THE recent closing of the 37th Asean Police Chiefs (ASEANAPOL) Conference in Singapore marked the appointment of the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) in playing host to the next conference in 2018.

The conference brings together regional police teams and international law enforcement agencies to discuss security issues and transnational law enforcement.

Organised by the Singapore Police Force, the conference – which ran from September 12-14 – was attended by participants from 10 Asean member countries and the ASEANAPOL Secretariat.

The conference was also attended by eight dialogue partners comprising the Australian Federal Police, Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China, National Police Agency of Republic of Korea, Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, ICPO-INTERPOL, and the Asean Secretariat.

Five observers also participated, namely Fiji Police Force, Policia Nationale de Timor Leste, National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom, EUROPOL, International Association of Chiefs of Police of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Commissioner of Police Dato Paduka Seri Haji Mohd Jammy bin Haji Muhd Shah Al-Islam led the Brunei delegation.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Pengiran Haji Muhammad bin Pengiran Haji Metali also participated as deputy head of delegation, with eight senior officials as deputy chairmen and delegates of the conference.

During the conference, Minister of Home Affairs and Law (Singapore) K Shanmugam launched the electronic-ASEANAPOL Database System 2.0 (e-ADS 2.0).

This new version includes an e-library, discussion forums, event calendars and announcement portals. This will enable ASEANAPOL members to share best practices and crime trends, and will increase cooperation in operations and capacity building.

The post RBPF to host next ASEANAPOL appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Azlan Othman     |

A SCHOLARSHIP agreement signing ceremony and Doa Kesyukuran for recipients of the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Sultan’s Scholar scholarship for the 2017/2018 academic session was held yesterday at the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex in the capital.

The signing was held following the Sultan’s Scholar scholarship awarding ceremony held earlier at Istana Nurul Iman.

Present as the chief guest was Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, the Minister of Education in his capacity as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.

The welcoming remark was delivered by Dato Paduka Eddie bin Dato Paduka Haji Sunny, Managing Director of Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.

This year, three students were awarded the prestigious scholarship to pursue Bachelor’s degree courses. They are Muhammad ‘Azim bin Abdul Hadi, Amal Aqilah Fathiah binti Haji Abdullah, and Teo Zhi Perng. Another student, Nurul Syadirah binti Awang Sayang, was awarded with a scholarship to take up a Master’s degree course.

The four scholars each inked their agreements together with two guarantors, comprising their parents and close family members.

Signing on behalf of Yayasan were Dato Paduka Eddie along with Hajah Donnaliza binti Abdullah Puasa, Assistant Managing Director of Yayasan, witnessed by Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi.

In an interview with the Bulletin, Nurul Syadirah, who will be pursuing her Master’s degree in International Public Policy at University College London, UK, she said presenting oneself well to other people with good communication skills, broad non-academic skills, and active participation in co-curricular activities are what constitutes success to her – attributes which she is strong in and contributing to her attaining the scholarship.

“I would like to express my gratitude to 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 for this conferment and hope to become a well-deserving leader in the future. I will try to realise such an aspiration and fulfil my parents’ aspirations and give back to the nation,” said Nurul. “I will try my best to do what the nation needs and to realise the country’s Vision 2035. Learning at university is always tough as we have no idea what is in store.”

Meanwhile, Amal Aqilah Fathiah, who will be pursuing her studies in Veterinary Medicine at University of Cambridge, UK, said she is very grateful and overwhelmed with the award, pointing out that getting into a prestigious university like Cambridge is one main reasons why she applied for the scholarship. “It’s going to be tough, but I am thinking positively. I am up for the challenge,” she said.

Last but not least is Teo Zhi Perng, who will be pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Material Science and Engineering at Imperial College London, UK.

“I am a bit nervous doing my further studies in the UK but it is a big step for my future. I believe my competence and experience in leadership, diplomacy and communicating with my teammates are my greatest strengths,” said Teo. “I would also like to extend my sincerest gratitude to His Majesty for the scholarship and do my best to perform well in my UK studies.”

The post Four ‘Sultan’s Scholars’ pen agreement appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Ishan Ibrahim     |

A LOCAL, Ahmad Iskandar bin Haji Mohd Taha, was recently awarded the Russian Government Scholarship to pursue his Masters in Business Management in Moscow, Russia.

He becomes the first Bruneian to be presented with the prestigious grant since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Brunei Darussalam and the Russian Federation.

A hint of suppressed excitement was etched across Ahmad Iskandar’s face as he received the scholarship from Vladlen Semivolos, the Russian Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, at the Russian Embassy in Kampong Manggis Dua yesterday.

Ahmad Iskandar will be departing for Russia tomorrow.

Asked why he chose Russia, Ahmad, who was previously working with Mitsubishi Corporation, replied: “The country is recognised as a centre of excellence in business studies.”

He added: “I only know a smattering of Russian, and I will be learning the language at the university itself.”

Semivolos said that the awarding of the scholarship to Ahmad Iskandar “is a major breakthrough and has a special meaning for us,” adding that “this is a big step forward in the development of educational ties between Russia and Brunei, which will contribute to the deepening of mutual understanding and friendship between the young people of both countries.”

Ahmad Iskandar had to undergo a strenuous selection process, beating off stiff competition before eventually succeeding in being enrolled into one of Russia’s top higher education institutions — the Higher School of Economics (HSE).

The institution is one of the preeminent economics and social sciences universities in the world, and combines Russian education traditions with the best international teaching and research practices.

It has been listed in the QS World University Rankings 2017 as being among the top 100 universities in the world for Economics and Econometrics, Sociology, Politics and International Studies; top 150 for Accounting & Finance; and top 200 for Mathematics, Business & Management Studies, History, Philosophy, Linguistics, and Communication & Media Studies.

