|     Danial Norjidi     |

THE importance of knowledge management was highlighted in a recent speech by Centre Director of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Regional Centre for Vocational and Technical Education and Training (Voctech) Dr Haji Mohd Zamri bin Haji Sabli.

The centre director delivered his speech during the closing ceremony of the Customised Training Programme on Knowledge Management on August 10.

“We have heard the old saying, ‘knowledge is power’ and we recognise the truth in our everyday working and personal lives. However in recent years, it has become clear that globally, we are somewhat lacking in high-end skills that many organisations require,” he said.

“To gain highly qualified employees, it takes a certain amount of investment. However, this takes many forms and one of the most important for modern organisations is recognising and fostering those that have knowledge in the first place.”

He underlined that these days, knowledge is not only power, but is also something that can be used with an organisation to foster innovation.

“Knowledge is a very huge and important asset with each individual and organisation. With a strong and clear knowledge system, it helps the organisation to minimise the unnecessary faults as well as lead to better performance.”

The centre director then proceeded to share a definition of knowledge management. “There are many definitions of knowledge management but the one I prefer is the simplest – ‘Knowledge Management is the way we manage our organisation when we understand the value of knowledge’. In other words, it is the management framework that we put in place to maximise the value and application of our knowledge.

“Therefore knowledge management is the systematic management of the organisation’s knowledge assets, (which can be in the form of documents, policies or databases) for the purpose of creating value and meeting strategic requirements of the organisation. Knowledge management consists of the initiatives, processes, strategies and systems that sustain and enhance the storage, assessment, sharing, refinement and creation of knowledge.”

He affirmed that there are many reasons why knowledge management is vital for today’s organisations. He said that knowledge management speeds up access to information and knowledge; improves decision-making processes; promotes innovation and cultural change; improves the efficiency of an organisation’s operations and processes; and also increases customer satisfaction, according to a study in the United States.

“Of course, in this context of knowledge management, technology plays a very important role. Technology should not be perceived simply as an enabling tool, but as a driver for new collaborative practices and sharing of knowledge,” he added.

|     James Kon     |

ELEVEN teams from educational institutions nationwide gave compelling presentations during the final round of the Oil and Gas Discovery Centre (OGDC) Science Show Competition held on Sunday, at the Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD)’s Core Theatre.

Aimed at promoting science in a fun and exciting manner, the participating teams were required to give science demonstrations before a live audience, along with a spirited combination of speaking, singing and musical skills.

Bagging the first place in the Lower Secondary category was the Young Avicenna team from Mahad Islam Brunei, comprising Muhammad Irfaan bin Bismil and Muhammad ZainulIhsan bin Haji Abdul Rani, who received a cash prize of BND700.

In second place were Lee Chao Cherng and Tham Zhi Lin, of the Smarty Pants team from Chung Ching Middle School, who took home a cash prize of BND350.

In the Upper Secondary category, the It’s A Secret team from St Angela’s School, comprising Ampuan Amirah Farahiyah binti Ampuan Haji Mohammad and Aaron Alvin Luis Chiong Jordan, took first place and a cash prize of BND800.

The second-place winner was the Sweat, Regret and Oxygen Debt team from St George’s School, made up of Kelly Conrad Mosidin and Jennifer Jane Ambrose, which received a BND400 cash prize.

In the Higher Institution category, first place went to team PTES Physicist, composed of Liaw Yee Wei and Ibnu Dasila bin Haji Abdullah from the Sengkurong Sixth Form Centre, which received a BND900 cash prize.

The runner-up was ST Roqet of Politeknik Brunei, comprising Abdul Qawi Rabbani bin Haji Abdul Rajak and Dayangku Erni Nazirah binti Pengiran Harbi, who won a cash prize of BND400. Meanwhile, the best overall performers were Muhammad Irfaan bin Bismi, from the Lower Secondary category; Kelly Conrad Mosidin, from the Upper Secondary category; and Ibnu Dasila bin Haji Abdul Rajak, from the Higher Institution category.

The other finalists were presented with the Merit award, as an acknowledgement of their best efforts during the competition.

The prizes were presented by Haziq Abdullah Lim, the Social Investment Lead of Brunei Shell Petroleum Sdn Bhd (BSP).

Specially invited guests from the Ministry of Education, UBD, LiveWIRE Brunei and BSP were present.

The judges for the competition finals were Head of the OGDC Nur Karnina binti Karim; OGDC Senior Science Communicator Albert Chang; and Brunei Speakers Club members Hilman Omar and Rahmat Tarsat.

|     Danial Norjidi     |

A SIGNIFICANT milestone was reached yesterday as Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) and Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sdn Bhd (BSP) signed a Supplemental Agreement in the presence of Shell Eastern Petroleum (Pte) Ltd (Shell) to continue their relationship in supporting research and development, education and the application of knowledge to enhance the technological capabilities of Brunei Darussalam’s oil and gas sector.

The agreement was signed by Vice-Chancellor of UTB Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah binti Haji Sulaiman and Managing Director of BSP Dr Ceri M Powell in the presence of Senior Shareholder Representative for Shell Stuart Goodman, in a ceremony held at UTB.

