Brunei NEWS, Brunei HEADLINES from Brunei fm

Donate to welfare fund for children by sending an SMS

Danial Norjidi — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 06:45:04 +0000

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Shifting a gear up in collective welfare assistance as well as raising awareness for the National Children Orphans’ Fund, the Community Development Department (Japem) at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) in collaboration with DST Group, Radio Televisyen Brunei and B-Mobile Communications launched an SMS service for the public to contribute to the fund.

The launching of the SMS Brunei Caring for Children Fund, which was held yesterday morning at the DST Headquarters, Tungku Link, Gadong, is aimed at “facilitating public donations by making the donation process easy and widely available”, as stated in a press release issued by Japem.

In his speech at the launch ceremony, DST Group Development Officer and Chairman of the Joint Council, Hj Marsad Hj Ismail said that the fund, which is organised by the joint council annually since 2005, has received encouraging response from the public every year.

Launched yesterday, the SMS Brunei Caring for Children Fund will operate until September 23, with the aim of providing an “opportunity for people to do good during the month of Ramadhan and Syawal,” added the group development officer.

During his speech, Hj Marsad also outlined how to send in the SMS donations.

For the public who wish to donate through SMS, simply type YATIM in a text message followed by the amount wished to donate (1, 5, 10, 15, or 20) without any space.

The message can be sent from customers of DST and B-Mobile or can alternatively be submitted through a WAP Portal.

Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Paduka Hj Hazair Hj Abdullah, Minister of MCYS who was also present as the guest of honour, was the first to donate $20 in a SMS.

Shortly after, DST Group made a donation of $20,000 to the National Children Orphans Fund.

The Brunei Times

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Winner plans to market software to local artistes

The Brunei Times — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 06:17:04 +0000

Hj Julian Johari Hj Abdul Ghafar (L) and Lord John Shazell of Teleconsult Sdn Bhd posing with their prizes. Picture: BT/Saifulizam

BRUNEI-MUARA

Wednesday, August 11, 2010
The overall winner of this year’s Brunei Information Communication Technology Awards (Bicta) plans to market their winning software programme to regional markets, while working with the Brunei government to develop the local ICT hub.

CEO and President of Teleconsult Lord John Shazell yesterday told The Brunei Times that they launched “InDepth Stereo” last week in Singapore with the hopes of attracting regional clientele.

“We’ve won Bicta four times and all our products were innovative in their time. They were all created for our internal use, but subsequently we’ve taken it to market and we are selling them overseas,” he said.

Their winning entry was created in house to support multimedia productions at a much lower cost than those which utilise high-end Dolby and THX surround sound technology.

“It definitely cuts production costs,” said Hj Julian Johari Hj Abdul Ghafar, director of the Brunei branch of Teleconsult. “(If you use ) Dolby, the starting point is US$40,000 to US$50,000 and that’s not even including the sound engineer. We’re less than half of that and we offer the complete suite of services and tools – and it’s available in Brunei.

Teleconsult plans to market InDepth Stereo to local artistes and production houses which can use the technology in their own music, movie and multimedia productions.

InDepth Stereo inserts 3D surround sound into a production even if the audience only uses a standard 2.1 stereo system. The software programme creates a virtual environment that precisely simulates a real sound environment.

“With our system, the control is with the artiste. Many artistes get disappointed because whatever’s produced at the end isn’t exactly what they wanted or hear in their head… This enables them,” said Lord Shazell.

The CEO disclosed that they are using InDepth Stereo to produce music for “Indonesia biggest rock band” although he would not reveal who.

“I can’t say the name but it’s a household name in Indonesia. They recorded all their materials analogue and gave it to us and now we are working with them to reprocess into a music album.”

In the past, Teleconsult has marketed their products overseas, even gaining a special mention at the Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards (Apicta).

Teleconsult is also trying to court business from government agencies. “We’ve talked to RTB about communications because they were quite interested in our multimedia capabilities,” said Hj Julian.

