|     Syazwani Hj Rosli     |

SOME 60 children who joined the two-day Tanmiatul Aqli programme received their certificates of completion during a ceremony yesterday.

The programme was jointly organised by the Takmir Committee of the Hassanal Bolkiah Mosque, Kampong Mentiri in collaboration with the Village Consultative Council of RPN Kampong Panchor Mengkubau.

Head facilitator and founder of Tanmiatul Aqli Programme Hajah Shamsiniah binti Haji Kepli said that the participants visited various historical places such as the Malay Technology Museum, Royal Regalia Museum and took part in activities as well as motivational talks.

She hoped that similar programmes can be conducted annually for the benefit of children in filling their holiday with beneficial activities.

Guest of honour, member of the Legislative Council Yang Berhormat Khairunnisa binti Haji Ash’ari, presented certificates to the children at the ceremony.

|     Hakim Hayat     |

UNIVERSITI Teknologi Brunei (UTB) students working on a research and development project of a 3D printed bionic hand received a funding boost from BR Nancy District’s We Care Fund to further help develop the project into its next phase.

Senior District Director of BR Nancy District Nurwajeemah binti Abdullah @ Nancy Kwang handed over the donation to Deputy Dean of UTB’s School of Computing & Informatics (SCI) Dr Mohammad Saiful bin Haji Omar who is also the lead researcher of the project at a handover ceremony at UTB yesterday.

The BND1,000 fund goes toward robotic prosthetic research project by UTB’s SCI students, which is developing a lightweight, low-cost 3D printed bionic hand.

The project also aimed to optimise its control to obtain acceptable usability in performing specific tasks by amputee patients. The UTB team has been conducting the research for the past 15 months.

To date, a prototype has been developed and the project is now at the clinical phase where the team will work with voluntary amputees to incorporate changes to the existing prototype to improve upon its usability.

This phase would involve several tests to be conducted including human-machine interface usability. This also includes classification accuracies to fine-control the hand to optimise performance of certain tasks by the amputee.

According to UTB, the donation is a valuable contribution for the project as it will help enable the team to acquire essential equipment for the next phase of the project.

|     James Kon     |

LOCAL directors, screenwriters and academics received tips on creative writing and learnt of challenges faced by writers during the recent series of workshops with American screenwriter Mark Shepherd, part of the Embassy of the United States of America in Brunei Darussalam’s Arts Envoy Programme held in conjunction with Brunei Film Blitz 2018.

Shepherd is an Associate Professor of the Practice of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California (USC).

During the sessions, Professor Shepherd shared with the participants insights into screenwriting and storytelling centered on the theme ‘Cinematic and Performing Arts’.

Drawing on his years of valuable industry experience, he taught them how to tackle writer’s block (one technique Shepherd used during the sessions was to get participants to finish the sentence “I cannot write today because …”) and be more comfortable in writing about and expressing their individual experiences.

The sessions have received largely positive feedback from attendees. One in particular commented that it was a “unique opportunity to learn from an industry veteran the mechanics of how stories are produced for American television series”.

“It was interesting to learn how American television programmes are produced. Teams of writers plan the trajectory of an entire season down to individual scenes between commercial breaks,” said another participant.

Commenting on the positive impact made by the programme, US Embassy Public Affairs Officer Daniel Lee said, “We are proud to help Brunei diversify its economy by encouraging productive activities in the creative arts. Through the US State Department’s Arts Envoy Programme, we are fortunate to welcome a professional as experienced as Professor Shepherd.

“We hope that his expert advice on topics ranging from pitching ideas to industry executives to protecting intellectual property rights will contribute to the development of Brunei’s creative industries.”

The Arts Envoy Programme shares the best of the US arts community with the world to foster cross-cultural understanding and collaboration as well as to demonstrate shared values and aspirations.

Under this programme, American arts professionals – including performing artistes, visual artists, poets, playwrights, theatrical and film directors, curators, and others – travel overseas to conduct workshops and give performances to members of the international public and mentor young people who otherwise would not have the opportunity to engage with them.

|     Achong Tanjong & Wani Roslan     |

PAINTBALL Arena @ Jerudong will organise a Splat Sunday Paintball Tournament on December 23 at Paintball Arena in Jerudong in conjunction with the Brunei December Festival 2018.

This was said by Manager of Paintball Operations Pengiran Saharuddin bin Pengiran Haji Tuah during a media briefing at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism yesterday.

