremony held yesterday at the RBN Training Centre in Muara.

The RBAF received 200 posters that were published by the Information Department, Prime Minister’s Office, in collaboration with the Public Relations Unit (PRU) of the Ministry of Defence (MinDef).

The Deputy Commander of the RBN, Captain Haji Othman bin Haji Suhaili @ Suhaily, who is also Chairman of the RBAF’s 56th Anniversary Executive Committee, said that their 56th anniversary theme is in line with that of this 33rd National Day celebration this year – ‘Together in Making the National Vision a Success’.

According to Captain Haji Othman, the theme symbolises the RBAF’s commitment as the country’s main pillar in security and defence, while upholding the National Vision of 2035 through the continuous expansion, development and enhancement of the forces’ capabilities and professionalism, for the good of country’s development.

The anniversary posters were handed over by Lieutenant Commander Norharirayati bintiYakub, a MinDef spokesperson and Chairwoman of the RBN poster distribution ceremony, to Captain Haji Othman, who later presented them to the public relations officers, representatives of government ministries and departments, and representatives from all units under the RBAF, as well as from the Brunei Darussalam Ex-Army Association (PBPNBD).

The distribution of posters was intended to create more awareness among the general public on the 56th RBAF anniversary celebrations.

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|     James Kon     |

THIRTY Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) personnel were officially deployed on a peacekeeping mission to Lebanon under the United Nations Interim Force (UNIFIL) following a send-off ceremony held yesterday morning at Bolkiah Garrison.

The RBAF peacekeepers will be joining troops from Malaysia and operate under the command of Malaysian Battalion 850-5 (MALBATT 850-5).

During the ceremony, RBAF Commander Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah presented the national flag to the Head of the RBAF UNIFIL contingent, Major Khairul Azme bin Haji Mohidin, before being introduced to rest of the peacekeeping force.

Major Khairul Azme in an interview said, “As the Head of the UNIFIL contingent of RBAF this year, I hope that members of the contingent will work together with the Malaysian Battalion to carry out our mission successfully.

“We are flying the flag of Brunei Darussalam, RBAF and the UNIFIL, and we will do our best throughout the duration of this mission. The biggest challenge is leaving our families behind for a year.”

Also present at the ceremony were Captain (Rtd) Dato Paduka Abdul Rahman bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence; Datuk Ghulam Jelani bin Khanizaman, High Commissioner of Malaysia to Brunei Darussalam; service commanders; as well as members of the defence executive committee, military and civilian directors, commandants, and senior RBAF officers.

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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 match of the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur, held at the Equestrian Park Putrajaya between Brunei Darussalam and Singapore.

His Majesty was greeted upon arrival at the Equestrian Park Putrajaya by Dato Mohd Moiz bin Jabir Mohd Ali Muiz, President of Royal Malaysia Polo Association and later watched the polo match between Brunei Darussalam and Singapore.

Among the players participating for the Brunei Darussalam polo team were His Majesty’s children – His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen and Her Royal Highness Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah.

Present to watch the tournament were His Majesty’s brothers – His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah, President of the Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council; and His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah, Manager of the polo team.

In the match, Brunei team defeated the Singapore team by 10-8 in Four Chukka to win the bronze medal.

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

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|     Fadhil Yunus     |

BRUNEI Darussalam’s national sepak takraw team snatched the bronze medal in the Men’s Regu event in the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games at the Titiwangsa Stadium yesterday.

The national team shared joint bronze with Laos after finishing the round robin stage in 4th place despite losing in straight sets to Malaysia, Laos and Philippines.

The team’s bronze was the nation’s 14th overall in this year’s SEA Games.

The sepak takraw players added a medal to the nation’s haul in the penultimate day of the multi-sporting showpiece following Norleyermah Haji Raya’s silver success in pencak silat.

Malaysia won gold after beating Philippines in straight sets 25-23 21-13 in the final with the latter settling for silver.

Philippines and Malaysia entered the final stage with an identical 3-0 record and the first set could have gone either way but it was Malaysia that prevailed in a see-saw battle.

In the second set, the Malaysian attacker was too hot to handle for the Filipino spikers and comfortably closed out the match.

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|     Fadhil Yunus     |

BRUNEI Darussalam’s national pencak silat athlete Norleyermah Haji Raya bagged the silver medal in the Seni/Artistry Single Female event after registering 455 points in the final of the Seni/Artistry Single Female event in the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games at the Juara Stadium Bukit Kiara yesterday.

The national athlete entered medal contention after progressing to the final with 450 points in Pool ‘B’ in third place with the competitor recording the lowest score eliminated from the competition.

The result represented Brunei’s fifth silver medal in this year’s SEA Games and their 13th overall.

Norleyermah emulated the accomplishments of Basma Lachkar in wushu and Amaliah Matali in lawn bowls in winning silver in an individual event for the country.

With pencak silat originally scheduled at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, the sport garnered enormous attention to an extent that organisers had to move it to a larger venue.

An athlete is allowed to utilise space in the whole arena being the two circles but they are not meant to leave the outer circle when they are performing.

There is a grace period in the duration allowed for each competitor which is between 2:55s and 3:05s with the beating of the gong signaling the end of every performance.

The event will not feature any actual combat but weapons will be used with the competitors expressing their combat skills purely for the benefit of the judges and the crowd.

