|     Danial Norjidi     |

BRUNEI Darussalam has been named the most improved economy in the world for the third year in a row in the World Bank’s Doing Business Report 2018, which was released yesterday.

The report, which measures the efficiency and regulatory environment of domestic businesses of 190 economies, records Brunei Darussalam jumping a significant 16 places to rank 56 worldwide, with an increasing Distance to Frontier (DTF) score of 70.60 out of 100 and scoring improvements in DTF across eight indicators; further narrowing the gap between Brunei and the top performing economy.

The Asia-Pacific region had the highest number of economies recording the greatest overall number of reforms making it easier to do business, where Brunei Darussalam and Thailand each implemented eight reforms. Brunei Darussalam is positioned 11th, behind Republic of Korea (3) and Japan (9); and ahead of rising Asian powerhouse, China at 18th; as well as India at 19th.

Within the Asean region, Brunei Darussalam maintains its 4th position behind Singapore (2), Malaysia (24) and Thailand (26); followed by Vietnam (68), Indonesia (72), the Philippines (113), Cambodia (135), Laos (141) and Myanmar (171).

According to a press release from the Ease of Doing Business Secretariat under the Energy and Industry Department at the Prime Minister’s Office, the significant improvements in Doing Business rankings over the past four years reflect the serious commitment 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 Government towards creating a Pro-Business environment that would enable further diversification of the country’s economy.

This is in line with His Majesty’s recent titah in conjunction with His Majesty’s 71st birthday celebration, whereby His Majesty highlighted the need for continuous efforts to boost economic growth through the entries of Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) and growth of micro, small and medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Towards achieving economic growth, His Majesty also stressed greater collaboration between the private and public sectors.

Brunei’s ambitious reform agenda has been largely steered by 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 as Chairman of PENGGERAK Steering Committee, and has seen success over the last few years as Brunei’s performance in the Doing Business report has progressively improved. Within four years since 2014, Brunei has jumped 49 places from 105th to 56th in this year’s edition surpassing larger economies such as China and India.

Progress on the reform agenda is spearheaded and regularly monitored by the Ease of Doing Business Steering Committee, chaired by the Minister of Energy and Industry at the Prime Minister’s Office, and collectively executed by ‘Champion Groups’ from departments and agencies under the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism, Ministry of Development, Ministry of Religious Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Communications, and Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam.

According to the report, Brunei has improved its ranking for the indicators on ‘Protecting Minority Investors’, ‘Getting Credit’, ‘Enforcing Contracts’ and ‘Starting a Business’.

For the indicator ‘Getting Credit’, Brunei jumps 60 ranks overcoming Singapore. Brunei is reflected as being the 2nd easiest economy in the world for businesses to obtain credit, as more credit information is easily accessible, and stronger legal rights for borrowers and lenders; thus, making it easier for businesses to obtain financial support.

Another notable achievement is seen for the indicator ‘Protecting Minority Investors’, whereby Brunei has jumped a substantial 62 places indicating that there is greater protection against corporate governance issues for companies, therefore, reducing the likelihood of corporate assets being used by company insiders for personal gain.

Despite introducing further enhancements in the government processes across all indicators, several indicators have slipped in ranking, namely Dealing with Construction Permits (48), Getting Electricity (24), Registering Property (136), Paying Taxes (104), Trading Across Borders (144) and Resolving Insolvency (60) due to the rate of reforms implemented by other participating economies.

The press release states that this calls upon greater efforts to introduce, streamline and enforce more efficient and innovative business regulations in order to improve the Sultanate’s rankings for these indicators.

Although the measure of ease of doing business is meant to assess the business environment for domestic businesses, it also has a direct impact towards attracting FDIs into the country. According to statistics from the Department Economic Planning and Development at the Prime Minister’s Office, FDI in ‘other activities’ other than oil and gas has risen from two per cent of the total in 2012, to 32 per cent in 2015.

Moreover, according to World Bank statistics for 2017, Brunei Darussalam has seen the growth of jobs in its services sector, with a shift from industry and agriculture to the services sector between 2005 and 2014.

Additionally, Brunei Darussalam’s economy expanded by 0.7 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2017 (Q2 2017), driven by stronger domestic demand, particularly in the capital expenditure of the private sector as well as government consumption expenditure, which grew by 28.5 per cent and 23.5 per cent, respectively. This reflects the investment in capitals is increasing with entries of foreign direct investments into the Sultanate.

The top 10 performers in this year’s Doing Business Report – in order of ranking – are New Zealand, Singapore, Denmark, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, United States, United Kingdom, Norway, Georgia and Sweden, whereby Georgia is the only lower middle income economy represented in the list.

