|    Ishan Ibrahim    |

THE 55^th ASEAN Schools Sports Council Management Meeting was held recently in Kuala Lumpur.

The meeting was chaired by Deputy Minister of Education Datin Seri Paduka Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh as the President of ASEAN Schools Sports Council (ASSC) 2018-2019.

The meeting was also attended by Acting Head Director of Education and Chef de Mission of the Brunei Darussalam Sports School Council Contingent (MSSBD) Hajah Anis Faudzulani binti Haji Dzulkiflee and Acting Director of Co-Curriculum Education Mohamed Jais bin Haji Abdul Rahman.

Amongst the agenda that were discussed at the meeting were the constitution and regulations of the ASEAN Schools Sports Council; enhance and improve the activities and programmes of the ASEAN Schools Sports Council; report from the host nation on the ASEAN School Games 2018; report from the Technical Committee of the ASEAN Schools Sports Council; report from the treasurer of the ASEAN Schools Sports Council; and report from the 11^th ASEAN School Games 2019 from Indonesia as the host nation.

ASEAN Schools Sports Council was established in 1978.

|     Daniel Lim     |

THE annual royal get-together ceremony held in conjunction with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s 72nd birthday celebrations presented a golden opportunity for expatriates in the Belait District to personally meet-and-greet the benevolent monarch.

Among the thousands of people and residents of Belait District who turned up for the event was a group of expatriates attending the celebration under the banner ‘Outpost Expatriates Support Group’, Belait-Seria Section which is part of the Shell Outpost network established in 1995 to provide support for globally mobile Shell employees and their families.

One of the members of the group Celyn Lim explained that it was her first time participating in the get-together event, expressing excitement over meeting His Majesty in person.

She attended the event accompanied by her husband who is working for Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sdn Bhd (BSP).

“We are all very excited to personally meet His Majesty and to be able to shake hands with him would be a great privilege that we would always remember,” she said.

The sentiment was shared by Flo Corcutt, who along with her two daughters arrived at the event venue in the wee hours to not miss the chance to personally meet and greet His Majesty.

“The celebration is a special occasion for the people of the district and we too wanted to be a part of the jubilation.”

Her two daughters studying at Panaga School, Teraja Campus were also excited to meet His Majesty.

While His Majesty was visiting the tents set up across the venue, several expatriates of the group got the chance to greet monarch and some had the opportunity to take photos with the ruler to commemorate the occasion.

Over 100 expatriates were present at the Municipal Field in Kuala Belait yesterday and most of them expressed hope that they would be able to join in next year’s annual get-together event.

|    Fadhil Yunus    |

DPMM FC have surrendered their three-month unbeaten home record this season after slipping to a 2-1 defeat to Home United FC in the Singapore Premier League at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas last night.

The Gegar Gegar men have been preserving a run of six games without defeat at home but saw their seven-game unbeaten run come to a screeching halt.

With Tampines Rovers FC winning 4-1 against Geylang International FC, the loss will be perceived as a massive blow to their chances of seizing control of second place after falling seven points adrift though they have two games in hand.

Azwan Ali made his return to the starting line-up and had the ball at the back of the net after hitting a rebound from Volodymyr Primov but the linesman had already flagged for offside.

Azwan managed to steal a yard off a marker before Volodymyr took a shot first time which ended straight at the arms of Home United goalkeeper Rudy Khairullah.

The local winger was at the centre of an enterprising move after his piece of trickery sets him away but his pass was too heavy for Volodymyr.

Azwan proved a constant menace after leaving defenders floored with his nifty touches and released a fine shot but Rudy parried the ball away to safety.

DPMM FC goalkeeper Haimie anak Nyaring nearly spilled a fierce drive but recovered the ball and as danger still existed, Shakir Hamzah ballooned his shot wide from close range.

The game also sprung to life at the other end as Azwan forced a fine save from Rudy with a decent effort.

However, for a second consecutive game, the hosts fell behind on the stroke of half-time after Hafiz Nor collected a ball from a through pass before dinking the ball towards goal.

The visitors doubled their lead with barely a minute of the second half played after Shahril Ishak steered the ball home after his rebound was initially saved by Haimie.

Hafiz was looking to add to his tally with a screamer after trying his luck from distance but the ball arrowed off the post.

The home defence was caught napping after the ball fell invitingly to Shahril but Haimie produced a neat save to deny the forward from point blank range.