Indonesia’s Puspa Arumsari and Singapore’s Nurzuhairah Mohammad Yazid were locked in the battle for silver at the end of the pool stage.

Nurzuhairah stepped up her game and snatched gold with 463 points while Puspa claimed bronze with a score of 447 points.

Thailand’s Salini Mamu spectacularly missed out of a place in the podium despite qualifying with the highest score of 462 points in Pool ‘B’.

It was a very technically accomplished performance from Thailand’s Salini Mamu in the pool stage whose score was leaning in towards 97 to 98 points in terms of correctness.

The athlete received favourable scores highlighted by her ability and good use of the weapons and was very expressive.

At that time, it appeared that the Malaysian hope Nur Atikah Alias was distanced from her opponents with Salini’s display benefitted from the good Thai contingent from the crowd.

Puspa was expected to come in as the cream of the crop in Pool ‘B’ and had come in level with Nurzuhairah after her performance.

Puspa and Nurzuhairah finished their respective pools in silver medal contention and two points trailing leader Salini Mamu of Thailand who was in gold medal position.

As the second competitor from Pool ‘B’, Norleyermah saluted the judges, strode to the middle of the arena and composed herself for her three-minute routine.

With Norleyermah discovering her fate, the board read a score of 454 for Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Thuy, six behind Puspa Arumsari and looked to be in contention of sealing progress to the next round.

The top three from each pool advanced to the final with Nur Atikah Alias confirmed elimination from Pool ‘A’.

Laos’ Vilaysack Tunee’s performance was just inside the limit with a time of 3.03s which illustrated the fact that she was just a little way behind to her competitors.

Her routine was slightly too long and not quite crisp enough though it was still a good performance.

She ran a little long when she was taking and replacing the two weapons including the golok and the tongkat who did not quite have the precision of movement.

Unfortunately, little mistakes cost Vilaysack dearly as her low score of 443 confirmed her joining Noratiqah towards the exit door.

With Vilaysack’s result, Norleyermah confirmed her place in the finals and into medal contention in the Seni/Artistry Single Female event and joined Puspa and Nguyen.

The trio joined Cherry May Regalado of the Philippines, Nurzuhairah and Salini from Pool ‘A’ in the final.

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|     Fadhil Yunus     |

BRUNEI Darussalam’s national polo team which featured His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen and Her Royal Highness Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah was awarded the bronze medal during the Victory Ceremony for Polo in the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games at the Putrajaya Equestrian Park yesterday.

The national polo team created history after winning the subsidiary final against Singapore 10-8 to win bronze in their debut despite their rivals winning against them 8-5 in the group stage.

The national team has beaten a Singapore team armed with experience in the competition despite returning from a 10 years hiatus when they were silver medallists.

It was a tense affair during the bronze medal playoff with both sides locked at 3-3 at the end of the first chukka before Brunei extended their lead in the next chukka.

The national team was also inspired by an excellent individual display from Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Muda Bahar after contributing eight of the 10 goals with Huzaimi Mahari adding two goals.

Malaysia secured the gold medal after beating Thailand 9-8 in a tightly contested encounter 10 years after winning the title.

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|     Daniel Lim     |

THE National Finals for the Institution of Engineer-ing and Technology’s (IET) Faraday Do-It-Yourself ‘Mission to Mars’ Challenge was recently held at the Times Square Shopping Centre in Berakas.

Organised by IET in collaboration with the Oil and Gas Discovery Centre (OGDC), the finals saw six teams – which qualified from a preliminary round of 12 teams – comprising 36 students from six different schools competing against each other.

The competition was won by students from Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College (Maktab Sains), who received a B$1,000 prize, a desktop computer, and certificates.

Finishing in second place was Seri Mulia Sarjana School, while third place went to Chung Hua Middle School (CHMS) Kuala Belait, each receiving $500 and $300.

In the finals, students research, design and produce prototype solutions to genuinely tough engineering problems they encountered in the previous challenges, which falls in line with IET Brunei’s vision of promoting the general advancement of science, engineering and technology and to facilitate the exchange of information and ideas on these subjects among the public, especially students.

The challenge also developed the students’ problem solving, team working and communication skills, as well as providing an opportunity for the students to put into practice the theories of the subjects they love.

The prizes were presented by IET Brunei Darussalam Chairperson for the 2014-2017 session, Simon Leong Kian Ann, and OGDC’s Science Communicator, Albert Chang Yew En.

The students were given a number of challenges and tasks in the finals: designing and building of a suitable mechanical claw to lift/extract “minerals” from a mock Mars surface area; designing and building a non-motorised transport system with lightings to transport the “mineral” samples back to the rocket; designing and building a rocket with sufficient payload to bring the samples back to Earth; and a demonstration of the prototypes.

The exercise was designed to give the students an insight into the roles and responsibilities of an engineering team, giving them the chance to demonstrate their technical abilities not only by creating their own prototypes, but also to justify their ideas, costs and implementation plans to the judges.

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|     Abdul Hakiim Yakof     |

A GRADUATION ceremony to honour 649 students from Laksamana College of Business (LCB) in Business, Hospitality and Computing and Survey Development courses was held last night at Songket Ballroom of The Rizqun International Hotel in Gadong.

The evening session, for University of Chester UK degree students, was graced upon by the guest of honour, Minister of Education, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman.

