|     Izah Azahari     |

A BRUNEI Darussalam Qari will compete in the four-day 19th Moscow International Quran from October 18 to 21.

Awangku Khairul Ikhwan bin Pengiran Alit and head of delegation Muhammad Mujieb bin Haji Musa left the Sultanate yesterday.

Head of the Islamic Syiar Development Division at the Ministry of Religious Affairs Haji Madzneh bin Haji Mohd Noor and the Acting Principal of the Institut Tahfiz Al-Quran Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Pengiran Haji Amiruddin bin Pengiran Haji Damit were present to send off the delegate at the Brunei International Airport.

Awangku Khairul Ikhwan will compete in the 30 Juzuks Memorisation Category and the Brunei delegation is expected to return on October 23.

|     James Kon     |

THE Ministry of Health (MoH) is in the process of implementing its National Health Screening Programme for the early detection and treatment of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and looking to build a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3) certified laboratory and a new health centre in the Kampong Pandan area in Kuala Belait, as part of infrastructure projects under 11th National Development Plan.

These latest developments were highlighted by Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar in his opening remarks yesterday morning during a dialogue session with members of the Legislative Council at the ministry’s Al-’Afiah Hall.

The dialogue was meant to be an open platform for the participants to share their opinions and recommendations on health issues with the MoH, in support of their efforts to enhance the quality healthcare services in the country.

The minister, who was chairing the session, also noted that the ministry will be focussing on five main strategies to support Brunei Vision 2035 objectives.

“These five target strategies are to achieve excellence in the country’s healthcare services; preventing and controlling NCDs; protecting public health through effective policies and regulations; ensuring the competitiveness of Brunei’s healthcare systems and services through the optimal use of resources and exercising innovation; as well as being transparent and proactive in the governance of the health services,” the minister said.

He added that the ministry, placing great weight on the importance of quality and safety in the country’s healthcare, has recently established a national committee for patients’ wellbeing and safety.

“This is to provide a holistic framework to work from to ensure the safety of patients in adherence with the best practices and recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO),” said the minister. “The MoH will also strengthen the overall quality management system and instill a culture of widespread safety in the profession.”

On basic healthcare services in Brunei, he said, “The ministry has provided various convenience services that are easily available and close to the local community through a one-stop health centre. Services offered include a general clinic, clinic for chronic diseases, as well as healthcare for mothers and children.”

A doctor appointment scheduling system has also been introduced in five health centres across the country, namely Berakas Health Centre, Pengiran Anak Puteri Hajah Muta-Wakkilah Hayatul Bolkiah Health Centre, Muara Health Centre, Pengkalan Batu Health Centre, and Jubli Perak Sengkurong Health Centre.

“To ensure that the system runs smoothly, we need the public’s cooperation to be punctual for their appointments,” the minister said.

Other developments include the approval of a number of health infrastructure projects under the 11th National Development Plan.

Among these are the construction of a new health centre in the Kampong Pandan area in Kuala Belait, the construction of a new block for the Jubli Perak Sengkurong Health Centre, the building of an emergency services building for Suri Seri Begawan Hospital in Kuala Belait, as well as the construction of a BSL3 certified laboratory to support the establishment of a national tuberculosis and virology services referred laboratory.

Upgrading and renovation works at government hospitals and health centres nationwide are also underway and being carried out in phases according to priority, the minister told the media.

With regard to the MoH’s readiness to respond to public health crises, the minister gave assurances that the ministry has formulated strategies to effectively handle such situations.

He said, “We are aware of the importance of protecting public health and take upmost priority in preparing for any threat to public health such as epidemic outbreaks. In an effort to improve the country’s efficiency and capacity to prevent, detect and respond to public health emergencies, the national committee on implementation of WHO’s International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 was recently established. Members of this committee comprise representatives of a number of stakeholder ministries and agencies.”

Moving on to the issue of smoking, the minister says that the MoH recognises the threat of tobacco products to public health, and has taken steps to curb their consumption such as running campaigns to raise public awareness on the dangers of smoking and availing smoking cessation clinics to the public.

