|     Izah Azahari     |

PT TELEKOMUNIKASI Indonesia International (Telin) and Telekom Brunei Berhad (TelBru) yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to go into deeper cooperation with each other.

The partnership seeks to increase collaboration between the two companies to facilitate the exchange of ideas, services, knowledge and products to enhance the experience of TelBru’s consumer and enterprise customers, thus improving the choice of services in the country’s telecommunications industry.

The new collaboration is part of TelBru’s initiatives to better serve Bruneians, as the company undergoes an aggressive drive to meet public demand for faster, more reliable and accessible data services, technological amenities which are also outlined as key goals of Brunei Vision 2035, in which ICT is listed as one of the prime enablers for national growth.

“TelBru is the country’s main telecommunications provider, and we understand that while people depend upon our telecoms, high-speed broadband and WiFi service offerings which we currently provide for work, Internet and entertainment connectivity, they also look to us to provide ways in which they can exploit this connectivity, such as with ‘over-the-top’ (OTT) innovations, apps, stimulating ideas, and products and services,” said TelBru CEO David Holliday.

“We believe that by exploring the delivery in Brunei of such services, we will also be fulfilling our responsibility to underpin and advance Brunei’s economic development with robust communications allied with vibrant ICT. Anyone who has attended the TelBru Pavilion at the recent TechXpo will have seen some of these new directions.”

Holliday added, “This agreement with Telin, one of the region’s premier telco companies, which owns 11 global offices and 71 point of presences (PoP) globally, will allow both TelBru and Telin to conduct their own feasibility studies. I look forward to a successful and close working relationship between both companies.”

Telin CEO Faizal R Djoemadi said today’s fast-changing technology and telecommunications environment forces telcos to constantly adapt and regularly come up with product innovations.

“In the digital environment that we live in today, the emergence of new trends in telecommunications is very much ‘come and go’. Being responsive to this situation, Telin provides extensive products and services to all our valued partners, with a range of new product portfolios yet to come in the near future,” he said.

“With this, Telin is pleased to welcome TelBru as one of our partners through this collaboration. The influence of TelBru in the region will enable both our companies to explore potential product offerings and bundlings to bring benefits to both parties.”

With a haul of several corporate awards under its belt, including ‘Asia’s Best Employer Brand Award’ (Singapore 2018), ‘Regional Operator of the Year’ (Berlin 2017), and ‘Best Wholesale Carrier (Regional)’ (London 2016), Telin focusses on international telecommunications businesses, and serves as Indonesia’s state-owned telecommunications and network service provider PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk’s (Telkom) business arm, managing and developing its business lines abroad.

|     Azaraimy HH     |

THE first batch of 254 Haj pilgrims arrived safely at the Brunei International Airport at 3.15pm yesterday, where they were reunited with their families and friends.

At the arrival hall, the pilgrims were welcomed by Minister of Defence II Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Md Isham bin Haji Jaafar and his spouse, and Acting Minister of Religious Affairs Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar and his spouse.

Also on hand to welcome the Haj pilgrims were Interim Charge d’Affaires at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Brunei Darussalam, Hussain Mohammed M Al Dajani, Permanent Secretary (Law and Welfare) at the Prime Minister’s Office Haji Mohammed Rosli bin Haji Ibrahim, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Mohd Yusof and his spouse, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Policy and Religious) at the MoRA Haji Mohd Serudin bin Haji Timbang and Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Brunei Police Force Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Mohammad Irwan bin Haji Hambali.

The 254 pilgrims comprised 189 under Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd, 31 under At-Taqwa Travel Tour Sdn Bhd, 31 from Raudah Al-Amin Sdn Bhd, and three medical officers.

A Doa Selamat was recited by Mosque Affairs Officer at the Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Mosque Mudim Haji Amran bin Haji Md Salleh to bless their return.

|     Abdul Hakim Yakof     |

MOHAMMAD Hamiz Mirza bin Haji Sudirman from the Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam Secondary School and Nurtajwiida Insyirah binti Haji Isa from Sayyidina Hasan Secondary School were the champions in the male and female category in the finals of the 34th National Tilawah Al-Quran Competition for Secondary Schools and Colleges at the multipurpose hall of Sayyidina Umar Al-Khattab Secondary School (SMSUA) yesterday.

The prizes and certificates were presented by Acting Minister of Religious Affairs Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar, in his capacity as the guest of honour.

In the male category, Muhd Syahmi bin Muhd Aref Affendy from Berakas Secondary School was in second place, while in third place was Mohd Helmi Fahziq bin Hoseni from Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Secondary School.

In the female category, Nur Fatin Hidayah binti Morsidi from Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College came in second and Nur Amal Nadhirah binti Mohd Nurazizul in third place.

A total of 22 male and 19 female participants took part in the early stages of the competition while only five male and five female paticipants competed in the finals.

Co-Chairperson of the event and Principal of SMSUA Sinasuria binti Haji Ibrahim expressed her gratitude for hosting the competition this year and hoped that the participants will listen to the words of Allah the Almighty being recited and learn from them. The competition is an annual event organised by the Spiritual Unit of the Co-Curriculum Education Department at the Ministry of Education, to instil the culture of reading Al-Quran among students and encourage them to improve the quality of their recitation.

|     Achong Tanjong     |

THE relationship between Saudi Arabia and Brunei Darussalam was further strengthened following a groundbreaking ceremony for the new premises of the Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Brunei Darussalam and residence of the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Brunei Darussalam at Jalan Kebangsaan yesterday.

Present at the ceremony was Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud.

Charge d’Affaires at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Brunei Darussalam Hussain Mohammed Al-Dajani in his welcoming speech said, “More than 40 years have passed since Saudi-Brunei relations began, specifically in 1987, when the Saudi Ambassador to Manila was a non-resident Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam.

“The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia was opened in Brunei Darussalam in 1995. The embassy started full operations on January 1, 1996. Since then, the relations between the two countries have been progressing steadily for the better and are improving day by day.

“This is thanks to Allah the Almighty and to the prudent leaders of our two brotherly countries, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, and 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.”