According to a press statement, UTB, BSP and Shell initially signed a Funding Agreement in 2009 to fund the planning and development of the Chemical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering undergraduate degree programmes in UTB.

The Supplemental Agreement was signed to update the scope of the Funding Agreement to include a renewed list of collaborative programmes, including notably in the field of new (renewable) energies, a new composition of the Steering Committee that is to oversee the implementation of the programmes and to extend the term of the agreement for the next five years.

The press statement explained that under the Supplemental Agreement, the parties to it will implement projects that include: Support for the Petroleum and Chemical Engineering Programme Area; continued development of fully fledged Petroleum Engineering and Chemical Engineering programmes in UTB; big data and analytics for the petroleum industry; setting-up of a Core Testing Facility in UTB; and research and development in new energies.

The agreement is also another milestone for BSP in its efforts to fuel Brunei’s future and to be a partner of choice through the energy transition, it was shared.

UTB continues to work with its stakeholders, especially from the industry, to enhance the educational experience of its students and provide solutions to contemporary issues facing the industry and society through translational research, the statement added.

|     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 afternoon received in audience Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia Dato’ Saifuddin bin Abdullah.

Accompanying the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia during the audience ceremony were Undersecretary, Southeast Asia Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia Eldeen Husaini bin Mohd Hashim; and Charge d’Affaires who is also Minister Counsellor at the High Commission of Malaysia in Brunei Darussalam Rafedah binti Abdul Aziz.

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 Emaleen binti Abdul Rahman Teo were also present.

Dato’ Saifuddin was sworn in as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia on July 2.

The audience ceremony took place at the Istana Nurul Iman.

|     Rokiah Mahmud     |

PUSAT Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam yesterday received a donation amounting BND5,000 in a ceremony held at McDonald’s in Jerudong.

The donation was a collaborative effort by Telekom Brunei Berhad (TelBru), Tele Directories Sdn Bhd (Yellow Pages), Daikyo Environmental Recycling Sdn Bhd and Makan Ceria Sdn Bhd.

Policy and Planning Trustee of Pusat Ehsan Haji Ahmad bin Haji Abdul Rahman received mock cheques from TelBru, Yellow Pages and Daikyo Environmental Recycling Sdn Bhd through ‘Yellow Pages Recycling Initiative’, a programme led by TelBru. This was followed by refreshments and entertainment for the group.

In her opening speech, TelBru Chief Corporate Services Officer Hajah Rosmawati binti Haji Manaf said, “In our continuous efforts to give back to the community, TelBru aims to support the various aspects of children’s welfare, including but not limited to special needs and disadvantaged children/youth. We hope that this event is the start of many collaborations between TelBru and the private sectors.”

Representing Yellow Pages was its Managing Director James Lee while Daikyo Environmental Recycling Sdn Bhd was represented by its Managing Director Hung Ah Hing.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

A LAST second change of mind turned out to be hugely rewarding for Sharon Mui, the Kuala Belait native who bagged herself a brand new Toyota C-HR as she opted to go for the key hanging in the lower row instead of the one above.

Sharon, representing her husband Wong Fook Hin as one of the 13 lucky draw finalists of the Standard Chartered Hua Ho Mastercard Platinum Campaign, did not expect to have luck on her side during the draw, so it was no surprise that she took more than a few seconds to realise she had won the grand prize even after the alarm to the C-HR sounded upon pressing on the key fob.

Sharing her excitement with the media, Sharon said the win was really beyond her wildest expectations, and that her decision to drive up to Bandar from Kuala Belait early in the morning to represent her husband (who could not attend the draw due to teaching commitment at Sayyidina Ali Secondary School) really paid off.

The Standard Chartered Hua Ho MasterCard Platinum Campaign is a collaboration between Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) and Hua Ho Department Store running from May 4 to July 31, offering the bank’s MasterCard Platinum Credit Card customers the chance to win the grand prize of a Toyota C-HR.

Head of Retail Products and Segments at SCB Jocelane Basir noted that the campaign was one of SCB’s biggest promotions of the year.

“The bank is very proud to be collaborating with one of the most established retail brands in Brunei, Hua Ho Department Store, to refresh the Standard Chartered Hua Ho MasterCard Platinum Credit Card,” she said.

“The campaign for this co-brand card is testament to the strength of our partnership with Hua Ho, and we look forward to more collaboration on exciting promotions in the future.”

The draw for the promotion took place at the atrium of Hua Ho Manggis Mall, and was attended by invited guests including the management and staff of Standard Chartered Bank and Hua Ho Department Store, as well as members of the media.

The remaining 12 of the 13 finalists – who were drawn internally by SCB – were Koh Siew Fung, Tiamah binti Haji Kahan, Haji Abu Bakar bin Haji Abdul Hamid, Foo Chuan Yong, Kon Nyet Mo, Bridget Newn Siew Moi, Lim Chin Lam, Mohamed Yusof bin Shaik, Yap Chen Cheng, Lim Thian Huat, Salilah Begum and Tony Voon.

During the prize drawing session, the finalists were required to participate in three elimination rounds to determine who moved on to the final round to vie for the Toyota C-HR grand prize or shopping vouchers.

