The Land Transport Department (JPD) at the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications (MTIC) and the Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB) Municipal Department under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) recently held the 17th joint operation dubbed Operasi Bersepadu Bersih, to remove abandoned vehicles from several locations.
The joint operation was held in areas under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Department, especially at Simpang 574, Kampong Madewa, Jalan Bunut; Batu Satu in Jalan Tutong; the Kiulap Commercial Area; Simpang 5 in Kampong Menglait Utara; and the commercial parking areas in Kampong Menglait.
Prior to that, 54 letters were issued to the owners, giving them 14 days to remove those vehicles.
After the deadline, it was found that 44 of the abandoned vehicles had been relocated. The remaining 10 vehicles were towed away by the enforcement agencies, and then transferred to a storage area for the next phase.
Meanwhile, JPD reminded vehicle owners not to leave their vehicles unattended for long periods in public places such as commercial areas, parking lots and road shoulders.
Enforcement personnel oversee the towing of abandoned vehicles. PHOTOS: AZLAN OTHMANA car being towed away
In failure to comply will result in action by the enforcement agencies in accordance with the standard operating procedures (SOPs), which include issuing letters of notice to the owners to remove the vehicles within 14 days.
Abandoned vehicles which have not been removed within that period will be towed or relocated to a designated storage area. Those who wish to claim the towed vehicles must contact JPD for the claims process.
Any claims costs, including the towing fees, are the responsibility of the owner of the abandoned vehicle, and will have to be paid directly to the towing companies involved.
Abandoned vehicles that are not claimed within three months will be disposed of, and the vehicle registration record deleted from the Land Transport System’s (SPD) registration data.
For information, contact the JPD at 2451979/80/87 ext 111 during office hours, or email to info_ltd@jpd.gov.bn, or call the Darussalam line at 123 or via the WhatsApp at 8333123.
A car was totally burnt after it caught fire at Jerudong Highway on Saturday afternoon. The male driver escaped before the fire truck arrived.
Two fire trucks with eight fire personnel led by DSO Serudin bin Haji Osman from the Jerudong Fire Station rushed to the scene where the hatchback-type car caught fire.
The fire personnel used a hose pipe supplying water from the fire truck to bring the fire under control. The cause of the fire and the loss are under investigation.
The Fire and Rescue Department (FRD) advised the public to always ensure car fire safety measures and that all car electrical wirings are installed by accredited workshops.
FRD also advised the public to keep a dry chemical powder fire extinguisher in their cars, and conduct regular inspection on vehicles over seven years.
Contact FRD hotline 995 in case of a fire and provide accurate information.
Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy (Economy) Dato Seri Paduka Dr Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin called on the public to vote for Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) as the World’s Leading Cabin Crew in the 27th annual World Travel Awards.
In his speech yesterday at the launching of Royal Brunei Visa Credit and Debit Cards by Baiduri Bank, Dato Seri Paduka Dr Haji Abdul Manaf said, “At the heart of RB is the embodiment of our Bruneian culture of warm hospitality. RB crew members work tirelessly on every flight to deliver exceptional service to guests, none more so than during COVID-19, where frontliners supported families to be reunited, including students to return home.
“In RB’s 45th year of flying, the team is rightly proud to have been nominated for the very first time in the World Travel Awards 2020, in the ‘World’s Leading Cabin Crew’ category. On the back of the Skytrax 4 star and APEX 5 star travel award, this nomination is another milestone for the journey of RB.
“Moreover, RB has showcased unceasing efforts, thereby achieving an increase in global recognition for its service ethos, which is in line with our Bruneian values and culture. With this opportunity, support RB and its cabin crew to win this nomination, by visiting and voting at RB’s website.”
The public can vote for the nomination of RB and its cabin crew at https://www.worldtravelawards.com/vote-for-royal-brunei-airlines-worlds-leading-cabin-crew-2020.
Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy (Economy) Dato Seri Paduka Dr Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin launches the Royal Brunei Visa Credit and Debit Cards by Baiduri Bank as Baiduri Bank CEO Ti Eng Hui and RB Acting CEO Martin Aeberli look on. PHOTO: BAHYIAH BAKIR
Belait District held a Dikir Maulud event to mark the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) at Kampong Sungai Teraban Mosque on Monday.
Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman led a delegation from the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) for the event.
Legislative Council (LegCo)members Penghulu of Mukim Liang Yang Berhormat Haji Abdul Hamid bin Haji Mumin and Acting Penghulu of Mukim Labi 1 Yang Berhormat Hanapi bin Mohd Siput also attended.
Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar, Permanent Secretary at the MoRA Haji Mohammed Rosli bin Haji Ibrahim, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Policy and Religious) at the MoRA Haji Mohd Serudin bin Haji Timbang, Belait District Officer Ramlee bin Haji Jamudin and Head of Religious Officer for the Belait District Mohamad Aliyani bin Ismail were also present.
