|     Abdul Hakiim Yakof     |

THE Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) celebrated the 1440 Hijrah New Year yesterday at the Kampong Lumapas Mosque. The ministry’s annual event was co-organised by the Fire and Rescue Department and the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC).

Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong was in attendance as the guest of honour.

The Doa Awal Tahun 1440 Hijrah was recited by the Acting Imam of Kampong Lumapas Mosque Mohd Salleh bin Haji Abdul Rahman to mark the beginning of the event. The event continued with a talk titled Hijrah Hati by Assistant Counsellor at the Prisons Department Ustaz Fariszal bin Haji Ali where he shared the history and significance of the Hijrah new year.

The Minister of Home Affairs and the rest of the attendees then joined the congregational Asar prayer led by Mohd Salleh.

The guest of honour then handed over contributions to the mosque.

Members of the Legislative Council for the Brunei-Muara District, permanent secretaries and deputy permanent secretaries at the MoHA, heads of department, senior officers and staff under MoHA as well as penghulus and village heads also attended the event.

|     Aziz Idris     |

DARE (Darussalam Enterprise) yesterday inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Britain Brunei Business Forum (BBBF), in a signing ceremony held at the Design and Technology Building in Kampong Anggerek Desa.

Under the agreement, the BBBF will provide informal mentoring to the start-up companies supported by DARe.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by the British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Richard Lindsay.

Signing on behalf of DARe was CEO Javed Ahmad while BBBF was represented by the Chairman William Martin.

The MoU stemmed from the BBBF’s initiative to understand the role and purpose of DARe, in addition to identifying ways in which the BBBF might assist micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by drawing on the wide range of skills and experience that its membership has to offer.

Prior to the signing, the British High Commissioner said, “The signing of this MoU shows how members of the BBBF are supporting DARe in building an entrepreneurial spirit in Brunei. I hope this will make a significant contribution to the achievement of the Vision 2035 goals. We should thank the BBBF Committee for their initiative in driving this forward.”

Meanwhile, Javed Ahmad welcomed the BBBF’s support for the young entrepreneurs.

“The BBBF has worked hard with us to develop this initiative,” he said in his speech. “The forum has a diverse membership that can add considerable value to our incubatee companies, with their experience, and we look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship.”

The BBBF was founded under the patronage of the British High Commission in Brunei Darussalam, to enable British and Bruneian entrepreneurs to meet to further trade.

The forum assists Bruneian business people in finding British partners for enhancing business performance, and circulates information about business opportunities with Britain through the Bruneian business community.

The forum also provides a diverse and inclusive network to build opportunities for international and local organisations in Brunei, with ties to British businesses.

“This ceremony marks the culmination of talks between the BBBF and DARe, to put together a support network for start-ups,” said William Martin. “We have been impressed by the energy and professionalism of many of the start-ups that we have already met, and look forward to working with them in the future.”

Also present at the event were members of the BBBF Committee, who were instrumental in supporting this initiative.

|     Fizah HAB     |

BRUNEI Darussalam’s karate-do athletes left the country yesterday to compete in the 19^th Sukma Games 2018 in Perak, Malaysia.

Led by coaches Haji Okida Simangasing and Mohd Sofian bin Abdullah, seven athletes will compete in the karate-do’s kumite and kata categories, including Southeast Asian Games bronze medallist Aufa Bazilah binti Haji Abdul Razak.

Asked on the preparations, kata coach Mohd Sofian bin Abdullah shared that the athletes have undergone training for the past year after the 29^th Southeast Asian Games to improve themselves.

“As part of gaining experiences, the athletes also competed in the recent Thailand Open and the 4^th Brunei Darussalam National Games (SKBD) where they won gold medals,” the coach said.

