|     Rokiah Mahmud     |

THE President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in and spouse Kim Jung-sook yesterday made a visit to the Royal Regalia Museum in the capital.

On hand to welcome the President of Korea were 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 and spouse Datin Nurhayana Janis binti Abdullah.

Also present were Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong as Minister-in-Attendance; Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) Datin Paduka Dr Hajah Norlila binti Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Jalil; and senior officers from the MCYS and the Department of Museums.

While there, the President and his spouse toured the first gallery in Zone A, showcasing the 1968 Coronation 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.

The main highlight of this gallery is the Usongan Diraja (Royal Chariot) which carried His Majesty during the Royal Procession around Brunei Town, now known as Bandar Seri Begawan, on August 1, 1968.

The Korean delegation was then ushered for a closer look at the Royal Exhibition gallery in Zone B, presenting the life of His Majesty before his investiture as the Crown Prince, and later on as the 29th Sultan of Brunei. Before their departure from the Royal Regalia Museum, the President and his spouse signed the visitors’ book and later received a gift presented by the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports.

BANK Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) yesterday extended support for the students under its BIBD ALAF (Advocating Life-Long Learning for an Aspiring Future) programme with the offer letter signing event for BIBD ALAF Scholar Saiful Azmi bin Saradin. Signing on behalf of BIBD was Head of Government Relations and Special Projects Haji Mohammad Yusri bin Haji Wahsalfelah.

Saiful Azmi is the second student to be offered the opportunity to pursue his education at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo.

At the event, BIBD also launched its ALAF internship programme which saw four BIBD ALAF students given the opportunity to gain invaluable working experience. The three-month internship programme will see the students gain experience at various departments within BIBD. The selected students also received a hands-on briefing by BIBD’s Chief Human Resource Officer Habibah binti Haji Harry who also proceeded to sign their internship programme letters at BIBD.

The event also celebrated the achievements of BIBD ALAF students who recorded successes during the 2018’s ‘O’ Level and ‘A’ Level examinations.

BIBD’s Deputy Managing Director cum Chairperson of BIBD ALAF Board of Trustees Hajah Noraini binti Haji Sulaiman was the guest of honour. Also present alongside the BIBD ALAF students were BIBD ALAF Taskforce officers from the Ministry of Education’s Department of Schools and the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ Islamic Studies Department.

|     Wani Roslan     |

INSURANS Islam TAIB Holdings Sdn Bhd’s (IITH) organised a Customer Appreciation Day to mark its 26th anniversary. The celebrations were held at IITH and Insurans Islam TAIB General Takaful Sdn Bhd’s (IITGT) Head Offices, Insurans Islam Family Takaful Head Office in Kiulap, Insurans Islam TAIB Kuala Belait branch and Takaful counters nationwide.

Customers at the head offices and branch were welcomed with refreshments from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (CBTL) Brunei, Gong Cha and ice-cream from ChaTraMue.

For the first 26 customers who transacted businesses at IITH and IITGT Head Offices were given meal vouchers which can be claimed immediately from food trucks parked outside IITH and IITGT Head Office in Kiulap.

Invited food trucks were CBTL Brunei, Casbah London Kebab and Top Folk.

Meanwhile, for Takaful counters nationwide, the first 26 customers received Gong Cha drink vouchers.

Customers wearing grey shirt or dress also received food discount vouchers from Top Folk and Casbah London Kebab throughout the day to mark the company’s corporate colour.

|     Azlan Othman     |

PRESIDENT of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in yesterday made a visit to the Temburong Bridge construction project in Jalan Kota Batu, where he addressed the Korean workers who are currently on course to complete the project ahead of schedule.

“Through your work, you are connecting the western and eastern part of Brunei, as well as its present and future,” he said.

“This project will pave the way for balanced growth between the Temburong and Brunei-Muara districts. In this, we are taking part in Brunei’s future. This bridge that you are building is also a bridge that connects Brunei and Korea through the relentless pursuit of technological advancement and sheer passion,” he added. The President was welcomed at the bridge construction site by Minister of Development Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gafar.

Also present was Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, in his capacity as Minister-in-Attendance.

The Temburong Bridge Project is being implemented under four construction packages, two of which are being undertaken in a joint venture between one of the largest contractors from the Republic of Korea, Daelim Industrial Company Limited, and local contractor Swee Sdn Bhd.

The Temburong Bridge project also marks the beginning of an ambitious plan to further boost Brunei’s economy by developing the relatively under-developed Temburong in the east.

The President also commented on the long-standing relations between Korean companies and Brunei Darussalam, saying, “Ever since embarking on the LNG plant refurbishment project in 1970, which was its first ever project in the Sultanate, Daelim Industry has constructed the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha Bridge that has become the landmark of Brunei Darussalam; and the trust that has been built along the way, led to the contract for the Temburong Bridge.

“Ever since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1984, Korea and Brunei have built very strong ties and friendship. In particular, we have maintained close cooperation in infrastructure building and energy resources.

“Today our bilateral coopera-tion has evolved through partnership between Brunei Vision 2035 strategy and Korea’s new Southern Policy,” he added.

In his reciprocal remarks, Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suhaimi said, “The construction packages which are under Daelim Swee joint venture are the 14.5km bridge spanning over the Brunei Bay, and the marine viaduct and two big cable-stayed navigational bridges.

“Progress has been good, and the project has benefitted from the experience of big bridge-building that Daelim has brought to the project.