“According to the 2016 Cross Sectional STEPwise Approach to Surveillance Population Survey of NCD and Risk Factors in Brunei Darussalam, it was found that 20 per cent of adults in Brunei are smokers. To reduce of the number of smokers in the country, enforcement of the Tobacco Order and related regulations was tightened,” he said.

Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham added that strategies for the prevention and control of NCDs continue to be a top priority for the ministry.

One of these, he said, is the plan to implement the National Health Screening Programme for early detection and treatment of chronic NCDs. The programme will focus on the early detection of cardiovascular diseases and cancers, which is the leading cause of death in the country.

Efforts to enhance health education and health literacy among Bruneians will also be intensified.

Brunei Darussalam, the minister said before concluding his speech, “has achieved most of the objectives of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 2030 on health with regard to the well-being of mothers and children and the control of infectious diseases”.

He continued, “Nevertheless, we cannot be complacent on the achievements made because there are still challenges that could threaten the health status of the nation. Thus in line with the vision ‘Together Towards a Healthy Nation’, the MoH hopes for the cooperation of government agencies, the private sector, NGOs and grassroots leaders to work together to shoulder the responsibility of maintaining public health and safety for the well-being of the country.”

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

A DELEGATION of four teachers from Thailand had the opportunity to visit two government primary schools in the country yesterday.

The teachers are in Brunei to participate in the Exchange Programme between the Brunei Malay Teachers Association (PGGMB) and the Teachers’ Council of Thailand (KHURUSAPHA).

The teachers from the Islam Sri Ayutthaya Foundation School in Ayutthaya Province, Bangkok, first visited Mabohai Primary School, where they were welcomed by Headmistress Salinawati binti Haji Md Zainal, who also briefed them on the school’s profile and system.

Next, they visited Pusar Ulak School, where they were welcomed by Headmaster Colm McDermott.

They were briefed on the key initiatives in improving the learning and teaching methods which include programmes on literacy across the curriculum, Literacy and Numeracy Programme (LNCP), and Whole School Evaluation.

|     Khairil Hassan     |

EIGHT more cueists advanced to the next stage of the Brunei National 6 Red Snooker Championship 2018 in the Losers’ Side of the Double Knockout Round 1 last night at the Billiards and Snooker Hall II of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas.

In Group A, Md Amir Hassan beat Lim Wei Kok 3-1 and Md Fa’ez 3-1, and will meet Yii Hung Burn tomorrow. Yii Hung Burn defeated Jong Wee Lee 3-0, won against Awangku Abdul Wafiy 3-1 and against Gibson Thian 3-0.

In Group B, Wong Ru Sheng edged Pengiran Anak Awadi but lost to Lei Yong 2-3. Lei Yong then beat Hemran Jamil 3-1, and will face Sufri Rahman tomorrow. Jimmy Lim beat Koh Yaw Boon 3-1 then lost to Sufri Rahman on walk-over. Sufri Rahman defeated Lim Chiao Leong 3-0.

Khairul Azmee won over Zulhelme 3-1 in Group C. He also defeated Md Azuan 3-0 but lost to Lim Young Wee 3-0. Lim Young Wee will face Muhidi tomorrow, after Muhidi won against Su Lei Hin 3-0, Pengiran Khairul Rijal 3-0 and Abdul Rahim 3-1.

In Group D, Md Airwan edged Haji Shahruzzaman 3-2, defeated Handy Lee 3-0 but lost to Pengiran Md Basheer 2-2. Pengiran Md Basheer will go against Zairul Nazmee tomorrow, who won against Haji Asrul 3-0, Md Isa 3-1 and Hasrijam 3-0.

Tomorrow will see the winners’ side matches played at 7pm and the losers’ side games right after. All the winners of tomorrow’s matches will qualify for the quarter-finals on Sunday, followed by the semi-finals and final.

|     Ishan Ibrahim     |

LAKSAMANA College of Business (LCB) and Guangxi Financial Vocational College from China yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in a ceremony at LCB in Jalan Tutong.

Director of LCB and Plaza Abdul Razak Holdings Sdn Bhd Haji Awang Suhaimei bin Haji Awang Besar signed on behalf of LCB, while Guangxi Financial Vocational College was represented by its Vice President Xie Peishan.

