THE Brunei Religious Officer Students Association (BruROSA) held a religious camp called Kem Ibadah 11 for three days and two nights at Brunei Hall in London, United Kingdom (UK) from November 23-25, according to a press release from BruROSA.

A total of 64 students participated in the event.

The guest of honour, Acting High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland Pengiran Hajah Rooslina Weti binti Pengiran Haji Kamaludin, graced the event’s opening ceremony on November 24. Also present were Brunei Students’ Unit (UPP) and Brunei Students’ Union council officers.

Muhammad Aqil bin Awang from Cardiff University and Siti Maisarah Zaliqah binti Haji Awang Ramli from the University of Exeter were the chairpersons for this year’s Kem Ibadah, while the camp commandants in charge of the camp were Awangku Muhammad Aqil bin Pengiran Jaya from Imperial College London for the male participants and Syifa Syaheerah binti Abu Hanifah from the University of York for the female participants.

Qalbun Saleem, which translates to ‘A Sound Heart’, was the main theme as well as the ultimate goal for this year’s rendition of the religious camp. Qalbun Saleem is a heart that is pure and unaffected by the moral ills that afflict others in which it (heart) is free from bad characteristics such as arrogance, riya’ and prejudice.

The ceremony started with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah followed by the recitation of Surah Asy-Syu’ara verses 84-111 by Mohammad Harith Syafiq bin Mohammad Halim from the University of Nottingham with translation read by Muhammad Amirul Husni bin Haji Haji from the University of Manchester.

Muhammad Aqil in his speech reminded the participants the importance of having a sound heart in spite of living busy university lives, while the guest of honour advised the students to acquire an equal balance of knowledge and skills for both the world and the hereafter in terms of intellectual, spiritual, moral and behaviour.

UPP Director of Studies Pengiran Ali Shafie bin Pengiran Haji Abas attended the event’s closing ceremony on November 25 as the guest of honour along with UPP Religious Officer Ustaz Isham Ismail as the event’s Advisor.

Male Camp Commandant Awangku Muhammad Aqil at the closing ceremony said, “This event is not specifically for a devoted or pious Muslim but rather for those seeking knowledge in general.” His words were in line with Pengiran Ali Shafie’s speech where he encouraged the attendees to gain as much knowledge as possible.

The ceremony was blessed with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah followed by the recitation of Surah At-Taghabun verses 10-13 by Abdul Halim bin Anuar from Loughborough University with translation read by Abdul Qawie Iman Abidin from the University of Leicester.

The press release added that indoor activities held at the camp included ice-breaking activities, Jawi aerobics, blindfolded game and bell challenge quiz. Outdoor activities were also held at Hyde Park with four activities checkpoints, Tadabbur (act of pondering and reflecting upon Al-Quran) sessions, talks and a forum where the forum panellists discussed mental health-related issues.

The activities were held to highlight ways to achieve Qalbun Saleem as well as ways to find peace.

There was also a Malam Sketsa activitiy where participants in groups performed a short act relating to any one of five virtues of Qalbun Saleem (remembrance, patience, devotion, humility, and honesty).

The event also saw the announcement of group winners for the activities as well as singing the main theme song together, with Team Selurut the winners for male participants and Team Seri Muka for female participants. Each team comprised six participants.

According to the press release, what made the 11th edition of the religious camp more special than previous ones was when all the participants and organizing commitee members were surprised upon receiving individual letters specially written by their parents for them.

Camp participant Ida Wendy Nurfarzana Batrisyia binti Haji Kamarul Zaman shared, “Coming here for all the activities and talks despite the eight-hour journey from Glasgow was all worth it. The games, forum, and talks, they were very insightful. For me, the talk was custom-made to our age group, so it is easily relatable. The talks touched my heart. Being with other Bruneians, the camp was also a way to reduce homesickness.”

BruROSA expressed its gratitude to Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sdn Bhd (BSP), Brunei LNG Sdn Bhd, DST, and AR-RIJ Enterprise for sponsoring the event.

|     Aziz Idris     |

AN ASSORTMENT of events and activities has been lined up for the Brunei December Festival (BDF) 2018 to boost domestic tourism and attract foreign visitors during the month-long school vacation.

In view of this, two press conferences were held yesterday at the Tourism Development Department under the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism, to convey more details on events happening this weekend.

The press conference began with a summary of the 2nd Brunei E-Sports Tournament (BEST), by founder of GameOn Amar Agus Din.

The tournament will take place on December 8-9 at Royal Brunei Recreation Club, starting from noon to 9pm. Five tournament games will be held as well as six free-to- play games for members of the public.

To date, 300 gamers have already registered for the tournament.

