|     Azlan Othman     |

YAYASAN Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (Yayasan) yesterday handed over cash contributions totalling $9,200 to nine head of families whose houses were razed to the ground in a fire that occurred at the government barrack in Jalan Pelumpong, Muara last week.

The cash was distributed by Dato Paduka Eddie bin Dato Paduka Haji Sunny, the Managing Director of Yayasan.

The head of families were Mohd Eddy Faridzul bin Haji Ibrahim, Azri bin Jumaat, Asmah binti Haji Bungsu, Abdul Hafiz bin Jamaludin, Mohd Rihadus Salihin bin Haji Abu Bakar, Eda anak Nangah, Morris anak Chana, Riki anak Juan and Sanding anak Ungap.

The presentation was held at the residence of the member of the Legislative Council, YB Pengiran Haji Mohamed bin Pengiran Haji Osman @ Othman, the Village Head of Kampong Masjid Lama, Pekan Muara, Sabun and Pelumpong, at Kampong Sabun.

Providing financial contribution to those affected by the disaster, including fire victims, is one of the welfare aids implemented by the foundation continuously in accordance with needs from time to time.

The contribution is intended to ease their burden.

Yayasan is a charitable platform 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 and his family members aimed to help the people and to shape a prosperous and harmonious society in Brunei.

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|     Daniel Lim     |

IN AN effort to help its customers with various financial advices, Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) has recently housed all its home financing solutions under its Panaga Branch located alongside Supa Save, Seria, for the comfort of its customers within the Belait District.

Previously under the name of ‘BIBD Panaga Branch’, the branch is now known as ‘BIBD Panaga Home Centre’, with an event being held to officiate the change as BIBD continuous effort to centralise its home financing solutions in the Belait District. The dedicated ‘Home Centre’ is a first for BIBD as the branch now acts as a central location for existing and prospective home owners, to realise their dream home.

Haji Azmi bin Haji Abdul Rahim, the Acting Belait District Officer, was the guest of honour at the event. He was welcomed by Hajah Nurul Akmar binti Haji Md Jaafar, BIBD’s Head of Retail Banking.

The event began with a short speech by Hajah Nurul Akmar. She said, “Today is another step forward in our efforts to further understand and support the needs of our customers, and to further enrich our customer experience with us.”

She added that the BIBD Panaga Home Centre will also provide a unique opportunity to best serve its customers as the focus on home financing also reflects the shift in trends that was observed by BIBD. “Currently, we are seeing more and more of our youth starting their wealth management early, especially with the early purchase of a home.

“This is very encouraging, not just for the youth, but also for the future of Brunei Darussalam.

“BIBD will ensure that we will always be here to support the youth and the future of Brunei Darussalam,” she said.

Following the speech, the guest of honour signed a plaque to officiate the centralisation of BIBD’s Home Financing Solutions in the Belait District. He then viewed the services provided by the branch to customers in the Belait District.

The Weekend Bulletin spoke to Hajah Nurul Akmar after the event, in which she briefly explained about the branch and its various services.

“We want our customers, and to a certain extent, the public, to identify BIBD as an avenue for home ownership. BIBD provides a huge range of products and services, but specifically, in home financing, we provide mortgage, construction, purchase of home and land, and more.”

To make it easy for the customers to start home financing with BIBD, the process of going through various steps and requirement of home financing has been streamlined by BIBD to make it accessible and easy. She added that, “We make the services that we provide to be in line with Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (AMBD) regulations.”

She highlighted that the youth of the country are conscious about their finances and are keen on investing early, especially in owning a home.

“We feel that now is the right time for us to step in and to really make their dream of investing a reality, and help them meet their investments by providing the right financial advices.”

She said, “We understand that some might think that home ownership can be daunting at first, because of all the complicated steps that one has to go through, but BIBD aims to make sure that all the proper steps are taken and that the various factors that go into home ownership are within the regulations set by the Ministry of Development.”

When asked on why BIBD makes such steps in their home financing, she explained, “This ensures our customers and the public are protected against various mishaps that may occur, as BIBD follows the various regulations set by the Authority for Building Control and Construction Industry (ABCi), which helps ensure that our customers and the public are protected from mishap that may occur down the road of the customer’s home ownership.”

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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, a fireworks display, contributed by entrepreneurs, will be held at the Taman Mahkota Jubli Emas, Bandar Seri Begawan, starting at 7.45pm on November 5.

All members of the public are welcome to witness the event, according to a press release.

For safety measures, the organisers informed the public not to use the pedestrian bridge linking the Taman Mahkota Jubli Emas to the Batu Satu area as fireworks equipment installation will be taking place.

The public and boat operators are advised not to approach the area at a distance of 250-metre and keep clear of the stated area during the fireworks display.