The press release goes on to note that to achieve the national target in the Doing Business Index, further improvements have to be done to ensure Brunei Darussalam’s success in continuously ensuring a pro-business environment. The government calls for greater collaboration and commitment from both the public and private sectors to uphold Brunei’s Vision 2035 of creating a dynamic and sustainable economy.

Speaking during a press conference, Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Awang Haji Mohammad Yasmin bin Haji Umar, Minister of Energy and Industry at the Prime Minister’s Office asserted that the Ease of Doing Business Steering Committee will work closely with the private sector, stakeholders and the relevant government agencies on the plan to move forward.

“We will work together with the private sectors and other government agencies to work out the appropriate solutions that are actionable, time-specific, and ambitious.”

He also expressed his thanks to the EODB ‘Champion Groups’ from the Energy and Industry Department, Law and Welfare Division, Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC), State Judiciary Department under the Prime Minister’s Office; Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Development, Ministry of Religious Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism, Ministry of Communications, and Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam.

“The committee will continue to work together to maintain the pace and urgency in making it easier to do business in Brunei Darussalam,” he affirmed.

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|     Lyna Mohamad     |

SPECIAL Olympics Brunei Darussalam (SOBD) will be hosting the 10th Special Olympics Borneo Cup from November 16 to 18 at Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium. This is SOBD’s third time hosting the sports meet since it started in 2006.

SOBD will be working with National Football Association Brunei Darussalam, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health to make this event a success.

A total of 13 teams from Brunei, Sabah, Sarawak, Kalimantan will be competing in the tournament. Also joining the game is a team from Federal Territory of Labuan.

Specially minted medals will be made for this year’s tournament and the overall champion will keep the trophy contributed by Her Royal Highness Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah until the next tournament.

President of SOBD, Lieutenant Colonel (Rtd) Pengiran Haji Rambli bin Pengiran Haji Bunut at a press conference of the tournament yesterday said a five-a-side football tournament was added to the sports meet to mark 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’s Accession to the Throne.

Chairperson of the tournament, Haji Hamdan bin Ajak said admission to watch the events are free to the public and SOBD is welcoming sponsorships and contributions.

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|     Fadhil Yunus     |

BRUNEI Darussalam’s national futsal coach Haji Md Yunos bin Haji Md Yusof highlighted the true importance of their 5-0 win against the Philippines in their final Group ‘A’ match in the Asean Futsal Federation (AFF) Futsal Championship at the Phu Tho Indoor Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam recently.

The national futsal team would have hit a new low had the result not favoured them despite the tie being considered a dead rubber with both teams already eliminated from the competition.

“The win was very important because if we had lost, futsal would be finished in Brunei,” Haji Md Yunos was quoted as saying in AFC.

“Even though we ended the game with five goals, what’s important is we recorded a win and took three points.”

The head coach added that they would have won by a greater margin had they converted their chances.

“Looking at the statistics and performance, our futsal team should have bagged more than five goals and probably 15 or more but because of lack of finishing, the goals that we scored are the only ones we managed.”

Despite the victory, the national futsal coach highlighted the need of more work to be undertaken especially concerning the junior age groups.

“Now we have to go back to the drawing board and draw a new programme for futsal in the country,” he asserted.

“We will also be looking at development in the long term where even though we have a futsal league, we seriously need to look at the younger age groups like the Under-12 and so on,” the former national player said.

The national futsal team ended their campaign in fourth place in Group ‘A’ winning one match against the Azkals and losing three against the trio of Myanmar, Vietnam and Indonesia.

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CHUNG Hwa Middle School (CHMS) Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB) made a clean sweep at the Malay Language Oratory Competition for non-Malay students.

Organised by the Tiong Hua community, the competition final was held at CHMS BSB recently. Fourteen private schools sent nine participants from the lower secondary and 12 from the upper secondary to participate in the competition.

Minister of Education cum guest of honour Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman attended the event alongside Pehin Kapitan Lela Diraja Dato Paduka Goh King Chin, Ministry of Education officials, renowned Tiong Hua leaders, teachers and students.

The competition was held in conjunction with the launch of the ‘Malay Islamic Monarchy: A Closer Understanding’ book in Chinese language.

Led by YB Ong Tiong Oh, a Legislative Council member and Chairman of the Board of Directors of CHMS, the Tiong Hua community was determined to present the translated version of the book to commemorate the 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.

An Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) forum, chaired by Dr Muhammad Firdaus bin Abdul Rahman @ Tan Kah Hock, was held after the competition. Three distinguished religious leaders – Dr Awang Haji Muhammad Hadi bin Muhammad Melayong, Haji Hashim bin Haji Abdul Hamid and Pengiran Dr Hidop bin Pengiran Haji Samsuddin – cast light on the philosophies of MIB to raise greater understanding on the importance of learning MIB.