“In this edition of BEST, we don’t just cater to the hard-core gamers, we also cater to the public,” said Amar.

“Besides that, BEST will also feature retro gaming console sellers, cosplayers and food.”

He said that BEST is a platform where gamers can showcase their skills and meet others with a common interest. Admission is free.

Meanwhile, Eco Ponies Garden, represented by Ryon Ukoi and Mohd Ali Asmaie bin Haji Nasir, will host the Cultural and Contemporary Performance from 9am to 4.30pm, on December 9, at the rural farmstay in Mukim Lamunin, Tutong.

The event will feature traditional dances by the ethnic Dusun, Kedayan, Tutong, Malay and Chinese people, as well as culinary dishes that are indigenous to their communities.

Visitors can also expect a unique ‘farm-to-table’ dinner spread, a handicrafts workshop, a cooking demonstration and some traditional music.

“Set against the picturesque backdrop of the Tutong forest, Eco Ponies can cater over 100 guests for the activities during the event,” said Mohd Ali Asmaie.

Ryon Ukoi, the co-founder of Eco Ponies, said that she started the farmstay in 2015, as a way of promoting community tourism and sustainable agriculture.

“[The local ethnic communities] have a lot of knowledge about the type of herbs to be used for cooking and traditional medicine,” she said. “This knowledge is not commonly passed down these days.

“By participating in the Brunei December Festival, guests can see our way of life, and perhaps will want to volunteer here or work with us. It’s a way of keeping our culture alive,” she added.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

JAPAN will soon witness the dawn of a new era, with His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince of Japan Naruhito set to take over the throne from his father Emperor Akihito; the latter announcing his desire to abdicate in April, the first Japanese Emperor to do so in over 200 years.

Speaking at a dinner reception to celebrate His Majesty the Emperor of Japan’s 85th birthday at the Indera Samudra Grand Hall of The Empire Hotel & Country Club on Monday, Japanese Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Motohiko Kato said that a new emperor and empress herald a new opportunity for the relationship between Brunei and Japan to grow ever stronger.

Present were Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah as the guest of honour and his spouse, Pengiran Datin Hajah Noor Yashimah binti Pengiran Anak Haji Hashim.

The emperor, the ambassador said, is a symbol of Japan and the unity of its people, and “moves forward, hand in hand with the people of Japan, showing great humility and is deeply loved and respected”.

He noted that the reception will be the last celebration for the current emperor before His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince of Japan Naruhito succeeds his father as the next emperor.

“The Emperor of Japan attaches great importance to Japan-Brunei relations, having met 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 many times. Unfortunately, Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress were unable to attend His Majesty’s recent Golden Jubilee Celebration,” Kato said.

This new era will coincide with Japan hosting a number of exciting sporting events, including the ninth Rugby World Cup next year and the Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2020.

The ambassador highlighted that through the Japan-ASEAN Youth Sports Exchange under the JENESYS programme, Japan is hosting rugby practice sessions and friendly matches for young Bruneian rugby players – both male and female – in the country.

Local badminton and football players will also be visiting Japan under the programme, with Ambassador Kato adding that he expects a good number from this pool to go on to compete in the Olympics.

“Bruneians should take great pride in those athletes heading to the Olympic Games. Their involvement is a great honour. Japan is determined to host these Olympics in an eco-friendly manner and many Japanese green technologies will be used,” he said.

“This sends a message to the world on the need to respect our natural environment. Japanese people have even been encouraged to donate their old mobile phones for this cause. We will also reclaim the gold used in these unused technologies and recycle it for use in the creation of the Olympic medals.”

Various efforts to enhance Brunei-Japan relations even further have been made in Brunei this year, the ambassador added, including the establishment of the Brunei Darussalam National Judo Federation (BDNJF).

Other contributors to the blossoming relationship between the two countries include Brunei’s key role in Japan’s efforts to increase hydrogen usage in its energy sector, part of its green economy drive.

“Energy is probably the most important focus when considering green issues. Brunei has contributed towards Japan’s energy security for decades, with shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Japan beginning in 1972, and we are very grateful for this,” Kato said.

The ambassador noted that the Japanese government is planning to use hydrogen-fuelled buses to transport athletes and visitors during the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Construction for a liquid hydrogen production facility at Sungai Liang Industrial Park (SPARK) in Belait – a collaborative project between the governments of Brunei and Japan – is also currently underway, with the plant expected to be completed by the end of next year.

Japanese engineers are at the same time looking at how they can further assist Brunei on environmental issues using hydrogen technologies – one of this is developing Temburong via eco-friendly methods.

“I do hope Japanese green technologies will be used to preserve the beautiful environment of Temburong during its development. Japan has presented proposals for an eco-friendly solution for this process,” Ambassador Kato said.