The Gegar Gegar men breathed a sigh of relief after Home United substitute Eko Pradana saw his shot rattle against the crossbar after receiving a cutback from Shahril.

While the DPMM FC players on the box were expecting a cross, Shahrazen Said decided to aim towards goal but a Home United player stuck a leg out for a corner.

The hosts pulled a goal back after Brian McLean nodded the ball home in the 80^th minute.

DPMM FC looked likely to grab the equaliser as Azwan darted into the box before unleashing a low drive but it was well saved by Rudy.

It was the visitors who could have killed the tie but Home United captain Izzdin Shafiq somehow missed the target with the goal gaping after he was teed off by Shahril.

The hosts spurned a glorious opportunity to draw level after Abdul Azizi Rahman, who came on as a substitute, missed from close range.

The Home United goalkeeper dropped the ball but Shahrazen was unable to keep his shot down as the home side pushed for a late leveler.

|     Daniel Lim     |

A SLEW of colourful performances enlivened the festive atmosphere at the Municipal Field in Kuala Belait during the royal get-together ceremony in conjunction with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s 72nd birthday celebrations.

Themed Kasih Rakyat Untuk Raja Yang Berkat (People’s Love for the Blessed Sultan), this year’s special performance was a spectacular manifestation of people’s love and loyalty to His Majesty, presented by 472 performers comprising primary and secondary students from government and private schools as well as members of various associations and communities in the Belait District.

Despite the early morning rain, the performers were unfazed and continued with their preparations. They were all set for the great show when the weather cleared up not long after His Majesty’s arrival at the venue.

The special performance portrayed how Brunei Darussalam is enjoying continuous peace and prosperity under His Majesty’s leadership based on Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB), which forms the basis of the country as the law of the government and way of life of the people.

It also showcased how Brunei is blessed to have such a kind and loving Sultan who continuously guides and inspires the nation as well as reflected the love, gratitude and loyalty of the people towards His Majesty.

The performance, a collaborative effort combining different segments – from recitation of poem to song and dance – started with the recital of a Syair in Arabic titled Raja Ristaan Zaman, portraying the personality and leadership of His Majesty.

The poem was presented by Education Officer of Al-Huffaz Management Sawarai bin Haji Mahadi. The former Al-Azhar University graduate said, “This has been both a nervous and exciting moment to perform in front of His Majesty and everyone here.”

The next segment was a Puisirama which showcased the love of His Majesty towards the people and residents of the country, followed by a mass song and dance performance to express gratitude to His Majesty for his kindness showered upon the people and the nation.

For students Markus Yap, Chan Meng Juin, Nadine Ng and Saidatul Ummul Bazilah from Chung Hua Middle School, Kuala Belait, the meet-and-greet was a special moment.

“We are thrilled to be able to participate in today’s celebration and showcase our enthusiasm and love for His Majesty,” they said.

Meanwhile, students from secondary schools in Kuala Belait shared their enthusiasm over participating as dancers in one of the field performances.

“We have been rehearsing for one month to perfect our moves,” one of the girls said.

The special performance concluded with a grand finale where all the performers gathered on the stage to wish longevity and good health to His Majesty.

|     Hakim Hayat     |

A LOCAL couple holding senior positions in the country’s judicial system was arrested by the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) yesterday as part of investigations into a corruption case involving large sums of money they allegedly misappropriated from the court system.

Senior Magistrate at the Magistrate’s Court Haji Nabil Daraina bin Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin and his wife Senior Registrar at the Supreme Court Ramzidah binti Pehin Datu Kesuma Diraja Colonel (Rtd) Haji Abdul Rahman were suspended from their respective posts following investigations jointly led by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the RBPF and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) earlier this year.

Police said the couple is being investigated for Criminal Breach of Trust by a Government Officer under Section 409 of the Penal Code, Chapter 22 and also Money Laundering under Section 3 of the Criminal Asset Recovery Order 2012.

Haji Nabil Daraina and Ramzidah are accused of siphoning-off money collected from bankruptcy cases at the Bankruptcy Office of the Supreme Court and are suspected to have spent it for their personal use, including for the purchase of high-value assets such as luxury cars that were earlier confiscated during the initial course of the investigation.

Police said they will divulge to the public any developments on the case in the near future.

In June this year, the High Court had dismissed a petition filed by the couple seeking temporary release of their passports that were impounded, to visit their daughter in London who was apparently a victim of a robbery.

