|    Khairil Hassan    |

SHOTOKAN Indoor emerged the overall champion of the 3^rd BRUKAF Children, Cadet and Senior Karate-Do National Championship, organised by the Brunei Darussalam Karate-Do Federation (BRUKAF), at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the Menglait Sports Complex.

The champions won the most medals bagging eight gold, six silver, seven bronze1 and five bronze2.

Rengokai trailed in second place with eight gold, four silver, seven bronze1 and one bronze2, while Wadokai settled in third with three gold, seven silver, one bronze1 and two bronze2.

Shitokai were fourth in the tournament after collecting one gold, two silver, two bronze1 and two bronze2; followed by Shotokan Temburong in fifth with one gold, one silver, one bronze1 and two bronze2; while Gojukai were sixth with one silver, one bronze1 and three bronze2.

Shihan Pengiran Haji Yura Kesteria bin Pengiran Setia Negara Pengiran Dr Haji Md Yussof, President of BRUKAF; Sensei Muhammad bin Haji Ladis, Deputy President (Operation) of BRUKAF; and Hajah Noraimah binti Abdullah, spouse of late Shihan Malai Mohamed presented the medals.

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|    Fadhil Yunus    |

FORMER semi-finalists Lao PDR have insisted that they are not one of the favourites to win the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy for Asean Youth Football Tournament 2018 which officially begins tonight.

Despite the absence of the established order, Lao head coach Mehmet Kale underlined the need to mount a serious tilt to their naturally strong regional rivals in the youth-level competition.

“For the Lao team, Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ doesn’t matter because we are not favourites in any way. We are here to compete but we will try to challenge as much as we can and we will do our best,” said the team head coach Mehmet Kale in an interview with the media.

He has also shared his team’s chances against his Group ‘B’ rivals adding their main attributes in the team.

“Cambodia are technically and physically very strong. They have very good young players.

“But on the other side, Singapore are very organised because they are playing in the Singapore league as Young Lions. So both teams are not easy to play.”

Asked about their strategy in leading up to their first match, he said, “In a tournament like this, the first strategy is not to lose the first game so that’s the main idea.

“In a competition like this, there is no easy match. Even in Group ‘A’, there are four teams but it will all be very difficult matches.

“As far as Group ‘B’ is concerned, of course Cambodia and Singapore are favourites but we will try to do our best,” added the Turkish whose side’s best result was reaching the last four in 2005.

The current goalkeeping coach was also part of the Lao team that reached the last four in 2005 as a player.

Timor Leste head coach Eduardo Pereira has labelled Group ‘A’ opponents Thailand as a giant and is expecting enhanced preparations for Brunei Darussalam as the host nation.

“We also have our own preparations because we have also met (Thailand) last year in the SEA Games. They are a good team but we will see how their preparations are here.

“We are focussed on defence and if there is an opportunity I will use my players for the counter-attack,” added the head coach.

The ‘Little Samba Nation’ will be competing in the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy for a third time following their participation in 2012 and 2014.

“Our league is currently ongoing for a third time and it is an opportunity to select the young players,” said Eduardo.

Most of Timor Leste’s players are aged under-19 but they already gained experience playing in Division 1 in their national league.

Timor Leste striker Henrique Wilson may have only managed one goal in the previous tournament against Lao PDR, but is hoping to be more prolific this time around.

“I am more adamant now to score more goals in the tournament,” said the striker who plays his club football with Boavista Futebol Clube.

“Of course there will be pressure from the supporters but I will work as hard as I can to achieve victory tomorrow,” he said.

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|    Fadhil Yunus    |

SINGAPORE and Cambodia national under-21 teams mutually agreed that all teams are presented with an equal chance of advancing from Group ‘B’ at the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy for ASEAN Youth Football Tournament 2018 despite not drawing against the traditional elite.

“I think Group ‘B’ gives all three of us (Singapore, Cambodia and Lao PDR) an equal chance,” said Singapore national under-21 team manager in a press conference at the Lecture Theatre of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium yesterday.

“I think this is a testament to ASEAN football, I don’t think you can see big score-lines. That is a thing of the past at senior and youth levels so there is no easy games anymore,” the team manager said.

“It is a very interesting group and everyone will hope to still be in Brunei next week (for the knock-out stage). We want to stay longer than one week.”

Meanwhile, Cambodia team manager Chhouk Piseth echoed his sentiments that it will be a competitive group.

“Maybe not many people think that Group ‘B’ is not a deadly group and that it is an easy group for each team to go through.

“In football, never say that it is easy. I think this group will be competitive and we will see.”

The manager indicated that they are not familiar with the Singapore squad but his team have already played Lao PDR at a similar age group level.

The Singapore manager also underscored the importance of the tournament as an opportunity to prove that they are worthy for selection to compete in the Asian Games this August.

“This tournament is quite critical to us because we want to convince the people back home (Singapore) that we should go to the Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang,” he said.

“At this point in time, they are not convinced that we should go so we hope to do well and show them that we can compete with the best team in ASEAN,” he further added.

“I think one important factor that we all feel is that in this age group, we don’t have enough international exposure. So a tournament like this is very important not just to Singapore but also other member countries in ASEAN.”