Other dignitaries at the ceremony included British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam, Richard Lindsay; Pro Vice Chancellor of Chester University, Dr Chris Haslam; Chairman of Kensington College of Business, London (KCB), Dr Lawrence Watson; Principal and Director of KCB and LCB, Ian Pirie; Director of LCB, Haji Suhaimei bin Haji Besar; and Chief Operating Officer/Deputy Principal, Sivarajah Subramaniam.

The graduation ceremony commenced with a recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah by Ahmad Shafiq bin Haji Osman and followed by welcoming speeches by the Principal of Kensington College of Business Laksaman College of Business, Ian Pirie; High Commissioner Richard Lindsay and the Minister of Education.

In his speech, the minister said that LCB has been dedicated to providing quality education to Bruneians for the past 14 years, and continues to support the country’s needs by offering relevant programmes and developing the country’s future workforce, in addition to offering programmes relevant to the needs of industry in Brunei Darussalam.

“An institution of higher learning should continuously strive to improve the quality of the programmes offered, including collaborative programmes with institutions abroad, by increasing its institutional reputation locally and internationally. I am happy to note that LCB has alumni who have graduated from top universities like the London School of Economics, and other universities in the UK such as Aston University, University of South Wales, Keele University and a student who has completed her doctorate degree at Surrey University. Congratulations, I hope to hear more of such success stories.

“On that note, I wish to reiterate the government’s emphasis on quality, and urge LCB to continue with its mission to enhance the quality of its education, by partnering with reputable universities overseas. It is notable that some of LCB’s graduates are pursuing their higher education in the UK under the Ministry of Education’s Education Loan Scheme.

I was informed that two are in the University College Birmingham undertaking a BA (Hons) in Marketing Management and will be completing the programme next year in January. This scheme is very much in line with what is in our Vision 2035, that is to produce highly skilled highly educated people of Brunei Darussalam,” he said.

The first batch of graduates for the University of Chester UK degree programmes are from various degree courses that encompasses BA (Hons) in Accounting and Finance, BA (Hons) in Business Management, BA (Hons) in Marketing, and BSc (Hons) in Computer Science. There are 63 graduates from the University of Chester university and five graduates secured First Class Honours degree.

Among them were Haji Muhd Taufiq bin Haji Suhamin (BA Hons in Accounting and Finance), Siti Sarah binti Syed Ibrahim (BA Hons in Accounting and Finance), Muhammad Nazree Asli (BA Hons in Business Management), Nur Haziyah Syafiqah binti Hasni (BA Hons in Business Management), and Sahrin bin Haji Abdul Rahman (BSc Hons in Computer Science).

First class students are not only recognised but are also awarded BND5,000. Scholarships were also awarded to three students for their outstanding and exceptional achievement and active participation in college activities.

This year, scholarships were awarded to Michelle Esher Sasha Kameleoy (1st year student in Computer Science), Kong Xiang Yun (2nd year degree student in Computer Science) and Redzwan Hasim (Final year student in Computer Science).

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|     Danial Norjidi     |

DARe (Darussalam Enterprise) held its Entrepreneurship Open Day (EOD) yesterday at Tutong Civic Centre Complex, inviting aspiring entrepreneurs and existing businesses to inquire and learn about the government’s initiatives and support for businesses.

The EOD is a continuous initiative by DARe that is held in all four districts to update the public on improvements being made to the business ecosystem, register issues faced by business community that need appropriate resolution and to create awareness on services provided by government agencies and the private sector for Brunei Darussalam’s business community.

Thirty different agencies were present, and visitors were able to inquire and learn about training and capacity building programmes, Halal certification, intellectual property-related matters, organising expos and trade fairs, product nutrient labelling and shelf life-testing, manpower recruitment including foreign labour application and renewal and much more. Talks were held throughout the day, beginning with a presentation on Brunei Vision 2035, followed by an entrepreneur sharing session with Mumtaz Collections and Uncle J’s Grill and Sandwiches.

There was also a presentation on the Halal Certificate and Halal Label Order (Amendment 2017) by the Ministry of Religious Affairs; Product Nutrient Labelling and Shelf-life testing by the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism; how to protect your business logo and other intellectual property related matters by the Brunei Intellectual Property Office (BruIPO); a business plan writing workshop by LiveWIRE; as well as a presentation on Certificate of Origin from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Javed Ahmad, the CEO of DARe spoke to the Bulletin during yesterday’s EOD event. “The overall objective is to engage in the community with regards to entrepreneurship.

“So you have actually a talk going on where you have entrepreneurs sharing their stories, but more importantly, all the different government agencies are here, so if there are any questions, queries or concerns, then businesses can actually approach them with a view to resolution.”

He explained that the event is an active engagement in the community that DARe have carried out to be nearer to micro, small and medium exterprises (MSMEs), and also to understand the key issues they face, “with a view to resolving them not on a case by case basis but in a systematic manner for all businesses.”

Speaking on how DARe is encouraging youth participation in entrepreneurship, he said, “Part of our strategy for the longer term is to ensure that entrepreneurship is not viewed as something undesirable.

“Entrepreneurship should be viewed as one of the best opportunities. It’s not about looking after the individual’s own future, but the futures of others as well, as employers. So it’s a mind shift from thinking like an employee to thinking like an entrepreneur and an employer, with the view of creating jobs for oneself and also a larger community.”

He added that they hope to really make entrepreneurship something desirable that youngsters can actually aspire to.