The Russian Ambassador added that 2017 has seen remarkable progress in the development of education ties between Russia and Brunei.

Most notable was Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) establishing cooperation with Saint-Petersburg State University through the signing of a memorandum of understanding and the initiation of a Student Exchange Agreement.

“At this stage there is as yet only one Russian student pursuing studies in Brunei – a Master’s degree under the Brunei Government scholarship in UBD,” said the ambassador.

The education ministries of both countries are also currently working on a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in higher education and science, which will become an umbrella agreement contributing to the development of exchanges and partnership relations between institutions of higher learning in Russia and Brunei.

“In our view, as a next step we need to launch discussions on the signing of an agreement on mutual recognition of higher education qualifications and degrees, so as to support wider practical ties in the field of education, strengthen mutual understanding and people-to-people contacts between our countries,” Semivolos added. He also explained that the meeting last year in the Russian city of Sochi between 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 and Russian President Vladimir Putin – which saw discussions in the fields of energy, trade, education, cultural and other issues of common interests – was a historic milestone which paved the way for excellent future bilateral relations between the two nations.

Over the past few years Russia has been gradually opening up its universities to the world and facilitating enrollment to foreign students; examples of these steps include the launching of new programmes taught in English at many Russian universities.

International students can choose from 896 universities in 85 regions across the country, from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok; 205 fields of studies, from mathematics and natural sciences to drama and arts; 657 subjects in Bachelor’s, Master’s, specialist and postgraduate programmes (medical traineeships, postgraduate military courses), as well as internships and assistantships.

“As a tertiary education destination, Russia is attractive not only due to its affordability, but also because it is a world-renowned leader in training mathematicians, physicists, chemists, geologists, engineers, programmers, physicians, and specialists in other natural sciences,” said the ambassador.

At present, more than 200,000 people from 168 countries are studying at Russian universities, translating to one in every 20 of the overall university student population in Russia.

Bruneians interested in finding out more about the Russian Government Scholarship and educational opportunities in Russia are invited to sift through the information on the website www.russia-edu.ru and the RUSSIA.STUDY portal.

The post Prestigious Russian scholarship awarded to Bruneian first time appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     James Kon     |

A LARGE fire engulfed two houses at Kampong Sumbiling Lama, Jalan Istana Darussalam yesterday. No casualties were reported.

The fire, stemming from a cooking incident in one house and later spreading to another, was controlled in 30 minutes. All residents were safely evacuated.

The Fire and Rescue Department received an emergency call at 4.52pm yesterday. Four units of fire engines – three from the Bandar Seri Begawan Fire Station and one from Berakas Fire Station – with 16 personnel were dispatched to the scene.

The Fire and Rescue Department urged the public to not leave their cooking unattended and ensure electrical installation works are done by certified electrical personnel, as well as avoid overload of electrical extension cords or sockets.

The post Fire licks 2 houses at Kg Sumbiling Lama appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Azlan Othman     |

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 awarded the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Sultan’s Scholar to four recipients in a ceremony at the Istana Nurul Iman.

Also present at the ceremony was His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office.

This year, three students – Muhammad ‘Azim bin Abdul Hadi, Amal Aqilah Fathiah binti Haji Abdullah and Teo Zhi Perng – were awarded the prestigious scholarship to pursue Bachelor’s degree courses, while another student, Nurul Syadirah binti Awang Sayang, will be embarking on a postgraduate course.

Muhammad ‘Azim, a former student of the Hassanal Bolkiah Arabic Boys Secondary School, will be furthering his studies in Lughah Arabiah at Al-Azhar University in Egypt.

Amal Aqilah Fathiah, an alumnus of the Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College (Maktab Sains) will be studying Veterinary Medicine at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, while Teo Zhi Perng – previously a student at the Tutong Sixth Form Centre – will pursue a course in Materials Science and Engineering at the Imperial College London.

Nurul Syadirah was a recipient of the Sultan’s Scholar in 2014, obtaining a Bachelor of Science (Hons) 2nd Upper Class in Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Economics (MORSE) from University of Warwick. This year, she will be pursuing a Master’s degree in International Public Policy at the University College London.

Before departure from the ceremony, His Majesty posed for a group photograph and conversed with the four scholarship recipients, as well as their parents and other guests.

The Sultan’s Scholar is a prestigious scholarship awarded to students who have been identified by the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Religious Affairs, as outstanding in both their academic and extra-curricular pursuits.

The scholarship is intended to produce highly skilled and competent future leaders from the populace, in the drive towards realising the national socio-economic development plans for Brunei Vision 2035.

From 2006 to 2016, there were 43 recipients of the Sultan’s Scholar, with four undertaking PhD programmes, while two received funding for their Master’s degree courses.

The post His Majesty awards 4 with Sultan’s Scholar appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

BRUNEI Darussalam national para 10-pin bowler Kamarul Ariffin bin Haji Abdul Ghaffar and national para athlete Hirdan bin Haji Abdul Kadir claimed silver each in the 9th Asean Para Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia yesterday.

The national bowler bested 14 other competitors including countryman and doubles partner Saidin Haji Damit to clinch silver with 1,196 pinfalls and only trailed behind winner Muhammad Suhaili bin Ab Hamid of Malaysia in the Mixed Singles TPB2 event.

Kamarul Ariffin has now completed the medal colour in any order having won gold and bronze in the previous edition in Singapore.

Meanwhile, Hirdan posted a mark of 26.84 in the Men’s Discus Throw F56 event.

Brunei’s Nor Hensan binti Haji Mataha claimed her second medal in two days after snatching bronze in the Women’s Shot Putt event.