The event culminated with the award presentation ceremony.

The winner of the lower secondary category was CHMS BSB student Yong Shan Ren, followed by St Andrew’s School student Saadia Begum and Allyne Hee Chee Yien from CHMS BSB.

Lee Siao Hui from CHMS BSB clinched the title of the best speaker and the champion of the upper secondary category. Shane Lim Kai Hearn from St Andrew’s School was the first runner-up, and the second runner-up was Shobene Sephia Andrew, also from St Andrew’s School.

The minister awarded the prizes to the winners.

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|     James Kon     |

THE Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, presided yesterday over the launching of ‘Brunei Events’, the official website for the Brunei December Festival 2017, at the Tourist Information Centre in the capital.

In his address at the launch, the minister said, “Brunei Events is a website dedicated to providing tourism services for the general public and tourists, to keep them updated of the latest events and forthcoming activities in the Sultanate.”

The website “was developed in collaboration with Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd, and endorsed by the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism.

“Brunei Events will be working closely with the Brunei Tourism Board in support of its efforts to promote domestic events and tourism products, which will definitely contribute to improving the quality of tourism services and boosting tourism activities in the country,” he said.

On the upcoming festival, the minister said, “We have compiled over 40 exciting events and activities, scheduled to take place across all four districts throughout the month of December.

“The events and activities will range from arts and culture, culinary delights, the performing arts, and sports and recreation.”

He also noted that the Brunei December Festival has received tremendous support from various agencies such as the Ministry of Home Affairs; the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports; the Ministry of Religious Affairs; the Ministry of Communications; and the Ministry of Health, along with the foreign missions in Brunei Darussalam, strategic partners and event organisers.

By hosting this event, he said, “We want to make Brunei Darussalam an attractive destination where both local and foreign tourists can spend their holidays and have fun, while making a positive impact on the economy which will enable us to move closer to the Brunei Government’s diversification goals of Vision 2035.”

The Brunei December Festival is the first month-long round of activities initiated by the Brunei Tourism Board with the collaboration of various ministries and private sectors.

For a complete event list of the Brunei December Festival 2017, the public can log on to www.brunei.events.

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|     Lyna Mohamad     |

THE main objective of religious propagation (Dakwah) is to diversify the medium through the effective dissemination of Islam, while strengthening cultural and religious practices, said Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, the Minister of Religious Affairs, during a goodwill meeting yesterday between his ministry and members of the Legislative Council (LegCo).

Among those present at the meeting were Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud, the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs and Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Mohd Yusof, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA).

The event began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and a Doa led by Pengiran Haji Amiruddin bin Pengiran Haji Damit, the Acting Principal of the Institut Tahfiz Al-Quran Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, which was followed with speeches by the minister and YB Haji Emran bin Haji Sabtu, the representative of LegCo.

In his remarks, the minister said that MoRA is responsible for ensuring Islam as a way of life for the local community, and in the organisation of strategies to achieve the goals of Brunei Vision 2035.

“In view of this, MoRA has set its policies on the principles of Maqasid Syariah (the objectives of Syariah law) towards preserving the religion and faith of Muslims in this country through strategies and procedures covering education, Dakwah and Syiar, Haj and Umrah management, Zakat management, Waqaf and Baitul Mal management, mosque affairs, legislation and enforcement, and Syariah affairs and administration,” he said.

The minister also disclosed that various activities and programmes were conducted from January to October this year to guide youths towards a better understanding and appreciation of Islamic teachings.

“Currently, MoRA is also upgrading the curriculum of Arabic schools through an Arabic School Direction Committee, in line with the titah 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 at the 7th Haflut Al-Takharruj at the Religious Teachers University College of Seri Begawan (KUPU SB) last month, where the monarch stressed on the objectives of producing Arabic school graduates to be advanced, not just in terms of learning quality, but also in terms of overall quality,” he said.

The minister then extended his appreciation to the Government of Saudi Arabia for the increased quota of Haj pilgrims this year, saying this development allowed the Haj Affairs Department to provide the country’s pilgrims with excellent services.

He also highlighted the need to collaborate with other agencies related to industrial, trading and businesses on matters pertaining to Halal food affairs, in accordance with the enforcement of the Halal Certificate and Label Act on May 26, this year.

“The use of Halal permits and certificates serves as a quality assurance for consumers and customers, that the food being marketed or served is purely Halal,” he added.

The minister also disclosed that as of September this year, the Mosque Construction Fund has collected the sum of $6,583,645.95.

“With the new initiative introduced to civil servants, currently, a total of 54,622 civil servants have registered as contributors to the fund through their voluntary monthly salary deduction of $2,” he told the gathering.