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THE Income Tax Board of Review (ITBOR) was established under the Income Tax Act, Chapter 35, in February this year, formed to serve the interests of companies that are subjected to corporate tax under the Companies Act with the aim of facilitating the administration and operation of taxation in Brunei Darussalam.

The ITBOR is an independent Board comprising a chairperson and qualified members repre-senting industries appointed by the government, to consider and review appeal cases made by the taxpayers against the assessment of Corporate Income Tax made by the Collector of Income Tax (CIT).

The ITBOR introduces a new process of hearing, examining and settlement of objection cases from companies against the CIT assessment. It will create a cost-effective, transparent and fair system of administration of corporate tax.

It is also hoped that the establishment of the ITBOR will expedite the settlement of appeal cases brought forward to the Board.

The corporate tax assessment process in Brunei Darussalam begins when a company files its annual Income Tax Returns to the Revenue Division. The Revenue Division, which reports to the CIT, is the main agency in Brunei responsible for the implementation and administration of corporate income tax. Since the intro-duction of self-assessment using the online tax system (STARS) in 2012, taxpayers are required to submit their Income Tax Returns to the Revenue Division annually on June 30.

Tax Assessment Officers from the Revenue Division, on behalf of the CIT, will assess the returns which would then be issued either a Notice of Assessment (NOA) or a Loss Confirmation (LC). It is the taxpayers’ responsibility, notwithstanding any objection or appeal, to proceed with the payment of Income Tax within 30 days after the NOA has been served.

Taxpayers may object to these assessments and file a Notice of Objection (NOO) to the CIT. The CIT will review the assessment and make a decision to accept or reject the NOO. This cycle may be repeated until the CIT determines that the reassessment is final, upon which a Notice of Refusal to Amend will be issued.

Taxpayers are able to lodge their cases to be reviewed by the Board, within 30 days of the CIT’s issuance of the Notice of Refusal to Amend. The first step is to file the Notice of Petition for Review (Form 1) to the ITBOR, and after this, within 30 days from the filing of the Notice of Petition for Review, file a Petition for Review (Form 2).

These forms are available from the Ministry of Finance’s website at www.mof.gov.bn.

After all the documents have been filed, a pre-trial conference between the taxpayer and the CIT will be scheduled, followed by a hearing with the ITBOR where the Board would then proceed to make their decision regarding their appeal cases.

Companies can present their appeals by writing to the Secretary of Income Tax Board of Review, Income Tax Board of Review office at Level 4, Ministry of Finance Building, Commonwealth Drive, Jalan Kebangsaan BB3910, Brunei Darussalam.

A fee of B$200 is chargeable for each appeal. (Ministry of Finance)

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|     Danial Norjidi     |

THE Brunei Intellectual Property Office (BruIPO) of the Energy and Industry Department at the Prime Minister’s Office (EIDPMO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a referral arrangement for the conduct of substantive search and examination of patents with the Danish Patent and Trademark Office (DKPTO) yesterday.

BruIPO was represented by Haji Mohamad Azmi bin Haji Mohd Hanifah, Permanent Secretary (Industry) at the Prime Minister’s Office in his capacity as the Registrar of BruIPO, while DKPTO was represented by Keld Nymann Jensen, its Deputy Director General.

Witnessing the occasion was Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Hamdan bin Haji Abu Bakar, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office in his capacity as the Acting Minister of Energy and Industry at the Prime Minister’s Office.

The signing ceremony took place at the Design and Technology Building, Anggerek Desa Technology Park and was attended by officers from the EIDPMO and DKPTO.

The DKPTO has been acting as BruIPO’s examiner since the implementation of the indigenous patent system in Brunei Darussalam in 2012, and the signing ceremony signifies the continuation of collaborative efforts between the two offices in the area of patents for a further period of five years.

According to a press release, under the current patent system, substantive search and examination of patents are outsourced to foreign patent offices, namely the DKPTO, the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office (HIPO) and the Austrian Patent Office (APO).

For 2012-2016, BruIPO has received 371 applications from both foreign and national applicants and granted 42 patents.

In 2012, 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 the implementation of the Patents Order, 2011, which aimed to introduce an independent patent system that takes into consi-deration the requirements of patentability, namely novelty, inventive steps and industrial applicability.

The introduction of the 2012 patent system acted as a stepping stone towards the establish-ment of Brunei Darussalam’s national Intellectual Property (IP) office – responsible for IP regulations and policies – which was subsequently set up in 2013 with the objectives of creating and promoting a business-friendly IP ecosystem which ensures that micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and multinational corporations (MNCs) alike are well-protected in their IP.

Currently, BruIPO is respon-sible for the registration of patents, trademarks, industrial designs and plant varieties protection (PVP) as well as the implementation of international registration systems under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), Madrid Protocol (trademark) and the Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs, which are all administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

“With a comprehensive IP system in place, it will not only enhance Brunei Darussalam’s attractiveness as an investment destination and encourage greater local entrepreneurial activity within, it is also in line with the government’s efforts to attract foreign direct investments, strengthen local enterprises as well as nurture innovation and creativity,” said the press release.

Information on BruIPO’s services is available at their help-desk at the Business Support Centre (BSC) at Level 1, Anggerek Desa Technology Park, while forms and fee schedules can be downloaded from BruIPO’s website at www.bruipo.gov.bn. Enquiries on filing procedures can sent to enquiries@bruipo.gov.bn or by contacting 2230965/2230966.

