|     Ishan Ibrahim     |

BID.CO emerged as winners of Startup Weekend Brunei, an entrepreneur workshop that took place from April 6-8 at the Laksamana College of Business (LCB).

BID.co, an all-girl group, is an acronym for “buy, invest, donate, community”.

Second place went to Academy Shack, while CeReally Company grabbed third place.

A total of eight teams – consisting of youths aged 16 to 26 from local higher education institutions – took part in the workshop, pitching their way to the top prizes with startup ideas encompassing a range of Brunei issues, such as the current economic climate, education, agriculture, healthcare and social enterprise.

Ashley Uy from Startup Weekend Cebu, Philippines, facilitated the closing ceremony with a recap of Startup Weekend Brunei and its aims and objectives.

“I hope the participants will learn to take matters into their own hands and not let circumstances stop them from going for what they want to pursue,” Ashley Uy said.

“I hope as well that the participants will be able to learn how to accept criticism in a constructive way and use it beneficially in their everyday lives.”

The event, with Afiq Mohammed as the lead organiser and Dan Mahmud as project manager, is the second Startup Weekend held in Brunei.

“With the success of the previous Startup Weekend Brunei held in July last year at Progresif HQ, we are keen to see more successful entrepreneurs coming out of Startup Weekend. With the support of our partners, we hope this event can be a platform for the local business ecosystem to grow,” said Afiq Mohammed.

Placing themselves in the shoes of entrepreneurs, the participants put in an honest showing, testing out their budding ideas and sharing them with the other participants and seasoned industry players.

Among the industry mentors invited for the event were the winners from the first Brunei Rice Bowl Startup Awards organised by The Creative Core BN in November 2017, including Yusuf Flynn from Headhunter Sports and Haji Mohd Loqman bin Haji Hamdan from Al-Huffaz Management. Other mentors included Farah Fauzi from Techstars (Malaysia), Rahman Yoonus from ThinkAxis, Rahimah binti Yussof from Google Developer Group Brunei, Zeffree Kan and Nadia binti Abdul Kadir from Microsoft Brunei, Zulfadly Ismail from Anak IT, Felicity Chan from DARe (Darussalam Enterprise), and Rasyidah Samah from Startup Brunei.

The invited speakers were Stuart Lee from Articulation, who provided pitching workshops, and Redza Shahid from Grub Cycle, who spoke about social enterprises.

The second Startup Weekend Brunei was made possible with the support of Progresif as strategic partner, DARe as ecosystem partner, LCB and Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam as platinum sponsors, Startup Brunei as supporting accelerator, and The Neu Company and InTurn as community partners. Prizes were sponsored by e27 and Sribuza. Startup Weekend Brunei is a 54-hour entrepreneur workshop and part of the largest community of passionate entrepreneurs in the world, with a global reach of over 2,000 events in more than 135 countries.

The camp’s goal is to create an environment where passionate people can gather and have an experiential education on all things startup, from networking, collaborating and exposing potential in the ideation stage, right up to seeing real results in action.

Powered by Google for Entrepreneurs and Techstars, Startup Weekend is a global grassroots movement of passionate entrepreneurs whose mission is to inspire, educate and empower communities to launch life-changing ideas.

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|     Aziz Idris     |

TWO local mountain bikers (MTB), Amir Jamni and Liyana Zakaria secured a podium finish at the Asian Enduro Series in Nagarkot Hills, Nepal last weekend.

Amir Jamni, 42, finished the downhill trail in 32:06 minutes to finish 3rd in the Master B (40-49 Years).

Meanwhile, 26-year-old Liyana, cycled across the Himalayan wilderness finishing fifth in the Femenino (Women) Category with a time of 47:20 minutes.

Both local riders were joined by six other Bruneian MTB athletes as well as 100 participants from across the world. This is the first batch of Bruneian athletes to join the Asian Enduro Series in Nepal.

In a brief interview with the Bulletin, Liyana described the terrain of Kathmandu as one of the most difficult trails she raced in as it tested her skills and stamina, riding cross-country.

Liyana boasts experience in MTB at domestic level managing numerous major scores and recently made her mark when Brunei first hosted the Asian Enduro Series last September where she finished second.