Meanwhile, the country’s brightest hope for gold Shari bin Haji Juma’at shockingly missed out on a place in the podium after finishing fourth in the Men’s Discus Throw F55 with a score of 26.53.

Para bowling athlete Nor Hanizawanney binti Ya’akub endured a disappointing start in her Asean Para Games debut after managing only fourth place in the Women’s Singles TPB8 event with an overall score of 100.50.

The national para bowler will return to the lanes in the Mixed Doubles TPB8+TPB8 in the hunt of a medal.

Brunei’s Muhammad Jamary Danggat also had a near miss for a podium finish after finishing fourth in the Mixed Singles TPB1 event at the Sunway Mega Lanes, Sunway Pyramid.

The national para bowler prevailed over two rounds against bronze medal winner Krisada Kietkongtawee of Thailand with a score of 98 and 111 but the Thai bowler responded in the next two frames with a score of 105 and 119.

The Thai took a 3-2 lead with a 146 total and although Muhd Jamary bested him in the last game. It was not enough to be in the medal position after missing out by 10 pinfalls.

Brunei’s Khairul Anwar also had a frustrating outing in his Asean Para Games debut after finishing seventh in the Mixed Singles TPB3 with a score of 986 pinfalls.

Brunei’s national para athletes Muhammad Hafizzudin Haji Alidi and Dayangku Nurul Hida Elenna binti Pengiran Haji Hamlin suffered poor results finishing in the Men’s 400m T20 with a time of 64.66s and Women’s Discus Throw F42/43/44 with a score of 14.93, respectively.

The country was awarded silver and bronze on Sunday courtesy of Hirdan and Nor Hensan.

The post Brunei deliver silvers in Asean Para Games appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

THE National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) will be organising its second-ever Under-12 tournament at NFABD House’s Artificial Field on October 1.

The half-day tournament, which comes on the back of the success of the first tournament on September 5, will see several changes made to the rules to align them with that used in Europe and other continents to develop players’ passing game and improve their quality of football.

The changes were discussed during the tournament draw and managers meeting at NFABD House today.

As opposed to the seven-minute halves in the first tournament, games will be played over two six-minute halves on October 1.

The upcoming tournament is limited to players born in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Players who have given copies of their birth certificate during the first tournament will receive a playing card and do not have to register with their birth certificates.

Among other changes include amendments to throw-ins and goalkeeping – both made in order to encourage the players to pass the ball more.

Throw-ins will be played with the foot, and with the ball placed on the line, the player can pass or dribble but cannot score a goal directly from the throw-in.

Goalkeepers who have the ball in their hand cannot kick the ball, and all clearances by hand and goal-kicks by goalkeepers cannot exceed the middle of the field. The goalkeeper has five seconds to play the ball.

As in the first tournament, the offside rule will remain.

A calling zone – an area outside the pitch – has now been created, allowing the teams which are to play next to assemble two minutes before their game – thus making it easier for them to enter the pitch when it is their turn to play and ensure that the tournament runs on schedule.

In an effort to promote fair play, the teammembers will shake hands with each other and the referee both before and after the match – with the officials on both benches doing the same.

As in the first tournament, the 16 participating teams have been divided into four groups of four and each team will play each other once in the first round.

In the second round, the four teams finishing first will play in one group, and likewise for the teams finishing second, third and fourth.

The champion will be the team which wins the first group.

NFABD also encourages teams to participate with young referees (12- to 20-year) in the tournament. This will serve as a learning process for the young referees and help them get involved in youth competitions and activities.

The post NFABD to organise 2nd U-12 tournament appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Fadhil Yunus     |

DPMM FC conceded two clear-cut penalties before the half hour mark as they faltered to a 4-1 defeat against Hougang United FC in the Great Eastern-Hyundai S League at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium last night.

DPMM FC winger Azwan Ali splendidly beat his marker but his deflected cross off Delwinder Singh went straight to Hougang United FC goalkeeper Khairulhin Khalid’s safe pair of hands.

At the other end, Fareez Farhan sized up a shot before attempting a curler which was off target.

The visitors were awarded a penalty in the sixth minute after Abdul Mu’iz Sisa handled in the area as Fumiya Kogure sent Wardun Yussof – who was making a return to first-team action – the wrong way.

Hougang United’s Fabian Kwok was fortunate to escape with a warning after fouling Azwan Salleh from behind who had the vision to try a shot from distance after Khairulhin moved out his line.

From the ensuing free-kick, Adi Said curled a free kick which bounced wide off the left side of the post.

Hougang’s defender Atsushi Shirota clumsily fouled Rafael Ramazotti near the edge of the box under no immediate pressure.

A moment of madness nearly proved costly as Adi lashed a fierce strike which Khairulhin parried away to safety before the winger’s cushioned header for Ramazotti was swept away by the defence.

The Cheetahs were awarded a second penalty after Yura Indera Putera was adjudged to have charged into Shirota a little bit too enthusiastically and Kogure converted in a carbon copy of the first penalty.

Azwan Ali entered the referee’s books after running into Delwinder with a late challenge in Hougang’s box.

Azwan Ali provided an in-swinging cross from a set-piece after Adi was hacked down but Khairulhin punched the ball away for a throw-in.

It was almost another episode of the officiating drama against Home United FC after referee Farhad Mohd mistakenly flashed a red card as opposed to yellow to Nurikhwan Othman who was never been booked before.

Ramazotti managed to keep his header off an Adi’s cross on target but was kept out by Khairulhin.

Hougang’s Iqbal Hussain threaded a nice pass for Fareez who scuffed his shot wide after finding space.

The forward, who was playing behind the attacking line of Kogure and Fareez, carved a diagonal ball for Fareez who laid the ball for Zulfahmi Arifin but the midfielder contrived to shoot wide.

