|     Lyna Mohamad     |

DARe (Darussalam Enterprise) yesterday hosted a Brunei-Korea talk to promote technology intensive venture business programme at its iCentre in Anggerek Desa.

The afternoon session at the KHub began with a presentation on micro algae (spirulina) cultivating and manufacturing through solar energy by Dr Lee Jung-Seok from Sunbiotech.

This was followed by two more presentations – Cosmetic business using micro algae by Dr Kim Mi-Kyung of Echo Pico Tech; and Lemon Healthcare Co LTD by Steve Hong.

Dr Lee highlighted that the Sultanate has strong potential for the mass production of micro algae.

He spoke to the Bulletin on the sidelines of the Halal Cosmetic, Food Supplement and Healthcare talk organised by DARe.

Dr Lee explained that a six-month monitoring of a production farm experiment here has indicated that Brunei Darussalam is very good for the mass production of micro algae and spirulina.

He was introduced to the country by a Korean professor who had worked for the Brunei government. He came to see for himself the land and weather conditions here, and found that they were optimal to build a production farm.

From then onwards, Sunbiotech has kept its options open to local investors to collaborate in setting up a micro algae and spirulina farm.

“At this moment there is no specific company or individual, but we are talking to anyone who may be interested in funding, providing manpower and supplying the land. On our side, we will provide the technology in the collaboration,” said Dr Lee.

He pointed out that there is very high potential in this business, which is simple, straightforward and promising. Sunbiotech has its local director here to handle collaboration talks on the matter.

Sunbiotech is one of the companies from South Korea invited by DARe to share on how the latest technology in cosmetics can be an opportunity to develop new technologies, promote new venture businesses and create high quality jobs.

Meanwhile, the afternoon session of the programme also saw a talk on ICT initiatives.

The programme served to create awareness on emerging technologies and business models, share the lessons learnt from Korean success stories, and identify potential new business ventures suitable for Brunei.

It also aimed to develop a global value chain business model for producing new innovative products and services including, smart micro-algae production, cosmetics using micro-algae and ICT, which are considered as Korea’s competitive industries as well as to make collaboration between iCentre in Brunei and Daegu Digital Industry Promotion Agency in Korea through drafting the forthcoming Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), promote business exchanges between Brunei and Korea and enhance cooperative businesses.

|     James Kon     |

GRAND Motors Sdn Bhd has opened a new and improved service centre, which is fully dedicated to catering for Kia customers in Brunei.

The Kia service centre was officially launched yesterday by After Sales Manager of Kia Motors – Asia Regional Headquarters JY Lee, Sales Manager of Kia Motors – Asia Regional Headquarters Joseph Choi, Managing Director of Grand Motors Frankie Ho and Executive Directors of Grand Motors Haji Shaiful Rizal bin Pehin Dato Dr Haji Ahmad and Pengiran Haji Abdul Qahar bin Pengiran Sanggamara Diraja Major General (Rtd) Pengiran Haji Ibnu Ba’asith.

In his welcoming remarks, Frankie Ho said, “Our commitment to improve all areas of our service operations has remained steadfast over the years.

“This same commitment is what drives us to keep up with the constantly rising expectations of our customers.”

JY Lee said, “One of our top priorities in Brunei is to increase the service capabilities. The first outcome was the service centre in Kuala Belait, and now, we are riding a historic record with Grand Motors.

Located at the Lambak Kanan Industrial Area in Berakas, the refurbished service centre has a total of 22 service bays and 49 staff, including 16 technicians.

|     Danial Norjidi     |

THE Ministry of Health (MoH) has alerted members of the public to a health product and three types of cosmetic products that have been tested by the Laboratory of Pharmacy Section, Scientific Laboratory Services, MoH and found to be adulterated with undeclared, potent western medicine.

In a press statement, the ministry shared that the affected health product, Semenax Capsule – manufactured by Leading Edge Health – was found to be adulterated with Sildenafil.

Meanwhile, the three affected cosmetic products are Tati 5 in 1 Skincare New & Improved Glow of Lasting Beauty – Ultra Night Cream, manufactured by Made in Malaysia and found to be adulterated with Mercury; Tati 5 in 1 Skincare New & Improved Glow of Lasting Beauty – Ultra Treatment Cream, manufactured by Made in Malaysia and found to be adulterated with Hydroquinone and Tretinoin; and GP Cream Ngiht Cream, with an unknown manufacturer, found to be adulterated with Hydroquinone and Tretinoin.

The adulterants found in these products can cause adverse effects that are potentially hazardous to people using them.

Sildenafil is a drug used to treat male impotency and can only be prescribed by a qualified doctor or physician. Among their side effects include nausea, vomiting, flushing and dizziness. In severe cases, they can also result in abnormal increase in heart rate, sudden loss of hearing and seizures.

Mercury is a potent ingredient that is prohibited in cosmetic products as stipulated in the Medicines (Cosmetic Products) Regulations 2007.