The Asian Enduro Series 2018 sees professional MTBs race over multiple down-hill courses against the clock. This year series comprised four separate events – round one was in Nepal from April 4-9 followed by round two in Malaysia on July 11-16.

The first race in Nepal took place in Nagarkot Hills which is about 35km away from the airport in Kathmandu. With the highest point at 2,100m above sea level, riders get to flow down the amazing single tracks through the forest. The final race was divided into eight stages in two race-days.

Brunei will host round three September 29-30 while the final four will take place in Thailand in November. Hundreds of spectators were present at the event and more viewers online to witness the spectacle.

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|     Fizah HAB     |

LOCAL rugby apparel maker Headhunter Sports and the Singapore Rugby Union (SRU) donated five rugby balls to local rugby teams during a handover ceremony at the Knowledge Hub (KHub) building in Berakas yesterday, highlighting the strong relationship between the two unions.

Lim Hong Huai, the Singapore High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam, handed over the rugby balls to local rugby teams Sharks, Knights, Vanguard, Panaga Pythons Women’s Rugby Club and the National Brunei Rugby Team.

Yusuf Flynn, founder and CEO of Headhunter Sports, in his welcoming speech hoped the partnership will help promote rugby at local and international levels, including supplying the Brunei National Rugby Team with rugby training kit as well as partnering with the SRU to host selected players from Brunei, Sabah and Sarawak to play against Singapore players to promote sportsmanship between players.

Headhunter Sports recently signed a contract with the SRU and also has been chosen as the official apparel partner for the HSBC Singapore Rugby Sevens 2018, giving the local rugby apparel maker an opportunity to reach to rugby fans worldwide and grow the rugby community.

Headhunter Sports also announced potential sponsorship for the Labuan 10’s Rugby and sponsorship for the National Brunei Rugby Team during the event.

It also reminded that the HSBC Singapore Rugby Sevens will take place in 19 days, and that it is committed to working together with the SRU to make the event a success.

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|     Daniel Lim     |

THE Fire and Rescue Department, Operation Branch ‘B’, in an effort to help curb the effect of bush and forest fires that may occur due to the higher-than-normal temperatures during the dry season, conducted a press conference at the Seria Fire Station yesterday afternoon.

Senior Superintendent of Fire and Rescue (SSFR) Muhd Shahreeni bin Haji Yusof, Commanding Officer of the Operation Branch ‘B’ Fire and Rescue Department, explained that the department is monitoring and making preparations to combat bush and forest fire in the dry season.

“In an effort to help curb the effects of bush and forest fire occurring during the dry season every year, the fire and rescue officers in all five stations in the Belait District have conducted patrols around the areas prone to fire at least three times a day,” he noted.

He explained that the constant patrolling and monitoring by the fire and rescue personnel will help identify potential fire hazards in the surrounding area, so that relevant actions can be taken to help extinguish them before it can grow into a large-scale fire.

He also explained that the patrols and monitoring are focussed on key areas prone to fire due to the high temperature, lack of water, remote location, or a combination of the three. “Similar to last year’s efforts, areas that are more prone to fire include the Seria Highway By-Pass, Badas Pipeline, BLNG Pipeline, Sungai Liang area, Mumong area, and Sungai Teraban area,” he noted.

He added that a fire occurring within these areas is difficult to be fully extinguished, as the dense vegetation can hide pockets of embers which can help reignite the fire.

“As such, we are always vigilant and always monitor these areas for potential fires.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to advise the public to not conduct any form of burning, especially close to dry bushes and trees. Not only will it endanger the lives of the people near the source of the burning, but it also negatively impacts our environment.”

In addition, the smoke caused by the burning can be a hazard to road users as it obscures the visibility of the road, making journeys more dangerous for road users.

“We also encourage the village community, associations, as well as the public to continue to cooperate with the fire and rescue personnel dispatched to patrol and monitor the surrounding areas during the dry season in Kuala Belait and Seria,” he said.

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|     Ishan Ibrahim     |

THE fire and rescue services in the country need to be in a constant state of readiness and be prepared to face any emergency situations that arise, French Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, Christian Ramage said.