The event started with a mass Maghrib prayer followed by recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah. A tazkirah was delivered by Haji Fansuri Sharimi @ Mansur bin Mohammad Ali from the Guidance Section of the Mosque Affairs Department followed by the recitation of Dikir Syarafil Anam.
After a mass Isyak prayer, the event continued with Dikir Marhaban and Doa Peliharakan Sultan dan Negara Brunei Darussalam.
The delegation led by the Minister of Religious Affairs will be at Pengiran Anak isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah Mosque in Kampong Sungai Kelugos, Tutong District this evening.
Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman during the religious event in the Belait District. PHOTO: DANIEL LIM
Prime Minister’s Office
Azlan Othman
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) held an event to mark the start of Dikir Syarafil Anam at Jame’ ‘Asr Hassanil Bolkiah, Kampong Kiarong to mark the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud was present along with Permanent secretaries, deputy permanent secretaries, directors, officers and staff of PMO.
The Dikir Maulud began with a mass Maghrib prayer led by Mosque Affairs Officer Ahmad Syafiq bin Haji Osman followed by the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah led by the minister.
The event continued with Dikir Assalamualaika, Khairuman and Badat followed by an Isyak prayer led by Imam of the mosque Begawan Pehin Khatib Dato Paduka Haji Suhaili bin Haji Metali Al-Hafiz.
The Dikir continued with Dikir Asyraqal followed by Doa Dikir by Ahmad Syafiq bin Haji Osman and Doa Selamat by Begawan Pehin Khatib Dato Paduka Haji Suhaili.
Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud at the event. PHOTO: INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
Ministry of Development
Aziz Idris
The Ministry of Development organised a Dikir Syarafil Anam in conjunction with Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) birth anniversary at University Mosque, Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) on Monday night.
Minister of Development Dato Seri Setia Ir Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gafar was the guest of honour.
The event began with a mass Maghrib prayer led by Haji Md Asraf bin Haji Bujang Yussop followed by Dikir Syarafil Anam led by the guest of honour. It concluded with a Doa Selamat.
Deputy Minister of Development Dato Seri Paduka Ar Awang Haji Marzuke bin Haji Mohsin, senior officials, department heads and staff from the ministry were also present.
Minister of Development Dato Seri Setia Ir Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gafar at the event. PHOTO: YUSRIN JUNAIDI
The Plan of Action on Women has been devised by the National Council on Social Issues to further develop women’s optimum potential through gender equity, capacity building and self-development. It includes several priority areas such as promotion and protection of rights, healthcare, economic empowerment, employment and work life balance.
This was stated by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin at the closing of Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Virtual Youth Programme on Women’s Leadership recently.
A study on women development is also being considered, with the outcomes to be incorporated into the revised plan of action, the minister added.
The plan of action is to be implemented through a whole-of-nation approach, including at the grassroots level and with the involvement of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in ensuring unified actions from all stakeholders.
“We are fully committed to the advancement of all women in line with Brunei Vision 2035, that aims to make Brunei Darussalam among the top 10 countries in the world, with well-educated and highly skilled people, enjoying a high quality of life, in a dynamic and sustainable economy,” the minister said.
Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan also shared that Brunei Darussalam is placed 95th out of 153 countries in the 2020 World Economic Forum Gender Gap Report, up by three spots from last year.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin at the event. PHOTO: SYAHMI HASSAN
The Sultanate also ranked 11th in the sub-regional grouping for East Asia and the Pacific.
“Women make up over half (55 per cent) of the 50,768 total civil servants in Brunei Darussalam and are well represented, especially at the managerial level and above, a testament at how our system operates on the basis of meritocracy,” the minister added.
“Many Bruneian women have reached senior positions in various fields, elected based on their merits and outstanding achievements and contributions to the society and country. They have been appointed ambassadors, Legislative Council (LegCo) members, deputy ministers, attorney general, high court judges and permanent secretaries. In addition, the current vice chancellors of two of our universities in Brunei Darussalam are also women.
“Nonetheless, with women only accounting for 38 per cent of the labour force in the private sector thus far, we need to encourage more women to be entrepreneurs.
“Towards this, the government has been actively providing opportunities and equal access to entrepreneurial support, including incentives and financial assistance schemes, ICT tools, business counselling and training, and we are pleased to see the rising number of women entrepreneurs in the country including in the areas of agriculture (AgromeIQ), food and beverage industry (Tasconi) and fashion (Na Forrer, the first Bruneian fashion label featured in British Vogue),” the minister said.
As part of this year’s Brunei YSEALI WLA Alumni Network follow-up projects, the YSEALI Virtual Youth Programme on Women’s Leadership was held from October 1-18. The event was sponsored by the United States (US) Embassy in Brunei Darussalam and supported by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS).
LegCo member Yang Berhormat Khairunnisa binti Haji Ash’ari and Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Brunei Darussalam Emily M Fleckner were also present.