Mercury is prohibited in cosmetic products due to its hazardous effects on human health. It is readily absorbed through the skin on topical application and tends to accumulate in the body.

Exposure to mercury can cause skin rashes, memory loss and muscle weakness while high exposures may result in damage to the brain and kidneys. It is also extremely toxic to unborn children.

Hydroquinone is used in western prescription medicines to treat skin conditions and is prohibited in skincare cosmetic products under the Medicines (Cosmetic Products) Regulations. Unsupervised use of Hydroquinone may cause skin hypersensitivity, skin discolouration resulting in gradual darkening of the affected skin area and an increased risk of skin cancer.

Tretinoin is used in western prescription medicines to treat skin conditions and is prohibited in skincare cosmetic products under the Medicines (Cosmetic Products) Regulations. Inappropriate use of tretinoin could lead to redness, peeling and scarring of the skin.

The MoH has not issued any approval for the importation for the sale of these products and/or Cosmetic Notification Acknowledgement Letter for the sale of the rest of affected products, the statement said. Following these findings, the products are not allowed to be imported and sold in Brunei, it added.

Members of the public who have purchased or used these products are advised to stop using them immediately. They should also consult a medical practitioner if they feel unwell or experience any undesirable reactions as a result of using them.

|     Daniel Lim     |

AS PART of the continuous commitment to further work closely to strengthen the tourism sector in the ASEAN Plus Three countries, the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism through the Tourism Development Department is conducting the third ASEAN Tourism Marketing Partnership Working Group Meeting (third ATMP-WG), the 48th Meeting of ASEAN National Tourism Organisations (ASEAN NTOs), the 33rd Meeting of the ASEAN, China, Japan and Republic of Korean National Organisations (ASEAN Plus Three) and the 20th ASEAN-India Working Group Meeting.

Held for the first time in the Belait District at the Grand Ballroom of the V-Plaza Hotel, Jalan Sungai, Kuala Belait, the four-day meetings saw more than 70 delegates comprising senior officials from ASEAN, China, Japan, Republic of Korea and India.

The meetings will be concluded today.

The 48th Meeting of ASEAN NTOs was chaired by Vice-Chairman of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Ha Van Sieu and Deputy Permanent Secretary (Tourism) at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism Wardi bin Haji Mohammad Ali.

In a short speech, Ha said the meeting was an opportunity for the delegates to raise issues for discussion and agreement among member states. “I believe the ASEAN NTOs meeting is an important occasion to review the work done and call for recommendations for member states to efficiently continue the regional collaborations, as well as share updates, experiences and new practices on tourism in your respective countries.”

He also noted that after the previous ASEAN NTOs meeting, he had observed the fruits of the hard tasks accomplished by the committees in the first six months through various meetings, workshops and promotional events under different themes and purposes, namely marketing, investment, implementation of Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Tourism Professionals (MRA-TP), and tourism capacity building, among others.

Wardi noted that working closely together will help ensure that all the initiatives, particularly those related to the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan (ATSP) 2016-2025 can be realised successfully.

“This is the first time such a meeting is held in the Belait District, which is home to the oil and gas industry, the largest contributor to the country’s economy,” he said.

He also noted the progress made in enhancing the competitiveness of ASEAN as a single tourism destination by the ATMP-WG and commended their efforts to establish collaboration with international partners to promote and market the region through mutually beneficial activities.

The topics discussed in the 48th ASEAN NTOs included the progress of the implementation of ATSP 2016-2025 on the ASEAN regional destination-marketing programme, the development of ASEAN tourism products, tourism standards, enhancing the quality of tourism professionals and promoting tourism connectivity.

The meeting also discussed cooperation with ASEAN dialogue partners, sub-regional cooperation in tourism sector and cooperation with international organisations. In addition, the meeting touched on the preparation for ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2019 that will take place from January 14-19, 2019 in Ha Long City, Vietnam and the preparation for ATF 2020 slated to be hosted in Brunei Darussalam.

The third ATMP-WG was chaired by Assistant Secretary, Department of Tourism of the Philippines Roberto Alabado, the lead country for the implementation of ASEAN Tourism Marketing Strategy (ATMS) 2017-2020.

Meanwhile, the 33rd ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Meeting saw discussions on the implementation of the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) on ASEAN Plus Three Tourism Cooperation and the Tourism Cooperation Work Plan 2018-2020 which aims to provide direction to further enhance APT cooperation in facilitating travel and tourist visits, while promoting the development of quality tourism and improving tourism knowledge and skill development.

The meeting also served as a platform to share and exchange information as well as the best practices on tourism statistics, investment opportunities and tourism marketing and promotion in APT.

Enhancing ASEAN-India cooperation in tourism under the framework of the 2012 Memorandum of Understanding between ASEAN and India on strengthening tourism cooperation was discussed during the 20th ASEAN-India Working Group Meeting.