Ramage was speaking as the guest of honour during the opening ceremony for the ‘Training Course for Team Leaders at CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) Incident Sites’ held at the Fire and Rescue Training Centre in Lambak Kanan yesterday.

In attendance at the opening ceremony were assistant directors, senior officers and staff from the Fire and Rescue Department, as well as invited officers from the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF), Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), and Emergency Medical Ambulance Services (EMAS).

“From my own experience as a diplomat in foreign countries, there can be unexpected incidents during cases of emergencies, and the emergency services can encounter many variables that can impede or slow down the rescue procedure,” the envoy added.

He also explained that the European Union (EU) is lending its expertise in the field of CBRN threats readiness to Asean member countries, and the training in Lambak Kanan is a result of this collaboration.

The course, facilitated by two experts flown in from Europe, runs from April 9-12 and is participated by 25 personnel from the Fire and Rescue Department.

It will provide the participants invaluable knowledge on CBRN response using detection, identification and monitoring equipment and decontamination procedures designed for first responder agencies such as the RBPF, RBAF and the Ministry of Health. The course is part of the EU CBRN CoE Project 46, which the Fire and Rescue Department has been involved in for the past five years.

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|     Abdul Hakiim Yakof     |

THOUSANDS flocked to attend a lecture on Israk Mikraj by Indonesian cleric Ustaz Abdul Somad at the Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah Mosque in Kampong Sungai Akar after Isyak prayer last night.

Present at the event were Minister of Religious Affairs, Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman; Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong; Minister of Defence II, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohammad Yussof; and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin.

Ustaz Abdul Somad, who has a huge following in Indonesia as well as social media, is a graduate of Al-Azhar University.

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|     Daniel Lim     |

THE Minister of Home Affairs, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, visited various locations in the Belait District yesterday.

One of the first stops of the minister’s visit was the newly constructed X25 Recreational Park at Jalan Maulana, Kuala Belait.

The visits were an opportunity for mukim penghulus, village heads, and residents to interact and exchange information and suggestions with the minister on how to further develop the district.

The minister was accompanied on his visit by Legislative Council (LegCo) members YB Haji Abdul Hamid bin Haji Mumin, Penghulu of Mukim Liang and YB Hanapi bin Mohd Siput, Village Head of Kampong Labi I; Ajman bin Haji Meludin, Acting Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA); and Haji Shamsul Bahrin bin Haji Mohd Hussain, Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary at the MoHA.

Also joining the group were Abdol Hazis bin Haji Ahad, the Acting Belait District Officer; Ridzuan bin Haji Ahmad, Chairman of the Kuala Belait and Seria Municipal Board; various senior officers from the MoHA; and heads and government officers from various departments in the Belait District.

Welcoming the visitors to the park was Shaikh Haji Khalid bin Shaikh Haji Ahmad, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Serikandi Group of Companies and Chairman of the organising committee for the construction of the X25 Recreational Park; and representatives of various local companies, non-governmental organisations and associations which contributed to the park’s completion.

The X25 Recreational Park was built to beautify the area in celebrating last year’s 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.

During the visit, the minister was briefed on the park’s development and positive impact it has had on the residents of the surrounding area. A sapling was also planted to mark the minister’s visit to the park.

The group then stopped by Serikandi Restaurant where the minister presented certificates of appreciation to representatives of local companies involved in the park’s construction. CDs containing footage of the construction of the park, starting from the early planning phase to the completion of the park, were also handed to the company representatives.

The MoHA group next visited the Activity Centre of the Kampong Mumong Village Consultative Council (MPK) and viewed products made by the MPK’s Women’s Bureau.

The minister also visited the Sungai Tujoh Control Post, where he was briefed by officers stationed there on the daily operations at the control post, before making a stop at the Seria Fire Station.

There, the minister and the rest of the MoHA group were briefed on the station’s preparations for this year’s dry season and shown equipment used to extinguish bush and forest fires.

The MoHA delegation brought their Belait visit to a close with a stop at the Lumut Community Hall 1, where the minister was shown products under the One Village, One Product (1K1P) initiative, notably food products such as kuih sapit, tart nenas and lua buah, as well as various handicrafts from three villages in Mukim Liang, namely Kampong Lumut 1, Kampong Lumut 2, and Kampong Sungai Liang.