The MoU will enable LCB and Guangxi Financial Vocational College to further strengthen their educational cooperation as they look to work together in student exchanges as well as teaching and research collaborations covering various areas in education.

The agreement covers faculty exchanges – especially in management, accounting, finance, computing and hospitality; possible student exchanges for short-term visits and learning; joint academic events and activities, including short courses, seminars, workshops and/or conferences based on mutual interest and institutional expertise.

The MoU will also allow LCB to build more global alliances with academic and research partners around the world.

The delegation of six senior officials of Guangxi Financial Vocational College was given a brief tour of LCB.

The delegates included Faculty Director Lu Ling, Deputy Director Luo Zhenzi, Lecturer Yan Rongrong, Lecturer Yi Honggang and CIIE Manager Huang Rui.

|     Azlan Othman     |

BRUNEI Darussalam’s veteran athletes bagged a haul of 21 medals in the Malaysian International Open Masters Athletics Championship at Universiti Malaya recently.

The contingent won 11 gold medals, eight silver and two bronze.

Haji Ariffin bin Abdullah clinched gold medals in 200m and 400m race as well as long jump, while Husna bin Abdullah was triumphant in the long-distance run winning gold medals in the 3,000m and 800m race. Both athletes also won silver in the 800m race and javelin throw.

Haji Zainal bin Haji Namit won gold medals in triple and high jump events and silver in long jump. Pengiran Azizul Akbar bin Pengiran Haji Badaruddin bagged home a gold medal in shot put and won silver medal in discuss throw. The disc throw’s gold was won by Ampuan Khifli bin Ampuan Haji Damit.

In the 200m race, Budin Anak Meringgai finished second to receive the silver medal. Haji Mohd Safri bin Haji Mudin won silver in long jump.

Marznimurney Abdullah completed the medal haul for the country with gold medal in 1,500m race and silver in the 800m.

|     Azlan Othman & Lyna Mohamad     |

TWELVE members of the Legislative Council (LegCo) made a working visit to Telekom Brunei Berhad (TelBru) yesterday.

The objective of the visit was to get a closer look on the services offered by local telecommunication providers.

The visit began at the TelBru Learning Centre (TLC) in Berakas where the LegCo members were briefed on Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH), Metro-E exhibition and Fixed Wireless Connectivity.

The FTTH network has covered 86,000 houses and business premises and 59,000 FTTH lines are ready to be subscribed for the High Speed Broadband (HSBB) network services. About 32,000 houses and business premises have subscribed to the HSBB network services.

The delegation visited the TelHouse in Sumbiling in the capital to take a closer look at the Network Operation Centre (NOC) and TelBru Call Centre. The NOC is a combination of several networks responsible for continuous communication within network.

TelBru Call Centre is a focal point whereby customers can make inquiries, complaints, feedback and other services. The working visit programme of the members of the Legislative Council will resume on Tuesday to Datastream Technology (DST) Sdn Bhd.

|     Ishan Ibrahim     |

AN ART exhibition showcasing Haji Dayang bin Haji Mutalip’s work is being held at the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Brunei Darussalam.

The exhibition saw guest of honour 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, foreign emissaries and guests viewing the works of Haji Dayang.

Haji Dayang is a self-taught artist born in Kampong Ayer in 1956.

At a young age, he often helped colour the sketches of siraung made by his mother.

He discovered his talent in primary school and his interest in art developed throughout his studies at sixth form centre in Jalan Muara as an art-stream student before he started working under Radio Television Brunei as a book illustrator, animator, graphic designer and scenic artist.

During his 33-year tenure with the government, he attended various workshops and courses overseas on animation and film. Now living as a pensioner, he is more focussed in painting landscapes and portraits, and joins more actively in art competitions and exhibitions where he won many prestigious awards.

Painting on canvas is a way of his choice in communicating with audience.

Most of his artworks are landscapes of the green nature, Brunei’s cultural heritages such as mosques and Kampong Ayer, padian, portraits of indigenous people and their traditional works, as well as portraits 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.