Road users are advised to be considerate and compromise with other road users as well as to comply with orders from committee members assigned.

In addition, the organisers urged the public, especially parents, to be mindful of their children’s safety and to maintain cleanliness during the event and make use of designated bins provided in the areas.

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|     James Kon     |

OVER 600 faculty members and delegates from Asean, in addition to Australia, China, India, Europe and the United States, are currently in Brunei Darussalam to share information on health-related issues at the 22nd Asean Federation of Cardiology Congress (AFCC).

Officially launched by Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Zulkarnain bin Haji Hanafi, the opening ceremony also witnessed the convocation for the Asean College of Cardiology Fellowship and the Sukarman Memorial Lecture, presented by Dr Prasart Loathavorn from the Heart Association of Thailand.

In his welcoming remarks, Brunei Cardiac Society President Dato Paduka Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar noted that the three-day congress is being held in conjunction with the Brunei Cardiac Society Annual Scientific Meeting and Gleneagles JPMC Congress, which happens to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Asean and 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.

He added, “We need to work together towards more mutual collaborations to keep our hearts beating.”

Dr Sofian bin Dato Paduka Haji Johar, the Organising Chair of the 22nd AFCC, meanwhile, expressed gratitude to the organising committee for their hard work, and welcomed the delegates to the congress.

Asean Federation of Cardiology (AFC) President Datuk Dr Richard Ng added, “Since its establishment in 1973, the Asean Federation of Cardiology has enjoyed close cooperation, as well as useful methods of exchanges and practice, for the benefit of improving healthcare for the Asean community.

“With all 10 Asean member countries fully participating actively in the progress of the AFC, we are now hosting an annual congress in a rotational manner to organise and showcase, as well as share cardiology practices, research and publications.”

He also expressed his pleasure to see the society hosting the congress for the first time, while also highlighting rapid progress of the society under the joint leadership of Dato Paduka Dr Haji Mohd Isham and Dr Sofian.

The first day of the event featured senior members from the European Society of Cardiology sharing their best practices, while leading experts from the United States gave a demonstration of 3D echocardiography in the evaluation of heart disease.

The second day will showcase live cases from the Gleneagles JPMC, in addition to a session led by the European Society of Cardiology and the Echo ASE Asean.

The third and final day will cover talks and lectures ranging from ECG sessions, hypertension and the Asian-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society.

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|     Aziz Idris     |

HIS Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, in his capacity as the Colonel in Chief of the Brigade of Gurkhas, met soldiers and families from the Second Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles (2RGR) at Edinburgh Palace on Thursday. Accompanying the Prince of Wales was Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall.

The visit was part of their regional Commonwealth tour and to personally congratulate 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 on the Golden Jubilee of his Accession to the Throne.

His Royal Highness was welcomed by the Commanding Officer 2RGR, Lt Col Jamie Murray, the Gurkha Major, Major Gajendra Angdembe and their spouses, Susan Murray and Premkumari Angdembe. Children from the Regiment honoured Their Royal Highnesses with the traditional Gurkha garlands, known as mallas.

His Royal Highness took a royal salute, and inspected an immaculate guard of honour comprising 14 soldiers, one senior non-commissioned officer and a piper.

The 2RGR returned from an operational tour of Kabul, Afghanistan last year, and are one of the British Army’s most operationally experienced units, having been posted to Iraq and Afghanistan numerous times over the last 15 years.

The battalion moved to Brunei in July 2017. Many of the soldiers and their families are back in Brunei for their third or fourth tour, and a number of their children were born in Brunei.

The Prince of Wales, who was introduced to staff from the British High Commission in Brunei Darussalam, presented a Long Service Award to Virgilio Mercurio Baluyot in recognition of his 25 years of service as driver for numerous British high commissioners. Virgilio said, “I am very happy and honoured to accept this award, having met the Prince of Wales in Brunei three times.”

“I will never forget this moment and have already sent photos to my family in the Philippines,” he added.

Their Royal Highnesses met some of the British loan service personnel who are working within the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, together with their families.

Their final engagement was with teachers and pupils of the British community from International School Brunei (ISB).

Steven Geraghty, Executive Principal of ISB updated the Prince of Wales about the good progress in the Million Trees project led by ISB. The tree that the Prince of Wales planted in Badas during his last visit to Brunei nine years ago is growing well, and over 500,000 trees have now been planted.

The British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Richard Lindsay said, “This was a great opportunity for the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall to meet the active British community living in Brunei, and to hear about the variety of ways in which they contribute.”

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TELEKOM Brunei Berhad (TelBru) announced the appointment of the company’s new Chief Executive Officer, David Holliday, whose tenure came into effect November 1, 2017.