In the first elimination round, eight finalists moved on to the second round, while five were eliminated (they each won a BND800 Hua Ho shopping vouchers as consolation). In the second round, another five were eliminated (each winning BND600 Hua Ho shopping vouchers).

For the final round, the three finalists took turns to choose the correct key to unlock the Toyota C-HR, with Sharon Mui (representing Wong Fook Hin) eventually emerging as the grand prize winner. The remaining two finalists each won themselves BND1,000 worth of Hua Ho shopping vouchers.

SCB offers customers who sign up for the Standard Chartered Hua Ho MasterCard Platinum Credit Card a three-year fee waiver and various vouchers worth BND120 as a welcome gift.

|     Rokiah Mahmud     |

TWO single mothers yesterday expressed gratitude to the Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB) and Community Development Department (JAPEM) for the assistance to the duo to generate an income.

Aliana binti Ibrahim from Kampong Bengkurong and Sinur binti Abas from Kampong Mulaut hope the assistance – in the form of an agricultural technology model – will help them secure a sustainable income.

Director of Agriculture and Agrifood Hajah Aidah binti Haji Mohd Hanifah presented the agricultural technology model to the duo.

The agricultural technology model – introduced by the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood – is a cheap agriculture method that is cost-effective and easy to use. The assistance is given to low income groups that include youth and single mothers.

Each system of the planting unit costs between BND30 to BND50. However, it is able to produce a monthly income of up to BND300. This technology allows individuals to plant various types of vegetables.

The department encourages the public to venture in this type of farming, with training provided for interested parties.

Aliana is a mother of five who lives with her parents and siblings, while Sinur is a mother of two – one of whom is of special needs.

Sinur receives monthly assistance from JAPEM and a monthly financial assistance from MUIB. Baitulmal is paying for the rented house she currently lives in.

|     James Kon     |

BRUNEI Darussalam and the Republic of Singapore reaffirmed the excellent and long-standing bilateral defence ties of both countries during an official visit by Minister of Defence II Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof to Singapore, upon invitation by Singapore Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen.

Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi’s visit commenced on Monday with a courtesy call on Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. They expressed deep satisfaction with the state of bilateral relations, particularly in the field of defence.

The day after, the Brunei Minister called on Dr Ng Eng Hen at the Singapore Ministry of Defence. Prior to the courtesy call, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi inspected the guard of honour mounted by personnel of the Singapore Armed Forces.

During the courtesy call, both ministers reaffirmed the excellent long-standing bilateral defence ties between Brunei Darussalam and Singapore. They also exchanged views on a range of security issues, highlighting the growing importance of working closely together to address these challenges.

Discussions were also held regarding Singapore’s chairmanship of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM), with Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi expressing Brunei’s whole-hearted support for the ADMM and ADMM-Plus meetings scheduled for October.

The Brunei Minister also had the opportunity to meet key political figures and senior officials of Singapore on the sidelines of the visit. They included Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean, Senior Minister of State for Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Mohamad Maliki bin Osman, and Deputy Secretary (Special Projects) David Koh Tee Hian.

On the last day of his visit, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi will tour the Singapore Air Force’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Command, and a cybersecurity facility.

|     Azlan Othman     |

FOREIGN and Commonwealth Office Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field began a six-country visit to Southeast Asia yesterday, during which he will spend time in Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said yesterday.

Field will deliver a keynote speech on the United Kingdom (UK)’s ‘All of Asia’ policy at Jakarta’s Centre for Strategic and International Studies and lead the UK delegation for the second biannual Laos-UK political dialogue.

He will also visit the Halo Trust Cambodia Headquarters to meet demining teams, who with UK funding have released over 70 square kilometres of land over the last three years.

The minister will hold bilateral meetings with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano of the Philippines, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi, and meet members of the civil society and the business and economic communities.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Field said, “I am hugely excited by the opportunities this visit presents.

“I look forward to continuing the ongoing conversation around our post-Brexit relationship with ASEAN and its members, and deepening the UK’s ties with one of the world’s most dynamic and vibrant regions.”

|     Danial Norjidi     |

THE Commonwealth is significant as an advocate for peace, community and young people as well as creating a rules-based system, and its strength lies in its flexibility and ability to respond to different countries’ needs.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said this during an interview with the Bulletin on August 6.

She noted that the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in London in April, saw 53 leaders agreeing on a whole agenda in the communique, and she described it as a historically extraordinary moment.

On the role of the Commonwealth in today’s world, she said, “I think it has a big role to play as an advocate for peace, community, particularly for young people, as 60 per cent of the Commonwealth is under the age of 30.”

“It has a role to play on creating a rules-based system, because it’s still multi-lateral in the way that we do business with each other. It’s not simply a bilateral nationalistic approach,” she added.

“Its strength lies in the fact that it’s flexible and can respond to the needs of different countries, but from the Secretariat’s point of view, we have also been described by a number of our countries as their bad weather friend. We are there to help with technical assistance, and the Commonwealth historically has always walked with people.”

The secretary-general also highlighted, “I think young people are extraordinarily important, and the interconnectivity that’s developing between our Commonwealth young people is really something we should celebrate, nurture and support, because if our Commonwealth is to have longevity, then we really have to build that platform for young people.