Meanwhile, Lao PDR head coach Mehmet Kale also highlighted their reasons on the importance of their tournament.

“This is a very important tournament for us because it happens irregularly. It is a big private tournament with seven teams so performing here will mean a lot for the players.”

Singapore have never won SEA Games gold in football in their history and Eric said that twenty of the HBT players are eligible to play in the SEA Games next year.

“It is important for them to show our coaches that next year they must be in the team and they need to show not just in training but also in international matches.”

He also indicated that the tournament serves as an opportunity for players to provide competition for places with underperforming senior players and give the national senior coach in the senior squad a healthy selection headache.

“At the same time, we want our young players to show our senior team that they are waiting to go in the national team, for example the AFF Suzuki Cup this year.

“They can show them that if they don’t play well they will come and take their place. We have two players in this team that have an international ‘A’ cap so we want them to show and tell the coaches that they deserve to be in the national team,” he further added.

“The only way they can do that is in international competition to show that they can play at this level which is why this tournament is important.”

The Cambodia manager also revealed their plans in building a strong senior national squad.

“We try to form a strong senior national squad so for the youth team we try to find players with the most potential. It is not only for the SEA Games but also for the senior national team of the future,” he said.

“We will see how they perform in the tournament and we try to advise them,” he said.

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|    Fadhil Yunus    |

BRUNEI Darussalam national under-21 team are looking forward to their opening fixture against Timor Leste in Group ‘A’ of the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy for ASEAN Youth Football Tournament 2018 at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium tonight.

The host nation will be hoping to lay a marker as Group ‘A’ leaders in their second meeting against Timor Leste in the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy having won the first match in 2012.

With group rivals Thailand and Myanmar, both sides who have refused to be considered favourites, only due to play a day later, three points will be a welcoming boost for the hosts.

“For the host nation Brunei Darussalam, we are looking forward for the 2018 HBT and if you’re asking me how eager we are looking forward for the HBT, it is fair that Brunei without exception is well prepared training-wise,” said team manager Zahrin Haji Zunaidi.

“We are looking forward for the opening match between Brunei and Timor Leste. If you ask me how eager we are, of course the atmosphere will be an advantage for us being a host.

“I would say the other teams representing their flags could have the same notion and attitude as us towards the game,” the manager said.

Timor Leste manager Gelasio Da Silva Carvalho will be treating the competition to heighten their preparations for the Asian Games in Jakarta this August.

“It is important (the tournament) for Timor Leste because there is the Asian Games in August and this tournament serves as a benchmark for us to measure the young under-21 players for the future.

“The team will be preparing for the Asian Games and we will be meeting strong teams in Group ‘A’,” said their manager.

Brunei also have their reasons on the importance of the tournament as the team featured 10 players who are preparing for the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Under-19 tournament.

“It is a good experience for them and a good preparation for the next tournament,” said head coach Mario Rivera Campesino.

The Brunei manager said that the national squad featured players who already gained experience at under-16 and under-19 levels as well as the under-23 SEA Games.

“I do agree both from Timor Leste and Myanmar that this is a good platform for each of the countries to proceed to go much further as long as there is continuous training and support by each of the nation especially in the game of football,” Zahrin said.

“I think we will see more of these players in the future when they turn 22 or more than that,” he said.

Meanwhile, Myanmar manager Than Toe Aung elaborated that each team carries its own target of becoming a champion adding that the team is also preparing for the 2019 SEA Games.

Two-time winners Thailand have also insisted that they are not the firm favourites despite the absence of other strong teams. “I cannot say we are favourites but we will do our best in the matches.”

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|     Izah Azahari     |

THE Youth Community Transformation Club (KKBT) was officially launched at the Youth Centre in Bandar Seri Begawan yesterday, along with an exhibition set up by the bureaus under KKBT.

The guest of honour was YB Siti Rozaimeriyanty binti Dato Seri Laila Jasa Haji Abdul Rahman, a Legislative Council (LegCo) member, who later presented Letters of Appointment to assigned KKBT members for the 2018-2020 session.

Also present was Hajah Noor Maslina binti Haji Sulaiman, the Chief Officer (Youth Section) of the Youth and Sports Department, under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

The event began with a recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and a Doa Selamat, led by Adi Hamdi bin Haji Aminuddin, the Chief of KKBT’s Religious Bureau, followed with a brief speech by the guest of honour.

The guest of honour also toured the exhibition, which was intended as a display of KKBT’s progress and achievements since its establishment.

Earlier, a team-building activity was held at the Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien to open opportunities and to a closer rapport among the members.

The Youth Centre’s KKBT of Bandar Seri Begawan was first formed on August 27, 2017, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the cornerstone laying for the Youth Centre building in the capital.

KKBT is sub-divided into several operation groups, known as bureaus, for religious, educational, entrepreneurial, community, art and culture, and sports and recreational purposes. Since its formation, KKBT has received 300 member registrations.

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|     Hakim Hayat     |

THE Brunei Darussalam Amateur Radio Association (BDARA) remains active, rendering its service to society and participating in activities organised by the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). The association looks to further expand by roping in youths in the country.

The association yesterday hosted a celebration marking World Amateur Radio Day 2018 – under the theme ‘Celebrating Amateur Radio’s Contribution to Society’ – at the Scouts Camp in Kampong Mata-Mata, with dozens of its members in attendance.