Head of Youth and Sports Officer Mariam binti Ulat was present at the Brunei International Airport to bid farewell. Also present were senior officials at the Youth and Sports Unit of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

|     Daniel Lim     |

FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD Yzha Loraine Raga Deseo was crowned champion of the KB Sentral Spelling Bee competition held on the first floor of the KB Sentral Shopping Centre, Kuala Belait on Monday.

Thirteen contestants participated in the spelling bee competition held during the school holiday.

The competition was split into several rounds – in the first round, contestants were given two words each to spell before moving on to the second round as the complexity of the word increased until the last five contestants remained to advance to the third and final round where they competed for first place.

Their spelling performance was assessed by a panel of judges.

In the final round, Yzha Loraine correctly spelt ‘phenomenon’ to win the competition after 12-year-old Wadi Hamsyari bin Hamdani failed to spell his given word correctly. With Wadi Hamsyari securing second place, third place went to 10-year-old Md Darryl Rafael bin Edy Asmyra.

At the end of the competition, the top three winners received prizes including stationery and toys while the other contestants received toys for their participation.

The event was further enlivened with an appearance by the KB Sentral Spelling Bee Mascot to commemorate the achievements and efforts made by the contestants during the competition.

Marketing and Event Assistant Norazizah expressed gratitude to the parents and guardians for support during the event, and wished all future contestants in the next spelling bee competition slated to be held during the next school holiday in December.

|     Fizah HAB     |

THE Relentless Entertainment Brunei will organise its seventh musical production, Cinderella on September 29-30 at the Jerudong International School’s (JIS) Arts Centre Theatre.

The musical’s co-producer and co-director Amy Cheong said this musical is not a typical fairy-tale story, but a contemporary take on the classic tale with its own plot twists and surprises.

“Premiering on September 29-30, the musical Cinderella is based on the Rodgers & Hammerstein’s take of the classical fairy tale of a young woman forced into a life of servitude by her cruel stepmother, dreams of a better life.

“With the help of her Fairy Godmother, Cinderella is transformed into an elegant young lady and is able to attend the ball to meet her Prince,” she shared during a press conference and sneak preview yesterday at The Coffee Bean Brunei Mata-Mata branch.

“Featuring the classical songs including In My Own Little Corner, Impossible/It’s Possible and Ten Minutes Ago, the two and half hour musical showcases 50 talented cast members ranging from 11 to 50 years, including nine locals in the main cast, and promises to be a fun, entertaining and colourful family event.

“For the last 10 years, Relentless Entertainment, a local performing arts, entertainment and events management company has worked closely with local talents and artistes and hopes to develop as well as establish an industry for the large number of talents here in Brunei.” Amy Cheong shared.

“For this musical we have outsourced for locally made costumes and props as part of an effort to support the local businesses. We also engaged some 70 backstage crew comprising volunteers as well as students from International School Brunei (ISB), Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) and local technical schools for providing them on-hand experiences in production and stage management.”

The musical is supported by Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd, YippyTune Music School as well as the official vocal coach, The Coffee Bean Brunei, Patisserie Cakehouse as well as Misato Japanese Restaurant.

|     Abdul Hakiim Yakof     |

MINISTER of Defence II Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof launched the Directorate of Development and Work Services (DDWS) Management Plan during a ceremony held at the Wira Seni Concert Hall, Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Band Building yesterday.

The minister also presented the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems Certification to the Ministry of Defence (MinDef) Directorate.

Acting Commander of the RBAF First Admiral Pengiran Dato Seri Pahlawan Norazmi bin Pengiran Haji Muhammad; Permanent Secretary at the MinDef Brigadier General (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Shahril Anwar bin Haji Ma’awiah; and Chairman/Director of Bureau Veritas Brunei Dr Haji Kamaruddin bin Dato Seri Paduka Haji Talib were present.

As part of MinDef’s endeavour to work closely with other agencies in a whole-of-government approach, Acting Deputy Director General of the Public Works Department Dr Rohaniyati binti Pehin Orang Kaya Shahbandar Dato Paduka Haji Md Salleh and Acting Senior Engineer, Department of Planning and Estate Management at the Ministry of Education Iskandar bin Haji Timbang were invited to share information and knowledge of the management plan and experience of implementing the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System.