Haji Dayang does not only paint to make a living but also to create visual awareness of the current events for the people and future generations of Brunei. He emphasised on the study of colour and lighting, which highlights the importance of perspective to produce a high-quality artwork.

As a veteran local artist, he showcased his recent artworks through Pause and Rewind Exhibition 2018, organised by Creative Space Art Gallery and Studio, hoping to reach out a rather younger audience.

His displayed paintings vary from a view of the Belalong Canopy Walk to a portrait of a Kadazan woman.

The exhibition is open to public until October 25 at Simpang 52, Kampong Manggis Satu from Monday to Friday between 10am-noon and 2.30pm-4pm.

|     Fizah HAB     |

A HANDOVER of national flag and tickets to the Brunei contingent for upcoming 45th Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Programme (SSEAYP) was held at the Green Room, Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium, Berakas yesterday.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin was the guest of honour.

Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports Datin Paduka Dr Hajah Norlila binti Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Jalil and representatives from the Japanese Embassy in Brunei Darussalam were also present.

The event began with speeches by Acting Director of Youth and Sports and Chairman of the event Haji Zafri bin Haji Mohamed and Japanese Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Motohiko Kato.

Motohiko Kato highlighted the partnership between Brunei and Japan as well as ASEAN member countries and of the chance for delegates to broaden their perspective and strengthen their spirit of international cooperation. Motohiko Kato also presented flight tickets to the head of the contingent.

Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Aminuddin Ihsan presented the flag to Head of the Brunei Contingent Haji Muhammad Iqbal Fakhri bin Haji Damit and participated in a meet-and-greet session with the 28 delegates.

The Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Ships Plan programme, established in 1974, aims to promote international understanding and cooperation among ASEAN and Japanese youth. This year’s programme will run from October 23 to December 13, 2018 with 330 youth from 11 countries using the Nippon Maru Ship, with stop over in Brunei Darussalam, Manila (the Philippines), Bangkok (Thailand), Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam) and Tokyo, Japan.

|     Azaraimy HH     |

SINCE it first began operations on July 10, 2017, the Tutong Senior Citizens Activity Centre (PKWE Tutong) has been put to good use by its members, not only as a place of gathering for seniors, but also as a platform for carrying out amal ibadat (religious) and community welfare activities, according to Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong.

The minister was speaking as the guest of honour at the PKWE Tutong Sumbangsih Night and launching of the centre’s Poetry Anthology book on Tuesday evening, an event held in conjunction with the National Family Day celebration.

Also in attendance was 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 his speech, the Minister of Home Affairs added that the activities at the centre show that the government – specifically the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports – is paying serious attention to the well-being of the country’s elderly citizens.

He went on to highlight some of the activities that were organised or taken part in by members of PKWE Tutong, the most recent being the activities at the Tutong Food Carnival.

“We are happy to learn that the focus of the PKWE Tutong activities is on contributions to the nation, such as participation in celebrations for National Day and the Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Accession to the Throne and birthday, as well as Tai Chi morning exercises during Bandarku Ceria,” said the Minister of Home Affairs.

“I am also made to understand that with a former imam as a member of PKWE Tutong, religious activities are also being conducted such as in-depth learning sessions on Al-Quran, as well as classes on Al-Quran reading, Dikir, Surah Yaasiin and Tahlil recitation and Tausyeh.

“Most interesting is that the centre also regularly organises a distribution of Fidyah to the needy through its Jalinan Taqwa programme.”

On the launch of the Poetry Anthology book, the Minister of Home Affairs said, “This is another symbol of the creative ability of the PKWE Tutong members. They have made a proud contribution to the literary sphere of the country. Congratulations to the writers.”

The evening also saw the presentation of appreciation plaques to several members of PKWE Tutong for their active contributions to the centre.

|     James Kon     |

RESPONSE to the Sulawesi Disaster Humanitarian Fund, established to help ease the suffering of survivors of the earthquake and tsunami which struck Sulawesi, Indonesia on September 28, has been good so far, with the fund receiving a flurry of donations of late.

One of these was a sizeable BND50,000 contribution from Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah yesterday.

