|     Izah Azahari     |

A ‘MOOT Court’ presentation was conducted yesterday at the International Convention Centre (ICC), by 16 students from the Faculty of Syariah and Law at Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA), demonstrating the procedures of actual court trials.

Nuradibah binti Ramlee, a fifth year student from the Faculty of Syariah and Law, in an interview said the proceedings are a simulation for law students who are taking Higher National Diploma (HND) in Syariah Criminal Certificate, as well as those taking Double Degrees in Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Syariah Law programmes, so that they will be familiar with court procedures once they graduate from university.

One of the simulations depicted a Syariah court case of a man suspected of drinking alcohol, which is an offence under Section 104 (1) of the Syariah Criminal Code Order.

“The presentation is to show both the students and members of the public that it isn’t easy to convict anyone in the Syariah Court without two valid witnesses,” said Nuradibah.

“The end of the simulation shows that the crime could not be proven, but as the accused did carry it out, he received only a fine.”

The presentation is also aimed at training UNISSA students to enhance their knowledge, skills and competence in carrying out research on the issues of Civil and Syariah laws, where their findings are submitted verbally in a discussion session at the Court of Appeal.

This is the second time such a presentation has been carried out as part of UNISSA’s Mahrajan Hafl Al-Takharruj, or convocation festival.

Throughout the convocation period, a number of forums, clinics, workshops and presentations will also be conducted.

The post UNISSA law students present ‘moot court’ cases at ICC appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Azlan Othman     |

WHILE at the refugee camp in Teknof, Bangladesh, Ashraf Ali had a curious observation which he thinks is a true reflection of the Rohingya crisis.

He could see very few young men at the camp which houses more than 4,000 Rohingyan families that have fled ethnic atrocities in Myanmar.

“Nearly 80 per cent of the refugees in the camp were children and mothers while young men were only a few to be seen – most of them presumably killed in the violence,” he said.

“Emotions were running high at the camp and we were all moved by the pathetic situation. Many a time we broke into tears. In short, the place looked like the Day of Judgement in the days of the hereafter or the day of Mahsyar,” Ashraf Ali said.

An Indian doing business in Brunei Darussalam, Ashraf Ali was part of a group of five Indian professionals and a Bangladeshi businessman working in the Sultanate that recently visited a remote Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh to distribute humanitarian aid to their Muslim brothers that have fled ethnic violence in Myanmar.

The team distributed around B$18,000 worth of essential items like food, medicines, cooking utensils, blankets, mosquito nets and clothing as well as made arrangements to install pipes for supplying clean water to the camp.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees have crossed the border into Bangladesh in the past few weeks to escape violence in the Rakhine state of Myanmar.

“We were in the Rohingya camp which houses some 4,000 families from October 1 to 10,” Ashraf Ali, an Indian businessman in the group told the Bulletin recently.

“We bought clothing, cooking utensils and installed pipes and sanitation facilities for the refugees. We realised that currently, disease outbreak is a real danger for the camp dwellers and the host population, so we gave priority to set up sanitation systems there.

“Life is really hard out there. Food is inadequate and they use the coupon system to collect food packs that can only last for a week. We saw a family of 10 children, and for them, I doubt, this food would be enough.

“If Muslims want to donate, these are the people that one should give it to. Some 2,000 refugees are queuing up for their share of meal every day – and sometimes they get it and sometimes they don’t… it’s a heart-rending scene to witness.

“Even a little can go a long way. Local people also chipped in to ease the burden of the refugees seeing pleas spread through the social media. It comes as a heart-to-heart contribution for the Muslim Ummah,” the Indian businessman added.

Besides Ashraf Ali, the humanitarian assistance group included Mohammad Zafar, Maulana Shoeb, Nadeem, Mohd Sabih and Mohammed Mostafa.

“We departed from Bandar Seri Begawan to Kuala Lumpur and then to Dhaka, Chittagong. From there we took a four-hour drive to the settlement area of Bangladesh’s Cox Bazar district and then another two-hour drive before reaching Teknof where the refugee camp is located. It is about 170 kilometres from Chittagong to Cox Bazar and another 100 kilometres from Coz Bazar to the refugee camp,” Ashraf Ali noted.

“According to the refugees, the contribution from Brunei Darussalam is the biggest received by the refugee camp so far,” he added.

“The Bangladesh army is monitoring the area. The place looks awful with many without clothes and most people are malnourished.

“If there is budget, we plan to go there again along with our colleagues from Dubai and Saudi Arabia. I understand that a group of Bangladeshi professionals and businessmen working in Brunei will also go to the refugee camp in November to distribute aid. Goods are expensive in Cox Bazar as they are in short supply. We bought the stuff in Chittagong and transported them to Cox Bazar,” Ashraf Ali said.

The United Nations (UN) describes the Rohingya people as one of “the most persecuted people on Earth”. They are a minority group of Bengali Muslim ethnicity who are amongst the poorest of Myanmar. The long-standing Rohingya crisis has worsened so much since August 2017 and the UN reports that they are experiencing the last stages of genocide. “If you read or have read their accounts, your heart will also grieve for these poor people,” it said.

As of August 2017, about 600,000 Rohingya men, women and children have fled to Bangladesh with little else than the clothes on their back.

The post Young men rare in Teknof Rohingya camp appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Rokiah Mahmud     |

THE newly-opened Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha Bridge is expected to generate multiple spinoffs to bolster businesses in Brunei Darussalam besides easing commu-tation to the capital from Mukim Lumapas.

Till now the commuters had to travel at least 30 kilometres either via Jalan Bengkurong-Masin to Jalan Tutong – or take alternative routes to reach their workplaces or send their children to school. During peak hours, the travelling time can take at least 40 minutes to one hour.

The 750-metre long new bridge, constructed at a cost of B$139 million, reduces travelling time and also offers vast socio-economic development in the surrounding areas with better transportation and accessibility.