Also in attendance were Permanent Secretary (Community and Culture) at the MCYS Hajah Nor Ashikin binti Haji Johari; Deputy Permanent Secretary (Youth and Sports) at the MCYS Colonel (Rtd) Pengiran Haji Maiddin bin Pengiran Haji Said; and Acting Director of Youth and Sports at the MCYS Mariam binti Ulat, Public Affairs Officer at the US Embassy in Brunei Darussalam Jeff Barrus as well Co-Chair of the YSEALI Women’s Leadership Academy (WLA) Alumni Network Aimi Ramlee.
The 13th ASEAN Japan Cybersecurity Policy Meeting was co-hosted by Japan and Cambodia. Senior officials from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and the ASEAN Secretariat attended the online meeting.
Brunei Darussalam, as co-lead of Joint Awareness Raising collaborative activities with Singapore, reported on activities for the year.
Cyber Security Brunei (CSB) Interim Commissioner Shamsul Bahri bin Haji Kamis updated on the recent formation of Brunei Darussalam’s National Cybersecurity Agency, which operates under the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications. Two from Brunei Computer Emergency Response Team (BruCERT) representatives Mohd Zeremy bin Mohd Wazery and Caroline Ho also attended.
The annual meeting also discussed activities and achievements of the three working group meetings held earlier this year, in addition to future cybersecurity cooperation and collaboration activities between ASEAN and Japan.
National Center of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity Japan (NISC) Director General Kenichi Takahashi touched on the importance of the implementation of Cyber Norms among ASEAN-Japan, especially with the background of increased online activities and increased cyber threats during COVID-19.
Host and Co-Chair Cambodia Undersecretary of State Sinawong Sang voiced a similar sentiment.
Participants provided country updates on the promotion of their national cybersecurity policies and strategies, and reports of collaborative activities in 2020.
A screen capture of the online meeting. PHOTO: CSB
The Brunei Food Awards (BFA) scored and evaluated close to 200 eateries and over 500 dishes around the Sultanate to date with 200 more to be evaluated this month before the official Brunei Food Awards ceremony in December.
The BFA team continued their food judging activities at two eateries yesterday – Jollibee fast food restaurant and Tiong Jaya Restaurant in Kampong Kilanas.
Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Brunei Darussalam Yoon Hyun-bong and spouse Park Shin-so were the special judges. Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to Brunei Darussalam Christopher B Montero was also present.
The judges visited Jollibee fast food and were welcomed by Jollibee Business Head Christina Ward. The judges were served nine dishes including Chickenjoy, Nasi Lemak Chicken Joy, Spaghetti, Chili Chicken, Chicken Strips, Crispy Chicken Sandwich, Double Cheese Fries, Chicken Fillet Sandwich and Chickenjoy Spicy.
The BFA team then headed to Tiong Jaya Restaurant and was welcomed by the owner and his family.
The judges were served Black Pepper Beef and other dishes.
BFA in collaboration with the Brunei Association of Hotels (BAH) will host a presentation ceremony at the Setia Pahlawan Hall of the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) at 8.30pm tomorrow. The agenda will include a presentation by the Manpower Industry Steering Committee (MISC) Hospitality & Tourism sector of the Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC), the setting up of The Brunei Darussalam Food and Beverage Executives Association and a presentation of the BFA 2020.
Restaurants and food vendors, including those under the village consultative councils (MPKs) have also been invited to attend.
ABOVE & BELOW: Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Brunei Darussalam Yoon Hyun-bong and spouse Park Shin-so, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to Brunei Darussalam Christopher B Montero and the BFA team at Jollibee fast food and Tiong Jaya Restaurant. PHOTOS: LYNA MOHAMAD
Avid stamp collector Annie Lam was the first customer to buy the new first-day cover with the theme of fire engines at Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB) General Post Office yesterday.
According to the Kampong Rimba resident, she made her way to the post office early in the morning upon hearing the Postal Services Department’s announcement on the sale of
the stamps.
She added that apart from Bruneian first-day covers and stamp, she also has a collection from abroad. She regularly exchanges stamp sets withfellow enthusiasts from other countries.
The new commemorative first-day cover and stamp set were issued to mark the 60th anniversary of the Fire and Rescue Department (FRD). They are available for purchase at post offices nationwide.
It was a joint initiative by the Postal Services Department, Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications (MTIC), FRD and Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA).
Head of FRD Public Relations Department Assistant Superintendent of Fire and Rescue Noorzali bin Apong and Postal Services Department Head of Marketing, Philately and Public Relations Pengiran Haji Hairul Azmi bin Pengiran Haji Morni handed over the stamp set to Lam.
The stamps were designed by FRD personnel Pengiran Haji Malik Hijrahuddin bin Pengiran Haji Tengah and come in 10 cents and 20 cents. The stamps depict water tender ladder from 1980’s, 1988, 2002 and 2015.
The first-day cover is sold at 45 cents each while a set of first-day cover and stamp set is sold at BND1.05.