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|     Azlan Othman     |

A MAIN survey for the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018 is currently being held in local secondary schools on a scheduled basis, until May 30.

The study commenced yesterday, involving 7,041 students from 55 secondary schools and colleges across Brunei Darussalam.

The PISA National Project Manager, Dr Habibah binti Haji Sion, who is also the Director of Information and Communication Technology cum the Deputy Director of Planning, Development and Research at the Ministry of Education (MoE), told the media yesterday that the overall number included 5,426 students from government secondary schools and colleges under the MoE; 520 from secondary schools under the Ministry of Religious Affairs; 849 from private schools; and 246 from international schools.

PISA is one of the three main Organisation for Economic Coordination and Development (OECD)-based international education studies aimed at measuring the achievement of national education for students aged 15.

Every three years, students will be assessed according to their respective capabilities in terms of content, namely basic understanding of the material or resources; processes that require students to use more complex thinking; Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) such as interpreting and analysing; and the context of applying knowledge in real-life situations.

Evaluation will cover the four domains of Reading Literacy, Mathematical Literacy, Science Literacy, and Global Competence.

For the PISA main study this year, the main domain is Literacy Reading.

The participation of Brunei Darussalam in PISA 2018 is an initiative of the MoE towards a well-educated and highly skilled populace, while also providing the opportunity for an appraisal of national curriculum standards, compared to those of the 77 other participating countries.

Additionally, Brunei’s involvement should also enable relevant stakeholders to determine the potential of the MoE’s National Education System for the 21st Century (SPN21).

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|     James Kon     |

BRUNEI’S lawn bowl team improved their performance after winning two of six matches at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.

In the men’s singles, Abdul Rahman bin Omar defeated his opponent Edward Bell of SAM 21-12.

In the women’s Pairs category, Hajah Suhana binti Haji Mohd Daud and Hajah Ajijah binti Haji Muntol put up a good fight against the team from Botswana to come up with a win of 19-17.

Abdul Rahman was in action again in the Men’s singles, taking on Darren Burnett of Scotland. The national lawn bowler was defeated by Burnett with the score of 8-21.

Hajah Suhana and Hajah Ajijah took on the favourite team Scotland in the women’s Pairs and lost 9-32.

In the third match of the day, Abdul Rahman put up a spirited fight against Todd Priaulx of Guernsey. Both men were tied with 20 points each in the final inning but Todd Priaulx managed to score another point to take the win with 21-20 scoreline.

In the Men’s Fours category, Haji Naim bin Brahim along with Ampuan Ahad bin Ampuan Kasim, Pengiran Haji Tengah bin Pengiran Haji Tajudin and Md Israt Amiruddin bin Haji Abdul Ghani were outclassed by favourite England 4-18.

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|     Ina Matzin     |

SOME 27 members of the Malay Kedayan Association (PEMEDAYAN) visited Sipitang and Papar in Sabah and Lawas in Sarawak during a three-day trip recently.

Haji Zainal Abidin bin Tinggal, the President of PEMEDAYAN, led the association during the trip.

Their first stop was the ethnic Kedayan Radio Station which is broadcast on the Internet. Despite operating for three years, it already has one million regular listeners from Australia to Austria in Europe.

Radio KadayanFM is netcast live from a modest shack from 8pm to midnight during weekdays and until 2am during weekends. Several PEMEDAYAN members were interviewed at the station.

The PEMEDAYAN delegation then visited Kampong Palakat in Sipitang where they performed Maghrib prayer at the Palakat Mosque, during which they presented a donation for the mosque’s expansion project.

On the second day of their trip, they visited a local business house owned by Norsiah Marjan in Papar which produces traditional kuehs. Their products have been exported to Brunei and Sarawak.

The PEMEDAYAN delegation next visited As-Sakinah’s Orphan’s House which houses some 27 orphans and run almost voluntarily, surviving on donations and public support.

With the increase in the number of orphans, the institution is planning on purchasing or building a purpose-built orphanage. The PEMEDAYAN delegation handed over donations, both financial and in the form of clothing and stationery, to the orphanage.