Haji Abu Bakar bin Mansor, Penghulu of Mukim Lumapas and a former Legislative Council member said that the completion of the bridge was one of the most awaited projects by many, especially the residents of Mukim Lumapas and its surrounding areas. The penghulu told the Bulletin that during the trial opening of the bridge, he could drive to the capital in 15 to 17 minutes.

“We should thank the Government 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 for building this mega project that will surely benefit the people as well as the country in the long term,” Haji Abu Bakar said.

One of significant impacts of the opening of the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha Bridge is on real estate development. Already, land prices have increased three-fold. Many businesses have shown interest in further developing the land in Mukim Lumapas. They include industries, warehouses, housing settlements, supermarkets, hardware companies, restaurants and workshops.

“This would generate income not only for the residents in the area but also the small and medium enterprises that would be able to promote and expand their products to another level,” he said.

“In the years to come, a lot of projects will be carried out in the area. This will create more opportunities for the people. Tourism industry will be booming here as we can offer nature sight-seeing, start a herbal park in Kampong Putat and arrange adventure activities at Bukit Saeh,” he added.

“However, one of our main concerns is to maintain the cleanliness of the surroundings as well as the bridge. We should introduce a proper wastage management system to further beautify the Mukim Lumapas surroundings. One also needs to be reminded to always keep the bridge clean and tidy,” he said.

Meanwhile, Haji Jumat bin Akim, Village Head of Kampong Putat who is also a former Legislative Council member, expressed gratitude to the authorities for the construction of the bridge.

“Before the construction of the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha Bridge, Mukim Lumapas was considered as a remote area, far from the capital. Now we can see a lot of commercial activities happening in the area with more shops and residential areas opening up. In five years, Mukim Lumapas will have a different image,” he added.

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|     Fadhil Yunus     |

HIS Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman yesterday attended the 2nd ISB Sprints & Masters Swimming Championships 2017 at the International School Brunei (ISB) Swimming Pool.

Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Muda ‘Abdul Muntaqim ibni Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah competed in the Men’s 50 Short Course (SC) Metre Butterfly, Men’s 50 SC Metre Freestyle and Men’s 50 SC Metre Breaststroke events.

Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Anak Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah binti Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah was part of the ISB Hammerheads team that won silver in the Mixed 7 and Under 100 SC Metre Freestyle Relay in the morning session.

Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Anak Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah and her team-mates only trailed behind the dominant Royal Brunei Recreation Club team with a finals time of 1:47.16.

The Royal Brunei Recreation Club team claimed two out of three possible relay events.

Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Anak Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah missed out on a podium finish in fourth place in the Girls 7 and under 25 SC Metre Backstroke with a time of 30.17s.

She also shaded three seed times eclipsing her old mark of 31.94s with a time of 30.17s in the backstroke event as well as breaststroke and freestyle events.

Yang Teramat Mulia, who won silver in the individual backstroke event earlier this year, also finished fifth in the butterfly event with a time of 33.40s.

Gymkhana Club Miri was hugely successful in the morning session with Deven Max Caroll leading the charge with six gold medals in the six contested events he was enrolled in.

Deven Max was accompanied by relay teammate Zhi Ping Seau in a gold medal galore who grabbed five out of five.

Gymkhana capped a dominant performance on foreign territory with their relay team consisting Zhi Ping, Deven Max, Genista R Druce, Ashleigh Hsu taking gold.

The visitors received a stern test from Pujut Miri Swimming Club who was inspired by the solo exploits of Annabelle Frederic with the young talent enjoying a haul of five gold medals out of five possible events.

Aldrich Frederic was also a major factor in Pujut Miri’s immediate success during the meet having contributed with four gold medals in four events.

Royal Brunei Recreation Club’s Kai Ling Shang was one of the most successful swimmers for a local team after winning the Girls 7 and under 25 SC Metre Butterfly and Freestyle events with a time of 23.89s and 21.43s respectively.

Joining her as multiple gold medallists was Panaga Stingrays’s Philippine Van den Berg who won the Girls 8 Year Olds 25 SC Metre Backstroke and Freestyle events.

Megan Lee of the Royal Brunei Recreation Club, Kate D’Bouk of ISB Hammerheads and Renee Anderson of the Panaga Stingrays also won gold in the Girls 8 Year Olds 25 SC Metre Butterfly, Girls 7 and under 25 SC Metre Backstroke and Girls 8 Year Olds 25 SC Metre Breaststroke, respectively.

Gymkhana emerged leaders in the morning session after accumulating 10 gold medals one more than their nearest rivals Pujut Miri Swimming Club.

Gymkhana Club Miri head coach David Cheong insisted that they are not setting any specific targets in terms of medal haul but they are interested in posting improved marks.

Cheong’s task extends beyond a coaching role as he also plays a crucial role in stimulating the young swimmer’s development and progress under his tutelage.

“I’m happy with their performance. I don’t only train them but I also teach and coach them. This team is based on my experience by teaching them and then groom them.

This is my development programme,” said Cheong.

“You have to lay down the foundation first. As they get older and older, if the foundation is right, they can go further in swimming. It will be more challenging as they get older,” he said.

Cheong added that the majority of the team members are new swimmers adding their intentions to beat their personal bests. “Any medal that follows will be a bonus,” said the head coach.

The post Their Royal Highnesses attend swim meet appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     James Kon     |

TO PROVIDE better comfort and convenience for golfers, Pantai Mentiri Golf Club on Sunday added 40 new buggies that was officially unveiled by Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gafar, the Deputy Minister of Development in his capacity as the Deputy President of Pantai Mentiri Golf Club.

With the new buggies, Pantai Mentiri Golf Club currently has a total of 80 buggies that have stands to transport caddy and rain curtains as well as a cold boxes.

The additional buggies will help boost Pantai Mentiri Golf Club’s reputation as the golf course to host big-scale golf tournament and attract more golfers.

Restoring the golf course to its former glory, Pantai Mentiri Golf Club is currently carrying out upgrades and renovation like improving the green at Hole 13, installation of subsoil drainage pipe in fairways as well as upgrading the earth drain in the golf course areas.

