|     James Kon     |

UNIVERSITI Brunei Darussalam (UBD) welcomed 932 new students as part of its intake for the first semester of the 2018/2019 academic year during the opening of its bi-annual Fresher’s Week yesterday morning at the university’s Chancellor Hall.

Of this figure, which includes international students, 179 individuals are taking Masters and PhD programmes, 554 are taking undergraduates degrees, 16 are doing advanced diplomas, and 189 are under the UniBridge programme.

UBD Vice-Chancellor Datin Dr Hajah Anita Binurul Zahrina binti Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Wijaya Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Aziz in her welcoming speech highlighted that the university places great importance on the learning process, and seeks to provide the new intake a profound learning experience as well as instil within them an ethos of lifelong learning.

She added that in the world of today and tomorrow, graduates need to be able to constantly remain relevant.

“You must be able to adapt to new challenges. You will need excellent communication skills, as well as the ability to think critically, innovatively and to reason well. Above all you will need courage,” the vice-chancellor said, highlighting that the university’s GenNEXT programme will play a key role in helping the students achieve these goals.

“The UBD GenNEXT programme,” Datin Dr Hajah Anita Binurul Zahrina explained, “gives students more flexibility in choosing the content of their programmes, allowing you to shape your learning experience according to your area of interest and chosen career paths.”

She continued, “Another great feature of the GenNEXT programme is the Discovery Year where students get to experience real-world learning outside of UBD. This will involve students doing either a study-abroad programme, an internship to work on an innovation project, or involvement in a community outreach project.”

The vice-chancellor also gave the new students some advice.

“Being at university means that you will need to cultivate your attributes, especially your ability to be creative and innovative. You will find that the university education system is very different from what you are used to previously, and you will need to challenge yourselves in a number of aspects such as your way of thinking and mindset as well as work harder and think outside the box,” she said.

“You will also find that certain sacrifices have to be made. There will be constant studying, struggling to balance both academic and non-academic activities, late nights working on assignments and revising for exams – all these challenges will be part and parcel of your transformative learning journey.”

Fresher’s Week comprises a four-day orientation programme organised by the university’s Student Affairs Section (SAS) in collaboration with the Student Representative Council 2017/18 with support from student volunteers.

The orientation programme is meant to help the new students transition into their new environment smoothly, familiarise them with the university’s student services (for example career advice and counselling), as well as relay information on essential matters relating to university life.

Following the vice-chancellor’s speech, the new students took an oath marking their official entry into the university, in a ceremony witnessed their parents.

The students later participated in a series of talks on academic and non-academic topics presented by a number of speakers.

|     Azlan Othman     |

DST Communications Sdn Bhd has become the first company in Brunei Darussalam to be awarded the prestigious ISO/IEC 20000-1:2011.

The certification was presented to DST in a ceremony attended by the guest of honour Minister of Finance II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah. Also in attendance were Acting Managing Director of Brunei Investment Agency (BIA) Haji Sofian bin Haji Mohammad Jani and Chief Executive Officer of DST Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Hussain.

ISO20000 is the international standard that helps organisations benchmark how they deliver services as well as measure service performance to attain and maximise customers’ satisfaction.

DST’s mobile telephone service offerings to its customers have undergone a major transformation since its establishment in 1995. From its first analogue AMPS system to today’s digital 4G network, DST has diversified its service offerings not only to its customers but also the corporate community in the country.

In a speech, Assistant General Manager for Group IT Services Amir bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Bijaya Colonel (Rtd) Dato Paduka Haji Hussin said, “Achieving this prestigious certification proves that the company not only conforms to the information technology best practices but also now operates with a recognised international standard. It strongly portrays DST’s commitments to continuously improve the quality of its service offerings to retain its position as the leading Info-com provider.

Haji Suhaimi received the ISO/IEC 20000-1:2011 Recognition Award on behalf of DST, while Assistant General Manager for Group IT Services received the ISO/IEC 20000-1:2011 Certification Award.

Also during the ceremony, an award for the first Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) in Brunei Darussalam was presented to one of DST’s staffer Muhammad Azizul Amir bin Pehin Orang Kaya Pendikar Alam Dato Paduka Seri Haji Hasrin. CISSP is a leading industry certification in the field of IT security and is awarded to professionals exhibiting a high level of knowledge and competency in the areas of information security.

All awards were presented by a representative of APMG International, one of the leading accreditation agencies in the world.

|     Fadley Faisal     |

IN THE Magistrate’s Court yesterday, 152 charges related to criminal breach of trust, money laundering and possession of unexplained property were pressed against two senior judicial officers, Ramzidah binti Pehin Datu Kesuma Diraja Colonel (Rtd) Haji Abdul Rahman and Haji Nabil Daraina bin Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin, who were arrested by the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) on July 21, 2018.

The court rejected the bail application of the couple after being arraigned by prosecutors in a case involving misappropriation huge sums of money from the court system.