The donation was handed over to 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 (receiving on behalf of the fund) by Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud, who is also a member of Yayasan Board of Directors and Chairman of the Yayasan Assessment Committee for Assistance.

Commenting on the donation during the handover ceremony, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports said, “We are blessed today to receive this sum of money from Yayasan. I hope that more members of the public will come forward to donate to the fund.”

Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office noted that Yayasan’s decision to make a contribution to the Sulawesi Disaster Humanitarian Fund followed a meeting on the disaster by the Yayasan Board of Directors.

Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports Datin Paduka Dr Hajah Norlila binti Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Jalil; Managing Director of Yayasan Dato Paduka Eddie bin Dato Paduka Haji Sunny; Assistant Managing Director of Yayasan Haji Mustapha bin Haji Matahir; and Acting Director of the Community Development Department (JAPEM) Rostinah binti Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Sura Pahlawan Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Tahir were also present at the event.

Members of the public wishing to donate to the Sulawesi Disaster Humanitarian Fund can do so until January 6, 2019.

Donations can also be sent via SMS until November 22. To do so, type in the word ‘BANTU’ followed by the cash amount in 1, 5, 10, 15 or 20 without any spacing – for example, ‘BANTU20’ for a donation of BND20 – before sending to 38111.

Funds can also be forwarded to the Secretariat office located at the Finance and Administration Division on the second floor of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports building during office hours, or via online transfer to Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam’s (BIBD) account at 00-001-01-0076007.

Donation boxes for the fund can be found in banks, shopping complexes, government buildings, and mosques and suraus across the country.

|     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 departed for Brussels, Belgium to attend the 12th Asia-Europe Summit Meeting (ASEM) which will be held from October 18 to 19.

Accompanying His Majesty was His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen.

Prior to departure from Istana Nurul Iman, a Doa Selamat was recited by State Mufti Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned.

Present at His Majesty the Sultan’s Flight Hangar to bid farewell to His Majesty were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel; His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Ameerah Wardatul Bolkiah; and Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Also present at His Majesty the Sultan’s Flight Hangar to bid farewell were Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran-Pengiran Cheteria; the Speaker of the Legislative Council; Cabinet Ministers; members of the Privy Council; deputy ministers; the Commissioner of the Royal Brunei Police Force; and the Acting Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces.

|     Syazwani Hj Rosli     |

A KHATAM Al-Quran ceremony was yesterday held for 304 students at the Jame’ ‘Asr Hassanil Bolkiah, in conjunction with the 26th Institute of Brunei Technical Education (IBTE) Convocation.

Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Mohd Yusof was the guest of honour.

IBTE Acting CEO Dr Haji Mohd Zamri bin Haji Sabli, deputy CEO, divisional directors, senior officers, parents and guardians were also in attendance.

The ceremony began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah led by the guest of honour, and was followed by a mass recitation of Surah Ad-Dhuhaa to Surah Al-Masad led by Md Nur Faiz Fikri bin Noor Asmali, an IBTE Business Campus student.

Muhd Shah Reduan bin Mohd Haidi from the IBTE Agro-Technology Campus recited the Doa Khatam Al-Quran.

The guest of honour presented certificates to the Khatam participants. Muhd Hazim bin Sulaiman of IBTE Business Campus recited the Doa Selamat to mark the end of the ceremony.

The Khatam Al-Quran ceremony is part of IBTE initiatives in upholding the Malay Islamic Monarchy philosophy, and in realising His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s vision of having Brunei be a Zikir Nation.

|     Fadhil Yunus     |

THREE teams from Brunei Darussalam will compete in the Xiang Dang Nian Asian Veteran Basketball Invitational Championship 2018 and Kinsar 35th Anniversary Celebration at the Kota Kinabalu Community Centre in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah from October 21-27.

The participating teams from Brunei are Brunei Linktech (40 years old), Brunei Veteran United (50 years old) and Brunei Fitness Zone (60 years old).

Brunei Linktech have been drawn in Group ‘B’ alongside Ujana Kingfisher, Manila Alpha 7 and Hurricane Sports while Brunei Veteran United are in Group ‘C’ and Brunei Fitness Zone in Group ‘D’.