He said that the presence of the new embassy building, which will be built with modern architectural specifications and designs, will be a great interface to represent Saudi Arabia in Brunei.

“We are laying the foundation stone of the embassy building and the ambassador’s residence in Bandar Seri Begawan. It is a great pleasure for me and my colleagues to witness another level of growth in the relations between both countries, which would enable us to complete our efforts in elevating these relations to higher and wider horizons,” said Al-Dajani.

The Saudi envoy expressed thanks and appreciation on behalf of the Government of Saudi Arabia and his colleagues to the Government of Brunei Darussalam and its officials for their support in the construction of the new embassy.

Also present at yesterday’s event were Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to Brunei Darussalam Dr Fahad Mashary Al-Thafiri; Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to Brunei Darussalam Sheik Ahmed bin Hashel bin Rashed bin Hashel Al-Maskari; High Commissioner of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to Brunei Darussalam Air Vice Marshal Mahmud Hussain; Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MoFAT) Hajah Siti Norishan binti Haji Abdul Ghafor; Director of the Asia-Africa Department at the MoFAT Norazlianah binti Ibrahim; First Secretaries at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Brunei Darussalam Ali Abdullah A Al Shehry and Nawaf Mazi H Al Bdawi; and Attaché’ at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Brunei Darussalam Mohammed Saad K Al Subaie and Meshal Abdullah A Habshan.

The ceremony concluded with a Doa Selamat recitation by Imam Azame bin Alias.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

THE current job market compels education institutions to act as specialist centres plugging the skills gap in industry and satisfying its demands, through the production of skilful, knowledgeable and positive-minded human resource.

Collaborations with industry need to be increased and more opportunities for training, particularly in critical fields, also need to be opened up if Brunei is to realise a highly skilled workforce.

These sentiments were made by Minister of Development Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gafar in his speech at the Kolej International Graduate Studies (KIGS) Convocation Ceremony 2018 yesterday.

The minister added that to meet the ever-rising need for skilled workers by the local job market, strategic planning, notably through education transformation, needs to be carried out.

One way to do this, the minister says, is by increasing on-the-job attachment arrangements for students by collaborating more extensively with industry.

“By focussing on the quality of upgrading of graduates through the implementation of collaboration programmes with higher education institutions in the country, region and international arena, we can provide a pathway for graduates to achieve international-standard qualifications and skills, and enhance their chances in landing jobs of their choosing in their respective industries,” he said.

Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suhaimi noted that as part of its efforts to produce a model that is able to meet the human resource market demand and the nation’s aspiration, KIGS offers programmes that are relevant to industry needs by teaching skills which conform to industry needs, particularly in the creative industry.

“Education in the creative arts such as design and visual arts will be able to produce culture-minded individuals who are able to practise the arts and explore their creative, innovative and inventive souls as well as stretch their aesthetic talents.

“The college delivers this education in accordance with the nation’s Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) philosophy and stressing on the students’ development based on country’s needs,” he said.

“As an institution that has a good creative and arts faculty, KIGS is able to produce productive, industry-ready graduates.

“The college’s collaborative ties with industry, both local and abroad, help achieve this goal as well.

“Creativity and innovation play important roles in a country’s success in the modern era, and to develop these qualities in our people, a strong education system is needed.”

The minister noted that the steps taken by the college to add creative and innovative elements in its curriculum to satisfy industry needs coincides with the development of the country’s National Education System for the 21st Century (SPN21), which is one of the key thrusts of Brunei Vision 2035.

He made special mention of one of the ‘Global Campus’ modules offered by the college, where participating students are exposed to the ins and outs of the business and trade world on both the regional and international arena.

International exposure, the minister said, “is highly beneficial in imbuing within the students vital entrepreneurship skills”, and “produce students instilled with global thinking and competitiveness”.

“Because of this, it is important for our education institutions to constantly go into collaborations with their counterpart institutions abroad…these efforts will be beneficial in terms of enhancing the institution’s research capabilities and in technology transfer,” he said.

The minister also reminded the graduates to focus fully on the next step of their education and take full advantage of the learning opportunity while it still exists to gain knowledge and hone their talents as best possible, before they finally make it out into the working world.

“In facing this ever-changing and increasingly competitive global job market, there is a whole lot of new knowledge and skills that you all must acquire. Once you embark on your careers, you need to put forth your best professional efforts, as in this competitive world, only the best will succeed,” he said.

|     James Kon     |

THE Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) made 772 drug arrests and investigated 479 cases in 2017 under the Misuse of Drugs Act, Chapter 27.

This shows a 20.4 per cent increase in the number of arrests compared to 2016 when 641 persons were arrested. Statistics also show that 53 per cent of the total arrests were new. Drug users arrested constitute about 0.17 per cent of the total population.

The statistics on Brunei Darussalam’s drug situation was published in the ‘ASEAN Drug Monitoring Report 2017’ launched by Minister of Defence II and Chairman of the National Security Committee of Brunei Darussalam Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof at the opening ceremony of the 39th Meeting of the ASEAN Senior Officials on Drug Matters (ASOD) yesterday.

The third publication produced by ASEAN Narcotics Cooperation Center (ASEAN-NARCO) the report is a comprehensive annual overview of the drug situation in ASEAN in 2017 as well as initiatives taken in the demand and supply reduction strategy by the ASEAN member states.

According to the report, of the total of 772 arrests last year, 642 were males and 130 females. Majority of the arrested was locals of which 63 per cent were unemployed while 35 per cent employed and 1.4 per cent students. The age group of 30-39 made up the largest group.

Methylamphetamine, or syabu, remained to be the most commonly abused drug in 2017 with 714 out of the 772 were arrested for consumption and possession of syabu. Cannabis remained the second most abused drug with a total of 35 arrests.

NCB conducted 353 nationwide land operations and 93 marine operations in 2017 including joint operation with other enforcement agencies.

Drug demand reduction strategy comprising preventive drug education, treatment and rehabilitation as well as other care efforts continue to be the key focus of NCB’s strategy to prevent drug abuse, the report said.