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|     Lyna Mohamad     |

MINISTER of Education Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman called on graduates at Kolej International Graduate Studies (KIGS) 2017 convocation ceremony to use their gained knowledge wisely and always upgrade themselves beyond their college years.

“Graduates must come forward as the human capital needed by the country, and possess the right knowledge, spiritual intelligence, competence in communication, creativity and innovative spirit. These traits should be continuously polished and the graduates must work effectively as a team in the workplace with individuals with differing views without forgetting their identities as citizens of the country,” the minister said.

Part of such role model characteristics, added the minister, “must be built from the students’ studying years at school or college, and all the knowledge and skills gained during this time should be should be used to develop oneself into a complete role model”.

The importance for every student and graduate to be equipped with 21st Century skills has always been stressed, particularly in this present era of rapid ICT and technological development.

Hence, every graduate needs to be dynamic and possess tenacity in going through life after their school years, and have the ability to adapt to changes and challenges brought about by the passage of time.

The minister also expressed his hope that the graduates will integrate successfully into the community and enjoy a happy and successful life, a well-balanced one not just solely based on career, high income or world luxuries.

“Their responsibilities to the community and the nation are of utmost importance, based on the Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) principles where the country prioritises unity, care and respect,” added the minister.

“Graduates need to be part of the solution to the government’s nation-building efforts, and I urge them to contribute back to the country with sincerity and honesty, and stand up and be counted for they represent the nation’s hopes.

“It will be a huge loss to the nation if the graduates and youths are not appreciative towards what we have achieved to date – our country’s peace, stability and prosperity – and waste it on actions contrary to national interests.”

The minister congratulated KIGS on its continued hard work to provide high-quality education to the country’s citizens and helping them achieve their potentials and success in their respective fields of interest.

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|     Danial Norjidi     |

BRUNEI stands to benefit from key regional trade agreements as they can offer more export markets for made-in-Brunei products and also help boost Bruneian businesses’ growth potential and supply chain connectivity in the long term.

This was shared by two Bruneian members of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), Soon Loo, CEO of the Brunei Economic Development Board and YB Nik Hafimi binti Abdul Haadii, a member of the Legislative Council, while speaking to the Bulletin on the recent ABAC meeting that took place in Toronto, Canada.

“The 3rd ABAC meeting in Toronto went well. APEC/ABAC remains a key platform for Brunei to shape influence on free trades,” said Soon Loo.

“A key side meeting focused on the latest development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact on the job market. The advance of AI is clearly shaping up to be a dominant shaping force of global economies in the future. Some of the current jobs will be replaced by machines, and some of the jobs will stay. The critical point for decision makers is to understand broadly which jobs will stay, and most importantly, which are the new jobs that will be created as a result. This has deep impact on our job markets and the ways we bring up the future generations,” Soon Loo added.

YB Nik Hafimi shared, “It was a great meeting seeing some of the many centres of innovation and incubation which ABAC Canada hosted. It was great to see the collaboration between large corporations and start-ups and the encouragement of government, corporations and academia is genuinely boosting startups’ immersion and innovation.”

According to a press release from the ABAC, the aspiration of senior business leaders from around the Asia-Pacific is for the APEC region to be “a beacon of openness, inclusivity and innovation”.

The business leaders met to develop recommendations for APEC Economic Leaders on business priorities for the region ahead of their meeting in Vietnam in November. Hoang Van Dung, the 2017 Chair of the ABAC, said that thanks to a strong rules-based world trading system and open markets, people today live significantly better lives than the generations that have gone before.

“Our long-term vision of a more open and integrated APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) region is not an end in itself. It is driven by our conviction that this will deliver sustainable and inclusive growth for our communities.” Hoang recalled that trade liberalisation has lifted millions from poverty and held the potential to improve the lives of millions more. “Ambitious regional trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the Pacific Alliance can generate jobs and keep food supplies secure. They help future-proof trade and serve as important pathways to an eventual Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, or FTAAP. We now need to take concrete steps towards making FTAAP a reality. The global economy continues to strengthen in recovery mode, improving trade flows. If we give in to the easy wins of protectionism, we risk a downward spiral of tit-for-tat retaliation, economic stagnation and hardship for our people,” Hoang added. He acknowledged that APEC leaders would need courage and determination to press ahead, recalling that it was all too easy to blame trade liberalisation for economic woes at home, even when other factors might play a much bigger role.

“In particular, domestic policies need to be designed to ensure that workers and economies can adapt quickly and successfully to the evolving environment and to enable the economic benefits to be more widely shared. ABAC has commissioned some important research on how we can collectively meet these challenges,” said Hoang.

 ABAC also recognised that the digital economy had the potential to transform the way that people lived, interacted and did business.

“Jobs will increasingly demand different skills. Economies that invest in these skills and have access to digital technology will be best placed to take full advantage of new opportunities – and our communities will reap the benefits. Globally, we should also ensure that regulatory frameworks enable greater connectivity including data and information flows while also addressing important concerns such as privacy and data protection,” said Hoang. But he sounded a note of caution about the risks of leaving behind the less advanced economies as the digital transformation took place.

“Inclusivity must be the touchstone here, as elsewhere in APEC,” he noted. ABAC members also noted that economies could not grow without adequate capital market development, investment in infrastructure, and innovation. ABAC would be sharing this message separately with APEC finance ministers in October.