“A good example is the Full Span Launching Method, which is the first in the world to be used for bridge-building and enabling the good progress. I am hopeful that the whole bridge will be fully completed by the end of this year.

“I am pleased that the Daelim Swee joint venture – as well as the other joint venture companies constructing the other packages – have continued to have a good working relationship with local contractors and suppliers; and fulfilled their obligation to engage local subcontractors, suppliers and also the number of local graduates and workers.

“By doing so, the project has provided economic spin-offs to the local companies, and also transferred technology and knowledge to our local professionals and staff.”

President Moon Jae-in is currently in the country for a three-day State Visit.

The 30-km Temburong Bridge, which is expected to be completed at the end of this year, will connect the Brunei-Muara and Temburong districts via the Brunei Bay.

BRUNEI Darussalam and the Republic of Korea yesterday reaffirmed their commitment to deepen the bilateral relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in January 1984.

In a joint statement issued after President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in made a State Visit to Brunei Darussalam at the invitation 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, both leaders highlighted the importance of achieving a harmony between the Brunei Vision 2035 and the New Southern Policy, thereby generating a synergy to further bolster the bilateral ties in the years ahead.

Both leaders emphasised the importance of strengthening collaboration in the areas of trade and investment, infrastructure development, connectivity, people-to-people exchanges and defence cooperation, particularly to actively explore opportunities for expanding cooperation in education, agriculture, Halal industry, tourism, energy, Small Medium Enterprises (SME)s, FinTech, science and technology, ICT, smart cities and intellectual property, the statement noted.

His Majesty expressed appreciation for President Moon Jae-in’s continued commitment to the region and looked forward to the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit to be held in November in the Republic of Korea, which will provide the Republic of Korea and ASEAN with an excellent opportunity to take stock of the past 30 years of ASEAN-Republic of Korea Dialogue Relations.

His Majesty also congratulated the Republic of Korea on the achievement in the socio-economic and development fields, and welcomed the Korean government’s commitment towards strengthening cooperation with the region under the New Southern Policy.

President Moon Jae-in emphasised the Republic of Korea’s continued commitment to cooperation with ASEAN, which will be carried out under the spirit of prioritising the 3Ps — People, Prosperity and Peace – and expressed support for Brunei Darussalam’s role as the Country Coordinator for the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Dialogue Relations for 2018-2021.

President Moon Jae-in also commended the government of Brunei Darussalam on the implementation of strategic national development policies towards the achievement of the Brunei Vision 2035.

The leaders expressed satisfaction with the significant progress in the bilateral cooperation across various fields achieved since His Majesty’s State Visit to the Republic of Korea in December 2014.

With a view to continue the close exchanges at all levels including at the Brunei Darussalam – Republic of Korea Policy Consultative Meeting (PCM), they looked forward to the convening of the fifth PCM to be hosted by Brunei Darussalam in the near future.

In this regard, both leaders emphasised the importance of advancing trade and investment cooperation, a key pillar in the bilateral relations.

Brunei Darussalam appreciated the Republic of Korea’s participation in the infrastructure projects in Brunei Darussalam including the construction of the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha Bridge and the ongoing Temburong Bridge project.

The President of the Republic of Korea expressed the hope to contribute further to the strengthening of the infrastructure of Brunei Darussalam, and in this regard, Brunei Darussalam welcomed investments and business presence from the Republic of Korea.

Both leaders expressed appreciation at the long-standing cooperation in the energy field, and looked forward to continuing discussions on exploring further collaboration in both the upstream and downstream oil and gas sectors as well as re-establishing cooperation with additional areas such as LNG value chain cooperation.

They also looked forward to the joint capacity building activities in Renewable Energy that Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of Korea will implement as co-chairs of the Renewable and Alternative Power Generation Work Stream under the East Asia Summit Cooperation.

In the area of e-government, both leaders took note of the continued cooperation between both governments and welcomed the ongoing discussions between the two sides on the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this area.

The two leaders welcomed the diffusion of digital technology and its application in people’s daily lives so that the well-being and the quality of life in the two countries continue to improve in the future.

Both leaders expressed satisfaction over the active cooperation in air services and tourism, and acknowledged the positive impact of increased number of direct flights between Bandar Seri Begawan and Incheon since December 2017.

They also emphasised the importance of people-to-people exchanges which serve as a valuable foundation for the bilateral relations and welcomed the active engagement between students, youth, tourists, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME)s, media and government officials.

They agreed to further enhance this cooperation, thereby strengthening mutual understanding and ties of friendship between the peoples of the two countries.

His Majesty and the President of Republic of Korea recalled the signing of the MoU on Defence Cooperation on September 13, 2018 and expressed confidence that its implementation would further enhance cooperation in the security and defence industries.

Both leaders looked forward to exploring deeper collaboration including in the defence industry and the field of defence technology.

They welcomed the signing of the MoU between the Brunei Intellectual Property Office (BruIPO) and the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) for the Recognition of KIPO as an International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examination Authority (ISA/IPEA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, which will pave the way for cooperation in intellectual property rights.

Brunei Darussalam expressed appreciation for the Republic of Korea’s continued support for ASEAN Centrality in the evolving regional architecture, and both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen cooperation through the various ASEAN-led mechanisms such as the ASEAN Plus Three (APT), East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus).