In 2017, NCB reached 23,536 students through school-based activities, 2,169 workers through workplace-based activities and 5,589 citizens through community-based activities.

|     James Kon     |

MINISTER of Defence II and Chairman of the National Security Committee of Brunei Darussalam Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof yesterday underscored Brunei Darussalam’s leading role in the fight against drug abuse.

In his remarks at the opening ceremony of the 39th Meeting of ASEAN Senior Officials on Drug Matters (ASOD) held at The Rizqun International Hotel yesterday, he said, “Brunei Darussalam is most blessed under the wise 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 which bestows upon us continued guidance and steers the policy formulation on drug control.

In his many titahs, His Majesty has emphasised the theme Generasi Berwawasan (Generation with a Vision) and reminded the continuing and future generation of Brunei Darussalam to equip themselves to face future challenges towards realising the Brunei Vision 2035, the minister noted, adding that the monarch has also stressed on the importance of instilling awareness of drug abuse and to adopt a whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach to overcome the challenges of drugs.

“In upholding His Majesty’s titah, emphasis on family support in the treatment and rehabilitation programme is crucial in one’s journey to recovery from drug abuse; more public private partnership (PPP) with strategic partners has also been engaged in enhancing the effectiveness of our treatment and rehabilitation programmes as well as our preventive drug education outreach programmes,” the minister said.

“Annually on the first Sunday in May, Brunei Darussalam celebrates the National Family Day. This year, the 7th National Family Day was celebrated with a theme that focusses around the issue of drug abuse and ways to address its implications that threaten the stability and wellbeing of families and the society. The main event was graced by His Majesty, in which the monarch and members of the royal family joined the public in mass cycling activities around the capital. This activity was not only aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle but also a clear reflection of our highest political will in tackling the drug problem in our beloved country,” he noted.

Acknowledging the challenges in the fight against drugs in the region, the minister said drug problem is not a regional issue but a global one. “The world drug problem remains a common and shared responsibility for all of us. It continues to pose a serious threat to health, safety and security and undermines the wellbeing of our community as well as the economic, environmental and social development of our countries.

“Our region continues to be a hub for drug syndicates that capitalises on the rapidly increasing market demand for methamphetamine (syabu), and this might be a key driver for intra-regional and inter-regional methamphetamine trafficking. The retail prices of crystalline methamphetamine in the region are high and this makes it a lucrative illicit business opportunity for international drug syndicates. This is made even more challenging by the ever-changing modus operandi of crafty drug syndicates as they adapt to our enforcement strategies.

“In the same vein, the emergence and proliferation of new psychoactive substances (NPS) continue to be of concern. We need each other’s experiences and information sharing in curbing the ever-evolving nature of NPS. Our laws will also have to be able to adapt to allow more effective enforcement and provide greater levels of deterrence,” the minister explained.

Highlighting the challenges posed by technology, he said, “While we aspire to have better regional and extra-regional connectivity, we are also confronted with the challenges that technology present. The Dark Net and digital currencies such as Bitcoin have taken advantage of the inter-connectivity and online anonymity for their illicit business purposes. To this end, we need to step up our efforts in response to these ever-evolving challenges.”

The minister commended ASOD for playing an important role in ensuring that works undertaken by the ASEAN member states are in line with the regional goal of a ‘Drug-Free ASEAN’. “The ASOD platform serves many purposes for us in developing drug control strategies and work plans, establish and strengthen network, enhance cooperation – not just among us but also with dialogue partners as well as in sharing information, intelligence, evidence-based best practices and standards.

“I take this opportunity to commend the good work of the ASOD and its five working groups as well as the dialogue partners. ASOD’s achievements are apparent through the establishment of several platforms to coordinate and intensify joint operations to tackle drug trafficking, such as the ASEAN Airport Interdiction Task Force, the ASEAN Seaport Interdiction Task Force and the ASEAN Narcotics Cooperation Center, that have successfully launched three annual reports under the purview of the ASEAN Drug Monitoring Network. The good works set out by Thailand in the publication of the ASEAN Drug Monitoring Report 2017 deserve recognition,” he said.

On this note, the Minister of Defence II said he looks forward to hearing the progress of the ASEAN Cooperation Plan to Tackle Illicit Drug Production and Trafficking in the Golden Triangle 2017-2019 which was developed last year, aimed at interdicting drug trafficking from the Golden Triangle into the ASEAN region and beyond.

He also noted that ASOD is currently drafting an ASEAN Statement for adoption during the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Drug Matters in October this year. “The adopted ASEAN Statement that reiterates ASEAN’s aspirations and zero-tolerance stance against drugs will be read out at the 62nd High-Level Segment of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna in 2019.

“Despite the shift in drug policy seen in other parts of the world that advocate for decriminalisation or legalising drug consumption, we should continue to stand united in our ground to relay the message that there is no one-size-fits-all approach in addressing the drug issue, as each country has its own diverse drug situation and challenges.

“We believe in respecting the sovereign rights of each state to decide and implement policies based on the political, economic, social and cultural contexts as well as norms of society that best cater to our domestic drug situation,” the minister said.

|     Fadhil Yunus     |

BRUNEI Darussalam will send a netball team for the 12th Asian Netball Championship 2018 which will be held at the OCBC Arena at the Singapore Sports Hub in Singapore from September 1-9.

A flag-handing over ceremony to the netball team for the 12th Asian Netball Championship, Singapore was held at the Green Room of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium.

Present during the event was Her Royal Highness Princess Fadzilah Lubabul Bolkiah.

Her Royal Highness was greeted upon arrival by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin.

The event began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah led by Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Setia Raja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Haji Awang Suhaili bin Haji Mohiddin followed by the handing over of Brunei Darussalam’s flag by the minister to Her Royal Highness as the Captain of the Brunei Darussalam netball team to the 12th Asian Netball Championship 2018 in Singapore.

Before the event concluded, a Doa Selamat was read by Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Setia Raja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Haji Awang Suhaili.

On the sidelines of the event, Brunei Darussalam netball coach Jane Searle said, “I think the training that we have done and the exposure against the Terengganu State Team was excellent for us.”

The national netball team have just returned from an exposure series in Singapore against tougher opposition ahead of the regional meet.