Meanwhile, the defendants, represented by defence counsel Rozaiman Abdul Rahman, approached the High Court (HC) with an appeal against the Magistrate’s Court decision to refuse bail.

Justice Dato Seri Laila Jasa James Kerr Findlay, after considering arguments from both the prosecution and the defence, overturned the Magistrate’s Court decision and released both the defendants on a bail of BND100,000, or two local sureties each. Justice Dato Findlay also ordered for the defendants’ passports to be further impounded by the Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau as well as both defendants to report to the Central Police Station every week.

Ramzidah and Haji Nabil Daraina were suspended from their judicial positions following investigations jointly led by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the RBPF and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) earlier this year.

The first defendant Ramzidah, Senior Registrar and Deputy Official Receiver of Bankruptcy Office, Supreme Court, State Judiciary Department of Brunei Darussalam, was charged with 146 offences of criminal breach of trust under Section 409 of the Penal Code, Chapter 22 which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment and fine.

The first defendant is alleged to have committed the offences of criminal breach of trust from 2004 to 2017.

She is accused of embezzling money collected from 41 debtor accounts in bankruptcy cases amounting to BND7,063,292.

Both defendants also face four charges of money laundering under Section 3 of the Criminal Asset Recovery Order, 2012.

Two of the money laundering charges allege the couple of depositing proceeds of crime derived from the alleged criminal breach of trust from the Official Receiver’s bank account to their personal joint account, amounting to BND300,000 and BND200,000, respectively.

The other two money laundering charges refer to allegations of using BND207,800 as part payment for the purchase of a Porsche 911 Carrera GTS car and BND93,000 to make partial payment for the purchase of a Mercedes Benz AMG GT RHD car.

The offence of money laundering carries a maximum penalty of a BND500,000 fine, or 10 years’ jail, or both.

Both defendants also face a charge of possession of unexplained property under Section 12(1) (b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Chapter 131 as they are found to be in control of property, namely luxury cars, which are disproportionate to their present or past emoluments.

The first defendant is alleged to be in possession of a Mercedes Benz AMG GT RHD valued at BND241,065, a Mercedes Benz CLS 63 AMG Coupe Sports Package valued at BND265,000, an Audi Q7 3.0L Quattro Tiptronic worth BND141,150, a Jaguar F-Type 5.0L V8 S/C RWD worth BND220,000, a Range Rover Sport 5.0L V8 S/C Petrol worth BND245,000, a Porsche Macan Turbo worth BND176,000, a Mercedes Benz SLK 55 Sports Package worth BND158,500 and a Range Rover Sport 5.0 S/C Autobiography worth GBP58,000.

The total value of the cars is estimated to be BND1,446,715 and GBP58,000.

The second defendant is alleged to be in possession of a Mercedes Benz A45 AMG worth BND95,000, a Mercedes Benz AMG GT S worth BND335,000, an Audi Q5 2.0 TFSI Quattro S-Tronic worth BND89,150, a Chrysler 300C SRT8 worth BND98,000, a Jaguar F-Type 3.0L V6 S/C RWD worth BND150,000, a Nissan GTR Premium worth BND219,029, a Porsche Cayman worth BND139,000, a Porsche 911 Carrera GTS worth BND217,800, a Porsche Cayman GT4 valued at BND183,000, a Volkswagen Golf R 2.0 TSI valued at BND77,000, a Volkswagen Scirocco R 2.0 TSI valued at BND85,000 and a Volkswagen Golf A7 1.4 TSI valued at BND70,000. The total value of the cars is BND1,757,979.

In the Magistrate’s Court, the Public Prosecutor, represented by Deputy Public Prosecutors Aldila binti Haji Mohd Salleh, Hajah Anifa Rafiza binti Haji Abdul Ghani, Hajah Suriana binti Haji Radin, Dayangku Didi-Nuraza binti Pengiran Haji Abdul Latiff, Emily Goh and Siti Nurjauinah binti Haji Kula applied for the defendants to be further remanded pending further investigations, to allow the RBPF to record statements as well as to obtain explanations from the defendants with regard to documentary evidence in regard to various bank transactions relating to the Official Receiver’s account as well as their joint bank account.

The prosecution further argued that the remand period is necessary for both the RBPF and the ACB to conduct investigations without being impeded as well as investigate both the defendants separately to establish their roles in the alleged criminal activities and prevent both of them from colluding with each other and tailoring evidence.

It was also argued that the remand is necessary to prevent any risk of witness tampering.

Acting Chief Magistrate Lailatul Zubaidah binti Haji Mohd Hussain considered both parties’ arguments and agreed with the prosecution and said that the bail application at this stage is premature.

The court then adjourned the case to August 2, 2018 and ordered the further remand of the defendants for 10 days separately at the Central and Berakas police stations.

But the High Court overturned the Magistrate’s Court’s decision and released the defendants on bail.

|     Azrol Azmi     |

HER Majesty Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam yesterday consented to receive in three separate audiences the newly appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Korea and the spouses of the newly appointed Ambassador of Lao People’s Democratic Republic to Brunei Darussalam and the newly appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Brunei Darussalam.