In his speech, Director of the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) and Acting Director of the Fire and Rescue Department Colonel (Rtd) Pengiran Haji Maiddin bin Pengiran Haji Said highlighted BDARA’s active participation in community services, and in lending communication assistance to public and private organisations. He also discussed becoming volunteers for the NDMC.

Colonel (Rtd) Pengiran Haji Maiddin pointed out that the National Standard Operation Procedure (NASOP) training for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and relevant agencies – including BDARA – has been organised since January 2018, allowing volunteers a deeper understanding of the government structure directly involved in disaster operations, and the scope of cooperation with volunteers and the community.

Meanwhile, event chairperson Major (Rtd) Haji Tamat bin Haji Lampoh noted that amateur radio has progressed from merely being a hobby, moving in-sync with telephones and weather radar technology.

He noted that New Zealand had last year launched an amateur radio satellite to the Pacific Ocean for a project to study the capability of VHF frequency in outer space.

He shared that the technology has enabled radio communications from outer space to make contact with BDARA members. He also said BDARA members are heading overseas, including Indonesia and South Korea, for amateur radio conventions and meetings with their counterparts, in a bid to expand their knowledge and experience.

In the long run, BDARA seeks to expand its membership to more youth participation, in response to calls made by the country to see more youth participation in nation-building, to be the next generation leaders and in helping achieve the Brunei Vision 2035.

World Amateur Radio Day is celebrated on April 18 to mark the anniversary of the IARU that was incepted in April 1925.

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|     Daniel Lim     |

THE ‘E-Waste Recycling Day’ activity at the Anduki Recreational Park, Belait District yesterday aimed to provide a platform to properly dispose Electronic Waste (E-waste) comprising discarded electronic devices such as televisions, mobile phones, rice cookers, and microwaves.

The Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation (JASTRe), Belait District Branch organised the activity to mark Earth Day 2018.

Several members from JASTRe, Belait District Branch along with staff from Imma Maya Enterprise participated in the event.

“The event this year themed ‘End Plastic Pollution’ aimed to promote awareness about the dangers of irresponsible littering,” said Mohammad Ramzan bin Rahman, Chief Environmental Inspector, Pollution Control Division, JASTRe Belait District Branch.

“We invited Imma Maya Enterprise to help gather E-waste to recycle materials and put them to good use,” he noted.

For information, visit www.env.gov.bn.

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|     James Kon     |

MEMBERS of the diplomatic corps in Brunei Darussalam took part in a cleaning campaign at the Brunei River and Kampong Ayer yesterday to mark Earth Day 2018 and in support of an initiative to expose the problem of indiscriminate dumping of rubbish in the seas and rivers spearheaded by the Ministry of Development, Ministry of Home Affairs, and Ministry of Health.

Commenting on the problem, British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Richard Lindsay said, “This is a fantastic initiative to bring people together to expose the problem of waste and in particular plastic where the rubbish is being thrown in the sea and rivers and have accumulated in the river of Kampong Ayer.”

He continued, “When I went to Kampong Ayer, I saw a lot of areas where the waste has gathered. There is a need for a change in behaviour among the people, they need to understand that they can’t just throw their waste into the water because there is already a daily rubbish collection service at Kampong Ayer.”

The initiative, the British high commissioner said, “Also falls in line with the goals of the Commonwealth Summit last week where Commonwealth leaders including 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 agreed to reduce plastic waste in the ocean. This process starts here at our home in Brunei… we need to improve the health of the natural environment and [live in a manner that we can create for ourselves] a sustainability future.”

On the new initiative the UK has taken, Lindsay highlighted, “We’ve committed to eliminating single-use plastic products like plastic bottles and plastic bags. The Ministry of Development in Brunei is already paving the way toward a goal of ‘no plastic day’ every day. Our prime minister recently announced the elimination of plastic straws, plastic cups, plastic stirrers and cotton buds. People need to start doing this at home.

“We are removing all single plastics for all our embassies around the world. We also encourage people to buy coffee in reusable cups and use reusable bottles to hold their water,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ambassador of Japan to Brunei Darussalam Motohiko Kato commended the initiative as a wonderful effort to help the people of this country realise the importance of preserving the beautiful natural environment.

“Japan,” the ambassador re-called, “also suffered environ-mental problems 30 years ago. Thanks to the efforts of the Japanese government and the people of Japan as well as the introduction of eco-friendly technologies, we managed to overcome the environmental issues.”

Kato explained further, “At present, people in Japan widely understand and share the importance of preserving the environment, while young children in schools learn about the importance of the environment. Parents teach their children not to throw rubbish anywhere. Japan’s recycling rate is very high – the recycling rate for plastic bottles is more than 80 per cent in Japan.”

With valuable experience in overcoming its waste management issue, the Japanese ambassador noted that his country is willing to share its expertise in this area with Brunei.

“Japan would like to share its expertise with Brunei. We have a lot of waste management experience and our experts can come to Brunei to discuss and share our knowhow,” he said.

“It is important to preserve the beautiful natural environment of Brunei for the future generations.”