“In Singapore, they play at a much higher level. While we did improve, we still have room for improvement and they really pushed us hard so we know what we’re up against when we go the next time.

“But we could have not asked for a better competition. We need strong, tough competition to push us all the way and we gave every player an opportunity while we were in Singapore. So, we didn’t just put our best team on the court and we needed to get everyone the exposure and the chance to improve,” added Searle who was recently appointed as the national netball coach.

“With that in mind, I wasn’t particularly worried about the scores. At the end of the day, it is the next tournament that is going to count the most.”

She added that new acquisitions were installed to the team to bolster the defence due to injury.

The Australian encouraged the players to play regularly in other countries to help boost their level of performance and translate their form in the international level.

“I think that we really need to focus on getting a regular season. Clubs need to regularly play each other in competitions and it would help improve their performance. I think the national team saw the effects of not having a regular competition,” said the 1983 world champion.

Asked about their expectations in the championship, she replied, “If we play our best netball we can compete and that is what we are aiming to do.”

|     James Kon     |

AFTER establishing a fruitful first contact, the Government of the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation is looking to forge cooperation with Brunei Darussalam in the fields of oil and gas, education, tourism and halal cosmetics.

Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation Hasan Khakimov and his accompanying delegation were visiting the country from August 26-29 to advance these relations

Khakimov is the first official from the Chechen Republic to visit Brunei Darussalam.

During his time in the Sultanate, Khakimov and his delegation met Special Adviser to His Majesty and Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Diraja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Isa bin Pehin Datu Perdana Manteri Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Ibrahim; Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong; and Minister of Energy, Manpower and Industry Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mat Suny bin Haji Mohd Hussein.

The Chechen official also met the Deputy Minister of Finance, and managing directors of the Brunei Investment Agency (BIA), DARe (Darussalam Enterprise), Darussalam Holdings and Freme Travel.

In an interview session yesterday, the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Brunei Darussalam Vladlen Semivolos hailed the visit as a success.

“The purpose of the Chechen delegation’s visit to Brunei Darussalam was to establish business relations between the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation and Brunei Darussalam in various fields. We would like to see the business relations between Brunei and Russia grow, specifically with regard to trade and the economy. This visit is a success as the delegation managed to visit several ministers in Brunei who are involved in the country’s economic activities,” Semivolos said.

“We just finished meeting with the Special Adviser to His Majesty and Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, where we declared our intention to promote and expand cooperation in economic fields with active participation of the Chechen Republic. My hope is that this discussion will lead to practical progress in our trade and economic figures.”

Adding on to Semivolos’ statements, Khakimov said, “All of the meetings we had were good and very fruitful. We’ve agreed to establish cooperation between Brunei Darussalam and the Chechen Republic – this will see us exchange official and business level visits. We’ve invited business delegations from Brunei Darussalam to the Chechen Republic to see the development and discover the potential in the Republic. We’ve also agreed to have Chechen delegation visit Brunei to explore opportunities for collaboration in a number of fields.”

Elaborating on the fields of cooperation, Khakimov noted, “We see potential in the oil industry, as both Brunei Darussalam and Chechnya produce oil. We are convinced as well that it is beneficial to cooperate in the field of agriculture, and we also hope to develop cooperation in the field of tourism because the Chechen government is currently promoting tourism and will be happy to see Bruneians visiting the Republic.

“Since the population of Chechnya is 100 per cent Muslim, we can offer Islamic and halal tourism to the Brunei market. During our discussions with DARe, we put forth our interest in developing halal cosmetics for not only the Chechen Republic, but also for the other markets in Russia, as there is a strong demand for halal cosmetics all over the country.”

Speaking about establishing coopera-tion in the education field through the exchange of students from both countries, Khakimov explained, “We are looking at signing agreements with Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) in September or October this year. The university has expressed its intention to establish cooperation with us. This will be followed by an agreement with Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) to arrange for students from the Chechen Republic to come to Brunei for further studies and vice versa.”

Painting an image on the higher-education institution landscape in the Chechen Republic, Khakimov said, “We have a state Islamic university, the Chechen State University, and the well-known Chechen Technical Oil University, which is almost 100 years old.”

The Chechen delegation also visited the Chinese Chamber of Commerce Bandar Seri Begawan (CCC BSB) on Tuesday.

“The discussion with the CCC BSB was very positive. We agreed to exchange delegation visits, and the chamber has expressed its intention to visit the Chechen Republic and visit Chechen companies to explore opportunities to establish cooperation in Brunei,” said the Chechen government official.

Commenting about Chechnya specific-ally as a region, Khakimov explained, “It is situated south of Russia and has a population of some 1.4 million people. Chechnya has one of the most dynamic developing economies in Russia. After the internal conflict, the Republic’s government has been focussing on improving the region’s social stability.

“In the last five years, the government has been concentrating on economic development, training its focus on five priority areas: education, agriculture, tourism, energy and industries. There are currently a large number of investment projects from overseas and within Russia in the region.”

And what are the benefits of doing business in Chechnya? “We have pro-business laws, such as a law protecting investors. There are also tax benefits for investors, who are also allocated land for development,” Khakimov said.

Concluding the interview, Khakimov extended an invitation to Brunei businesses to come to Chechnya and invest in the Republic.

“Stepping foot in Chechnya is a starting point for entry into the huge Russian market – a huge opportunity. The Chechen government is ready to render any assistance to Brunei investors in the Republic. I would also like to invite Bruneians to visit the Chechen Republic,” he said, before conveying his gratitude to the Government of Brunei Darussalam for the hospitality afforded to him and his delegation during their Brunei visit.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

AIMED at establishing cooperation between the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) of Brunei Darussalam and the Federal Service of the Russian Federation for Narcotics Traffic Control, the first meeting between the two agencies took place at The Rizqun International Hotel in Gadong yesterday.

Representing NCB were Acting Director Haji Jaffari bin Haji Mahadi and Acting Deputy Director Osmawi bin Haji Osman as well as senior NCB officials.

Their Russian counterpart was represented by Deputy Director of the Department on New Challenges and Threats at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Alexey Rogov. He was accompanied by three officials from the department.