Firstly, Her Majesty received the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Yoon Hyun-bong.

Her Majesty then received Madame Bounheuang Boutdara, the spouse of the Ambassador of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Phonethavy Boutdara.

Her Majesty also received Sri Haryani TR Sujatmiko, the spouse of the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia Dr Sujatmiko. The audience ceremony took place at Istana Nurul Iman.

|     Azrol Azmi     |

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 received in audience Ra’afat Abdullah Al-Sabbagh, Special Advisor at the Royal Court, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Special Envoy of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

During the audience ceremony, His Majesty received a formal invitation to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Accompanying Ra’afat Abdullah was Charge d’Affaires at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Brunei Darussalam Hussain Mohammed Al-Dajani.

Also present at the ceremony was Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade II Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Erywan bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Haji Mohd Yusof and Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Hajah Siti Norishan binti Haji Abdul Ghafor.

The audience ceremony took place at Istana Nurul Iman.

|     Fadhil Yunus     |

TEO & Sons overcame the hurdle, which could have derailed their chances of locking up second place in Group ‘A’ in the YOU-C 1000 Basketball Cup after surviving a third-quarter fightback, before eventually winning 126-101 over Menglait Basketball Club at the Brunei Basketball Association Court in Batu Bersurat last night.

Teo & Sons foreign import Frederick Jones made the game safe after notching 23 points in the fourth quarter, outscoring the 20 points he managed in the third quarter against Tutong Basketball in his previous appearance.

Frederick asserted his dominance in the scoring department after managing a game-high of 64 points featuring 20 three-pointers in yet another stellar performance.

But it was not plain smooth sailing for Teo & Sons as they weathered a brave resurgence from Menglait Basketball who wiped out a 13-point deficit.

Menglait captain Allen Salvador played an influential role in the fightback after inspiring his side in his team’s attack and a succession of points in equal measure.

It was game on after Menglait managed to cut down their deficit by eight points before Justino Martinez popped up with a three-pointer to make it a closer affair.

Menglait even briefly led in style following a three pointer from A Jauhali but Frederick quickly replied with a trey before Rashad Ali extended their lead even further.

J Dela Cruz had his effort in a toilet bowl for Menglait before Teo & Sons’s captain Jeff Paraiso slipped the ball from his grasps in the other end of the court.

Frederick showed his scoring prowess from range after knocking eight three-pointers in the fourth quarter, guiding his team into a territory where Menglait could not recover from.

The foreign import also had the court all on his own on more than one occasion after the Menglait’s defence were found high up on the offensive side but even from that sequence of play the move was completed with a three pointer.

It is their second straight win following up their exploits from Tutong Basketball and they will conclude their group stage play against Cleanwash Laundry, who face a tough assessment against YTE to stay alive in the hunt for second place tomorrow.

BAIDURI Bank has been recognised by World Finance as The Best Banking Group for Brunei 2018. This marks the 10th consecutive year Baiduri has received this award, the first being in 2009. The award was presented to CEO of Baiduri Bank Pierre Imhof at the London Stock Exchange Studios, London.

Speaking on this latest recognition, Pierre Imhof said, “This is a remarkable milestone for the Baiduri Bank Group. We are honoured and proud to be recognised by World Finance as the Best Banking Group in Brunei for the 10th consecutive year.”

Following the award presentation, Pierre Imhof was interviewed by World News Media producer Paul Richardson on the progresses made by the group over the last year.

Speaking on how the bank is participating towards the economic diversification of the country, Pierre Imhof said, “We are working to develop products which are designed to help finance small companies.” He elaborated that Baiduri Bank also offers products not strictly related to financing such as corporate credit cards, the MerchanSuite service, mobile applications and Internet banking.

The interview is available for public viewing on Baiduri Bank’s website or the World Finance website.

|     Ishan Ibrahim     |

THE recent Limpanas Endurance Challenge 2018 featured the first ever endurance race organised in Brunei Darussalam, seeing participant loping across a 5.3km route.

Organised by Limpanas Trail Runner, an amateur sport group, the event was also made possible with the help of the Village Consultative Council (MPK) of Kampong Katimahar and Haji Zainal bin Haji Safar as management of Katimahar Agri Park.

Katimahar Agri Park was the chosen venue given its suitability for trail loping – which requires participants to walk or run with a long bounding stride – and in view of it lacking exposure.

The Katimahar Agri Park, which spans across over 100 acres, is an initiative taken by the MPK Kampong Katimahar to preserve and maintain the continuity of local fruits.

Mukim Sengkurong Penghulu cum guest of honour Haji Musa bin Haji Tahir awarded prizes to the winners.

Kampong Katimahar Village Head Salem bin Adi was also present.

Forty-four runners participated in the 12-hour category (with a minimum distance of 42km).

Alexandra Chung Kwei took first place in the male category, followed by Haji Saifullah bin Haji Ramli, Aliakabar bin Haji Gapor and Amirol bin Tuah.