Several tournaments have already been organised this year at the Pantai Mentiri Golf Club namely monthly medal tournaments, Hari Raya golf tournament and ‘Chairman Trophy’.

Upcoming tournaments are Golden Jubilee Golf Tournament, President Cup as well as Pantai Mentiri Amateur Open 2018.

Meanwhile, 140 golfers took part in the Chairman Trophy last weekend.

Qazzri bin Haji Aslimoin managed to record score of 71 to win the men’s overall gross trophy. Moksin bin Junaidi won second place with the score of 72 and Pengiran Adam bin Pengiran Atan was in third place with 73.

The post 40 new buggies for Pantai Mentiri Golf Club appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Fadhil Yunus     |

DPMM FC’s hopes of finishing seventh in the Great Eastern-Hyundai S League took a major dent after losing to bench-deprived Balestier Khalsa 4-1 at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium last night.

The ‘Gegar Gegar’ men now lost ground on the Tigers after the defeat left them five points adrift with a game in hand having seen their mini revival halted on home soil.

The visitors seemed to be short of alternatives with only three players being named as reserves with Azmeerudin Jamludain and young forward Fariz Faizal making the bench.

There was little activity in the opening ten minutes before DPMM FC fired a warning as Rafael Ramazotti powerful header off a delightful Helmi Zambin’s cross was smartly saved by custodian Zaiful Nizam.

Balestier’s Tajeli Selamat puts through Hazzuwan Halim with a well weighted pass but the latter’s shot was deflected off for a corner.

From the ensuing corner, Aung Kway Naing was unable to meet the target from close range.

The visitors threatened as Nanda Linn Kway Chit attempted a shot from inside the box but Haizul Rani intervened with a crucial block.

The visitors took the lead in the 21st minute after Fadli Kamis tapped home Huzaifah Aziz’s corner from close range.

The attacking duo of Adi Said and Daud Gazale played a neat exchange after one of the forwards burst into the edge of the box as Zaiful held on a tame shot.

Gazale lifted the ball on top of the Balestier backline and was duly collected by Adi Said but the latter shot was parried away to safety by Zaiful.

DPMM FC’s defender Abdul Mu’iz Sisa delivered a nice ball into the box but Ramazotti, who had to adjust his body, directed his header straight at the untroubled Zaiful.

Two minutes after the restart, Tajeli whipped in a fine cross right in the money which was met by a flying header by Hazzuwan Halim into the back of the net.

Adi managed to escape tight Balestier defending before locating Hendra Azam but his shot was comfortably saved by Zaiful.

Gazale was booked for simulation which turned out to be his final piece of action as part of a double substitution with the forward being withdrawn for Najip Tarif while Nurikhwan Othman made way for Azwan Salleh.

Abd Muiz, who had broken to the first team, was denied his first goal for the club after his header at point blank range was finely tipped away by Zaiful.

Balestier’s midfielder Huzaifah Aziz danced his way into the box and after Hazzuwan slipped trying to collect his team-mate’s pass, he received a second invite after the DPMM FC defence failed to clear their lines with Helmi Zambin culpable of bringing him down.

The midfielder got off to his feet and sent Mu’izzuddin Ismail the wrong way as it looked to be no way back for DPMM FC.

Ramazotti was unlucky not to get on the score-sheet after his header off a corner grazed the crossbar with Zaiful getting a slight touch.

The hosts missed the chance to pull one back after Hendra Azam failed to hit the target with the ball kindly falling to him on the box.

DPMM FC goalkeeper Mu’izzuddin Ismail had a howler after dropping Tajeli’s shot from over 30 yards in what appeared to be third goalkeeping error in as many matches.

There was still time for DPMM FC substitute Shahrazen Said to score a scant consolation after slotting the ball home in injury time.

The post DPMM FC dealt blow in race to 7th appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

IN THE penultimate ‘Teacher Forum 2017’ of Tutong Sixth Form Centre (PTE Tutong), Cikgu Raihan Nokman discussed the enhancing working memory capacity in biology lessons through the use of dictation activities while Cikgu Dr Vincent Andrew reflected on teaching practices that work in classrooms and shared the ones he found to be most effective.

The Teacher Forum began in late 2015, and had since organised four forums in 2016 with another four including this penultimate one in 2017.

It shall continue next year with another four forums.

As a platform for teachers to share the best teaching practices as well as findings from their classroom-based investigations, the Teacher Development Programme (TDP) hopes such action can motivate teachers to be more involved with improving teaching and learning through continuous reflections and refinement, in light of new knowledge and pedagogies.

In the first presentation, Cikgu Raihan, herself a biology tutor, remarked that science subjects such as biology require students to remember an innumerable facts and concepts. Many students thus find learning biology quite a challenge.

She continued, “Memorising is a rudimentary method of learning any subjects. Although many claimed that memorisation is rather destructing and leads to rote learning, other research have shown that working memory could be the basis of general intelligence and reasoning in learning.”

Cikgu Raihan’s study set out to examine two things – firstly, to determine if running dictation can be a useful tool in a biology lesson and secondly, to gauge the retention of biological knowledge post activity.

While she presented only preliminary data, Cikgu Raihan’s presentation highlighted a similar pedagogy used commonly by English as a Second Language (ESL) tutors.

As one set of students (as runners, moving between stations) dictated what they read repeatedly, eventually they would improve not only their retention of knowledge but also learn to communicate effectively with the writer; hence the ‘running dictation’ activity.

Cikgu Dr Vincent, a Business Studies tutor, took over in the second presentation, whereby he raised thought-provoking questions – “Which teaching practices work in the classroom? Are these practices specific to business only or can they be applied to other subjects? Are these practices supported by the research literature? Many teaching strategies influence achievement but which are the best?”

He also asked the audience to consider including his students’ involvement in the Junior Achievement programme, the role of high expectations, the ratio of student talk to teacher talk, the quality of feedback, the role of learning with other teachers and lesson designs.