The meeting was held to establish bilateral cooperation between the two agencies in a joint effort to combat illicit and illegal drug trafficking.

|     Abdul Hakiim Yakof     |

A SEA of family members, relatives, and friends warmly welcomed the second batch of Haj pilgrims at the Arrival Hall of the Brunei International Airport when they landed safely in the Sultanate yesterday night.

A total of 254 Haj pilgrims from the second batch onboard RB flight BI4216 landed safely at the airport.

The Haj pilgrims comprised 101 from Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd and 150 under Straits Central Agencies (B) Sdn Bhd, as well as three officers from Haj Medical Office.

They were received by Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman and spouse; Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Md Isham bin Haji Jaafar and spouse; and Acting Minister of Finance II Dato Seri Paduka Awang Ahmaddin bin Haji Abdul Rahman and spouse.

Also present were Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar and spouse; Interim Charge d’Affaires at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Brunei Darussalam Hussain Mohammed Al-Dajani; Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Yussof and spouse; Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Hajah Siti Norishan binti Haji Abdul Ghafor; Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Brunei Police Force Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Mohammad Irwan bin Haji Hambali representing the Commissioner of the Royal Brunei Police Force; Deputy Permanent Secretary (Professional) at the Ministry of Health Dr Haji Zulaidi bin Haji Abdul Latif; Deputy Permanent Secretary (Policy and Religious) at the MoRA Haji Mohd Serudin bin Haji Timbang and spouse; directors, assistant directors; senior officers from the Ministry of Religious Affairs and directors of Haj management companies.

Upon the Haj pilgrims’ arrival, a Doa Selamat was read by Mosque Affairs Officer at the Jame’ ‘Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Abdul Aziz bin Haji Abdullah.

|     Azaraimy HH     |

A SPECIAL exhibition, held as part of the 30th Convocation Ceremony of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) yesterday, highlighted the university as a world-class higher learning institution which is capable of producing graduates that are research-oriented and technology-driven as well as the next generation of Brunei’s job-creating entrepreneurs.

The exhibitors – all UBD-born entrepreneurs – were connected by three factors – the ability to generate sustainable income, the ability to show growth and expansion and the ability to provide employment opportunities to locals.

Head of Entrepreneurial Village at Universiti Brunei Darussalam Adna Rahman said, “For this 30th Convocation Ceremony, UBD is proud to present a variety of entrepreneurs from classical businesses to technology and patent-based start-ups. This year’s exhibits focus on sustainable income, growth and expansion strategies with the key objective to provide employment opportunities to fellow graduates, entailing UBD’s vision to produce job creators as opposed to job-seekers.”

One of the UBD-born start-ups in the convocation exhibition was Smart Coating Technologies Sdn Bhd, a graduate-owned business which has effectively commercialised UBD research into an internationally recognised product.

Another exhibitor is Quaezar Engineering and Construction which founded solarbrunei.com, a local company that specialises in installation of solar power at homes and industries.

In an interview, one of its partners, Hamidah binti Haji Ismail, said, “We started our project in 2015 while doing our PhD. We’ve done our MSc in Energy Studies and during the period, we got exposed to people abroad who are in similar industries. First we decided to try to market our product in Brunei. We started very small by selling solar lights to home owners. Now we’re supplying products and doing work for corporations and the government.”

Another exhibitor, Malai Ezzan Enterprise, is run by 23-year-old Malai Ezzan bin Malai Hazrahrin. Malai said his business, which now has 26 local staff, officially began live snack catering five months ago, starting with just cotton candy. The company expanded to popcorn, ice-cream and is planning to start a shawarma and beverage station for special events such as birthdays, weddings and business functions.

“We are a social enterprise and we aim to help local youth to develop the mindset of Generasi Bekarih, and inspire them to make opportunities instead of waiting for opportunities. We share our profits with our staff. In the future, we plan to purchase a van to help those who are willing to work but have transportation problems,” he added.

Another exhibitor is AE Cinema BN, or short form, ae.bn, run by Haji Yusrizam bin Haji Abdul Tahir and Awangku Sulaiman bin Pengiran Haji Aman.

Haji Yusrizam said, “We founded the business in 2012 and we do commercial photography and videography for business, especially small and medium enterprises. We established the company before we were in UBD, but with us being in UBD, we are able to do the business much more properly.” Haji Yusrizam graduated yesterday at the convocation.

Another UBD-born entrepreneur, Raymond Merom, who founded Al-Ra’ed Collection, said, “Established in 2016, Al-Ra’ed Collection makes traditional yet stylistic kurta and jubah, using Brunei’s traditional woven fabric, better known as Kain Songket. Al-Ra’ed now has agents and branches both locally and regionally.”

With the vision of collaborating with and helping out fellow entrepreneurs, Al-Ra’ed Collection aims to expand its market in Southeast Asia by 2020. Raymond too graduated yesterday.

|     Wani Roslan     |

HIS Royal Highness Prince (Dr) Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Pro-Chancellor of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) presented graduation certificates to 736 students during the afternoon session of UBD’s 30th Convocation Ceremony yesterday.

His Royal Highness Prince (Dr) Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah was greeted by Minister of Education Dato Paduka Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sulaiman and Vice-Chancellor of UBD Datin Dr Hajah Anita Binurul Zahrina binti Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Wijaya Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Aziz upon arrival.

The ceremony began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah, followed by singing of the national anthem. His Royal Highness then proceeded to the podium and officiated the 30th UBD Convocation Ceremony before presenting certificates to the fresh graduates.

The afternoon session saw graduates receive their certificates in Master of Science, Master of Public Policy and Management, Master of Economics, Master of Business Administration, Master of Logistics, Master of Islamic Finance, Master of Management, Master of Engineering, Master of Arts, Master of Health Science, Master of Public Health, Master of Education, Master in Counselling and Master of Teaching.

Also receiving their certificates were graduates in Bachelor of Science, Advanced Diploma in Health Science and Diploma in Education.