Brunei Veteran United have been pitted alongside Vois Pontianak, Malacca Basketball Club, Taiwan, Kinsar and Ujana Kingfisher while Brunei Fitness Zone have Taiwan, Foremost Thailand, Ujana Kingfisher and Vois Pontianak for company.

Brunei Veteran United will be the first in action among the trio against Taiwan followed by Brunei Linktech who open their campaign against Hurricane Sports.

The semi-finals for the 40 years age group will be held on October 26 while the finals for each of the age groups will be on October 27. Third place finishers will also be determined prior to the commencement of the finals.

The Brunei representatives were joined by Media & Friends in friendly matches at the Brunei Basketball Association Court in Batu Bersurat last night as a final warm-up ahead of the tournament.

|     Izah Azahari     |

BERIBI Gadong Religious School yesterday celebrated 106 students who sat for the Religious Education Primary Schools Certificate (SSSRU) Examination in 2017 with a certificate presentation ceremony at the Fathul Busyra Hall of the school.

The guest of honour was Islamic Studies Officer at the Department of Islamic Studies under the Ministry of Religious Affairs Ustaz Muhammad Fauzi bin Haji Zaini.

The event began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah led by Anuar bin Muhammad and recitation of Al-Quran verses by Azim Khan bin Othmawee, followed by a welcoming speech of Headmistress Pengiran Hajah Aminah binti Pengiran Haji Bakar.

The headmistress said the event was aimed at showing appreciation to the students who have passed the SSSRU in 2017 and encouraging them to further work hard in their religious studies even after successfully completing their Primary 6 religious schooling.

The students comprised 64 male and 42 female students with 72 of them achieving Grade 1, 26 Grade 2, seven Grade 3 and six of them Grade 1 Aggregate 5.

The event continued with a speech by the guest of honour followed by the certificate presentation ceremony.

The event also saw an award presentation for the Overall Outstanding Student Award in the SSSRU 2017, as well as an appreciation certificate presentation to Primary 6 teachers for 2017.

The event ended with a recitation of Doa Selamat led by Anuar.

|     James Kon     |

YANG Berhormat Iswandy bin Ahmad called on the youth to work together for improving the country’s scores in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and for achieving Brunei Vision 2035.

The Legislative Council (LegCo) member was delivering his keynote address as guest of honour at the Industry Engagement Forum organised by Politeknik Brunei (PB).

Themed ‘Global Skills: Opportunities for a Better Future’, the forum was held at the Pengiran Anak Puteri Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) and attended by students from PB and UBD as well as other higher education institutions.

Yang Berhormat Iswandy said that projects and initiatives to help achieve the goals should be planned.

“Whatever career we will be in, be it banking, business, public service, ICT, science, engineering, or education, we should have the intention of working to benefit our family, our nation and our community. Being marketable or employable is not just about receiving that salary, but also about making a difference,” he said.

He cited the titah delivered by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam during Universiti Teknologi Brunei’s Sixth Convocation this year in which His Majesty noted the important role technology plays in this era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), both in how we live and how we work.

The transition into this new technological era has also been brought up by LegCo members during the 14th LegCo session this year, during which they called on the nation to embrace the 4IR, Yang Berhormat Iswandy said.

On the SDGs, the LegCo member said, “In September 2015, world leaders committed to the SDGs – 17 goals to achieve three extraordinary things by 2030: End extreme poverty; fight inequality and injustice; and tackle climate change.

“Our young people can do their part to help Brunei achieve its SDG goals and Vision 2035. According to the Brunei National Youth Policy, the definition of youth is those aged 15 to 40 years, and statistics from the Department of Economic Planning and Development in 2015 showed there are about 184,600 in that category or about 44 per cent of the whole population in Brunei Darussalam,” he added.

“That is a lot of young people to help develop the nation and move it towards achieving Vision 2035.”

Also present at the event were Director of PB Denis Ho Mun Tai and Assistant Director of PB Alias bin Haji Abu Bakar.