His Majesty looked forward to facilitating the Republic of Korea’s continued engagement in efforts towards further deepening ASEAN-Republic of Korea relations guided by the Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Partnership; Joint Declaration on ASEAN-Republic of Korea Strategic Partnership for Dialogue Relation; and ASEAN-Republic of Korea Plan of Action 2016-2020 as well as expressed appreciation for the Republic of Korea’s New Southern Policy which aims to further strengthen and deepen ASEAN-Republic of Korea Strategic Partnership.

The leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to multilateralism, support for the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and compliance with international law.

Both sides reiterated their support for close cooperation in areas of common interest through dialogue and consultations at various regional forums including the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation, Asia Cooperation Dialogue and Asia-Europe Meeting as building blocks in further strengthening the rules-based international system.

They pledge their support for preserving and strengthening the rules-based multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization at its core.

Brunei Darussalam welcomed the Republic of Korea’s intention to host the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in 2025 as a demonstration of commitment to enhancing regional economic integration.

Both sides will continue to work closely towards the expeditious conclusion of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

The joint statement reiterated the importance of maintaining the momentum of dialogue in order for the current process to move forward. Brunei Darussalam ensured its commitment to continue to support consultations and cooperation among the parties concerned to foster a favourable environment for dialogue and applauded the Republic of Korea’s efforts for its leading role in the recent development on the Korean Peninsula.

Both leaders emphasised the need for joint efforts by the international community towards the goal of complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and establishment of lasting peace and stability in the region.

President Moon Jae-in expressed his deep gratitude to His Majesty for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to him and his delegation during the visit and looked forward to reciprocating the welcome on the occasion of the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit, to be held in the Republic of Korea in November 2019.

|     Lyna Mohamad     |

HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam hosted a State Banquet at the Istana Nurul Iman last night in honour of President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in, his spouse Kim Jung-sook, and their delegation to the country who are in the country on a three-day State Visit.

His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah binti Pengiran Haji Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen; His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah and Her Royal Highness Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Zariah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Amal Umi Kalthum Al-Islam.

Before proceeding to the Royal Banquet Hall, Their Majesties, President Moon and his spouse joined in for a group photo.

The State Banquet commenced with the recitation of Doa Selamat by State Mufti Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned.

His Majesty in his titah at the reception highlighted that Brunei Darussalam welcomes the Republic of Korea’s pursuit of greater engagement with ASEAN.

“We very much appreciate your New Southern Policy which will bring our Dialogue Relations to a new height. We are honoured to be the country coordinator for this important Dialogue Relations,” the monarch said.

His Majesty noted that President Moon’s visit to the Sultanate comes at an auspicious time, coinciding with the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of Korea.

He said that over the years, Brunei and Korea have been developing cooperation in various fields, including trade and investment, infrastructure, cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

The monarch said that the bilateral meeting held yesterday “will ensure that this relationship continues to grow in strength and flourish”, and that the “Republic of Korea is an important trading partner for Brunei Darussalam with trade volume exceeding BND1 billion every year for the last five to 10 years”.

A number of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed between the two countries during the meeting, agreements His Majesty says will further strengthen Brunei and South Korea’s resolve to work closely and create more confidence for their agencies and private sector entities to work together.

The two leaders iterated their commitment to strengthening cooperation in agriculture and fisheries as well as downstream petrochemical industries, in support of Brunei’s economic diversification drive.

“With the rapid technological advancement in today’s world, preparing the people with knowledge and skills that are geared towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution is important, and in this regard we extend our appreciation to the Republic of Korea’s sharing of expertise in innovation and technology, as the country moves towards building Brunei Darussalam as a Smart Nation,” His Majesty added.

The monarch also acknowledged the participation of Korean companies in the Brunei’s infrastructure development over the years.

“I am also happy to see an increase in exchanges in tourists, businesses and students, facilitated by improved connectivity between our two countries. I believe this will lead to a much closer friendship and deeper understanding between our peoples,” he added, also wishing the Republic of Korea success in their hosting of the Commemorative Summit later this year.

President Moon, meanwhile, in his speech highlighted the very strong ties of friendship that Korea and Brunei have been building for 35 years since establishing diplomatic relations in 1994, in particular close cooperation in the fields of energy and infrastructure building.

He noted that this is the symbol of the bilateral cooperation between the two countries, “much like the Temburong Bridge that connects the eastern and western part of Brunei”.

“I hope our cooperation will be expanded to include not only advanced industries such as ICT, Smart Cities and renewable energy, but also intellectual property, defence and the defence industry,” he said.

The president sounded a welcoming note to the deepening of people-to-people friendship brought about by an increase in the number of visitors between the two countries, a result of the increase in the number of direct flights connecting the two countries to four flights per week within this year.

“[The addition of these extra flights] have contributed to mutual visitors increasing by more than twofold in the past five years, further deepening the friendship [between our two countries],” President Moon said.

He added, “The Republic of Korea and ASEAN are very precious friends for each other, my government is actively implementing the New Southern Policy in order to build the people-centred community of peace and prosperity together with ASEAN on Brunei Vision 2035, which is based on His Majesty’s wisdom and insight.”

President Moon also extended words of thanks to Brunei and His Majesty for playing a bridging role as a dialogue coordinator.

“I hope my state visit will provide the impetus to further elevate our bilateral relations and bring more prosperous lives for the people of our two countries,” Moon added.