The DDWS Management Plan is aimed to guide DDWS into realising its vision by introducing and updating objectives that would promote better and efficient decisions, cost-effective investments and fit-for-purpose solutions.

It also serves as a roadmap to improve both DDWS administrative processes and professional core competencies within the next five years to deliver better services to its customers in MinDef and RBAF.

In his speech, the minister said he looks forward to the contributions and advances of the directorate towards its objectives.

The current ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems Certification awarded to DDWS affirms that the directorate has demonstrated its ability to consistently provide products and services according to international standards, to effectively implement its planned strategies and to utilise a management system that can achieve the ministry’s goals, objectives and requirements.

This marks the second time DDWS has achieved ISO 9001 certification, having received the ISO 9001:2008 certification back in 2009.

|     Wani Roslan     |

THE Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department of the Ministry of Communications (MinCom) organised a new Islamic year of 1440 Hijrah celebration at the Amar Pahlawan Hall of the ministry yesterday.

Minister of Communications Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yusof was present at the ceremony.

With the theme Ilmu dan Amal Nadi Wawasan Negara, the ceremony commenced with a recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and was followed by a welcoming remark from Acting Director of Administration and Services of MinCom Abdul Ghani bin Haji Othman.

The event proceeded with a special talk by accredited Da’ie from Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB) Ustaz Muhammad Fatin Abdul Rahman bin Kifli.

The ceremony also saw the recitation of Doa Kesyukuran and Dikir Marhaban to celebrate the safe return of Haj pilgrims comprising officers and staff members of the ministry.

The celebration aimed to enliven the Hijrah new year as well as encourage and strengthen ties among officers and staff members of the ministry and departments under it.

Also in attendance were Permanent Secretary at the MinCom Haji Azhar bin Haji Ahmad, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the MinCom Dr Haji Supry bin Haji Awang Ladi, heads of departments and agencies, and senior officials of the ministry.

|     Wani Roslan     |

A TOTAL of 151 participants comprising graduating students of Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) were feted at the Khatam Al-Quran and Doa Kesyukuran ceremony yesterday.

The ceremony, part of the university’s 8th Hafl Al-Takharruj programme, was held at the auditorium of the university.

The guest of honour was Minister of Education Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sulaiman.

Also in attendance were Deputy Minister of Education Datin Seri Paduka Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh, Rector of UNISSA Dr Haji Norarfan bin Haji Zainal, deputy permanent secretary and directors at the Ministry of Education.

The ceremony began with a mass recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah led by the guest of honour, followed by the Khatam ceremony. This was followed by a recitation of Takhtim and Doa Khatam recited by Adee Aiman bin Haji Muhidin, a graduating student of Bachelor in Syariah (Fiqh and Usul) course.

The ceremony continued with a presentation of certificates by the guest of honour.

The event concluded with a recitation of Doa Kesyukuran led by Muhammad Arif bin Haji Johari, a graduating student of Bachelor in Arabic Language.

The Khatam Al-Quran ceremony is held annually at UNISSA to promote and instil the habit of Al-Quran reading among its students in line with the aspirations 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 in making the country a Zikir nation.

|     Danial Norjidi     |

THE Prime Minister’s Office and its departments welcomed the New Islamic Year of 1440 Hijrah with a religious event yesterday.

Held at the Banquet Hall of the Prime Minister’s Office Building, the event was co-hosted by the Narcotics Control Bureau and the National Security Committee Secretariat, Prime Minister’s Office.

The guest of honour was Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud.

Also present were Chairman of Public Service Commission, permanent secretaries, deputy permanent secretary, heads of departments, senior officers, officers and personnel from the Prime Minister’s Office and its departments.

The ceremony began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah by Mosque Affairs Officer from the Ministry of Religious Affairs Haji Abdul Malik bin Haji Jumat.