The female category saw Marnie binti Ahmad clinching first place, followed by Dayangku Siti Nadirah and Nor Kamsiah binti Haji Yakoob.

Meanwhile, 55 runners participated in the six-hour category (with a minimum distance of 30km).

The male category saw Samsulzamri taking first place, followed by Md Nazrul Effendy and Wan in second and third places.

The female category saw Airince Liam taking first place, followed by Kathryn Deuerlie and Cecelia Maksimon.

|     Fizah HAB     |

MITSUBISHI Asian Children’s Enikki Festa 2017-2018 Grand Prix winner Muhd Aiman Fitri Waqiuddin bin Mohd Khirizal left on Monday for Yokohama, Japan from the Brunei International Airport to receive his award.

Seeing him off was Senior Education Officer at the Department of Co-Curriculum Education Pengiran Jusri bin Pengiran Haji Hassim.

Muhd Aiman, a Year 5 student of Pengiran Pekerma Setia Diraja Sahibul Bandar Primary School, was accompanied by his parents and an officer of the Department of Co-Curriculum Education.

Mitsubishi Asian Children’s Enikki Festa is a competition jointly organised by the Mitsubishi Public Affairs Committee, Asian Pacific Federation of UNESCO Clubs and Association (AFUCA), and the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan.

The competition, themed ‘Here is my life’, aimed to provide an opportunity for children around the world to understand the daily lives of the Asian community through illustrated diary accounts.

|     Syazwani Hj Rosli     |

UNIVERSITI Teknologi Brunei (UTB) yesterday held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction of its new School of Design complex, which will be built at the university’s Phase 2.

Present to officiate the foundation laying event as guest of honour was UTB Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah binti Haji Sulaiman. The event was witnessed by the university’s principal officers.

The ceremony began with a recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah followed by the actual ground-breaking led by the guest of honour, before continuing with a recitation of Doa Selamat to bless the historic event.

The event also saw the signing of the contract agreement for the construction of the School of Design complex between UTB and LSL Sdn Bhd by Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah and LSL Sdn Bhd Director Dato Paduka Haji Ahmad bin Kadi.

Construction works for the new School of Design will be completed by the end of September this year, with the new building to be equipped with its own gallery, studios and offices.

|     Syazwani Hj Rosli     |

THE new intake of students of Universiti Teknologi Brunei’s (UTB) 2018-2019 academic year needs to strive hard in achieving their full potential while embarking on their academic journey at the institution and beyond, as this scholastic foundation will have a defining impact on their future careers.

Highlighting this was UTB Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah binti Haji Sulaiman, delivering her speech yesterday in welcoming 525 new students for the new academic year in a ceremony at the university’s multi-purpose hall.

According to Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah, of the new batch of students, 339 are undergraduates while 186 are enrolled in postgraduate programmes, adding that this year UTB is receiving the inaugural batch of students for its new faculty, the School of Design.

She advised the students to grab the opportunity to learn and acquire new knowledge during their years at UTB, and to develop soft skills and enhance their personal attributes to prepare for life after university and in the workplace.

The vice chancellor also explained UTB’s motto: ‘Scholarly, Piety and Innovative’.

“Scholarly is defined as having or showing knowledge, learning or devotion to academic pursuits. This is what being a university student is all about,” she said.

“Piety is defined as the quality of being religious. This is dedicated to our Muslim students, for them to be always in istiqamah. We strongly encourage students to perform and make time for prayers. We also hope for our students to be instilled with Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) values.”

She continued, “Being innovative is about developing a culture of inquisitiveness from the very beginning, and this can be applied in your study especially when you are doing your undergraduate final year projects or postgraduate theses. I hope that the motto can be used as a moral imperative for us all at UTB.”

Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah also emphasised the importance of giving back to society and how UTB has always been responsive to the needs of the community.

As a mark of UTB’s commitment to the local communities, Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah says that the university will be introducing a breadth module to replace the existing one in January 2019.

“The module will involve more integrated learning and include four elements, including environment, leadership, technopreneurship and social innovation. It will place emphasis on team learning, collaboration, innovation and community,” she said.

The vice chancellor advised the new students to be well-rounded during their studies and be not afraid of partaking in extra-curricular activities (ECA) and volunteer work.

“A good student will always be able to exercise work-life balance. Areas in life other than work or study can be – but not limited to – personal interests, as well as family and social or leisure activities,” she said.

The event also saw a mass oath-taking by the students led by Awangku Md Haziq Dzulfadhly Mubarak bin Pengiran Haji Md Amir Ilham.

|     Danial Norjidi     |

LOCAL Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are a vital source of economic output, employment and innovation and the future of the private sector rests with the success of these MSMEs.

This was highlighted by Minister of Energy and Industry Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mat Suny bin Haji Mohd Hussein while delivering a speech at the LiveWIRE Business Awards Start-up Funding Scheme ceremony yesterday.