Cikgu Dr Vincent said, “Although business was introduced as a new subject in 2016, the May/June 2017 AS results of the first cohort surprised me. The students achieved 80 per cent A-E (quantity) and 33.3 per cent A-C (quality). However, the Qualifying Examination (QE) results provided some cause for concern as the students were not achieving well in Paper 3, the A2 component.”

“This is a three-hour case study with six long questions requiring the full range of skills to be displayed. These skills include knowledge, application, analysis and evaluation. In a post-mortem after the QE, the number of students who did not achieve high evaluation skills was considerable. This prompted a reconsideration of the teaching strategies,” he continued.

Throughout his presentation, Cikgu Dr Vincent provided ample evidence of his attempt to check his students’ weaknesses, and encouraged the audience, in particular the social science subject tutors, to attempt similar method and subsequently report their eventual findings.

To conclude the 2017 series of forums, Cikgu Onn Chee Sheng, who spearheaded the classroom-based investigation team, said in the subsequent colloquium, “It is important that we as educators continue to grow and improve. For this is exactly what we encourage our students to aspire to on a daily basis. I personally believe that intelligence is malleable, and through high expectations of our teaching staff, we aim to inculcate the same within our students – that through perseverance and hard work, they can improve.”

The post Teachers share classroom-based investigation findings appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Daniel Lim     |

COMMITTEE members from the Kampong Teraja Longhouse, Labi in collaboration with Sakam Adventure recently conducted the ‘Chasing Waterfall’ programme at the longhouse recently.

Fifty people participated in the event held in conjunction with the Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Accession to the Throne.

Jamit anak Lasah, former head of the Teraja Longhouse and Bohari bin Abdullah, Chairman of Sakam Adventure officiated the programme.

The programme aimed to promote and draw interested groups, particularly tourists, to visit Kampong Teraja and appreciate its diverse flora and fauna.

The group gathered at the Sungai Liang Recreational Park before proceeding to Kampong Teraja Longhouse.

Participants were welcomed upon arrival by residents and the committee in Kampong Teraja Longhouse.

The programme was enlivened with cultural performances, Gulingtangan and ‘Blow-Pipe Challenge’.

Participants trekked the wilderness accompanied by a skilled trekker from the longhouse. The group also experienced the uniquely prepared traditional meals at the longhouse.

Participants received cer-tificates of participation. The event concluded with a group photo session at the longhouse.

The post 50 experience nature at Teraja Longhouse appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Hakim Hayat     |

THE Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Brunei Darussalam Vladlen Semivolos yesterday praised the increased bilateral cooperation between Brunei and Russia, and hopes to see further growth as both sides forge greater cooperation in different sectors.

Semivolos made the remarks in his speech during a reception to mark the Day of Russia yesterday evening.

The meeting 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 in Sochi last year laid down broad foundation for the deepening of practical mutually advantageous collaborations between both countries, he said.

“Strong friendly relations between our leaders remain a major force behind the development of Russia-Brunei cooperation,” he added.

The ambassador noted that bilateral contacts between both countries have significantly grown and qualitatively expanded in recent years, including in exchange visits from high level delegations from both governments and also cooperation in areas of defence and security, education, economic and trade and culture.

“We expect more practical achievements this year, in particular the signing of the Agreement on Mutual Exemption of Visa Requirements which, we are convinced, will serve as a powerful incentive for the accelerated development of business, tourism, cultural, educational exchanges and people-to-people contacts,” he said.

Present as guests of honour at the event hosted by the Russian Federation Embassy at The Rizqun International Hotel were Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof and spouse Datin Hajah Kalshom binti Haji Suhaili.

The event commenced with the playing of the national anthems of both countries, followed by a cake-cutting ceremony and presentation of souvenirs to the guest of honour.

Guests were also shown a documentary film ‘Formula of Power’ that was filmed by a Russian film crew on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Accession to the Throne.

A cultural performance by artists from ‘The Songs and Dance Ensembles’ of the visiting Russian Pacific Fleet enlivened the evening.

The post Brunei-Russia ties going from strength to strength appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     James Kon     |

THE Minister of Education Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman yesterday welcomed the Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Tropical Biology (SEAMEO Biotrop) researchers and individuals applying for research grants from the centre to conduct collaborative or joint projects on tropical biology with researchers from Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) in the country’s pristine rainforests.

“Such innovative research partnerships will benefit both the SEAMEO Biotrop and UBD in addressing common concerns and achieve shared goals,” said the minister during his address at the opening of the SEAMEO Biotrop 55th Governing Board Meeting, which is currently being held in Brunei Darussalam.

In his address, the minister also said that Brunei Darussalam holds a wealth of natural richness which is both a resource and heritage that requires proper continued research, understanding and documentation, as well as conservation and management.

Highlighting the advantage of working with UBD, the minister stated, “Higher education institutions – in particular UBD – possess up-to-date knowledge and good practices in tropical biology. In fact, UBD has identified biodiversity research as one of its research foci, which can contribute towards sustainable use and conservation of tropical biodiversity and ecosystems.”

UBD’s Institute for Biodiversity and Environment Research (IBER), the minister explained, “has a world-class field research centre in Kuala Belalong which has carried out innovative and cutting-edge research and collaborations with internationally acclaimed scientists and higher learning institutions.”

Besides facilitating research, the centre also provides unparalleled opportunities for field-based training and offers environmental education programmes for Brunei’s secondary school students as well as local and international graduates.

Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi also noted SEAMEO Biotrop’s past efforts to collaborate with the School of Agro-Technology and Applied Science – and now with the Institute of Brunei Technical Education (IBTE) – to transfer technology, knowledge and ideas to teachers to aid them in their efforts to help the youth in Brunei develop their interests and passion in agriculture, as well as to spark more innovation in the agriculture sector in the future.

Besides the established colla-boration, the minister also expressed his hope that SEAMEO Biotrop can look into providing training programmes for Brunei’s youth in agriculture technologies such as tissue culture, hydroponics, aquaponics and global information system (GIS)/remote sensing for agriculture planning and monitoring.