Annie Lam is the first customer to buy the first day cover. PHOTO: LYNA MOHAMAD
A National Data Coordination Steering Committee has been established with the aim of creating a coordinating mechanism at the national level to increase effectiveness in national data coordination, through a whole-of-nation approach.
The steering committee’s role will include serving as an advisory in providing guidelines and direction in data planning at the national level, as well as strengthening collaboration and cooperation among data resource agencies, toward producing key statistical indicators for national and international use.
The Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy (Economy) will chair the committee, while its members will comprise permanent secretaries from relevant ministries.
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 revealed this at the World Statistic Day celebration and the launch of the Population and Housing Census 2021 online portal yesterday.
He hopes the steering committee will further strengthen efforts toward closing the data gap, provide an accurate picture of Brunei Darussalam in the eyes of the world, and achieve the aspiration of ‘Connecting the World with Data We Can Trust’.
Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew stressed on the importance of data collection to come up with the appropriate preventive measures and public assistance to preseve the well-being of the people in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak.
“With the world plagued by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in the loss of lives and disruptions to community life and economic development, we cannot deny that accurate, updated data are vital to enable governments to plan integrated measures to combat the pandemic. Access to accurate and timely information on the situation – not only within the country, but also neighbouring countries and globally – is very important to ensure the well-being and health of the people,” he said.
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. PHOTO: JAMES KON
“With the threat of the COVID-19 outbreak, information and data need to be communicated and analysed as fast as possible to prevent bigger problems from arising. Therefore, the Government 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 started digital technology initiatives by developing the BruHealth mobile application. Such applications can provide real time data to help with risk assessment and contact tracing and swiftly bring the outbreak under control.
“As a result, this has enabled the government to immediately formulate appropriate measures that include providing assistance programmes for those affected by the pandemic, preserving existing jobs, providing support to individuals, providing support and assistance to the business sector, and subsequently implementing the de-escalation plans in phases,” he said. Meanwhile, in realising the comprehensive National Economic Development Plan towards strengthening the country’s economy, the minister highlighted that the Ministry of Finance and Economy (MoFE) is in the midst of completing Brunei Darussalam’s Economic Blueprint.
This will become the direction for all parties in supporting the achievement of Brunei Vision 2035’s third goal – to have a dynamic, sustainable economy.
One of the aspirations within the economic blueprint, “is having a productive and vibrant business, whereby the private sector will become the driving force of Brunei’s economy.
Several strategies will be implemented to strengthen the growth of the private sector, especially micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to the country.”
To increase gross domestic product (GDP) contributions from FDI companies, the efforts to attract FDI will also provide spin off including the opening of more job opportunities to locals, business opportunities for MSME, increasing local demands, increasing the nation’s export, transferring of technology and skills as well as introduction of latest innovation.
Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew said, “There are several factors that attract foreign investment into a country, namely political stablity, comprehensive infrastructure and policy, adequate technical and professional workforce, among others. Therefore, easily accessible and transparent information/data providing a true picture of the social economic situation of a country is important as reference and for analysis by foreign investors to come to a decision as to whether to invest in our country.”
Any plan, policy or programme implemented by the government, he said, “is for the well-being of citizens and residents of the country.
The minister revealed that the Department of Economic Planning and Statistics (JPES) will conduct a Population and Housing Census (BPP) next year to obtain updated information on the population and housing in the country.
He described the BPP 2021 as a large-scale statistic project that is implemented once every 10 years to provide a new benchmark on the profile of population and housing.
This will assist the government in planning and providing public services and facilities such as education, healthcare, housing, land use and transportation. The BPP 2021 results will be able to ensure government implemented programmes cover the intended targetted group, and that no group will be left behind.
“I strongly support JPES’ effort to further improve the process of collecting and managing data for the BPP 2021. In line with the digital technology development, JPES will introduce a new method allowing the public to fill in personal information online anytime, anywhere within the established duration. The e-Census system will increase data quality and consistency as well as improve timeliness in processing data to produce statistic indicator more efficiently for the needs of users. It is hoped that the public will provide their unified cooperation in the implementation of the BPP 2021 and that the e-Census approach will get widespread response.
“The availability of national statistics, which is largely compiled and disseminated by JPES, either from census results and studies conducted or through administrative data sources from other government agencies,” he said, “needs to be complemented by the skills of data analytics in order to make detailed analysis to interpret useful data, reveal hidden trends and correlations, and summarise data in a meaningful way to get a more complete picture to make the best decisions.
“One example is the calculation of the minimum cost of basic needs (KMKA) based on data from the Family Expenditure Study, which is now being used in the National Welfare System (SKN) to align an individual’s eligibility criteria to receive welfare assistance from various responsible agencies. Therefore, I would like to call on government agencies to focus on capacity building for officers in data analytics and to utilise relevant statistics in their respective research and development,” the minister said.