The event proceeded with the recitation of Zikir Istighfar, Selawat and a religious talk titled Hijrah: Satu Kehebatan by Assistant Lecturer at Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali Ustaz Haji Khairul Nazif bin Haji Awang Damit.

The event concluded with the recitation of Doa Selamat by Haji Abdul Malik.

According to a press release, the annual event aims to further strengthen relations among officers and staff of the Prime Minister’s Office.

|     Achong Tanjong     |

THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade yesterday hosted the Brunei Investment Promotion Seminar in conjunction with the 15th China-Asean Expo (CAEXPO) and the 15th China-Asean Business and Investment Summit in the south-central Chinese city of Nanning.

During the seminar, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) Soon Loo encouraged more companies from China to invest in Brunei Darussalam, citing its low crime rate and taxation rates.

When he asked members of the audience whether they had visited Brunei, several replied in the affirmative, saying that they were well aware of Brunei’s strong currency.

Another presenter at the event was Vice General Manager Fazilah Yassin of the Muara Port Company Sdn Bhd (MPC), which is a joint venture company between Brunei’s Darussalam Assets Sdn Bhd and China’s Guangxi Beibu Gulf Holding (Hong Kong) Co Ltd.

Formed on February 15, 2017, the MPC took over operations of the Muara Container Terminal on February 21, 2017, and subsequently the Muara Container Terminal on July 18, 2018.

Also giving presentations at the seminar were CEO of Golden Corporation Desmond Lim and Business Development Manager of International School Brunei (ISB) Ang Beng Siong.

Among those in attendance were Vice Secretary General of the CAEXPO Secretariat Lan Tiemin and representatives of the Brunei Government.

|     Izah Azahari     |

SIX of Universiti Teknologi Brunei’s (UTB) core values are being highlighted in the ‘π3ES’ Exhibition staged alongside the university’s Convocation Festival 2018 launched yesterday.

Touring the exhibition after launching the festival was 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 UTB.

‘π3ES’, pronounced ‘pie cube ess’, is the theme of the UTB Convocation Festival this year, which represents six qualities – Pious, Professional, Passionate, Innovative, Engaging and Scholarly – the core values adopted and practised by the UTB community in achieving the institution’s vision of becoming a ‘global university’ to create a lasting positive impact on society.

The exhibition is segmented into these six core values. The first component ‘Pious’ signifies embracing and cultivating the Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) philosophy, and upholding the Islamic faith and demonstrating patriotism with full commitment and honesty as well as embodying a noble, disciplined personality and cultural values under the guidance of Allah the Almighty.

Several exhibits showcasing the initiatives of the UTB students and graduates to instil MIB values in their studies on campus and in their daily routines are on display under the component.

Among the exhibited items presented in the form of e-books are prayer compilations as well as downloadable mobile applications such as Bru Tausyeh and Masjidku. Other exhibits included a comic character called Noh by a lecturer from the university’s Centre of Communication, Teaching and Learning Dr Malai Yunus bin Malai Yusof. (Noh is a character who embodies MIB values.)

The second part of the exhibition was ‘Professional’. This virtue represents the upholding of the code of ethics governing behaviours in all endeavours as well as rendering services with a high degree of professionalism in all aspects of work.

The component was highlighted in UTB’s strategies in upgrading the professionalism of the university’s students and graduates through the offering of accredited academic programmes and the students’ involvement with professional bodies.

This segment features activities carried out by the UTB students early in their studies through interactions with professional bodies facilitated by the university’s Student Chapters. These Chapters include IET-Student on Campus, SPE-UTB Student Chapter, PUJA-UTB Student Chapter, IchemE-UTB Student Chapter, and ImechE-UTB Student Chapter.

The third component, ‘Passionate’, represents a strong drive to be intrinsically motivated and consistently committed to align, pursue and realise UTB’s vision and mission. It creates a conviction and provides an impetus for excellence.