Lord Shazell added: “We’re also trying to work with the Brunei government to develop Brunei’s multimedia hub. This is part of our plan.”

“Teleconsult is actually a company that develops people and we train a lot of people. The idea is to train a lot of young Bruneians. We know there is talent here, we’ve seen it at the tertiary institutes, but there’s a big gap between tertiary and industry, so that’s where we see our role.”

The CEO said that InDepth Stereo is still in the beta or trial stage and the next step is to make it a software product, and there are even plans to make an accompanying hardware product.

“We have not yet decided if we will do this, but the ultimate thing is to make it into a hardware (product). That’s still some way down the street,” he said.

The Brunei Times
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‘Capitalise on Tutong’s tourism’

Webmaster — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 05:55:58 +0000

TUTONG

Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Tutong needs to draw in potential tourists passing through Brunei’s coastal highway, which sees about 800,000 local commuters and foreign travellers “whistle” through the district every year, a consultant working on the Tutong’s long-term development plan said yesterday.

Louise Strogen of Integrated Environmental Consultants (IEC) Sdn Bhd suggested that Tutong District capitalise on existing tourism attractions, and build accommodation to prolong visitor stay in the district.

“People kind of whistle in and whistle out. You need to get them to stay and experience more than just Tutong town. It’s got more to offer,” she said during a discussion on the district plan.

“What we’ve found is that there is a high level of tourist products and aspects in Tutong that is not necessarily being utilised to its best advantage at the moment,” she added.

Strogen pointed out that visitor numbers at Tasek Merimbun Heritage Park, declared as an Asean National Heritage Site, were only at 250 per annum, but it is likely that figures were under-reported.

Nonetheless, visitors to the park were predominantly foreign nationals of Asian origin such as South Korean and Japanese tourists.

She noted that the most popular and the most visible attraction in Tutong was the Seri Kenangan beach, located along the highway.

The consultant, who was involved in Temburong’s district plan, urged Tutong district to promote experience-based tourism such as by building on the district’s natural environments such as river cruises on Sg Tutong, surfing and kayaking at the beaches, outdoor pursuits like birdwatching and walks along the hilly Mukim Rambai area, and looking at the the flora and fauna experience.

Other tourism aspects to be considered also included showcasing the cultural diversity of the district’s indigenous races and food elements.

Strogen said that all these attractions could be linked under a “tourism circuit”, where attractions area accessed via loop road around the district. Stopping points around this circuit can play on different tourism themes, such as cuisine, handicraft, lifestyle and environmental conservation.

The attractions could also support the “One Mukim, One Product” concept and make way for increased domestic tourism.

“Instead of just driving through, if you know that there is something of interest to stop at, you could have your stop-off point, your lunch or break, so you could go for a walk,” she said.

“It’s one little stop but they have had a tourist experience in Tutong and they’ve contributed to the economy,” she added.

A lack of tourist accommodation could be the reason why visitors were presently not “staying” in Tutong. With users of the coastal highway including those travelling from Sabah to Sarawak, she stressed the importance of this issue.

“There’s no point in having all those tourists enter if they haven’t got anywhere to stay,” she said, adding that Tutong can look at introducing homestay programmes or beach and riverine resorts.

The Brunei Times

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Tutong airport mooted in district devt planning

Ubaidillah Masli — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 05:15:07 +0000

TUTONG

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Consultants mapping out development plans for Tutong district for the next two decades yesterday suggested that Brunei build its second airport there as a catalyst for service sector development to take place.

Three locations were mooted for the site of the facility but after consideration of land suitability and environmental impact, consultants Integrated Environmental Consultants (IEC) Sdn Bhd suggested “under-utilised” Binturan Military Reserve in Mukim Keriam as the preferred location.

“We would like to propose strongly for Binturan to be the site of a second international airport,” said Warrick Newall, the director of IEC.