The visitors were then hosted to an official dinner by the Sabah Kadayan Association (PAADIAN) Papar Zone with Dato Dr Haji Yusof bin Haji Yacob, the President of PAADIAN, in attendance. At the dinner, the visitors presented a donation to Radio KadayanFM.

On the final day of their visit, they visited Lawas where they toured traditional Junjung Padi or ‘Paddy Houses’ and hosted to a lunch by Kampong Balipat.

They were also treated to local cultural presentations as well as cooking demonstrations on two Kedayan traditional kuehs. The villagers also displayed several traditional Kedayan artifacts.

PEMEDAYAN’s last stop was the mausoleum of members of the royal family at Pulau Sari in Lawas, where royal tombs are located on top of a hill on the island. The visitors offered prayers for late members of the royal family there.

The visits aimed at strengthening relations and cooperations with Kedayans in Sabah and Sarawak and were part of PEMEDAYAN’s programme for 2018. A spokesperson for the association said they have received an invitation to visit the Kedayan community in Kuching, Sarawak.

PEMEDAYAN, registered in 2014, has over 140 members.

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THE Embassy of Japan in Brunei Darussalam together with the Brunei Darussalam National Judo Federation will host a Judo Seminar at the Indoor Stadium on April 15 from 3.45pm to 6pm.

Judo is a Japanese martial art founded by Kano Jigoro in May 1882. He created judo as a method for physical, intellectual and moral education, and his immense contribution is recognised in the statutes of the International Judo Federation, which now includes representatives and practitioners from 196 countries.

As the oldest independent judo organisation in the world, the Kodokan Judo Institute continues to develop the sport of judo by providing education and training for new and existing practitioners all over the world. The Judo Seminar will be led by Haruki Uemura, President of the Kodokan Judo Institute and Gold Medallist at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, to commemorate the establishment of the Brunei Darussalam National Judo Federation.

The public will be given the chance to experience some of the fundamental movements and techniques of judo.

Admission is free. Those who would like to participate in the activities are recommended to come early, in a sports attire, to reserve a place.

The Brunei Darussalam National Judo Federation was established in March this year and will hold its official launching ceremony prior to the Judo Seminar.

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|     James kon     |

CHRISTIAN Ramage, the French Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, paid a courtesy call to the Chinese Chamber of Commerce Bandar Seri Begawan’s (CCC BSB) premises on Monday afternoon to gain a better understanding of its role in the local economy and in hopes of boosting business ties between France and Brunei.

The ambassador said, “I understand that the CCC BSB is an important part of Brunei’s community and the body has a large representation from the country’s business community, encompassing various sectors of the economy such as shipping, trading, retail, car sales, travel agents, and more.

“This is an opportunity to understand the contribution of the local Chinese community to Brunei’s economy and their potential role in its economic diversification activities.” The French ambassador also spoke about France’s commercial potential for Brunei.

“France is a big market, especially in Halal food. France is a gateway to the European market which holds 500 million consumers. If we think of shrimp production in Brunei for instance, France could be a huge potential export market, giving further access also to the European market,” he said, adding that there has been significant business activities carried out between both countries.

“There is a large number of French products being imported into Brunei, and significant investments have been made by French companies in the sultanate as well,” said the envoy.

“Further work can be done to promote France as a tourist destination to Bruneians. France, the number one tourist destination in the world, received 80 million visitors last year and a figure of 100 million visitors by 2020 has been targetted.

“Visitors to France can enjoy historical places, culture, the museums and also its eclectic cuisines and incredible gastronomic experience,” he added. “France is also a country with large Asian and Chinese communities. This is a potential starting ground on which we could further build and enhance relations between Brunei and France.” Meanwhile, Malcom Lim, CCC BSB president, gave a brief introduction on the chamber’s activities during his welcoming speech for the French ambassador.

“Our core activities are focussed on enhancing and promoting business development in the country and underpinning the economic growth of the nation, to promote social welfare, education and culture, and to act as an intermediary between the government, private sector and foreign business entities, as well as on promoting and enhancing cooperation and harmonisation between key stakeholders in the community,” he said.

“The association also participates in local trade and national celebrations, as well as organises trade missions and promotes trade to strengthen regional and international business relationships,” Lim added.

