|     Hakim Hayat     |

SOME 667 individuals currently serving the nation’s public and private sectors were conferred with state honorary medals yesterday with the consent of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, in recognition of their loyalty and dedicated service to the government and valuable contributions to the country.

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 His Majesty’s personal representative conferred the state medals in an Investiture Ceremony at Balai Singgahsana Indera Kencana, Istana Nurul Iman, yesterday.

Also present was His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik.

The two types of state medals conferred during the ceremony were the ‘Pingat Jasa Kebaktian’ (PJK) or Meritorious Service Medal, and the ‘Pingat Indah Kerja Baik’ (PIKB) or Excellent Service Medal.

Recipients of the PJK yesterday comprised 20 men and 23 women who are currently serving in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA), Ministry of Education (MoE), Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA), Ministry of Development (MoD), Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT), Ministry of Communications (MinCom), Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS), Ministry of Health (MoH) and also those from the private sector.

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 His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik upon arrival for the Investiture Ceremony at Balai Singgahsana Indera Kencana, Istana Nurul Iman. PHOTOS: AZROL AZMI

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, presenting the Meritorious Service Medal to a male recipient

Above & below: His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah presenting the state honorary medals to male and female recipients

Meanwhile, a total of 255 men and 369 women received the PIKB, comprising 301 from MoE, 172 from MoD, 141 from MoH and 10 from the private sector.

The main criteria to attain the medals include impeccable long-term track record in service to the government, which includes a clean record in all services and a “very good” rating for their work performance appraisal in the last three years.

Yesterday was the final day of the ceremony, held annually in conjunction with His Majesty’s birthday celebration.

Photos above show recipients posing with their state honorary medals

The ceremony honours officers and staff in the public and private sector for having carried out their duties loyally, diligently, sincerely and honestly to His Majesty’s government and is also a morale booster to encourage them to strive harder in their respective duties and responsibilities.

Also present at the ceremony yesterday were Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran-Pengiran Cheteria, Cabinet Ministers, members of councils, deputy ministers, Pengiran-Pengiran Peranakan, Pehin-Pehin Manteri, Manteri-Manteri Pedalaman, high commissioners, foreign ambassadors, permanent secretaries, heads of departments and senior government officers, as well as mukim penghulus and village heads.

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|    Danial Norjidi    |

MICROSOFT Brunei unveiled the latest SQL Server 2016 in a launching ceremony yesterday at The Empire Hotel & Country Club.

Microsoft (B) Sdn Bhd in a statement said that the unveiling is “the first step of joining the data revolution which keeps advancing across the Asia-Pacific region”, while highlighting that SQL Server 2016 represents “a huge leap forward for the data platform with faster transactions and queries, advanced analytics and hybrid cloud scenarios”.

The launch itself saw Rena Chai, the Microsoft Chief Marketing Officer for Southeast Asia New Markets, introducing the new iteration of SQL to the attendees.

“We have entered into an era where data has become the new fuel for business transformation. The ability to analyse massive amount of data at will and even to predict future outcomes is now accessible to every business,” she said.

“At Microsoft, our goal is to enable organisations to navigate this disruption and those in the digital economy… SQL Server 2016 stands as an industry-leading secured platform that will help Brunei organisations to utilise their data to achieve the best outcomes.”

Vivek Ravindran, the Director of Data Insights, Microsoft APAC, delivers a keynote address. PHOTOS: DANIAL NORJIDI

Officials, participants and attendees in a group photo during yesterday’s launching ceremony at The Empire Hotel & Country Club

Vivek Ravindran, the Director of Data Insights, Microsoft APAC, meanwhile, delivered a keynote address entitled ‘Take the Lead with a Data Driven Business Strategy’.

SQL Server 2016 is the first born-in-the-cloud database, delivering breakthrough mission-critical capabilities in scalability, performance and availability for most important online transactions processing and data warehousing workloads, it was shared.

It was further highlighted that SQL’s powerful capabilities such as “Always Encrypted” and “Role Level Security” were first tested in Azure by hundreds of thousands of customers and billions of queries.

Microsoft’s newest database management platform also delivers a comprehensive, on-the-premises and enterprise-ready Business Intelligence (BI) platform that helps organisations transform complex data into actionable insights.

Organisations and different industry verticals across the globe alike want more insights to transform their business and services. Microsoft said that it recognises this shift and has integrated SQL Server 2016 with the tools and resources required to be ahead of today’s revolution curve.

Microsoft SQL Server 2016 integrates the ‘R’ Language within their analytics to help people solve the most challenging problems in fields from computational biology to quantitative marketing.

By removing the ETL (extract, transform, load) process, Microsoft has created what they call a ‘Mission Critical Intelligence’, which allows data to be stored, retrieved and analysed in a single platform without needing to transfer the data from a source.

It was also revealed at the event that SQL Server has everything built-in from Business Intelligence, to Advanced Analytics, making this easier to use and costing less for the end user.

“As the leader in security, performance and price, SQL is one data solution that has everything you need built in,” said Vivek Ravindran.