IEC and Town and Country Planning Department held focus group discussions on the Tutong District Plan at the district’s community hall, where Newall pitched the idea to stakeholders from the government and the private sector.

“This relatively major infrastructure project for Tutong could also run in conjunction with other initiatives, in terms of planning. We look to the service industry as a potential expansion area,” he said.

The airport installation should prompt other government facilities to be introduced in the area such as quarantine area, customs and excise facilities, coastal distribution centre, Newall said, adding that the affiliation between airport installation and service industry has worked “extremely well” in other cities such as Perth, Australia.

“It’s really part of the initiative that would bring government administrative services into the district or at least an incentive for them to consider whether they wanted to either expand their services or just centre their services around this type of facility,” he explained to The Brunei Times.

Much of Tutong’s working population currently commutes out of the district towards the capital or the Belait district to serve the government services sector, said the expert from IEC, which has been studying Tutong’s geography, socio-economy and other aspects for the district plan.

Newall said the airport would also create potential employment opportunities and space for the corresponding government services to undertake their own planning and layout for the district.

“We’d like to see consideration of government putting the non-essential services into Tutong. If you can tie that in as part of a service sector, that runs very well with a facility such as an airport,” he said. Previously, a similar suggestion was made by consultants carrying out long-term development plans for Belait district in 2008. However, during last year’s State Legislative Council session, authorities dispelled any speculation over plans for Brunei to have a second airport, saying that the plan has been “set aside”. Instead, they will be upgrading the existing airport.

Newall acknowledged that there may not be any demand for an airport in the short term, but assured that in 20 years, the issue would surface.

“Bandar Seri Begawan is perhaps getting a little congested in some areas. It certainly is fairly tight around the Berakas area (where the current airport is), and there are limited options for expansion of services around the existing airport itself. We are seeing a lot of housing closing in on those areas,” he said.

“We would like to see opportunities for this industry and this sector right through the planning period rather than get to a 20-year-period and then have to deal with the same issue (then),” the IEC director said.

It was unlikely that the second airport would function as an international one from the outset, Newall pointed out, but added that it could initially begin on a smaller scale, such as an airbase or a smaller commercial facility “before eventually, it will become a viable second airport for Brunei”.

However, building a second airport at the consultant’s proposed site in Tutong would mean that Brunei’s airports would be 30 to 40 kilometres’ drive from each other.

Asked if this would pose a problem, Newall said: “Close proximity of airports can be good as long as your flightpaths are obviously separate or alignment is separate. You can benefit from having a strong connection between close-by airports.”

He defended this by taking the example of Melbourne, where there is a “cluster of airports, all within 15-20 minutes drive of each other”.

Among the benefits, the IEC director said, were potential for remote buildings for radar to be shared, public transport linkage and potential to accommodate low-cost flights, which are seen to be on the rise in this region.

The Brunei Times

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Holy Month of Ramadhan begins tomorrow

Hana Roslan — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 05:10:31 +0000

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

By the command of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the Holy Month of Ramadhan will begin tomorrow as the new moon could not be sighted yesterday.

The announcement was made shortly after Maghrib prayers by Dato Seri Setia Ustaz Hj Metussin Hj Baki of the Syariah High Court on national radio and television last night.

Bukit Shahbandar, Jerudong, Bukit Ambok in Tutong, Padang Tembak Bukit Agok Tutong and Bukit Lumut in Belait were the four assigned locations for the sighting of the moon.

Muslims in the country will begin their tarawih, witir prayers and tadarus at mosques nationwide after the Isya’ prayers.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs yesterday organised a religious event while the moon-sighting took place.

Attending the event at the ministry’s headquarters was Minister of Religious Affairs Pg Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj.Mohammad Pg Hj Abdul Rahman.

Accompanying him were Head Syar’ie Judge Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Hj Yahya Hj Ibrahim, Deputy Minister Pg Hj Bahrom Pg Hj Bahar and other senior officials.