The minister said that the Ministry of Energy and Industry is currently the custodian of a wide range of portfolios – energy, electricity, industry, manpower, climate change, science and technology as well as entrepreneurship – through its close collaboration with DARe (Darussalam Enterprise).

“All of these elements are inter-related. In our journey towards realising the Brunei Vision 2035 goals, it is our collective responsibility to synchronise and harness all these together.

“We see entrepreneurs as one of the major lifelines of our economy who will be key determinants of success – not just in each portfolio we have mentioned, but also for our society’s well-being,” he said.

The minister noted that the importance of entrepreneurs and MSMEs has been highlighted 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 on a number of occasions. The latest emphasis was during His Majesty’s titah in conjunction with the monarch’s 72nd birthday on July 15 this year.

“Our local MSMEs are not just a source of economic output, but they are a vital source of employment and innovation,” said the minister. “We are counting on entrepreneurs, like yourselves, and MSMEs to realise many of our Brunei Vision 2035 goals and beyond. The future of the private sector rests with the success of our MSMEs – we need to expand beyond the handful of oil and gas enterprises and government-linked companies that currently dominate the private sector.

“Every year, we see roughly 6,000 new jobseekers registering themselves at JobCentre Brunei. The growth of industry and the private sector are vital to ensure employment in the long-term. Job creation is an ongoing effort that will require not only foreign direct investment, but also the organic growth of our local businesses to expand the job market.”

“Our challenge to all of our local enterprises is to grow the non-oil and gas sector, and also to look beyond our national boundaries – to find your foothold in the international market.”

The minister affirmed that the government, along with its partners like DARe and various other agencies and entrepreneurship centres, remain committed to supporting local enterprises.

“We are committed to not only encouraging entrepreneurship programmes like LiveWIRE and the Energy Business Academy, but also creating a conducive business ecosystem for our local businesses and forging linkages between local businesses and FDI companies.”

Among the Ministry of Energy and Industry’s new programmes this year is the i-Usahawan programme, which exclusively ring-fences selected contracts for local Bruneian entrepreneurs to expand opportunities for smaller local businesses.

“We began with the roll-out of the scheme with the Brunei Shell Joint Venture companies contracts and are now seeking to extend it to other contracts. It is our desire to see our Bruneian enterprises grow.

“There are many resources and process improvements now. We encourage entrepreneurs and the public to draw on the current resources and opportunities available to you such as mentorship and training programmes at Darussalam Enterprise, LiveWIRE Brunei and other agencies,” he continued. “Also, do not forget to tell us about your journey so that we too can learn from your experience and provide better support to our local MSMEs.”

The minister highlighted, “We have progressively improved our World Bank Doing Business rankings, rising from number 72 to number 56 in 2018, but there is still much more we can do to help businesses, providing avenues for capacity-building and unlocking new business opportunities.

“We aspire to provide the means to empower our businesses to stand on their own merit and ingenuity to pave the way for themselves and other Bruneians – whether it is other Bruneian entrepreneurs or Bruneian employees.

“The road ahead for our entrepreneurs will be an exciting one, but it may not be easy. We hope that you maintain your enthusiasm for learning and growth as you cannot rest on your laurels in business – your competitor is just around the corner.

“The industrial and economic landscape is rapidly evolving and we must be more attuned to continuous improvements and ensuring customer satisfaction to sharpen our competitive edge,” he added.

|     Danial Norjidi     |

FIVE local entrepreneurs were granted start-up funds yesterday under the LiveWIRE Business Awards Start-Up Funding Scheme, a brand new initiative by Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sdn Bhd (BSP) through LiveWIRE Brunei.

The entrepreneurs are the top winners of the LiveWIRE Brunei Business Awards in the following categories: Category A (Business Plan) – LiveWIRE Programme Participants and Category B (Enterprise) – LiveWIRE Business Start-Up (six months to three years in business).

The winners are awarded for the feasibility and future potential of the business for Category A, and sustainability, good governance and growth potential for Category B.

The announcement of the winners was made at the LiveWIRE Brunei Business Awards Start-Up Funding Scheme event.

Attending the event as the guest of honour was Minister of Energy and Industry Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mat Suny bin Haji Mohd Hussein.

Also in attendance were Permanent Secretary (Energy and Industry) at the Ministry of Energy and Industry (MEI) Haji Mohamad Azmi bin Haji Mohd Hanifah, Permanent Secretary (Manpower and SHENA) at the MEI Haji Kamaludin bin Haji Bungsu, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Power, IT & E-Government) at the MEI Pengiran Jamra Weira bin Pengiran Haji Petra, Managing Director of BSP Dr Ceri M Powell, Managing Director and CEO of Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) Mubashar Khokhar, and CEO of DARe (Darussalam Enterprise) Javed Ahmad.

The five winners of the first LiveWIRE Brunei Business Award Scheme Funding Scheme are Hazeeyah Agro Farm, a business that prepares quality salted eggs; Santaiaje Niaga Enterprise, a bicycle rental business; Pondok Selera Kitani, a takeaway food shop; Al-Huffaz Management, a platform for Islamic religious-based services; and a car wash business called Roy’s Car Wash.