However, both have not been formally charged in court.

|     Daniel Lim     |

MANAGING Director of Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sdn Bhd (BSP) Dr Ceri M Powell witnessed the Belait District get-together ceremony held in conjunction with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s 72nd birthday celebration with great jubilation.

She shared that together with her colleagues, she was able to celebrate His Majesty’s 72nd birthday celebrations by experiencing the love and loyalty of the Belait District residents.

“It’s my second time at the get-together ceremony, and I am proud to be a part of this occasion, and celebrating it with our local colleagues as well as other staff from over 27 nationalities across the world,” she said.

Dr Powell also noted that all members of BSP, Brunei Shell Marketing Company Sdn Bhd (BSM), and Brunei Gas Carriers Sdn Bhd (BGC) were present and excited to meet His Majesty.

Reflecting on her first time participating in the event, she said that the celebration for His Majesty’s birthday has always been joyous, and one way to honour the leadership of His Majesty.

“There are many beautiful events held over the course of the year in Brunei, but I think the birthday celebration is a special moment for the district,” she said, and highlighted that the community is given the opportunity to give a wonderful performance to showcase their love for His Majesty.

Managing Director of BGC John Cook noted that he had participated in last year’s celebration shortly after arriving in Brunei.

Having spent over 18 months in Brunei has also enabled him to acclimatise to the climate and food.

“It is a great privilege to be here, and I think it is a show of great effort not only by the local communities, but also the government and companies that turn up to celebrate His Majesty’s birthday in the Belait District,” he said.

He expressed hope on behalf of the management and staff of BGC for His Majesty’s good health and continued benevolent rule to achieve success and happiness for the country.

|     Daniel Lim     |

IN A grand display of love and loyalty towards 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, thousands of residents from the Belait District gathered to attend His Majesty’s traditional meet-and-greet with the people programme in conjunction with the monarch’s 72nd birthday celebration.

Held in all four districts, the royal get-together ceremony is one of the most significant celebrations in the country’s annual calendar of events and a platform for the people to get up close to their beloved ruler.

Belait is the second district to host the event which began in Tutong on July 19.

Held at the Municipal Field in Kuala Belait, the royal get-together ceremony, the most unique event of His Majesty’s birthday celebration or any stately celebration in the country, saw hundreds of jubilant students waving mini national flags, lining the roads leading from the helipad where His Majesty and members of the royal family landed, up to the Municipal Field where the royal dais was set up.

Upon arrival at the Municipal Field around 10.10am, His Majesty and members of the royal family were greeted by Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, in his capacity as the Chairman of the National Executive Committee for His Majesty’s 72nd Birthday Celebrations.

Accompanying His Majesty were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen; His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah; and His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah.

The ceremony commenced with the singing of the national anthem by a choir led by the performers of the celebration, followed by three loud cheers of Daulat Kebawah Duli Tuan Patik (Long Live His Majesty) by penghulu and village heads in the Belait District as well as the performers.

Then, on behalf of the citizens and residents of the Belait District, Acting Belait District Officer Haji Zamree bin Haji Junaidi delivered a brief welcoming speech in which he expressed his sincere gratitude and undivided loyalty towards His Majesty.

To enliven the celebration, an array of colourful performances was conducted by 472 participants from various primary and secondary schools in the district as well as government and private sectors.

The joy of the people and their gratitude to the monarch were reflected in the performances that carried the theme Kasih Rakyat Untuk Raja Yang Berkat (People’s Love for the Blessed Sultan) and manifested the love and loyalty of the people and residents of the Belait District towards His Majesty.

After watching the performances, His Majesty and members of the royal family came down to the field to congratulate the performers as well as to greet the citizens and residents of Belait District waiting since early morning to have the golden opportunity to meet their much-adored Sultan.

Some of them took the opportunity to take photos with the monarch and members of the royal family.

His Majesty also consented to cut birthday cakes while visiting the booths set up by various associations and companies based in the Belait District.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

THE team comprising Haji Jalaluddin Ghazali and Ali Rashid were declared the champions in this year’s Audi quattro Cup, after scoring 48 points qualifying them for this year’s World Final in Austria.

Haji Jalaluddin and Ali Rashid received their trophy from Managing Director of TCY Motors Teng Chee Khiong in his capacity as the Chairman of the organising committee, at a prize presentation event at the Royal Brunei Golf Club (RBGC) in Jerudong.

In the lucky draw segment, Pengiran Musa walked away with an iPhone 8 as the grand prize.