Azwan Ali had a good touch in the box but was denied in the near post by Khairulhin before the defence cleared the ball away.

Ramazotti headed the ball into the box but Azwan poked his shot wide from close range.

Adi produced a scissor kick which flew just wide after the defence was unable to clear a corner for DPMM FC.

Hougang substitute Antoine Viterale sliced the pass for Iqbal the forward’s heavy touch let him down as Wardun came to collect the loose ball.

The hosts were handed a lifeline after Ramazotti’s shot on the turn finally beat Hougang’s stubborn resistance in the 74th minute.

However, two minutes later, the Gegar Gegar men switched off at the back as Iqbal directed the ball towards goal despite Wardun’s best efforts to apply pressure.

Antoine went from moments into scoring to being sent off following a reckless challenge to Helmi after hitting the post.

Wardun and Iqbal had a confrontation outside the box but fortunately DPMM FC’s newly assembled defence kept the ball which enabled Wardun to get back in goal.

With the central pairing of Yura Indera Putera and Hanif Hamir off, DPMM FC looked in trouble in defence as Kogure bagged his hat-trick in the 84th minute.

The post DPMM fall at home to Hougang appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Danial Norjidi     |

LOCAL works of art are finally given a public platform through a gallery, which has been showcasing Bruneian art exhibits both here and in overseas events.

Creative Space Art Gallery & Studio actively hosts artistic events to bring more awareness of the local art community to everyone, as part of its contribution to the development of cultural and creative industries in Brunei Darussalam.

Osveanne Osman, the Manager and Curator of Creative Space Art Gallery & Studio, explained that the gallery was set up in 2011 by its Creative Director, Osman Mohammad.

“Right now, what it does is provide this physical space to showcase local artwork,” she said. “That’s basically what this gallery is about. It’s about really showcasing what Bruneians can achieve with their own resources here, in Brunei, and also giving them a place and space to be seen; to be able to practice their art careers, and see what it is really like to live the life of an artist.”

The gallery, located in Kampong Sengkurong, is garnering attention through ‘EMERGE’ – an initiative to develop the contemporary art scene in Brunei Darussalam, by facilitating local emerging artists to showcase their works to the public.

EMERGE is also part of the gallery’s ongoing project to educate, discover and promote local talent, while helping home-grown talents to gain presence and marketability, both locally and internationally.

“It started with the vision that I shared with my father, who is the creative director of the gallery,” said Osveanne.“Both of us really wanted to create a space that would be able to showcase and provide that opportunity, because there aren’t many spaces and places in Brunei that are truly dedicated to art, and we wanted to create that.

“As a returning student myself, I dreamed of just being an artist and having a career as one, but there was no place, no space to exhibit my art. No studio for me to be able to create my art. No art management firm to market my work.

“That’s what EMERGE became: it became an art management, it became a gallery, it became this wonderful platform – both physical and virtual – to be able to create this place and space where people can come to see artwork; where artists can interact with their audiences; and where people can see what it means to be an artist. ‘How do I get my artwork shown?’ ‘How do I have relations with an art gallery?’ It was that culture. That’s what EMERGE is all about.”

The latest addition to the project is the ongoing ‘EMERGE 4: Synesthesia’ exhibition, from September 10 to October 8, featuring 15 local artists and 30 works of art on display. Regarding the theme for this particular exhibition, Osvean-ne said, “Synesthesia is about that sort of sublimi-nal connection between colours, sound – all the senses we have, manifesting in a different sense.

“Kandinsky is a very good example of that. He was a painter who listened to music, and that music manifested itself in colours and forms.”

On the responses from the local scene, she said that while just one year, more people are answering open calls and artists are a lot more responsive.

She said that the Creative Space has an ever-growing large network of artists. “Both the gallery and myself are willing to accommodate a variety of projects, which helps to expand our network,” she said. “I’d be working with two entirely different demographics in separate projects, so for now, I would definitely say that our veteran artists and our emerging artists belong to clear-cut categories.”

On the public response to their exhibitions, she said, “It keeps on growing, especially with schools, because we are keen to share every EMERGE exhibition with educational institutions.

“So we invite them, free of charge, so that they can be exposed to quality art being produced in Brunei – the local context, the subject matter and access to the artists, so that the students can write papers and observe the artists, which is a lot more personal; they can actually have access to those resources.

“The response has been very good and we would definitely love to see more interest from members of the public, because at the moment, we don’t charge for entry to the exhibition.”

When asked if there have been any buyers for art on the local front, she said, “Yes, that’s what we’ve been very happy about.”

Speaking on the art management services that Creative Space offers, she said, “We can make portfolios for them, from design to being able to give them consultations, along with advice on how you should put your portfolio together, to whom who you should send it, – pretty much everything that goes into a portfolio and how it is presented – and if you want us to carry that portfolio, then you are basically riding on our network, so we are able to actually distribute it to all these different countries and galleries.”

Asked about the scope of this international network, she said, “Right now, I would say that we are focused within the Asian region, as far as Bangladesh, Lahore and Pakistan, to Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Korea and Japan. Our ties in Southeast Asia are very strong, as are also those with Korea and Japan.

“We provide them with that service, which is basically access to our network, so that equals to getting international exposure. Not only do we create their profile, but we promote them on a local level, as well as on an international level.”

She underlined the importance of the artist’s portfolio, “It’s basically your first impression to any gallery and any collector, so we really put an emphasis on that service – from your artist statement to your art statement – we provide copyrighting and even photographs of your artwork to put together in that portfolio.”

She also encourages Bruneian artists to market their works elsewhere, saying that interest and recognition from abroad is beneficial for the artistic community in Brunei.