“Japanese companies are now working in the country in various sectors, from traditional oil and gas to manufacturing, methanol production, biotech, and fish processing. Japan is actively contributing to the diversification of the Bruneian economy.”

The dinner included a performance on basic skills in classic Japanese martial arts by members of the BDNJF, as well as a traditional Japanese dance by the UTB Chapter of the Brunei-Japan Friendship Association.

There was also a mini exhibition showcasing several aspects of Japanese culture and the personal relationships that exist between Brunei and Japan.

|     Wani Roslan     |

SOME 750 Politeknik Brunei (PB) students graduated and received their diploma certificates at the institution’s Fourth Convocation Ceremony at the Chancellor Hall of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) yesterday.

The guest of honour, Minister of Education Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sulaiman, presented the certificates to the graduates.

The ceremony began with the student procession and main procession by PB’s Board of Governors members, Senate members, main officers and lecturers.

This was followed by the recitation of Al-Quran verses by Awangku Adi Nazri bin Pengiran Haji Jofri, a Level 5 Diploma in Business Finance student from the polytechnic’s fifth intake who is also the second runner-up at the 7th Southeast Asian Youth Al-Quran Reading Competition 2015, with translation read by Awangku Abdul Razzaq bin Pengiran Kamarulzaman, a Level 5 Diploma in Business Studies student.

In his opening remarks, PB Director Denis Ho Mun Tai who is also Chairman of the convocation ceremony working committee, said the institution has been successful in producing graduates capable of contributing to the country’s development and realising Vision 2035.

He said, “Since our establishment in 2012, PB has received an increasing number of applications year-on-year, and as of September 2018, our total student population is 2,053.”

He shared a number of achievements made by PB since its last convocation in January 2017, such as the high number of graduates from the institution’s third and fourth intake going on to further their studies (36 per cent of the students) and an increasing number of graduates from the two batches who have found employment (64 per cent and 71 per cent respectively).

He added that the institution received an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001:2015 certificate in November 2017 for its Diploma Level 5 in Business, Information and Communication Technology, and Science and Engineering programmes.

“To ensure our programmes are relevant (to industry), a development programme has been identified and introduced in which current programmes or new programmes or modules that are going to be offered will be given a systematic review to ensure their contents are relevant with current global challenges,” he said.

This year’s convocation saw 170 graduates receiving certificates for the Level 5 Diploma in Business, 199 graduates receiving the Level 5 Diploma in ICT, 277 graduates receiving certificates in Science and Engineering, and 104 receiving their Level 4 Diploma in Health Science.

Academic excellence awards were also presented to a number of selected students, with 11 receiving the Academic Excellence Award, three receiving the Enrichment Excellence Award, and 15 being handed the Innovation Award.

The ceremony concluded with the recitation of Doa Selamat by Mosque Affairs Officer at the Ministry of Religious Affairs Haji Azrol Alim bin Haji Zaini.

|     James Kon     |

NATIONAL Wushu athletes representing Brunei Darussalam in the 10^th BIMPNT-EAGA Friendship Games from December 7-9 in Brunei Darussalam are aiming for gold.

The Wushu athletes are Mohd Adi Salihin bin Roslan, Mohd Safiee Shayferan bin Roslan, Walid Lachkar, Majdurano Joel bin Majallah Sain, Hosea Wong Zheng Yu, Abel @ Lim Wee Yuan, Danial Hasbullah Lim Yen Yee bin Md Saiful, Ang Guat Lian, Sherissa Lim Wan Chi, Ling DeXuan, Nur Batrisyia binti Ripin, Ling DeXun and Lim Yee Sean.

The contested events are Male ChangQuan, Female JianShu, Male TaijiJian, Female TaijiQuan, Female NanDao, Male NanQuan, Female ChangQuan, Male DaoShu, Female TaijiJian, Male NanGun, Female NanQuan, and Male TaijiQuan.

According to national Wushu Coach Li Hui, “I have high confidence that our young athletes will be able to obtain half of the gold medals being contested. They competed in the Asian Games and Southeast Asia Games. They have vast experience in the competition.”

He noted that some of the opponents have better exposure in terms of training overseas and also increased participation in overseas competitions.

With home ground advantage and support from local fans, Li Hui hopes that his athletes will show their best performance to bring glory to the country.

|     Wani Roslan     |

GRADUATES should be mindful of changes taking place in the world and be brave in taking on opportunities brought about by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

A conscious effort must be made to improve themselves, such as sharpening their problem solving and communication skills, strengthening themselves as leaders and members of a team, and instilling themselves with emotional intelligence and an innovative spirit in preparation of the challenges of the 21st Century.