Mainly organised by the host country’s Audi importer, this year will see an expected number of over 100,000 golfers competing in teams of 700 tournaments worldwide in what is billed as the world’s largest amateur golf tournament. Over one million golfers had played in the tournament since its inception in 1991.

TCY Motors Sdn Bhd as the sole dealer/importer of the Audi brand again organised the Brunei edition of the Audi quattro Cup, where more than 70 teams of golfers registered in this year’s ninth edition.

The World Final will take place at the Golfclub Kitzbühel Schwarzsee, Austria from September 23-27.

The Audi quattro Cup is a team format amateur tournament utilising the Greensome Stableford or ‘best ball’ rule of play. This is to ultimately increase the whole golfing experience as most tournaments are played by individual golfers.

|     Fadhil Yunus     |

EASYWAY cruised to a comprehensive 99-34 victory over Ceramic Pro Brunei in Group ‘B’ of the YOU-C 1000 Basketball Cup at the Brunei Basketball Association Court in Batu Bersurat last night.

Easyway import Chris Charles was the highest-scoring player after managing an impressive 37 points in a single game.

The pre-tournament favourites upped the tempo in the third quarter as Choo Yung Jian made a neat bounce pass for Lyndon Gudez who completed the move with a tidy finish.

Choo returned to haunt the Ceramic defence, pacing his way towards the offensive on his own before gliding his way to a fine lay-up.

Easyway marquee man Chris Charles was re-introduced to the game and he quickly returned where he left off with a simple finish before helping out the defence and starting the move with an outlet pass.

Choo, who has been immense in his side’s attacking overtures, demonstrated that such threat could switch from one player to the other after his baseline shot drew gasps of excitement.

Charles drove but received contact and was handed a free throw where he duly converted with ease before showing brisk movement to complete a neat finish.

Ceramic had a chance through the combination of Lim How and Teo Siang Leng but the move resulted in the ball hitting the rim. With the chance disappeared, Easyway extended their scoring run with Hung Ing Wai picking up the pieces after Goh Wei Ming missed.

Lim finally ended the run with a three-pointer for Ceramic before F Barcellano got his name in the score-sheet for Easyway.

Easyway had an opportunity to close the quarter in style in what could have been a contender for the pass of the game but Marcus Quirk missed his shot after being set up by Goh.

Barcellano made a baseball pass to Goh who made good footwork to sink the ball home.

Ceramic’s Tan Ye Wei made a neat shot to add more points to his side before Hung produced a good individual play utilising the space with good movement.

Easyway’s strength proved too much in the end and Charles was a factor causing plenty of concerns to the Ceramic defence after winning the rebound on multiple occasions.

The Easyway import’s nearly 40-point game epitomised how difficult for the defence to keep him quiet and the way he ended his scoring total standing in the right position to steer the ball further illustrated his diverse range of play.

|     Danial Norjidi     |

THE third Startup Weekend Brunei concluded with final pitches and a prize presentation at Progresif Headquarters yesterday.

With a focus on the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the event saw pitches delivered by nine teams with their business ideas, each targetting one or more of the 17 SDGs. Teams worked over the three-day event, turning their ideas into a demo product, with some even having a test website.

Three judges featured at the event were Legislative Council member and Director of Green Brunei Yang Berhormat Khairunnisa binti Haji Ash’ari; Aimi Ramlee from Tyne Solutions Sdn Bhd; and Hadi Syafie from Muslyfe.

The judges deliberated the pitches based on feasibility, commercial value and design. Additional criteria included the business’ alignment to the SDG targets.

The top three teams received prizes sponsored by Progresif Cellular, Epipeople Consultants and EICO.

T4R (Trash for Recycle) emerged as the top team for their business idea of making an annual planner with recycled paper.

Meanwhile, second place went to Pen of Hope for their business idea of bamboo pens with vegetable seeds, followed by Tambang BN for their idea pertaining to water taxi connectivity.

This edition of Startup Weekend saw 10 mentors carrying varying backgrounds in entrepreneurship, social enterprise, marketing and user experience. Aldrich Huang from Silicon Valley was specially flown in to be a mentor and to also share about his entrepreneurial journey highlighting UX Testing, a startup he began two years ago.

The event also featured Cynthia Cheung, a regional Techstars Startup Weekend facilitator and Youth Economic Empowerment Consultant at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Bangkok office. She is an expert in the SDG targets and has given the Startup Weekend a different dynamic especially towards helping the participants understand the impact of their business ideas.