“The Kampong Tanjung Bunut Mosque, which is the first project under the fund, began construction work on June 20, 2017, with an estimated cost of $3,041,902.87; and the construction progress currently has reached 13.82 per cent, exceeding the target of 12.73 per cent, and it is scheduled to be completed by June 2018.”

The goodwill meeting presented an opportunity for MoRA and LegCo members to discuss matters on developments and updated policies, in addition to making preparations for the First Meeting at the 14th LegCo Session of 2018/2019.

Yesterday’s meeting concluded with a dialogue session between MoRA and LegCo members.

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|     Syazwani Hj Rosli     |

THE Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT), through its Department of Agriculture and Agrifood, officially opened the 2017 Agriculture and Agrifood Mini-Expo at the Centre Plaza of the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex in the capital yesterday, which runs until November 5.

Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong attended as the guest of honour.

Also present were high commissioners and ambassadors to Brunei Darussalam, Legislative Council members, permanent secretaries and deputy permanent secretaries, as well as senior officers, officers and staff members of the MPRT.

The mini-exhibition is being 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, as well as to mark Farmers, Livestock Breeders and Fishermen’s Day 2017.

Themed ‘Stimulating Productivity Through Technology,’ the expo is an attempt at realising one of the chief features of the MPRT’s Strategic Plan of 2016-2020 – to boost productivity through the use of modern technology and techniques, in addition to reducing unit costs in the long run.

In addition, the expo hopes to further encourage a sense of competitiveness among local entrepreneurs, enabling them to venture into the international market.

More than 50 local agricultural entrepreneurs are currently taking part in the expo to showcase various technologies, such as the feedlot system and closed-house system for poultry breeders; and the fertigation technique, hydrophonics and vertical farming for crop farmers.

Speaking to the Bulletin, Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali expressed hope that more local farmers would turn to technology to boost production, particularly given the wide range of agtech practices that can be based on any type of budget.

He also disclosed that the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood, along with several local agricultural entrepreneurs, have agreed to conduct awareness talks at villages to educate the public on the use of modern technology in agricultural practices.

“Through such initiatives, local entrepreneurs who are already successful will be able to share their knowledge and experiences with the public, who in return, will learn more about the processes involved in agriculture,” he said.

“Those interested in an agricultural career will then be given basic training in hydrophonics, fertigation and other methods by the local entrepreneurs.

“We are urging more local youths to take up careers in agricultural farming. We also look forward to practising organic farming in the future, which is healthier and safer for consumption among local buyers, as well as for export outside of Brunei,” said the minister.

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|     Azlan Othman      |

A LAUNCHING ceremony was held yesterday at The Empire Hotel & Country Club, marking the start of operations for Saahtain Asia Sdn Bhd, which is a joint venture between Saahtain Group based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Brunei Government, through the Ministry of Finance.

The guest of honour was Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim, the Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Minister of Finance II.

During the launch, Adeel Khan, the Chief Executive Officer of Saahtain Sdn Bhd, said, “Brunei Darussalam’s natural advantages of political stability and peaceful environment were conducive in Saahtain Group – the producer of 100 per cent Halal, ready-to-eat meals – to locate its first venture abroad in Brunei Darussalam rather than at a number of other Southeast Asian countries.”

He added that various investment incentives provided by Brunei Darussalam also encouraged the company to set up operations in the Sultanate.

The launching of Saahtain Sdn Bhd also represemts another significant achievement for the Brunei Government, which is supported by the Foreign Direct Investment and Downstream Industry Steering Committee, to ensure an integrated and streamline effort towards the realisation of foreign direct investment projects in Brunei Darussalam.

Additionally, the Ease of Doing Business Steering Committee is actively driving reforms to ensure that the local business environment continues to be open, transparent, pro-business and pro-investment to help companies establish and grow their business in the country.

Saahtain Asia Sdn Bhd is currently promoting three brands: Al-Gourmet for general retail; The Food Pouch, for military-grade ration packs; and Tayyib, which is specifically produced for humanitarian aid purposes.

The company is currently supplying food packages to the Royal Brunei Police Force, and has the production capacity as a supplier for the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. It also provides ‘ready-to-eat meals’ to foreign military personnel.

Approximately 85 per cent of these products are intended for export to markets across Asia. These food packages, produced with mostly locally sourced raw materials, have a shelf life of up to three years and meet global food safety standards, being Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certified.

Adding a further premium to these quality products, Saahtain Asia Sdn Bhd products are all Brunei Halal certified.

“We can produce 20,000 food packages a day at a rate of 50 packages per minute, through our pouch packaging machine,” said Khan, adding that a portion of the number of packages produced would go to countries in need of humanitarian aid.