During the opening ceremony, the delegates posed for a group photo to commemorate the occasion before proceeding to the outside parking lot to appreciate the all-new BMW X1 Series, provided by QAF Auto to ferry the officials attending the meetings.

In between the meetings, the delegates also enjoyed a variety of Bruneian cuisine prepared by the chefs of V-Plaza Hotel.

During the delegates’ stay in the Sultanate, those who signed on to participate in the Belait Heritage Tour will visit the landmarks and locations in the district. The participants will also attend a Hari Raya open house at the residence of the Village Head of Kampung Mumong today.

|     Wani Roslan     |

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 in his capacity as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (AMBD) yesterday attended AMBD’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri get-together.

The joyous event took place at the Banquet Hall of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

Upon arrival, His Royal Highness was greeted by Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, Minister of Home Affairs as Deputy Chairman of AMBD Board of Directors; Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; Dato Seri Paduka Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah, Minister of Finance II; Dato Paduka Awang Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sulaiman, Minister of Education; members of AMBD Board of Directors, senior management as well as its officers and staff.

Shortly after arrival, His Royal Highness posed for a group photo with AMBD’s Board of Directors as well as officers and staff.

During the event, His Royal Highness also presented tokens and certificates of appreciation to four AMBD officers and staff who retired in 2017. Later His Royal Highness visited the AMBD Hari Raya booth themed ‘Turkish Bazaar’.

Before leaving the event, His Royal Highness consented to meet and greet the Board of Directors members, senior management and employees of AMBD.

The event was held in conjunction with the ongoing Hari Raya festivities and aimed to foster a harmonious work culture and environment.

HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam yesterday received in audience Her Royal Highness Princess Dina Mired, president-elect of Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), at Istana Nurul Iman.

Accompanying Her Royal Highness were Maria Barbara Leon Cartin, Chief Operating Officer, UICC; Dr Saunthari Somasundaram, Board Member, UICC; and Selvamalar Kanaga Sundaram, staff member, National Cancer Centre Malaysia.

Also present at the audience ceremony were Dato Paduka Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Jaafar, Minister of Health and Haji Mohammed Rosli bin Haji Ibrahim, Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office.

UICC is a non-government organisation for fighting cancer. Her Royal Highness is in the country for a working visit.

|     Khairil Hassan     |

THREE athletes and three officials left the country yesterday morning for the 42 Southeast Asia (SEA) Age Group Swimming Championships from July 6 – 8 at the Trace College, Los Banos, Laguna in Philippines.

The Brunei athletes – Natasha Sia from RBRC Swimming Club, Emma Yusuf from ISB Hammer Head and Nur Haziq Samil from Brunei Speed Swimming – will be led by Coach Harjimmey Zainal and Team Manager Awangku Abdul Farid bin Pengiran Idrus.

Natasha Sia will be competing in the Girls 16-18 100m Backstroke, Girls 16-18 50m Freestyle and Girls 16-18 50m Backstroke. Emma Yusuf will be competing in the Girls U13 50m Breaststroke, Girls U13 100m Breaststroke and Girls U13 200m Breaststroke. Nur Haziq Samil will be competing in the Boys 16-18 100m Backstroke, Boys 16-18 200m Backstroke and Boys 16-18 50m Backstroke.

Haji Mohammad Amin bin Haji Abdullah also went to represent Brunei Darussalam as an International Technical Officer (ITO) for the games.

Awangku Abdul Farid told the Bulletin that the competition is to expose the athletes to international competitions.

“There are a lot of competitions locally but their level will stay stagnant, so we need to expose the young athletes internationally to improve them further. This year there will be around 500 to 800 participants from all over Southeast Asia and this will make our athletes work harder and improve on their speed.”

General Secretary of Brunei Darussalam Amateur Swimming Association (BASA), Ang Beng Siong, bid the contingent farewell at the Departure Hall of the Brunei International Airport yesterday morning.

|     Fadhil Yunus     |

DPMM FC reduced the gap with second-placed Tampines Rovers to seven points after a 2-0 win in the Singapore Premier League at the Our Tampines Hub in Singapore last night.

Home United’s win over Warriors FC meant that it was not enough to climb to third place but they pulled five points clear of fifth-placed Balestier Khalsa with three games in hand.

The Brunei-based outfit also enjoyed their first clean sheet this season as they extended their unbeaten run to four games including three on their travels.

The ‘Gegar Gegar’ men also dented Tampines’s hopes of staying on course for the title race especially with Albirex Niigata (S) capturing all three points against Hougang United.

DPMM FC forward Volodymyr Prrymov reached double digits this season with the opening goal of the game before adding cushion to his side with a 49th minute penalty.

The visitors, spearheaded by the attacking trio, punished the futile Stags in a devastating counter-attack move initiated by a clever ball from Mojtaba Mollasaraei into the path of Adi Said who immaculately squared the ball to Volodymyr Prrymov.