Also present was Amar Dini bin Haji Mohd Agus Din from Marketing Royal Brunei Technical Services.

Pengiran Saharuddin said Splat Day Paintball Tournament is the biggest paintball event in Brunei featuring paintball tournament, sales of merchandises like shirts, paintball target shooting and food vendors.

The event will be divided into two categories – Category A: Open Division for professional paintballers which will be using electronic markers and Category B: Beginners which will be using mechanical markers.

The champion of both categories will receive trophies, medals and cash prizes.

The Paintball Arena @ Jerudong launched its first Inflatable Mobile Paintball Arena recently.

The launch took place at Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien in the capital last Sunday during Bandarku Ceria.

Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Brunei Technical Services Colonel (Rtd) Muzri bin Haji Mokhsin officiated the launch.

The inflatable mobile paintball arena allows users to be completely portable with their paintball field operations or provide on-site attraction for an event. It also allows for a complete setup with bunkers in just over an hour and perfect for corporate events and parties.

|     Fizah HAB     |

A MEMORANDUM of Understanding (MoU) signing was held yesterday at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism, for the Cuckoo Stardom Quest 3 (SQ3) which is part of the Brunei December Festival 2018.

Stardom Quest was represented by producer Danny Tay, who signed the MoU with the representatives of Jerudong Park Country Club, Setia Motors Sdn Bhd, D’Sunlit Sdn Bhd, Aewon Garment and Embroidery, Skin Food, MMW and Red Bull. During the press conference, Tay described SQ3 as an event that “aims to create a new career for the talent pool in Brunei Darussalam”.

“There are no barriers for the local community, as it is performed in Malay, English and Chinese, with Malay as the main language.”

Twenty-six finalists have been selected from 250 contestants in auditions held throughout November, while the preliminaries and the quarter-finals were held in early December.

The grand finals will be held at the Jerudong Park Amphitheatre at 8pm on December 30, with Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, as the guest of honour.

Meanwhile, the Stardom Quest Charity Carnival will be held at the Jerudong Park Garden on December 28-30. It will also feature a dinosaur park, a cat show, eagles and parrots, a reptile exhibition, a charity sales booth, and a ‘Run for Autism Awareness’ campaign on the final day.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

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, was the guest of honour yesterday, at the oath taking ceremony of members of the Brunei-China One Belt One Road Association at the Tarindak D’Seni Restaurant in Bandar Seri Begawan.

Also in attendance was the Ambassador of the Republic of China to Brunei Darussalam Yang Jian.

The event began with a calligraphy demonstration by Chui Cheng Sun and a cultural performance, followed with welcoming remarks by the event chairman and President of the Brunei-China One Belt One Road Association Jackson Ting.

In his remarks, Ting pointed out that the establishment of the association, officially approved by the Brunei Registrar of Societies on October 20, carries the vision of making a positive contribution through China’s One Belt, One Road Initiatives to promote Brunei’s socio-economic development.

“Hence, our mission is to establish a platform in order to encourage and foster business, trade, investments and cultural exchanges between Brunei and China,” he said.

On how this group of Brunei SME leaders can make a difference for the economic development of Brunei Darussalam, Ting said that the time has come for Brunei businesses to venture into new fields of economic activity, while also investing in training and nurturing new skills to help Brunei’s diversification into a knowledge based economy.

“In doing this, local businesses will need to think differently and collaborate together; then, only they can become worthy partners in business or project ventures with their foreign partners, to receive both the investments and the transfer of know-how, where the association can identify a road map to train and eventually match local skill sets with Chinese investments,” he said.

“Local business leaders must also act responsibly to meet Brunei’s laws and regulations, and be sensitive to the culture and norms of Brunei. As an association, they can be the local guide to ensure that Chinese foreign direct investments meet the expectation of local laws and regulations, and also promote harmony with Brunei Vision 2035.”

Ting further pointed out that, as local business leaders and citizens of the world, they bear the responsibility of ensuring that economic development in Brunei does not come with pollution and environmental destruction.

“We have, in our founding members, business leaders and professionals who care deeply about this to do their part, so that the One Belt, One Road activity in this region lives up to its vision for the benefit of the countries taking part,” he said.

“On this note, I am very pleased to announce that through the tireless work of its founding members, the association has also secured two academic scholarships for local Bruneians to study in Guanxi China Northern Bay University.