“We have a huge bulge right now in which we must invest, because that’s where our real wealth is. I think our young people are our real gold, so I believe we should invest in them.”

The secretary-general also spoke on the new Commonwealth website,www.thecommonwealth.org, which she said contains “not just the news but all our work in real time”.

“We’ve literally created a lake of data. Many countries have said that they have difficulties accessing data so if you go on that website, you’ll see everything we are doing in economic and social development, governance, peace, trade and oceans there.”

Touching on the Commonwealth Innovation Hub, she said, “We’ve created this new innovation hub in which we’re pooling the innovations coming from all 53 countries so that we can share them.

“We’re going to create a ‘Commonwealth Innovation Awards’. We have come together with the Commonwealth Innovation Fund, joining with the Global Innovation Fund, and they’re going to create a fund of £25 million to create incubators for innovators.

“If you go on our site, you’ll see that we’ve got a country space, where every country in the Commonwealth can highlight all the innovations they want the rest of the world to know about.

“We also have a databank of all the open source data that can be used to create the empirical evidence to develop policies. This is an opportunity to bring available data for 53 countries in one place, and allow people to look at what the other countries have already produced, so you don’t have to try and reinvent the wheel.

“We’ll also be trying to share our mistakes, because if you can learn from other people’s mistakes, then you don’t have to repeat them yourself,” she said.

“So we believe this innovation, sharing of data, community of knowledge and lake of information is extremely important,” she added.

The secretary-general recently made her first official visit to Brunei Darussalam as part of an 11-day tour to three Commonwealth countries.

|     Azlan Othman     |

PERMANENT Secretary (Higher Education) at the Ministry of Education Dr Haji Azman bin Ahmad said that the 5th Strategic Educational Alliance of Southeast Asia (SEA2) Conference, being hosted by Brunei Darussalam, is aimed at encouraging participating educators to build or strengthen cross-cultural networks through respectful partnerships and exchanges of expertise.

Speaking at the official launching of the conference yesterday at Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College (MSPSBS), Dr Haji Azman quoted an excerpt from the Teachers’ Day 2017 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, “As educators, teachers are required to be at their very best, in order to produce successful students. Teachers are the key to success.”

This year’s SEA2 Conference focusses on the theme ‘ASEAN Speaks: Origin of Language’, while bringing together educators and students to amalgamate the rich cultures and languages that are spoken in Southeast Asian countries.

Dr Haji Azman said, “I am informed of the positive feedback shared by previous conference participants. Teachers learnt different pedagogical approaches, and the conference was an eye-opener for them to venture into more innovative approaches in their teaching and learning.

“Our students too have learned about team-building, and best of all, getting to meet new acquaintances from neighbouring countries. I hope that this year’s conference will bring about significant impact and benefits to our teachers and students that will result in significant improvements, particularly in the teaching and learning of our teachers and students.

“SEA2 aims to bring established schools from Southeast Asia together to create greater synergy between educators and students in the region. The goals are to establish a structured platform for like-minded education institutions in the Southeast Asian region to work together; and to provide extended opportunities for students from across the region to work and play together, through experiential learning programmes, student forums and so on.”

The Principal of MSPSBS and event chairperson, Hajah Susilawati binti Dato Paduka Haji Muhammad, also hoped that the conference participants would gain more awareness and knowledge of experiential learning.

A total of 83 administrators, teachers and students from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam will participate in the conference, while also engaging in cultural displays, discussions and touring places of interest until August 17.

The conference will feature student findings from last year’s project, headlined ‘Lack of Control of Technology’. Aside from student presentations, teachers will share their best practices on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

UNIVERSITI Teknologi Brunei (UTB) has been recognised as a five-star university based on the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Star Rating System after achieving five Stars overall and five Stars in six out of the seven categories, namely, Teaching, Employability, Internationalisation, Facilities, Social Responsibility and Inclusiveness.

QS has upgraded UTB from a four-star rated university, making it the only university in the Sultanate with five Stars for overall excellence. QS Stars is an international rating system that provides institutions with a broader range of criteria that allows them to stand out in particular areas of excellence.

A total of 208 universities were star-rated this year; 11 universities including Nanyang Technological University (NTU) were rated 5+ Stars and 43 universities including UTB were rated five Stars. Other universities which also achieved five Stars include Boston University in the US; Aston University, the University of Exeter, University of Surrey, University of Strathclyde and University of Stirling in the United Kingdom; University of Canterbury in New Zealand; and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in Malaysia.

There were 12 additional new indicators submitted by UTB, making a total of 64 indicators audited by QS this year.

These 12 new indicators analysed the reputation of programmes offered by UTB based on the feedback of the current and prospective students, academics and employers taken over the last six months. QS also evaluated the qualities, in terms of faculty strength and achievements in accreditations, of the programmes in meeting the minimum enrolment numbers specified by QS. UTB has significantly improved its overall score by 11.2 per cent from last year’s score of 625 through its internationally accredited programmes, quality teaching and highly international research output.