After news filtered that Geylang had taken the lead against Young Lions at the Jalan Besar Stadium and Albirex’s lead against Hougang ramping the pressure in the context of the title race, the Ukrainian forward coolly rifled his shot into the top corner at a third venue.

Adi Said’s change of pace on the flanks allowed him space to whip in a cross and Shameer Aziq handled the ball right in front of the referee who without hesitation pointed to the spot.

Pryymov showed composure and sent goalkeeper Syazwan Buhari the wrong way for his second of the game four minutes after the interval.

With their slim title hopes fast disappearing, Tampines went for broke after withdrawing defender Daniel Bennett for the attacking-minded Fazrul Nawaz.

Tampines forward Khairul Amri wasted a glorious chance to hand his team a lifeline after a perfectly drilled free-kick routine with Yasir Hanapi lifting the ball to Fazrul who picked an unmarked Khairul.

Tampines midfielder Ryutaro Megumi, who has been identified as a threat from DPMM FC head coach Rene Weber, saw his tame effort comfortably saved by Haimie Anak Nyaring.

Khairul then curled his shot from a distance which narrowly missed the bottom corner.

DPMM FC’s Helmi Zambin had kept Tampines star Jordan Webb quiet and demonstrated his defensive duties even late towards the game by shutting the winger with a timely block.

Tampines were awarded a late penalty after a charging Jordan was adjudged to have been brought down by Helmi.

However, Tampines drew a blank only for the second time of the season after Fazrul blasted his penalty wide.

THE Total Trade in March 2018 has increased to BND1,145.2 million compared to BND1,026.8 million in March 2017, representing an increase of 11.5 per cent year-on-year.

Total exports increased by 20.0 per cent year-on-year to BND754.8 million from BND628.9 million in March 2017. This was mainly attributed to the increases in both Crude Oil and LNG exports by 20.7 per cent and 21.5 per cent year-on-year respectively resulting from an increase in the average price of Crude Oil, as well as increases in both the average price and volume of LNG exports.

Total imports of goods fell by 1.9 per cent year-on-year from BND397.9 million (March 2017) to BND390.4 million (March 2018). Meanwhile, the main five contributors to imports were Machinery and Transport Equipment (39.4 per cent), Manufactured Goods (22.8 per cent), Food (15.7 per cent), Mineral Fuels (6.9 per cent) and Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles (6.7 per cent).

In March 2018, the biggest export markets were Japan with 31.1 per cent of total exports, followed by Thailand (16.2 per cent), India (14.9 per cent), Australia (10.7 per cent), the Republic of Korea (10.6 per cent) and others.

In terms of imports by country of origin, the highest share came from China with 29.4 per cent, followed by Malaysia (16.3 per cent), Singapore (16.0 per cent) and others.

The International Merchandise Trade Statistics (IMTS) for Brunei Darussalam adopts the General System for recording trade statistics, which cover imports, domestic exports, and re-exports.

The IMTS full report for March 2018 is available from the Department of Economic Planning and Development’s (JPKE) website at www.depd.gov.bn. – JPKE

|     Daniel Lim     |

OVER 70 foreign delegates were yesterday taken on a technical tour of several landmarks and locations within the Belait District.

Comprising of senior officials and officials from Asean, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and India, the group of delegates was led by Deputy Permanent Secretary (Tourism) at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) Wardi bin Haji Mohammad Ali.

The tour also presented an opportunity for the delegates to learn about the history of the Belait District, as well as its contributions to the country’s cultural heritage and economy.

The first stop of the tour was the Belait District Museum, where the delegates were particularly impressed by the exhibit on oil and gas exploration.

Following the visit to the Belait District Museum, the delegates were taken to the Billionth Barrel Monument in Seria, which commemorates the billionth barrel of crude oil produced back in 1991.

The last stop of the tour was the residence of Village Head of Kampong Mumong Haji Mohd Yusof bin Haji Dulamin, where the delegates were welcomed with a gulingtangan performance by the Belait ethnic tribe.

During the visit, the delegates also witnessed a display of dances and local handicrafts by the Belait ethnic community, as well as a cooking demonstration by the Village Consultative Council (MPK) of Kampong Mumong.

Also present at the proceedings was Senior Administrative Officer of the Belait District Abdol Hazis bin Haji Ahad.

Afterwards, Assistant Secretary of the Tourism Development at the Department of Tourism in Philippines Roberto P Alabado III told the Bulletin that the Belait tour had left him eager to learn more about Bruneian history and customs.

“With its own culture, dances, songs, and food developed over the course of many years, Brunei’s rich culture, history, and environment is one of the many key aspects in encouraging Filipinos to visit Brunei, not just as workers and executives, but as tourists,” he said.

A similar sentiment was shared by Director of the International Promotion Division (Southeast Asia) of the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture in Malaysia.

Syed Yahya said that he was impressed by the efforts of the Belait District Museum in preserving the country’s traditional games and items.

“Such efforts should be commended and highlighted, as they help to showcase the unique culture and heritage of the country,” he said.