“I believe this is just of the many promising activities that the association will promote in the years to come,” he said.

The swearing-in ceremony for the acceptance of posts within the association was witnessed by Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew and Yang Jian.

Later, the minister presented Appointment Letters to the association’s advisors.

The minister also witnessed seven signing events at the ceremony: the Cooperation Agreement between E Oceanic Products Sdn Bhd and Guangxi Nanyang Marine Technology Co Ltd; the signing of the Scholarship Agreement from Guanxi Beibu Gulf University; a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the International Kids Week; an MoU between Block Chain Technology and Halal Product Platform; and an MoU on the Brunei-China Tourist Strategic Cooperation.

The ceremony also witnessed the signing of an MoU between the China Educational Channel (CECTV) and the Brunei-China One Belt One Road Association, for the establishment of the Brunei Office and International Communication University; and an MoU for CECTV to award scholarships to Brunei’s Ministry of Education.

|     Syazwani Hj Rosli     |

BRUNEI needs to accelerate the growth of agricultural output for the diversification and growth of economy. The participation of more investors, including youth for this sector should also be encouraged, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism Pengiran Haji Kamalrudzaman bin Pengiran Haji Mohd Ishak said.

“We also need to introduce various agricultural technologies and techniques to increase the productivity of this sector,” he said. He made these remarks in a welcoming address when a delegation of experts led by Thai Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Dr Wiwat Salyakamthorn shared their knowledge and experiences during a talk session at the Institute of Brunei Technical Education (IBTE) Agro-Technology Campus in Wasan yesterday.

“Our objective is to increase our rice production and the self-sufficiency level, which currently stands at five per cent,” he said.

Pengiran Haji Kamalrudzaman emphasised that Brunei seeks to learn from Thailand’s experiences in terms of managing acid sulphate soil, and also in the area of drainage and irrigation for rice production, as these are among the issues and challenges that Brunei is currently facing.

Among the highlighted topics during the session were agricultural soil management, the management and improvement of acid sulphate soil, and the conventional irrigation systems that are practised in Thailand.

Pengiran Haji Kamalrudzaman said that agricultural development has played a major role in the Thai economy, and that the total GDP of Thailand in 2016 was recorded at USD407.1 billion, of which 6.3 per cent was from the agricultural sector, including fisheries.

A presentation on ‘Business Opportunities in Agriculture and Agrifood Industry in Brunei Darussalam’ was delivered by Dr Diana Dennis from the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood, followed by a series of lectures from the Thai experts.

Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Education Dr Chin Wei Keh, Charge d’Affaires at the Royal Thai Embassy in Brunei Darussalam Rooge Thammongkol; and Director of Agriculture and Agrifood at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism Hajah Aidah binti Haji Mohd Hanifah also participated.

|     Rokiah Mahmud     |

YAYASAN Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah presented contributions in the form of school essentials to 360 students from 119 less fortunate families at the Yayasan Complex in Bandar Seri Begawan yesterday.

Yayasan Managing Director Dato Paduka Eddie bin Dato Paduka Haji Sunny presented the contributions.

The contributions were held in line with Yayasan’s establishment objective in always taking care of the welfare and well-being of the nation’s people, especially the less fortunate.

The contributions presented were in the form of coupons for students to purchase school essentials such as exercise books. The primary students received BND73 while the secondary students received BND84.

The contribution was the second phase. The first phase was carried out last Tuesday for 356 students from 124 less fortunate families.

The third phase will be held tomorrow for 356 students from 124 less fortunate families.

The contributions of the school essentials served as a platform to take care of the less fortunate students’ education needs while easing the families’ burdens in preparing their children’s school needs for academic year 2019.

|     Achong Tanjong     |

THE Radio Controlled Boat Racing Association (RACOBRA) will hold its Open RC Powerboat Race at the reservoir of Bukit Berambun, Kampong Tanah Jambu from tomorrow to Sunday in conjunction with the Brunei December Festival (BDF) 2018.

Speaking at a media event, RACOBRA Deputy President Mohammad bin Nayan, who is also chairman of the BDF 2018 Open RC Powerboat Race, said that seven categories will be contested at the event.