The South Korean head of state is on a three-day State Visit to Brunei, becoming the first South Korean President to visit the country in 19 years.

Also in attendance at the banquet were Minister of Home Affairs as the Minister-in-Attendance Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong and spouse; Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea Kang Kyung-wha; Minister at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Republic of Korea Kim Hyun-mee; and Minister at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Republic of Korea Sung Yunmo.

HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam received in audience President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in and spouse Kim Jung-sook and delegation yesterday.

Their Majesties welcomed the arrival of the President of the Republic of Korea and spouse at the Istana Nurul Iman.

Their Majesties, together with President of the Republic of Korea and spouse, received the salute of honour, accompanied with the national anthems of both countries and a 21-gun salute.

The two leaders inspected the guard of honour mounted by members of the Royal Brunei Land Force.

The President of the Republic of Korea and spouse were introduced to members of the royal family, Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran-Pengiran Cheteria, the Speaker of the Legislative Council, Cabinet Ministers, members of the Privy Council, deputy ministers, senior officers and heads of foreign diplomatic missions as well as their spouses.

Their Majesties were introduced to members of the delegation of the President of the Republic of Korea.

An audience ceremony was held at Cheradi Laila Kenchana. Also present at the ceremony were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah binti Pengiran Haji Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen; His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Majeedah Nuurul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Amal Umi Kalthum Al-Islam.

Accompanying the President of the Republic of Korea and spouse were Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Hyun-mee, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Sung Yunmo, Chief of Staff for Policy to the President Kim Soo Hyun, and Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Brunei Darussalam Yoon Hyun-bong.

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

His Majesty also held a Bilateral Meeting with the President of the Republic of Korea and delegation at Baitul Mesyuarah.

His Majesty in a titah said the State Visit of the President of the Republic of Korea is important as it marks the 35th anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Brunei and the Republic of Korea, and also as Brunei takes on the role of country coordinator for ASEAN-ROK Dialogue Relations.

His Majesty touched on cooperation in several areas including trade and investment; connectivity; and people-to-people exchanges which have expanded since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Towards diversifying the country’s economy, His Majesty welcomed initiatives to enhance cooperation in strategic areas including capacity building; technology; and business development for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

In the titah, His Majesty expressed appreciation for the contributions from Korean companies in infrastructure development; tourism; energy; ICT; and people-to-people exchanges, specifically collaboration between academic institutions that are important to prepare Brunei to meet the challenges presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Both leaders underscored the importance of achieving harmony between Brunei Vision 2035 and the New Southern Policy of the Republic of Korea, thereby generating a synergy for the strengthening of bilateral ties in the years ahead.

On the topic of ASEAN, the President of the Republic of Korea emphasised the Republic of Korea’s continued commitment to cooperate with ASEAN which will be carried out through prioritising the 3Ps – People, Prosperity, and Peace.

His Majesty expressed appreciation for the commitment and contributions of the Republic of Korea to ASEAN-led processes. Brunei is pleased to be Country Coordinator for ASEAN-ROK Dialogue Relations for 2018-2021, and welcomes the Commemorative Summit to mark the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-ROK Dialogue Relations.

His Majesty, together with the President of the Republic of Korea, also witnessed the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between the Government of His Majesty and the Government of the Republic of Korea.

Signing the MoU on the Investment Promotion Cooperation on behalf of the Government of His Majesty was 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, while, on behalf of the Republic of Korea was Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Sung Yunmo.

Signing the MoU on the Recognition of Korean Intellectual Property Office as an International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining Authority Under the Patent Cooperation Treaty for the Brunei Darussalam Intellectual Property Office on behalf of the Government of His Majesty was Minister of Energy, Manpower and Industry Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mat Suny bin Haji Mohd Hussein, while, on behalf of the Republic of Korea was Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office Park Won-Joo.

Signing the MoU on the Scientific and Technological Cooperation on behalf of the Government of His Majesty was Deputy Minister of Energy, Manpower and Industry Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Matsatejo bin Sokiaw, while, on behalf of the Republic of Korea was Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Brunei Darussalam Yoon Hyun-bong.

Also present to witness the signing ceremony was His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah.

Spouse of the President of the Republic of Korea Kim Jung-sook held a separate programme with Her Majesty which began with a visit inside the grounds of Istana Nurul Iman and followed by an audience ceremony.

Also attending were Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah, His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik, Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah, His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen, Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah, Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Majeedah Nuurul Bolkiah, Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna and Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Amal Umi Kalthum Al-Islam.

The President of the Republic of Korea and spouse as well as delegation are in the country for three-day State Visit.

|     Daniel Lim     |

PENGIRAN Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar Secondary School (SMPJNPHAB), Kuala Belait held a Graduation and Academic Award ceremony for 95 of its high-scoring students from the Class of 2018 last Saturday.

The ceremony was held at the school’s multi-purpose hall.

Chief Executive Officer of the Serikandi Group of Companies Shaikh Haji Khalid bin Shaikh Haji Ahmad, welcomed by school’s Principal Chin Ai Fong, was the guest of honour.

Chairman of the school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) Iskandar bin Haji Alias; Deputy Principal (Academic) Gudaihenah Yadai; Deputy Principal (Administration) Jumimah binti Haji Jumat; higher committee members of the school’s PTA; teachers, parents and guardians; as well as the students were present.

The event aimed at acknowledging Class of 2018 who had scored five ‘O’ Levels and above.