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|     James Kon     |

THREE cabinet ministers led a clean-up of the Brunei River and Kampong Ayer yesterday morning, in celebration of Earth Day 2018.

The campaign was officially launched at the Taman Mahkota Jubli Emas by Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong; Minister of Health Dato Paduka Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Jaafar; and Minister of Development Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gafar, who also boarded a boat to take part in the clean-up efforts along the Brunei River.

Also contributing to the campaign was YB Khairunnisa binti Haji Ash’ari, a Legislative Council (LegCo) member, together with several foreign diplomats and personnel from various ministries.

Later, in an interview with the media, Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Suhaimi highlighted the importance of education and awareness in maintaining public health standards.

He said, “We will keep on raising public awareness, through the media. Today, we collected around 600 bags of plastic items, which is a cause for concern.

“We will continue to work on this project and educate the pub-lic that this problem is not only the responsibility of the agencies involved. Everyone needs to come together, in ensuring that the Brunei River and Kampong Ayer stay clean and free of pollution.”

Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar said, “We were able to visit Kampong Ayer to look at the progress of the sanitation project, which began on April 8. Once the project is completed, we hope that the identified areas in Kampong Ayer will be completely cleared of rubbish.”

He also pointed out, “We must be able to maintain the state of cleanliness. Accordingly, the Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation (JASTRe) introduced the ‘No Plastic Day’ campaign at commercial premises, which we hope will be well received by the public.”

The minister also disclosed that the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Municipal Board would provide public recycling bins for plastic and metal items, in addition to ordinary litter.

“In Brunei, there are many companies involved in recycling,” he said. “This morning, we saw plastic bottles being recycled and used for vertical agriculture. This is a good example for households to emulate, in reusing plastic bottles for the planting of vegetables.”

Dato Paduka Dr Haji Mohd Isham, meanwhile, advised, “Don’t wait for cleaning camp-aigns to take place. It should be an ingrained habit to maintain cleanliness.”

Acting Permanent Secretary (Administration and Finance) at the Ministry of Development Dr Norimtihan binti Haji Abdul Razak, earlier delivered a speech, highlighting the current clean-up efforts being organised around the capital by JASTRe.

“One of the proactive ventures carried out by JASTRe is providing domestic waste collection free, to the whole of Kampong Ayer,” she said.

Dr Norimtihan also called on everyone, including private organisations, villagers and local communities, to combine efforts in tackling pollution, “so that our beloved Brunei Darussalam and the Brunei River would be kept clean and well-maintained for always”.

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|    Fadhil Yunus    |

HIS Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman yesterday attended the final day of the 26^th Brunei Age Group Swimming Championships at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex Swimming Pool.

Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Muda ‘Abdul Muntaqim ibni Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah and Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Anak Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah binti Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah competed in the swimming meet.

Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Anak Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah continued to make a splash in the national swimming scene after setting new age group records in the 50m breaststroke and backstroke events with a time of 1:12.59s and 59.63s respectively.

Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Anak Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah, who swam under the banner of ISB Hammerheads, was the lone swimmer in her age group to record a sub 60 seconds in the backstroke event, underlining the distance she sets against the chasing pack.

She also received the distinction of being named Best Girl in the seven-year-old age group after ending the competition with a haul of three golds and one silver medal.

Also present during the swimming meet was Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Muda Muhammad Aiman ibni Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah.

Zeke Chan of the Royal Brunei Recreational Club asserted his dominance in the meet after setting an impressive haul of 10 age group records, subsequently helping his team to win the overall medal table.

Royal Brunei Recreational Club was the clear winner of the tournament after collecting an astonishing 57 gold, 38 silver and 35 bronze medals, three times more than their nearest challenger.

Gymkhana Club Miri finished in second place with 19 gold, 23 silver and 15 bronze medals while Brunei Speed Swimming Club settled for third place with 19 gold, five silver and nine bronze medals.

Eric Bong Cheng Liang performed admirably for Brunei Speed Swimming Club to help them to third place after winning a massive haul of 16 gold medals.

Job Tan Xi Jay proved a valuable asset for Dolphin Swimming Club after contributing all 14 gold medals which subsequently helped climb his side to sixth place.

Meanwhile, Zeke was also one of the biggest winners in the competition after collecting a haul of 13 gold and one silver medals.

Organised by the Brunei Amateur Swimming Association (BASA) with the support of the Department of Youth and Sports, a total of 12 clubs participated with six overseas clubs from the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Kuching, Miri, bringing a total of 234 registered swimmers.

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|     Fadhil Yunus     |

BRUNEI Darussalam National Under-21 Team began their campaign in Group ‘A’ of the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy for Asean Youth Football Tournament 2018 with a 1-0 defeat to Timor Leste at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas last night.

Timor Leste midfielder Jose Maria Dos Reis’s penalty in the 20th minute separated the two sides.

The visitors were awarded a penalty after Ammar Syafie Hassanuddin was adjudged to have fouled captain Jorge Sabas Victor in the box and to make matters worse received a yellow card for his troubles.

Jose Maria stepped up and tucked away the ensuing penalty, sending Brunei goalkeeper Ishyra Asmin Jabidi the wrong way.

Faiq Jefri Bolkiah, whom just linked up with the squad last week, created the best opportunity for Brunei after volleying the ball into goal which was deflected by a Timorese defender.