The categories are Class A – Catamaran/Tunnel Hull Open CC Gasoline Local Engine Modified; Class D – Vee/ Mono Hull Open CC Gasoline Local Engine Modified; Class E – Vee/Mono Hull Imported Marine Gasoline Engine 26cc-28cc; Class F – Catamaran/ Tunnel Hull Imported Marine Gasoline 26cc-28cc; Class G – Vee/ Mono Hull Imported Marine Gasoline 26cc -35cc (Open CC); Class H – Catamaran/Tunnel Hull Imported Marine Gasoline 26cc-35cc (Open CC); and Class I – Hydro and Rigger Imported Marine Gasoline Open CC.

He added that this is the first time the association is organising the event with support from the Tourism Development Department of the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT).

He highlighted that the event is organised as an answer to the call from the MPRT to make Brunei an attractive place to visit for both local and foreign tourists.

He said, “The race will be an annual event during the BDF to promote sports tourism while at the same time generate income for the country.

“It also serves to raise the skills of local RC powerboat racers to a standard where they are able to compete at a high level at both the national and international stages.”

Event Deputy Chairman Haji Khallidden bin Haji Mohamad Jamil said the top four winners in each category will receive trophies and cash prizes.

According to him, over 60 participants with more than 250 boats will compete at the race in the seven categories.

“Besides local participants, racers from Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand will also participate,” he said.

“The response has been very encouraging and the total number of contestants has gone past the previous record. This is the biggest race so far we’ve organised in terms of the number of registrations.”

|     Aziz Idris     |

KUALA Belait is set to host the biggest end-of-year festival in conjunction with the Brunei December Festival (BDF) 2018 starting from tomorrow until Sunday along Jalan Sungai, V-Plaza until Chung Hua Middle School, Kuala Belait.

RYS Entertainment, event managers responsible for the success of KBKu Ceria, will organise the event named KB Festival (KB Fest) 2018.

RYS Entertainment Event Specialist Aravind Perumal said the three-day event will involve six different zones with mini-sporting tournaments, family-oriented activities, road safety awareness, food and beverages, entertainment and exhibitions by government bodies.

Various sporting tournaments will be held at Zone 1 including the 3-on-3 Street Basketball Tournament, 5-on-5 Futsal Tournament and an exhibition from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

Zone 2 will be reserved for activities for children which include bouncer, children’s movie, products for mother and toddlers, nutritious baby diets as well as exhibitions from related parties.

Zone 3 will focus on health where local fitness centres and associations will organise health classes and demonstrations on Tai Chi, Zumba, CrossFit, martial arts, as well as an exhibition by representatives from the Ministry of Health.

An e-sports tournament featuring popular mobile games will be held at Zone 4 along with the Night Walk, highlighting the first-ever light tunnel in the district. Pop culture movies will also be screened at the zone coupled with stalls selling food and beverages.

The main attraction at Zone 5 includes a Talent Show, booths featuring RYS partners as well as an exhibition by the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, while Zone 6 will focus on motoring and road safety awareness.

The event will begin tomorrow from 2pm to midnight, while on Saturday and Sunday the event will be from 6am to midnight.

KB Fest is organised to complement the Tourism Development Department’s initiative of making December the month for fun activities in the Sultanate, especially for the community in Belait District.

|     Danial Norjidi     |

AS PART of their ‘Turn Your Payments into Vacations’ promotion, Baiduri Finance rewarded the first 30 monthly draw winners during a prize presentation at their Head Office, Sumbangsih Bahagia yesterday.

According to a press release, Loyalty and Rewards Manager at Baiduri Finance Nurainun binti Abdullah presented the prizes to the winners.

When speaking on the promotion, Nurainun said, “In our efforts to provide the utmost convenience for our customers in making their Hire Purchase (HP) payments, this promotion aims to highlight the versatility in our Baiduri Mastercard Auto Direct Prepaid Card.”

The press release explains that every month, 30 lucky HP customers will be awarded with 1,000 bonus points which is equivalent to BND100. During the grand draw in January 2019, three lucky winners will stand a chance to win travel tickets to Melbourne, Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur.

It was shared that the Baiduri Mastercard Auto Direct Prepaid Card allows HP users to link up to four HP accounts and skip the usually long queues by making their HP payments via ATM/CDMs.