The start-up grants they each received are as follows: Hazeeyah Agro Farm BND50,000; Santaiaje Niaga Enterprise BND45,000; Pondok Selera Kitani BND30,000; Al-Huffaz Management BND20,000 and Roy’s Car Wash BND10,000.

To further manage these grants, LiveWIRE Brunei is collaborating with the appointed bank, Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD), which will provide assistance with depositing the grant and monitoring the recipients’ account. The collaboration was officially marked with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between LiveWIRE Brunei and BIBD.

Signing the MoU for LiveWIRE Brunei were In-Country Value Manager of BSP as Chairperson of LiveWIRE Brunei Hajah Rosita binti Haji Hassan and LiveWIRE

Brunei Programme Director Pengiran Redzuan bin Pengiran Haji Abbas, while the signatories for BIBD were Head of Corporate Banking Division Koh Swam Sing and General Manager of Legal Hajah Saadatun Amanda binti Pehin Orang Kaya Lela Sura Dato Seri Laila Jasa Haji Abas. Witnessing the signing were the Minister of Energy and Industry as well as the Managing Director of BSP.

The next part of the event was the contract signing ceremony between the start-up fund recipients and LiveWIRE Brunei.

Hajah Rosita and Pengiran Redzuan were the signatories for LiveWIRE Brunei. The start-up fund recipients who signed the contracts were: Nur Haziyah binti Abdul Rahman of Hazeeyah Agro Farm; Siti Nooriah binti Haji Muhammad Bokhari of Santaiaje Niaga Enterprise; Addie Fadlie bin Samsudin of Pondok Selera Kitani; Mohammad Loqman Al-Hakim bin Haji Hamdan of Al-Huffaz Management; and Dayangku Nur Hayatul Muta-Wakillah binti Pengiran Raithullah of Roys Car Wash.

The contract signing ceremony was also witnessed by the Minister of Energy and Industry and the Managing Director of BSP.

According to a press statement from LiveWIRE Brunei, future plans have been implemented to extend the scheme to participants of the LiveWIRE Business Plan Series who are able to demonstrate a realistic and feasible plan for the growth of their business.

It is hoped that these special awards will continue to motivate inspiring and talented entrepreneurs to come forward with their bright ideas and become role models for others.

This is also in line with the country’s aspiration to continuously grow and nurture local entrepreneurs and as an impetus for new and existing entrepreneurs to actively participate in Brunei Darussalam’s economic development, the press statement added. The Managing Director of BSP in a speech highlighted that the event marks another significant milestone in BSP’s entrepreneurship programme, noting that for the first time ever, five of Brunei’s best entrepreneurs were being granted with start-up funds under the banner of LiveWIRE Brunei Business Awards.

“This is an interest free grant ranging from as low as BND5,000 to a maximum of BND50,000, payable within 36 months with flexible terms of payment,” she explained. “These funds are to boost and grow their business to the next possible level based on the current performance that these entrepreneurs have demonstrated.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank BIBD for agreeing to be our appointed bank to manage the funds of our recipients,” she added.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

UNDETERRED by the scorching sun, thousands demonstrated their 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 during the monarch’s annual get-together with the people in the Temburong District in conjunction with His Majesty’s 72nd birthday celebration.

The atmosphere was exuberant in an otherwise quiet district as people from all walks of life and communities welcomed their beloved ruler yesterday.

Temburong, the Green Jewel of Brunei, is home to the country’s many ethnic groups and known for its beautiful natural environment. People in the district share one thing in common – their undivided loyalty towards the beloved monarch.

Temburong is the third district to host His Majesty’s Junjung Ziarah, one of the most significant celebrations in the country’s annual calendar of events, which was kicked off this year in the Tutong District on July 19.

Upon arrival at the Temburong helipad, His Majesty was 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 Celebration; Commissioner of the Royal Brunei Police Force Dato Paduka Seri Haji Mohd Jammy bin Haji Muhd Shah Al-Islam; Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Major General Pengiran Dato Paduka Seri Aminan bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud; permanent secretaries and deputy permanent secretaries at the Ministry of Home Affairs and Acting Temburong District Officer Haji Adnan bin Haji Adam.

The monarch was accompanied by 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.

From the helipad, His Majesty and members of the royal family went to the official residence of the Acting Temburong District Officer before proceeding to the royal dais at the field of Temburong District Civic Centre Complex.

The event commenced with the singing of the national anthem, followed by three cheers of Daulat Kebawah Duli Tuan Patik by mukim penghulus, village heads, heads of division, committee members of the 72nd birthday celebration in the Temburong District as well as those gathered for the event.

The event also saw the Acting Temburong District Officer delivering the Sembah Alu-Aluan in which he, on behalf of the people of Temburong, expressed sincere gratitude and undivided loyalty towards His Majesty and conveyed 72nd birthday greetings to the monarch.