Participants were also given the chance to sit in for a pitching workshop on the second day, presented by a long-time supporter of the event, Stuart Lee from Articulation. The workshop enhanced the quality of pitches delivered by each team’s representative.

The event was made possible with the help of the strategic partner Progresif Cellular, ecosystem partner DARe (Darussalam Enterprise) and accommodation partner Wafa Hotel & Apartment. Further support was received from Sip.BN, Old Klang Curry Puffs, Taniem Mini Mart and 673 Tea Room.

It was shared that Startup Weekend Brunei is a 54-hour entrepreneur workshop with the goal to create an environment where passionate people can come together and have an experiential education on all things startup, from networking, collaborating and exposing potentials to see real results from ideas to action.

|     James Kon     |

ABDUL Khabir bin Zainidi has given a further boost to Brunei’s standing in the creative industry, by winning the Network of Asian Fantastic Films (NAFF) top prize for his short film, Worm and the Widow, at the 22nd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan) in South Korea, on July 17.

The awards were presented to outstanding projects, along with cash prizes.

This year, 16 projects were chosen for the NAFF section, out of 243 entries from 43 countries.

The Worm and the Widow, a story about outcasts who lean on each other to overcome social prejudices and pressures, won over the NAFF jury of veteran producers, including Producer of the 2016 action thriller Train to Busan Lee Dongha.

A Cambodia filmmaker, Sokyou Chea, was also awarded the Bucheon Award for his project, Soul Searching.

Abdul Khabir told the Bulletin, “The film is a fairy-tale about a boy called Ulot, and a widow who is treated as a witch. Both are outcasts.

“One day, they meet and work together to overcome numerous challenges.”

Meanwhile, the aspiring filmmaker has plans to use the prize money on further developing Worm and the Widow, which features the landscape around Bukit Udal and Pekan Tutong.

“It was given a daily screening at the festival,” he said.

“This is the first entry from Brunei, and they wanted a full film after I graduate from the Busan Asian Film School in October this year.

“The BiFan is a celebrated festival for film genres, so this is definitely a huge award for me.”

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

THE presentation of donations from the ninth Audi quattro Cup charity event took place at the Royal Brunei Golf Club in Jerudong yesterday.

TCY Motors Sdn Bhd Director Teng Chee How presented the mock cheque to representatives of the beneficiaries.

The beneficiaries were An-Nur Harapan Sdn Bhd, Community Service Council Belait District, La Vida Bhd, Learning Ladders Society, Pengiran Muda Mahkota Al-Muhtadee Billah Fund for Orphans (DANA), Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam and Society for the Management of Autism Related issues in Training, Education and Resources (SMARTER) Brunei.

Receiving on behalf of An-Nur was Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman bin Pengiran Haji Damit, while SMARTER Brunei was represented by Malai Haji Abdullah bin Malai Haji Othman, Community Service Council by Loo Soon Nin, Pusat Ehsan by Haji Ahmad bin Haji Abdul Rahman, DANA by Samsudin bin Haji Puasa, La Vida by Simon Tiong and Learning Ladders Society by Jefferson.

Since its launch in 2010, the Audi quattro Cup has donated close to BND170,000 to various local charities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). As a charity event, this year’s tournament has collected over BND17,000 from all golfers’ entry fees, where the proceeds were donated to the seven local charities and NGOs.

|     Aziz Idris     |

SEVENTY-TWO cyclists rode a symbolic 72km route as part of yesterday’s Royal Birthday Cycling Recreation 2018 event held to mark His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s 72nd birthday celebration.

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 at 6.30am flagged off the riders comprising seasoned cyclists from the Brunei Darussalam Cycling Federation (BDCF).

The cycle route began at Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien and took the cyclists through Lambak and the Berakas Forest Reserve, before heading to Jerudong, Mulaut, Limau Manis, Junjungan and Lumapas. From here, the participants had to cycle across the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha Bridge in Sungai Kebun before heading back to the heart of the capital.

According to Shahnon bin Haji Basman, a youth member from the BDCF, the 72km route took about 90 minutes to complete, with the entire cycling pack clocking in with an average speed of about 37km/hour. Shahnon added that he joined a similar cycling event last year.

Meanwhile, Lamit bin Tengah, a member of the Sembatang Cycling Team from Tutong, said he “feels honoured to be among the thousands of cyclists who got the chance to ride alongside His Majesty yesterday in the main cycle event”.