As an added feature, HP customers can also set up automated payments on their Baiduri Mastercard Auto Direct Prepaid Card via Baiduri’s Personal i-Banking service. All spending made on the Baiduri Mastercard Auto Direct Prepaid Card will earn bonus points which can be redeemed locally and globally.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

A TOTAL of 148 volunteers collected 1.5 tonnes of litter during the recent Coastal Conservation campaign organised at Serasa Beach by Poni Divers, in collaboration with the Universiti Brunei Darussalam Students’ Association (PMUBD) and the UBD Rugby and the School of Business and Economics Student Council.

The clean-up was held as part of International Volunteer Day 2018, with the joint support of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

The guest of honour was UBD Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Pengiran Dr Mohammad Iskandar bin Pengiran Haji Petra, who commended the efforts of the volunteers and organisers.

Poni Divers holds regular beach clean-ups with the objective of raising awareness for environmental conservation, inspiring volunteerism and to promote a sense of community.

The Coastal Conservation campaign was devised by event chairperson and former intern at Poni Divers Nur Afiqah binti Haji Mamit to increase awareness among the local community on the importance of preserving Brunei’s marine ecosystem.

|     Danial Norjidi     |

FOCUS on the story and gain exposure to various arts – these were among the points highlighted by three members from the Philippine film industry while sharing advice to budding filmmakers in Brunei Darussalam.

The trio, a film director and two film critics, were speaking to the Bulletin on the sidelines of the celebration for 100 years of Philippine cinema which recently took place at the Mahakarya Institute of Arts as part of Brunei Film Blitz (BFB).

“Story is more important. I think they should develop their skills in writing stories more than the technical side,” Kita Kita Film Director Sigrid Bernardo advised Brunei potential filmmakers.

She added that the technical aspect is very important, but story is still paramount.

“Like what BFB Director Siti Kamaluddin said, movies are a reflection of ourselves and society, so it is very important for filmmakers to be observant, especially of their countries or in their relationships, and then you can definitely see stories everywhere,” she explained. “Focus on the story and everything will come after.”

On how budding filmmakers can make a name for themselves and their work, she shared, “My main goal was not to make a name for myself when I was just starting. My main goal is to have a good film.

“So I think filmmakers should focus on that, because if you have a good film, everyone will look for you. They will invite you, and they will make a name for you. It’s not a case of you making a name for yourself, it’s that they will make a name for you.”

The importance of story was also highlighted by film critic and entertainment editor of the Philippine Daily Enquirer Rito Asilo.

“It’s important to tell stories that you’re passionate about, to tell your own story,” he said. “I think that’s what happened with Filipino independent film-making. It’s actually our third golden era. We’ve had three and this latest one, including the films of Sigrid, are responsible for that third golden age of Philippine cinema, because the filmmakers started veering away from formula, and it’s very important because people are used to watching commercial films.

“Maybe you’re telling a similar story, but looking at it in a different way, a fresh way of looking at things – a different perspective.

“So my best advice would be to tell your own story and not acquiesce to the whims of commercial filmmaking, and be independent.”

Meanwhile, member of Filipino Film Critic Dr Roland Tolentino said, “My advice is to expose oneself to the various arts that are available in this country and beyond.”

Examples, he noted, include the events of Brunei Film Blitz, such as the showcases of French, Indian, Pakistani and Philippine cinema, as well as the masterclass on scriptwriting.

Dr Tolentino highlighted that if one aspires to be a writer or a filmmaker, then they need to learn about the great works that are “out there”.

“You cannot just assume that you will be a genius who will be able to produce masterpieces,” he advised. “Also, all arts have their own legacies, their long histories, and one needs to be exposed to the various traditions that are out there and come up with the best practices.”

On how one can gain exposure for own work, Dr Tolentino shared that one can start by making small films and sharing them on social media.

He explained, “Eventually a filmmaker really needs to go through the level of being able to do short films, and graduating to feature-length films or documentary films, or even multimedia experimental works that collaborate with a lot of participants.

“Film is really an industrial kind of art, which means you cannot do it alone. You cannot be the director, cinematographer, boom holder and actor. So it’s also kind of managerial. You also need to apply a managerial skill which you need to learn over time. It’s not just ‘one production and you’re good to go’.”

“As we all know, as writers or filmmakers, you’re as good as your last work, your last piece, which means that it needs to be a sustained kind of endeavour, a committed, creative kind of engagement, and not just simply a shot in the dark kind of effort,” Dr Tolentino added.

|    James Kon    |

LOCAL golfer Pengiran Wira bin Pengiran Haji Mohd Salleh is vying for a spot to play in the Asian Tour and the Asian Development Tour next year when he tees off at the 2019 Asian Tour Qualifying School in Thailand from December 24-31.