“We should also seek to enhance the prosperity of the region by empowering micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to participate in trade and increasing economic opportunities for women,” concluded Hoang.

The Brunei members of ABAC responded to questions from the Bulletin on these points, beginning with their thoughts on the aspiration for “the APEC region as a beacon of openness, inclusivity and innovation”, to which Soon Loo affirmed that APEC will continue to be very relevant in these areas.

YB Nik Hafimi said, “The openness to innovative and shared collaborative achievements has always been within the core of APEC as a region. Each company has its own challenges on inclusivity and each demonstrates successes of inclusivity to varying levels of effectiveness.”

On the topic of trade liberalisation and regional trade agreements, and in particular how Brunei stands to benefit from this, Soon Loo said, “Some of the key regional trade agreements will continue to be pushed ahead. Brunei can benefit from this by having more countries export made-in-Brunei products that comes with advantageous terms.”

YB Nik Hafimi said, “Brunei has always stuck to her principles of trade liberalisation in order to provide all pathways of opportunities to Bruneian businesses to engage with the global marketplace. The value of Brunei’s participation may not always necessarily be immediate but in the long-term it can boost growth potential and supply chain connectivity of Bruneian businesses.” On the digital economy’s potential to transform the way people live, interact and do business, Soon Loo said, “In Brunei’s positioning of itself in the new economy, digital economy is key.

“It’s important to position ourselves in the global value chain (in areas) where Brunei can be strong at, and planning out these mid-term competitive advantages is important because competitive advantages are not borne overnight.

“On the other hand, this is an opportunity that Brunei can seize because the digital businesses can drastically replace the traditional industries in a very short period of time,” he added, noting the impact of Airbnb on hotels and Uber on taxis as examples.

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|     Khairil Hassan     |

THE Cluster 1 Inter-Secondary Schools and Colleges Netball Championship organised by the Co-Curriculum Education Department, Ministry of Education through the Physical Education Unit, hosted by Katok Secondary School concluded yesterday afternoon at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium Sports Complex in Berakas.

Chung Hwa Middle School (CHMS) and Duli Pengiran Muda Mahkota Al-Muhtadee Billah College (MD) emerged champions of their respected categories.

CHMS was champions of Category B after edging Sultan Hassan Bangar Secondary School, Temburong 18-17 in the final.

Raja Isteri Girls High School (STPRI) took bronze after they crushed Katok Secondary School 15-1 in the third placing match.

Patricia Chan Xiao Mei from CHMS was named best player.

MD became champions of Category C after they defeated STPRI 21-11 in the final.

Katok Secondary School took bronze after they beat Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha Girls’ Arabic Religious School 18-4 in the bronze medal match.

Angeline Sii Yeng Ping of MD was named best player.

Norahtina Seriyanti binti Haji Omar, Deputy Principal (Academic) of Katok Secondary School presented the prizes to the winners of the tournament.

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|     Fadhil Yunus     |

BRUNEI Darussalam’s Mazran bin Haji Md Jamin expressed his pride after finishing in third place in the Men’s Open Elite of the CAKK MTB XC Challenge 2017 at the SK Bantayan, Tamparuli in Tuaran, Sabah recently.

The UPCT rider clocked a time of 1:12:07s behind winner Frisco Daniel who crossed the line with a time of 1:07:40s and Niklos Minol who posted a time of 1:09:29s.

“I am proud to represent the country in the cycling event and achieved an excellent result in the race. It is a yearly event which is organised by the Cycling Association of Kota Kinabalu (CAKK) through stages,” said Mazran in an interview.

The rider said that his family and friends has offered him plenty of support in his cycling activities while acknowledging Brunei Darussalam Cycling Federation (BDCF) in assisting him in terms of management and administration.

Asked what his secret was especially for existing or future cyclists interested to follow in his footsteps such as preparations, the routine of physical exercise and diet, Mazran said there is no secret to his success.

“There is no secret other than to build solid efforts towards enhancing their self-esteem, adequate training and with quality as well as appropriate diet to increase their fitness during training or race,” continued Mazran.

He added that his biggest challenge was competing against national riders from Sabah who were more experienced though he was able to provide great opposition during the race.

“My targets and hopes in upcoming races are to get ready in terms of physical and mental and always confront seasoned riders,” he said.

The MTB specialist also stressed the importance of having a MTB coach to boost his confidence even further in his preparations for every race be it overseas or in the country.

The Bruneian’s third place finish followed his success in the 2nd City Cycling Challenge in Kota Kinabalu last month as part of a winning team alongside Md Radzi Tamat, Shahnon Basman and Reduan Yusop in the Road Bike Men’s Open event.

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|    Ampuan Irma Susanti Ampuan Hussain    |

SEVEN people participated in the Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) Oratory Competition in conjunction with the Golden Jubilee of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Accession to the Throne for the Temburong District level at the Belalong Hall, Pekan Bangar’s Civic Centre of Temburong District.

The guest of honour Haji Mohd Azmi bin Haji Suhaili, Acting Assistant Temburong District Officer, presented the prizes and certificates to participants.

Also present were Haji Jamil bin Haji Ghani, Religious Chief of Temburong District; senior officials, officers, staff of the Islamic Da’wah Centre (PDI) and Temburong District Dakwah Unit.

The theme of the contest is ‘MIB Teras Keteguhan Negara’.