Speaking during Politeknik Brunei’s Fourth Convocation Ceremony at Universiti Brunei Darussalam’s Chancellor Hall yesterday, Minister of Education Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sulaiman added that Bruneians must be prepared to face any challenge amidst the rapid pace of scientific and technological development brought on by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“Changes in many areas of society in this era of globalisation are hard to predict,” the minister said. “The Fourth Industrial Revolution will definitely affect our way of life and work, we have to be prepared for it.”

Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hamzah urged public and private higher education institutions in the country to strengthen their corporate governance, emphasising that this is one of the key factors to effectuating more systematic and effective management when it comes to enhancing the quality of programmes offered.

“To uphold Brunei Vision 2035, Politeknik Brunei needs to monitor its ‘5 Year Development Plan 2015-2020’, which is currently in progress. If needed, this plan should be adapted to current industry developments to ensure it stays relevant,” he said.

The minister said that higher education institutions should always be prepared to improve the quality of their programmes, including making revisions to teaching methods (pedagogy) and learning techniques.

“This can be achieved through close collaboration between institutions and industry, to better understand the needs of industry and current job trends,” he said.

Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hamzah also highlighted that Politeknik Brunei has a number of industry partnership agreements in place to ensure that its learning materials adhere to current industry standards, such as the International Organisation Standardization (ISO) 9001:2015, Academy Partner to Oracle Academy, Cisco Academy, Comptia Academy and Partner in Learning Academy with Microsoft.

|     James Kon     |

NATIONAL athletes selected for the upcoming 10^th BIMPNT-EAGA Friendship Games are encouraged to carve a piece of nation’s history and obtain as much medals as possible and be confident to achieve a milestone achievement for the nation.

The motivational message for the athletes 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 his speech at the flag handing over ceremony to the Brunei contingent for the 10^th BIMPNT-EAGA Friendship Games hosted here from December 7-9.

This year, 138 athletes with 48 officials will be representing Brunei Darussalam in the sports meet. The sports to be competed are Aquatic, Lawn Bowling, Karate-do, Athletics, Pencak Silat, Sepak Takraw, Taekwando and Wushu.

The minister said, “This is the opportunity for our young athletes to prove their abilities that they are able to compete with regional athletes. To our young athletes, I am proud and also confident that you will be successful. Be committed, spirited and professional as a united team with one objective – make the country proud by bringing home medals.

“Athletes need to maintain good behaviour. Besides doing the best for the country, take the opportunity to become a host that reflects the characters of a Bruneian: friendly, fair and respectful to guests. Demonstrate the spirit of friendship in line with this year’s theme ‘Friendship Through Sports’.

“Fly the national flag of Brunei Darussalam with pride and enthusiasm during the competition. Think as a champion to achieve success and comply with the regulations, especially in anti-doping, and do not damage the image of the country.”

Acting Director of Youth and Sports Haji Zafri bin Haji Mohamed said, “This year’s competition sees 11 contingents representing five countries. The countries are Indonesia comprising South Sulawesi, North Sulawesi and West Sulawesi; Malaysia comprising Sabah, Sarawak and Federal Territory of Labuan; Philippines comprising Mindanao and Palawan; Northern Territory, Australia; and Brunei Darussalam is represented by Team ‘A’ and Team ‘B’. The estimated participation is 814.

“In preparation of the 10^th BIMPNT-EAGA Friendship Games, the country’s athletes have been training since the beginning of the year and also took part in the Brunei Darussalam National Games (SKBD), Youth Olympic Games and Malaysian Games (Sukma). The athletes have been in centralised training since November 21.

“This is the second time that Brunei Darussalam becomes host of the games. The first was in 2008. Brunei will become the host again in 2028 or 2030.”

The highlight of the ceremony saw the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports presenting the national flag to the Chef De Mission of Brunei Contingent Haji Muhd Nurul Azrin bin Haji Gani.

In the ninth BIMP-EAGA Games held in Samarinda, Brunei Darussalam obtained four gold and two silvers medals through Athletics, Pencak Silat and Sepak Takraw.

|     Bahyiah Bakir     |

HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday received in separate audiences outgoing foreign envoys to Brunei Darussalam.

His Majesty first received the outgoing High Commissioner of the Republic of India to Brunei Darussalam, Nagma Mohamed Mallick.

Nagma Mohamed Mallick presented her Letter of Credence to His Majesty on January 23, 2016.

His Majesty then received the outgoing Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Brunei Darussalam Yang Jian. She presented her Letter of Credence to His Majesty on January 26, 2015.