Pengiran Wira’s participation received a boost thanks to the sponsorship of Polo-T and golfing items from Golf House of Nasr Company. Founder Nasrul Azizan bin Haji Mohaimin, who is also a very passionate golf enthusiast, finds that the golf industry in Brunei Darussalam is booming and he believes that the golf industry can become one of the major contributors to the country’s tourism and economy. He saw Pengiran Wira’s potential, hence the decision for the sponsorship.

“My sponsor for Pengiran Wira is not as much as his contribution to the company and myself personally, as he will be carrying my company’s logo at the Asian Tour level and we are very proud of it.”

Asian Tour Qualifying School is a platform to enter Asian Tour. It consists of First Qualifying Stage Section A and Section B, then the Final Qualifying. Pengiran Wira is exempted at the first stages and will go directly to the Final Qualifying stage.

“It means a lot to me. To give myself a chance to get the Asian Tour card 2019. It gives me the opportunity to play on the big tour and bring my game to the next level,” the 33-year-old said.

“I am still working on my confidence because this year I only played three events so far compared to other players who have at least played three to four events monthly, but I really worked very hard to get this far.”

Pengiran Wira recently competed in the Asian Development Tour in Miri, but missed his cut. His last major competition dated back to September 5 at the PGM Miri Championship.

The Asian Tour Qualifying School provides some of the world’s most promising golfers the opportunity to earn their place at the Asian Tour and the Asian Development Tour in 2019. Successful graduates include Thai stars Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnat, Australian Scott Hend, as well as American duo David Lipsky and John Catlin.

|    James Kon    |

OVER 230 trainees were involved in the Projek Ikan Pusu (PIP) Grassroots Football Development Programme with the concluding finale at the PIP Grassroots Carnival held recently at the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) Artificial Turf pitch.

The year-end carnival was organised to support the International Football Federation (FIFA) and Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) recommendations for national grassroots football development.

Emphasis was put on the importance of systematic and scientific junior football development through the ‘Let’s Play!’ slogan campaign, according to PIP Manager Cheah Swee Ming.

Cheah Swee Ming received the AFC’s ‘Best Grassroots Leader Award 2018’ at the 2^nd AFC Grassroots Conference 2018 in November in Kuala Lumpur.

“We really learnt a lot about the best practices across Asia during the conference,” he said. The conference was also attended by NFABD Technical Director John Whittle, Head of Grassroots Development Haji Rozaimie Nizam bin Haji Jainal, and NFABD/PIP Head Coach Haji Omar bin Haji Jamil.

The ‘Best Player’ awards were also conducted at the carnival.

Md Shaqeel Qays Wafri bin Md Suhardi won the Under-8 category; Md Syahmi Waie bin Khairul Affendi won the Under-10 category; Md Adyka Farel bin Jamaludein won the Under-12 category; Md Ali Fahmi bin Nordin was named best player in the Under-14 category and Md Ammar Rawi bin Abdul Suwardy in the Under-16 category.

The Top Scorers award winners were: Awangku Khairi Hazim bin Pengiran Hamirul Hamdi (Under-8), Md Asyraf bin Naruddin (Under-10), Md Ikhwan Rizqullah bin Abdul Azim (Under-12), Md Saiful Mahri bin Sambri (Under-14) and Md Shafiq Safiuddin bin Abdull Shariff (Under-16).

PIP trainees who achieved good results in the Primary School Assessment (PSR) were also presented with certificates of recognition.

Asked about PIP’s formula for attaining both football and academic achievements, Haji Omar shared, “Let’s just say that we apply PIP’s ‘Soccer-Smart’ and ‘Study-Smart’ principles that motivate the trainees to be more disciplined and to help them focus on studying more effectively.

“Alhamdulillah, this year’s carnival was much more successful than last year’s. I am very happy to see all the players, parents, the organising committee and coaches working closely as a united team. We are also happy parents were given the task of managing the teams. It turned out to be more fun for all involved. All in, everybody went home – tired but happy, satisfied and looking forward to the next carnival,” said Md Bahrin Haji Harris. His son Muhammad Danish Izz Syahmi represented the country at the Football for Friendship (F4F) programme of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia earlier this year.