In this section, projects of students who have graduated with first-class honours degrees are displayed. Examples include the Gamification of Learning Management System under the Creative Computing Programme, Crime Record Management and Analysis using GIS under the Computing Information System Programme, Production of 500MTD Methanol via Coal Gasification under the Faculty of Engineering, Self-Trackam under the Creative Computing Programme, and Cylisthub from the Computing Information Systems Programme.

The fourth component ‘Innovative’ symbolises the ability to bring creative ideas into life resulting in enhanced performance and growth through efficiency, quality and productivity and to optimise the use of available resources to lead in research, teaching and learning as well as to improve operational efficiency.

Projects on display under this section include the ‘IoT Based Solar Powered Car Interior Cooling and Monitoring System’, the ‘CheckMate: An Artificially Intelligent System or Assisting in Diagnosis of Minor Illnesses’ exhibit, and the ‘Effectiveness of I-Centre and Measuring the factors affecting entrepreneurial intention among UTB School of Business Students’ exhibit.

The ‘Engaging’ section meanwhile demonstrates the establishment and enrichment of constructive relationship between UTB and its stakeholders through constant and supportive communication, as well as the fostering of strong and sustainable relationships with the stakeholders through ‘quadruple Helix engagement’.

It showcases UTB’s engagement with industry and academic communities at various levels including the government and public sectors. Stakeholders participating in the exhibition include Sesame World Technology STI Lab, Oil and Gas Discovery Centre (OGDC) and the Ministry of Communications.

The exhibition’s last category, ‘Scholarly’, highlights the dissemination of knowledge through high-quality teaching, learning, research and innovation and also promotes independent learning and developing of knowledgeable society towards realising the aspirations of Vision 2035.

This segment showcases selected projects by the university’s graduating postgraduate students. Examples include projects such as the ‘Assessment of Water Quality in Brunei River Catchment’, ‘Analysis of Scouring Effects on Bridge Piers’ and ‘Review of Design Guidelines on Slope in Brunei Darussalam’.

His Royal Highness also viewed the ‘Garden of Robotics’ display, which showcases a number of robotics projects, including a 3D printing exhibit demonstrating the design, modelling and fabrication of selected items using a 3D printer.

Other robotics projects on show include the ‘Cost Effective Line Following Robot for Hospital Delivery’, which demonstrated how medical supplies are transported within a hospital in the most cost-effective way, as well as the ‘Prosthetic Hand’ – theoretically developed for disabled patients.

|     Izah Azahari     |

THE fifth edition of the Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) Convocation Festival 2018 was officially opened yesterday.

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 UTB launched the event.

His Royal Highness was welcomed by Minister of Education and UTB Council Chairman Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sulaiman as well as UTB Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah binti Haji Sulaiman.

Members of the UTB Council, high commissioners, ambassadors, senior government officials, industry partners, as well as students and staff of UTB were also in attendance.

The ceremony 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.

After this, His Royal Highness delivered a sabda. This was followed by the call of Takbir and a multimedia show.

His Royal Highness then proceeded to tour the newly completed School of Design Complex. The newly established School of Design is offering two new degree programmes in Architecture and Product Design. The school welcomed its first cohort of students in July 2018.

His Royal Highness next stopped by the University Shop, which retails university merchandise featuring the official UTB mascot Awang Jubli bin Emas (AJ), and toured the ‘π3ES’ Exhibition, before receiving a pesambah from the UTB Student Representative Council.

The UTB Convocation Festival is held annually to celebrate students who have completed studies to receive graduation certificates at the upcoming UTB Convocation.

A series of events are being lined up to run alongside the festival, including a Khatam Al-Quran ceremony, UTB Biggest Heroes, EKK Open Week, Bowling Competition, UTB Leadership Programme (ULP), UTB Library Book Bazaar (ULBB), Book Charity Donation and Adoption, UTB Film Festival, Mental Health Awareness Campaign, International Day of Peace, Career Clinic, and UTB Run and Cycle.