“Art is a very, very lucrative trade, and you can’t really put a number on it,” she said. “One year, it might be in the millions and the next, it might be in the billions. It’s something that we should really try and establish here in Brunei, because it is such a lucrative market. Once we treat art in Brunei as valuable, that’s when it will be actually valued. That’s just how art works.”

On the gallery’s next project, she said, “We are planning to hold some classes, which is a big step for us, because we are not just thinking of arts and crafts. We’re talking about, for example, master classes in watercolours, even to the extent of inviting over some notable artists from across the region.

“Eventually, what we want to create is a stronger art culture, to the point where we can provide an art education. That is the next very big step for us.

“We’re still continuing with the EMERGE project. Another one that we may start developing is a sort of cultural exchange project, where we invite overseas artists to come and experience Brunei, give them a range of topics and create artwork from that. We’ll showcase the works both here and in their respective countries. We would also send Bruneian artists abroad, for the same process.

“So those are the two things that we are looking forward to develop in the coming years,” she said.

The post Helping hand for the local arts scene appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Achong Tanjong     |

THE Ministry of Education’s (MoE) Co-Curriculum Education Department will be organising a mass cycling event, as part of the national celebrations for Teacher’s Day 2017.

The announcement was made by Haji Azis bin Haji Nayan, the Director of Co-Curriculum Education, during a press conference yesterday.

Also present at the briefing were Haji Eady Sardi bin Pehin Datu Derma Sakti Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Razak, the Acting Assistant Director of Co-Curriculum Education and Deputy Co-Chairman of the event; Jalil bin Pengarah Haji Kapitan, the Head of Uniform Units and Community Services at the Co-Curriculum Education Department and Secretary of the Executive Committee for the event.

Haji Azis, who is also Chairman of the executive committee for the cycling event, said the event scheduled for October 29 is to commence at 6.30am, at the Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien in the capital.

The activity is intended to promote a healthy lifestyle among members of the local community, while forging closer ties among those at the MoE and the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA).

The event is divided into two categories – the 12km ‘Riadah Kayuhan Basikal Terima Kasih Cikgu’ (Fun Ride) and the 4km ‘Riadah Larian Terima Kasih Cikgu’ (The Run).

Registration begins today from 9am to 3.30pm, at all branches of the Co-Curriculum Education Department in each district.

The event is open to officers and staff members, including schools and colleges under the MoE and MoRA.

Registration is also open to members of the public. Participants are encouraged to a purchase a T-shirt for $20 for the bicycle event, as well as a ‘Terima Kasih Cikgu’ T-shirt for $13.

The completed form with registration fees should be submitted by October 14.

A fundraising project will also be held as part of the event, and with 50 per cent of the proceeds to be channelled to the Ministry of Education Welfare Fund, 20 per cent for Teacher’s Day sporting activities, and 30 per cent to the Down’s Syndrome Association (ABLE).

Interested parties can visit the website of the MoE at www.moe.gov.bn for details on the registration procedure.

Meanwhile, a distribution of the T-shirts for the event will be held on October 21-28, from 9am to 5.30pm, in all four districts.

For more information, contact the event Secretariat at 233041/43/53/54 ext – 109/205/301.

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|     Aziz Idris in Dunhuang, Gansu Province, China     |

A MEDIA cooperation centre, involving over 300 international and domestic mainstream media for China’s ambitious Belt and Road initiative, will be established to further reinforce the links among media practitioners.

This was announced by Yang Zhenwu, President of the People’s Daily, during the launch of the 2017 Media Cooperation Forum on Belt and Road yesterday, at the Dunhuang International Convention and Exhibition Centre, in northwest China’s Gansu Province.

The event was attended by over 300 media outlets from 127 countries, as well as delegates from the academic and cultural community, making it the largest and most influential gathering of media outlets ever hosted by China’s mainstream media.

Yang also announced the introduction of six specific action plans for the further advancement of media cooperation: the release of a blue paper on the Belt and Road media cooperation; the launching of an international research centre; the establishment of a Belt and Road media cooperation centre, and a Belt and Road joint interview mechanism; the establishment of a cooperation union for Belt and Road regional initiative; the founding of a cultural research institute; and, an English-language publication of the book series, ‘An Ode to Silk Road’.

“In 2013, the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, proposed to jointly build the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, opening up more opportunities for co-construction and co-sharing, as well as a mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation,” said Yang.

“The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in May has promoted collaborations featuring a wider scope, a greater variety of fields, and a higher standard among participating countries,” he added.

He also noted that the Belt and Road Initiative has created a new concept for global governance and broader prospects for international cooperation while setting a model in which different civilisations could learn from each other.

“The building of the initiative is set to be prosperous,” he said. “Conforming to this trend, the People’s Daily hosted the first Media Cooperation Forum on the Belt and Road in 2014, in a bid to formulate an information expressway, break down emotional barriers, expand the ‘circle of friends’, and form a cultural concentric circle.

“The forum has had a strong magnetic effect, as it has been continuously growing over the past four years. Today, it is the most representative and influential global media gathering among its kind, held by China’s mainstream media.”

The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, is a trade and infrastructure network that includes the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, spanning 68 countries to connect Asia, Europe and Africa.

Asean is also an important base for this initiative, since China views this regional bloc as a starting point to create strategic propellers for hinterland development oriented towards the revival of the Maritime Silk Road.

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|     Hakim Hayat     |

UNIVERSITI Brunei Darussalam (UBD) honoured the achievements of outstanding students from the last academic term during its University Medal and Book Prizes and Excellence Awards Ceremony yesterday.

The event, organised in conjunction with UBD’s 29th Convocation Ceremony that was also held recently, was attended by the Minister of Health, Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Zulkarnain bin Haji Hanafi, as guest of honour.