Such capacity-building pro-grammes, the minister said, “will attract more youth to be involved in agriculture, leading to the possibility of them eventually developing agro-enterprises which can help in the nation’s economic diversification efforts.”

The minister also stated his hopes of having two base programmes for SEAMEO countries implemented in Brunei’s schools: the School Garden for improving students’ literacy, nutrition and entrepreneurship programme, and the Urban Agriculture Training programme.

“I hope that SEAMEO Biotrop will continue to promote and enhance the expertise of the centre and forge strategic alliances with the relevant institutions in Brunei Darussalam and other members’ respective countries,” said the minister, before concluding his speech.

The post Minister hails research partnerships appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

HENGYI Industries Sdn Bhd yesterday reached another milestone in its progress to develop an integrated oil refinery and aromatics plant at Pulau Muara Besar (PMB) with the inauguration of Hengyi Industries International Pte Ltd (HII) based in Singapore.

Established as the refinery’s commercial arm to support the operations of the refinery in Brunei Darussalam, Hengyi Industries International Pte Ltd will act as the intermediary between the major oil players in the region and Hengyi Industries Sdn Bhd. The organisation will serve as the centre to source for all the raw materials that the refinery will consume as well as to secure sales channels for the refined products manufactured by the refinery.

HII will also function as the sole marketer for the refined products and petrochemicals from the refinery and on top of that, carry out third-party trade, hedging and other businesses to improve profitability and competitiveness, thus expanding the scale of operations in Singapore.

The event, held at the Conrad Centennial Hotel in Singapore was attended by Haji Rozaimee bin Dato Paduka Haji Abdullah, Acting High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam to Singapore; Fang Xinwen, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Singapore; Haji Abu Bakar bin Haji Ibrahim, Managing Director of Strategic Development Capital Fund, Brunei; Qiu Jian Lin, Chairman of Zheijiang Hengyi Group, as well as senior government officials and industry partners from Singapore and Brunei.

Early this year, Hengyi Industries Sdn Bhd announced its final investment decision for Phase 1 of the project to be valued at US$3.445 billion. Once operational, the Hengyi plant will process approximately eight million tonnes (175,000 barrels per day) of crude and condensate annually and produce approximately 1.5 million tonnes of paraxylene, and 500,000 tonnes of benzene as well as refined products such as gasoline, jet fuel and diesel.

Hengyi Industries Sdn Bhd’s PMB project benefits from access to Brunei’s many investment incentives provided to foreign investors, including a preferential tax and a stable environment for foreign companies to plan and invest with confidence.

The post Inauguration ceremony of Hengyi Industries International Pte Ltd in Singapore appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Rokiah Mahmud     |

IT WAS a sweet moment of success for 182 graduates from Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA), as they stood to receive their respective Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates from 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 the Chancellor of UNISSA, during the university’s 7th Hafl Al-Takharruj (Convocation Ceremony) yesterday.

Accompanying His Majesty to the ceremony at the International Convention Centre in Berakas was His Royal Highness Prince (Dr) Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Pro-Chancellor of UNISSA.

The ceremony began with a recitation of verses 48 to 50 from Surah Al-Ma’idah, by Muhammad Hashim bin Abdullah, a Bachelor’s Degree graduate in Usuluddin Tafsir Hadith.

This was followed with a quotation from the Hadiths, read by Mohammad Marzuqi bin Sabtu, a graduate in Law and Syariah Law from the Bachelor’s Degree programme at UNISSA. The interpretation was read by Sheikh Husrin Jairul Azry bin Sheikh Hassan, also a Bachelor’s Degree graduate of Law and Syariah Law.

In his welcoming address, Dr Haji Norarfan bin Haji Zainal, the Rector of UNISSA, said that the institution was first established a decade ago, with an initial intake of 107 students pursuing their studies in 10 programmes at four faculties.

“Currently, UNISSA has 1,096 students pursuing their studies in 37 academic programmes at five faculties and three centres of academic excellence, while at the same time experiencing an average increase of new students by 19 per cent annually,” he said.

“The number is expected to grow in the years to come, with the development of academic programmes involving more dynamic, relevant and flexible disciplines,” he added.

His Majesty then delivered a titah, and later officiated at the presentation of degrees, diplomas and certificates to this year’s batch of graduates.

Out of the 182 graduates at UNISSA’s 7th Convocation Ceremony, one received a Doctor of Philosophy; 38 received Master’s Degrees; six received Diplomas in the Islamic Law and Syar’ie Advocate programme; 14 received Post-Graduate Degrees; 98 graduated from the Bachelor’s Degree programme; three were awarded with a Special Degree (Ijazah Khas) in Al-Quran memorisation; two received a Higher National Diploma in Dirasat Islamiyyah; and 23 received a Barnamij At-Tarqiyah (Advancement Programme) and a Syariah Criminal Justice System Certificate. Four graduates, meanwhile, achieved First Class Honours: Najwa Izzati binti Haji Isa and Nur Hayati binti Haji Abas, from the Bachelor’s Degree programme in Arabic Language; Afeefah binti Haji Othman and Haji Othman from the Bachelor’s Degree programme of Science in Islamic Finance; and Nur Rahimah binti Brahim from the Bachelor’s Degree programme in Syariah (Fiqh and Usul).

For the second consecutive time, the Faculty of Syariah and Law has produced eight graduates in the Double Degree programme of a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and a Bachelor’s Degree in Syariah Law (LLB and BSL), requiring five years of studies.

Meanwhile, UNISSA is offering diverse programmes through its Halalan Tayyiban Research Centre and the Faculty of Islamic Development Management, as part of the national efforts to produce a well-educated populace in line with the country’s Vision 2035.

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|     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, and Chancellor of Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) urged the Islamic varsity to prepare a plan of action that is in line with the uncertain economic situation.