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|    Ishan Ibrahim    |

THE Minister of Religious Affairs, Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, has emphasised the significance of Islamic religious schooling and education along with Arabic education.

It is the responsibility of the Government of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam to ensure its citizens adhere to this obligation.

The minister was speaking at the appreciation ceremony for excellent students by the Islamic Studies Department (JPI), held at the International Convention Centre (ICC) yesterday.

This responsibility is in line with the responsibilities of other areas managed and organised by the government, he said, adding that as far as the country’s national history goes, religious affairs is also the affairs of the state and government.

The minister added that religious influence proves to be of importance in the socio-political system of Brunei Darussalam.

The Minister of Religious Affairs, Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, at the International Convention Centre. PHOTOS: ISHAN IBRAHIM

A section of the audience yesterday

He also reminded of the titah of His Majesty which emphasised on Islam as the guiding force of Brunei Darussalam.

The minister also said for those in the services of religious management, in the Ministry of Religious Affairs or in other ministries and government departments, their responsibility is to ensure that religious values remain at the forefront.

He also said that parents have an important role in the advancement of their children’s education, and further urged everyone connected to education, whether in the ministry, schools or government departments, to work harder and with more passion.

The ceremony held in appreciation of 290 students that achieved excellence at last year’s examinations – namely, Primary School Assessment (PSR), Primary Six Religious School Certificate Examination (SSSRU), Brunei Religious Education Certificate (SPUB), BC-GCE ‘O’ Level, Brunei Religious Education Higher Certificate (STPUB) and BC-GCE ‘A’ Level – saw them receiving awards of appreciation and recognition from the Minister of Religious Affairs.

The event was organised under the auspices of the JPI.

These awards of appreciation will act as incentive and motivation for other students to work harder and to elevate their efforts to achieve excellence in their respective fields of education, as well as a recognition for parents who have worked hard to encourage and motivate their children to ensure their success.

Five categories of students were presented with awards of recognition where 128 received awards for the PSR category, 41 in the SSSRU category, 62 in SPUB, 54 in STPUB and five in the BC-GCE ‘A’ Level.

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THE Minister of Education, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, recently attended the 9th Asean Education Ministers Meeting (9th ASED) back-to-back with the 3rd Asean Plus Three Education Ministers Meeting (3rd APT EMM) and the 3rd East Asia Summit Education Ministers Meeting (3rd EAS EMM) in Selangor, Malaysia.

At the 9th ASED, the ministers adopted the Asean Work Plan on Education 2016-2020 which will guide cooperation in education in the next five years, and will unify all collaboration efforts on education with Asean Dialogue Partners and international organisations and other entities that support Asean, according to a statement.

The ministers also adopted the Framework and Action Plan in support of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Higher Education which have been incorporated in the Asean Work Plan on Education 2016-2020.

The ministers approved the Asean Declaration on Strengthening Education for Out-of-School Children (OOSC), and expressed appreciation to Thailand for sponsoring the formulation of the Declaration. The ministers agreed to submit the Declaration to the Asean Coordinating Council for their consideration, and for submission to the 28th Asean Summit in September 2016 in Lao PDR for adoption.

Minister of Education, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, at the meeting

In his statement, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi said Brunei Darussalam has benefitted from collaboration between Asean and Plus Three countries and Brunei Darussalam look forward for future collaboration from the governments of China, Japan and Republic of Korea to support and push forward Asean education agenda.

The minister also believes that through various cooperative framework, Asean and Plus 3 countries can achieve higher level of education to enable Asean to meet the challenges of globalisation.

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|     Hakim Hayat     |

BUTRA Home Concept (BHC) celebrated the 4th anniversary of its home living and lifestyle magazine yesterday at Starbucks in Beribi that saw the presence of over 50 invited guests.

BHC Editor Amir Noor said the magazine’s longevity is due to its adaptive characteristic that has proven to be in line with the interest of many Bruneians in home improvement and its relevant fields.

Attending the event and also participating in a cake cutting ceremony were Butra HeidelbergCement Sdn Bhd Managing Director Marcelino Urarte, BHC Project Director Stuart Lee and MMW Creative Director Hamdi Matussin.

Cake cutting ceremony during BHC 4th anniversary. PHOTOS: DEAN KASSIM

BHC Magazine’s Editor Amir Noor speaks at the event

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|     Wani Roslan     |

A LOCAL film, ‘Lagenda Puteri Bukit Tempayan Pisang’ is now showing at the Times Cineplex of Times Square Shopping Centre.

The premiere of the film, which was officially launched by the Director of Radio Televisyen Brunei, Haji Muhd Suffian bin Haji Bungsu yesterday, was also attended by the Chairman of Brunei Arts Enthusiasts Association (PeSTAB), Serudin bin Haji Awang Damit along with other PesTAB members.

The film depicts a group of students who are doing a research on a Brunei legend. One of them meets a ‘Puteri Bunian’ known as ‘Puteri Bukit Tempayan Pisang’ who is trying to take back her five ‘Kemala Hikmat’ which were taken away by the guardian of Mount Kinabalu.