These production numbers are in line with the company’s plans to expand its operations, create further spin-off opportunities for local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), while adding to the current 50 per cent of local employment provided by the manufacturing company based in Salambigar Industrial Park.

Also present at the launching ceremony were Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Bahrin bin Abdullah, the Minister of Development; Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, the Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism; Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Mohamad Roselan bin Haji Mohamad Daud, the Deputy Minister (Corporate, PENGGERAK and Economy) at the PMO; Dato Paduka Awang Haji Jamain bin Haji Julaihi, the Deputy Minister (Energy and Industry) at the PMO; Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Hisham bin Haji Mohd Hanifah, the Deputy Minister of Finance (Fiscal); and Dato Seri Paduka Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah, the Deputy Minister of Finance (Investment).

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|     Aziz Idris     |

SOME 170 booths are showcasing various products and services from local and regional village communities at the five-day One Village One Product (1K1P) Expo at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Berakas which concludes November 5.

Items and services available include local produce, traditional handicrafts, cotton and silk garments, fashion accessories, household items, Eco-Tourism packages, agriculture as well as food and beverages.

Among the 170 booths, 80 are managed by local entrepreneurs from the 1K1P programme representing the country’s four districts; 45 are manned by overseas participants; 20 for the Sabah and Sarawak Pavilion; and 10 for vendors from China, Japan and South Korea.

Prominent products include China’s popular tea, silk, jewellery, cloisonné and Chinese knots. Also available at the expo are Japanese products such as green tea, seasoning (Shoyu and Miso) and fresh apples while Korean products include Kimchi, ceramic products, plaiting products, basket-ware, perfumes and cosmetics.

Asean members states will also showcase unique products such as fabrics from Bali, Indonesia, textiles and flavoured durian from Malaysia, pearls from the Philippines, coffee and sliver craft for Laos, ‘Kampot’ pepper and wooden cravings from Cambodia, leather-ware from Vietnam, street food from Thailand, sparkly jade and gems from Myanmar and other food items from Singapore.

Organisers in collaboration with the Japanese Embassy in Brunei Darussalam also brought a successful entrepreneur from Toyooka City in Japan.

Hajah Kertini and Elizabeth, local vendors from the Pekan Kuala Belait Village Consultative Council (MPK Pekan Kuala Belait), said the expo helps to promote Brunei’s local produce under one roof.

‘”We are selling locally produced organic oyster mushrooms for various methods of cooking. We also supply our own brand of fertiliser for those interested in starting an oyster mushroom farm,” said the vendors.

Meanwhile, one of the many food vendors from the streets of Thailand are also making an appearance at the expo with the Roti Sai Mai and sweets from the region of Ayutthata, the old capital of Thailand.

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|     Aziz Idris     |

HIS Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall will arrive in Brunei today from Singapore, where they started their 11-day Asian tour to strengthen ties between Britain and Asian countries.

His Royal Highness Prince Charles is heir to the British throne and first visited the Sultanate in 1984 when he represented Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of Brunei’s independence.

He last visited Brunei Darussalam with his wife Her Royal Highness Camilla exactly nine years ago.

This visit comes less than a month after 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.

Their Royal Highnesses will have an opportunity to personally congratulate His Majesty on this achievement during an audience at the Istana Nurul Iman.

The royal couple will also meet with members of the British Forces Brunei and the Royal Gurkha Rifles together with their families and present a long service recognition award. According to a press statement from the British High Commission, Their Royal Highnesses will travel from Brunei for their first visit to Malaysia, after which they will go to India.

The British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam, Richard Lindsay said, “This visit from the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall is a very clear symbol of the enduring strength of the relationship between our two countries, and of the personal friendship between our monarchies.”

All of the countries on this tour are members of the Commonwealth.

The Prince of Wales will open the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia on April 4, 2018, and will also be supporting Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in hosting the Commonwealth Summit and Heads of Government Meeting in the United Kingdom from April 16, 2018.

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|     Aziz Idris     |

THE One Village One Product (1K1P) Expo is a venue to internationally promote locally made and locally marketed products from each of the sub-districts in Brunei.

The event is themed ‘A local venture to the global market’ and was launched yesterday.

Guest of honour Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, the Minister of Home Affairs, officially opened the event at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Berakas.

The ceremony also saw the launch of a new logo of the entrepreneurship stimulus programme ‘1K1P Brunei Darussalam’.

The 1K1P Expo showcases a wide range of products from 120 participating vendors and opens from 10am to 10pm until November 5.

Prior to the launch, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Haji Mohammad Sunadi bin Haji Buntar in his speech underlined the objectives of the expo.