“We look forward to uncovering common interests between our two countries and explore business opportunities, cultural exchanges and many other areas where we can achieve sustainable growth.”

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|     Azlan Othman     |

THERE has been major progress in the initiatives for conservation and sustainable management of peatlands in Brunei Darussalam, thanks to the effective cooperation between government agencies, the private sector and local communities.

This was stated by Martinah binti Haji Tamit, Acting Director at the Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation (JASTRe), Ministry of Development, at the third meeting of the Asean Task Force on Peatlands (ATFP) at the International Convention Centre in Berakas yesterday.

Martinah said the initiatives include, among others, total ceasing of logging operations in peat swamp forests from October last year, improved coordination mechanisms and approaches to control peatland fires and rehabilitation and restoration of peatland in the Badas peat swamp forest.

“Peatlands provide a wide range of benefits to human beings and the environment due to its unique features including its rich biodiversity. Its ecosystem plays a vital role in reducing the impact of climate change,” she noted.

“Increase in development, land conversion and degradation caused by forest fires in our region have reduced peatland resources significantly over the past few years. In Brunei Darussalam, peat swamp forest covers around 90,000 hectares which is about 16 per cent of the country’s total land area. It is estimated that 80 per cent of these peatlands are still relatively intact and covered with good quality of peat swamp forest,” Martinah said.

“It is a privilege again for Brunei Darussalam to host and chair the 3rd meeting of the Asean Task Force on Peatlands this year,” she added.

Delegations from Asean member states, Asean Secretariat, Global Environment Centre (GEC), European Union (EU), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) attended the meeting yesterday.

Martinah chaired the meeting with Dr San Oo, Director at the Environmental Conservation Department, Ministry of Natural Resource and Environmental Conservation, Myanmar as the Vice-Chairperson.

The meeting discussed among others country updates by Asean member states on the status of implementation of national action plans on peatlands; regional initiatives to support the Asean Programme on Sustainable Management of Peatland Ecosystems (2014-2020 APSMPE); potential cooperation with dialogue/development partners; review of the implementation of Asean Peatland Management Strategy (APMS); and updates on the roadmap for Asean cooperation towards trans-boundary haze pollution control.

The 3rd ATFP meeting provided a platform for Asean member states to discuss and strengthen collaboration and cooperation towards successful development and implementation of Asean Peatland Management Strategy (APMS) to achieve its goals by the year 2020.

The APMS is being developed within the framework of the Asean Peatland Management Initiative (APMI) and the Asean Agreement on Trans-boundary Haze Pollution, with the purpose to guide actions to support management of peatlands in the region during the period of 2006-2020.

After the adoption the ATFP report, the delegates were briefed at the Tropical Biodiversity Centre, Sungai Lumut, after which they visited the peat swamp forest at Jalan Badas, Seria.

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|     Wani Roslan     |

THE Institute of Brunei Technical Education (IBTE) entered into an apprenticeship partnership with three telecommunication companies with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) yesterday at the Lecture Theatre of the School of Aviation, IBTE Sultan Saiful Rijal Campus.

The agreement will see 14 IBTE students enrolled under the institute’s HNTec Apprenticeship Scheme for Telecommunications and Information Technology programme undergo on-the-job training at DST Communications Sdn Bhd, Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd or Telekom Brunei Berhad (TelBru) during the course of their study programme.

The MoU was signed by Munirah Atirah binti Dato Paduka Haji Othman, Acting Chief Executive Officer (Corporate) of IBTE; David J Holliday, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TelBru; Paul Treston Taylor, CEO of Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd; and Ramlah binti Haji Rabaha, Assistant General Manager of DST Group Human Resources on behalf of DST Communications Sdn Bhd.

Present to witness the signings was Haji Shariful Bahri bin Haji Sawas, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Labour, Ministry of Home Affairs.

Prior to the ceremony, Lim Kian Boon, Deputy CEO (Development) of IBTE in his capacity as the Acting CEO of IBTE, shared in his welcoming remarks that 46 apprentices have enrolled in the HNTec Apprenticeship Scheme since May 2014.

“This apprenticeship scheme, I believe, will help foster a long term partnership with the industry to help train students and produce skilled technicians to fill the gaps that exist in the telecommunications sector,” he said.