Delivering a titah at 7th Convocation ceremony (Hafl Al-Takharruj) yesterday at the International Convention Centre in Berakas, the monarch welcomed UNISSA’s initiatives in improving the quality of study, research and governance as well as offering of new programmes and courses.

“I am optimistic about these developments which will make UNISSA more potent to attract more students from within and outside the country, and a hub of Islamic learning centre in the region.

“These initiatives will undoubtedly open-up wider opportunities to enhance the marketability of UNISSA graduates,” His Majesty said.

“Indeed, with the exposure to various areas of knowledge and skills, UNISSA students are also able to become versatile graduates, who can serve in various sectors and become successful entrepreneurs. “This is the factor that makes UNISSA more globally recognised; more international students desire to make it their favourite place to study. Increase in international student admissions at UNISSA each year is a sign that the university has a privilege in the eyes of the world.

“I also support UNISSA’s efforts to attract more international students and it is one of the government’s contributions to the development of the universal community.”

His Majesty noted that UNISSA is celebrating its 10-year anniversary. During this period UNISSA has made many achievements as intended.

“In line with its growing maturity, I hope, UNISSA will continue to emerge as the landmark of Islamic glory in the country. The university needs to grow in line with current developments and needs.

“I am pleased to note that UNISSA’s Leadership and Lifelong Learning Centre has begun its operations. This centre is capable of being a catalyst for the enrichment of knowledge and skills of all levels of society regardless of age. The centre will also be able to strengthen the professionalism of civil servants by offering various courses to them,” the monarch said.

His Majesty congratulated the graduates who have successfully completed their studies as well as their parents, guardians and lecturers for their sacrifices in producing successful graduates.

“Finally, I take this opportunity to express my congratulations and thanks to all UNISSA staff members including Council and Senate members, the rector, principal officers and all the academics for their sincere contributions. May Allah the Almighty reward them amply,” His Majesty concluded.

Also present at the event was His Royal Highness Prince (Dr) Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, and Pro-Chancellor of UNISSA.

Some 182 graduates received their degrees and certificates in various courses. One received PhD, 38 were awarded with their Master’s Degree, six received Diploma in Islamic Law and Syar’ie Court; 14 received Post Graduate Diplomas, 95 received Bachelor’s Degree, three received Special Degree for 30 Juzuks of Al-Quran memorisation; two were awarded with Higher National Diploma in Dirasat Islamiyyah; and 23 students received certificates in Barnamij At-Tarqiyyah (Upgrading Programme) and Syariah Criminal Justice System.

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|     Fadhil Yunus     |

A TOTAL of 33 senior golfers from Brunei Darussalam Association will be participating in the 34th Asean Senior Amateur Golf Championships at the Eagle Ridge Golf & Country Club, Barrio Javalera, General Trias, Cavite, Philippines from October 18 to 20.

Brunei Darussalam Association of Senior Golfers (BDASG) will be represented in the tournament which also includes five other Asean country golf associations – Thailand Senior Golfers’ Association (TSGA), Indonesian Senior Golfers’ Society (ISGA), Federation of Philippines Amateur Senior Golfers’ Inc. (FPASGI), Senior Golfers’ Society of Malaysia (SGSM) and Singapore Senior Golfers’ Society (SSGS).

Some 256 golfers from the six Asean countries including Brunei Darussalam are expected to take part in the tournament which will be officiated by Governor Boying Remulla.

The championship will have two separate competitions namely stroke play and Stableford play.

Stroke play competition will be played over three rounds of 18 holes while Stableford competition will be played over two rounds of 18 holes.

Participants will play in either the stroke play or Stableford play competition and not in both. The stroke play competition will comprise of a team and individual.

The individual championship will be a competition over 54 holes for gross and net play. The team championship will be for the team of four players representing their association for team gross and net play.

The golfing individuals and teams will be vying for the five prestigious championship trophies namely the Sallahudin Challenge Trophy for the Best Gross Individual over 54 holes; Mondonedo Challenge Trophy for the Best Net Individual over 54 holes; Henry HS Lee Challenge Trophy for the Team Gross over 54 holes; Zakir Challenge Trophy for Team Nett over 54 holes; Toh Shung Chee Trophy for Best Stableford Score Individual over 36 holes.

The latest trophy additions are from the Thai Senior Golf Association called the Chamnian Pongpairojana Challenge Trophy and the Brunei Darussalam Association of Senior Golfers produced the Overall Challenge Trophy called the Lela Pahlawan Trophy donated by Pehin Orang Kaya Lela Pahlawan Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Mohd Jaafar bin Haji Abdul Aziz.

About 10 per cent of the players are 75 and above which is equivalent to 23 out of 256 players. The highest number taking part in the Group E age grouping is Thailand with six followed by Malaysia with five, Indonesia and Brunei with four and Philippines and Singapore with two.

The tournament first started when a group in 12 people met in Jakarta in the 80s who are known to be golfing enthusiasts and are seniors aged 55 and above.

Melito Salazar, President of the Federation of Philippines Amateur Senior Golfers’ Inc said the group felt that it was good to have a group of golfers from Asean countries to play together to foster greater friendships and bonding.

They invited other institutions in the region to join and today there is the Confederation of Asean Senior Golfers’ Association (CASGA) which is represented by six countries. This year, Philippines are hosting the tournament after Malaysia declined and fittingly it is also coincided the same year as the Asean chairmanship which Philippines play host.

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|    Izah Azahari    |

‘THE Malay Kitchen, Recipes for Thermomix’ cookbook was launched at the Truemix (B) Sdn Bhd (company distributing Thermomix products in Brunei) office in Kampong Lambak Kanan on Monday.

‘The Malay Kitchen, Recipes for Thermomix’ is the German-origin kitchen appliance brand’s first cookbook which focusses solely on traditional Malay dishes.

The guest of honour at the launch of the cookbook was Datin Hajah Edah binti Haji Mohd Noor, the spouse of YB Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Lela Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Dato Setia Haji Mohamed Taib – Legislative Council speaker and Maria Renee Juan-Wolff, the spouse of Peter Hermann Wolff, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Brunei Darussalam.