Before leaving the ceremony, His Royal Highness spent time to interact with the fresh graduates and their parents.

|     Wani Roslan     |

UNIVERSITI Brunei Darussalam (UBD)’s 30th Convocation Ceremony saw 1,543 graduates from the sixth batch of its distinctive GenNext programme celebrating their success at the Chancellor Hall of the university, yesterday.

Gracing the event was His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Chancellor of UBD.

Accompanying His Majesty was His Royal Highness Prince (Dr) Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Pro-Chancellor of UBD.

His Majesty was greeted by Minister of Education Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sulaiman and Vice-Chancellor of UBD Datin Dr Hajah Anita Binurul Zahrina binti Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Wijaya Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Aziz upon arrival.

The ceremony commenced with the recitation of Al-Quran verses, followed by welcoming remarks by the vice-chancellor who highlighted several development initiatives implemented by the university since the previous convocation.

“Focussing on lifelong learning, UBD has expanded flexible programmes to enable the students to further enhance their knowledge and skills without leaving their job. The Centre of Lifelong Learning, which was established last year, offers several lifelong learning programmes,” she said.

She informed that almost 1,700 students are studying in the campus of UBD-FPT Global Centre in Da Nang, Vietnam, and thanked for the awarding of 50 scholarships to the ASEAN Community for five years which saw 35 students receive scholarships and complete their English Language programme from the centre.

The vice-chancellor hoped that the graduates will strive to gain knowledge and adapt themselves in ensuring that they will always be competitive and stay relevant.

The 1,543 students who graduated yesterday comprised 37 PhD graduates, 355 Master’s degree holders, 1,136 Bachelor degree graduates and seven Advanced Diploma and eight Diploma recipients.

Also receiving the graduation certificate was Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Ajeerah Firdausul Bulqiah, the daughter of His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah.

The morning session saw PhD and Bachelor degree holders (Engineering, Arts, Business and Health Science) receiving their certificates while Master’s, Bachelor of Science, Advanced Diploma and Diploma recipients received their graduation certificates in the afternoon session.

Prior to leaving the ceremony, His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and His Royal Highness Prince (Dr) Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah toured an exhibition featuring operating businesses and technology and patent-based start-ups UBD entrepreneurs and mingled with the fresh graduates and their parents.

|     Azaraimy HH     |

HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, and Chancellor of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) underscored the importance of close relations between higher learning institutions and the industrial sector in the country.

In a titah delivered during the 30th Convocation Ceremony of UBD yesterday, His Majesty said, “In relation to the rapidly changing job market, we are currently witnessing the fourth industrial revolution where digital technology changes the way we live and work. The response to this revolution certainly needs involvement of all stakeholders in the public sector, private sector and the whole society, including academicians and graduates, for knowledge-based development of the nation.”

On this note, His Majesty stated that it is proper for UBD and other higher learning institutions to focus their efforts on education and research on sophisticated “21st Century skills” and forge close working relations with the industrial sector to share practical knowledge on trends in the industries and the job markets.

“Other than that, the education system also needs to focus on life-long learning,” the monarch said.

In the titah, His Majesty also expressed delight to learn about UBD’s effort in developing study programmes that are flexible in terms of duration, location and learning process.

His Majesty expressed hope that the establishment of sophisticated education and research will effectively contribute towards national development.

His Majesty noted that research is a seed for economic development. “I am made to understand that one of the focusses of UBD is in the field of data analytics which is a positive step towards innovation and economic development.

“In this regard, I am certain that UBD also feels obliged to do research in such fields as cybersecurity which are still filled with many questions,” the monarch added.

In this context, His Majesty lauded the first commercialisation of UBD’s patented technologies this year.

“I understand that the “Smart Coating” technology products, created by several Master’s and PhD students, now have sales agents in Brunei Darussalam, Japan, Thailand and Myanmar. I hope this success will spur many more students to do research works and pursue commercial activities,” His Majesty said.

The monarch congratulated all the successful graduates and hoped that they will continue to strive for greater success with determination towards the development of the nation.

Earlier in the titah, His Majesty congratulated parents for the success of their children.

“This is not the end for the graduates to stop gaining knowledge. They still have vast opportunities to upgrade themselves, in line with the rapidly changing job market,” the monarch said.

His Majesty ended the titah by reminding the graduates not to forget to strongly uphold the national philosophy of Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) which has been bringing good for all for the last 600 years.

|     Danial Norjidi     |

AN AWARD ceremony for the Brunei Info-Communication Technology Awards (BICTA) 2018 was held yesterday at the International Convention Centre in Berakas.

The event was graced by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, as the Royal Patron of BICTA.

His Royal Highness was greeted upon arrival by Minister of Communications Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yusof, Deputy Minister of Energy, Manpower and Industry Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Matsatejo bin Sokiaw as the Chairman of the Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI), Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications Haji Azhar bin Haji Ahmad as the Co-Chairman I of the BICTA Steering Committee, and Chairman of the InfoCom Federation of Brunei (IFB) Sheikh Haji Abas bin Sheikh Mohammad as the Co-Chairman II of the BICTA Steering Committee.

The event began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa Selamat led by Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Imam Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Hamid bin Bakal.

This was followed by a welcoming speech from the Minister of Communications, who said the presence of His Royal Highness as the Royal Patron of BICTA was “high motivation for local ICT industry players and youths to be more innovative, creative and competitive”.

His Royal Highness presented plaques of appreciation to the judges and speakers of the BICTA 2018 workshop, as well as prizes and the BICTA 2018 awards to the winners in various categories.

As the main highlight of the event, His Royal Highness presented the Royal Patron Award to Mindplus Education Sdn Bhd.

The biennial award is given to the overall winner who is best in all categories.

His Royal Highness then viewed an exhibition showcasing the products of the BICTA winners.

The theme for BICTA 2018 is ‘Digital Generation with a Vision’ and it is hoped that BICTA will continue to provide the platform for ICT professionals to constantly innovate, resulting in more locally inspired business solutions for the benefit of the community in Brunei Darussalam.

The winners of BICTA will have the opportunity to represent Brunei Darussalam in the regional competition – the Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards (APICTA) – which will be held in Guangzhou, the People’s Republic of China on October 9-13.