The hosts were agonisingly close to pulling level after an unmarked Faiq powered a header from a corner but was cleared off the line with goalkeeper Fagio Augusto Da Silva beaten.

Timor Leste forward Henrique hits the side-netting after the ball fell to him much to the relief of the Bruneian rearguard.

With Brunei unable to find an opening, they lost possession enabling Rufino Walter Gama to burst clear and after his initial chance was lost he nearly got a second bite of the cherry only for his shot to be cleared away.

Brunei made a decent chance after Hanif Aiman Adanan sets up the ball for Naziruddin Haji Ismail whose attempt was deflected for a corner.

Brunei midfielder Azim Izamuddin Suhaimi then tried a shot from distance after a corner was played short but his shot was easily saved by Da Silva.

Timor Leste forward Walter Gama, who proved a livewire, then surged forward and fired a shot and fortunately it was dealt with by the Brunei defence away for a corner.

Timor Leste defender Nidio Ricardo Ferreira Alves was also provided an opportunity but his shot was blocked away for a corner.

The hosts tried to apply pressure in the closing stages of the game but Timor Leste held on for the victory.

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|     Lyna Mohamad     |

THE Mabohai Shopping Complex hosted a ‘La Francophonie’ celebration during the weekend, which featured a lively host of activities such as learning French through interactive games, an arts and crafts workshop, and a colouring session for children.

Jointly organised by Alliance Francaise de Brunei Darussalam (AFBD), the Embassy of France in Brunei Darussalam and the Language Centre of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), with the support of the High Commission of Canada in Brunei Darussalam, the event was attended by members of the Board of Directors from AFBD, led by its President, Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hazair bin Haji Abdullah.

Also in attendance were Christian Ramage, the French Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam; and Caterina Ventura, the Canadian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam.

The colourful occasion also included an exhibition on French and Quebecois inventors, a quiz on French football, a short film presentation and a poetry recital, as well as a storytelling session in Malay and French.

“We are very happy that the event attracted both local and expatriate families alike, which was one of our main objectives – a gathering in appreciation of French culture,” said Yee Man Cheng, the Manager of the Mabohai Shopping Complex.

“We would like to congratulate Ayrine Jammes, the French lecturer at UBD, and her students; Alliance Francaise de Brunei Darussalam and Guillaume Graff, the Acting Director; and all those who supported this event.”

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|     James Kon     |

TWO Brunei Shell Tankers Sdn Bhd (BST)’s remaining B-Class vessels, the Bebatik and Belanak, will be decommissioned in April and June this year after delivering liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo to customers for over 45 years.

BST launched a commemorative coffee-table book titled ‘Finished with Engines’ at a high tea reception to mark the decommissioning of the vessels at the Indera Samudra Grand Hall of The Empire Hotel & Country Club.

The book launch was officiated by guest of honour, Minister of Communications Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yusof.

Leading the event was John Douglas Cook, the Managing Director of BST and Brunei Gas Carriers Sdn Bhd (BGC).

In a tribute speech, Captain Abdul Mateen Abdurrahman Liew, BGC’s QHSSE Manager, noted, “Seven G Class vessels, all of which were built to serve the then nascent Brunei LNG project, delivered LNG from Lumut to customers, initially in Japan, and one epic voyage all the way from the South China Sea to Barcelona, Spain via the Suez Canal in 2002.”

In 1986, he recalled, “Ownership of the G-Class vessels transferred from Shell Tankers UK limited to a newly formed company, BST – and all vessels were renamed accordingly by 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.”

The B-Class vessels were renamed Bebatik, Bekalang, Belais, Belanak, Bekulan, Bilis and Bubuk – all names of local fishes and shellfish, to maintain a marine connection.

Over the course of more than 45 years, he added, “The B-Class vessels have continuously provided safe and reliable LNG shipping services for the Brunei LNG project and their customers, completing more than 6,300 successful cargo deliveries whilst navigating an approximately 4,000-kilometre route between Brunei Darussalam and Japan.

“That is over 75 times to the moon and back or 15,000 times circumnavigating the planet.”

The B-Class, Captain Abdul Mateen Abdurrahman Liew pointed out, “have played an essential role in the development of the Bruneian LNG seafarer community, with the very first officers and cadets employed by BST gaining their sea legs onboard, and if you speak to any of the seafarers who have sailed on them, you will note a fondness for them that you only get from something that has proven invaluable to your own personal development”.

Through the B-Class vessels, BGC now has its first few master mariners and chief engineers, and with their decommissioning, that mantel has now been passed on to BGC’s A-Class vessels as BGC continues to develop its Bruneian seafarers in support of Vision 2035 and befitting BGC’s vision of “developing the nations’ resources for safe, reliable and sustainable maritime transportation”.

Following the book launching, the minister and invited guests proceeded to view an exhibition displaying photos and details of each of the seven B-Class vessels.

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|     Azaraimy HH     |

BRUNEI Darussalam is hosting the 31st Language Council of Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia (MABBIM) Expert Session, where representatives of MABBIM member countries will discuss evaluation proposals for the regional language organisation, including the proposal for a regional project ‘Wordnet Bahasa’ (Language Wordnet) before it is brought to the 57th MABBIM Executive Meeting.