In his welcoming remarks, Denis Ho said, “One of the key strategic initiatives of PB’s five-year development plan for 2015-2020 is to promote global education. PB recognises the importance of providing education that places emphasis on global skills, positive universal values, fostering tolerance, and understanding and promoting mutually beneficial international relationships.

“Therefore, PB has initiated programmes aimed at producing graduates who possess 21st Century global skills and knowledge that can help our nation to compete on the global stage.”

Among the panellists for the open forum which discussed current trends in the employment market were Dayangku Hajah Siti Normardinah binti Pengiran Haji Omarali from DARe (Darussalam Enterprise); Head of Government Relations and Special Projects at the Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) Haji Mohammad Yusri bin Haji Wahsalfelah; Head of learning and Development at the Brunei Shell Petroleum Sdn Bhd (BSP) Yap Sin Fah; and Head of the Division for Livestock, Industry and Veterinary Services at the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood Dr Diana Dennis.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

SYARIKAT Takaful Brunei Darussalam Sdn Bhd (STBD) held a Legal Workshop on Occupational Health and Safety Practices and Workmen Compensation in Brunei Darussalam on Wednesday.

Acting Managing Director of STBD Haji Shahrildin bin Pehin Orang Kaya Lela Utama Dato Paduka Haji Jaya was the guest of honour.

Present at the workshop were employees of STBD and subsidiaries – Takaful Brunei Am Sdn Bhd (TBA) and Takaful Brunei Keluarga Sdn Bhd (TBK).

Representatives of Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (AMBD) as well as members of the Brunei Insurance and Takaful Association (BITA) and Takaful Brunei’s Legal Panel were also present.

Guest speakers Dr Nayake B Parakrama Balalla from B&T Consultant Sdn Bhd, Senior Labour Inspector Mohammad Noor Faizal bin Haji Mohammad Osmena and Hazmin Hatta bin Haji Hamzah from the Labour Department facilitated the workshop.

The workshop highlighted occupational health and safety practices in Brunei Darussalam as well as the processes of the Workmen’s Compensation.

This marks the third Legal Workshop conducted this year by STBD following their first Legal Workshop in January 2018 and Loss Adjusting Workshop in September 2018.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

EDUCATION plays a significant role in helping define career pathways; in the modern society, practical experiences are highly valued and help graduates open up career opportunities, said Universiti Brunei Darussalam’s (UBD) Career Fair 2018 Chairperson Gavin Crewe.

He made this statement during the launch ceremony of the UBD Career Fair 2018 at the university’s Chancellor Hall yesterday.

The annual fair, organised by UBD’s Centre of Networking, Employment and Career Training (CoNECT), will conclude tomorrow. The fair is open from 9am to 5pm, with a break from 12pm to 2pm.

To help students gain experience, CoNECT conducted the Summer Work Experience Programme (SWEP) from May to July. It provided students the opportunity to acquire hands-on experience in a workplace setting and gain new skills through internships, project collaborations, and work shadowing, added Gavin Crewe.

Permanent Secretary (Higher Education) at the Ministry of Education Dr Haji Azman bin Ahmad officiated the ceremony.

UBD Vice-Chancellor Datin Dr Hajah Anita Binurul Zahrina binti Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Wijaya Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Aziz, principal officers, staff and students were also present.

The fair aims to support the UBD students in their career development by providing exposure to companies offering employment opportunities and internships.

Forty exhibitors are participating in this year’s event, more than last year’s 30. Around 200 jobs are up for grabs, including part-time and fulltime apprenticeships or internships. There will also be walk-in interviews for students and graduates.

CoNECT, which has an online portal for students to do book career guidance sessions and career events, held CV checks and interview tips sessions for students to prepare them for the walk-in interviews.

Students signed up for talks and workshops by business leaders and entrepreneurs.

The workshops aim to help the students enhance their job marketability and prepare them for the challenging career environment.

|     Azlan Othman     |

DEPUTY Permanent Secretary (Tourism) at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism Awang Wardi bin Awang Haji Mohammad Ali urged his fellow officers and staff at the ministry to embrace the Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) philosophy, which he said is “an indispensable part of Brunei’s culture and way of life”.