Yesterday’s event also witnessed the BICTA 2018 winners receiving awards in various categories. In the School Project category, cash prizes of BND3,000, BND2,000 and BND1,000 were respectively won by teams in first, second and third places, while all three winners were awarded trophies and certificates.

In this category, a team from St John’s School in Kuala Belait took first place for their mental health application, ‘Hope’. Chung Ching Middle School in Seria finished in second place for their tourism application, ‘BruLife’, while third place went to Chung Hua Middle School in Kuala Belait for their application, ‘Instant Health Aid’.

Meanwhile, in the Tertiary Project category, grants for product development amounting to BND7,000 and BND3,500 were awarded to teams in first and second places. The third place team received a cash prize of BND1,750 while all three teams were awarded trophies and certificates.

The category featured a team of two sisters who are students from Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) garnering first and third places for their projects, ‘Mechsim’ and ‘GoBacker’. ‘Mechsim’ uses virtual reality to run simulations on mechanical installations, while ‘GoBacker’ is a crowdsourcing platform.

A team of students from Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) took second place in that particular category for ‘Droplets’, which is an Internet of Things (IoT) system to monitor water in the environment.

In the ICT Industry category, the first- and second-placed teams received grants for product development of BND10,000 and BND5,000, while the third-placed team received a cash prize of BND2,500. All three teams received trophies and certificates.

Mindplus Education Sdn Bhd won first place in the ICT Industry category for ‘Mindtrex’, an adaptive learning, practice and exam simulation app that aims to boost overall academic results with the help of advanced technology.

Second place went to TechBru Solutions (B) Sdn Bhd for ‘WasapPay’, which aims to enable businesses to easily receive payments online through a mobile application, QR codes and web links. The third place winner was Rotuku Sdn Bhd for their international online marketplace, ‘Rotuku.com’.

In addition, three special awards were also presented. The Research & Development Project special award was presented to a student from UTB Hanif bin Jumaat for his SmartFarm Prototype for plant disease detection, diagnosis and treatment using IoT technologies.

The IoT special award went to a student from UBD Mohd Azizi bin Saiful Rizal for the ‘Droplets’ project, while the Start-Up special award was won by Mohammad Suhimi bin Mohd Salleh from Aqli Enterprise for its local business search app, ‘Aqli’.

BICTA was first organised in 2004, and is an annual event organised by the MinCom in collaboration with AITI and IFB. Among the objectives of BICTA is to stimulate ICT industry innovation and creativity among individuals, students and entrepreneurs including those from small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

|     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 Chief of Defence Force of the Singapore Armed Forces Lieutenant-General Melvyn Ong.

Accompanying the Singapore Chief of Defence Force was High Commissioner of the Republic of Singapore to Brunei Darussalam Lim Hong Huai.

Also present at the audience ceremony were Minister of Defence II Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof and Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Major General Pengiran Dato Paduka Seri Aminan bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud.

Meanwhile, at another part of Istana Nurul Iman, Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam received in audience Nicole Lynn McCully, the spouse of the Chief of Defence Force of the Singapore Armed Forces.

Also present was spouse of the Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Datin Hajah Rasidah binti Haji Ibrahim.

The audience ceremonies took place at the Istana Nurul Iman.

Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of Singapore have enjoyed excellent and longstanding relations with defence as a hallmark of the countries’ bilateral ties. Both countries share extensive defence arrangements, where they interact regularly through numerous avenues, including exchange of visits, policy-level meetings as well as military exchanges, exercises and courses between the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and the Singapore Armed Forces.

|     Fadhil Yunus     |

HER Royal Highness Princess Fadzilah Lubabul Bolkiah will captain the Brunei Darussalam national netball team in the 11th edition of the Asian Netball Championships at the OCBC Arena of the Singapore Sports Hub in Singapore which commences today.

Team captains from the competing countries posed for a group photo with the iconic Marina Bay Sands as a backdrop along the vicinity of the popular tourist hotspot One Fullerton.

The elusive Asian Netball Championship trophy, which is up for grabs this year, was also on display. Brunei Darussalam has been pooled in Group ‘C’ alongside hosts Singapore and Pakistan. The Royal Bees will meet Singapore today at 1pm before meeting Pakistan on September 3.

Singapore team captain Vanessa Lee who is expecting tough competition, said, “For the upcoming M1 Asian Netball Championships, we’re expecting many close games as the Asian region is getting much stronger at netball. The scores are getting much closer, so we are definitely preparing for tight contests between all the teams.”

One of the teams to beat is Malaysia, with captain Nur Syafazliyana binti Mohd Ali also commenting on having the finals in sight, saying, “We are aiming to defend our Asian Netball Championships title here, but most importantly, we’re hoping to at least make the finals at the tournament.”

Malaysia won the title in the last edition in 2016 after ending a 31-year drought in the 41-31 victory over Sri Lanka at the Chanthanayingyong Gymnasium in Thailand.

This edition marks the fourth time that Singapore will be hosting the competition with the previous tournaments coming in 1997, 2005 and 2014.

IN 2018, 165,752 students sat for the IB Diploma examinations across the world. The average Diploma Score at Jerudong International School (JIS) was 37 out of 45. The average Diploma score worldwide was 29.78. So JIS students exceeded this by more than seven points.

In a press release by JIS, the International Baccalaureate (IB) is offered as a pre-university option for 16-18 year olds and is the world’s fastest growing international qualification. To complete this challenging qualification, students study six subjects – three at a Higher Level and three at a Standard Level including English, Maths, a language subject, a Humanities subject, a Science subject plus a final creative choice or an elective subject. In addition, they complete a challenging 4,000-word piece of research, a mini thesis, as well as completing Theory of Knowledge (ToK), a critical thinking skills course.

Bruneian Salsa Mazlan, Jack Collicut (from Ireland) and Julia Hallot (from Australia) all achieved an outstanding 43 points. They were closely followed by two more Bruneians, Izzati Azhan and Alissa Yong, who together with British student Surina Martin all achieved 42 points.