MABBIM is a regional language organisation formed to plan and monitor the development of the Malay and Indonesian languages within the region. The organisation is made up of three countries: Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia. Currently, countries such as Singapore and Thailand are observers to the organisation.

This year, Brunei Darussalam is the host country for a number of regional MABBIM networks, including the 31st MABBIM Expert Session; the MABBIM Linguistic Seminar 2018; and the 57th MABBIM Executive Meeting. The three regional MABBIM meetings are held consecutively, starting from a two-day 31st MABBIM Expert Session, followed by a two-day MABBIM Linguistic Seminar 2018; and finally, a two-day 57th MABBIM Executive Meeting, as the closing event.

The session was officially opened yesterday at the Parkview Hotel, Jerudong.

The session will also see the exchange of documents, discussion on matters pertaining to the decisions made during previous meetings, and planning research activities, among other matters.

Head representative from the Brunei delegation Hajah Norati binti Bakar, in her opening speech explained that the meet is an annual event, which proved the importance of the expert session in empowering and developing the Malay and Indonesian languages.

During the meeting, the Malaysian delegation was headed by Haji Mohd Johari bin Hasan, and the Indonesian delegation was headed by Azahari Dasman Darnis.

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|     Hakim Hayat     |

MORE than 1,200 participants from over 40 countries across Asia-Pacific are meeting this week in Yogyakarta, Indonesia to foster cooperation and share best practices to avoid deforestation and promote sustainable growth.

At the 3rd Asia-Pacific Rainforest Summit (APRS 2018), representatives of academia, civil society, companies, governments and research institutions are discussing the role of forests in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and other commitments made by each country under the Paris Agreement in 2015.

The Indonesian government, with the support of the Australian government and in partnership with the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), is hosting this event that included opening sessions participated by ministers and other high-level speakers from across the region.

Attending the opening session from Brunei Darussalam was Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong.

“More than 450 million lives depend on the sustainable management of forests,” reminded Indonesia’s Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya Bakar. “Last year Indonesia took major measures to promote social forestry, setting a target to allocate 12.7 million hectares of land to social forestry by 2019.” She also highlighted the progress the country has made in fighting deforestation and future commitments. “In the last three years, we have managed to reduce the deforestation rate from 1.09 million hectares to 0.61 million hectares. We have a projected target of 0.45 by 2020 and 0.35 by 2030.”

Australia’s Minister for the Environment and Energy, Josh Frydenberg, celebrated the progress made in reducing emissions from forests and emphasised the importance of regional collaboration. “With the collected and concerted efforts in our own countries and through our international partnerships, we are making progress. The hard work we have done together is starting to bear fruit,” Frydenberg said. “We need to maintain this momentum and step up the pace of change if we are going to protect our forests and people, while securing economic growth,” he remarked.

APRS is a key regional event held every two years and its goal is to generate practical action on forest conservation and to help achieve sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region.

In this edition, APRS is showcasing national experiences and best practices in the areas of community forestry; Ecotourism and conservation of biodiversity; forest finance, investment and trade; forests in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs); mangroves and blue carbon; production forests; and resto-ration and sustainable manage-ment of peatlands.

In addition to the sessions on stage, government officials from countries across the region held a multilateral meeting and multiple bilateral meetings to discuss the ways in which they can cooperate.

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|     Ishan Ibrahim     |

A HEALTH and wellness talk promoting Thailand as a medical tourism destination was held at The Rizqun International Hotel recently.

Jointly organised by Grace Travel Sdn Bhd, Tourism Authority of Thailand and Bangkok Hospital, the medical talk aimed to raise awareness on cancer in Brunei Darussalam.

The talk featured a presentation titled ‘Cancer Early Detection and Prevention’ by Dr Kitisak Thepsuwan, a medical oncologist at Wattanasoth Cancer Hospital.

The event began with a welcoming speech by the guest of honour, Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand Ahmad Mad-Adam in which he recommended Thailand as a prime location for Bruneians to seek medical treatment. “Thailand is a renowned hub in medical tourism with excellent medical infrastructure capable of taking care of tourists from around the world,” he said.

Marketing Manager of Tourism Authority of Thailand Richard Lim then delivered a presentation in which he touched upon the rich and diverse range of attractive tourism hotspots in Thailand, such as Bangkok and the islands of Phi Phi and Phuket, which offer activities and services that attract millions of tourists from around the world.

“There were around 14,000 tourist arrivals from Brunei Darussalam to Thailand last year, and Bruneians ranked second for tourists who stayed the longest in Thailand during their holidays,” said Richard Lim.

“Because of the strength of the Brunei Dollar, Thailand is one of the top shopping destinations for Brunei tourists, and Thailand is also a popular medical tourism hub in the region.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Hospital Director of Bangkok Hospital Ratapong Ambhanwong introduced the hospital’s facilities and services to the audience. With over 1,500 hospitals and over 500 doctors holding American medical certifications available, Thailand is a top medical destination in Asean.

The country also has the most hospitals with Joint Commission International (JCI) certification within the region.

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|     Danial Norjidi     |

THE second meeting of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) for 2018 was recently held in Tokyo, bringing together Asia-Pacific business leaders.