Also present was the Deputy Minister of Education, Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar.

A total of 96 medals, book prizes and excellence awards were presented to 83 students during yesterday’s ceremony, and five of the students were also recipients of the coveted University Silver Medal Award.

In her welcoming remarks, UBD Vice-Chancellor Datin Dr Hajah Anita Binurul Zahrina binti Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Wijaya Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Aziz reminded students that education and professional development is a lifelong process, and that they have to adapt to the constantly changing working environment.

“The education and experience from UBD is hoped to develop the students holistically by inculcating emotional, social and intellectual values that will prepare them to be future-ready,” said the vice-chancellor.

She also called on students to constantly inculcate national self-identity values that are inclined towards community and national developments.

“Graduates and students must remember that the key to success in life is not to be ahead of other people, but to be ahead of ourselves,” she added.

Bachelor of Arts graduate Ismayah binti Haji Mohd Noor @ Haji Sulaiman, Bachelor of Science student Claudia Celestine Loh, Bachelor of Health Sciences student Hajah Noraini binti Haji Mohd Rafee, Bachelor of Business student Muhammad Ali Iskandar bin Mohammad Ali and Bachelor of Engineering student Yap Ai Hui were the silver medallists.

Among the university book prize recipients were 11 Master’s degree and 68 Bachelor’s degree students, who received the prestigious award for their outstanding achievements.

Of the 68 Bachelor’s degree book prize recipients, 26 were recipients for Level 4000 and 5000 (Majors), 25 for Level 2000 and 3000 (Majors), as well as 15 for Level 1000 (Majors).

One student also received the book prize for her outstanding achievements in the Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB) module, while another received the prize for her outstanding performance in the Bachelor of Health Sciences programme, of which she majored in Medicine.

In addition, seven students received excellence awards from Brunei LNG for being top achievers in their respective programmes and one student received the IET Best Student Award from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Brunei Darussalam.

Four high-performing diploma students currently in their final year were also presented with excellence awards.

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|     Azaraimy HH     |

THE government has imposed a restriction on the airspace above the entire Brunei-Muara District – including prohibiting unauthorised drone (unmanned aircraft) flying – from October 5-7 as an additional precautionary measure during the celebration of 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.

In a press conference yesterday with related security agencies, the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) stated only authorised aircraft, including drones, are allowed to be operated during the restriction period.

Director of Civil Aviation Mohammad Nazri bin Haji Mohammad Yusof urged the public, including private organisations to fully comply with the temporary security measure, adding that failure to do so is an offence under Section 51 of the Civil Aviation Order 2006.

The press conference took place at the Asyuura 2 Meeting Room, Airport Terminal Building of the Brunei International Airport.

During the press conference, Head of Regulatory Fauzi bin Mohamad Sidek further clarified that any application made from September 28 to November 3 for the use of drones from private individuals or organisations will not be processed and will not be authorised.

Acting Director of Operation, Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF), Senior Police Superintendent Haji Chipli bin Haji Mohammad told the press that should the unauthorised flying of drones or unmanned aircraft occur above the restricted airspace during the stated period, the operator(s) of the aircraft will be detained and interrogated. He added that the RBPF has requested for public cooperation, and to inform officers on duty or call the police hotline at 993 should they discover any unauthorised drones flying above the restricted areas.

Members of the public who wish to seek further clarification can contact Head of Regulatory, Department of Civil Aviation at +6732331065 or +6732330142 extension 1110 or via the email: info.dca@civil-aviation.gov.bn.

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|   Fadhil Yunus   |

BRUNEI Darussalam’s national under-15 team fell to an emphatic 9-0 defeat to Group ‘F’ favourites North Korea in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-16 qualifiers at the Fu Jen Catholic University Stadium in New Taipei City yesterday.

Aiming to recover from a heart-breaking 2-1 loss to hosts Taipei in the second group game despite launching barrage of attacks for large periods of the game, North Korea, who flexed their muscle as one of the region powerhouses at this level, were on a different planet.

It took the North Koreans six minutes to open their account through Ri Hun before Kim Kang-song doubled their lead in the 12^th minute.

It got worse for the young Wasps as Kim Won-il netted a third only a minute later.

Riding on their wave of dominance, Ra Nam-hyon added a fourth in the 22^nd minute before Won-il grabbed his second of the game.

Kim Jun-hyok and Kang-song also got on the act to ensure that the ‘Chollima Football Team’ entered the break with an astonishing 7-0 lead.

The Bruneians did restrict the North Koreans from scoring an abundance of goals in the second half with only Ko Chang-ung who scored four minutes after the restart and Won-il who completed his hat-trick finding the net in the 60^th minute evading the goal.

Brunei Darussalam’s national under-15 head coach Stephen Ng admitted the gulf in class and quality between both opponents and emphasised that his young charges should hold their heads high after putting a brave fight.

“For those who watched the game today, you would have known that it was a very tough game with the big football gap between the two teams,” said Ng.

“There is no shame on our team as our boys fought well and gave everything they had; no head went down today and we tried our utmost best to compete.

“We will learn from the humble lesson and with the proper support, will continue to improve and hope to one day play the Koreans again on a more level playing field,” he said.

The national junior side, who remain in fourth place, will conclude their group stage play against Hong Kong tomorrow.

The young Wasps began the qualifying campaign with an inspiring 4-0 win over Macau before falling to their first loss against Taipei.

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|   Fadhil Yunus   |

DPMM FC head coach Steve Kean was in harmony with the referee’s decision to award two penalties in favour of Hougang United FC during his side’s 4-1 loss in the Great Eastern-Hyundai S League at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium on Tuesday.