The audience ceremonies took place at the Istana Nurul Iman.

|     Bahyiah Bakir     |

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, Minister of Defence and Supreme Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) yesterday received in audience Chief of Defence Force of Malaysia General Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Panglima Haji Zulkifli bin Haji Zainal Abidin.

Accompanying the Chief of Defence Force of Malaysia at the audience ceremony were Defence Operation and Training of the Malaysian Armed Forces Major General Dato Tengku Fauzi bin Tengku Ibrahim and Acting High Commissioner of Malaysia to Brunei Darussalam Rafedah binti Aziz.

Also present 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 (RBAF) Major General Pengiran Dato Paduka Seri Aminan bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud.

General Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Panglima Haji Zulkifli and his delegation arrived in the country on December 3, for a three-day introductory visit.

Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia enjoy close and longstanding defence relations which have grown tremendously with cooperation in the form of visits, defence and military meetings, exercises, trainings, professional exchanges, and cross-attendance of courses.

Recently the RBAF and the Malaysian Armed Forces concluded two bilateral exercises, Exercise MALBRU Setia of series 14/2018 and Exercise Mertak Bersatu of series 11/2018 in the month of October.

These interactions have enhanced the interoperability and reinforced the people-to-people ties between the personnel of both the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and the Malaysian Armed Forces.

|     Daniel Lim     |

A DELEGATION from the Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB) recently visited the homes of four individuals in the Belait District, who are in need of assistive equipment.

Head of Religious Officer in the Belait District Haji Asminan bin Haji Chuchu led the delegation.

Their first stop was the house of Ramli bin Bakar, 50, at RPN Kampong Pandan ‘B’ who received a hospital bed manual, ripple mattress, and a Commode chair.

The MUIB officials then visited the residence of Mohd Jamil bin Haji Abdul Manaf, 56, also residing in RPN Kampong Pandan ‘B’. Mohd Jamil received a standard wheelchair.

The delegation then proceeded to the house of Rasidah binti Nawang, 53, in RPN Kampong Pandan ‘C’ to present her with a Commode chair.

The final stop was at the residence of Abdul Khalid bin Haji Zainal Abidin, 58, at Kampong Sungai Tali in Lumut, who received a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (C-PAP) machine.

The donated equipment was the result of the collected Zakat funds for the poor and destitute by the MUIB, which serves to help lessen the burden of those in need.

|     Azlan Othman     |

AN EVENT was held yesterday at GHK Auto Assembly Sdn Bhd in Serasa Light Industrial Area to hand over a mobile kitchen truck to Casbah London Kebab owner.

The mobile kitchen truck, with its design and layout, was done in coordination with Casbah London Kebab and GHK Auto Assembly. GHK Motors Sdn Bhd Director Jake Goh presented a mock key to Casbah London Kebab owner Sandrawati binti Abdullah @ Sandra Ann Beddows.

The mobile kitchen truck was customised and fabricated by GHK Auto Assembly based on the customer’s requirements. Casbah London Kebab started in 1999 as a family business in kebabs and traditional English fish and chips.

Casbah London Kebab has decided to venture out using a mobile kitchen truck with expert chefs providing freshly made kebabs and traditional English fish and chips at customers’ doorstep.

The concept of the idea was based on a food delivery experience in London seen by Sandrawati.

|     Ishan Ibrahim & Wani Roslan     |

A TOTAL of 17 students from the Religious Teachers University College of Seri Begawan (KUPU SB) were awarded Dean of Faculty Education certificates for Semester II (2017-2018) at KUPU SB, yesterday.

The awards were presented by Dean of the Faculty of Education KUPU SB Associate Professor Dr Mohammad Zahiri bin Awang Mat.

Also present were Ustaz Kharhan bin Haji Jait, Deputy Dean of Faculty of Education, lecturers and staff members of the Faculty of Education.

The ceremony aimed to appreciate and recognise the efforts in the students’ academic efforts in their final semester and to encourage other students to improve their performance in the fields of academic and research.

The event began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah by Ustaz Dr Zulkifli, followed by a speech from the Dean of the Faculty of Education.

It continued with the awards presentation and ended with the reading of Doa Selamat by Ustaz Dr Baihaqy.

|    Khairil Hassan    |

BRUNEI Darussalam’s karate team are ready to win gold medals in the 10^th BIMPNT-EAGA Friendship Games that will begin on December 8 at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas.

Five athletes under the tutelage of Sensei Sofian will compete in the Ladies Team Kata, Ladies Individual Team Kata and Men Individual Kata events.

One of the athletes Rodhyatul Adhwanna binti Bakar, who will be competing in the Individual Kata and Team Kata said they have been training since early June.

“We joined the Malaysian Games (SUKMA), Brunei Darussalam National Games (SKBD) and the recent Shitokai Brunei Open Karate Championship.