The school’s principal congratulated the Class of 2018 for their achievements and presentated certificates and trophies to the students.

Top three best performing students in the Student Progress Assessment (SPA) 2018 also received awards from the guest of honour.

A series of awards were also given to teachers who supported students into achieving high grades in their examinations.

The event concluded with the singing of the school song by the Class of 2018.

|     Khairil Hassan     |

THE Richard Mille Polo Tournament started yesterday at the Royal Brunei Polo and Riding Club in Jerudong.

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen’s Red Team is the current leader in the tournament.

The tournament was played in a round robin format involving three teams – Red Team, Black Team and White Team.

In the first match, Red Team led by His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen won 5-2 against the Black Team led by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah.

The White Team led by Her Royal Highness Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah beat Black Team 2-1 in the second match. Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Muda Bahar also played for the White Team.

The third match saw the Red Team tied with the White Team with the score 3-3.

Also in attendance were Her Royal Highness Princess Fadzilah Lubabul Bolkiah, Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Muda Abdul Qawi and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Muda Abdul Hakeem.

The tournament continues today and the final match will be held tomorrow.

|     James Kon     |

BRUNEI Darussalam is looking at building its own data centre – dubbed the ‘National Centralised Data Base (NCDB)’ – for government use, with its implementation scheduled to start in the second quarter of the year.

The data centre project was revealed by Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud. He made these comment in his reply to member of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Yang Berhormat Siti Rozaimeriyanty binti Dato Seri Laila Jasa Haji Abdul Rahman’s question on databases yesterday morning during the third day of the 15th LegCo session.

Yang Berhormat Siti Rozaimeriyanty asked whether the relevant authorities have carried out plans to make data.government.bn more efficient or whether there will be a new database centre serving as one-stop platform containing all the needed important information.

“data.government.bn is a portal aimed at sharing government data that is classified as public data which do not contain any sensitive information, including statistics and aggregated data that can be accessed and downloaded by the public for free online,” Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Mokti added. “The portal enables the sharing of open data more widely to raise transparency in the government services.”

Government agencies in the country are encouraged to share their non-sensitive data with the public, with the responsibility of holding such data lying with the respective government agencies.

“In an effort to ensure the information on the portal is frequently updated,” the minister said, “the E-Government National Centre (EGNC) as the coordinating agency will continuously hold discussions with data owners and send reminder emails for the data to be updated and for additional data to be uploaded to increase the amount of accessible data on the portal.”

The NCDB initiative, he said, will be implemented by the EGNC.

The project is in the tendering stage, with the advertisement for the project being published last year.

The minister added that the project scope covers the building of the infrastructure of the database for use by information technology (IT) projects under the 11th National Development Plan.

“This is to allow for better integration of information among government agencies,” the minister said. “The NCDB will introduce a new service called ‘Data base is a service’ aimed at reducing government expenditure in preparing databases for IT projects under the 11th National Development Plan.

“It will provide convenience to all the government agencies by allowing them to keep their data at the centre. In addition, the project also has the scope of functioning as a national information hub, playing a role (as a repository) for common data such as names, address and phone numbers. An Application Programming Interface (API) system will be used for this database project.”

|     Azlan Othman     |

BY THE consent 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, the Digital Economic Council has been established to replace the functions of the Brunei Darussalam National IT Council, which has existed for over 19 years.

The establishment of the council will guide the policy towards Brunei’s drive to become a Smart Nation, Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yusof said on the third day of the Legislative Council (LegCo) meeting yesterday. He was responding to LegCo member Yang Berhormat Iswandy bin Ahmad and Yang Berhormat Nik Hafimi binti Abdul Hadii’s questions regarding the coordinating of efforts to move the country towards Smart Nation status and to realise a digital economy.

“Coordination is paramount in the nation’s drive towards Smart Nation status,” the minister said. “It is not a sole effort of one ministry but involves every ministry, private sector and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Since the middle of last year, we have carried out coordination to review the purpose of the ICT policy for the country for the area of e-government, and ICT and telecommunications industry.”

Several ministries such as the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications; Prime Minister’s Office; Ministry of Energy, Manpower and Industry; as well as the Ministry of Finance and Economy have coordinated on a policy basis, the minister said.

He added that in this Fourth Industrial Revolution era, “Everything we do revolves around Internet access”, and to facilitate the country’s smooth transition towards this technological transformation, the country needs to increase accessibility to the technologies, which include applications such as the Internet of Things (IoT).

“To do this, the prices (to access these technologies) must be affordable,” he said.

|     James Kon     |

MEMBER of Legislative Council (LegCo) Yang Berhormat Iswandy bin Ahmad during the deliberation for the budget expenditure 2019/2020 at the 15th LegCo session yesterday morning touched on four subjects.

Firstly, he said micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) should not to be left behind. He said, “Alhamdulillah, Brunei Darussalam will be finalising the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). This will definitely bring wider market opportunities, especially for major industries. It is hoped that MSMEs will improve the quality of their products and services to enter the international markets.”

He continued, “Our MSMEs are still in the early stage and to penetrate the foreign market is a tall order for a number of them. What are the efforts underway to make sure our entrepreneurs, especially MSMEs, are not left behind and be involved as well as benefit from RCEP after it is completed?”

Secondly, Yang Berhormat Iswandy spoke about the national campaign for tourism.