Wardi was speaking yesterday at a Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) workshop held for staff of the ministry and its related departments.

The workshop, held at the ministry’s Setia Pahlawan Hall and segmented into morning and afternoon sessions, was aimed at providing knowledge and improving understanding on MIB concepts among the ministry staff, as well as to encourage its practice among them.

“I hope that such a briefing will enable you all to gain a deeper understanding of the history and existence of MIB in the country, to help in changing your minds and improving the way you work,” he said.

“I also hope after attending this workshop, you all will be more proactive and efficient in carrying out the tasks and responsibilities entrusted upon you.

“I trust that the session will also help improve the quality and effectiveness of services provided by you all at your respective departments.”

Four invited speakers delivered briefings at the workshop: Senior Special Duties Officer at the Secretariat of the Supreme MIB Council Dr Haji Muhammad Hadi bin Muhammad Melayong with a talk entitled ‘The existence and continuity of MIB nation’; lecturer at the Brunei Studies Academy, Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) Zulhilmi bin Haji Jaidin with ‘Malay Islamic Monarchy Concept’; assistant professor at the Brunei Studies Academy, UBD Pengiran Dr Khairul Rijal bin Pengiran Haji Abdul Rahim with ‘The Identity of Bruneians’; and lecturer at the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Education, UBD Pengiran Dr Hajah Nur-Ashikin binti Pengiran Haji Petra with ‘MIB and the Brunei Vision 2035’.

Also facilitating the workshop were selected lecturers from UBD. Some 40 officers and staff from the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism and its related departments participated in the event.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

PERMANENT Secretary (Higher Education) at the Ministry of Education Dr Haji Azman bin Ahmad urged higher education institutions in the country – including Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) – to rethink how they prepare their students for new careers being ushered in by next-generation technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence, quantum computing and Internet of Things (IoT).

The permanent secretary, who was speaking at the launch of the UBD Career Fair 2018 yesterday which he officiated, added that, “The job sector will change as the world approaches the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR),” and “universities must change as well” to adapt to this new era, noting that this was highlighted recently in His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s titah during UBD’s 30th Convocation ceremony.

He pointed out that Brunei has been named as the most improved economy in the world for the third year running, and that this is something positive reflecting the country’s flourishing economy and higher employment rates.

“This shows the serious commitment of His Majesty’s government towards creating a pro-business environment that enables further diversification of the country’s economy,” the permanent secretary said.

“As citizens of the country, we are grateful to the Government of His Majesty for the generous provision for education.”

The existing education system in place, he added, offers seamless pathways for students to pursue higher education, which can be seen from the development of public higher education institutions in the country, which each have their own niches.

“This is also apparent in the private higher education institutions, which offer various programmes and provide the public with greater opportunities to further their studies,” he said.

The good turnout of participating organisations comprising companies from the private and government sectors at the UBD Career Fair, the permanent secretary added, shows the strong support and commitment of stakeholders in the socio-economic development of Brunei Darussalam.

“The initiative taken by UBD to organise their fourth Career Fair will be beneficial for the students, alumni and public as a whole, as it provides an avenue for companies across industries to showcase job opportunities covering a wide range of skills and qualification levels to jobseekers,” he said.

The permanent secretary mentioned that it is important to have a system in place to measure the number of graduates that have secured jobs from the fair.

“It is important to know the number of jobs on offer at the fair and how many graduates who participated in the fair secured jobs. I’m confident that UBD has set this out as one of their success measures for organising the fair,” he said.

Dr Haji Azman also expressed his hope that public and private institutions, including UBD, will continue to collaborate with government agencies such as the Manpower Policy and Planning Unit and Job Centre Brunei to organise job fairs such as this, as well as outreach and other career programmes to help graduates in Brunei secure employment.

He highlighted that in the past two months, there has been an influx of graduates flooding the local labour market, noting that by year’s end, there will be approximately 5,513 students graduating from local public and private technical and vocational institutions as well as colleges and universities, with a large number having plans to continue their studies.

After launching the fair, Dr Haji Azman proceeded to tour the exhibition booths and mingle with the participating exhibitors.