Lim added that through the apprenticeship schemes, IBTE is able to produce graduates with relevant occupational skills needed by the industry.

“As with Germany’s Dual System Apprenticeship, IBTE’s Dual System Apprenticeship programme allows the students to concurrently earn while they learn.

“The Dual System Apprenticeship provides an effective means of bridging the gap between school and the real working world by exposing students to a real-world work environment during their training,” he said.

The deputy CEO said workplace-oriented training programmes help in producing a highly skilled and job-ready workforce, allowing the apprentices to develop their skills to meet the needs of the industry and the labour market.

The collaboration between IBTE and the three telecommunications firms, Lim added, will provide an avenue for the students to acquire valuable industry experience and training, thus enhancing their employability upon completion of the programme.

“From the apprenticeship programme, the students will have the opportunity to maximise their learning experience and put theory to practice in a real working environment, as the programme combines institution-based training with on-the-job training which allows the students to understand both the practical and theoretical aspects of their jobs,” Lim said.

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PEHIN Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned, the State Mufti received a visit yesterday from the Ambassador of Oman to Brunei Darussalam, Sheikh Ahmed bin Hashel bin Rashed bin Hashel Al-Maskari.

The visit took place at the Darulifta, State Mufti’s Office in Bandar Seri Begawan.

Sheikh Ahmed was accompanied by Mahmood Khamis Mohamed Al-Hinai, Minister Plenipotentiary / Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Sultanate Of Oman.

During the meeting, the State Mufti received the submission of 50 titles of books from the Ambassador of Oman to the Brunei Darussalam Islamic Library (PIB) at the State Mufti’s Office.

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THE Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Dato Seri Paduka Haji Awang Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud, received a goodwill visit yesterday from Caterina Ventura, the High Commissioner of Canada to Brunei Darussalam.

During the visit, both sides discussed bilateral cooperation in the fields of security, technology, economy and education.

Bilateral relations were first established between Brunei Darussalam and Canada in 1984.

Also present was Lieutenant Colonel (Rtd) Pengiran Haji Muhammad Sazali bin Pengiran Haji Yakob, the Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office and the Director of the Internal Security Department.

The minister also received a goodwill visit yesterday from Datuk Ghulam Jelani bin Khanizaman, the High Commissioner of Malaysia to Brunei Darussalam, during which both sides discussed current affairs in the fields of media, law and economy.

Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia first established bilateral relations in 1984.

Also present were Datin Dayang Hajah Elinda binti Haji CA Mohamed, the Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Mohamed Riza bin Dato Paduka Haji Mohamed Yunos, the Permanent Secretary (Media and Cabinet) at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Both meetings were held at the Prime Minister’s Office building in Jalan Menteri Besar.

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|     Danial Norjidi     |

A LOCAL startup, Agrome IQ International Sdn Bhd, has been selected to participate in the Pitch@Palace Commonwealth competition, making it the first company from Brunei Darussalam to do so.

Founded by The Duke of York in 2014, the Pitch@Palace initiative is a platform to amplify and accelerate the work of entrepreneurs and will take place at St James Palace in London on April 16 as part of the Commonwealth Summit.

Pitch@Palace Commonwealth is an opportunity for entrepreneurs and early stage businesses from each of the 53 Commonwealth countries to pitch to CEOs, influencers, mentors, potential investors and business partners.

In line with the Commonwealth Summit’s theme ‘Towards A Common Future’, the theme for Pitch@Palace Commonwealth is ‘Human Technology – Benefits for Humanity’, addressing the need to build a healthier and more sustainable future for mankind.

Participating entrepreneurs will pitch at the Pitch@Palace Commonwealth Boot Camp on April 13, which will provide entrepreneurs with the chance to hear from leading industry experts and Pitch@Palace alumni as well as receive support and mentoring.

All the entrepreneurs are asked to pitch their business to a panel of judges as well as senior business leaders, investors, and influencers from across the technology, investment and business communities.

The judges will select 12 entrepreneurs to pitch for three minutes at Pitch@Palace Commonwealth at St James Palace.