The religious event began with a recital of the Quran by national qari (male Quran reader) Ak Mohd Adibul Amin Pg Hj Marzuki, who recently secured the fifth spot in the Musabaqah Tilawatil Quran Competition in Malaysia.

Maghrib prayers were led by Pg Hj Haslin Pg Hj Ali, the acting senior officer from Jame’ Asr’ Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque.

The Brunei Times

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Suspected pirated CD vendor pleads not guilty

Syazwan Sadikin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 04:51:45 +0000

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

A man charged with two counts of infringing the intellectual property rights of Suria Records Sdn Bhd (M) allegedly by selling without licence music and video CDs (compact discs) pleaded not guilty before the Intermediate Court yesterday and will be claiming trial.

The charges read that Yong Teck Sang on August 20, 2009, was allegedly selling 46 compact discs entitled Ceria di Aidilfitri A and 46 compact discs of Ceria di Aidilfitri B, Sesuci Lebaran and Airmata Syawal respectively at W.W.W Video at Unit 8 & 9, Simpang 137, Lot 9452, Bangunan Yong Siong Hai, Jln Gadong.

In the second charge, Yong stands accused of selling 43 video compact discs entitled Berpesta di Aidilfitri containing the film Airmata Syawal.

In both instances, the sound recordings and film of the Hari Raya songs were performed by Malaysian singer Siti Nurhaliza.

During the proceedings yesterday, the presiding judge, Pg Hjh Hanani Pg Hj Metusain allowed the 48-year-old Yong to be released on bail and ordered him to provide contact details in order for the authorities to locate him.

Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Joe Chan had applied for Yong’s bail to be revoked, claiming that there was the risk of the defendant continuing to sell pirated compact and video discs at his shop.

However, Yong denied all of the allegations made by Chan.

Yong is on a court bail of $3,000 or one local surety. The court reminded Yong not to leave the state without permission from the court.

The case will be heard again on August 14. The penalty for both of these offences each carries a jail sentence of up to six months and a fine of not exceeding $5,000. – Syazwan Sadikin

The Brunei Times

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Teleconsult wins top ICT award

Quratul-Ain Bandial — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 03:56:01 +0000

HRH Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah (L), the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, presenting the HRH Crown Prince Patron Award trophy to Hj Julian Johari Hj Abdul Ghafar of TeleConsult Sdn Bhd during the BICTA prize presentation. Picture: BT/Saifulizam

BRUNEI-MUARA

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Teleconsult Sdn Bhd came out on top at yesterday’s Brunei Information Communication Technology Awards (Bicta), winning the prestigious Patron’s Award with their entry “InDepth Stereo”, a software programme that produces 3D surround sound at a fraction of the cost of Dolby or THX systems.

His Royal Highness Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, presented the Patron’s Award trophy to Hj Julian Johari Hj Abdul Ghafar and Lord John Shazell of Teleconsult Sdn Bhd in a ceremony at The Empire Hotel & Country Club yesterday.

The Patron’s Award is given to the best submission from three categories at Bicta, and has the opportunity to receive a $50,000 grant from the Brunei government to further develop their product to make it commercially viable.

Teleconsult Sdn Bhd also won first place in the ICT Industry category, beating out seven other contestants to win $10,000 in prize money.

Their winning entry was designed to support low-budget multimedia, movie and music productions by inserting 3D surround sound even if the audience only uses a standard 2.1 stereo system.

The software programme creates a virtual environment that precisely simulates a real sound environment.

The winner of the Tertiary Schools category and $7,000 in prize money was Universiti Brunei Darussalam with their entry of a Rubik’s Cube Solving Robot. Hj Isyrah Fahmi Hj Osman, a third-year student in Computer Science, created the programme as part of his second-year university project.

Chung Hwa Middle School (CHMS), BSB prevailed in the Secondary School category with their SPN21 Student Performance, Grading and Reporting System – a database application that manages students’ details and performance to generate reports required by the Ministry of Education.

The school also took home a $3,000 prize which was presented to Year 10 student Lim Jia Xin who developed the application. CHMS also won the Green ICT award for the submission.