Haji Muhd Suffian bin Haji Bungsu, Director of Radio Televisyen Brunei, launching the ‘Lagenda Puteri Bukit Tempayan Pisang’ film as Serudin bin Haji Awang Damit, Chairman of Brunei Arts Enthusiasts Association (PeSTAB), looks on. – WANI ROSLAN

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|     Wani Roslan     |

SEVERAL new products and a fresh packaging for seafood products produced by members of Village Consultative Councils (MPKs) under the One Village, One Product (1K1P) initiative will hit the local market shortly.

Among the products are seafood items such as dried shrimp, Ikan Tahai, and Sambal Ikan Tahai produced by MPK Zone 2, National Housing Scheme (RPN) of Kampong Rimba, Mukim Gadong A; Brunei food products such as Tumpi and Madu Kelulut produced by MPK Limau Manis of Mukim Pengkalan Batu; local traditional food products such as Kelupis Bajalin, Dalamu, Penyaram and Bubur Si Bujang produced by MPK Sengkurong ‘B’.

The new packaging for seafood products is produced by MPK Kampong Masjid Lama, Pekan Muara, Sabun and Pelumpong of Mukim Serasa.

These new products and packaging were launched by the guest of honour, Misle bin Haji Abdul Karim, Acting Brunei-Muara District Officer, during the officiating ceremony of the 1K1P Expo for Brunei-Muara District Mukim and Village Consultative Council.

Organised by the Product Development Unit, Penghulu Mukim and Village Head Institution Division, the three-day 1K1P Expo aims to introduce and promote local products produced by MPKs in the country. The expo is an initiative to provide a platform to market products of MPKs and help them generate new source of income.

Misle bin Haji Abdul Karim, Acting Brunei-Muara District Officer (C) during the officiating ceremony of the 1K1P Expo for Brunei-Muara District Mukim and Village Consultative Council. PHOTOS: WANI ROSLAN

Members of MPK Zone 2, National Housing Scheme (RPN) of Kampong Rimba, Mukim Gadong A in a group photo

Mohamad bin Haji Kabon, Chairman of MPK Zone 2, RPN Rimba said that their seafood products are still being sold in the local market and they have not yet started selling them in neighbourhood markets.

“One of the challenges we face is packaging that can help protect the products, especially dried seafood products,” he said.

Rokiah binti Haji Matzin, Deputy Chairman of MPK Kampong Masjid Lama, Pekan Muara, Sabun and Pelumpong, said, “Though we have had several challenges in selling our products, we have received positive response from the public. We actively participate in expos and bazaars as well as send our products to several stalls, restaurants and shops.”

She also shared that their products have received bookings from neighbouring countries for ceremonies, adding that they recently got an invitation to participate in an expo in Jakarta.

“We are planning to add more products with the new packaging sponsored by the Fisheries Department which can add more value to our product line,” she added.

Noorhani Ismail, Assistant Chairman of MPK Kampong Limau Manis, hoped that the new products will be received well by the public, especially during the three-day expo.

“We are now active in promoting products from MPK Kampong Limau Manis, which was established last year. A majority of our products have received positive feedback and bookings from the public and private agencies and Insha Allah, we are planning to promote our products online in the future.”

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|     Azlan Othman     |

THE Hospitality Management Course conducted by Laksamana College of Business (LCB) has become popular among students in the country. There has been a four-fold increase in the number of students graduating from LCB. A total of 24 students acquired National Diploma in 2015 compared to six in 2014.

S Sivarajah, Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Principal of LCB, told the Bulletin that there is a lot of opportunities as Brunei Darussalam is a growing hub for ecotourism and LCB is working with the ministry to enhance the collaboration on tour guides.

He was talking on the sidelines of a working visit to LCB by the Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, Dato Paduka Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, to take a closer look at the Hospitality Management Course and other facilities at the institution.

“Trained tour guides can help attract more visitors to the country. We can collaborate further to train local tour guides as we are already running the tourism course for a couple of years. Our National Diploma course is for one and a half years while Higher National Diploma course is for two years,” Sivarajah said.

“They (graduates) can continue their studies in the UK like at the University College of Birmingham or Glion University in Switzerland. They are actually eligible to join any universities that they want to go added,” he added.

The Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, Dato Paduka Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, during a classroom tour at Laksamana College of Business (LCB)

The Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism in conversation with students taking Hospitality Management course

Meanwhile, a self-funded student at LCB, Muadzah Mardiah binti Malizan who is taking Hospitality Management (National Diploma Level 3) and is at her second semester in the one- and-a-half year course, said she plans to take the Higher National Diploma (Level 5) course. “But, I plan to work at the hotel industry before proceeding to Level 5. I study at LCB as it fits into what I want.”

Mark Danial Jazmines, who was a tourism and event management student in the Philippines, said he wants to further his studies in hospitality management. “I get more knowledge and experience at LCB and plan to work in the hospitality business sector here in Brunei Darussalam.”

Another student, Mohd Saiid Faaiz Mubarak bin Haji Zulkifli, said studying at LCB is ‘amazing’. He had past experience working with the food and beverage department at Empire Hotel & Country Club and at The Rizqun International Hotel as a waiter. “I am looking for a job as food and beverages manager or general manager,” he shared his dream.