The UTB Convocation Ceremony will be held on September 29 at the Plenary Hall of the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Berakas.

|     James Kon     |

YOUTH can contribute towards the country with their respective skills and expertise, while new graduates should not be too hesitant about exploring new jobs or fields.

These inspirational words came from 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, in a speech during yesterday’s closing ceremony for the 2018 Youth Bus Programme at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium.

The seven-day programme, which began on September 8, was part of several activities lined up for this year’s National Youth Day celebrations.

Mohammad Ali Hasan bin Selamat and Nuruljannahwajihafifah binti Armanshah, as representatives of the 30 youth participants, shared their week-long experience which included attending dawn lectures, spending the night at an Iban longhouse and listening to talks from business entrepreneurs.

“We managed to increase our knowledge and understand how important it is for youth to be exposed to a wide range of activities,” they said. “We feel blessed and privileged for being chosen to participate in the first Youth Bus Programme. Through such programmes, we are motivated to continue serving our community and nation.”

Organised by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, with joint cooperation from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and all four District Offices, the 2018 Youth Bus Programme is a continuation of the inter-district Youth Exchange Programme which was introduced in 2016.

The project is also one of the first steps towards extending similar youth-oriented programmes to the rest of Borneo.

The closing ceremony also featured a presentation of certificates to the youth participants by the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports.

|     Danial Norjidi     |

IN CONCLUDING the Baiduri Finance Mobile App promotion which ran from June 11 to August 31, two lucky Baiduri Finance customers each won BND500 in the monthly draws, credited to their Baiduri Mastercard Auto Direct Prepaid Card.

According to a press release, the final two winners of the promotion were Chung Chun Cheh and Nurhafizaan binti Haji Jamal, the winners for July and August.

The prizes were presented by Manager of Credit at Baiduri Finance Ismail bin Haji Narawi in a presentation that took place at the Baiduri Finance Head Office.

The press release stated that the winners were selected at random among the pool of customers who utilised the ePayment service on the mobile app during the promotion period.

The Baiduri Finance Mobile App was launched in December last year and comes equipped with a variety of features such as ePayment, a vehicle tender gallery, a loan calculator, the ability to request quotations for auto insurance renewals and general information on Baiduri Finance’s products and services.

|     James Kon     |

BRUNEIANS intending to pursue post-graduate studies in the United States (US) are encouraged to visit the ‘Let’s Go America Post Graduate Education Fair’ on September 20 at the Radisson Hotel.

In the first-of-its-kind event, nine American universities are participating.

The nine are University of Rhode Island, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, George Washington University, Michigan State University, Virginia International University, University of Colorado Boulder, Claremont Graduate University and Marymount University.

All the universities are accredited regionally with approval from the Brunei Darussalam National Accreditation Council.

Details of the ‘Let’s Go America’ event were revealed yesterday by Public Affairs Officer Daniel Lee and Education USA Advisor Mayra Robles from the US Embassy in Brunei Darussalam during a press conference.

“A Master’s or doctoral degree from the United States is a great way for professionals to gain cutting edge knowledge in one’s field,” Lee said.

“It prepares the person for a transition into a more senior position and enhances one’s professional network. The ‘Let’s Go America Post Graduate Educational Fair’ is a convenient first step to learn about theses opportunities.”

He highlighted that the US has a unique mix of practical universities adding that the majority of Noble Prize winners studied in the country or are teaching there.

“Admission officers will be at the event to offer their assistance. Also present are members of the Brunei-US Association and the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative who will share their experiences travelling, studying and living in the US and volunteering in Brunei,” Lee said.

Meanwhile, Robles said the nine universities will be offering non-binding funding and scholarships for Master’s and doctoral degrees.