The ABAC was created by APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Leaders in 1995 to be the primary voice of business in APEC, and each economy has three members.

The ABAC meets four times a year in preparation for the presentation of their recommendations to the leaders.

The April 16-19 meeting saw ABAC prepare a set of detailed recommendations for APEC ministers responsible for trade, meeting next month in Port Moresby.

Among the attendees were two members of ABAC Brunei, namely, Legislative Council member YB Nik Hafimi binti Abdul Haadii and Baiduri Bank Retail Banking and Branch Network Head Pengiran Azaleen bin Pengiran Dato Haji Mustapha.

YB Nik Hafimi shared with the Bulletin that the meeting was held “in shaping what ABAC is supporting for 2018 under Papua New Guinea’s chairmanship,” and noted that “working groups focussed on their themes 2018 as a continuation of achieving the Bogor Goals and APEC’s Vision of FTAAP.”

“As one of the Co-Chairs of ABAC’s MSME and Entrepreneurship Working Group (MSMEEWG) we are very focused on delivering a Marshall School study to identify the challenges and potential solutions for MSMEs to more successfully participate in cross-border activity and global value chains. This is not a standalone study but it’s continuity of a previous study done in 2015 by ABAC on the barriers in APEC for e-commerce,” she said.

On what aspects of the meeting were of notable significance to Brunei, she said, “Of particular relevance to Brunei is recognising the need to support and strengthen cross border investment flows to enhance productivity, innovation and infrastructure, as well as policies for pro-business environment, governance and supporting investments.”

Pengiran Azaleen also spoke on the meeting, saying “The meeting was fruitful in that member countries showcased the various initiatives that they are embarking on to enhance the trading environment within APEC.

“These ideas were discussed and deliberated before submitting recommendations to the respective APEC Ministers for Trade,” he said.

Asked what his biggest takeaway from the meeting was, he said, “There were a lot of ideas and issues put forward. The biggest take away for me was how ABAC members were passionate in promoting e-commerce in international trade offering real opportunities for MSMEs to participate internationally.”

ABAC’s report recommends important actions including measures to reduce or eliminate non-tariff barriers, expanding services trade and encouraging cross-border investment flows.

According to a press statement, ABAC Chair David Toua said, “Our region stands at a crossroads. One road takes us towards open markets, dynamic flows of goods, services, investment and people, and inclusive growth. The other takes us backwards towards protectionism, exclusion and regional economic slowdown.”

“We should not hold back progress in the Asia-Pacific,” he said, before touching on the set of detailed recommendations for APEC ministers for trade.

“APEC’s strength comes from the two pillars of deep economic integration within the region, and outward-looking engagement beyond the region. If we want truly inclusive growth for our communities, including for example for small business, women and those impacted by technological change, we must continue to reduce barriers to trade and investment, and not introduce new restrictions.

“While the integrity of the global rules-based WTO trading system, including its dispute settlement mechanism and economies’ concessions and obligations, must be fully respected, we are very concerned at the escalation of protectionist rhetoric and action in our region.

“Smaller and more vulnerable economies which play important roles in global value and supply chains must not become collateral damage,” said Toua.

The statement added that Toua noted the global rules-based trading system had served as the foundation of decades of economic prosperity and significant reductions in extreme poverty in the region, and its integrity needed to be maintained above all.

“We have given a strong message to trade ministers about our support for the WTO system and the value we place on pressing ahead towards a ‘Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific’ as a central part of our vision for the region post-2020, particularly with the welcome finalisation last month of one of the ‘pathways’ to FTAAP, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for TransPacific Partnership. We call on the parties to ratify and implement the agreement as soon as possible.”

Toua also observed that APEC is well placed to show ambitious leadership on these issues given the positive outlook for global GDP and trade, which is forecast to grow by 4.4 per cent this year.

“That said, we must do more both to champion and to broaden access to the opportunities that come from trade liberalisation. It is clear that the distributional impacts of trade and growth in individual economies – while primarily a matter for domestic rather than trade policy – must be addressed. And governments and business must each play their part in restoring confidence in the contribution that trade and investment make to improving living standards and creating jobs,” said Toua.

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|     Rokiah Mahmud     |

THE Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) yesterday held the handover of keys to a house in Kampong Junjongan, after completing nine months of reconstruction work under its ‘Titian Amal’ charity project, in collaboration with the Community Development Department (JAPEM) and the Brunei-Muara District Office.

RBAF Commander Major General Pengiran Dato Seri Pahlawan Aminan bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud presented 10730 Sergeant (Rtd) Hamri bin Haji Braim the keys to his new house.

The house is outfitted with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and a living-room.

The renovation work was the third ‘Titian Amal’ charity project undertaken by the RBAF in conjunction with its 56th anniversary last year, with the manpower mainly consisting personnel from the Royal Brunei Navy and Royal Brunei Air Force.

Several contractors under the Ministry of Defence also contributed to the project.

In an interview, 10730 Sergeant (Rtd) Hamri said that he began construction work on the house in 2000, but was forced to stop in 2008, owing to lack of funds.

Since his retirement, he has been living on a monthly pension of $500, along with financial assistance from JAPEM.