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|     Izah Azahari     |

THE Institute of Brunei Technical Education (IBTE) yesterday announced the formation of two networks of schools.

This was explained further by Principal of IBTE Central, Dr Sheikh Lukman bin Sheikh Abdul Hamid and Principal of IBTE Satellite, Norjemee bin Jenek, at a press conference held at IBTE Headquarters in Gadong.

Dr Sheikh Lukman said that the establishment of the two networks of schools is intended to provide an effective and efficient management system for the campuses under IBTE.

Apart from facilitating the sharing of facilities, infrastructure and human resources, the new move will provide an efficient approach in handling IBTE’s operational costs, regulating its expenditure and creating economies of scale.

“This establishment will also recognise the advancement in effective and consistent teaching and learning across the schools based on the agreed benchmark and best practices,” said Dr Sheikh Lukman.

Dr Sheikh Lukman bin Sheikh Abdul Hamid (R), Principal of Institute of Brunei Technical Education (IBTE) Central; Norjemee bin Jenek (L), Principal of IBTE Satellite; and Haji Mohd Fadzillah bin Haji Abdullah, Divisional Director of Corporate Affairs of IBTE, during the press conference. – IZAH AZAHARI

The Principal of IBTE Central added that after a series of discussions with key members of the IBTE management team and staff members, it was proposed that the seven training centres under IBTE will be restructured into two networks of schools known as ‘IBTE Central’ and ‘IBTE Satellite’ which are further divided into nine schools that are clustered according to the areas of specialisation.

Dr Sheikh Lukman explained that IBTE Central will consist of School of Aviation, School of Business, School of Building Technology Services, School of Energy and Engineering, School of Hospitality and Tourism, and School of ICT, whereas IBTE Satellite will consist of School of Energy and Engineering Satellite, Brunei Maritime Academy and School of Agro-Technology and Applied Sciences.

“So the clusters under the two networks of schools are also grouped based on geographical locations,” said Dr Sheikh Lukman.

Meanwhile, Norjemee explained that the two networks of schools are under the purview of two principals – Dr Sheikh Lukman as the Principal of IBTE Central and Norjemee as the Principal of IBTE Satellite.

Norjemee added that Dr Sheikh Lukman will be administering and managing the four IBTE campuses located in the Brunei-Muara District, which include IBTE Sultan Saiful Rijal Campus, IBTE Nakhoda Ragam Campus, IBTE Business Campus and IBTE Mechanical Campus, while he will be administering and managing the three IBTE campuses located in the Belait and Brunei-Muara District; such as IBTE Jefri Bolkiah Campus, IBTE Sultan Bolkiah Campus and IBTE Agro-Technology Campus.

The Principal of IBTE Satellite added that the principals will be assisted by academic managers and operations managers where the former will assist the principals in planning, managing, implementing and evaluating the academic progress in the campuses they are assigned to, while the latter will provide support to the principals in both IBTE Central and IBTE Satellite in terms of campus and school administrative matters.

“Both academic managers and operations managers will also work closely with the heads of schools to manage matters related to logistics and the welfare of teachers, staff and students in the campuses,” added Norjemee.

Norjemee also explained that as part of the IBTE’s updated organisational structure, both principals of IBTE Central and IBTE Satellite come under the IBTE Chief Executive Officer who corresponds under the IBTE Board of Governors headed by the IBTE Chairman who is under the Ministry of Education.

Haji Mohd Fadzillah bin Haji Abdullah, Divisional Director of Corporate Affairs of IBTE, said that the principals of IBTE will be placed in different locations as their main campus, where Dr Sheikh Lukman will be at IBTE Mechanical Campus in Kg Tungku, Gadong, while Norjemee will be at IBTE Jefri Bolkiah Campus in Kuala Belait.

To learn more about the IBTE, the public can visit their Facebook page on www.facebook.com/ibte.cet, Instagram @ibteignite, or their website at http://ibte.edu.bn/.

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|     Hakim Hayat     |

THE Brunei International Airport will soon see the addition of new retail and food outlets, facilities and lounges, as well as an airport transit hotel that is currently in its proposal stage, the Minister of Communications said yesterday.

Speaking to the media following 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 visit to the airport, Dato Paduka Awang Haji Mustappa bin Haji Sirat said the visit provided His Majesty with an update on the airport’s new projects.

Inside the airport, digital screens displaying upcoming facilities are placed in different halls, including the transit area to update the public on the latest developments to create a world-class airport following its $130 million five-year modernisation project that began in 2011 and finished last year.

The upcoming facilities include a new food hall in the mezzanine level that will accommodate a food court, franchise fast food outlets and coffee shops, as well as a wellness centre.

A transit hotel, a CIP/VIP lounge, executive check in counters, entertainment lounge and more retail outlets including a convenience store, bakery, handicraft centre, jewellery store and pharmacy store will also be among the upcoming additions to the airport in the next few months.

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, taking a photo with members of the public. PHOTOS: AZROL AZMI

His Majesty touring the Brunei International Airport’s Operational Control Centre

The plans for the new facilities were based on the public and airport users’ including transit passengers’ feedback, the minister said.