The rest of the entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to pitch for 30 seconds at the final event. At St James Palace, the Pitch@Palace Commonwealth winner and runner-up will be selected by the audience vote. All entrepreneurs will also take part in the Pitch@Palace People’s Choice Award.

The Pitch@Palace People’s Choice Award winner will be named on April 16.

Vanessa Teo, founder and CEO of Agrome IQ International Sdn Bhd will represent the company at the competition.

Speaking about the event, she said, “I am very excited and honoured that Agrome IQ has been selected to represent Brunei at the Pitch@Palace Commonwealth in London.

“The week-long event will provide us the opportunity to go to Buckingham Palace, a bootcamp at Facebook headquarters and the London Stock Exchange opening ceremony,” she added.

“Overall, I hope to gain a great deal of knowledge from the entire experience and to showcase Bruneian startups on the global stage,” she added.

Agrome IQ is a startup which is committed to ensuring the food security of Brunei via its management and educational platforms that aim to provide various kinds of farmers with key information they need to make effective decisions to manage their farms and business processes.

The company shared in a statement that its vision and mission are to make smart farming simple by utilising technologies to achieve a higher quality of life.

By ensuring proper farm management, market access and imparting the appropriate knowledge following suitable agricultural practices, the company empowers farmers’ decision-making to develop more profitable and sustainable farm systems, the statement added.

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|     James Kon     |

BRUNEI’S lawn bowl teams won its last two matches in the Women’s Pairs and Men’s Fours events at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.

The pair of Hajah Suhana binti Haji Mohd Daud and Hajah Ajijah binti Haji Muntol beat Cook Island 26-8.

In the Men’s Fours, the team comprising Haji Naim Brahim as lead, Ampuan Ahad Ampuan Kasim, Pengiran Haji Tengah Pengiran Haji Tajudin and Md Israt Amiruddin Haji Abdul Ghani managed to edge Singapore 11-9.

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|     Khairil Hassan     |

RIMBA II Secondary School (SMR II) grabbed two titles at the Cluster 4 Inter-Secondary Schools and Colleges Netball Tournament after crushing Sultan Sharif Ali Secondary School (SMSSA) 22-7 in the Category B (Under 15) and defeating Pengiran Isteri Hajah Mariam Secondary School (SMPIHM) in the Category C (Under 18).

The event was held at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium Sports Complex in Berakas yesterday.

Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Secondary School (SMYSHHB) took bronze in the Category B after beating Rimba Secondary School 14-3.

In Category C match, Meragang Sixth Form Centre outplayed Sultan Sharif Ali Secondary School 21-10 to claim third place.

Abdullah bin Ismail, Head of Cluster 4, Schools Department at the Ministry of Education presented the prizes.

The tournament was organised by the Co-Curriculum Education Department through the Physical Education Unit, and hosted by Rimba II Secondary School.

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ROYAL Brunei Airlines (RB) announced it has been recognised as a winner in the 2018 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice awards for Travellers’ Choice Economy Class – Asia and Travellers’ Choice Regional Airlines – Asia.

TripAdvisor yesterday announced its winners of its annual Travellers’ Choice awards for airlines. The travel planning and booking site has highlighted the world’s top carriers are determined based on the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for airlines worldwide gathered over a 12-month period.

The reviews rate carriers on factors such as customer service, cleanliness, check-in and boarding, legroom, seat comfort, value for money, in-flight entertainment and food and beverage.

“The entire team at RB is extremely proud of this achievement. We would like to thank our guests for their continuous support and recognition of the improvements we have made in our products and services. I also would like to thank our staff for their dedication and hard work on the ground and in air that has allowed us to reach this milestone. We look forward to continuing to surprise and delight our guests and to feature among the best in the world,” said Karam Chand, CEO of RB.

“We’re thrilled to recognise the global TripAdvisor community’s favourite airlines and shine a spotlight on the carriers around the world that provide the very best flying experiences,” said Bryan Saltzburg, Senior Vice President and General Manager for TripAdvisor Flights.

“As the airline industry introduces new fare products and a widening array of in-flight offerings, consumers continue to seek out the carriers that deliver value and a quality experience. The Travellers’ Choice awards for airlines recognise the carriers that exceed passenger expectations and receive top marks from travellers.”

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