According to a press release, the seasoned CEO carries 35 years of experience in the telecommunications and ICT industries that encompasses all aspects of operations. Among his previous roles include CEO Orange in the Netherlands, CEO Zain (Zambia) PLC; CEO MobiCom, Executive Vice President Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Co (Du) Lanka Bell, Sri Lanka as founder shareholder and managing director.

Throughout his career, David Holliday had been successful in several areas of development for the respective companies he has served. This includes the financial turnaround of France Telcom assets in Europe; rejuvenation of an ailing state-owned operator in Uganda following the lifting of UN sanctions; restructuring Zain Zambia and successful financial turnaround and tripled share-price in 24 months; and was founding team-member of Du in the United Arab Emirates that went on to become the most successful IPO in the Middle East which was 180 times oversubscribed.

Prior to his appointment in Brunei, David Holliday was with Mongolia’s MobiCom Group LLC (KDDI and Sumitomo Corp of Japan) as CEO, and Mongol Content as CEO and chairman, where he facilitated the unification of eight MobiCom-owned companies, into one efficient company with a new culture that kept the company the number one leading operator in Mongolia, won Bloomberg’s best 2016 company award, and was consistently in the top five corporate tax-payers in Mongolia.

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|     James Kon     |

CARDIOVASCULAR disease remains among the leading causes of death in Brunei Darussalam, with over 400 fatalities recorded in 2016.

In addition, nearly 10 per cent of Bruneians aged 40-69 years have a more than 30 per cent chance of suffering from a heart attack or stroke within the next decade, along with an alarming tendency among young people to display symptoms of heart disease. These statistics were cited by Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Zulkarnain bin Haji Hanafi, the Minister of Health, in his address yesterday at the opening ceremony for the 22nd Asean Federation of Cardiology Congress (AFCC), being held in conjunction with the Brunei Cardiac Society Annual Scientific Meeting and Gleneagles JPMC Congress, at The Rizqun International Hotel. “If the worrying trend continues,” he said, “premature deaths from cardiovascular disease will not only severely impact our families and community, but also our economic development. No single intervention or drug will reverse the trend.

“Many studies have shown that the vast majority of patients who have undergone cardiac interventions do not make the necessary lifestyle changes to reduce cardiovascular risks. How then, can we drive the importance of secondary and tertiary prevention down to practitioners, that it is reflected in the patients’ behaviour?”

Since cardiac rehabilitation and behavioural modification are integral parts of the intervention, the minister said that he hoped to see these important topics being discussed during the congress.

He also mentioned that Brunei Darussalam had chaired the Asean Health Ministers Meeting and other related conferences last September, where the alarming levels of obesity across the region was high on the agenda.

He noted, “Sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy diets, lack of physical activity and smoking are all known preventable risk factors, which need urgent attention. The challenges in addressing these issues are not faced by only one single state alone, but concerns us all, and as such, our response to this challenge must be a collective one.”

With knowledge-sharing across national borders being one key tool towards addressing these concerns, the minister concluded his speech on the hope that the Asean Federation of Cardiology (AFC) and the Brunei Cardiac Society would play their respective roles in furthering the agenda towards a more healthy Asean.

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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, last night watched the S League football match between Brunei DPMM FC and Tampines Rovers FC at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium, Berakas.

Also present were His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik, Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Muda ‘Abdul Muntaqim ibni Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, and Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Anak Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah binti Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah as well as other members of the royal family.

Also present to watch the football match were Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore and Coordinating Minister for National Security and delegation who are on a working visit for the ‘Singapore Young Leaders Programme’. Upon arrival, Teo Chee Hean and delegation proceeded to sign the guest book before taking a group photo.

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; Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports; Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Hamdan bin Haji Abu Bakar, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Mohamad Roselan bin Haji Mohamad Daud, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; and First Admiral (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Abdul Aziz bin Haji Mohd Tamit, Deputy Minister of Defence.

Accompanying Teo Chee Hean were Grace Fu, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth; 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 Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information and Senior Minister of State for Education; Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State for 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.

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|     Azlan Othman     |

THE Knowledge Convention, which launches on November 7 at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Berakas, will focus on the effects and the role 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 leadership and significance of His Majesty’s 50-year rule including His Majesty’s Accession to the Throne.

This was stated by Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Mohd Yusof, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, during a press conference yesterday on the Knowledge Convention 2017 at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz, who is also the Co-Secretary of the Steering Committee of the Knowledge Convention, said the event aims to mark His Majesty’s 71st birth anniversary celebration.

The convention, which concludes on November 9, seeks to express gratitude to the leadership of His Majesty’s leadership especially in religious service which has brought peace, stability and success, to the nation. This year’s convention will carry the theme ‘Thanking the Leadership Over 50 years of Religious Service during the Reign 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’.

His Majesty and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam are scheduled to attend the official opening ceremony.