In heading toward technological integration, he said a feasibility study for the BPP e-Census System to be integrated with other systems is crucial, especially with the system available in the MoFE to enable more comprehensive and detailed data analysis.
“Integration planning for the next phase can be considered to involve other relevant ministries or departments to enable population and housing data to be updated more frequently without waiting for the next census period, which is in the next 10 years. In this regard, I fully hope that the National Data Coordination Steering Committee will be able to facilitate data sharing between various agencies, including addressing the legal aspects of it,” he added.
“Data sharing will certainly reduce overlapping work, where various agencies collect the same data. This will in turn reduce government spending in handling data collection. However, it should also be remembered that data privacy and confidentiality are emphasised and must always be maintained,” the minister said.
This year’s WSD celebration theme is ‘Connecting the World with Data You Can Trust,’ reflecting the importance of authoritative and reliable data for use in evidence-based decision making.
The celebration’s main objective is to promote the importance of a quality statistical system at national and international levels. In addition, this celebration increases public awareness and confidence in the country’s official statistics.
An ‘on-the-move’ operation was conducted at several locations yesterday, in an enforcement of the regulations requiring foreign-registered vehicles to carry pass stickers.
Enforcement officers from the Ministry of Health (MoH), Land Transport Department (JPD), Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF), Immigration and National Registration Department (INRD), Royal Customs and Excise Department (RCED), Department of Agriculture and Agrifood and Fisheries Department were involved in the operation targetting the Beribi Light Industrial Area, Sumbangsih Mulia Building, Menglait, Kiulap and the Gadong fish market, among others.
Head of Enforcement at JPD Pengiran Khairul Yusra bin Pengiran Haji Md Yusof said the operation aimed to ensure vehicle owners from neighbouring countries comply with the regulations being enforced by the MoH under Chapter 204 of the Infectious Diseases Act.
“This is the first ‘on-the-move’ operation of its kind, following standard operating procedures as stipulated by the MoH to detect foreign-registered vehicles at restaurants and commercial shopping lots,” he said.
Two types of stickers have been introduced – a blue one for residents of a neighbouring country who are working in the Sultanate and not in transit; and a red one for people crossing the land border to Brunei to transport perishable items such vegetables and fish.
Meanwhile, JPD warned that any foreign-registered vehicle travelling through Brunei without a pass sticker is committing an offence under Chapter 204 of the Infectious Diseases Act, punishable by a compound fine of up to BND5,000. Offenders will also face a fine of up to BND10,000 or imprisonment for six months, or both, upon conviction.
The pass stickers can be obtained through the TransportBN mobile application for iOS or Android, or through the JPD website at www.jpd.gov.bn. Contact the RBPF hotline at 993, Darussalam hotline at 123 or WhatsApp 8333123 for complaints. The public may also lodge complaints on www.123.gov.bn by attaching photos of the vehicle involved. More information is available by calling JPD at 2384561 or e-mailing info_ltd@jpd.gov.bn.
Enforcement officers inspect a foreign registered vehicle. PHOTOS: AZLAN OTHMANHead of Enforcement at the Land Transport Department Pengiran Khairul Yusra bin Pengiran Haji Md Yusof speaks to the media.
His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah received in separate audiences three foreign envoys to Brunei Darussalam at Balai Penghadapan, Bukit Kayangan yesterday afternoon.
His Royal Highness received High Commissioner of Australia to Brunei Darussalam Tiffany McDonald, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Brunei Darussalam Gerda Winkler, and outgoing High Commissioner of Singapore to Brunei Darussalam Lim Hong Huai.
His Royal Highness exchanged greetings with the envoys and wished them success in their work.
His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah received in audience High Commissioner of Australia to Brunei Darussalam Tiffany McDonald yesterday. The event was held at Balai Penghadapan, Bukit Kayangan.His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah in conversation with Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Brunei Darussalam Gerda Winkler (pic above) and outgoing High Commissioner of Singapore to Brunei Darussalam Lim Hong Huai (pic below). PHOTOS: BAHYIAH BAKIR
A foundation laying for the construction of a new house for government assistance recipient Misbah binti Haji Osman in Kampong Mata-Mata, Gadong was held yesterday.
Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs Haji Mohammed Rosli bin Haji Ibrahim was present.
Assistant Mufti (Buhuth) at the State Mufti’s Office as member of the Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB) Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mazanan bin Haji Yusof also attended.
The house worth BND100,508.33 will have four bedrooms, one living room, a toilet and bathroom and one dining room. Expenditure for the construction of the house will be met through the allocation of the MUIB Zakat fund.
Construction work on the house began on July 30 and is expected to be completed on March 29, 2021.
Misbah, a widow, 58, has seven children and works as a school bus driver at the Ministry of Education (MoE). She currently lives in government housing under the jurisdiction of the MoE.
She receives Zakat of BND195 per month by the 82nd Zakat Issuance Committee from October 2020 to September 2022.
Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs Haji Mohammed Rosli bin Haji Ibrahim (3rd left) during the event. PHOTO: AZLAN OTHMAN
Four government primary schools and eight students with special needs received equipment and learning resources from Junior School of Jerudong International School (JIS) students under the IKHLAS initiative yesterday.
Acting Head of Special Education Unit (SEU) at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Eddy Fazlin bin Haji Amdan witnessed the event at Permata Hati Block of Rimba II Primary School.
Eddy Fazlin said, “Today’s handover ceremony illustrates the continuous collaborative efforts between the SEU and the Junior School of JIS through IKHLAS.”
IKHLAS, he explained is a SEU initiative to help students with special needs enhance their learning accessibility and independence in school and at home.
The equipment and learning resources presented throughout the years, he said, “have benefitted and supported the recipients’ learning and needs.”
In the event, students with special needs received wheelchairs, laptops, tablets, a white cane, a folding trampoline and learning resources. The contributions were presented by Junior School students.
Earlier this year, the Junior School held a fundraising week and raised BND9,500 for
this cause. Sheila binti Sirup, representing the recipients, said, “As a parent of an autistic child, it is heartening to know that there are people who care deeply about children with special needs.
“I understand that this is not the first time the Junior School of JIS collaborated with SEU for the benefit of children with special needs. I hope that such collaboration will continue.”
ABOVE & BELOW: Acting Head of Special Education Unit at the Ministry of Education Eddy Fazlin bin Haji Amdan presents a token of appreciation to Head of Junior School of Jerudong International School (JIS) Paul Bannister; and JIS students present a wheelchair to a recipient. PHOTOS: JAMES KON
The Brunei History Centre through its Exhibition and Service Division received a study visit from the Leadership and Management Centre of the Defence Academy, Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) yesterday.
Some 59 officers who are undergoing an Intermediate Staff Course were led by Head of the Leadership and Management Centre of the Defence Academy, RBAF Major Mohd Ghazali bin
Haji Hussin. Brunei History Centre officer Hajah Aisyah binti Haji Pungut briefed the visitors.
The visit aimed to educate and develop interest on Brunei’s history.
Royal Brunei Armed Forces officers during the visit. PHOTO: IZAH AZAHARI
Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong launched a Ministry of Home Affairs mini gallery at the ministry’s building yesterday.
The minister toured the exhibition comprising the Dirgahayu book corner, the Hari Keputeraan corner, the Brunei Darussalam Regatta corner, and The Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Ascension to the Throne’s corner.
The gallery also includes a corner on get-together ceremonies of His Majesty with the people, the One Village One Product programme corner and the Ministry of Home Affairs corner. It also showcases products under One Village One Product by entrepreneurs in all fours district and by INSAF, Prisons Department.
Senior officials from the ministry were also present.
The mini gallery is open for public, officers and personnel from government agencies, researchers and students from Monday to Thursday and on Saturday from 8am-4pm.
ABOVE & BELOW: Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong tours the mini gallery at the Ministry of Home Affairs building; and a collection of Dirgahayu books on display. PHOTOS: BAHYIAH BAKIR
Australia’s Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds CSC joined Minister of Defence II Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof at the Brunei-Australia Memorial at Muara Beach to mark the 75th anniversary of Australian troops landing in Brunei during the final stages of World War II.
The memorial marks the location where, on June 10, 1945, Australian troops arrived as part of the OBOE VI landings.
The OBOE operations were the last Australian campaigns of World War II. Some 75,000 Australians participated in the campaign and in each locale they prevailed. Despite these victories, the Borneo campaigns cost the lives of many Australians, including 110 in Brunei.
Reynolds and Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi laid a wreath at the memorial and paid their respects to all those who lost their lives in Brunei during World War II.
Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Major General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sahat, together with Assistant Defence Advisor at the High Commission of Australia in Brunei Darussalam Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Hauser also laid a wreath and paid their respects. According to the Australian High Commission, the memorial stands as a reminder of the close bonds of friendship that have continued to develop between Australia and Brunei since that time.
“Together, Australia and Brunei have built an effective security partnership focussed on promoting a secure, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific,” the high commission added.
ABOVE & BELOW: Minister of Defence II Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof and Australia’s Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds CSC lay a wreath at Muara Beach; and Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Major General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sahat and Assistant Defence Advisor at the High Commission of Australia in Brunei Darussalam Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Hauser lay a wreath. PHOTOS: HAKIM HAYAT
Six officers comprising five Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) officers and one Ministry of Defence (MinDef) civilian officer received the OBOE Endeavour Award from the Australian government yesterday, in recognition of their outstanding results during the recently concluded RBAF’s Command and Staff Course.
The OBOE Endeavour Award is an Academic Excellence Programme where these officers will be invited to Australia to meet with key Australian Defence Force leaders, visit an Australian military base, and participate in educational and cultural activities, as well as engage in dialogues and discussions.