He said, “Under the tourism sector, BND21.7 million was set aside for planning while a further BND66.2 million has been provided to strengthen tourism products, maintain infrastructure and bear the cost of promotion and marketing.”

Yang Berhormat Iswandy called on the whole of nation approach in carrying out a national campaign like Visit Brunei Year or tourism based on themes like medical tourism – with health facilities in Brunei being of world standards – or Islamic tourism with the strong Islamic belief of the country or water-based tourism related to diving activities and highlight the rich history of people living on the river.

Such examples need cooperation among all sectors of the country to contribute to the development of tourism sector.

The next suggestion, Yang Berhormat Iswandy spoke on was the government as the pioneer of Industry 4.0 and involvement of relevant stakeholders.

He said, “Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah mentioned about Smart Nation and gave a number of examples of Industry 4.0.

“My advice is that we would like to see coordination in the national level to ensure that every ministry becomes the government’s engine to become pioneer or be best examples in adopting Industry 4.0. This can spread to other levels including departments.

“Work with stakeholders like private companies, industry experts or academics from an early stage to formulate a policy to ensure that the various industries are prepared for the Industry 4.0 based on a whole of nation approach.”

In terms of human resources, Yang Berhormat Iswandy said, “The third focus of the budget is generating competent and employable humans where a number of efforts were mentioned like foreign direct investment (FDI) projects and public-private partnership (PPP) to provide employment opportunities, technical and vocational training education to be industry ready, youth programmes to gain entrepreneurship skills as well as youth non-governmental organisations (NGOs) assistance and human resource development as well as student’s allowance.”

He gave two suggestions for the development of human resources.

On promoting labour mobility, he said, “There is a need to provide an approach on promoting labour mobility or encourage labour mobility for those who possess transferable skills. This is for us to encourage a flow of labour among industries, companies. This contributes to the efficient relocation of the workforce from low-demand to high-demand sector. This can reduce mismatch of employment and increase productivity in the automation era.”

On strengthening the role of training and work-based learning, he said “Having a job reduces the unemployment rate. Job retention is a challenge, especially when employees quit because of weak reasons. There is a need of programme to focus on providing re-skilling and soft skills not only before gaining employment but also while working. Soft skills include resilience, common sense, work ethics, teamwork, conflict resolution and others. In other countries, employers encourage their employees to constantly improve themselves in upskilling and reskilling with short courses.”

|     Hakim Hayat     |

THE Parliament yesterday approved the Ministry of Defence (MinDef)’s budget proposal of BND589,870,450 for the new fiscal year 2019/2020, a six per cent increase from the country’s last defence budget as the ministry ramps up its efforts to enhance its capabilities, human capital capacity and defence diplomacy priorities.

Minister of Defence II Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof tabled the MinDef’s new budget on the third day of the 15th Legislative Council session yesterday.

He highlighted that while the ministry continues to exercise its role of defending the sovereignty of the nation through a Whole of Nation and also Whole of Government approach, they are also committed to ensure their maximum contribution in efforts to enhance the nation’s capacities and the capabilities of its people to ensure the continuous stability, security and harmony of the country.

To ensure the effectiveness of its mission through comprehensive strategic planning, he shared that defence strategies have been formulated and implemented and will be evaluated and updated continuously to allow for a more organised response option towards challenges amid changing landscapes and strategic, domestic, regional and international trends that are also aligned with national development strategies.

The minister outlined three main thrusts of the defence strategy that he said remains relevant – deterrence and response; defence diplomacy and holistic defence which he said are achieved through a credible armed forces in terms of capacity, readiness, response and adaption; active participation in bilateral, regional and international frameworks to enhance capacity and also involvement in various aspects of national security.

With rapid national development and as the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) reaches 60 years of establishment in 2021, the minister also recognised the rapidly changing national strategic landscape that warrants for the update of the current Defence White Paper, citing developments in Pekan Muara, Pulau Muara Besar and also the Brunei Bay with the Temburong Bridge.

“We among others need to change operational concepts, acquire new equipment and weaponry by giving focus to a more balanced and holistic capacity building, by replacing ageing equipment that will be considered obsolete. All these acquisitions Insya Allah will be realised as RBAF reaches a significant age of 60 in 2020,” he added.

|     Azlan Othman     |

MINISTER at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah said that the nation’s financial capability must be taken into consideration before deciding on the expenditure.

“This effort is far from easy; based on past experience, our expenditure is more than what has been tabled and approved. As for this financial year, we try to fit in as much as possible and at the same time, work with all government agencies so that they would not request for supplementary budgets,” he said.

The minister was responding to a query from Legislative Council (LegCo) member Yang Berhormat Siti Rozaimeriyanty binti Dato Seri Laila Jasa Awang Haji Abdul Rahman on supplementary budgets on the third day of LegCo meeting yesterday, which focussed on the deliberation of the proposed budget for financial year of 2019/2020.

“For the financial year of 2019/2020, our budget has increased by over BND5 million, taking into account the requirement budget for the government to carry out its respective obligations in every ministry,” he said.

Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew also called for the nation to practise prudent spending. “Our budget deliberation carries the theme, ‘Investing in our Future’, whereby any form of expenditure should be spent towards reaping benefits and producing something for our future,” he said.