There will also be a special talk by Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned, the State Mufti themed ‘Reign of Pious Monarch Brings Blessing’ followed by an exhibition.

Meanwhile, Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yusof, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, who is also the Co-Secretary of the Steering Committee of the Knowledge Convention said 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, will attend a premier forum themed ‘Youth as an Asset of the Nation that Supports the Leadership of the Monarch’ on November 8 at the ICC.

Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman, will attend a premier forum themed ‘Pious Ruler Upholds Women’ on November 9 at the ICC.

The exhibition held from November 7-9 at the ICC will carry the theme ‘Pious Ruler Brings Blessing’.

The exhibition will cover materials on embracing Islam in government policy, education, Zikir Nation aspiration, enriching Hukum Syara’ and rule of law, ruler’s concern, satisfying the basic needs of the people, economy and Islamic finance, embracing spiritual values for civil service and security and grassroots leadership.

Deputy Permanent Sec-retary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Roslan bin Haji Taja’ah was also present at the press conference.

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|     Aziz Idris     |

THE 6th Pelangi Awards was held at the Jerudong Park Amphitheatre last night to acknowledge local talents in the music industry.

Present as the guest of honour was Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports.

Grace Fu, the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth of the Republic of Singapore; Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Hamdan bin Haji Abu Bakar, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; Haji Muhammad Suffian bin Haji Bungsu, Director of Radio Television Brunei (RTB); senior government officials and previous winners of the Pelangi Awards were also present.

Local singer Jaz received three awards, making him the most awarded artist at the event.

He received the Best Choice Award 2016-2017 for his hit song ‘Dari Mata’, Best Male Vocalist award and Exclusive Award for his contributions in promoting the country through music.

Nineteen-year-old singing pro-digy Aziz Harun, also received the Exclusive Award. He is the only Bruneian who has signed with Malaysia record label, Warner Music.

The Best Vocal Choice Female award went to Suzan while Eia won the Best New Artiste award.

The Best Song Choice 2014-2015 went to the Titans for their song ‘Misteri Cinta’ and ‘A Band Once’ received the Best Duo/Group Vocals award.
According to RTB, the Pelangi Awards have become a platform to promote local creative acts which have seen over 200 locally composed song entries since the introduction of the awards in 2004. The awards have become a benchmark for the capabilities of local talents.

The ceremony was enlivened with performances from local talents and viewers were able tune in on the live telecast on RTB Pelangi Network and RTB Aneka last night.

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|    Fadhil Yunus    |

BRUNEI Darussalam national Under-18 team were edged 1-0 by Malaysia in Group ‘F’ of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-19 Championship qualifiers at the Paju Public Stadium in Paju, South Korea yesterday.

It was a step-up from the national juniors in terms of minimising the damage following back-to-back emphatic losses to Indonesia and South Korea but they made a huge effort to deny the young Malayan Tigers a convincing victory.

However, the young Wasps were denied a point after Muhammad Zafuan Azeman pulled a spectacular effort from outside the box with the flight of the ball taking beyond the despairing arms of Brunei Under-18s goalkeeper Abdul Mutalip Awang in the 77^th minute.

Malaysia tried a shot from distance but it was comfortably saved by Abdul Mutalip, who was given the nod ahead of Awangku Muhammad Amirul Hakim bin Pengiran Zulkarnain who started in the South Korea drubbing.

Brunei Darussalam national under-18 head coach Takao Fujiwara has kept faith in Abdul Mutalip, who showed his goalkeeping qualities in the Indonesia game evident with his wonderful save from an Egy Maulana Vikri’s fierce drive.

A Malaysian winger darted through the flanks before sending a cross to a team-mate whose shot was dealt with by Abdul Mutalip.

The young Wasps were presented a good chance to break the deadlock after a player floated ball into the centre but the most advancing attacker on the receiving end skied his effort wide.

Malaysia forward Shafizi Iqmal Khirudin sidestepped the Bruneian defence before pulling a decent shot to the far post but Abdul Mutalip responded with a fine stop illustrating competition in the goalkeeping department.

But the young Malayan Tigers wasted a good chance to take the lead after a player who perfected the first part taking the ball in his stride fired wide from point blank range following good work down the left-wing from Ahmad Tasnim Fitri.

It was Ahmad Tasnim again who was pivotal in the build-up play leading to Malaysia’s opener after setting up Muhammad Zafuan with a short pass.

However, Muhammad Zafuan still had work to do as he curled a sublime effort on the turn which flew past Abdul Mutalip.

Takao Fujiwara told AFC, “We focussed on recovering our mentality after the big loss against Korea Republic. My players did their utmost to prove their quality, but it was not enough. There is still a lot to be developed to reach a higher level.”