On the airport transit hotel, he said the authorities have identified a suitable space for the facility and have invited investors to jointly develop the project under a public-private partnership (PPP).

He said some 20 potential investors have so far expressed their interest in the project, and they were asked to submit their proposal.

He said the project is open to any parties interested in developing a transit hotel of international standards and it will be offered on a term basis, depending on the amount of investment.

He said these new developments will augment the efforts in boosting the airport brand and image which will hopefully increase the movement of people, as well as goods and services into Brunei Darussalam.

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|     Hakim Hayat     |

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 morning made a follow-up visit to the Brunei International Airport to take a closer look at new developments of the renovated airport since his last visit in September last year.

The monarch also took to the skies of Brunei on national carrier Royal Brunei Airline’s (RB) Boeing 787 Dreamliner with three Bruneian female pilots who made waves in international news recently for being the first all-female deck crew that operated a plane from Brunei to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

After touring the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, His Majesty met at the flight deck with Brunei’s first female airline captain, Sharifah Czarena Surainy binti Syed Hashim, as well as Senior First Officers Dayangku Nadiah binti Pengiran Khashiem and Sariana binti Nordin who made Brunei proud when they successfully landed the Boeing 787 aircraft in Jeddah in February this year.

The monarch, who is also a trained pilot later took control of the flight deck with Captain Sharifah Czarena Surainy and flew the aircraft for a quick round over Brunei’s skies, together with Chief Pilot Captain Saiful Bahrin bin Bahar and Senior First Officers Dayangku Nadiah and Sariana.

After the flight, His Majesty told media representatives in an interview that he enjoyed piloting the flight with the crew and later commended them for their achievements.

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, during the flight. – ROYAL BRUNEI AIRLINES

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, in a group photo with Royal Brunei Airlines crew. – AZROL AZMI

According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the visit yesterday signifies His Majesty’s encouragement and high recognition on the achievement of the three local female pilots. The three female pilots also operate flights between Brunei Darussalam and London.

At the Brunei International Airport, His Majesty took a closer look at the facilities of the airport’s Operational Control Centre (OCC) that manages and coordinates the execution of daily flight schedules.

His Majesty also inspected several progresses that have been made on a number of airport facilities since his last visit, including some offices on the first floor of the main terminal building, as well as several new retail units in the departure and arrival halls.

His Majesty’s visit to the airport also gave opportunity to airport staff and members of the public to speak and have photo opportunities with the monarch.

Also present during the visit yesterday 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, and Dato Paduka Awang Haji Mustappa bin Haji Sirat, Minister of Communications.

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THE Executive Director of Centre for Strategic and Policy Studies (CSPS), Haji Mohd Rozan bin Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yunos, recently presented Certificates of Internship to Muhammad Azinuddin Baharin, Muhammad Wafiy bin Abdullah, Muhammad Khairul Ikhwan bin Ibrahim and Muhammad Izzan bin Haji Amer Hamzah.

The certificates marked the completion of a three-month internship at CSPS from February to May 2016.

During their internship period at CSPS, the candidates, who are from local higher education institutions, gained much professional work experience in the areas of research, finance and administration, according to a press release.

CSPS Internship Programme provides a unique opportunity for degree level students to gain valuable professional experience.

The interns in a group photo with Haji Mohd Rozan bin Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yunos, Executive Director of Centre for Strategic and Policy Studies (CSPS)

It aims to mentor and cultivate today’s young leaders and help to lay the foundations of their future careers, thus enhancing the development of human resources in the country.

The programme is conducted in close collaboration with higher education institutions such as Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) and Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB).

Areas of internship at CSPS include policy research, administration and finance, as well as project management.

Candidates must be undergraduate students or above. The duration of this programme is usually between three to six months, often during the university’s discovery year.

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|     Izah Azahari     |

THIRTEEN lucky winners received their prizes for their participation in the ‘Instagram Video Challenge’, ‘MyDST Account Weekly Draw’ and the ‘DSTIncomm Online Rewards Promotion’.

The prize presentation ceremony took place at the 18th Consumer Fair held at the International Convention Centre (ICC), Berakas. Present in attendance as guest of honour was Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Hussain, CEO of DST.

Also in attendance were Haji Marsad bin Haji Ismail, Deputy CEO of DST; Aziz bin Abdullah, Acting Deputy Director of Electrical Services, DST’s Executive Committee and senior management, staff, guests and participants.

Presenting the prizes to the lucky winners of the ‘Instagram Video Challenge’ and ‘MyDST Account Weekly Draw’ was Hajah Suzana binti Ahmad, Senior Manager of Group Product at DST while presenting the prizes to the lucky winners of the ‘DSTIncomm Online Rewards’ promotion was Aziz bin Abdullah, Acting Deputy Director of Department of Electrical Services.

In conjunction with DST’s 21st Anniversary promotional activities, DST held a weekly draw promotion in April 2016 for Postpaid subscribers who made their bill payments through MyDST Account, DST’s online bill payment service. To be eligible for this promotion, customers needed to make bill payments of B$85 and above. The promotion was held for five weeks from April 1 until May 5.

