| Lyna Mohamad |
THE Brunei Darussalam the Meteorological Department (BDMD) marked World Meteorological Day yesterday with the launching of the Brunei Darussalam Flash Flood Guidance System (BFFGS), an instrument that provides BDMD’s operational forecasters with real-time infor-mational guidance relevant to the threat of small-scale flash flooding.
Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yusof was the guest of honour at the event at the Rimba Garden Central.
The ceremony commenced with a recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah, followed by a welcoming speech by Acting Director of Meteorological and event Chairman Muhamad Husaini bin Aji.
He said that Brunei Darussalam has been observing World Metrological Day since its enrolment as a member of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) on November 26, 1984.
After officially launching the new weather instrument, the minister presented certificates to the participants of the BFFGS User Training.
Later, the minister and other guests were taken on a tour of the World Meteorological Day 2019 exhibition, showcasing educational information related to the new BFFGS.
Other products and services on exhibit included tools for the forecasting of extreme weather events such as BDMD’s Colour-Coded Weather Warning and the Weather Hazard Index System.
Private companies such as RAB Global Green Sdn Bhd, Rennovo Solutions Sdn Bhd and Rimba Garden Central were also part of the exhibition, showcasing weather-related products.
Deputy Permanent Secretaries at the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications (MTIC) Pengiran Mohd Amirrizal bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud and Haji Hairul Mohd Daud bin Haji Abdul Karim, and Authority for Info-Communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) Chief Executive Officer Pengiran Haji Mohd Zain bin Pengiran Haji Abdul Razak as well as Legislative Council (LegCo) members, directors, head of departments, deputy head of departments, and senior officers from the MTIC were also present.
Invited guests included representatives from National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC); National Road Safety Council (MKKJR); the Public Works Department (JKR); the Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation (JASTRe); the Forestry Department; the Ministry of Health; the Ministry of Energy, Manpower and Industry (MEMI); the Survey Department; and Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB).
World Meteorological Day takes place every March 23.