Meanwhile, Takao’s opposite number Malaysia head coach Bojan Hodak found Brunei tough to crack despite their opponents shipping a flurry of goals after two games. “It was a tough game indeed, but we won. Brunei were playing with nine players behind the ball, so we had a hard time beating them,” the former JDT head coach was quoted as saying to AFC.

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|     Danial Norjidi     |

THE 22nd Asean Federation of Cardiology Congress (AFCC) 2017 continued with its second day yesterday at The Rizqun International Hotel.

The second day began with a keynote lecture on the diagnosis and treatment of Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome.

This was followed by some concurrent scientific sessions, including paper presentations and discussions, as well as live case sessions highlighting complex medical technology.

There were two lunch symposiums, one of which dealt with the topics of ‘Redefining treatment strategies in hypertension: Evidence based combinations that improve survival’ and ‘Heart rate at the core of heart failure management’. The other lunch symposium featured presentations on ‘Suitable patient population for the intensification of lipid lowering regimen: Insights from IMPROVE-IT’ and ‘Disease burden from a local perspective’.

Yesterday also featured a keynote lecture entitled ‘Cardiac CT – Emerging Applications in Ischaemic Heart Disease’.

The 22nd AFCC, organised by the Brunei Cardiac Society under the auspice of the Asean Federation of Cardiology, and involves the participation of over 600 faculty members and delegates from Asean, Australia, China, India, Europe and the United States to share information on health-related issues.

Dr Sofian bin Dato Paduka Haji Johar, the Organising Chairman of the 22nd AFCC said in an interview yesterday, “This is an excellent opportunity to learn from each other, and to hear from the invited experts.”

He highlighted that the conference allows participants to hear from experts from the US, Europe and Asean as well as from local experts about various aspects of cardiology. “In addition, we are showcasing some of the procedures that Brunei is doing at the moment, in order to highlight what is available in Brunei, and hopefully, we can all learn from that.”

On what he hopes to see result from the congress, he said, “I hope we provide some education, heighten the awareness of cardiac disease. We also hope to highlight what we can offer to patients in Brunei Darussalam.”

Speaking on the features of the Congress’ second day, he said, “We have a guideline session from the European Society of Cardiology. They have three invited experts from Europe: Michel Komajda from France, Bogdan Popescu from Romania and Diederick Grobbee from the Netherlands who will be talking about various aspects of cardiology in the session today.

“We also have a lecture from Christopher Kramer representing the American College of Cardiology. He’s talking about CT scan and emerging applications, which is basically a way of diagnosing heart problems and we’d like to hear his exciting insights into how we can help patients identify problems before they become a problem.”

Meanwhile, the Asean Federation of Cardiology President, Datuk Dr Richard Ng in an interview praised the Brunei Cardiac Society, saying, “They have staged a very successful and meaningful congress, having all the Asean speakers together and participants, as well as inviting overseas keynote speakers who can tell us the latest of the state-of-the-art in various aspects, whether it’s in surgery, in stenting, in medical care, and other aspects of cardiology.”

He also said that the event shows that Brunei Darussalam “can put up a very good, high standard congress for the region and this will not just encourage local confidence and participation, but will also be an inspiration to other newer Asean member countries that are even newer”.

Dato Paduka Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar, the President of the society also spoke in an interview. Speaking on the congress, he said that he hopes with the number of experts that have been brought in, people will “understand what’s available and what can be done in Brunei, and what we are doing, and they can see for themselves what we are doing here is actually on par with the developed countries”.

He also said that, from a medical point of view, they are hoping to enhance the visibility of the Brunei medical fraternity in Asean. “By doing this it not only allows us to share knowledge in Asean but also broadcasts or makes us visible in the whole of Asean for what we are actually capable of.”

The 22nd AFCC will be continuing into its third and final day today, covering talks and lectures ranging from ECG sessions, hypertension and the Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society.

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|     Izah Azahari     |

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, together with Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore and spouse, Chew Poh Yim, yesterday attended a luncheon at the Tarindak D’Seni Serambi Suluh Restaurant following the launching of the ‘Abode of Peace & The Lion City: A Brunei-Singapore Exhibition’, which was held at Art Gallery, Dermaga Diraja.

Prior to the luncheon, His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah together with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore and spouse as well as delegation proceeded for a group photo session.

Also present during the luncheon were His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz bin Pengiran Jaya Negara Haji Abu Bakar.

Accompanying Teo Chee Hean was Grace Fu Hai Yien, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth; Dato Paduka Seri 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 Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information and Senior Minister of State for Education; Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State for 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; and Lim Hong Huai, High Commissioner of the Republic of Singapore to Brunei Darussalam.