The winners of each category will go on to represent Brunei at the Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards (Apicta) in Kuala Lumpur this October where they will compete with contestants from 16 countries.

Other awards handed out were the Made In Brunei Award to Sultan Saiful Rijal Technical College for their Kampong Ayer Interactive Kiosk, and the Islamic ICT Award to Institut Teknologi Brunei for ‘eSmal Salam’, a database of Muslim baby names.

After the presentation of the Bicta awards, His Royal Highness toured the exhibition to look at the winning products.

Minister of Communications Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdullah Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar said the ICT industry is a potential driver of economic growth and positive social change, and Brunei must recognise the need to encourage creativity and innovation in this field.

The minister further said that more incentives must be provided to encourage industry development, such as the $50,000 grant given to the Brunei winner of Apicta provided for the first time this year.

Pehin Dato Hj Abdullah added that there needed to be a review of intellectual property rights to protect the creativity and innovations of ICT industry players, and that “centres of excellence” should be established to focus on ICT research.

“With these centres, the exchange of information and collaboration with experts from other countries will be further facilitated,” he remarked.

The Bicta awards were first introduced in 2004 by various government and semi-government agencies to encourage innovation and creativity among individuals, educational institutions, and small to medium enterprises.

Held annually, the Bicta awards are to benchmark the development of local ICT products and solutions and to create partnerships across the Asia-Pacific ICT industry.

The Brunei Times
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UBD Introduces New January Intake

Borneo Bulletin Writer — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 03:36:48 +0000

Students seeking to further their education at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) but unfortunately missed the August 2010 intake, can now look forward to the newly opened January 2011 intake for the university’s Bachelor Degrees, Graduate Degrees and the University Bridging Programme – an initiative by UBD – that will potentially see prospective students join their respective programme’s August 2010 intake’s graduation.

A press conference held yesterday was attended by UBD’s Assistant Vice Chancellor (Education and Internationalisation) and Dean of the Pengiran Anak Puteri Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences, Dr Hajah Anita Haji Awang Abdul Aziz, the Dean of the Faculty of Business, Associate Professor Dr Roger Lawrey, and the Dean of the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Education, Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh.

The second intake for the UniBridge programme, which commenced two weeks ago, will also be able to commence their respective undergraduate honours degrees in January 2011, upon meeting the required standards of the six-month- (one semester) long foundation or university bridging programme.

UBD currently offers undergraduate honours degree programme in four areas – Bachelor of Arts, Science, Health Science and Business.

According to the Assistant Vice Chancellor of UBD, Dr Anita Haji Awang Abdul Aziz, the opening of the January intake will be especially good news for June 0-Level exam students.
Each of the degree programme provides a diverse pathway for undergraduates, allowing for more flexibility in choice of career. The programmes have been designed to prepare students for a competitive world, where adaptability and innovation are essential towards successful scientific, economic and social development.

These degrees also help in developing a broad spectrum of knowledge across its chosen subject areas, while ensuring the transfer of sufficient skills to prepare students for professional practice or further study.

UBD is also inviting suitable applications for enrolment into graduate programmes by research and coursework leading to Masters and Doctoral degrees for this upcoming intake. HECAS was made available as of August 9. Applications for graduate studies and the UniBridge programme are to be submitted no later than September 1.
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Mother, Son Escape As Car Catches Fire

James Kon — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 02:07:32 +0000

A mother and her son escaped unhurt last night when their car caught fire at a convenient store at Kiulap.

The Fire and Rescue Department received a call at 7.20pm and arrived at the scene at 7.25 pm.

Ten fighters from Beribi and BSB fire stations led by Station Officer Hj Mustapa bin Hj Mohamad took less than a minute to put out the fire.