Former JIS Head Girl Salsa is heading to University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) while Jack plans to study at the University of Manchester in the UK. Julia is exploring the possibility of studying a double honours degree in Arts and Science in Australia, but is presently spending six months in Europe as an au pair brushing up her language skills. Izzati will be studying for a BSc in Planning and Real Estate at the University of Manchester, UK. Alissa is starting a Film and TV production course in New York University’s prestigious TISCH School of the Arts.

Other Bruneian students who achieved outstanding IB scores are Vanessa Kwong (38 points) who plans to study in Australia, possibly a Nursing Degree and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MoFAT) Scholarship student Ameerah Kasmirhan (36 points) has accepted an unconditional offer to study BA in Architecture at the University of Newcastle, UK.

However, what is striking about the achievement of the top performing students is that they have not only thrown themselves into their studies but into all areas of school life. They fully embrace JIS vision of achieving excellence in holistic education. Salsa Mazlan led large teams of fellow students throughout the school to organise events, deliver assemblies and participating in musical productions.

Principal of JIS Barnaby Sandow said, “While these top performing students will leave JIS with superb academic results, they will be remembered more by their fellow students for the significant impact as young leaders in the school and the influence they have had on those around them. They have set an excellent example to the younger members of our community. These success stories would not have been written without their parents support and also that of the academic team in the Upper Years – Tony Piper (Head of Upper Years), Dr Colin Dickinson (IB Coordinator) and Russell Mann (Dean of Higher Education) who, together with the teaching staff continue to encourage and inspire students to become the best that they can be.”

A number of the JIS top performing students have also been offered scholarships.

Mups Hirse (40 points) who was Sports Captain at JIS has received the Pearson Scholarship for overseas students at the University of Toronto, ranked 28th in the world on the 2019 QS World University Rankings. This full scholarship covers tuition, books, incidental fees as well as full residential support for all four years of study. Surina Martin (42 points) has been awarded a GBP5,000 per annum Global Education Scholarship from the University of Edinburgh. Renee Teo (40 points) has received a Year One Entrance Scholarship for the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada. Jamie Offen (36 points) will study Law (Scots & LLB dual qualifying degree) at the University of Dundee and has been awarded a Global Excellence Scholarship of GBP5,000 in addition to a Discover Dundee Scholarship of GBP2,000.

|     James Kon     |

UNITED States (US) Rear Admiral Murray Joe Tynch III, Commander of the Logistics Group Western Pacific, Task Force 73, Singapore Area Coordinator has underscored the importance of Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) exercise with Brunei Darussalam and other participating nations.

During a teleconference with media representatives in the region on Thursday, he also expressed satisfaction with Brunei’s progress and its execution of SEACAT.

The 17th annual SEACAT exercise started on August 27 in Singapore with nine countries participating including Brunei Darussalam.

Tynch said, “I’m very proud of the work Brunei has done leading up to the execution of SEACAT. Rules-based order and maritime domain awareness are cornerstones of the security, stability and prosperity which we are all working to achieve. Regardless of size, SEACAT participants bring their best effort. In return, we all benefit from the skills, the information sharing and the relationship building.”

When asked how the SEACAT exercise helps participating nations combat transnational crimes, he said, “Through information sharing and better maritime domain awareness, we are improving all participants’ ability to see and sense what is happening. Rules-based order provides a common understanding of what right behaviour looks like. Ultimately, as partners work together there are fewer weak points for criminals to exploit.”

This year’s exercise focusses on increasing maritime domain awareness through collaborative and coordinated sharing of information towards ensuring a common understanding of what is going on in the maritime environment and how best to operate as an effective unified maritime force.

SEACAT brings sailors and coast guardsmen from Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, US, Thailand and Vietnam together in a series of tailored seminars including a comprehensive Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) workshop in Manila, the Philippines led by the US Coast Guard.

The sea phase will include 15 boarding operations by multiple nations across three vessels designed to provide training opportunities in real-world at-sea environments. This year the exercise will incorporate increasingly complex maritime interdiction scenarios to emphasise “real-world, real-time” practice.

Scenarios will involve sharing information from all available sources including Singapore’s Information Fusion Centre (IFC) and Maritime Operations Centres (MOC) in Brunei, the Philippines and Thailand.

Based on the situation, ships and aircrafts from participating navies and coast guards including the US Navy’s P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft will investigate and conduct at-sea boardings as necessary.

Participants will also utilise the Combined Enterprise Regional Information Exchange System (CENTRIXS) to communicate and share information through secure channels.

A global multinational information sharing initiative, CENTRIXS enables partner nations to communicate in real-time during complex exercises such as SEACAT.

SEACAT, which began in 2002 under the name ‘Southeast Asia Cooperation Against Terrorism’, was renamed in 2012 to expand the scope of training among regional navies and coast guards.

Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security at the US State Department Andrea L Thompson in her remark at the teleconference reiterated that the American administration continues to actively engage with the Indo-Pacific region.

The US President last year visited Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. This year he was in Singapore for the Summit with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

During her recent trip, Thompson continued important conversations underscoring US’ commitment to deepening partnership with Indonesia and Vietnam as well as further expanding its longstanding alliance with Australia.

“The partnership not only promotes a free and open Indo-Pacific alliance but also allows us to work together more effectively to tackle some shared global security challenges,” she added.

Thompson highlighted that the SEACAT is important from a military perspective, adding, “Exercises such as this are critical to achieving our US foreign policy goals and they strengthen our relationships with our partners in the Indo-Pacific region. It also enables our partners to achieve their security goals.”

The State and Defence departments have collaborated on a number of security initiatives at SEACAT because defence and diplomacy are both key to national security, she added.

Meanwhile, Tynch said that the nature of the exercise reflects the nature of these relationships the partners have built as they evolved and grew stronger.

He stated, “As SEACAT began, it was focussed on counterterrorism. But over time, it has evolved and right now we’ve broadened the scope for cooperation and training as the main objectives. That’s what the vision of the exercise is.”

On the information-sharing front, he said, “The four maritime operation centres participating this year are in Singapore, the Philippines, Brunei and a new one in Thailand.”

“They’ll all be working on CENTRIXS as we continue to gain a common operability among our computer systems,” he added.