Winners of the DSTIncomm Online Rewards in a group photo with Aziz bin Abdullah, Acting Deputy Director of Electrical Services (2nd from right) and Juliana Sim, General Manager of DSTIncomm (far right). PHOTOS: DEAN KASSIM

DST Instagram Video Challenge winners in a group photo with Hajah Suzana binti Ahmad, Senior Manager of Group Product at DST (right)

MyDST Account winners in a group photo with Hajah Suzana binti Ahmad

All five winners walked away with DST vouchers worth B$50 including exclusive merchandise from DST. The winners were Mazlan bin Haji Sani, Rozina binti Haji Mustafa, Asmah Beevi Abdul Rasheed, Muhd Ali Fedzuan bin DP Haji Alimin and Nornasyirah binti Nordin.

The DST Instagram Video Challenge ran from April 1 to April 15. Participants who entered the challenge were required to capture a video with the theme ‘Life without DSTMBB’, post it on Instagram, share and tag @dstbn with the hashtag #lifewithoutdstmbb or Instadirect feature to @dstbn.

Azran bin Yusof claimed first place and he won a Samsung Galaxy A7 and DST voucher worth $80 while second-place winner, Muhammad Hazim bin Abu Hassan was presented with a Samsung Galaxy A5 and DST voucher worth $80. Third place winner Amy Arniza binti Channip brought home a Samsung Galaxy A5 and DST voucher worth B$50. All three winners also brought home exclusive merchandises from DST.

The DSTIncomm Online Rewards promotion was held in conjunction with the ‘DST turns 21 Anniversary Special’ held from March 25 to May 8, which was aimed at rewarding customers who topped up their Easi prepaid through Easi Recaj Tarus and purchased POWERkad via www.incomm.com.bn.

In first place was Budiawan Tju, who won a Samsung Galaxy S7. In second place was Ming Tai Lim who walked away with an Apple iPhone 6 128GB while Caroline Wong won a Samsung Galaxy S6 in third place. In fourth place was Norsalwani Hussin who won a Samsung Galaxy Tab S 9.7” and Hane Bakar was presented with a Samsung Galaxy A5 for coming in fifth place.

A total of 50 consolation prizes were also given to the online purchase winners.

The post DST rewards 13 lucky winners appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Azlan Othman     |

AFTER recording RM6.3 million in profits from 150 vendors last year, the Kuala Lumpur International Hijab Fair (KLIHF) will be back this year from June 2-5 at the International Convention Centre (ICC), Berakas.

The event is returning to Brunei Darussalam due to an overwhelming demand for hijab attire and the encouraging response to Malaysian products.

Unlike last year, the entry fee of $1 has been abolished for this year’s fair.

According to the organiser, M&O Event & Lifestyle Management, some 150 booths will be set up, of which 30 are by vendors from Brunei Darussalam and Indonesia.

A view from last year’s KLIHF at ICC

Among the Malaysian celebrities that will bring their brands to the country at the fair are Ustaz Don Danial, Umie Aida, Erma Fatima, Zizie Ezette, Yatt Hamzah, Betty Benafe and Mia Suria.

KLIHF is also a very good platform for Malays-ian fashion designers to step into the Brunei market and look for their sales representatives.

Local entrepreneurs can also use the KLIHF as a business-to-business platform to market their brands without having to go to Kuala Lumpur.

The post M’sian fashion designers tap Brunei market through KLIHF 2016 appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     Abdul Hakiim Yakof     |

QARI Muhammad Sa’dun bin Suhaili and Qariah Dayangku Siti Umi Syazana binti Pengiran Haji Marjuki were both named champions in the finals of the National Youth Musabaqah Tilawatil Quran 1437H/2016 held on Thursday evening at the Digadong Hall of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

The champions received a trophy, cash prize of $2,000 and a certificate each.

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

In second place in the Qari category was Ashrizal bin Zainal Abidin; Abdul Mu’in bin Haji Abdul Hamid came in third place; and in fourth place was Muhammad Arif bin Haji Johari.

In the Qariah category, Dayangku Amal Zahirah binti Pengiran Haji Jofri came in second place; Dayangku Nur Aqilah binti Pengiran Haji Ayub was in third place; while Hajah Wafiqah binti Haji Daim came in fourth.

The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports presenting a trophy to Qari Muhammad Sa’dun bin Suhaili

Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports presenting a trophy to Qariah Dayangku Siti Umi Syazana binti Pengiran Haji Marjuki. PHOTOS: ABDUL HAKIIM YAKOF

The second place winners in both catagories each received a trophy, cash prize of $1,500 and a certificate, while third place winners won a trophy, cash prize of $1,000 and a certificate each.

The fourth place winners received a trophy, cash prize of $500 and a certificate each.

The event began with a recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah led by Haji Ali Yussof bin Haji Arshad, Mosque Affairs Officer, followed by a welcoming speech by the event chairman, Zafri bin Haji Mohamed, Acting Director of Youth and Sports.