Three categories have been contested, category ‘A’ for participants aged 17 to 25 from higher education institutes, category ‘B’ for those aged 12 to 20 from Institute of Brunei Technical Education (IBTE)/secondary school and category ‘C’ for the public aged 25 and above.

In the competition, two of the best participants will be selected for each category to represent this area to the state-level competition to be held this September.

In category ‘A’, first place was won by Nawal Adibah binti Rosli, and category ‘B’ was won by Syamimie Syazwani binti Abdullah Norsham, while second place was won by Awangku Mohd Norazim bin Pengiran Ajak. In category ‘C’, first place was won by Abdul Hamid bin Aji while Haji Asri bin Haji Timbang took second place.

The competition is one of the platforms for disseminating information on MIB to the public as it was declared the concept of Brunei Darussalam in January 1, 1984. The purpose of the MIB as the concept of the nation is to continue to nurture, preserve and sustain the identity of the nation, religion and monarchy of the country, thus bringing peace, security, welfare and happiness of the people.

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|     James Kon     |

ACCORDING to findings from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), awareness in using effective reading strategies and reading habits indicates a high correlation with students’ fluency in reading.

This was revealed by Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, the Minister of Education, at the launch of ‘My Inspiration’ books for primary and secondary school students at the Hall of Raja Isteri Girls High School (STPRI).

He added that the findings also show that those who possess an effective reading strategy and habits will have more fun reading than those who do not.

He said PISA 2018 will measure the reading strategies and habits of students in the country and the results of the findings will be the basic measurement of reading efficiency among 15-year-old students.

For implementing the assessment, the Minister of Education said, “Familiarise students to answer PISA questions that require them to explore, clarify and provide explanations. Teachers must diversify methods such as changing the technique of questioning to be more stimulating and can tap the potential to think creatively.

“Schools are also encouraged to promote literacy and numeracy guidance programmes for primary and secondary schools to improve the literacy and numeracy levels of students in the country. This is not only relevant to improving the level of fluent reading but also as a growing interest in reading among the students who should start early.”

In this era of technology, the minister said, “Reading based on printed books is no longer the primary way in searching and gaining knowledge. Compared to printed books, Internet and mobile phones are becoming popular as a media to acquire knowledge particularly among the younger generation.”

However, he also noted that printed books cannot be sidelined as they still play an important role in providing knowledge.

The minister added, “The effort to cultivate reading habits among students in Brunei Darussalam is not new. In fact, these efforts continue to be intensified from time to time and we are equally mobilising resources to find the best alternative approaches to create awareness and encourage the people in the country to read as a practice for developing a community of educated and skilled people, living a high quality of life.”

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|     James Kon     |

TO INSPIRE and inculcate the culture of reading as well as instil the spirit of love for the nation among students, the Curriculum Development Department under the Ministry of Education (MoE) yesterday unveiled the ‘My Inspiration’ books for students of primary and secondary schools.

The must-read books under the ‘My Inspiration’ were officially launched by Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, the Minister of Education as the guest of honour at the Hall of Raja Isteri Girls High School (STPRI).

The newly-launched books among others, include ‘The History of the Sultanate of Brunei’ (a joint publication by the Curriculum Development Department and Malay Islamic Monarchy Supreme Council Secretariat) and ‘Attaining Blessings in the Development of Science and Technology’ (written by Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned, State Mufti).

There is also a reading culture programme log book to encourage students to read more than 40 books in a year.

Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Nawi, the Director of Curriculum Development, said that the MoE plays an important role in addressing the challenges and support for the objectives of Brunei Vision 2035 to produce highly skilled, educated and successful citizens.

In connection with this, the Curriculum Development Department has continued its effort to encourage and instil the culture of reading among students to increase their level of literacy.

On the new books, he explained, “The history of the Sultanate of Brunei for Year 5 comprises topics like ‘Sultan Muhammad Hasan’, ‘Sultan Abdul Jalilul Akbar’, ‘Sultan Husin Kamaluddin’, ‘Perang Pulau Chermin’ and ‘Brunei Pusat Perdagangan Serantau’ published by the Curriculum Development Department.”

The books are written by officers of the department and are the continuation from the history of the Sultanate of Brunei published for Year 4 last year. A number of new topics will be published for Year 6 in 2018.

Touching on the reading materials under the ‘My Inspiration’ books, Haji Abdul Rahman said they were written by local religious figures and scholars.

“These must be read by students to learn about the writers’ thoughts to help raise their knowledge on the nation, religion and Bruneian identity,” he said.

Other books under the ‘My Inspiration’ are ‘Love your Parents’ and ‘Uphold the Architecture of Malay Islamic Monarchy’ published by the State Mufti’s Office.

Explaining the reading culture programme log book, Haji Abdul Rahman said, “The log book is designed for primary school to make sure students understand the contents or message of the book. Among the characteristics of the log book are spaces for students to fill in the summary and new words. The log book also takes into account the opinions from teachers and parents/guardians on the level of understanding and writing skills of the students. The log book has been put on trial in three schools and has shown encouraging results.”

The highlight of the ceremony saw the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the MoE and the State Mufti’s Office under the Prime Minister’s Office.

The signing allows for the book written by Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz to be part of the ‘My Inspiration’ initiative.

Witnessing the event were Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi and Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Japar bin Haji Mat Dain @ Maidin, Deputy State Mufti.