Members of the US Embassy staff will be available to answer any questions regarding higher education, travel, visa applications and exchange programmes. The event is open to the public from 3pm to 6pm.

|     Fizah HAB     |

A DOA Kesyukuran was held to commemorate the 54th anniversary of the migration of the people of Kampong Rangau to Brunei and 53rd anniversary of Kampong Setia Settlement at the Perdana Wangsa Haji Mohammad Mosque, Kampong Setia yesterday.

The event was organised by Kampong Setia ‘A’ and ‘B’ Village Consultative Council, mosque’s Takmir committee and members of Kampong Setia WhatsApp Group.

Yesterday’s event also coincided with the Hijrah New Year celebration. A special lecture, titled ‘Hijrah: How and Where to go?’ was presented by Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) Adjunct Assistant Lecturer and co-founder of Al-Minhaaj Centre Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ajak. Abdul Rahman spoke on self-improvement based on Al-Quran and As-Sunnah.

Certificates were presented to participants of the Qira’at Khatam Al-Quran Ramadhan for 1439 Hijrah.

|     Danial Norjidi     |

THE Pertiwi Association held an event to celebrate the new Islamic Year of 1440 Hijrah yesterday at the Islamic Da’wah Centre.

Datin Hajah Zalinah binti Haji Umar, spouse of the Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, was the guest of honour.

The proceedings began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah. This was followed by welcoming remarks from Head of the Religious Section of Pertiwi Hajah Jamilah binti Begawan Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Seri Paduka Haji Umar as the co-chairperson of the event.

In her speech, she explained that the event was held to celebrate the 1440 Hijrah New Year as well as to fete Pertiwi members who performed the Haj this year. She also shared that yesterday’s event was one of the annual religious activities carried out by Pertiwi.

The proceedings then saw a Tausyeh performance, which was followed by a special talk on the 1440 Hijrah New Year delivered by Islamic Da’wah Centre Officer Ustaz Haji Muskrisman Safari bin Haji Mustapa.

The event continued with a Dikir Marhaban and presentation of souvenirs, before concluding with a Doa Selamat.

|     Fizah HAB     |

DST recently brought joy to 44 orphans with a fun-filled day of activities through its Ihsan Kasih community project.

Accompanied by their guardians, the children were taken on a field trip to the Maritime Museum at Kota Batu and the Marine Biodiversity Centre at Meragang, where they got a first-hand experience of the turtle species.

Later, the children were treated to lunch at the McDonald’s Brunei outlet in Jerudong.

“McDonald’s is happy to be part of DST’s Ihsan Kasih project, and it’s a privilege to arrange luncheon and high-tea for all those involved,” said Noor Hafilah binti Mohamed Salleh, the Marketing Executive for McDonald’s Brunei. “This Corporate Social Responsibility activity by DST is an inspiration for McDonald’s Brunei to continuously support the community.”

The children then spent the rest of the day among the main attractions at Jerudong Park, including a much-anticipated visit to the Water Park playground.

“With our special rates for orphans and special needs children, Jerudong Park is always happy to accommodate visits,” said Charlene Manalo, the Assistant Officer II for Sales Marketing and Events at Jerudong Park.

“I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude towards DST and its friendly staff, for giving us the opportunity to take part in these activities during the school holidays,” said one of the mothers accompanying the children during the trip. “It’s something new for my boys, and a very good experience.”

This was the second outing organised by DST, for the benefit of orphaned schoolchildren. The first was held last April, with a trip to the Temburong District.

DST will organise another outing in the Belait District, during the next school holidays.

|     Izah Azahari     |

FOLLOWING the launching of the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex website and social media at the Centre Atrium of the Yayasan Complex yesterday, the BWN Souvenirs Store was also officiated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Block B, first floor of Yayasan Complex.

Present to officially launch the store was Minister of Development Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gafar in his capacity as a member of Yayasan Board of Directors and Chairman of the Wadah Amal Sdn Bhd Board of Directors.