He wished His Majesty longevity and good health and prayed that the monarch and the nation be blessed by Allah the Almighty.

To enliven the royal get-together ceremony, a colourful special field performance themed Raja Prihatin, Mahkota Rakyat was conducted.

After the performance, His Majesty, accompanied by members of the royal family, went around the field for the Junjung Ziarah – firstly to meet and greet the participants involved in the field performances and then the thousands of citizens and residents of the district who were eagerly waiting for the golden opportunity to get up close with the beloved monarch and the royal family members.

During the session, His Majesty also consented to cut a birthday cake presented by a joint venture between China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd and Ocean Quarry and Construction Sdn Bhd, which is tasked with the construction of the Temburong Bridge.

|     Fadhil Yunus     |

TUTONG Basketball registered their second victory in Group ‘A’ of the YOU-C 1000 Basketball Cup and may consequently halt Menglait Basketball passage to the next round following a closely-knitted 77-73 win at the Brunei Basketball Association Court in Batu Bersurat last night.

Menglait, which assembled a majority of Filipino players, needed to claw their way back into extending their stay in the competition by establishing an 11-point winning margin.

However, with so much importance riding on the game, the Filipino contingent, who used to enjoy deep runs in big local tournaments, were outpointed by the young guns of Tutong Basketball – further proof of a change of guard in the domestic basketball scene.

Tutong Basketball player Onn Jen Hao played a key role for his team after leading the scoring charts with 25 points while Darren Yap contributed with 17 points while A Jauhali scored 20 points in a losing effort for the Menglait Basketball Club.

Menglait Basketball Club’s Allen Salvador inspired his team to launch a highly-spirited comeback in the third quarter for a second successive game having trimmed a deficit and looked on course of meeting their requirement.

The third quarter saw Menglait enjoying an assault in the offence and keeping a shutout in defence as Jauhali and Danilo Felicilda traded a collection of points.

Tutong rose in the fourth quarter with some great plays illustrated by one incident when Menglait was destined for a fast break.

Darren Yap stole the ball from the middle of the court and a team-mate secured the two points and the bonus of a free throw which enabled them to get an upper hand over Menglait, whose hopes of an 11-point target had been evaporated.

Tutong momentarily led the top of Group ‘A’ with six points after four games before tournament contenders YTE took on the court for the second game.

As the first team to complete group stage play, Tutong will now have a much-needed break before they resume their campaign in the quarter-finals, which is scheduled next week.

Cleanwash Laundry players who were courtside, faced the possible prospect of elimination had Menglait performed a dramatic turnaround, but were greeted with positive news just before they teed off against YTE in the second match of the night.

|     Fadley Faisal     |

THE Information Department conducted a Personal Contact programme at the residence of Legislative Council member and Acting Penghulu of Mukim Labi and Village Head of Kampong Labi 1 Yang Berhormat Hanapi bin Mohd Siput yesterday.

The Information Department entourage, comprising officers and staff from its Belait branch, was led by Acting Director of Information Mawardi bin Haji Mohammad and welcomed by Yang Berhormat Hanapi.

The programme aimed to foster ties among government agencies and its members with the public at large. It is also sought to promote awareness on the importance of unity and piety towards the nation and religion as well as allegiance to 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 activities will help government agencies solve issues faced by the society and promote mukim and village developments on intensifying the Kenali Negara Kitani (KNK) programme to foreign and local tourists.

|     Achong Tanjong     |

THE Lions Club of Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB) and Sunil’s Emporium yesterday held a bag-making workshop for students of Pusat Bahagia in the Tutong District.

Lions Club BSB President Sunil Kumar Ramchandani and Club Treasurer Maya Kumar Ramchandani launched the two-day workshop held until today.

Club Secretary Nur Judy binti Abdullah, Pusat Bahagia (Tutong) Head Pengiran Mohd Najib bin Pengiran Haji Mulek and Pusat Bahagia officials were also in attendance.

Sunil’s Emporium tailors will train the 12 students on design options and pattern cutting.

Pusat Bahagia Tutong offers an array of products and the Lions Club BSB is looking at how these products can be introduced and given better exposure to the marketplace.

The created bags will be available for sale at Sunil’s Emporium. All raw materials including fabrics and laces are provided by the emporium.

The bag making is a joint project between the club and Sunil’s Emporium. It is also part of the club’s social enterprise project in equipping youth with skills to generate an income through bag making.

The effort also heeds the call 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 for youth to be more entrepreneurial.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

MINISTER of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman officially launched the Oman Publications Corner at the Religious Teachers University College of Seri Begawan (KUPU SB) Library yesterday.

The ceremony commenced with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa Selamat.

Welcoming remarks were delivered by KUPU SB Acting Ra’es Dr Haji Adanan bin Haji Basar and Oman Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Sheikh Ahmed bin Hashel bin Rashed bin Hashel Al-Maskari, before the launch.

The corner is part of efforts to promote the Omani culture in Brunei Darussalam, while further strengthening people-to-people links, which are important components of the existing strong ties between the Sultanate of Oman and Brunei Darussalam.