Employability was one of UTB’s best-performing categories and a key component of its success, according to a report provided by QS. UTB received five Stars in this category. In the Social Responsibility category, UTB scored a perfect score of 50 points and five Stars. The university was also awarded full points for its charity work and acts of goodwill.

Though not scoring full five Stars in the Research Category, UTB has made an improvement by scoring two Stars.

Under the newly introduced Strength Programme category, UTB’s Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Computing programme has an excellent employment rate and an outstanding completion rate of 92 per cent in the programme contributed to its score. QS also reported that the university has a stellar satisfaction rate of 95 per cent among its students in the programme which has resulted in full points. UTB has also achieved points for obtaining professional accreditation of the programme by the British Computer Society (BCS).

QS Intelligence Unit collected the data and evaluated it against the QS Stars criteria; UTB has met all the pre-requisites and has been awarded five Stars.

UTB is also ranked at number 57 for Young Global University under 50 years of age and this presents another great achievement as UTB is only 10 years old.

“It is with utmost pleasure that I convey my best wishes to and congratulate Universiti Teknologi Brunei on being benchmarked against some of the world’s reputable universities. But more than this, this university has made leaps and bounds in the recent years that are nothing short of being remarkable.

“As an exemplar of innovation and dynamics, I urge the university to keep up the excellent work. The high standards set especially in the successful hands-on approach are just some of the merits that have placed UTB apart from many others. Once again, congratulations to UTB for making Brunei proud,” said Acting Minister of Education Datin Seri Paduka Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh.

Vice-Chancellor of UTB Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah binti Haji Sulaiman sees the achievement as an impetus for further growth of the young university on an international stage.

“Alhamdulillah, thanks to the inspiring leadership 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, support of His Majesty’s Government and the hard work of everyone in the university.

“It has been a challenging journey for a fledgling university, but we continue to believe in our potential in making a difference to the higher education landscape.

“UTB is now proud to be in the same league with other renowned universities by being rated five Stars, ranked at number 165 in Asia and 442 in the world.”

This recent achievement is also in line with the titah by His Majesty during the UTB Convocation Ceremony in 2017 where the monarch highlighted the need for UTB to multiply its internationalisation efforts in order to attract more foreign students to the university.

Besides working towards getting UTB’s programmes fully accredited, the QS Star rating is one of its efforts to put UTB in the world education map which will consequently attract foreign students to the university.

|     Syazwani Hj Rosli     |

BRUNEI Darussalam continues to take the threat of cybercrime very seriously and undertake significant efforts to ensure the protection of the nation and its people.

This was stated by Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud while delivering his speech at the opening of the 11th China-ASEAN Prosecutors-General Conference (11th CAPGC) yesterday.

Currently being organised by the Attorney General’s Chambers of Brunei Darussalam at The Rizqun International Hotel, the conference is themed ‘Enhancing Capabilities and Cooperation in Addressing Cybercrime’.

“We live in an increasingly interconnected world where technology has become an indispensable part of our daily lives, and where the promise of the “Internet of Things” (IOT) has begun to manifest itself in more and more of our data enabled devices.

“Technology and the Internet have fundamentally changed the way we live and interact, bringing about a digital revolution that offers immense opportunities for social-economic growth and development.

“The advances of this revolution however, have also led to the evolution of new generation of threats and risks, as criminals, terrorists and extremists seek to exploit the borderless world of the Internet for their own nefarious purposes,” the minister said.

“Crime in cyberspace is attractive due to its swift, anonymous and borderless nature, and we now see an increase in fraud and money laundering carried out through the online technology.

“The use of the Internet by terrorists and extremists to spread their propaganda and facilitate recruitment is also on the rise, particularly through social media channels,” he added.

According to the minister, “Brunei Darussalam too has seen its share of threats posed by cybercriminals and those seeking to promote terrorist and extremist agendas.

“Our countries must be vigilant against new cyber threats that are constantly emerging. The proliferation of misinformation and confusion through fake news on the Internet and its associated media has been identified as a new form of cybercrime that may endanger social cohesion and affect national security in many countries.

“Nowadays, human creativity has been exploited to distort truth and create false stories with the aim to deliberately misinform the public for various interests and purposes. Today, our biggest challenge is to guarantee the credibility and reliability of the sources of information. Without a doubt, fake news is a threat not only to the government, but also to society’s trust in each other,” he said.

To counter this, the minister advocated the need for education on all levels on the responsible use of digital technology, the enhancement of data security to ensure that the public becomes less liable to become victims of Internet scams as well as the need for a “collective ASEAN way” to engage media providers since ASEAN can leverage on established communication links to combat the misuse and abuse of data.

The minister continued, “In view of this, Brunei Darussalam has taken a number of initiatives to tackle cybercrime including – firstly, strengthening enforcement in order to ensure that our nation and population are protected; secondly, the establishment of the Cybersecurity Working Group to coordinate information sharing and formulate joint action to address cybercrime and cybersecurity matter that led to the creation of the Brunei Darussalam National

Cybersecurity Framework in 2017 to ensure the country’s cyber defences are cohesive and robust; thirdly, the setting up of a Cybercrime Focus Group by the Attorney General that aims to continuously study and research international best practices while ensuring our laws are compliant with international standards; fourthly, creating a strong legal framework in any national strategy to address cybercrime where, the laws of Brunei Darussalam such as the Computer Misuse Act and the Penal Code ensure that cybercriminals are brought swiftly to justice and punished.