The head coach has not been getting decisions in his favour in recent matches most recently a penalty appeal turned down despite a deliberate handball and a goal off Rafael Ramazotti’s header not given both of which ultimately led to goals from a breakaway by the opposition.

However, the head coach agreed the referee’s calls to give the penalties in the 8^th and 27^th minute were equally justifiable following incidents involving defenders Abdul Mu’iz Sisa and Yura Indera Putera.

“I thought first of all they were definite penalties. There’s been times this season where there’s been decisions that went against us that I felt was tough,” said Kean in a post-match interview.

“For me they were two penalties. I don’t know why Abdul Mu’iz has put his hand up. If he moves his feet, he maybe takes it on his chest and then Yura certainly got hold of the attacker’s shirt in the box which you just can’t do especially right under the nose of the referee,” he continued.

The head coach also would not have any arguments if the referee had awarded a penalty in the second half.

“In all honesty, they could have had a third one. There was another one that I think the referee sometimes you see them given and sometimes not and we managed to get that decision. We could have ended up given away three penalties.”

He added that Hougang’s third goal helped lift confidence of the Cheetahs merely moments after being handed a lifeline through Rafael Ramazotti.

“In the second half when we changed the system and brought on the substitutes I thought we got a grip of the game.

“And then when it gets to 2-1 we were on the ascendancy and we gave the third goal away which was basically their first cross and we don’t deal with it.

“We have to be dealing with crosses better because that goal then takes the wind out of our sails. And then it gives them a massive lift because it was only a few minutes after we scored,” he said.

“So that was a real disappointment because that one I think changed the momentum. You can see that they were dropping back with basically four up top with two wide players and two strikers.”

Kean indicated that the third goal killed their chances of getting back into the game.

“We just kept getting the ball wide and it looked like we’re going to see them crack but the third goal as I’ve said killed us.”

The Scotsman recalled DPMM FC custodian Wardun Yussof to first team action and has refused to pin the blame on his goalkeeper with all four goals in his return between the sticks.

“Wardun wasn’t at fault with any of the goals. He’s just come back to the side after a real nasty injury. That wasn’t the problem.”

Hougang’s forward Fumiya Kogure sealed the tie with his hat-trick six minutes from time but the head coach indicated that usually there would be an extra man guarding the Japanese.

“The disappointing goal for me is the last goal because they had a man sent off and yet when the ball comes forward we have a one versus one situation which I couldn’t believe it.

“Because we always have a two versus one with the last striker closest to our goal so that one can challenge and one can cover.

“But we were pushing so many bodies forward that we’ve ended up getting too attracted with the ball instead of picking up the last striker,” the former Blackburn Rovers manager said.

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|   Fadhil Yunus   |

BRUNEI Darussalam’s national junior wushu athlete Majdurano Joel Majallah Sain struck gold in the Boy’s Nandao event in the 9^th Asian Junior Wushu Championships at the Park Chung Hee Gymnasium in Gumi City, South Korea on Tuesday.

The rising wushu talent prevailed in a tough field of competitors with a score of 9.48 points ahead of Hong Kong’s Tsz Chung Ng who clinched silver with 9.46 points and Malaysia’s Caleb Kiran Bala with 9.45 points.

Brunei Darussalam’s national wushu coach Li Hui hailed his pupil adding that it was the best individual achievement for wushu.

“This is the first gold medal in this tournament. I am really happy with the achievement,” said the national head coach.

Li Hui, who oversaw considerable success in the 29^th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur last year with Basma Lachkar claiming silver and Md Sufi Shayiran bin Roslan winning bronze, continued that the sport is fast gathering pace.

“This proves that we are progressing fast. I would also like to express my gratitude to the government and the Wushu federation for their continued support,” added the head coach.

Earlier, Majdurano claimed silver medal in the Boy’s Nanquan event which he shared with Malaysia’s Caleb Kiran Bala after the pair was awarded the same number of points with 9.22 points, losing only by 0.01 points to eventual winner Tsz Chung.

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|   Fadhil Yunus   |

BRUNEI Darussalam’s national para bowlers Kamarul Ariffin bin Haji Abdul Ghaffar and Saidin bin Haji Damit clinched the country’s first gold medal in the 9^th Asean Para Games after emerging victorious in the Mixed Doubles TPB2+ TPB2 event at the Sunway Mega Lanes, Sunway Pyramid yesterday.

The national duo rose the highest on top of the podium after posting a score of 2243 pinfalls with Malaysia and Thailand taking silver and bronze, respectively.

It was a greater accomplishment and the highest possible compliment for Kamarul Ariffin’s to the silver he collected in the Mixed Singles TPB2 event on Tuesday.

For his doubles partner Saidin, the national para bowler shrugged off the disappointment of finishing in a lowly 10^th place in the same category where Kamarul Ariffin won silver.

The country also continued their consistency in delivering medals in athletics as national para athlete Alihan bin Muda clinched silver in the Men’s Shot Put F35 event.

The national athlete bettered the bronze medal he won in the previous edition two years ago in Singapore in the Men’s Shot Put F33/F34 event.

The national para athlete scored a total of 7.33 sandwiched between Malaysia’s Bajury bin Ladis who won gold and bronze medallist Sabarudding bin Bacho.

Brunei national para cyclist Hamizan bin Samsuddin snatched the country’s first medal in cycling after winning bronze in the Mixed Individual Time Trial C1/C2/C3 with a speed of 33.23km/per hour at Dataran Putrajaya.

The overall medal tally for the country currently stands on one gold, four silver and four bronze medals as of press time.

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UNIVERSITI Brunei Darussalam (UBD) signed a collaboration agreement with FPT University (FPTU) for the setting up of the FPT-UBD Innovation Lab, a unique innovation lab where training and research are based on an industrial model with hands-on experience.