The event began with a welcoming speech delivered by JH Lim, Managing Director of Thermomix Brunei.

He highlighted that the cookbook will introduce well-loved authentic Malay dishes to the community, and that it is the result of a first-time collaboration with Thermomix recipe developer Suriya Abdullah, an ethnic Malay who grew up cooking Malay food the old-fashioned, laborious way until she discovered Thermomix in 2014.

“Additionally, to ensure our global users can replicate the intricate flavours of Malay dishes, we have included a pictorial section on commonly used Malay spices, herbs and ingredients,” added the managing director.

Suriya Abdullah, present at the launch, said it is no longer tedious to cook traditional dishes from her childhood, nor is there any need to labour unnecessarily in the kitchen and at the stove.

“‘The Malay Kitchen, Recipes for Thermomix’ is a compilation of 60 of my family’s favourite dishes as well as those that I remember nostalgically from back when I had to help cook in the kitchen as an eight-year-old child,” Suriya said.

Suriya, who later gave a demonstration, added that the recipes for each dish had been written with ease of cooking and health in mind: cooking steps have been simplified, while the usage of oil, salt and sugar have been reduced.

“It took eight months for Thermomix to develop the cookbook through research and practical work until they found the right ingredients and process. The fact that this is the first Malay cookbook for Thermomix makes it all the more special,” she said.

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|    Daniel Lim     |

THE Lions Club of Belait conducted a project entitled ‘Sight First Project: Sight for Kids’ at Chung Hwa School, Labi recently in conjunction with the World Sight Day, which is observed annually on October 12.

The project was held to provide aid with regard to proper eye care and vision for those residing in more remote areas in the Belait District. This is in line with the World Sight Day’s objective of raising awareness on blindness and vision impairment. This year’s World Sight Day theme was ‘Make Vision Count’.

Thirteen students from Years 1 to 6 of Chung Hwa School, Labi participated in the project organised by Joseph Teo, the organising chairperson and member of the Lions Club of Belait.

Also present were eight members of the Lions Club of Belait led by Zone 11 Chairperson, Edmund Chee. Out of the 13 students, eight required some form of vision aid, such as eye glasses.

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|     Danial Norjidi     |

AS AN entrepreneur it is important to always be learning from other people as well as from previous mistakes, so that your business can evolve and grow.

These were some of the points highlighted during a panel discussion during the third session of the Local Business Development (LBD) Forum at the Radisson Hotel on September 27.

The session featured a panel comprising three emerging local entrepreneurs – Shy Nokman, the founder of Sparkle with Shy; Vanessa Teo, the founder of Agrome IQ; and Aizuddin Fakhri, the founder of KadaiRuncit.com.

Entitled ‘Beyond the old economy: Exploring new horizons for Brunei business’ the session was moderated by Andrew Dy, the General Manager of Regional Programmes for Asia Inc Forum.

One of the questions posed by the moderator to the panel pertained to personal habits that have contributed to their drive and success.

A qualified barrister at law by previous profession and a full-time business woman by choice, Shy Nokman runs an online business that provides online fitness, weight loss and food related programmes where her clients can eat food they love in moderation without feeling like they are on a diet, while still losing weight.

Responding to the question, Shy shared, “I have a fear of failure. It is a teacher, but I fear it quite a bit, so I actually do a lot of reading.”

“It doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing as long as you’re trying to improve yourself, that’s the only thing that matters, because if you’re not improving yourself, your business isn’t going to grow.”

She also highlighted the importance of being mindful of whom you surround yourself with. “You are the average of the five people you hang out with, so make sure they’re five very good people, or else you’re not going to go far.”

Vanessa Teo is the founder of Agrome IQ, a venture that provides agricultural business intelligence and analytics to growers by supporting their decision-making processes. Their technology collects data from farm systems to create customised solutions and real-time monitoring to increase overall farm productivity.

“I’m always willing to learn, and I know that I don’t know everything. So I think that’s very important to always keep in mind,” she said, in response to the same question. “I think no matter how far your journey goes, to always know that there’s always something you don’t know.”

“There’s always someone that can contribute to your team, and I think that when you build an organisation, it is all about identifying who you can learn from, or who can contribute more than you, because sometimes, yes you started the company, but you may not know everything. So sometimes you have to work with people and you must know how to bring out talent as well.”

The third member of the panel was Aizuddin Fakhri, the founder of online e-commerce site KadaiRuncit.com and Naindah.com. After studying computer science specialising in information security in Royal Holloway, University of London from 2009-2012, Aizuddin began a career as a project coordinator. He started an IT consulting company in 2015 that expanded its portfolio into building up KadaiRuncit.com and Naindah.com.

“For me, failure is actually my friend,” he said, sharing that he keeps the lessons that he has learnt and makes sure not to repeat mistakes.

“I actually break down problems into smaller problems and make a to-do list to achieve what I want to achieve, so every day I’m always adding things to my to-do list to achieve the bigger picture.”

“So that’s how I keep tabs on how I’m progressing and how I’m getting closer to what I want to achieve as well,” he added.

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|     Azaraimy HH     |

NEARLY 40 tour guides and tourism industry professionals attended a Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) workshop for tourism on Monday.

The two-day workshop was officially opened by Dr Haji Muhammad Hadi bin Muhammad Melayong, Senior Special Duties Officer at the Secretariat Office of the MIB Supreme Council.

In his opening speech, Dr Haji Muhammad Hadi stated that the workshop was in line with the nation’s efforts to diversify the economy while maintaining the values of MIB.

He hoped that the workshop could provide organisations involved in the tourism sector a better understanding of MIB values.

Through the workshop, tour guides will be able to recognise and further understand the historical aspects for the existence of MIB, its concept, as well as its culture and customs in Brunei Darussalam.

“The values of MIB presented in the workshop can be practised, appreciated and made use of by the tour guides and tourism professionals in their everyday jobs,” said Dr Haji Muhammad Hadi. “In other words, the MIB values can be shared and given exposure through the tourism industry (by way of tour guides relaying MIB-related information to tourists or visitors to the country).”