This was followed by a speech by the guest of honour, in which he said the progression and regression of a nation, be it physically or spiritually, depend on the quality of its youth population.

“We hope that apart from being able to recite the Al-Quran, youths should also observe and practise lessons learnt from the holy book and make it as guidance in life to become role model Muslims,” he said.

Also present were the Deputy Minister of Education, Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar; along with the Permanent Secretaries at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Dato Paduka Dr Haji Affendy bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin and Datin Paduka Dr Hajah Norlila binti Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Jalil.

The Musabaqah competition is an annual event organised by the Department of Youth and Sports since 1980s and has produced youth Qaris and Qariahs who are capable of competing at a higher level.

The competition targets youth who are 15 to 25 years old, and this year the competition saw 78 participants from Brunei-Muara District, eight from Tutong, six from Belait and another six from Temburong – totalling 98 participants compared to 77 in the previous year.

The post National Youth Musabaqah champs receive awards appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     James Kon     |

PRIZES worth about $50,000 including a brand new Volkswagen Tiguan are up for grabs in the Brunei Shell Marketing Co Sdn Bhd (BSM) ‘Win with Helix 2016’ promotion that was officially unveiled yesterday by Pengiran Shamhary bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mustapha, the Managing Director of BSM.

Mohd Adini bin Mohd Daini, Head of Branding and Communications of BSM was also on hand to launch the three-month promotion which aims to show BSM’s appreciation to users of Shell Helix motor oil.

During the promotion from June 1 to August 31, 2016, consolation prizes will be announced in July and August while the grand draw will be in September.

Other prizes include electronic items and trips to Korea as well as Malaysia to watch the Formula One race in Sepang.

Pengiran Shamhary bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mustapha (Right), the Managing Director of BSM with Mohd Adini bin Mohd Daini, Head of Branding and Communications of BSM launching the ‘Win with Helix 2016’ promotion. PHOTOS: JAMES KON

Photos show Managing Director of BSM presenting the poster of the promotion to Dominic Ng of TK ASCO Enterprise (Left) and Steven Sim of Romet Plus Marketing

The public can obtain an entry form by purchasing a four-litre bottle of Shell Helix Ultra, Shell Helix HX7 and Shell Helix HX5. Drop boxes are available for the completed entry forms at participating BSM authorised distributors, dealers and retail stations.

Pengiran Shamhary also presented posters of the promotion to two authorised distributors, namely TK ASCO Enterprise and Romet Plus Marketing.

Dominic Ng, the Managing Director of TK ASCO Enterprise said, “Shell Helix is the popular motor oil among Bruneians. Every month, we distribute around 40,000 litres of Shell Helix in the country.”

The post Top prizes for ‘Win with Helix 2016’ appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

ROYAL Brunei Airlines (RB) celebrates the silver jubilee of its first flight to London yesterday.

Present as the guest of honour in the London-held event was Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin, Brunei High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.

According to a press release, the event was also attended by RB trade partners, Brunei High Commission in the UK and Brunei Students’ Union officers, and members of the media.

RB’s first weekly flight to London Gatwick took place on November 21, 1990 and within less than a year – on May 14, 1991 – RB increased frequency to twice weekly, this time to London Heathrow. In 2004, it became a daily service.

RB also took the opportunity to officially launch its newly rebranded Customer Service Centre in London. The office was launched by Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan, as well as Mohd Hanif Abdullah, RB’s Acting Chief Commercial and Planning Officer.

The guest of honour Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin, Brunei High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, receiving a token of appreciation. – ROYAL BRUNEI AIRLINES

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|     Hakim Hayat     |

HIGHLIGHTS of the significant strides made in Brunei Darussalam’s defence capabilities, as well as the progress and development seen in the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) over the years will be at the fore of their 55th anniversary celebration this year, while also giving members of the public a better perspective and experience of careers available in the army.

Like every year, members of the public are welcome to join thousands of the nations’ men and women in the defence frontline in celebrating the occasion, that is themed ‘RBAF Generation with a Vision’ this year.

Set for the first time at the recently completed Defence Academy RBAF in Kampong Tanah Jambu, Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Wata bin Abdullah Awat, Deputy Chairperson I of RBAF’s 55th anniversary celebrations in an interview said they opted for the venue to highlight the progress and achievements, especially in the field of education and development of its personnel.

He said this year’s theme, which is also similar to last year’s celebrations signifies its relevance to the RBAF, that relies on its new generation of leaders and soldiers today to become the backbone of the defence institution, and in supporting the country’s aspirations. “It also depicts our unwavering support of the country’s aspiration to have a visionary generation while carrying out their roles and duties towards the nation’s development, which also requires the commitment and solemnity of today’s RBAF generation,” he added.

He said the venue also commensurate its concept for this year’s celebration that focus on recruitment in the army. “Members of the public will not only be exposed to this new camp facility, but also have the opportunity to learn more about military training and the organisation in general,” he added.

Female soldiers participating in the march past. – DEAN KASSIM

The celebration will also highlight the RBAF’s involvement in Peace Keeping Operations since the last few years, offering the public the chance to learn more of their experiences overseas.