Also attending 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; Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Awang Haji Othman, Minister of Religious Affairs; Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Bahrin bin Abdullah, Minister of Development; Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism; Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Mustappa bin Haji Sirat, Minister of Communications; Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports; Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Zulkarnain bin Haji Hanafi, Minister of Health; Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar, Acting Minister of Education; Dato Paduka Awang Haji Jamain bin Haji Julaihi, Acting Minister of Energy and Industry at the Prime Minister’s Office; Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Hamdan bin Haji Abu Bakar, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Mohamad Roselan bin Haji Mohamad Daud, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, First Admiral (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Abdul Aziz bin Haji Mohd Tamit, Deputy Minister of Defence; Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Hisham bin Haji Mohd Hanifah, Deputy Minister of Finance; and Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gafar, Deputy Minister of Development.

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|    Fadhil Yunus    |

DPMM FC assistant coach Moksen Mohammad highlighted the lack of cooperation between midfield and defence has made them vulnerable to getting exposed at the back in the wake of their 5-0 defeat to Tampines Rovers FC in the Great Eastern-Hyundai S League at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium on Friday night.

The Stags handed them their heaviest home defeat in recent memory which already included multiple 4-1 losses to Home United, Hougang United FC, Balestier Khalsa and Geylang International FC this season at a ground used to be a fortress against S League clubs.

“The disappointing part of our performance was the defence. We were easily exposed at the back and there was no cooperation and teamwork between the midfield and defence,” said Moksen in a post-match interview.

The assistant coach added they should not pin the blame entirely on the defender who was at fault with the goal with the midfield playing an integral role to work together.

“We lost on the one versus ones and even if the midfield joined in, we also lost,” continued the assistant coach.

The assistant coach said they will work on defence ahead of the final league game of the season against Garena Young Lions.

He admitted their defence for most of the season has been disappointing though he expressed hopes to end the season with a win.

The assistant coach also shared why goalkeeper Wardun Yussof was subbed off before the start of the second half despite the custodian being recalled in the starting line-up.

“Wardun had a problem with his knee and sadly he could not resume the game,” said the former national player.

DPMM FC import defender Vincent Salas was also taken off shortly after Hazwan Hamzah’s own goal, with Moksen far from impressed with the Chilean’s contributions.

“As a foreign import, he should be focusing on assisting the team and in turn it was disappointing. We decided to take him off,” he said.

He confirmed that the defender’s withdrawal was not because of injury reasons but a tactical decision.

Meanwhile, Tampines Rovers FC head coach Juergen Rabb was visibly pleased with his team’s performance and in the process of sealing second place and gaining qualification to the AFC Champions League Preliminary Round 1.

“I was very happy because sometimes it is not easy to play such a match in this position. The team knew if we win, we are certain for the second place,” the head coach said.

“DPMM FC, in this situation, has nothing to lose so I expect a difficult job for the team. The start was a little difficult for us and they were good for the first 10 minutes and we struggled because of that.

“We came back in the match and after the second goal, we controlled the match. It was a really good performance from the team and the result was thoroughly deserved,” he said.

The post DPMM FC’s assistant coach bemoans lack of cooperation appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

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 morning received in audience Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore and Coordinating Minister for National Security and spouse, Chew Poh Yim, and his delegation at Qashr Al-Meezaan.

Present at the audience ceremony were His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik; and Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and Yang Amat Mulia Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz bin Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar
During the ceremony, His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah and Teo Chee Hean exchanged views on regional and international matters.

At the audience ceremony, His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah consented to exchange of gifts with Teo Chee Hean and spouse, Chew Poh Yim and delegation.

Accompanying Teo Chee Hean at the audience ceremony were Grace Fu Hai Yien, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth; Dato Paduka Seri 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 Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information and Senior Minister of State for Education; Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Senior Minister of State for National Development; Associated Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development; and Lim Hong Huai, High Commissioner of the Republic of Singapore to Brunei Darussalam.

Teo Chee Hean is in Brunei Darussalam as head of the Singapore delegation for a working visit under Singapore’s Young Leaders’ Programme, which is held in this country from November 3-5.

Also present during the audience ceremony 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, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports; Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Hamdan bin Haji Abu Bakar, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Mohamad Roselan bin Haji Mohamad Daud, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; and First Admiral (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Abdul Aziz bin Haji Mohd Tamit, Deputy Minister of Defence.

Meanwhile, His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah also consented to receive in audience Major General TNI Madsuni, the Commandant General of Special Forces Unit (KOPASSUS), Indonesia Armed Forces – Land Force.

Accompanying Major General TNI Madsuni were Nurul Qomar, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Brunei Darussalam and Colonel Inf Lucky Avianto, Assistant Operation Commandant General Indonesia Armed Forces – Land Force.

Also present at the ceremony were First Admiral (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Abdul Aziz; Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah, the Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces; Captain (Rtd) Dato Paduka Abdul Rahman bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence.