He said the 1K1P Expo provides a platform for both local and international vendors to foster relationships. It also encourages the community to raise awareness on Brunei’s local products.

A total of 80 vendors at the expo are from the 1K1P programme, representing each of the four districts.

Another 40 vendors represent the Asean member countries and three regional countries from China, Japan and South Korea, who will also showcase products such as arts and handicrafts, food and beverages, and eco-tourism and agriculture.

According to Haji Mohammad Sunadi, one of the highlights of the expo is the ‘business matching’ session. It is aimed to create business opportunities for 1K1P by finding the perfect match through trade and investment amongst the vendors.

Well-established mentors will also conduct seminars specifically for participating vendors to provide them with tips and knowledge on how to improve and expand their business, including effective ways to package each products or services, he added.

He said other sideline events are the Asean Food Festival where vendors and visitors can participate in food demonstrations, food tasting and cooking lessons.

A cooking competition will be held among the participating countries, in which each one will present a popular local cuisine.

Other activities are lucky draws for all visitors, a technology exhibition, various arts and cultural performances, and handicrafts demonstrations.

The guest of honour also took the opportunity to visit and mingle with local vendors under the 1K1P programme.

He then officially launched the Sarawak Pavilion in the presence of Datuk Haji Mohd Naroden bin Haji Majais, who is Sarawak’s Assistant Minister for Entrepreneur and SME Development, and Assistant Minister for E-Commerce.

The expo is held to mark 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.

Others present were members of the Legislative Council, members of the Diplomatic Corps, senior government officials, members of the penghulu mukim, village heads and long-house head representatives as well as members of the national committee for the 1K1P programme.

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|     Syazwani Hj Rosli     |

TWENTY-SIX post-graduates yesterday attended a cybercrime awareness talk on the fifth day of the Civic Village Programme, which took place at the multipurpose hall of the Sungai Kebun Sports Complex.

The programme was organised by the Information Department of the Prime Minister’s Office, through its Nationhood Unit, Nationhood and Community Division.

Present to deliver the talk, titled ‘Cybercrime and The Risks and Dangers of Social Media’, yesterday were Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Dayangku Hazirah binti Pengiran Mohd Yusof and DPP Aminuddin Zaki bin Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Rahman.

During the talk, the speakers shared about issues relating to the cybercrime, risks and dangers of social media, the consequences of over-sharing particularly personal information, cyber bullying, scamming, and others.

The speakers also shared several cybercrime cases that had occurred in Brunei, which included the dissemination of false information that went viral among the public.

They also reminded the participants to think before posting their personal information on social media and to use social networking effectively and positively to establish new relationships, strengthen existing ones, innovate, learn and collaborate.

The programme aims to provide a platform for the post-graduates in preparing themselves in meeting future challenges and developing a sense of responsibility in them to become a citizen who plays an important role in upholding the country’s goals and future aspirations.

The six-day programme concludes today.

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|     Achong Tanjong     |

THIRTEEN special needs students from the Pengiran Anak Puteri Hajah Masna Secondary School in Sungai Akar yesterday received learning aids and specialised resources donated by the Junior School Council of the Jerudong International School (JIS).

Present to witness the handover was Haji Ali Yusri bin Haji Abdul Ghafoor, the Acting Head of Special Education Unit (SEU) at the Ministry of Education.

Also present were Paul Bannister, the Head of the Junior School; and Richard Hallam, the Deputy Head of the Junior School at JIS.

In his welcoming remarks, Haji Ali Yusri, who is also the chairman of the SEU’s IKHLAS initiative, thanked JIS for its contribution in support of students with special needs.

“This is not the first time that JIS has contributed learning aids and specialised resources for the benefit of our students with special needs,” he said. “Your kind generosity has indeed benefited and made a positive impact in assisting our students’ learning journey. The learning aids and specialised resources required by these students with special needs will indeed help to fulfil and maximise their learning potential.”

He then outlined the objectives of IKHLAS as a collaborative effort that sets out to meet the needs of students who require learning aids and specialised resources.

“IKHLAS comprises several committees that aim to identify the access needs of students with special needs, enlist the support from corporate bodies to sponsor learning aids and specialised resources as well as to provide training on the use of these resources,” he said.

“All of these are aimed at overcoming learning barriers; enhancing the students’ accessibility and independence in schools and at home; and also to realise the goals of Vision 2035.”

Earlier this year, the Junior School at JIS held a special fundraising week for students with special needs in Brunei.

A total of $6,000 was collected during the fundraiser, to procure numerous learning aids and specialised resources to assist students with special needs in their learning and mobility. The donated items include a rollator, a modified chair, a bar magnifier, a desktop computer, laptops and sensory resources.

