| Azaraimy HH |
THE 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 underscored the importance of creating an ecosystem for Brunei’s youth to thrive and achieve their best, while speaking at the 8th Presidential Conference at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Berakas yesterday.
The minister said, “Together, we must take this opportunity to be inclusive and to inspire youth from all walks of life in our society to excel.”
The Presidential Conference is an annual forum organised by the Brunei Students’ Union (BSU) in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The first conference was held in 2010 in London, and this year’s conference is held under the theme ‘Frame of Mind: The Youths of the 21st Century’.
Among the invited guests were Legislative Council members Yang Berhormat Iswandy bin Ahmad and Yang Berhormat Khairunnisa binti Haji Ash’ari, and the British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Richard Lindsay.
Addressing an audience of local youth, the minister told them, “As the agents of change, the nation is relying on you for its success. However, we must constantly remind ourselves of our Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) philosophy. I should reiterate that this is one aspect that must be preserved as we move forward, wherever we may be. MIB is our pride, and we must take pride in sharing it.”
The minister recalled his time as a former High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam to the United Kingdom, saying, “One of my fondest memories as a High Commissioner was the honour of meeting and getting to know so many students. What a privilege to have learned so much from all these students.
“To all the students here today, you are the biggest stakeholders in our nation’s future. Our nation’s development, and of course, our Brunei Vision 2035, can only be achieved by its citizens, including you, the youth of the 21st Century, who will accomplish it in 17 years.”
While reminding his young audience that they should be proactive, innovative and brave, the minister said, “Many youth of today already possess these qualities. They are working hard and making significant contributions to Brunei’s society.”
He cited a few examples, including Pengiran Haji Ahmad Fadhillah Akhbar bin Pengiran Haji Sallehuddin, the recipient of the prestigious Queen’s Young Leaders Award in June this year; and Pengiran Mohamad Khairi bin Pengiran Haji Metussin, the founder of Mindplus Education, who was among the 34 entrepreneurs chosen to showcase their respective businesses before 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 recent 13th National Youth Day celebration.
The minister said, “We also need to be aware of the flip side of the coin. We do hear that many youth – especially our students and recent graduates – face real concerns and challenges, including employment and entrepreneurship. It is imperative that these challenges are mitigated through inclusivity, and the ‘Whole of Government’ and ‘Whole of Nation’ approach. This is where we all need to work together, as our joint responsibility.
He added, “Nonetheless, as an optimistic person, I remain very positive about all our youths and your future. The key words I want to highlight here are ‘brave’ and ‘resilient’. His Majesty, in his National Day celebration titah in February this year, emphasised that youth with an abundance of new ideas are surely fearless in facing any challenges. This means being able to step out of your comfort zone and seeing the bigger picture beyond ourselves.”
With the world increasingly becoming borderless in the economic sense, the minister highlighted the need to embrace the attendant changes, including the shift towards Digital Economy and providing the ecosystem to encourage young entrepreneurs to take on opportunities in the international market.
He also quoted the message of Minister of Energy, Manpower and Industry Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mat Suny bin Haji Mohd Hussein to entrepreneurs during the LiveWIRE Business Awards Start-up Funding Scheme on July 24: “The road ahead will be an exciting one, but it may not be easy. We hope that you are able to maintain your enthusiasm for learning and growth, as you cannot afford to rest on your laurels.”
The minister added, “The nation needs its youth to be resilient; who view failure as an opportunity; who are willing to do the hard work and to continue it. Let me appeal to you that it is our joint responsibility to develop this quality in all youth in this room and beyond. Let us work together as partners, to achieve this important quality.”
Among the conference’s highlights was a speech delivered by BSU President Awangku Mohammad Hisyam Al-Yura bin Pengiran Haji Zainal Abidin to officiate the event.
The event involved a panel discussion with governmental and non-governmental agencies, discussing important issues centred on employability and entrepreneurship for youth.
A forum was also held, with the participation of Brunei society leaders in the United Kingdom and the high council of the BSU to promote better communication and coordination among all students in the United Kingdom and Ireland.