When asked on his opinion on how the Belait District can be further developed in regards to tourism, Syed Yahya said that tourists would normally prefer to see the differences between their own home country and Brunei.

“Of course Brunei is different, but it is important to showcase how vastly different Brunei can be, by encouraging those visiting to try out all the activities that it has to offer,” he advised.

“I also hope that Brunei would also conduct something similar to a Muslim Tour, which would be interesting as Brunei is built on the foundation of Islam. Perhaps some form of collaboration between Malaysia, Indonesia and others could be possible, in bringing more visitors to Brunei.”

The delegates are currently in Brunei for the third Asean Tourism Marketing Partnership Working Group Meeting (ATMP-WG); the 48th Meeting of Asean National Tourism Organisations (ASEAN NTOs); the 33rd Meeting of the Asean, China, Japan and Republic of Korean National Organisations (ASEAN Plus Three); and the 20th Asean-India Working Group Meeting at the V-Plaza Hotel in Kuala Belait.

These meetings are being hosted by the MPRT through the Tourism Development Department.

|     Hakim Hayat     |

DOZENS of local entrepreneurs had the opportunity to discover new emerging technologies and business models from Korean companies during a Brunei-Korea seminar hosted by DARe (Darussalam Enterprise).

The seminar – which focussed on ICT initiatives and Halal cosmetic, food supplement and healthcare – was organised to promote business exchanges between Brunei and Korea, and enhance cooperative businesses. It also hoped to provide a platform for new potential business ventures. Through the seminar, it is also hoped local entrepreneurs will be inspired to develop a business model of the global value chain of producing new innovative products and services, including smart micro-algae production; cosmetics using micro-algae; and ICT, which are considered Korea’s competitive industries.

Seven top Korean companies in the ICT and Halal Cosmetic, Food Supplement and Healthcare Industry, including SejoongIs Co Ltd; Sillasystem Co Ltd; Goonworld Spring Information Technology Co Ltd; FusionsoI Co Ltd; Ecophycotech Co Ltd and Lemon Healthcare, sent their representatives to the seminar to shed light on their respective company’s products and services and business models.

Also delivering a presentation were business promotion agency from Korea – Daegu Digital Industry Promotion Agency and local joint venture SunBioTech (B) Sdn Bhd.

|     Wani Roslan     |

AT-TAQWA Travel Tours held a Hari Raya celebration at The Rizqun International Hotel in Gadong yesterday.

Managing Director of At-Taqwa Travel Tours Pengiran Haji Mohd Rosdimar bin Pengiran Haji Omarali with officers and staff members welcomed corporate clients, customers and invited guests upon arrival.

Chief Finance Officer of At-Taqwa Travel Tours Awangku Mohd Naasiruddeen bin Pengiran Haji Yussof said the celebration was organised to mark the festive month and Doa Selamat to seek blessings of Allah the Almighty.

He added the event also aimed to strengthen ties among attendees.

The guests were served several delicacies. The event was enlivened with religious stage performances.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

BAG Networks marked 17 years of joint collaboration with Khazanah Satu Sdn Bhd and Accenture at the Design and Technology Building yesterday, under the theme of ‘Celebrating an Amazing Journey’.

The guest of honour was Minister of Finance II and Chairman of BAG Networks Dato Seri Paduka Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah.

Other distinguished guests included Permanent Secretary (Performance) at the Ministry of Finance Norliah binti Haji Kula and Deputy Permanent Secretary (Investment) at the Ministry of Finance Haji Khairuddin bin Haji Abdul Hamid, who are members of the Board of Directors for Bag Networks.

Also present was a Legislative Council (LegCo) member Yang Berhormat Nik Hafimi binti Abdul Haadii.

In his speech, the minister paid tribute to Accenture for involving Bag Networks in overseas enterprises, along with several oil and gas consultation projects, during the early years.

“Accenture also assisted Bag Networks in improving its corporate governance, methodology, policies, standards and processes,” he said.

The minister also thanked Accenture for the years of collaboration, partnership and cooperation, while expressing his confidence that their ties of friendship would endure beyond the joint venture.

“As all good things will at some points come to an end, following the departure of Accenture as a shareholder, Bag Networks will be embarking on the next chapter of its journey. Now Khazanah Satu will take the company further in confronting whatever challenges lie ahead and continuing to scale greater heights,” he added.

A former member of BAG Networks Board of Directors Brad Cable also spoke on the joint venture at the ceremony.

|     James Kon     |

THE Board of Housing Developers, established recently by the Ministry of Development, will start enforcing the Housing Developers Order 2012 from early next year.

With the implementation of the Order, housing developers undertaking development of more than four units of houses must get registration and approval from the Board of Housing Developers apart from complying with international regulations and standards.

The latest initiative to streamline local housing industry was highlighted by Minister of Development Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gafar in his speech as the guest of honour at a ceremony to present certification as Registered ASEAN Chartered Professional Engineers and ASEAN Architects and to engineers and architects, held at the Atria Simpur Hall of the Public Works Department yesterday.