Signing on behalf of the Ministry of Education was Haji Abdul Rahman and Haji Saiful Nizam bin Haji Sulaiman, the Acting Director of Administration signed on behalf of the State Mufti’s Office.

Others present were Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar, Deputy Minister of Education; Dr Haji Azman bin Ahmad, Acting Permanent Secretary at the MoE and ministry officials.

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|    Achong Tanjong    |

A PRIZE presentation ceremony took place at the Art Gallery of the Demaga Diraja in the capital yesterday, for the winners of the 2017 Art Competition, held in conjunction with the 71st birthday celebrations 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.

In Category A, first place went to Faizal bin Hamdan, an art teacher at sixth form centre, who received a cash prize of $5,000 for his piece, ‘Imbasan 1967’, in acrylic medium.

Second place went to Borneo Bulletin graphic designer Suhaili bin Omar, who won $1,000 for his work, ‘Raja Payung Negara’, using oil paint. Meanwhile, in third place was Marsidi bin Omar, who was awarded $500 for his painting,’ Kedaulatan Raja Di Mata Dunia’, also in oil medium.

The consolation prizes of $200 in this category went to Khairul Asri bin Tarip and Mohd Zahidi bin Bakir, who used watercolours and pastels in their respective works.

This year’s only prize in Category B went to third-place winner Mohd Abdul Wafi bin Haji Mat Salleh who received $300 for his work in acrylics.

The two consolation winners in that category each received $150 as a cash prize.
Category C had no first-prize winner. The second prize went to Batrisyia Arifah binti Osman with her watercolour, ‘Determination’, while in third place was Nur Rabiatul Adawiyah binti Abdullah Aminor Rizal.

The three consolation prize winners of this category – Nur Najwa Farahiyah binti Jani, Md Haziq Nizar bin Haji Abdul Rahman and Khairunnisa Waliyah binti Osman – were each awarded $50.

Prizes were presented by Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yusof, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs as personal representative of Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, the Minister of Home Affairs.

The competition was divided into three different themes: ‘Raja Berdaulat’ for Category A; ‘National Development and Achievements’ for Category B; and ‘My Vision for My Country’ for Category C.

In an interview with the Bulletin, Category A second-prize winner Suhaili – who also took first and second prizes in previous years – said that it took him three weeks to complete his artwork.

This year, 72 entries were received, with the judging taking place on July 17, led by Mohamad Jefri bin Haji Sabli, the Acting Director of Museums; and Dato Paduka AR Haji Idris bin Haji Abas, the founder and CEO of Artikek Idris, a local architectural firm.

In his speech during the prize presentation ceremony, Dato Paduka AR Haji Idris said that this event was an opportunity for Brunei artists and school students to showcase their skills in art on a public platform.

Among those present at yesterday’s event were the Brunei-Muara District Officer and Executive Committee Chairman, Misle bin Haji Abdul Karim, government officers and invited guests.

Members of the public can view the winning entries at the Art Gallery of the Dermaga Diraja, from August 30 to September 17. The visiting hours are 9am to 5pm on Monday-Thursday and Saturday; and 9am to 11.30am, and 2.30pm to 5pm, on Friday.

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|    Lyna Mohamad    |

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 will be gracing the Royal Birthday Cycling Recreation 2017 (RBK 2017) on Sunday, September 3, 2017.

This was announced by Haji Noor Jusmin bin Haji Abdul Samad, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS), at a press conference conducted by the ministry at the Language and Literature Bureau (DBP) in the capital yesterday.

Also present were Haji Idris bin Haji Md Ali, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs; Haji Zafri bin Haji Mohamed, Acting Director of Youth and Sports; a representative from the Traffic Control and Investigation Department of the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) ASP Awangku Omar Ali bin Pengiran Haji Manshor; a medic representative, Hajah Nora binti Haji Md Yusof; and a representative of the Brunei Darussalam Cycling Federation, Mat Yassin bin Haji Abdullah.

The permanent secretary noted that the nation’s sport policy is forming sports culture and strengthening national unity through the involvement of the community as a whole and achieve excellence at international level.

In this perspective, Brunei Darussalam is among the countries that had successfully used sports as a platform to strengthened national integration beyond the limits of religion and nation, Haji Noor Jusmin added.

Yesterday’s press conference serves to encourage members of the public to come in big crowds during the event as this is another opportunity for the people to meet and participate in the event with the beloved monarch as it is also an event to mark His Majesty’s 71st birthday celebrations.

Haji Noor Jusmin noted that the media plays an effective role in spreading the information about the event widely thus the campaign through the media acts as a method to draw the crowd as part of the Bandarku Ceria activity this weekend.

The permanent secretary called on cyclists to join the recreational activity opportunity with His Majesty and hoped thousands will join RBK 2017.

The event is organised by MCYS in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Development, Ministry of Religious Affairs, Ministry of Communications and Ministry of Health with the involvement of other ministries and the Brunei Darussalam Cycling Federation to showcase the recognition, honour and encouragement given to sports, which has the same importance as other social sectors in meeting the objectives of continuous nation building, solidarity and stability.

RBK 2017 will start and end at Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien in the capital where the activity will cover the capital and pass through the main roads namely Jalan Sultan Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien, Jalan Kianggeh, Jalan Sekolah, Jalan Kumbang Pasang, Jalan Perdana Menteri, Jalan Haji Basir, Jalan Sultan and back to the Taman.

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