Cheah Swee Ming thanked all parties involved in making the carnival a success.

“Thanks to the strong continuous support from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, the Department of Youth and Sports, the Sports Medicine and Research Centre, NFABD and everyone at PIP – especially the organising committee, all coaches, parents and players. This year’s carnival turned out to be yet another very successful team-building effort.”

|     Hakim Hayat     |

DIRECTOR of the Sabah Town and Regional Planning Department Haji Mursidi bin Haji Sapie has expressed admiration for Brunei government’s efficient management of the housing scheme for the people.

During the visit to Kampong Lugu National Housing Scheme (RPN) in Mukim Sengkurong yesterday, Haji Mursidi praised the rigid structure, layout and design of the houses, as well as the ample space, which he said demonstrates the Brunei government’s commitment towards the welfare of the people.

Delegates from the Sabah Town and Regional Planning Department were also present.

“We are here to take a closer look and learn more on how the Brunei government manages the housing scheme, and through this trip, we have attained valuable information that we can bring back to Sabah in our responsibilities for the management and provision of housing for the people of Sabah,” he told the media.

Earlier, the delegation was received at the RPN Kampong Lugu’s Site Construction Office by Acting Director of Housing Development Haji Shaharuddin Khairul bin Haji Anuar.

The delegates were given a briefing on the background and history of Brunei’s housing scheme and its accomplishments.

Following the briefing, the dele-gation visited a house in the area, and took a closer look at the public amenities available. They also took part in a tree-planting ceremony in the vicinity of a playground.

Around 1,000 units of cluster houses, with four cluster units for every block have been built in the area. Each unit measures 130 square metres and comes with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a living-room, dining-room, kitchen and a garage that can accommodate two cars.

The Sabah delegation is in Brunei for a four-day visit.

|     James Kon     |

THE many areas of agricultural cooperation between Brunei Darussalam and Thailand were discussed during a bilateral meeting between Brunei Darussalam’s Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) and Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives yesterday.

Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong said, “We have an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Brunei Darussalam’s MPRT and Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives effective until March 24, 2020.

The MoU covers a broad scope of cooperation which includes Brunei’s Halal initiative in agrifood business, agriculture which includes animal, fisheries, plant, irrigation, land management and cooperatives development, cooperation and coordination within the regional and international organisations, as well as other related areas of interest that are mutually agreed by both parties.”

The minister also hoped that Thailand’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Dr Wiwat Salyakamthorn’s visits to some local rice and agricultural sites would give a glimpse of the development and challenges that Brunei Darussalam currently face in the efforts to increase agriculture production through improvement of crop productivity.

He said, “I hope that we will be able to identify and determine possible projects that we can focus under the MoU. We would like to share our plan to develop a 500-hectare rice production area at Kandol, Belait District. We hope that… perhaps Thailand, through a business-to-business arrangement, may consider participating in our Kandol rice production project.”

Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali also expressed his appreciation to the Royal Thai Embassy’s support in strengthening the bilateral relations between both countries, as well as to Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of the Kingdom of Thailand who visited Brunei last November and offered to assist the country in further enhancing the growth and development of its agriculture sector.

In his corresponding remarks, Dr Salyakamthorn said, “Our cooperation has been developing, as the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has sent a rice scientist to Brunei.”

Dr Salyakamthorn recommended that both countries come up with a pilot project to deal with the problem areas before focussing on capacity-building, increasing productivity and lowering the costs of production.

He said, “Perhaps we can select two areas for the pilot project, and focus on water management and how to improve the soil nutrition, as well as the improvement of the health of the paddy rice, for better productivity. Another area of cooperation is rice variety selection.

“Brunei Darussalam is very good in preservation, and we can focus on using tree leaves to create micro-organisms to increase productivity.”

Another area of cooperation, he said, “is addressing the challenge of the next generation not getting involved in farming. We are thinking of providing incentives and education on the production system; we can set up a government-to-government initiative, as well as a private sector-to-private sector initiative, on how to attract the new generation to become involved in farming.”

He explained, “Thailand is also facing an ageing society, especially in the rural areas where the young generation tends to migrate to urban cities. About 70 per cent of the young generation migrates to urban cities.

“The areas that we can help Brunei are water management, soil management, resolving acidic soil, rice selection and encouraging the young generation to be involved in farming and increasing productivity.