“The aim of the Housing Developers Order is to regulate the housing sector which involves the residents of Brunei Darussalam,” he said.

The minister also highlighted the Valuers and Estate Agents Order (Amendment) 2016 which has already been passed.

“The Ministry of Development has also established the Board of Valuers and Estate Agents where members were appointed from private and public sectors. The Valuers and Estate Agents Order will be enforced by end of this year.

“The Order aims to regulate and monitor the real estate agents and land valuers as well as to ensure that they have valid licence from the Ministry of Development before carrying out any estate business and they follow the established guidelines,” he noted.

Meanwhile, the Institution of Surveyors, Engineers and Architects (PUJA) Brunei yesterday received the PUJA Professional Assessment Route 1 recognition from BAPEQS (Brunei Darussalam Board of Architects, Professional Engineers and Quantity Surveyors) which will allow PUJA to carry out professional assessment of its members.

The minister said that the recognition will further raise the credibility and professional integrity of PUJA and its members regionally and internationally.

The ceremony yesterday saw 11 engineers and four architects receive certification as Registered ASEAN Chartered Professional Engineers and ASEAN Architects from the Minister of Development.

The recipients of the Registered ASEAN Chartered Professional Engineers certification are Chin Lee Teck of Jurutera OMC; Seah Ngin San of JP Engineers Sdn Bhd; Hajah Rosmeta Noordin binti Abdullah of Jurutera Tempatan; Haji Sapawi bin Bolhassan and Pengiran Zulhazmi bin Pengiran Haji Yasin of Petar Perunding Sdn Bhd; Julian Fung Yoon Siong of Jurutera Basecon; Lim Siew Yong of Ove Arup dan Rakan Rakan; Haji Amir Hamzah bin Haji Abdul Karim of Jurutera OMC; Chin Kok Kong of Ove Arup dan Rakan Rakan; and Low Lock San and Chong Kiet Khong of Sepakat Setia Perunding (B) Sdn Bhd.

The four recipients of ASEAN Architects certification are Haji Abdul Rudi bin Haji Abdul Rahim of Rudi Rahim Architects; Haji Mohd Asmadee bin Abdullah of Asmadee Abdullah Bumi Architect; Haji Ahmad Nizam bin Pehin Dato Haji Abdul Wahab from OWMP International; and Lim Cheng Hoo from Seri Sezaman Architects.

In his speech at the event, Permanent Secretary (Technical and Professional) at the Ministry of Development Haji Marzuke bin Haji Mohsin said, “The Board of Architects, Professional Engineers and Quantity Surveyors was established to register and architects, professional engineers and quantity surveyors in the country. The board also is involved in discussions with ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Services for Registered ASEAN Chartered Professional Engineers and ASEAN Architects in support of ASEAN’s objective to encourage the movement of professionals across the region.”

To date, he said, “A total of 184 architects, professional engineers and quantity surveyors have registered with BAPEQS. Of this, 35 have received certification as Registered ASEAN Chartered Professional Engineers and ASEAN Architects.”

Haji Marzuke also congratulated PUJA (Brunei) for receiving the PUJA Professional Assessment Route 1 recognition from BAPEQS.

|     Rokiah Mahmud     |

THE Baiduri Bank Group yesterday hosted Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration for customers and partners with the theme Salam Silaturrahim, at the Indera Samudra Grand Hall of The Empire Hotel & Country Club.

Present was Dr Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Muda Abdul Fattaah, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Baiduri Bank Group.

In a message, Chief Executive Officer of Baiduri Bank Pierre Imhof thanked all guests for their unwavering support over the years.

“On behalf of the Baiduri Bank, I take this opportunity to thank all of customers and partners for continuous support for all these years,”

The annual celebration served as a way for Baiduri Bank to strengthen ties with customers and corporate clients that were instrumental to its success and growth.

Also present were Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong and spouse, 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.

The event also witnessed the attendance of foreign dignitaries, prominent figures, businessmen, customers and business associates networking in a festive setting while enjoying a wide variety of popular local dishes.

Guests were entertained to a video highlighting some of the bank’s activities and achievements over the past year.

Among the highlights over the past 12 months include the Baiduri Bank Group’s awards and accolades, namely Domestic Retail Bank of the Year for Brunei 2017 from the Asian Banking and Finance Magazine, the World’s Best Bank for Brunei 2017 from Global Finance magazine as well as the Best Banking Group for Brunei 2018 from World Finance.

|     Azlan Othman     |

BRUNEI Darussalam is ranked 68th in the recently-released Save the Children’s annual global index, which examined 175 countries on a range of indicators concerning factors that rob children of their childhood.

The international non-governmental organisation launched in June its ‘Many Faces of Exclusion: End of Childhood Report 2018’, its second annual End of Childhood Index which looks at indicators such as child marriage, teenage pregnancy and child mortality.