The fire was allegedly caused by short circuit in the car battery. Estimated loss of property has been put around $5,000 including a laptop.
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Mayor assures Bruneians Miri is safe for tourists

Chua Guan Cheong — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 03:12:43 +0000

MIRI, MALAYSIA

Monday, August 9, 2010

The mayor of Miri has assured Bruneians that the city is safe to visit, despite news reports of the city’s crimes against tourists.

Lawrence Lai (picture) said: “We have been working hard on this area, and I think Bruneians should really come down and take a look instead of just believing in what the media reports.”

“Sometimes, to attract readers, the papers need to sensationalise their stories, and it created an impression that Miri is not safe,” he said in an interview.

The mayor said that Miri is working hard on making itself a tourist city, and safety is one of the main priorities of the Miri City Council.

“When I took office, we set up a committee to look into the safety issues of Miri. The committee is headed by our deputy mayor, and he is working very closely with the police,” Lai said.

He said that based on statistics from the police, crimes have been decreasing steadily. “I am sure Bruneians can see it for themselves when they come over.”

The mayor further said that the city is planning to install CCTV cameras in various parts of the city to further enhance security, and they are in the process of getting budget approval for the video cameras, which can help police track movement of people in a crime scene.

According to the information provided by the council’s Public Relations Department, the new Miri customs in the Sungai Tujoh area across the Brunei border will have a new shopping area.

“The new building is called the Immigration Custom Integrated Quarantine (ICIQ), and from what we know, there will be a shopping area as well,” said Tay Boon Pang, the Miri City Council’s public relations officer. — Chua Guan Cheong

The Brunei Times

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Tony beats Seruji to title

Yee Chun Leong — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 02:43:10 +0000

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Monday, August 9, 2010

Tony Hj Karim was yesterday crowned champion of the DYTM Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Charity Golf Tournament his score of one-under 71 carded on Saturday was the best overall gross at the three-day tournament.

Contested at the par-72 golf course of the Royal Brunei Golf and Country Club in Jerudong, the top three remained the same from Saturday with Seruji Hj Setia finishing in second after carding a 75 on count back (OCB) and Imay Hendra in third also with a 75 OCB.

On hand to present the trophies to the winners was His Royal Highness Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office.

“I’m glad to be a winner especially on my home course,” said a delighted Tony, in an interview with The Brunei Times, yesterday.

“The ‘preferred lies’ rule gave me the advantage and it helped me a great deal. This is my best achievement so far since I consider it to be one of the biggest tournaments of the year,” he added.

Hj Shahrin Yussof a 24-handicap bagged the Overall Nett title after scoring a 60.

Dato Sa Bali Abas, the permanent secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, won the VIP Gross category while Pg Indera Setia Pg Anak Hj Idris claimed the VIP Nett category.

Chriss Tay topped the Senior Gross category while Hj Ismail Jafar won the Senior Nett Category.

The overall gross winner for the ladies was Serinah Hj Masri, who carded a 99.

This year’s competition collected a total of $31,000 which was donated to the Dana Pengiran Muda Al-Muhtadee Billah Orphan’s Fund and on hand to receive the mock cheque from HRH was Samsuddin Hj Puasa , a representative of Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. A total of $208,000 has now been raised throughout the nine editions of the competition.

The Brunei Times

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Verdict in former diplomat case today

Syazwan Sadikin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 02:40:25 +0000

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Monday, August 9, 2010

The former Bruneian diplomat to Indonesia, Hj Yakib Hj Juman, accused of accepting bribes from employment agents in Indonesia will have his verdict read out by the Magistrates’ Court today.

Hj Yakib, who was the Third Secretary (Counsellor) at the Brunei Embassy in Jakarta, has been charged with corruption after he allegedly accepted bribes from four Indonesian agents sometime between June and December in 2006 at the embassy. On separate occasions, Hj Yakib worked with employment agents, Zetira Anas Nazar and Asroh Sukaeni, both freelance agents and Awab Abdullah Toyib from PT Fortunatam Insani agency, to issue employment visas.