The six officers – 722 Major (U) Pengiran Mohammad Ezul Hazrin bin Pengiran Haji Zohaini; 726 Major Shahrul Amirul Iqbal bin Haji Sharbini @ Haji Sarbini; 748 Major (U) Mohamad Fazley bin Hasabullah; 763 Major (U) Muhd Zabri bin Abdul Rahman; 771 Major Dayangku Nur Izzah Nazurah binti Pengiran Haji Mohammad and Noorhazwani binti Ariffin received their award from Australia’s Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds CSC in a ceremony at the Defence Academy.
Commander of the RBAF Major General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sahat and Australian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Tiffany McDonald were present.
The Australian Minister for Defence shared that since 2018, they have hosted 11 high performing graduates of the RBAF Command and Staff Course, and said that they continue to view the programme as a wonderful opportunity to deepen and broaden people-to-people links.
Australia’s Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds CSC hands over the award to 748 Major (U) Mohamad Fazley bin Hasabullah as Australian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Tiffany McDonald looks on. PHOTOS: HAKIM HAYATA former OBOE Endeavour Award recipient speaks at the event
“It enables future senior leaders of both our militaries to deepen their mutual understanding of our countries and of our respective armed forces,” she added.
She however noted that the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the award recipients to delay their week-long visit to Australia. “But, when it becomes possible, the tour will allow your officers to participate in numerous education and cultural activities,” she said.
According to MinDef, the programme aimed to impart knowledge to the officers about Australia and its defence force, share commonalities on the region’s security and interest, as well as to build stronger relationship between the armed forces and enhance the bilateral defence relations between Brunei and Australia. This programme is the third in series since it first started in 2018.
The name ‘OBOE Endeavour Award’ was chosen to commemorate Australian Defence Force’s contribution to the successful liberation of Borneo from the Japanese occupation during Operation OBOE in World War II, which marked the beginning of Brunei and Australia’s defence relationship.
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 made an unscheduled visit to the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications (MTIC).
His Majesty was greeted upon arrival by Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yusof.
The monarch visited the Corporate, Transport Policy, and Infocommunications Policy divisions, as well as the Secretariat of the National Road Safety Council (MKKJR), and the Science, Technology and Innovation Division. Also coming under the royal scrutiny were the finance section, operations room, e-office system, dashboard show on E-Government National Centre (EGNC), and the Smart Nation drive and pledge to road safety at the MKKJR booth.
His Majesty exchanged greetings with officers and staff, while inquiring about the tasks being carried out and the facilities available at the building.
The monarch ended the visit with a titah delivered in the presence of officers and staff. Also in attendance were Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah, and the permanent secretaries at the Prime Minister’s Office and the MTIC.
His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam during the visit. PHOTO: 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 received in audience Australia’s Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds at Istana Nurul Iman yesterday.
Accompanying Reynolds were Australian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Tiffany McDonald, Deputy Secretary Strategic Policy and Intelligence Peter Tesch and Senior Advisor to the Minister for Defence Mikaela James.
Minister of Defence II Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister of Foreign Affairs II Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Erywan bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Haji Mohd Yusof and Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Major General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sahat were also present.
Brunei Darussalam and Australia enjoy close and longstanding defence relation which were strengthened through the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) relating to the participation of RBAF in military training programmes and exercises in Australia (1985); and relating to the Broader Cooperation in Defence Activities (1999).
The Bilateral Defence Relationship is also underpinned by extensive defence and military interactions such as exchange of visits, port visits, trainings and courses; and in cooperation with one another at a multilateral level through the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus).
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 with Australia’s Minister of Defence Linda Reynolds during the audience ceremony. PHOTOS: INFOFOTOHis 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 with Australia’s Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds during the ceremony.
Frequent incidences of car fire, flaws in the renewal of road tax and abuse of power were among the issues raised during an unscheduled visit by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam to the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications (MTIC), yesterday.
In a titah, His Majesty said, “All ministries have their own vision and mission, and it is so with the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications.
“The ministry’s vision is for a smart and excellent society in communications, while its mission is to establish a dynamic environment through safe and efficient communication.
“Both the mission and vision look attractive. To enable the ministry to implement its vision and mission, it has been allocated a budget amounting to BND53,722,753 for the 2019-2020 financial year.
“Under the Strategic Plan of 2020-2025, the ministry is actively disseminating a framework of the digital economy masterplan to ministries, institutes of higher education and other agencies, including the private sector.
“It was under this plan that the Cyber Security Brunei (CSB) was established, as the national agency for cybersecurity. The ministry is also streamlining the structure for the National Road Safety Council, as a step towards improving road safety, besides the use of a Smart Transportation system that is more efficient and reliable.
“All of these convey a positive image of the ministry. However, such developments are dependent on discretionary leadership. If it is fine, then so are the achievements. If otherwise, then the achievements will be hard to obtain.
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 delivers a titah. PHOTOS: BAHYIAH BAKIRHis 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 being briefed on one of the facilities available at MTIC.