Signing on behalf of UBD was Dr Joyce Teo Siew Yean, Assistant Vice Chancellor (Global Affairs), while representing FPTU was its Vice Chairman, Dr Nam Nguyen Thanh. The signing ceremony was held at the ILIA Lecture Theatre, UBD, the press release said.
Present as guest of honour at the signing ceremony was Haji Azhar bin Haji Ahmad, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications and UBD Council Member.

Also witnessing the ceremony was Datin Dr Hajah Anita Binurul Zahrina binti Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Wijaya Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Aziz, Vice Chancellor of UBD.
The innovation lab will be based at the University Technology Hub Building, UBD, supported by FPT, the largest IT enterprise in Vietnam.

The collaboration agreement formalises the setting up of the FPT-UBD Innovation Lab in UBD. It offers a 16-week project-based training programme by expert industry mentors for students to learn and apply the latest innovations in IT such as mobile applications, cloud computing, Internet of Things (IoT), big data and cyber security. Students will also have the opportunity to work on real-world projects from industry and improve their teamwork skills in software development projects. Training will be tailored for different levels of expertise.

In addition, the FPT-UBD Innovation Lab will support the development of joint research between UBD and FPTU. The Lab will also offer part-time 16-week training programmes, training consultancies for Training of Trainers (TOT) and short-term courses. It aims to be the leading innovation and software development training programme and consultancy in Brunei and the region.

The setting up of the FPT-UBD Innovation Lab is in line with UBD’s Vision 2020 to be a ‘University of Innovation and Enterprise’. UBD is a world-ranked university, this year ranking 37th in the world for universities under 50 years and 349th amongst all universities in the world.

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

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|     Lyna Mohamad     |

THE 120 undergraduates from Universiti Teknologi Brunei’s (UTB) Faculty of Engineering, School of Business and School of Computing & Informatics who attended the two-day Amec Foster Wheeler Training Programme received their certificates yesterday.

The presentation ceremony took place at the university’s Lecture Theatre 2, Library Complex.

Present as the guest of honour was the Vice-Chancellor of UTB Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah binti Haji Sulaiman.

The ceremony began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa Selamat followed with closing remarks by Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Industry and Services) Haji Ady Syarmin bin Haji Md Taib.

Also in attendance were the Vice-President of Amec Foster Wheeler SE Asia Upstream and the Amec Foster Wheeler Project Director.

The assistant vice-chancellor in his speech noted that such training was the third one conducted by Amec Foster Wheeler since the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in 2013.

He said Amec Foster Wheeler is committed to make the programme an important value-added component for UTB’s undergraduate teaching and learning.

Haji Ady Syarmin hoped that the training gave the students a valuable insight into the exciting world of industry and will also help them to contextualise their studies.

He added that the university will continue to provide opportunities for the students to acquire industry knowledge and experience outside classroom throughout their study.

“I encourage you to actively participate in our industry lecture series. Make the most of your industry internship under the UTB ExperiencePLUS, whether in Brunei or abroad, and take part in your respective Student Chapter activities of PUJA, IMechE, IChemE, SPE and IET,” Haji Ady Syarmin said.

Through such experiences, plus the attitude and outlook developed from them, the students can go a long way in a competitive job market – in terms of distinguishing themselves from the crowd, he concluded.

The Amec Foster Wheeler programme, in collaboration with UTB, was facilitated by 10 industry experts from Amec Foster Wheeler, covering topics on Project Controls, Finance and Commercial, HSSE, Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement, Risk Management, Engineering Design, Supply Chain Management and Offshore Construction.

The programme is designed to help bridge the gap between academic knowledge and industrial knowledge, while giving students an overview of possible career options upon graduating.

It also gave the students an opportunity to interact with experienced professionals and exposed them to contemporary industrial practices.

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|     Achong Tanjong     |

IN CONJUNCTION with the nation’s 27th Teacher’s Day celebration, the Ministry of Education (MoE) and Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA), yesterday organised the recitation of Surah Yaasiin and Tahlil for Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam and Al-Marhumah Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Damit binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Bendahara Pengiran Anak Abdul Rahman, the late parents of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.

The ceremony took place at the Royal Mausoleum in Jalan Kubah Makam Diraja.

The Minister of Education, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman and Minister of Religious Affairs, Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman were present.

Also present were the Deputy Minister of Education, Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar and Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud.

The mass Surah Yaasiin recitation was led by Haji Azrul Alim bin Haji Zaini, Mosque Affairs Officer, followed by the recitation of Tahlil and Doa Arwah.

Nearly 400 people attended the event comprising officers and staff including teachers and students from schools, colleges, higher learning institutions and technical from the MoE and MoRA.

The Tahlil ceremony was part of the religious activities held in conjunction with the Teacher’s Day celebration conducted by the MoE and MoRA.

Also present at the event yesterday were the Acting Permanent Secretary at the MoE, Dr Haji Azman bin Ahmad; the Acting Ra’es of KUPU SB, Dr Haji Adanan bin Haji Basar; and the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the MoRA, Roslan bin Haji Taja’ah; as well as the heads of department from both ministries.

The main event of the celebration this year will be held on September 26 at the Plenary Hall of International Convention Centre (ICC) in Berakas.

The theme of the celebration is ‘Teacher Excellence Underpins the Nation’s Success’.

A Doa Kesyukuran ceremony in conjunction with the celebration will be held in the afternoon of September 25 at Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Mosque in the capital. The ceremony will coincide with mass Asar prayer and recitation of Ratib Al-Attas, Doa Kesyukuran and Doa Peliharakan Sultan.

Meanwhile, a nationwide ‘Doa Kesyukuran’ ceremony for the schools under the jurisdiction of the MoE and MoRA will be held on September 28.

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