Two of the donated laptops have been installed with a screen reader software program, JAWS (Job Access with Speech), which allows visually impaired users to access the computer and its screen content through a text-to-speech output.

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|     Fadhil Yunus     |

DPMM FC head coach Steve Kean emphasised that a solid defence is key in attaining a result ahead of the Great Eastern-Hyundai S League clash against Tampines Rovers FC at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium tonight.

“The first thing we have to hope for is a better defensive display. The defence isn’t just down to the goalkeeper and the defensive unit. The defending starts from the front and we need to be much more difficult to penetrate to get to our back unit from the front and through midfield,” said Kean after a training session at the Jerudong Mini Stadium yesterday.

“Obviously when it gets to the goal area, we must block and throw our bodies on the line,” he continued.

“The games that we have won this season, the games that we’ve done well is when we really put our body on the line and throw ourselves on shots and had a real desire of not getting the opposition a shot on target so that’s required against a Tampines team who are certainly in a strong position in the league.”

The Stags are looking to put a lock on second place as the best local side in the country with Albirex Niigata (S) playing for the title against Warriors FC on the same night.

The head coach highlighted that the club has boasted strong imports as central defenders over the years with Boris Raspudic and Brian McLean known to be key figures. He added that this year they have struggled in that department.

“The initial signings that we’ve made with Francois Marquee obviously gets injured.

Then, Savic (Zeljko) came in and then Vincent (Salas) came in and he seems to prefer playing slightly wider because he tends to take a chance when he’s in the central of defence.

“First of all, for us to get a result tomorrow we need to be better defensively. We need to track runners and make sure there isn’t any spare man.

“We went through the roles and responsibilities of everybody all week on the training pitch and then when it comes to the match that’s what we need to do,” he added.

The ‘Gegar Gegar’ men will be looking to chase seventh place Balestier Khalsa FC who opened up a five-point gap following a 1-0 win against Hougang United FC last night.

The Tigers’ have now completed their season while DPMM FC can overtake them if they win both against the Stags and Garena Young Lions on their final league game of the season on November 18.

The head coach has also hinted that Wardun Yussof will be reinstalled back in the starting line-up between the sticks.

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TEO Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore and Coordinating Minister for National Security and wife, Chew Poh Yim along with a delegation arrived last night in Brunei Darussalam for a three-day working visit from November 3-5.

Present at the Brunei International Airport to greet the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore and Coordinating Minister for National Security were Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Bahrin bin Abdullah, Minister of Development, and spouse; and Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Mohammad Roselan bin Haji Mohammad Daud, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and spouse.

Accompanying Teo Chee Hean were Ng Chee Meng, Minister for Education (School) and Second Minister for Transport; Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) and Second Minister for Defence; Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State of Trade and Industry and Senior Minister of State for National Development; and Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development.

Teo Chee Hean and wife, and delegation are in the country to attend the ‘Singapore Young Leaders Programme’ which will be held in Brunei Darussalam.

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THE 6th Defence Policy Dialogue between Brunei Darussalam and Republic of Singapore took place yesterday at Temasek Club, Singapore.

The dialogue was co-chaired by Captain (Rtd) Dato Paduka Abdul Rahman bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence, Brunei Darussalam and Chan Yeng Kit, Permanent Secretary (Defence), Ministry of Defence, Singapore.

The two co-chairs reaffirmed the special and long-standing bilateral defence ties between Brunei Darussalam and Singapore.

Both co-chairs shared views on a wide range of regional security issues and reiterated their commitment in furthering bilateral defence cooperation.

Both co-chairs also discussed cooperation within the Asean Defence Minister’s Meeting (ADMM) platform as Singapore is set to assume chairmanship in the next year, according to a press release.

Captain (Rtd) Dato Paduka Abdul Rahman also paid a courtesy call to Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Defence of Singapore yesterday morning. In the call, both sides expressed satisfaction on the excellent relationship between Brunei Darussalam and Singapore, and looked forward to more collaborative defence and military activities between the two countries.

As part of this visit, Captain (Rtd) Dato Paduka Abdul Rahman and delegation also visited Changi Naval Base.

The Brunei delegation for the dialogue also included Colonel Haji Abdul Hadi bin Haji Saim, Chief of Staff of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF); Haji Adi Ihram bin Dato Paduka Haji Mahmud, Acting Director of Defence Policy; Lieutenant Colonel (U) Abu Husin bin Sahat, Brunei Darussalam Defence Adviser to Singapore and an officer from the Directorate of Defence Policy.

Initiated in 2009, the Defence Policy Dialogue (DPD) between Brunei Darussalam and Republic of Singapore serves as a regular forum for both countries to oversee the progress of the bilateral defence relationship, as well as explore new areas of defence cooperation. The DPD also gives an opportunity for both sides to exchange views on security issues of mutual interest.