Beginning at 7am, this portion of the royal bike ride covered a distance of 11.49km around Bandar Seri Begawan, with the main route passing through Jalan Sultan Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien, Jalan Kianggeh, Jalan Sekolah, Jalan Kumbang Pasang, Jalan Perdana Menteri, Jalan Haji Basir and Jalan Sultan.

“I’ve been active in almost all Bandarku Ceria events, not only in the capital but also in the Tutong and Belait districts,” added Lamit.

The Sembatang Cycling Team now has 50 members and plans to continue participating in future cycling events in the hope of promoting a healthy lifestyle among Bruneians, while at the same time reducing the nation’s carbon footprint by supporting the Car-Free Sunday initiative held during Bandarku Ceria.

|      Izah Azahari      |

INFORMATION on the New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) system was distributed to the public by members of the Brunei National Road Safety Council (BNRSC) during the Royal Birthday Cycling Recreation 2018 event yesterday.

The BNRSC was one of a number of bodies and organisations participating in the sports/cycling exhibition held at Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien alongside Bandarku Ceria and as a side activity to the main cycling event.

The distribution activity, held in collaboration with the Brunei Automobile Traders Association (BATA) with support from Maju Motors Sdn Bhd and NBT (Brunei) Sdn Bhd, was aimed at relaying to the public the importance of factoring the NCAP system into their thinking when making car buying decisions.

The NCAP system is an European vehicle safety performance programme that assesses the performance design of vehicles in alignment with various security threats via a star rating system based on crash tests.

On July 1, this year, a law was passed requiring all car dealerships in the country to clearly show the NCAP star ratings and/or safety features of the cars on display in their showrooms or in advertisements.

Besides details on the NCAP system, the information highlights the importance of a vehicle’s safety features in preventing serious road accidents and reducing the chances of driver and passenger injury.

Present during the distribution activity was Acting Minister of Communications Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong.

Also present were Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications (MinCom) Haji Azhar bin Haji Ahmad in his capacity as Deputy Chairman II of BNRSC, as well as Deputy Permanent Secretary at the MinCom Dr Haji Supry bin Haji Awang Ladi in his capacity as Secretary of BNRSC.

The distribution activity was accompanied by a road safety quiz offering winners miscellaneous prizes and fuel vouchers sponsored by Maju Motors Sdn Bhd, as well as a showcase of new vehicles displaying the NCAP star rating and vehicle safety features.

Other activities included an airbag safety replacement campaign by NBT (Brunei) Sdn Bhd. The activity was run to further inform Toyota car owners in the country of the need to have their cars’ airbags replaced, following the recall of 20 million Toyota vehicles worldwide due to faulty Takata airbags which have been found to inflate spontaneously and burst during accidents.

At present, BATA is working closely with the Land Transport Department to contact the owners of all affected vehicles to have the problem airbags replaced.

|     Izah Azahari     |

AN OTHERWISE quiet Sunday morning in the capital was turned abuzz with the vibrant energy of hundreds of avid cyclists who joined His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam in the Royal Birthday Cycling Recreation 2018 event yesterday which was sounded off at Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien.

The bike ride, held in conjunction with the monarch’s 72nd birthday celebration aimed at shaping a sports culture among the country’s residents and strengthening national unity.

The event was also participated by other members of the royal family, including His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen; His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Ameerah Wardatul Bolkiah; and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Muda Abdul Mu’min.

Upon arrival at the Taman, His Majesty was greeted by a number of Cabinet Ministers, including 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 start of the event was signalled by the singing of the Selamat Puja Usia song by a group of alumni of the Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Programme (SSEAYP) and special needs students from Special Olympics Brunei Darussalam (SOBD), and the waving of hand flappers by 72 youth from the Youth Community Transformation Club (KKBT).

This was followed by the sound off to start the cycle, accompanied by the playing of band music by the Serunai and Tambur Force band of the Prisons Department.

With a firm smile on his face and occasionally sending reciprocal waves back to the gathered crowds, His Majesty proudly led the way through the 11.49km bike route, which made passes through the main thoroughfares of Jalan Sultan Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien, Jalan Kianggeh, Jalan Sekolah, Jalan Kumbang Pasang, Jalan Perdana Menteri, Jalan Haji Basir, and Jalan Sultan before returning to Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien.

Following the cycle, His Majesty and members of the royal family witnessed the march past of 72 cyclists from all four districts who completed a 72km cycle which began earlier in the morning at 6.15am.

The monarch also consented to receive a pesambah marking the event from the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports.

|     Daniel Lim     |

A CULTURAL showcase night was held at Tudong Saji, Kuala Belait on July 22 as part of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s 72nd birthday celebration.