Last Saturday, the Ministry of Finance and Economy (MoFE) announced a proposed government budget of BND5.86 billion for the 2019/2020 fiscal year, while forecasting another wave of budget deficit of BND1.5 billion for the new fiscal year, on the back of sluggish gross domestic product (GDP) growth, due to falling revenues in the dominant oil and gas sector over the last few years.

A BND2.2 billion deficit was recorded in the last fiscal year of 2017/2018, while the country is expected to record another deficit for the current fiscal year of 2018/2019, despite recovering global oil prices now averaging USD62.70 per barrel, which is higher in comparison to the prices of previous years.

The proposed budget for 2019-2020 sees a BND5.6 million increase from last fiscal year’s approved budget of BND5.3 billion, as the country continues to record positive growth in the non-oil and gas sectors.

Yang Berhormat Siti Rozaimeriyanty prefaced her question by stating, “For the financial year of 2017/2018, the nation recorded a deficit of BND2.2 billion, while for 2018/2019, the deficit is BND2.1 billion and the revenue BND5.038 billion. As for 2019/2020, the revenue is BND4.3 billion and deficit stands at BND1.5 billion.”

She also pointed out, “There would be a supplementary budget for ministries every year. And the government has cut the budget drastically for the past five years since 2014/2015, and such budget cuts incur more losses than benefits.

“Five supplementary budgets have been requested for the 2017/2018 financial year, amounting to BND394,094,409.25, while six supplementary budgets have been requested for 2016/2017, amounting to BND410,527,358.47.

“What is the purpose of discussing or approving the budget when the ministries would ask for an additional budget after the Legislative Council session? Perhaps we did not plan the expenditure in a sensible manner, or ask for an additional budget to pay claims or dues.”

Yang Berhormat Siti Rozaimeriyanty added that the obligation for ministries to pay contractors can sometimes take years and give rise to complaints, due to the late payments.

“The ‘No Budget’ excuses to an extent damaged the government assets further, and we would not want such ‘habits’ to continue to our future generation,” she said.

PRESIDENT of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in and spouse Kim Jung-sook, and delegation left Brunei Darussalam yesterday morning after concluding a three-day State Visit to the country.

Present at the Brunei International Airport to bid farewell to President of the Republic of Korea and spouse were Minister of Home Affairs as Minister-in-Attendance Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong and spouse, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong and spouse, Minister of Foreign Affairs II Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Erywan bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Haji Mohd Yusof and spouse, and Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Brunei Darussalam Yoon Hyun-bong.

Prior to boarding the aircraft, the President of the Republic of Korea and spouse proceeded to walk past the static guard of honour by members of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces.

The State Visit of the President of the Republic of Korea shows the close bilateral relationship between Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of Korea in various fields.

The meeting between the leaders of both countries and the signing of new Memorandums of Understanding constitute the further enhancement of such ties.

|     Rokiah Mahmud     |

THE Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) will continue to practise prudent budget spending for the upcoming 2019/2020 financial year with further budget cuts across some of its major department and agencies, compared to previous fiscals.

On the third day of the Legislative Council (LegCo) meeting yesterday, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud said that the PMO has agreed to a proposed budget allocation totalling BND394,758,270 for staff salaries and recurring expenditure.

This is a reduction of BND142,692,720 compared to last year’s budget allocation, taking into account the absorption of the Department of Energy and Industry and the Department of Electrical Services to the Ministry of Energy, Manpower and Industry, as well as the absorption of Department of Economic Planning and Development into the Ministry of Finance and Economy.

Meanwhile, BND30,973,130 was apportioned for development expenditure, thereby making the total budget for the PMO and all its departments BND425,731,400.

Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Mokti also elaborated on the four principles in the drafting of the PMO budget.

“Firstly, investment in ensuring the excellence of Public Service, where Leadership Excellence will always be the main focus. Several initiatives are already being implemented, such as the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) in Service Delivery for the specific advancement of organisational activities, while also making an impact for enhanced productivity at an individual level.

“Initiatives to fill vacancies at all levels have been carried out with the cooperation of government ministries and departments. Leadership and capacity development programmes are continuously being carried out, such as the Executive Development Programme for Senior Government Officers, the Executive Development Programme for Middle Management Officers and the Young Executive Programme.

“These programmes are formed, created and designed with means to further realise the public service and will undergo assessment for effectiveness from time to time. In addition to expanding the talent pool, they are also aimed at equipping civil service officers with a competency that requires the holding of office at the upper level. In the meantime, an Ethical Culture, Excellent Work, Productivity Improvement and Integrity Strength will always be applied.

“Secondly, the principle also ensures the continual review and improvement of policies and regulations, particularly those which support the efforts to intensify the private sector.

“Our country’s ranking in the World Bank’s report on commerce or Ease of Doing Business (EOB) will be given due attention, whereby the PMO will continue to conduct improvements in the two areas of Enforcing Contracts and Resolving Insolvency.

“In order to make the Public Service more cost effective, procedures that can help to increase the efficiency of public service delivery will continue be explored, such as corporatisation and public-private partnership, while at the same time identifying services that can be consolidated and integrated.

“Thirdly, strengthening confidence in the government by relaying information on government initiatives and events, including on the international front.The information is conveyed through various mediums via the mainstream media, social media or dialogue sessions with grassroots leaders, so that all levels of society can gain a sense of understanding and appreciation for every government action geared towards the benefit of the country’s citizens and residents – which also suits our nation’s journey towards achieving the status of ‘Baldatun Tayyibatun Wa Rabbun Ghafur’ under Vision 2035.