“I bagged one bronze in SUKMA, one gold and one bronze for SKBD and two gold in the Brunei Open.

“We hope we will win this tournament and try to win all the categories, and make our country proud,” she said.

BIMPNT-EAGA stands for Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Northern Territory of Australia East Asian Growth Area.

|    Fadhil Yunus    |

BRUNEI Darussalam ‘A’ athlete Muhammad Haziq bin Junaidi enjoyed a winning start in the 10^th BIMPNT-EAGA Friendship Games after defeating the Federal Territory of Labuan 21-18 in the first round of the men’s singles event at the Lawn Bowls Centre of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex yesterday.

Muhammad Haziq replicated his form in the singles event after inspiring the men’s pair team alongside Muhammad Danial Irfan Abdul Rahman to a 23-10 victory over the Federal Territory of Labuan.

Brunei Darussalam ‘B’s duo of Danish Fakhrur Rizqi bin Zufli and Muhammad Azim bin Azmee were defeated 23-10 by Sabah.

In the women’s pairs event, Brunei Darussalam ‘B’s Shelvie Elyana binti Haji Sallahuddin and Rabiatul Adawiyah binti Kefle lost 17-10 to Sabah while Brunei Darussalam ‘A’s Siti Amal Aqilah binti Haji Zairul Asrin and Nur Aisyah Batrisyia binti Mohamad Ali endured a 42-5 defeat to Labuan.

In the men’s singles event, Brunei Darussalam ‘B’ athlete Danish Fakhrur Rizqi bin Zufli succumbed to a 21-8 loss to Sabah.

Meanwhile, in the women’s singles, Brunei Darussalam ‘A’s Siti Amal Aqilah fell to a 21-3 defeat to Labuan while Brunei Darussalam ‘B’ Shelvie Elyana slipped to a 21-4 loss to Sabah.

Brunei Darussalam ‘A’s Muhammad Danial Irfan Abdul Rahman, Abdul Fattahulmu’iz Nor Muhammad Fazri, Mohammad Ifwat bin Haji Metussin and Mohammad Abdul Raziq bin Md Sabri were narrowly beaten 17-13 by Labuan in their opening game of the men’s fours event.

Brunei Darussalam ‘B’s Muhammad Azim bin Azmee, Ahmad Darwisy bin Abdullah Ahmad Azhar, Muhammad Hadi bin Haji Md Affendi and Mohammad Aiman Aqil bin Mohammad Ariffin lost 25-6 to Sabah.

In the women’s fours, Brunei Darussalam ‘B’ Rabiatul Adawiyah, Dorrena Eliana Anak Renggai, Nur Saidatul Ashikin binti Mohamad Laidi and Nur Masyitah binti Mohd Raffi narrowly lost 13-11 to Sabah.

Brunei Darussalam ‘A’s Nur Aisyah Batrisyia binti Mohamad Ali, Nurul Nazzirah binti Jefri, Mas Athilah binti Shariman and Nur Aqilah binti Mohamad Arifin suffered a 45-3 defeat to the Federal Territory of Labuan.

Meanwhile, both the Brunei Darussalam ‘A’ and ‘B’ men’s and women’s triples teams were handed opening round defeats to Federal Territory of Labuan and Sabah.

|     James Kon     |

WITH an established history of 35 years in the local construction industry, Readymix is committed to staying in Brunei Darussalam, with the launch of its new Kilanas Mulaut batching plant yesterday.

The estimated price tag of the first wet-mix concrete plant in Brunei Darussalam is BND3 million.

The new batching plant was launched during a ceremony by Chairman Philip Forest; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nicholas Cocks; Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jonathon Cocks; General Manager Yap Chin Tek; Certification Manager of ISO Accreditation and Certification from Bureau Veritas Ram Desai; Head of Industrial Management at DARe (Darussalam Enterprise) Daniel Leong; and Senior Business Development Manager at the Australian Embassy in Brunei Darussalam Josie Abdullah.

In an interview on the sidelines of the launching, Nick Cocks explained, “In concrete manufacturing, we have two types: wet and dry. This is a wet-mix plant, where the concrete is mixed in the plant, before it gets into the truck.

“Up till now, most concrete in Brunei has been made using the dry system, where the materials are mixed in the truck. In this case, the materials are mixed before entering the truck, so the quality control is higher and the consistency of the products much better.”

Regarding the capacity of the new plant, he said, “We can produce 80 cubic metres per hour, which means we can load 10 trucks in one hour.

“Readymix has been in Brunei for 35 years, and we accept that the construction industry has cycles. At the moment, we are in the down cycle, and the industry is slow. However, we are here for the long-term, so we made the investment to set up the new batching plant with the new wet mix technology, as well as recertified using the latest International Organization Standardization (ISO), because our commitment is long-term in Brunei Darussalam.”