During the audience ceremony, His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah consented to exchange of gifts with Major General TNI Madsuni.

His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah received a Red Beret from the KOPASSUS in 2014.

The audience ceremony took place at the Qashr Al-Meezaan.

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|     Rokiah Mahmud     |

THE  Abode of Peace & The Lion City: A Brunei–Singapore Exhibition was launched yesterday 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, and Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore and Coordinating Minister for National Security.

The launching ceremony was held at the Art Gallery of the Dermaga Diraja Bandar Seri Begawan.

Also present at the event were Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman; Chew Poh Yim, the spouse of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz bin Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar.

In her welcoming address, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports Datin Paduka Dr Hajah Norlila binti Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Jalil, in her capacity as Chairperson of the Brunei Museums Board, explained that the exhibition marked the deep-rooted friendship and warm diplomatic ties between Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of Singapore.

The six-month-long exhibition, which will run until the end of April 2018, is a memorable milestone in the history of the longstanding relationship between Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of Singapore.

The permanent secretary added that the exhibition also commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Currency Interchangeability Agreement which was established between the two countries on June 12, 1967.

She also explained that the leg of the exhibition held in Bandar Seri Begawan – the Asean City of Culture for the year 2016 – will showcase the links between both countries in terms of history and bilateral cooperation, and bring to life the stories of the people and culture of Singapore through stamps and philatelic materials; currency notes and coins; historical artefacts and interactive media exhibits.

“On July 5 this year, 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 Prime Minister of Singapore opened the Singapore leg of the exhibition at the Singapore Philatelic Museum,” said Datin Paduka Dr Hajah Norlila. “The exhibition will run until the end of February.”

She explained that the exhibition in Singapore has attracted some 50,000 visitors since being opened.

The first gallery of the Singapore Exhibition is similar to what is being exhibited in Brunei, while the second gallery in Singapore will showcase – for the first time in Asia – the royal regalia used during His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Istiadat Perpuspaan in 1968 and Silver Jubilee in 1992.

Visitors to the Singapore leg of the exhibition will get to experience the culture and traditions of Brunei’s seven ethnic groups, as well as the flora and fauna of Brunei through the Heart of Borneo showcase. There is also a Taste of Brunei segment, offering Singaporeans the chance to taste Brunei’s delicacies, including the ambuyat and kelupis.

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports’ (MCYS) Senandung Budaya musical group also entertained visitors during the opening weeks of the exhibition in Singapore.

“Meanwhile, the Brunei part of the exhibition here will follow a similar format but this time, the second gallery will allow Bruneian visitors to experience the culture and life of Singaporeans,” said the permanent secretary.

“Visitors will have the chance to explore Singapore and learn about life in an HBD flat, the multicultural diversity of Singapore, its green sanctuary, and life in the bustling city.

“The exhibition will be an added attraction for both local and foreign tourists visiting the Dermaga Diraja, which used to be the Royal Customs and Excise Building – a heritage landmark of Bandar Seri Begawan.”

Following the launch of the exhibition, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, alongside Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah, the spouse of the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, and other members of the royal family went on to tour the exhibition.

The launching was enlivened with a musical performance by the yIN Harmony group from Singapore.

Also present at the launch were Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Minister of Finance II; Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Bahrin bin Abdullah, Minister of Development; Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism; Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Mustappa bin Haji Sirat, Minister of Communications; Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Zulkarnain bin Haji Hanafi, Minister of Health; Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar, Acting Minister of Education; Dato Paduka Awang Haji Jamain bin Haji Julaihi, Acting Minister of Energy and Industry at the PMO; Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Hamdan bin Haji Abu Bakar, Deputy Minister at the PMO; Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Mohamad Roselan bin Haji Mohamad Daud, Deputy Minister at the PMO; First Admiral (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Abdul Aziz bin Haji Mohd Tamit, Deputy Minister of Defence; and Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gafar, Deputy Minister of Development.

Brunei Darussalam and Singapore are similar in the sense that both are small countries which have been able to navigate successfully in a large and challenging world.

Besides being partners in Asean, the two countries have also worked hand-in-hand to surmount political and economic obstacles for the betterment of their people.

The Abode of Peace & The Lion City: A Brunei–Singapore Exhibition is a further marker of this brotherly alliance and will enable the peoples of Brunei and Singapore to gain a deeper appreciation of each other’s culture, history, as well as political and economic ties.

The post ‘The Abode of Peace & The Lion City’ appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|   James Kon   |

HIS Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah, President of Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council (BDNOC) recently attended the XXII General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), the largest meeting of Olympic Movement outside the Olympic Games, in Prague, Czech Republic.

Some 205 National Olympic committees, athletes and representatives of International Federations, as well as organising committees of upcoming Olympic Games also attended the meeting.