The publications corner contains over 280 books, highlighting the contributions made by prominent Omani scholars on various branches of knowledge – specifically the history, geography, culture, tradition, literature and heritage of the Sultanate of Oman, and other academic disciplines such as Arabic literary and linguistics studies, Islamic jurisprudence, doctrines and other forms of Islamic studies.

Dr Haji Adanan disclosed that the library has approximately 115,000 library materials in its collections acquired through purchase, gifts and exchanges.

“This proves to be very useful to our students, especially those pursuing postgraduate studies, and our reseachers who deal with various fields of learning at the university,” he added.

Although it is quite small, the KUPU SB Library can be described as having the best and most collections in Islamic education, especially in the fields of teaching.

The library is honoured to have been selected to receive yet another prominent collection from the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in Brunei Darussalam. These books will enable readers to appreciate Omani perspectives of the human condition, through writings on adventure, morality, belief systems, and many more themes, Dr Haji Adanan said.

|     Daniel Lim     |

AS PART of the School Twinning Programme (STP) between Sayyidina Ali Secondary School (SMSA) of Kuala Belait and Temasek Junior College (TJC) of Singapore, a group comprising students and teachers from both institutes visited Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam, Belait District Branch on Tuesday.

Among the group were 12 Integrated Programme 3 (Singaporean equivalent of Secondary Level Year 9) students from TJC led by the college’s Vice Principal Mark Chan, along with TJC Head of Department of Engagement and Partnership Kwan Kah Wai and TJC teacher Sharifah Shahidah Alkaff.

The SMSA delegation, meanwhile, comprised 20 Lower Sixth Form students accompanied by the school’s Deputy Principal (Administration) Mohd Shamry bin Haji Mohd Sani, School Operation Manager Haji Ja’afar Ahmad, STP Coordinator Joanne Lee Siew Peng, SMSA Counsellor Zaimah binti Abdullah and Head of Students Council Ahmad Nashihin bin Salim.

The group was welcomed to Pusat Ehsan by Belait District Branch Manager of Pusat Ehsan Hamimah binti Haji Sapar along with the centre’s staff and students.

The visit was conducted to not only help engage the students in interacting with individuals with special needs, but also to highlight the need of inclusion and empathy towards the aforementioned individuals to make them feel at ease.

The visit was held to observe the centre’s special needs students as well as to interact with them in meaningful ways through activities. A cupcake decoration and a sing-and-dance were among the activities carried out to foster closer bond between the students from both institutes and Pusat Ehsan.

Mark Chan said the exchange programme presented a unique opportunity for students to exchange ideas and cultures between the two countries.

He said, “Most of all, the programme is a fun experience for all students, and I hope they will find the visit meaningful, as well as being able to share these experiences with friends and families back home.”

Asked on what experiences he would personally take back to Singapore, Mark Chan said he would take “back the message to TJC students and teachers that while Brunei and Singapore are relatively similar to one another, there is still so much to learn from each other as each country has a diverse culture and education system, with the hope that we will be able to work on each other’s strengths and be progressive at the same time”.

The students who arrived in Brunei on July 23 will be in the country until tomorrow as part of the STP, an exchange programme held for the first time between the two institutes.

During their time in Brunei, the TJC students will learn various aspects of Brunei with regard to culture, landmarks and the education system, while fostering a closer relationship with Bruneian students as they participate in classes and lessons as well as activities.

|     Danial Norjidi     |

BANK Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) handed over a Musafir’s guide for Haj pilgrimage to the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) yesterday.

The book entitled Buku Panduan Musafir was prepared as a result of close collaborations between BIBD, the Islamic Da’wah Centre and MoRA to better prepare Bruneian pilgrims performing their Haj this year to reap the most out of their journey.

As BIBD explained in a press release, the support for the publication of the book is also part of BIBD’s effort in supporting 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 vision of a Zikir Nation and towards Baldatun Tayyibatun Wa Rabbun Ghafur.

The guide expands on guidance and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) on the etiquette and self-conduct before, during and after the Haj pilgrimage, prayers and methods during travel, frequently asked questions and more.

The guide also elaborates on etiquettes in travelling which include preparation before, during and after travel and ways to pray during travel as well as frequently asked questions during travel.

According to a press release from the Islamic Da’wah Centre, 2,000 copies of the book have been published to be distributed to relevant parties.

Yesterday’s event, which took place at The Brunei Hotel in Bandar Seri Begawan, began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa, before proceeding with the handover of the guide.

The guide was handed over by Head of Government Relations and Special Projects of BIBD Haji Mohammad Yusri bin Haji Wahsalfelah.

Receiving the guide on behalf of MoRA was Acting Director of the Islamic Da’wah Centre and the guest of honour Haji Abdul Rajid bin Haji Mohd Salleh.

The guide book will be distributed to Haj travel agencies such as Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd, Straits Central Agencies, Raudah Al-Amin and At-Taqwa Travel Tours.