The house reconstruction project, which was carried out in June 2017, also attracted the attention of sponsors such as Daelim Industrial Co Ltd, HSE Engineering Sdn Bhd, Global Ocean Pool & Construction Sdn Bhd, Syarikat Pembangunan Haji Awang Ibrahim PPW Haji Mohammad Sdn Bhd, Shazan Trading Sdn Bhd, Royal Brunei Technical Services, Bian Hoe Sdn Bhd, Butra Heidelberg Cement (BHC) Sdn Bhd (Brunei Cement), Hua Ho Supermarket Sdn Bhd (Kiulap Branch) and Takaful Brunei Am Sdn Bhd.

Legislative Council (LegCo) member YB Haji Mohimin bin Haji Johari @ Jahari, JAPEM Acting Director Rostinah binti Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Sura Pahlawan Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Tahir and Brunei-Muara District Officer Misle bin Haji Abdul Karim were also in attendance to witness the key handover.

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|     Azlan Othman     |

HIS Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik, Chairman of the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Committee of Governors, urged the organisation to open a hotline to receive complaints from the public regarding the distribution of the personal gift (Kurnia) of dates from His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.

“This is to improve the means of distributing dates,” His Royal Highness said yesterday.

He was delivering a sabda at the launching of the nationwide distribution of dates from His Majesty to mark the upcoming holy month of Ramadhan 1439 Hijrah at the Chancellor Hall of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD).

His Royal Highness said, “Though the distribution of dates has been implemented for many years as a routine, considering that it is aimed to accomplish the noble intention of my father, it should be implemented properly – to ensure that no Muslim in the country is left behind in the distribution.

“The month of Ramadhan is a golden opportunity to look at how best we have implemented the distribution of the dates. Besides performing the obligatory fasting, glorifying mosque at night by performing the Sunnat Tarawikh prayers, multiplying the reading of Al-Quran and enlivening the nights of Ramadhan with Qiyamullail, we are also encouraged to fill the month of Ramadhan with good deeds such as fulfilling our beloved monarch’s trust through the proper distribution of the dates.

“I hope those who are entrusted with upholding this trust would be able to do it responsibly. This cannot be achieved without dedication from all parties – district office authorities, penghulus, village heads and the community at large – in jointly shouldering the responsibility to properly implement the distribution process,” His Royal Highness added.

“Although many means have been undertaken by Yayasan to improve the distribution of dates, there are still instances where Muslims in the country did not receive them.”

“This should not happen as the quantity of dates brought in is based on statistics provided by penghulus and village heads through district offices and is sufficient for the total number of citizens and residents living in this country.

“Hence, I urge all responsible parties to distribute the dates – either at the department or the grassroots leaders’ level – to play their role more effectively with full of dedication. Let us make an effort to ensure that there are no more grievances or complaints among Muslims in the country regarding the distribution of dates,” His Royal Highness said.

The launching ceremony began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah, led by Chief Syar’ie Judge Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Seri Utama Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Salim bin Haji Besar, followed by welcoming remarks by the Minister of Defence II, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, who is also Chairman of the Yayasan Board of Directors.

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik then distributed the dates to army commanders, commandant of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) and directors of formation of the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) as well as village heads nationwide. The ceremony ended with the reading of Doa Selamat by the Chief Syar’ie Judge.

All village heads will distribute the dates to residents under their jurisdiction. Commanders and commandants of the RBAF as well as directors of formation of the RBPF will distribute the dates to officers and staff under their departments and formation units.

This year, some 157.8 metric tonnes of dates of ‘safawy’ dates type will be distributed. Every Muslim residing in the country regardless of age and nationality will receive 300 grammes of dates.

To ensure that the distribution of dates is handled properly, Yayasan has outlined some guidelines for the distribution and provided special forms that will be distributed through village heads across the country.

Yayasan hopes that all responsible for the distribution process will follow the guidelines and use the special forms to wisely distribute the dates so that every Muslim in the country will receive them to break fast during Ramadhan. Also in attendance were members of the Yayasan Committee of Governors; members of the Yayasan Board of Directors; permanent secretaries; deputy permanent secretaries; Commander of the RBAF; Commissioner of the RBPF; village heads; long-house chiefs; senior government officers involved in coordinating the distribution of dates as well as representatives of village consultative councils.

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|     Fadhil Yunus     |

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 officiated at the opening ceremony of the 6th Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy (HBT) for the Asean Youth Football Tournament 2018 at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas.

Also present were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel; His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah; Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Muda ‘Abdul Muntaqim ibni Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah; and Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Anak Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah binti Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah.

His Majesty was greeted upon arrival by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah, President of the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) in his capacity as the Advisor of the Executive Committee of Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy 2018, 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 in his capacity as the Chair of the HBT Executive Committee 2018 and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz bin Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar, Chief of Adat Istiadat Negara.

Following the arrival of His Majesty and members of the royal family, the national anthem was played.

The opening ceremony began with a march-past of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces band and the national flag bearers, followed by the seven participating teams.

During the ceremony, His Majesty also received a pesambah from the HBT 2018 Executive Committee that was presented by the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports.

The event was enlivened by a human LED performance which involved 2,500 participants comprising students from 11 secondary schools as well as government officers and staff.

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