“All ministerial systems are composed of officers and staff. If they are as good as their job criteria, then all will go smoothly. If otherwise, the ministry will become problematic.
“An example of a problematic system within a ministry is when the employees are not chosen according to merit, but with partiality or cronyism.
“If the chosen one is truly qualified, then it is not cronyism. It is crucial to draw a distinction, for the sake of truth and justice. A specific weakness is a leader’s lack of trust in his subordinates or not quite ready to accept the views of other officers, even though they may be beneficial.
“This attitude goes against the concept of consultation. There are four departments under this ministry, namely the Land Transport Department (JPD), the Department of Civil Aviation, the Postal Services Department and the Meteorological Department.
“JPD plays a crucial role in the supervision of transportation so that it is safe, efficient, and satisfactory.
“Safety should never be compromised. It must be upheld, and all that is unsafe must be prevented. Lately, there have been frequent occurrences of car fire in this country. This is a safety risk which is causing alarm among the population.
“In my opinion, these events should not be taken lightly. The relevant parties in the government are obliged to take this into account, rather than just putting out fires when they occur.
“They need to analyse, identify and find out why such incidents occur on a frequent basis in Brunei. There must be a reason or cause behind this. If that has been identified, then what are the steps to be taken? This is the requirement that must be fulfilled to curb or prevent such incidences from happening again.
“JPD also plays a significant role in the regulation of transportation affairs, for increased safety. Among the measures in that direction was the establishment of an online system for the management.
“This system was supposed to be customer-friendly, but is it really so? For example, it is currently compulsory to acquire a vehicle licence by means of the tender process, through the online method. Can this be defined as the best solution?
“Several customers have also complained about encountering difficulties when utilising this system, as they are not IT-literate. They are more at ease and comfortable with the conventional method.
“There have also been instances where the new system resulted in a delayed or complete lack of response from JPD, to those who were unsuccessful. It is my opinion that this matter should also be reviewed.
“On another issue, I was made to understand that the National Road Safety Council (MKKJR) is reportedly lacking in membership, leading to a standstill in the task of updating regulations and adherence to the speed limits. Again, this is not an issue which should be treated lightly.
“Regarding the temporary border control post in Labu, Temburong, which is supposed to begin operations at 6am, there are reports which say that JPD only begins operation at 7.30am or has failed to show up on occasions.
“Lorries or trailers travelling through the control post are not meant to pass across without undergoing inspection by JPD, but JPD regularly gives orders to allow lorries and trailers to pass through, as long as they undergo inspection by the Royal Customs and Excise Department.
“This has caused heavy vehicle from neighbouring countries to easily pass through the border with excessive loads, thereby causing damage to our roads. This also should not be taken lightly.
“There is also a suspicious element in the matter of land transport services. The Inspection Section for the issuance of road tax is seen as negligent in conducting roadworthy vehicle inspection. This has led to the effortless clearance of modified cars, which are then unlisted in the vehicle registration ‘blue card’.”
His Majesty then raised the issue of abuse of power in giving preferential treatment for foreigners to get road tax without going through proper channels.
“The road tax is issued to vehicles owned by foreigners, even though those vehicles are not roadworthy,” said the monarch.
“Worse still, there are cases of counterfeit road tax renewal for vehicles exceeding seven years, without undergoing any inspection.”
His Majesty then raised the issues related to the newly upgraded Brunei International Airport: “There have incidences of floods and leakages over the past few years. Why is this happening? Of course, it stems from a lack of quality in the building structure, including low work quality of the selected contractor in the improvement of the pipe extension during the upgrading work. Apparently, the contractor failed to identify any flaws in the building structure.
“The relevant parties who approved the selection of contractor should not escape from bearing the responsibility.”
“The International Airport should be equipped with proper machinery. The X-ray machine at the Royal Customs and Excise Department for scanning items at the airport, for instance, is a basic necessity. When functioning properly, it emits a green light when the items are permitted goods, and gives out a red light if a prohibited item is scanned.
“However, when I visited the Brunei International Airport in October 2019, the machine was not shown and I was only given an explanation in theory on this. I was made to understand that the machine was deliberately hidden because it has long been damaged and only able to give out a green light, regardless of whether the item is permitted or otherwise.
“If this is true, then it means that all items can be brought in, due to lack of equipment or the use of faulty machinery. If this is so, then it is an act of deceit.”
The monarch also reminded that “All management should be handled efficiently and with caution, so that it will not bring losses, especially with regard to agreements for joint investments with others, such as land lease agreements for large projects to certain foreign companies.
“These companies lease land for 60 years, but the nation will only earn little revenue. The ratio for a 60-year lease period is capable of generating tremendous profits for investors – and this is just the monetary benefit, which does not include the safety factor that should be taken into account in the long term.
“Our task is not merely to serve, but such services must have a mission and should be capable of guaranteeing welfare and protection for the nation.”