Readymix also has four other batching plants which are at Kampong Sungai Akar, Bunut, Telisai and Anduki. The expansion aims to deliver satisfactory services across the four districts of Brunei Darussalam.

On future projects, he said, “This year, we are doing a lot of work in Brunei industrial fertiliser projects, which will continue until next year or early 2020. We also hope to be involved in phase two of Pulau Muara Besar.”

Prior to the launching ceremony, Readymix received its certification for ISO Quality Management System 9001: 2015, which is an upgrade from the 9001:2008 version.

The certification was handed over by Ram Desai to Philip Forrest.

Ram Desai said, “Making existing quality management systems compliant to the revised standard in a time bound manner is one of the important tasks, which Readymix has achieved before the deadline established by the ISO.

“On this occasion, I herewith congratulate the entire team at Readymix who worked in a focussed manner to achieve this milestone, as well as for the commissioning of the new batching plant at Kilanas.”

He added, “The main objective of ISO 9001:2015 is to implement a result oriented Quality Management System by adopting risk-based thinking and enhanced leadership commitments at all levels in the organisation.

This is a tested and proven mechanism across the world, and I hope that Readymix will also experience this in the near future.”

Readymix was the first company in the Sultanate to achieve an ISO 9001:2008 certification in 1994. The ISO 9001 certification is an international recognition of the world’s leading quality management standard.

The upgraded certification signifies that Readymix has been audited and found to be in accordance with the requirements of the management system standards in the scope of ‘Manufacture, Delivery and Testing of Ready Mixed Concrete. Manufacture and Supply of Reinforced Concrete Square Pile’.

|     Achong Tanjong and Daniel Lim     |

THE mass Sunnat Hajat prayer, mass Asar prayer and recitation of Ratib Al-Attas ceremony were held by the Brunei National Road Safety Council (BNRSC) at selected mosques in all four districts yesterday.

Held as part of Road Safety Week 2018 launched by Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Royal Patron of the BNRSC, at The Empire Hotel & Country Club on December 1, the ceremonies were held to seek blessings and protection from Allah the Almighty for the safety of all road users while also raising awareness on the importance of road safety among road users.

In the Brunei-Muara District, the ceremony was held at Surau of the Brunei International Airport in Berakas.

Attending the ceremony were Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism in his capacity as Acting Minister of Communications (MinCom) Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications and BNRSC Deputy Chairman II Haji Azhar bin Haji Ahmad, and Deputy Permanent Secretary of the MinCom and BNRSC Secretary Dr Haji Supry bin Haji Awang Ladi.

Also present were BNRSC ambassadors, BNRSC members, heads of departments, officers and staff at the MinCom as well as departments and authorities under it.

In the Belait District, the ceremony was held at the Muhammad Jamalul Alam Mosque, Kuala Belait. Legislative Council (LegCo) member and Penghulu of Mukim Liang Yang Berhormat Haji Abdul Hamid bin Haji Mumin was the guest of honour.

Also present were heads of government departments and agencies in the Belait District, as well as officers and staff members from government departments and agencies, and residents from the mosque’s surrounding area.

The ceremony started with the mass Sunnat Hajat prayer followed by the recitation of Ratib Al-Attas led by Mosque Affairs Officer Imam Akop bin Haji Lamat before concluding with the mass Asar prayer.

In the Tutong District, the ceremony held at Hassanal Bolkiah Mosque in Pekan Tutong was attended by LegCo member and Penghulu of Mukim Telisai Yang Berhormat Haji Ramli bin Haji Lahit and Tutong District Officer Shamsul Bahrin bin Haji Mohd Hussain.

In the Temburong District, the religious ceremony was held at Utama Mohammad Salleh Mosque in Pekan Bangar and attended by LegCo member and Penghulu of Mukim Bokok Yang Berhormat Haji Emran bin Haji Sabtu, and Acting Temburong District Officer Mohammad Khairul Shahrul bin Haji Duahim.

The BNRSC urged all road users to start their journeys with a Doa and practise caution and discipline as well as focus when driving as well as obeying traffic laws and regulation for the safety of all road users and avoid untoward incidents.

|     Danial Norjidi     |

TOURISM, ICT, manufacturing, agriculture and fisheries are among the sectors in which Brunei Darussalam would like to see more investment from Korea.

Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong shared this in a speech at the Brunei-Korea Joint Economic Cooperation Seminar at the Design and Technology Building in Anggerek Desa yesterday.

He highlighted that the tourism industry is a significant driver of economic and social development.