The event was organised by the Wushu Federation, Belait branch, in collaboration with the Belait District Office, Youth and Sports Department Belait branch, Mukim Seria Consultative Council, and Village Consultative Council of Kampong Lorong Tiga Selatan Seria.

It showcased traditional performances from varying cultures, and highlighted skills and talents of the participants, most of whom are residents of Belait District.

Present at the event were Penghulu of Mukim Seria Haji Jamail bin Haji Linap; Village Head of STKRJ LorongTiga Selatan Seria Haji Saidin bin Haji Ibrahim; and Chairman of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of the Belait District Loo Soon Nin.

Also present were members from associations, communities and agencies in the district involved in the performances.

Students from Chung Ching Middle School, Seria performed Wushu, Taichi, and 24 Seasons Chinese drums, while Brunei Darussalam Seni Warisan Pelangi Association (PSWPBD) showcased Silat performances.

Local talent Sharifah binti Abdul Rahman belted a few songs, and students from Chung Liang School, Sungai Liang performed a Lion Dance. There were also cultural performances from the Puak Dusun and Sarawak communities.

The performances were met with fervour and admiration from the attendees and visitors.

The committee involved in organising the showcase expressed hope in continuing to conduct similar events to enliven the atmosphere of the district, and highlight efforts to keep the cultural and traditional performances alive.

The performances in the district are also slated to continue every night until July 31.

|     Izah Azahari     |

THE 12th International Summer Medical School (ISMS) Programme was officially opened yesterday in a ceremony held at the Pengiran Anak Puteri Rashidah Sa‘adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences (PAPRSB IHS) building at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD).

The ISMS is an annual student exchange collaboration between PAPRSB IHS and Kagawa University Faculty of Medicine (KUFM) aimed at strengthening the friendship among the medical students of Brunei Darussalam and Japan.

Present as guest of honour at the event was the Ambassador of Japan to Brunei Darussalam, Motohiko Kato.

The event began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa Selamat, followed by a welcoming speech by the co-coordinator of the 12th ISMS, Dr Muhammad Hazim bin Haji Abdul Ghani, where he welcomed two students from KUFM, Kazuhiro Irei and Daichi Funaki.

Dr Muhammad Hazim highlighted that this year’s ISMS will have a ‘Non-Communicable Diseases’ theme, and see the participants engaging in academic work on diseases such as tuberculosis, hypertension, cancer and diabetes.

The ISMS programme, which ran from July 23 until August 23 this year, will expose the students to a variety of activities giving them the full experience of life as medical students at UBD, not just academically, but also in the social and cultural aspects.

This will encompass a range of academic activities, including lectures, problem-based learning (PBL) and clinical and communication skills sessions, as well as activities to improve the students’ English language proficiency and presentation skills.

According to Dr Muhammad Hazim and his fellow ISMS co-coordinator Dr Deeni Rudita Idris, the programme represents a valuable opportunity for the Japanese students to experience life as future practitioners while studying in a foreign setting as well as improve their communication skills.

The event also saw a brief speech by Dr Saneyuki Yasuda, an assistant professor at the KUFM, as well as an opening address by the guest of honour.

In his address, Kato highlighted the long-promoted youth exchanges between Brunei and Japan through various programmes such as the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS), the Ship For Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Programme (SSEAYP), and the Japanese Government Scholarship programme.

“The exchange programme between UBD and Kagawa University,” he said, “is one of the longest-running youth exchange programmes between the two countries, providing a golden opportunity to further develop mutual understanding between Japanese and Bruneian youth”.

Due to the long history of positive cooperation between the two institutions, Kagawa University – one of the most prestigious varsities in Japan – is now very well-known in Brunei Darussalam.

“When I look at the young students in this country, I am aware of their great potential. I hope that more and more brilliant students from Brunei are going to study at Kagawa University to do their research. I believe that it could further enhance the educational and academic cooperation between both countries,” added the guest of honour.

The event concluded with the presentation of souvenirs to the 12th ISMS participants and guest of honour, as well as a handing over of certificates of appreciation to the programme’s sponsors.

|     Syazwani Hj Rosli     |

LEGISLATIVE Council (LegCo) Speaker Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Lela Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Dato Setia Haji Mohamed Taib yesterday received a courtesy call a delegation from the Australian Parliament at the Legislative Council Building in Jalan Menteri Besar.