Also present to cut the ribbon were Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Datin Seri Paduka Dayang Hajah Elinda binti Haji CA Mohamed in her capacity as a member of the Yayasan Board of Directors and a member of Wadah Amal Sdn Bhd Board of Directors; Yayasan Managing Director Dato Paduka Eddie bin Dato Paduka Haji Sunny; Wadah Amal Sdn Bhd General Manager Fazlan bin Haji Othman; and Aewon Brunei Managing Director Lau Chai Seng.

Lau Chai Seng in an interview said the store is for both tourists and locals alike, and they hope to promote the Brunei culture to the store’s visitors through props and displays which they can use and take photos with, which will also change from time to time to suit various local themes.

He added that the store also has a performance stage where they hope to get student musicians to play once a week, and that the products they have in the store are all locally designed by Aewon. Lau Chai Seng said they previously opened a similar shop in the Kiarong area, adding that the Yayasan Complex branch offers a bigger venue for them to display more items and attract more visitors.

Aewon Brunei has also set up an ASEAN zone at the Yayasan Complex which mostly showcases their own products aimed to promote ASEAN within the region.

BWN Souvenirs Store is currently having a ‘Buy 1 and Get 1 Free’ promotion for customers.

|     Izah Azahari     |

AS A step to start a new beginning in the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex’s (Yayasan Complex) marketing strategy, an official launch was carried out for the Yayasan Complex website and social media, along with the official opening of a number of shops in the complex.

Present as the guest of honour to launch the event was Minister of Development Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gafar, in his capacity as a Board member of the Yayasan Board of Directors and Chairman of Wadah Amal Sdn Bhd.

Also present during the launch were Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Datin Seri Paduka Dayang Hajah Elinda binti Haji CA Mohamed in her capacity as a member of the Yayasan Board of Directors as well as a member of the Wadah Amal Sdn Bhd Board of Directors; the General Manager of Wadah Amal Sdn Bhd Fazlan bin Haji Othman; Ambassadors and High Commissioners from ASEAN member countries; a Wadah Amal Sdn Bhd Board member; Yayasan Managing Director Dato Paduka Eddie bin Dato Paduka Haji Sunny; Tourism Development Department of the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism officials; and invited guests.

The event began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah followed by a welcoming speech by the Wadah Amal General Manager who highlighted that with the new launch, the Yayasan Complex will return as an attraction for businesses and visitors, with yesterday’s launch theme being ‘Rediscovering A Great Shopping Tradition’.

“This theme is hoped to inject high spirits to the tenants, new or old, as well as the management team of the Yayasan Complex,” said the General Manager.

The event continued with the launching of the website and soft opening of new shops by the guest of honour.

The minister in an interview expressed joy and hopes that with the launching of the new shops as well as the website and social media, Yayasan Complex will be able to attract more attention of not only tourists but also people living in the Sultanate.

The minister also hoped it can further promote Brunei Darussalam to tourists with various local products available at the shops, adding that to further enhance the attraction to the public, a number of initiatives are hoped to be carried out every Sunday, as part of the Bandarku Ceria event, at the Yayasan Complex.

The Yayasan Complex website and social media are hoped to provide the latest information on activities carried out by the complex and target customers so that they will be updated on activities at the Yayasan Complex through display of information.

The public can now visit the website at www.yayasancomplex.com; Facebook at The Yayasan Shopping Complex and Instagram @theyayasancomplex.

The new shops launched yesterday included BWN Souvenirs Store, Qaisara Dreams, Gildan USA, Mommymart, ViVO Concept Store, Arum, Aura Rich Enterprise, Oud Al Aswad, HIVE Enterprise, Saffiya Company, Maanggaris Enterprise, Koleksi Husna, and An Nuur As Salwaa Beauty & Health Establish. Yayasan Complex is one of the infrastructure development projects of Yayasan located in Bandar Seri Begawan between two major landmarks of the capital which are the Brunei River and the Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Mosque, attracting people and tourists.