“In relations to this, Brunei Darussalam became the first country in this region to establish a Child Online Protection Framework built upon the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) – Child Online Protection Initiative in support of the country’s priority in protecting children and younger generation.

“Lastly, public awareness campaigns and outreach programmes initiated by the Attorney General’s Chambers in educating younger generation and disseminating preventive messages to reduce vulnerability to cybercrime especially through social media.”

The minister noted that “cybercrime is a global challenge that needs to be tackled collectively and we need to have an innovative approach to address it. Hence, an international cooperation is essential and I encourage the prosecutors and law enforcement agencies of our region and beyond, to work closer together to eradicate cybercrime”.

“This is particularly important in light of the recent ASEAN Leader’s Statement on Cybersecurity Cooperation at the recent 32nd ASEAN Summit in Singapore.

“We need to work with multilateral agencies such as the United Nations and the International Police Organization (INTERPOL). Regional efforts through ASEAN such as the ASEAN Cyber Capacity Program and ASEAN Cybersecurity Cooperation Strategy as well as conferences such as this play an important role in addressing cybercrime,” he added.

The minister commended the establishment of the ASEAN Cybercrime Prosecutors’ Roundtable Meeting which provides a platform for sharing knowledge and expertise among prosecutors on fighting cybercrime across ASEAN.

He wished all participants a fruitful and productive conference and encouraged all delegations to share each other’s best practices as well as the challenges faced by their jurisdictions, hoping that they will also look at more efficient ways to cooperate with one another to strengthen the region’s cyber resilience.

“The Joint Declaration that will be conclude this conference will no doubt be a strong testament to the unwavering commitment of prosecutors in China-ASEAN region in fighting cybercrime,” the minister concluded, wishing all delegations success and a pleasant stay in Brunei Darussalam.

|     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 11 heads of delegations attending the 11th China-ASEAN Prosecutors-General Conference, being held in Brunei from August 14-15.

Present at the audience ceremony was His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office.

At the ceremony, His Majesty received in audience Zhang Jun, Procurator General of the People’s Republic of China; Chea Leang, Prosecutor General of the Kingdom of Cambodia; Wong Yuen Kuai Lucien, Senior Counsel (SC), Attorney General of the Republic of Singapore; Xaysana Khotphouphone, Deputy Supreme People’s Prosecutor of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic; Win Myint, Deputy Attorney General of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; Dr Arminsyah, Vice Attorney General of the Republic of Indonesia; Datin Paduka Zauyah Be binti T Loth Khan, Second Solicitor General of Malaysia; Nattachak Pattamasingh Na Ayuthaya, Inspector General of the Kingdom of Thailand; Tran Cong Phan, Deputy Prosecutor General of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; David Leung Cheuk-Yin, Senior Counsel (SC), Director of Public Prosecutions, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; and Ip Son Sang, Prosecutor General, Macao Special Administrative Region.

Also present were Dato Paduka Haji Hairol Arni bin Haji Abdul Majid, Attorney General and Zuraini binti Haji Sharbawi, Solicitor General.

The audience ceremony took place at the Istana Nurul Iman.

|     Ishan Ibrahim     |

BRUNEI Darussalam’s Chef de Mission Umi Kalthum binti Haji Abdul Karim is feeling hopeful and confident of the nation’s chances in the 18th Asian Games to be held in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang from August 18 — September 2.

She said Brunei Darussalam will participate in some categories for the first time at the Asian Games level while the nation has achieved bronze medals in karate and sepak takraw in past games.

“This is a large Bruneian contingent so we hope to improve on the achievement of bronze medals,” she said.

Asked what the best chances were of achieving medals and in which categories, she replied, “This will be in the categories of Pencak Silat and Wushu.”

This expectation is based on achievements in previous competitions, she explained.

“In the other sports categories, we hope that our national athletes will put up a stiff challenge against their competitors.

“The level at this Asian Games is obviously higher than at the SEA Games. Other nations will also aim at medals, so our athletes must not only be physically ready but also be mentally prepared to fight for honours at this Games,” she said.

Wushu athlete Md Adi Salihin bin Roslan expressed confidence that their team can do well in the 18th Asian Games.

He and his brother Mohd Sufi Shayiran bin Roslan with other Wushu athletes will try their best to gain honours for the nation, he said.

“This will be my first time participating in the Asian Games, nevertheless I will try my best to be competitive,” he said.

“I will try to capitalise on my experience from last year’s SEA Games and I hope to improve on that performance this time around,” he said.

National Wushu coach Li Hui said the Wushu team has prepared for this Asian Games for a year, training hard at the Menglait Sports Complex, and have also trained in China for about three weeks.

He also placed his hopes that his charges will put up a good challenge at the Games, and added that the team gained good experience from their first participation at the past Asian Games.

|     Ishan Ibrahim     |

THE Brunei Darussalam contingent of national athletes taking part in the 18th Asian Games to be held in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang left the country, with hopes of the nation carried by them.