Among the major highlights of the assembly was to prioritise the significance of protecting clean athletes. In the two-day meeting, the ANOC said in its final resolutions that protecting clean athletes “continues to be a top priority” and expressed “full confidence in the ongoing investigations by the Schmid and Oswald Commissions”, as quoted in the AFP.

ANOC said, “the General Assembly fully supports the progress in the setting up of the Independent Testing Authority (ITA) and calls for ANOC and the Continental Associations to join the ITA as Major Event Organisers (MEOs) to ensure the protection of clean athletes.”

The annual General Assembly, in partnership with the Czech Olympic Committee provided ANOC the opportunity to update the NOCs on the organisation’s progress, and understand NOCs concerns and priorities. NOCs will also receive updates from the ANOC Commissions and Working Groups as well as the latest progress of the Organising Committees of the upcoming Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games.

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|     Azrol Azmi     |

HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday consented to receive in audience Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore and Coordinating Minister for National Security.

His Majesty and Teo Chee Hean discussed bilateral relations between Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of Singapore, and also exchanged views on regional and international matters.

Accompanying Teo Chee Hean at the Audience Ceremony was Grace Fu Hai Yien, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth; Dato Paduka Seri Ng Chee Meng, Minister for Education (Schools) and Second Minister for Transport; Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) and Second Minister for Defence; Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information and Senior Minister of State for Education; Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State for 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; and Lim Hong Huai, High Commissioner of the Republic of Singapore to Brunei Darussalam.

Teo Chee Hean is in Brunei Darussalam as Head of the Singapore delegation for a working visit under Singapore’s Young Leaders’ Programme, which is held from November 3-5, 2017.

Also present during the Audience Ceremony 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; 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; Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism; Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports; and Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Mohamad Roselan bin Haji Mohamad Daud, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office.

The Audience Ceremony took place at the Istana Nurul Iman.

Meanwhile, His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the Minister of Defence and Supreme Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) has also consented to receive in audience Major General TNI Madsuni, the Commandant General of Special Forces Unit (KOPASSUS), Indonesia Armed Forces – Land Force. The Audience Ceremony took place at the Istana Nurul Iman yesterday afternoon.

Accompanying Major General TNI Madsuni were Nurul Qomar, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Brunei Darussalam and Colonel Inf Lucky Avianto, Assistant Operation Commandant General Indonesia Armed Forces – Land Forces.

Also present at the ceremony were First Admiral (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Abdul Aziz bin Haji Mohd Tamit, the Deputy Minister of Defence; Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah, the Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces; Captain (Rtd) Dato Paduka Abdul Rahman bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence.

Brunei Darussalam and Indonesia enjoy close and longstanding defence relations which have grown tremendously with cooperation in the form of visits, exercises, trainings, professional exchanges, and cross-attendance of courses.

Furthermore, both Special Forces Regiment RBAF and the KOPASSUS interact through the conduct of Exercise Petir Sakti, which is held from October 26 to November 8.

The post His Majesty receives audiences appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Daniel Lim     |

A POWERBOAT competition was held yesterday in Kuala Belait. It was organised by the Department of Youth and Sports, at the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sports in collaboration with the Powerboat Association Brunei Darussalam.

The powerboat competition was 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.

The event featured than 41 powerboat racers from Brunei as well as from Sabah and Sarawak. Guest of honour at the event was Zafri bin Haji Mohamed, Acting Director of Youth and Sports.

Kassim bin Jafar in ‘King Cobra’ won first place in the 30hp and below Tunnel Boat Open category in both morning and afternoon sessions.

Md Hasnol Fahmi bin Haji Matzin in ‘Gemilang’ won first place in the 50hp and below Tunnel Boat Open category in both morning and afternoon sessions.

Kassim bin Jafar in ‘Ferrari’ won SST 60hp Tunnel Boat Open in both morning and afternoon sessions.

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|     Khairil Hassan     |

SINGAPORE B emerged champion of the tug of war tournament held in conjunction with 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 at the sports field of Muda Hashim Primary School in Tutong District.

Twelve teams participated in the tournament. In Group A were Otai, Hardcore Rifle A and Chain Block B while Group B consisted of EWC, KB Bull A and Singapore A. In Group C were Chain Block A, Belait Happy Legend and MB Athlete while Group D consisted of KB Bull B, Singapore B and Hardcore Rifle B.

Singapore B defeated EWC in the final match while Chain Block B took third place after beating Chain Block A.

The champion received Challenge Trophy sponsored by Kingston Pepsi Brunei and $2,000. The first runner-up won $1,500 cash and the second runner up received $1,000. Fourth placed team received $400.

Dr Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism as representative of Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism presented the prizes to the winners.

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