The delegation yesterday was led by a member of the Australian Parliament Rowan Ramsey. The courtesy call provided a platform for both parties to strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation, exchange views and ideas as well as to learn more about the best practises for both countries. Following the courtesy call was a bilateral meeting between members of the Australian Parliament and LegCo chaired by member of the LegCo Yang Berhormat Siti Rozaimeriyanty binti Dato Seri Lela Jasa Haji Abdul Rahman.

Various issues were brought up during the discussion including mutual interests and cooperation in order to further foster relations between Brunei and Australia.

Cabinet Ministers’ Council Secretary and Clerk to the LegCo Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Jaya Dato Paduka Haji Judin bin Haji Asar, as well as senior officials from Councils of State Department were also in attendance.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

THE 4th Vibe Identity Art and Design Exhibition was officially launched at the Mabohai Shopping Complex yesterday, by guest of honour Legislative Council member Yang Berhormat Iswandy bin Ahmad.

Organised by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the Kolej International Graduate Studies (KIGS), the week-long event serves primarily to exhibit and share the students’ unique creativity, while inspiring other creative minds.

The launching ceremony began with a recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa, followed with a welcoming speech by CEO of KIGS Dr Azaharaini bin Haji Mohd Jamil.

“Part of the objective of this event is to provide a platform for the students to receive public feedback regarding their artwork,” he said. “This is helpful for them to grow from apprentices of arts and design into professional artists and designers.”

Several experienced artists and designers have been invited to participate in the exhibition, making it an ideal venue for the students to refine their crafts and perspectives.

“The exhibition can be seen as a way of improving the quality of their artwork, along with the creativity and capacity to innovate with the types of exhibits to be presented, including product design, painting and installation and a puppet show on Brunei folklore,” said Dr Azaharaini.

He pointed out that the event is made public for the first time as an acknowledgement of the importance of the creative industry for Brunei’s economy.

“KIGS believes that the more familiar the students are with the establishment of exhibition venues outside the college’s environment, the better informed they are in terms of applying their creativity to flourish in the local art market,” he said.

“With the role of arts and design changing radically, the arts are no longer seen as just a painting and exhibition format, but have become event-centred just like performance art.”

More than 30 students are participating in the exhibition, with 17 Diploma students from the Graphic Design Technology programme and 15 from the Arts and Design programme.

The launching ceremony concluded with a tour of the exhibition by the guest of honour who also took time to give some words of motivation and support to the participating students.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

THE knowledge and skills acquired from programmes in the areas of creative industries such as design, handicraft, publishing, advertising, architecture and performing arts have been established as contributors to socio-economic growth.

This was observed yesterday by Legislative Council member Yang Berhormat Iswandy bin Ahmad, during the launching of the Kolej International Graduate Studies’ (KIGS) 4th Vibe Identity Art and Design Exhibition, at the Mabohai Shopping Complex.

“The positive nature about these programmes is that employment does not have to be created by the government to employ the graduates once they have completed the programmes,” he said. “They can be self-employed or form a company and employ others, thus promoting the development of small and medium enterprises.”

Yang Berhormat Iswandy further pointed out that this initiative of developing youth through the creative industry is in line with the titah of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, during the 34th National Day celebrations: “Youths are usually rich with new ideas and certainly courageous to face various challenges. They are expected to give a fresh impetus to developmental efforts in the country. In this new era, the use of information technology is widespread and plays a crucial role. No doubt, it also redirects our focus towards creating a digital economy that is widely open to be explored.”

He also praised the college’s idea of a week-long exhibition, since it would be instrumental in establishing the students’ own reputation through public scrutiny, while bringing in revenue from the sales of artworks or artefacts.

“I understand that many of the exhibited artworks are about Brunei’s identity. It would also be good for the KIGS exhibition to feature Islamic calligraphy, paintings of selected monuments of Brunei Darussalam, local landscapes, glass-work and so on forth, to enrich the variety of exhibition contents in order to draw audiences of different interest,” he said.

He further suggested the college promote the creative industry by setting up a website or a blog where images of student artworks can be uploaded, as this would provide a place for new contacts to be established for future collaborations.

“In short, I think KIGS is seen as committed in responding to the titah of His Majesty by providing youths with the capacity to contribute to the country’s development through the acquisition of knowledge and skills in arts and design,” said Yang Berhormat Iswandy. “I trust that the students will find the event useful in contributing to the development of their creativity and innovation, as well as professionalism in the fields of the creative industry.”