“Fourthly, supporting the security of the people and the nation through a concerted effort among government and private agencies, as well as members of the public.

“All relevant parties will continue to form strategies in preserving the nation’s political stability and upholding its sovereignty, in addition to linking its defence capabilities, diplomatic capacity and the nation’s preparedness in handling security threats.”

|     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 audience Chairman of the Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Board of Directors Dato’ Sri Haji Syed Zainal Abidin bin Syed Mohamed Tahir.

Accompanying the Chairman of the UiTM Board of Directors during the audience ceremony were UiTM Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Mohd Azraai bin Kassim and UiTM Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic and International) Professor Dr Haji Mohamad Kamal bin Haji Harun.

Also present were State Mufti Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned and Acting Minister of Education Datin Seri Paduka Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh.

The audience ceremony took place at the Istana Nurul Iman.

|    Khairil Hassan    |

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 attended the second day of the Richard Mille Polo Tournament at the Royal Brunei Polo and Riding Club in Jerudong yesterday.

The White Team led by His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen won against the Red Team led by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah with the score 6-3. Yang Mulia Tengku Amir Nasser Ibrahim also played for the Red Team.

The Black Team led by Her Royal Highness Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah edged the Yellow Team led by Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Muda Bahar 6-5.

Also in attendance were Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Muda Abdul Qawi and other members of the royal family.

The final will be today between His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen’s White Team and Her Royal Highness Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah’s Black Team.

|     Wani Roslan     |

RAJA Isteri Pengiran Anak Damit Girls Arabic Religious Secondary School (SUAMPRIPAD) held a prize and certificate presentation ceremony for its outstanding students at the Main Conference Hall of the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Berakas yesterday.

Guest of honour Deputy State Mufti Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Japar bin Haji Mat Dain @ Maidin presented the prizes and certificates to the students.

In her welcoming remarks, Principal of SUAMPRIPAD and chairperson of the ceremony Pengiran Hajah Radiah binti Pengiran Haji Md Tahir highlighted that the excellence of the students were the results of their persistent and continuous efforts.

She said that the ceremony was to encourage and provide recognition as well as motivation for them to continue their efforts in the future.

“The success of the students is also due to the efforts of teachers in implementing current programmes towards quality education that provide the students with wide knowledge and high skills.”

She pointed out that parents also played an important role in supporting the children, and urged them to monitor their children’s activities so that they did not get influenced and addicted to gadgets.

The ceremony saw 175 students receiving outstanding awards with 69 having obtained five ‘A’ in Primary School Assessment (PSR) examination 2018, 79 excellent results in Brunei Religious Education Certificate (SPUB) examination, and 26 five credits and above in ‘O’ Level.

The school has achieved 98.2 per cent passes in PSR 2018, meanwhile for SPUB 2018, the school achieved 77.23 per cent.

The ceremony also saw the presentation of appreciation prizes to teachers, special prizes for best students in SPUB 2018 and ‘O’ Level 2018, and appreciation prizes to active students in co-curriculum activities of the school.

The ceremony was enlivened with Nasyid performance and Zikir Sayyidul Istighfar and concluded with the recitation of Doa Selamat.

|     Azlan Othman     |

MINISTER of Foreign Affairs II Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Erywan bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Haji Mohd Yusof said Brunei has established bilateral diplomatic relations with 170 friendly nations and set up 43 representative offices at international organisations such as ASEAN and the United Nations (UN).

The bilateral diplomatic ties are crucial especially in enhancing internal capability through bilateral cooperation that brings benefits on a long term basis.

Such ties can help in eradicating terrorism and extremism, and also in countering transboundary crime, the minister added.

He said bilateral diplomatic relations benefit socially through exchange programmes involving students, youth and visitors as well as economically through increasing investments.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) is active in regional and international organisations such as ASEAN, the UN, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Commonwealth, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM),” Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Erywan added.

“With the uncertain global geopolitic and geoeconomic challenges, our membership in the relevant organisations could strengthen our position as a sovereign nation,” he said.

The MFA also plays a role as ‘coordinator’ and ‘contact point’ of government agencies not only for resident and non-resident foreign missions in the country but also for regional and international organisations.

Additionally, it plays a role through its government agencies overseas.

“Our representatives overseas provide assistance such as promoting local products, businesses and investment opportunities,” the minister said, adding that it is in line with the ‘Whole of Nation’ approach to realise Brunei Vision 2035.

Another role of the MFA and its representatives is that of ‘consular affairs’ where it takes matters seriously involving its citizens both domestically and overseas.

In this context, the ministry’s representatives render temporary assistance when Bruneians face emergency situations such as an earthquake or an accident.

“What it means by ‘temporary’ is that help is provided until a family member can give further assistance,” Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Erywan said.

For the MFA representatives to identify and provide assistance to any Bruneians overseas, such individual needs to be on the list through e-registration on the homepage of the ministry.

Through such information, the ministry is able to act swiftly to help the individual in face of an emergency situation.

The minister said that global challenges such as fake news and facts, disruptive technology and violent extremism are other concerns.

This requires concerted efforts from partners and cooperation at regional and international levels, he added.

In this context, a nation will be respected by the international community through a strong foreign policy which is time tested.

The MFA has been allocated BND113,041,410 for the financial year 2019-2020 to cover wages for officers and staff, recurring expenses and development expenses (BND8 million).