“We have a soil excellence centre focussed on research and development in Asia. We are hoping to expand the service around the world, especially to Brunei. We hope to use this centre to tackle the acidic soil problem in Brunei.”

Before concluding, he expressed, “We have a strong intention to help you.”

Charge d’Affaires at the Royal Thai Embassy in Brunei Darussalam Rooge Thammongkol; Permanent Secretary at the MPRT Pengiran Haji Kamalrudzaman bin Pengiran Haji Mohd Ishak; and Deputy Permanent Secretary at the MPRT Haji Halidi bin Haji Mohd Salleh were also present.

|     Rokiah Mahmud     |

A GROUP of media representatives were on a familiarisation trip to Kuching, from December 6-11, co-organised by Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) and Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), as an introduction to RB’s recommencement of its service flights to the city on December 28.

Popularly known as the City of Cats, Kuching’s colonial-era buildings are remarkably well-preserved against the backdrop of the scenic Sarawak River.

One of our stops was the Kuching Town Mosque, whose distinctive golden dome is among the city’s most recognised landmarks. It can accommodate up to 4,000 congregants and even has a staircase with numbered steps. According to our guide, the numbered steps assist the congregants in remembering where they placed their shoes or sandals.

The Darul Hana Bridge – which officially opened on November 11, 2017 – serves as Kuching’s latest landmark, complementing the Brooke-era Astana and the modern, yet unique, Sarawak State Assembly. Named Darul Hana, which means a place of peace and tranquillity, the bridge is seen as the symbol of unity by many. The S-shape structural design was inspired by the meandering rivers of Sarawak.

The Darul Hana Bridge measures 3.25 metres in width and looms 12 metres above the water. Supporting the Darul Hana Bridge are two cables that are 45 metres high from two 48-degree outward angled steel towers topped out with stylised hornbills, denoting the emblem of Sarawak. The Kuching Darul Hana S-Bridge is not that hard to find, as it is located in the heart of Kuching, at the ever-popular Kuching Waterfront.

A short distance from the Darul Hana Bridge, a wall mural carved from stone depicts the story of the mouse-deer and the crocodile from the well-known Malay folktale.

Winding through the heart of the city, our delegation was brought for a closer look at the majestic Astana, the former residence of the Brooke Rajahs, but now the official residence of the Governor of Sarawak.

On the second day, the media delegation visited the Sarawak Cultural Village to learn more about the unique award-winning living museum which offers an exciting and informative introduction to local cultures and lifestyles.

This living museum features nine authentic replica houses representing every major ethnic group in Sarawak: Bidayuh, Iban and Orang Ulu longhouses, a Penan jungle settlement, Melanau tall-house, a Malay town house, Chinese farmhouse and pagoda. Each of these houses is staffed with members of the respective ethnic groups, wearing traditional costumes, carrying out traditional activities. Every house has a ‘storyteller’ who is an expert in describing and interpreting traditional cultures and lifestyles.

After touring the village, visitors can enjoy multi-cultural dance performances in the village’s own theatre, along with the opportunity to take dance, handicraft and music lessons.

|     Izah Azahari     |

SOME 356 students from 124 underprivileged families from all over the Sultanate received donations from the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (YSHHB) during a ceremony held at its Multipurpose Hall yesterday.

Guest of honour was the Permanent Secretary (Economy) at the Ministry of Finance and Economy Dr Hajah May Fa’ezah binti Haji Ahmad Ariffin in her capacity as the YSHHB Aid Review Committee member.

The donations were in the form of coupons to buy school supplies and necessities as well as exercise books. A total of 206 primary school students received BND73 coupon each, while 150 secondary school students received BND84 coupon each.

|     Fizah HAB     |

SEVERAL aspects of Islamic civilisation such as its trove of historical artefacts, heritage, culture, arts and lifestyle will be showcased at the upcoming Brunei Islamic International Festival (BIIF).

Qalby Sdn Bhd Project Supervisor Dayangku Fartina binti Pengiran Metussin and Logistics Officer Raihan Atikah binti Rahman elaborated on the various exhibitions and activities to be held during the festival at a press conference at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism.

“The highlight of the exhibition will be the life journey of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his companions, including the four Ar Rashidin Caliphs. There will be exhibitions of several Islamic artefacts and a walkthrough of a series of historical events where visitors will experience the wonders with the aid of audio-visual holograms and 3D projections,” Dayangku Fartina said.