According to the report, Singapore ranks first on the list. Malaysia is ranked 67th followed by Thailand at 85th, Vietnam at 96th, the Philippines at 104th and Indonesia at 105th.

The countries in Southeast Asia that ranked after Indonesia are Myanmar (107th ), Cambodia (118th) and Timor-Leste (128th).

The report has found that approximately 19.7 per cent of all children under five in the Sultanate suffer from child stunting. Its data also shows that around 9.9 of 1,000 children do not live to celebrate their fifth birthday.

Adolescent pregnancy rate in the Sultanate (births among 1,000 girls aged 15-19) stands at 20 per cent.

The percentage of out of schoolchildren of primary and secondary school age is around 9.5 per cent.

According to the report, many of the worst-ranked countries are located in central and western Africa. Niger ranked at the bottom of the list with Mali and the Central African Republic not far behind.

“Children in these countries are the least likely to fully experience childhood,” the report said, adding that “in these and many other countries around the world, children are robbed of significant portions of their childhoods”.

About 1.2 billion children face severe risks from conflict, poverty or sexual discrimination. The main threats to childhood are child labour, exclusion from education, early pregnancy and child marriage, with conflicts often inflating the risks.

“Around the world, conflicts deny children of their rights to health, education, protection and freedom from fear, leading to a sudden end of childhood,” the report said.

At the opposite end of the list, Singapore and Slovenia shared the top spot, followed by Norway, Sweden and Finland. Seven other Western European countries also rank in the top 10, attaining very high scores for children’s health, education and protection status,” the report said.

Out of the 175 countries ranked in the study, 95 of showed improvement in one of the risk areas. Meanwhile, in 20 countries, children are exposed to all three threats.

“Compared to last year, the index finds the overall situation for children appears more favourable in 95 out of 175 countries. This is good news where it shows that investments and policies are working to lift up many of our children,” Save the Children said.

But the index also shows progress is not happening fast enough, and conditions appear considerably worse in about 40 countries. Lost childhoods are increasingly concentrated among the poorest children and children affected by conflicts. These conditions tend to exacerbate gender bias and increase negative experiences that end childhood for girls, it noted.

Save the Children Fund, commonly known as Save the Children, is an international non-governmental organisation that promotes children’s rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries.

|     James Kon     |

REPRESENTATIVES of the Brunei national team have a better chance of winning in the 20th Borneo City Basketball Invitation Tournament held at the Batu Bersurat basketball court, said Brunei Coach Wong Yee Chai.

He made the statement during an interview with the Bulletin.

“Our team has a better balance of youth and experienced players. We have a better chance to win the tournament this year. Seven of the players participated in the SEABA Pre-Qualifier for the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup,” said Wong Yee Chai.

In last year’s Borneo City Basketball Invitation Tournament, Brunei only managed to grab second place in the men’s category while the veteran team placed fourth and the women team placed third.

The tournament, which concludes on July 8, is divided into three categories – Men, Women and Veteran.

Participants will compete for the Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam Challenge Trophy for the men category, Tan Che Eu Challenge Trophy for the women category and Dato Dr Yee Moh Chai Challenge Trophy for the veteran category.

Speaking on the veteran team, he said, “Our veteran team is also looking good and ready for the competition. I am confident they can win the trophy this year.”

The annual tournament aims to promote basketball and strengthen ties among participants. Teams from Miri, Labuan and Kota Kinabalu are also participating.

Brunei and Miri will compete in all categories while Labuan will only participate in the men and veteran categories and Kota Kinabalu in the women category.

The Brunei ladies team will face Miri at 3pm while the Brunei veteran team will play against Labuan at 5pm. After the opening at 6.30pm, the Brunei men team will play against the Labuan team at 6.45pm.

National men team lineup: Lim Aik Hock, ChooYung Jian, Tan Kun Hor, Darren Yapp, Soon Kian Liang, Han Ming Kwang, Khoo Chin Kai, Lim Chee Chuan, Jake Chong Kah Hou, Onn Jen Hao, Benjamin Norman Sim and Shim Jan Ting.

National women team lineup: Siti Faizah binti Awang Azni, Venessa Pang Li Thuan, Wong Kung Hui, Chloe Chen Pei Yi, Nur Marsya binti Mohd Rashidi, Nahdatul Simaa binti Haji Sabtu, Nardah binti Haji Meraj, Dayangku Normawara Shikin binti Pengiran Ali, Gabrielle Chin Siew Li, Yu Sze Tee, Nuraqmal Nadia Norhana binti Ibrahim Noor and Jong Yee Ling.

National Veteran team lineup: Chung Kok Meng, Lim Fung, Wong Jun Fatt, Sidney Goh, Fong Boon Gi, Kenny Lim, Yam Wan Fung, Liu Kun Shyong, Ho Hee Lee, Fong Yeh Leong, Lim Boon Teck and Goh Hock  Lai.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

THE Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) and the Authoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (AMBD) hosted a talk yesterday, for employees and tenants of the Abdul Razak Complex, The Mall and The Centrepoint Gadong, as part of a joint awareness campaign on counterfeit currency and crime prevention.