The 18th Asian Games is taking place from August 18 – September 2.

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 was at the Brunei International Airport to bid them farewell.

The minister also gave them advice and urged them to do their best, and to preserve and enhance the good name, image, integrity and honour of the nation.

The Brunei Darussalam contingent of 15 athletes and 16 officers include the Chef de Mission Umi Kalthum binti Haji Abdul Karim, the secretary, team manager, trainer and medical personnel.

The Brunei athletes will take part in seven events – athletics, wushu, weightlifting, equestrian, golf, karate and pencak silat.

|     Fadhil Yunus     |

DPMM FC missed the chance to narrow the gap on second place after a second straight 1-1 draw with Young Lions in the Singapore Premier League at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore last night.

All three rivals who are in contention for second place were in action but Home United came out the happiest after a thumping 5-1 win against struggling Geylang International FC. Tampines Rovers, the team in pole position, dropped points in the race yet again after a 2-1 defeat to Warriors and are hanging on to second spot only via goal difference.

The hosts came close in breaking the deadlock in the third minute after Ikhsan Fandi struck after having skipped past DPMM FC defender Brian McLean outside the box.

Young Lions forward Hami Syahin was counting his lucky stars after his misplaced pass into no man’s land allowed Azwan Ali an opportunity to counter as he skipped past Irfan Fandi with a lofted ball. Aware of defenders closing an angle for a shot, he sets up Volodymyr Pryimov whose powerful drive was denied by goalkeeper Zharfan Rohaizad.

Shafie Efenddy found Adi Said but the forward skied his effort wide.

Syed Firdaus’s effort from a promising position sailed wide after Brian McLean’s header fell into his path having attempted to clear a decent delivery from Zulqarnaen Suzliman.

A sloppy play from Joshua Pereira allowed DPMM FC possession of the ball but Shafie’s shot trickled wide after being played through by Azwan Ali.

Shah Razen Said announced himself in the game in style moments after being introduced as a substitute with a stunning strike having nipped past Nazhiim Harman and Zulqarnaen.

However, Young Lions were not behind for too long as Young Lions pegged back into level terms four minutes later after Ikhsan converted a penalty, sending DPMM FC goalkeeper Haimie Anak Nyaring the wrong way.

Shah Razen saw the ball spinning into the back of the net with a fine header but the goal was disallowed after a DPMM FC player was found to be in obstruction of the goalkeeper.

Young Lions midfielder Haiqal Pashia curled a decent effort from outside the box which Haimie did well diving to his left to make the save but it was the industry of Zulqarnaen who was responsible for an opening.

The Young Lions midfielder drove from his own half and played a neat one-two with a team-mate before darting into the flanks and laying the ball to Haiqal.

Azwan Ali had a chance to score the winner right at the death but was denied by a crucial block by Young Lions substitute Prakash Raj.

|     Hakim Hayat     |

CONTINUOUS training for prosecutors and a strong legalisation framework are required to ensure that criminals behind crimes are brought to justice and to keep up with the various challenges posed by cybercrime in today’s global landscape, Attorney General of Brunei Darussalam Dato Paduka Haji Hairol Arni bin Haji Abdul Majid said.

In his closing remarks at the conclusion of the 11th China-ASEAN Prosecutors-General Conference hosted by Brunei Darussalam at The Rizqun International Hotel yesterday, the Attorney General said this year’s Conference convened under the theme, ‘Enhancing Capabilities and Cooperation in Addressing Cybercrime’ could not have been organised at a better and opportune time than now where the threat from cybercrime is multi-dimensional, targetting citizens, businesses and governments alike at a rapidly growing rate.

As the advances in technology moves far too quick for conventional law enforcement methods to keep pace, he said that conferences like this provided a vital opportunity for nations to agree on practical steps to improve cooperation and represents a substantial demonstration of regional cooperation and reiteration of ASEAN and China’s common interest to suppress cybercrime.

He highlighted the importance of continuous training and enhancing the expertise of prosecutors in the field of cybercrime to effectively analyse and prosecute cases related to cybercrimes. This, he said, is prevalent in this region as most jurisdictions have teams of prosecutors dedicated and trained to prosecute cybercriminals.

However, he said that specialised prosecutors alone cannot eradicate cybercriminals and legislation is another key to combating cybercrime.

“Throughout this conference, we have heard of the necessary legislative frameworks in place to investigate and prosecute cybercrimes. These laws are constantly reviewed and where required, are amended to ensure that we are not lagging behind the technological advancements,” he added.

“No matter what trends we see in cybercrime,” the Attorney General said that “our governments can do more to better understand and respond to the crime through cooperation”.

“We share a growing understanding of the difficulties faced in our jurisdictions against cybercrime and we need to work towards developing a well-coordinated response on an international level,” he said.

|     Azlan Othman     |

TWO drivers were fined BND200 and received 12 Driver Safety Practice System (SiKAP) demerit points each for using mobile phones while driving and three private vehicle drivers were slapped with a fine of BND150 and nine SiKAP demerit points each for failing to wear seatbelts.