Presenters during the workshop included Dr Haji Muhammad Hadi, Pengiran Dr Khairul Rijal bin Pengiran Haji Abdul Rahim, Dr Siti Norkhalbi binti Haji Wahsalfelah, and Dr Haji Tassim bin Haji Abu Bakar.

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|     James Kon     |

THE Managing Director of Brunei Shell Petroleum Co Sdn Bhd (BSP) and Shell Country Chair for Brunei Darussalam, Dr Ceri Powell, stressed the importance of having Bruneian talents working within Brunei Shell Joint Venture (BSJV) Companies as well as further nurturing and developing Bruneian talents for the future of the country.

This was stated by the managing director during the sidelines of the BSJV scholarship contract signing ceremony held at the Indera Samudra Grand Hall of The Empire Hotel & Country Club yesterday morning.

Dr Powell arrived in the Sultanate in March 2017 and was appointed the first female Managing Director of BSP.

As one of the most senior women in the energy industry today, Dr Powell has been awarded the accolade of being on the Fortune Top 50 most Powerful Women in International Business, in 2013 and again in 2014 where she was listed at No 21.

In an interview, Dr Powell lauded, “Having Bruneian talents and developing them is absolutely fundamental for the future of BSJV Companies. Having top quality Bruneian technical talents and leaders is our future. With the BSJV Scholarship and the development of talents in BSJV and BSP through overseas assignments and also cross assignments, Bruneians can further develop their talents and learn new skills.”

She also felt a great responsibility in building female talents in BSJV and help to develop their full potential.

She said, “The BSJV Companies’ Scholarship is extremely important. It has been involved in providing scholarships since 1972 and to date, there are more than 700 students benefitting from the scholarship so far. At today’s ceremony, we can see the influence of scholarships where students can further their studies in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.”

Dr Powell is especially passionate about the BSJV scholarship programme because she is also a scholar under Shell undertaking Geology at the University of Liverpool. She also understands the importance of having a chance to get scholarship and her advice for the scholars is to seize every opportunity and seize the day.

She added, “I also had the privilege of meeting family members of the scholars who are also the recipients of BSJV scholarships. We are building enormous talents for the country from mechanical engineering to chemical engineering and other scientific subjects which are really important as Brunei diversifies from oil and gas to broader form of energy where engineers and scientists will be critical for the future of Brunei. It’s really important for BSJV to support this.”

She said, “It has been an exciting year to be in Brunei. It is an honour to be here for the Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Accession to the Throne. I am also very proud of how BSJV supported the celebration by participating in many glorious events that have been taking place.”

Life in Brunei, she said, “is extremely interesting. I love Asia and Borneo. I really enjoy the walking and hiking. I like the market and the ‘tamu’. Most of all I enjoy meeting the people of Brunei. I think Bruneians are the most lovely, kind and welcoming people.”

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|     James Kon     |

BRUNEI Shell Joint Venture (BSJV) Companies yesterday awarded scholarships to 10 outstanding students during a contract signing ceremony at The Empire Hotel & Country Club.

The recipients of the BSJV Scholarship, who will take up various courses at Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB), are Siti Aysha binti Mahdan, Amir Asyraaf bin Aziz, Aidan Koh and Za’im bin Mohaimin – who will pursue Mechanical Engineering; Norsu’aidah binti Abdullah Sumardi and Siti Munirah binti Ali Hamzah – who will take up Mechatronics; Mohammad Idzan bin Idris and Muhammad Azid bin Radzman – who will study Chemical Engineering; and Azmi bin Haji Azahari and Muhammad Aqil Aiman bin Haji Mohd Noorilham, who will take up Petroleum Engineering.

Among those who witnessed the signing were Haji Kamaludin bin Haji Bungsu, the Permanent Secretary (Manpower and SHENA) at the Prime Minister’s Office; and Dr Ceri Powell, the Managing Director of Brunei Shell Petroleum Co Sdn Bhd (BSP)and the Shell Country Chair for Brunei Darussalam.

In her remarks, BSP Human Resources Director Hajah Zainab binti Haji MA Omar said, “This scholarship scheme is one such example of BSJV’s commitments to nurturing local talents since 1972. BSP has sponsored 709 students for scholarships to date.”

She said the scholarships on offer are tailored to suit the growing needs of BSJV Companies, “who will always be in need of local technical expertise such as competent reservoir engineers, geologists, sub-surface engineers and well engineers, to name a few.

“There are also other areas in the commercial skill pool that need to be developed, particularly in the areas of supply chain management and legal matters.”

Hajah Zainab said the scholarship assessments carried out for this year were of the same high standards as in previous years, with no limitations on quota.

“Rather, it is the calibre and potential of the scholars that decide the number of scholarships awarded,” she said.

“BSJV Companies value high-quality individuals as employees. One of the ways to secure this is to start the selection process via the scholarship’s competitive assessments. Through the assessments, we are able to identify candidates who not only meet the company’s criteria, but are subsequently identified as the best in class among their peers to be granted the scholarships.”

One of the recipients, Norsu’aidah, said, “I feel very grateful and I am ecstatic to receive this scholarship as it was quite unexpected. Right now I have laid upon myself high expectations to keep up with my studies in the years to come.”

She added, “I will work hard to be among the top students at the university and make BSP proud, in addition to being involved in extracurricular activities and a well-rounded student. I will also uphold the company’s reputation and image, as one of the students granted with this scholarship.”

Muhammad Aqil Aiman, meanwhile, said, “I feel honoured to receive the BSJV Scholarship as it is an achievement that I have worked hard for. I also feel a great responsibility to ensure that I am worthy of this scholarship, and will need to work even harder to prove that I am one of the best in my class.”

Apart from the scholarship contract signing, the ceremony also witnessed the presentation of tokens of recognition to 10 returning scholars, who successfully completed their degree programmes with first-class honours.

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