The main highlight of the event, the grand parade is scheduled to kick off at 8.30am on Tuesday, involving 1,155 personnel from major units of the RBAF – the Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal Brunei Air Force and Royal Brunei Navy as well as the Training Institute, Special Force Regiment and Women’s Company. Some of the highlights of the grand parade include a fly-past by assets from the air force.

The public are all welcome to take part in the many activities and events lined up for them and their families during the open day on Tuesday, May 31 and Wednesday, June 1 including arena shows that will include demonstrations from the Special Force Regiment, static displays featuring the latest assets, bazaar and funfair activities including radio controlled cars, airboat rides and a .22 long rifle shooting experience.

The public, especially younger generations can also find out more about career opportunities available in the RBAF and are encouraged to browse through the exhibition to find out the vast and diverse career options available in the armed forces.

As limited parking space will be available at the Defence Academy RBAF, visitors are encouraged to park their vehicles at two shuttle bus pick-up points – Lambak Kanan Industrial Area and also the Salambigar Industrial Area. Shuttle buses located at the pick-up points will operate regularly throughout the day.

The RBAF day will be open from 9am to 5pm on Tuesday and the following day from 9am to 3pm.

The post RBAF celebration to highlight achievements appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.

|     James Kon     |

A TEAM of Brunei mountaineers recently achieved a special feat when they managed to climb to Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) lying 4,120m above sea level, not once but twice within 24 hours, to capture both the beautiful sunset and sunrise.

With time to spare, the team also headed to Mount Himchuli (6,441m).

Relaying their stories and challenges to the Weekend Bulletin following the two-week expedition (May 5-19) was team leader Shukri Zain also known as Bono.

The team comprised Pengiran Sulaiman bin Pengiran Metali as sweeper, Reduan Hussin as frontman, Romie K who carried logistics for the trip, Zulamri Emran whose role was to record the expedition while Ravi who did two solo expedition to Mount Everest acted as the director and guide.

Recalling the climb to ABC, Shukri Zain said, “It was in October 2015 when I was attending a basic mountaineering course in Selangor I met Ravi where I learned that he was organising an expedition to Annapurna Base Camp. Without hesitation, I told him I wanted to go and promote the expedition through social media.

Team leader, Shukri Zain also known as Bono, at Poon Hill en route to Annapurna Base Camp. PHOTOS: JAMES KON

“Then through Facebook, interested individuals came together and the team for the expedition was formed.”

“Before hiking to Everest Base Camp (EBC) which we hope to do in 2017, it’s a norm to first set foot in Annapurna Base Camp. Everest Base Camp lies at an elevation of 5,380m,” he explained the reason for choosing Annapurna Base Camp.

In terms of preparation, he said that “each individual did their own preparation for the climb where some members trained at local sites while others did their training in mountains in Indonesia and Malaysia”.

“On May 12, we reached Annapurna Base Camp to view the sunset via Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3,700m), and then on the morning of May 13 we returned to Annapurna Base Camp for sunrise. The team continued its hike to Mount Himchuli, however, due to poor visibility, we only managed to climb up to 6,000m.”

The Brunei team at Annapurna Base Camp

He said this is an achievement “because the team conquered Annapurna Base Camp twice and then managed to climb Mount Himchuli in a single expedition”.

Recalling the memorable events during the climb, he said “The people were so nice and the sceneries were amazing. We were able to catch sunrise and sunset in one trip.”

On the trail, the Brunei team rendered help to other mountaineers by giving them proper mountaineering techniques and provided medical aid to a local hiker who was injured, Bono shared.

Bono is hoping to reach EBC next year and then train to climb various mountains before taking on Mount Everest in 2019 which is his ultimate goal.

He extended invitation to adventurous Bruneians to join in the coming expeditions.

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|     Achong Tanjong     |

BY consent 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, Minister of Defence and Supreme Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), 74 senior officers and officers of the RBAF were presented with their insignias at the promotion ceremony held yesterday at the Officers’ Mess, Berakas Garrison.

The insignia presentation ceremony was led by Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah, Commander of the RBAF.

Colonel (U) Shahril Anwar bin Haji Ma’awiah, Commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General and Lietenant Colonel (U) Haji Mohd Muluddin bin Haji Latif, Director of Force Capability Development was promoted to Colonel.

While 14 officers were promoted to Substantive Major/Lietenant Commander, 12 officers were promoted to Acting Major / Lietenant Commander, 18 officers were promoted to Substantive Captain / Lieutenant and 27 officers were promoted to Acting Captain/ Lieutenant.

Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah, Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, pinning the insignia on a recipient

A senior RBAF officer in a group photo with his family. PHOTOS: DEAN KASSIM

Present at the ceremony yesterday were First Admiral (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Abdul Aziz bin Haji Mohd Tamit, Deputy Minister of Defence; members of the Defence Executive Committee; services commanders; commandants; directors; senior officers and officers of the Ministry of Defence and RBAF as well as family members of the promoted senior officers.

The RBAF promotion ceremony is part of an ongoing effort to recognise, reward and groom officers who have performed well and demonstrated potential to contribute further to the RBAF.

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