The attendees were briefed on the various security features in Brunei Darussalam’s banknotes, after which they took part in an AMBD interactive session that showed them how to verify their customers’ banknotes at the point of sale.

The RBPF also emphasised on the importance of safety to them, especially in handling customers with suspected money.

Through the sharing of these tips, RBPF hopes to boost public knowledge and awareness on preventable crimes.

Held at The Centrepoint Hotel, the talk was also attended by the Acting Director of CID, ACP Haji Mohd Hassan bin Pehin Penyurat Haji Ahmad.

Also present were Rina Hayane binti Haji Sumardi, the Acting Executive Director of AMBD; and Pengiran Haji Manshor bin Pengiran Haji Jaya, the Human Resources Manager of Abdul Razak Holdings (ARH).

Meanwhile, the AMBD’s ‘Know Your Currency’ campaign is aimed at safeguarding the currency and protecting businesses through the staff’s ability to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit banknotes.

Business owners have also been advised to install high-quality CCTVs over areas of payment transactions between shop attendants and customers, which can often assist in police investigation.

The joint campaign will continue throughout 2018, as a follow-up to AMBD’s ‘Know Your Currency Talk’, which was held last month for the representatives of local retail shops, supermarkets, textile businesses and filling stations.

THE mid-year population of Brunei for 2017 stood at 421,300 persons compared to 417,256 in the Population and Housing Census Update 2016. This represents an annual growth rate of one per cent, according to the the Report of the Mid-Year Population Estimates 2017 released by the Department of Economic Planning and Development (JPKE).

The report presents the population estimates and key demographic characteristics of Brunei’s mid-year population in 2017. The calculation for the estimates is based on the final data of the Population and Housing Census Update (KBPP) 2016, incorporating three major components of population changes ie births, deaths and net migration.

The Sultanate’s total mid-year population was made up of 216,400 males (51.4 per cent) and 204,900 females (48.6 per cent). The sex ratio was 106 males for every 100 females.

Out of the total population in 2017, Brunei citizens accounted for the largest share of 76.8 per cent (323,500 persons) while the shares of the permanent residents and temporary residents were 7.8 per cent (33,000 persons) and 15.4 per cent (64,800 persons) respectively.

Brunei-Muara District was the most populated district with 69.6 per cent (293,300 persons) of the total population, followed by Belait District (16.5 per cent, or 69,600 persons), Tutong District (11.5 per cent, or 48,300 persons) and Temburong District (2.4 per cent, or 10,100 persons).

From the age distribution aspect in 2017, about 21.8 per cent (91,700 persons) of the population were below 15 years of age, 72.9 per cent (303,700 persons) were in the working age group of 15-64 years and 5.4 per cent (22,600 persons) were aged 65 years and above. The median age in 2017 was 30.1 years compared to 29.5 years in 2016.

Malays with 65.8 per cent (277,300 persons) of the total population formed the largest community in the country. The ethnic groups of Chinese and others comprised 10.2 per cent (43,100 persons) and 23.9 per cent (100,900 persons) of the population respectively.

The mid-year population estimates for the years 2012 to 2015, released earlier based on the Population and Housing Census Update 2016 preliminary data, have now been revised. The final report of KBPP 2016 that provides analysis of findings and more detailed tables will be released separately in the forthcoming publication, JPKE said.

The Report of the Mid-Year Population Update 2017 is available from JPKE’s website www.depd.gov.bn. For enquiries on the matter, contact JPKE at 2230250 or 2230265 (working hours) or e-mail info.statistics@jpke.gov.bn.

|     Hakim Hayat     |

IN ITS efforts to improve health and emergency service response, the Ministry of Health (MoH) yesterday launched 16 new ambulances, replacing ageing ambulances and adding to the existing fleet.

Minister of Health Dato Paduka Dr Haji Mohammad Isham bin Jaafar sprinkled scented flowers onto the vehicles during the launch ceremony at the MoH Complex, Commonwealth Drive.

The minister also took a closer look at the features, facilities and equipment of the new vehicles.

Earlier, Head of Religious Unit at the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital Ustaz Haji Nur Asilin bin Haji Puting read a Doa Selamat to bless the occasion.

Two of the new ambulances are four-wheel-drive type vehicles. The new fleet is replacing six ageing ambulances, bringing the total number of operational ambulances across all districts to 30 in four sub-stations.

Apart from enhancing response and efficiency, the MoH said it hopes this will also bring more comfort to patients.

Permanent Secretary at the MoH Haji Abdul Manap bin Othman, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Professional) Dr Haji Zulaidi bin Haji Abdul Latif, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Policy and Management) Maswadi bin Haji Mohsin and senior MoH officials were also in attendance.