“It stimulates economic growth by generating income, employment, investment and exports,” he said. “It also generates valuable spin-off effects, including the preservation of cultural heritage, and bringing about improvements in infrastructure and local community facilities.”

The minister added that in addition to enhancing tourism products and identifying new tourism investment opportunities, Brunei is progressing in terms of enhancing connectivity to draw more tourists to the country.

“For example, with the 145 per cent increase in Korean arrivals we received in 2017 compared to 2016, Royal Brunei Airlines has introduced three times weekly flights to Incheon, Korea. This will help further increase two-way tourism arrivals into Brunei and Korea,” he said.

According to statistics gathered from January to August this year, the minister shared there have been 5,444 Korean tourists to Brunei, giving a boost to the tourism sector – specifically golf tourism at The Empire Hotel & Country Club.

“This was due to the promotion and hard work of one of the travel agents, Sinar Tour Sdn Bhd,” Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali said.

“Therefore I am hopeful that with more connectivity established and with the collaboration between the airlines, travel agents and hotels, we will see a further increase in Koreans visiting Brunei and staying longer in the country to enjoy the attractive packages that Brunei has to offer.”

The minister added that another area in which Brunei’s tourism sector has seen progress is at the Brunei International Airport, where a duty-free shop was set up by SBC Sdn Bhd in May this year.

“This provides the departing passengers at the airport a better shopping experience, offering them more choices of luxury goods and other items,” he said.

The minister noted that Korea is one of Brunei’s top trading partners, with transactions concentrated mainly in oil and gas exports from Brunei to Korea, adding that Brunei would like to welcome more prospective Korean investors in the areas of tourism, ICT, manufacturing, agriculture and fisheries.

Referring to the World Bank’s Doing Business Report 2018, the minister highlighted that Brunei has been named as the most improved economy in the world in terms of the Ease of Doing Business for three consecutive years.

“Significant improvements in these rankings reflect the serious commitment 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 Government towards creating a pro-business environment (in Brunei) that facilitates further diversification of the country’s economy,” he said.

“The combination of Brunei’s strategic location, decent infrastructure, political stability, highly educated workforce, preserved forests, low pollution, and business environment reforms, enables Brunei to thrive as a competitive investment destination in the ASEAN region.

“Brunei’s immense potential deserves more attention from Korean investors. Thus it is timely to materialise the economic partnership that lies ahead. Today’s seminar is pertinent to these initiatives.”

|     Khairil Hassan     |

A FULL dress rehearsal for the opening ceremony of the 10th BIMPNT-EAGA Friendship Games that will take place tomorrow was conducted at the Indoor Stadium of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas yesterday to ensure its smooth running.

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 witnessed the rehearsal.

Also present was Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports Datin Paduka Dr Hajah Norlila binti Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Jalil.

BIMPNT-EAGA stands for Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-Northern Territory East Asian Growth Area. The Friendship Games are aimed at strengthening friendship among BIMPNT-EAGA members and athletes in the direction of unity, understanding and cooperation through the Friendship Games.

|     Bahyiah Bakir     |

HER Majesty Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam received in audience the outgoing Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Brunei Darussalam Yang Jian.

The audience ceremony took place at Istana Nurul Iman yesterday. – PHOTO: BAHYIAH BAKIR

|     Fadhil Yunus     |

BRUNEI Darussalam ‘A’ swimmer Nur Haziq Samil bagged bronze in the 200m freestyle event of the 10th BIMPNT-EAGA Friendship Games at the Swimming Pool of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex yesterday.

The national swimmer clocked 2:05.93 and in the process set a new personal best eclipsing his previous time of 2:06.40.

Nur Haziq came in fourth place with a time of 30.83 in the 50m backstroke and fifth in the 100m backstroke event with 1:06.67.

Brunei Darussalam swimming team easily reached their target of five to eight personal bests they set before the start of the two-day meet with a number of swimmers posting improved times.

Brunei Darussalam ‘A’ swimmer Emma Yusuf narrowly missed out on a place in the podium after finishing with a time of 36.65s, just 0.01 short of bronze which was won by Kristen Chong Siew Yet of Sarawak in the 50m breaststroke.

Emma achieved a new personal best after she lowered her old time of 37.38s.

Her teammate Ashley Chai Xin Rou came fourth in the 50m backstroke after she recorded 33.79s.

Meanwhile, Northern Territory of Australia produced a clean sweep in both the under-21 men’s and women’s 200m freestyle relay events.

Nicholas Wecker, Hamish Bjornskov McDonald, Samuel Bricknell and Martin Krantz struck gold in the men’s event while Rosanna Materazzo, Lauren McSkimming, Jenti White and Isabella Tinning won gold in the women’s event.