Meanwhile, 21 drivers of transport companies received compound fines between BND50 and BND100 for various traffic offences, including several drivers receiving compound fine of BND50 and six SiKAP demerit points each for driving with bald tyres.

Syarikat Awinco Sdn Bhd was also issued a temporary suspension of its Rent and Hire Licence for three months and the company’s driver hit with a compound fine of BND500 for a fourth offence of carrying heavier load.

All drivers were found to have violated the Road Traffic Act and Regulations during the on-going operation and patrolling by the Enforcement Division, Land Transport Department (JPD) from August 4 to 8 on the country’s highways.

The companies and their drivers were Mimi Syamimi Contractor (Raju Mondal), Nur Hadiah Sdn Bhd (Ahmad Kabeer Allah Bakkas), Shah Zan Sdn Bhd (Raju Soma Sundaram), Q Stone Sdn Bhd (Poniman), Humemix Sdn Bhd (Jaya Edi Hartono), HS Discovery (Durjat), Sarikat Mohyunus Tengah dan Keluarga (Dodi Gunawan bin Jujan Nata), Sweetie Services (Sweetie bin Warichan), Perniagaan dan Perusahaan Seri Ujong Jalan (Mohamed Ismail), Waltique Sdn Bhd (Waras), Timbertech Sdn Bhd (Kusnan Mustaram), Archipelago Development Corp Sdn Bhd (Agus Sutoro), Q Stone Sdn Bhd (Puji Santoro), WYS Corp Sdn Bhd (Murugaiya Rajkumar), Syarikat Pengkalan Batu (Sudarsono), Seri Di Gadong Enterprise (Bong Chin Jin), Man Foods Enterprises (Omat bin Sakin Mustaya), Awinco Sdn Bhd (Mohammad Arrizabalga), Pan-Electrical and Engineering Sdn Bhd (Kastari), Peas Co Sdn Bhd (Jayson Gutierrez Amarila), D and J Transport Services (Robelio Mendoza Casuga) and Sea Good Company (Abdul Ghani bin Kamaruddin).

Meanwhile, the drivers of the private vehicles were Chua-Bee Cho, Ibrahim@ Yaccop bin Haji Ahmad, Maheswaran Mariappan and Abdul Majid.

The JPD will continue to conduct mobile operations and patrols on the roads to ensure the safety, well-being and comfort of the public, especially road users.

The JPD also urged the public to jointly improve road safety and file complaints related to road traffic offences by contacting the JPD

Enforcement Division hotline and JPD Enforcement WhatsApp at +673 7292017 or the Darussalam line WhatsApp +673 8333123.

|     Azaraimy HH     |

THE Ministry of Health (MoH) through the Health Promotion Centre held a launching ceremony for its Health Programme for Elder Citizens 2018 at the Senior Citizens Activity Centre (PKWE) in Tutong yesterday.

Permanent Secretary at the MoH Haji Abdul Manap bin Othman was the guest of honour.

Legislative Council member cum Mukim Tanjong Maya Penghulu Yang Berhormat Haji Abdul Wahab bin Apong, Legislative Council member Yang Berhormat Haji Umarali bin Esung, Tutong District Officer Haji Shamsul Bahrin bin Haji Mohd Hussain and Pehin Kapitan Lela Diraja Dato Paduka Goh King Chin were also in attendance.

The highlight of the programme was a talk titled ‘The Status of Health among Senior Citizens in the Country’ delivered by Head of the Health Promotion Centre Dr Hajah Norhayati binti Haji Md Kassim.

The event included a health exhibition and screening for PKWE members.

The MoH noted that according to statistics from the Department of Economic Planning and Development (JPKE), 13.9 per cent of the Brunei population were aged 55 and above in 2017.

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS), in recognition of the significant size of this population, came up with an action plan for their welfare.

The initiative – led by staff from various ministries and government agencies – ensures that Brunei seniors’ livelihoods is taken care of and that they stand on their own and continue to enjoy good health and lead productive lives.

Based on the action plan, the MoH will work towards realising two goals listed under it. These are ‘Objective 2 (Welfare and Wellbeing of Senior Citizens)’: to ensure healthy senior citizens, and the wellbeing of senior citizens who are less able; and ‘Objective 3 (Elderly-Friendly Support System)’: provide senior citizens access to an environment which is friendly, conducive and inclusive.

To discuss the implementation of the action plan and to better under the needs and issues encountered by the seniors, a dialogue session with senior citizens in the Tutong District was held at the PKWE Tutong on March 29.

From the dialogue, it was found that there is a need to improve on the quality of health service rendered to seniors – including special treatment for the elderly who are less able, and that there are insufficient programmes or activities catered towards the elderly.

Following this, a special health programme was created, aiming to improve awareness among seniors on health issues such non-communicable diseases, old-age health problems, healthy lifestyle practices, as well as health services such as pharmacy and dental services.

Through the programme, the MoH hopes to significantly improve knowledge relating to health and self-care among the country’s seniors by the end of 2019, and encourage them to adopt healthy lifestyles.

The MoH added that cooperation between all stakeholders is important in realising this health goal, which in turn will help actualise the Brunei Vision 2035.