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|     Lyna Mohamad     |

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 welcomed His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall. Their Royal Highnesses were in Brunei for a one-day visit.

Their Royal Highnesses and delegation landed at the Brunei International Airport in the afternoon on a special aircraft. Upon disembarking, Their Royal Highnesses were greeted by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah.

Also present were Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance II as the Minister-in-Attendance, and spouse; Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade II, and spouse; Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Erywan bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Haji Mohd Yusof, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and spouse; Dato Paduka Seri Haji Mohd Jammy bin Haji Muhd Shah Al-Islam, the Commissioner of the Royal Brunei Police Force, and spouse; and Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah, the Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), and spouse.

His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah as well as Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall proceeded to walk past the static guard mounted by RBAF members before leaving the airport.

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HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam yesterday received in separate audiences His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall, at the Istana Nurul Iman.

His Majesty received in audience His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales who was accompanied by Richard Lindsay, the British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam, during the audience ceremony. Also present were Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance II as the Minister-in-Attendance and Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade II.

In another part of the Istana Nurul Iman, Her Majesty received in audience Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall. Accompanying Her Majesty at the audience ceremony was Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah. Accompanying Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall was Xanthe Lindsay, spouse of the British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam.

After the audience ceremonies, Their Majesty hosted a high-tea reception in honour of the visit of Their Royal Highnesses, at the Istana Nurul Iman.

Present at the reception were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik; Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah binti Pengiran Haji Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Majeedah Nuurul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; as well as other members of the royal family.

Later, Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall left Brunei Darussalam after concluding the one-day visit. Their Royal Highnesses proceeded to walk past the static guard which was mounted by members of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) before boarding the special aircraft.

Also present to bid farewell to Their Royal Highnesses were Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman and spouse; Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng and spouse; Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Erywan bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Haji Mohd Yusof, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and spouse; Dato Paduka Seri Haji Mohd Jammy bin Haji Muhd Shah Al-Islam, the Commissioner of the Royal Brunei Police Force, and spouse; Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah, the Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, and spouse; and Richard Lindsay, the British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam, and spouse.

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|     Syazwani Hj Rosli     |

THE Al-Muhtadee Billah Mosque in Kampong Sungai Kebun yesterday held its ‘Mosque Congregants Collection Exhibition’ ceremony to mark 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.

The exhibition was officiated by the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Haji Mohammad Sunadi bin Haji Buntar.

The ceremony began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah followed by a speech from the Acting Head Imam Haji Abu Samah Shukri bin Haji Mohammad Hussein in his capacity as the chairman of the event.

In his remark, Imam Haji Abu Samah Shukri highlighted that the objectives of the exhibition were to enliven the Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty’s Accession to the Throne and to foster ties among the stakeholders of the mosque.

According to him, 13 participants took part in the exhibition including those from other villages like Kampong Lumapas and also from Tutong District. Among the items were magazines, newspapers, posters, watches and umbrellas.

The event continued with a Syair recital followed by the opening ceremony. There was also a presentation of certificates to the participants of the exhibition and the committee members involved in the construction of a Golden Jubilee archway.

The event concluded with the recitation of Doa Selamat.

Also present during the exhibition yesterday were Acting Assistant Director of Mosque Affairs, Pengiran Haji Haslin bin Pengiran Haji Ali; mukim penghulus and village heads, officers from the Department of Mosque Affairs; mosque officials and other guests.

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|     Rokiah Mahmud     |

THE Brunei Gas Carriers Sdn Bhd (BGC) yesterday handed over a contribution to a family whose house was gutted by blaze on October 28 at Jalan Pelumpong, Muara. The fire affected the staff house of Azri bin Jumaat, who holds the position of Ordinary Seamen of BGC.

During the blaze, Azri was onboard Amali and waiting to be berthed in Japan on November 5. He was informed regarding the situation and will be flown home from Japan on Monday, November 6.

Receiving the aid on behalf of the family was Azri’s spouse, Toh Soon Dian @ Sara along with their four children.

The donation was presented by John Cook, Managing Director of BGC.

Currently, the family is residing in a temporary shelter while waiting for Azri to return from Japan.

Toh Soon Dian told the Weekend Bulletin that they need to find another house soon as they can stay only one week at their temporary residence. Not only that, they are also staying with the mother who is reitiring in December and her 27-year-old sister who suffers from Down syndrome.

With such donation, BGC hopes that it would ease the family burden. Members of the public who wish to make contribution can do so by contacting penghulu or village head of the affected area.

Although no fatality was recorded, the afternoon blaze rendered 31 individuals homeless.

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