It was alleged that Hj Yakib received a total of Rupiah 1,248,50,000 ($27,329.10) for assisting the employment agents.

Hj Yakib faces 13 counts of charges under Section (a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act (Chapter 121) and 13 counts of charges under Section 165 of Penal Code (Chapter 22).

Hj Yakib’s judgment on July 31, was adjourned as his defence counsel, Sheikh Nordin was not present during the hearing as he was performing the Umrah.

Standing in for Sheikh Nordin during the proceedings was Defence Counsel Christopher Sawan.

The presiding judge, Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court Pg Rostaina Pg Hj Duraman, is expected to deliver a 100-page verdict on the case.

If found guilty, Hj Yakib faces a jail term of seven years and a fine of $30,000 for each charge.

Under the Penal Code, the defendant could land with a jail term which may exceed seven years and an unspecified amount of fine. Currently, Hj Yakib is out on a $10,000 bail with two local sureties and his passport has been impounded by the ACB.

The Brunei Times

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SCB Charity Event Runaway Success

Farah Ahmadnawi — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 02:29:48 +0000

Over 1,300 runners turned up for the highly anticipated Standard Chartered Charity Run 2010 early yesterday morning in Jerudong. People from all walks of life took part in the race and ran all the way to the finish line without fail, braving the scorching heat, all for a good cause.

The event began with a mass warm-up session led by instructors from Fitness Zone, followed by the flag-off for the 10.5km run by the guest of honour Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Paduka Awang Haji Hazair bin Haji Abdullah, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, with Mr Danny Quah, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank.

In his speech, the CEO spoke of the bank’s dedication and commitment in carrying out charitable activities and playing their part in giving back to the community.

“At Standard Chartered Bank, community investment for us is a combination of fund raising, sponsorship support as well as investing our time, our employees’ time and their skills in community initiatives. We definitely have a huge focus around employee volunteering and to give you a very current example, this event today has involved over 135 of our staff volunteering,” the CEO said.

The charity run has been actively publicised over the past few months featuring a 10.5-kilometre route for men and women’s categories in which the competitive route was endorsed by the Brunei Amateur Athletics Association (BAAA) under the Youth and Sports Department of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

To add more excitement and challenge to the race, runners could also opt to be blindfolded with a partner. Hence, runners will be able to go through the experience of visual impairment and understand the challenge. Their partners, on the other hand, will be able to comprehend the challenge of leading them, bringing them closer to the cause.

A total of 480 runners participated in the category with 11 teams in the blindfold challenge. The first-place winner brought home a top prize of $500. Second-place winner received $350 and third-place winner received $200.

Mr Andy Ang, General Manager of Premium Banking at SCB, partnered up with Noralizulrainee Ali Yusop, a visually-impaired Education Officer at the Special Education Unit of the Ministry of Education, under this category.

Tan Feng Ling won first place with a record time of 49 minutes under the women’s category with Kamila Gallagher coming in second with 53 minutes. Sufinah Haji Idris took third place with 54 minutes.

Meanwhile, under the men’s 10.5km run category, Sefli Ak Ahar emerged as champion with time of 36 minutes, followed by Terrence Gallagher in 38 minutes. The third spot went to Muhammad Zulkifli bin Muhamad Jailani with 41 minutes.

On hand to present the prizes to the winners in the men’s category was Pehin Dato Awang Haji Hazair. Handing over the prizes to winners under the women’s category was Datin Hajah Adina binti Othman, Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports.

There was also a 2.5-kilometre route for the Fun Run category in which over 841 participants took part with 35 teams taking up the blindfold challenge. This category also saw the participation of the guest of honour alongside Mr Danny Quah.

The top five runners received gift hampers under the 2.5km category. The winners were Mohammad Ruzaimi bin Mohammad Saiffulah, Mohammad Norliham Haji Hamidon, Ak Nursallehin Pg Ismail, Shamsuri bin Brahim and Mohd Ruzaini Md Saifullah.

Members of the public also had the opportunity to enjoy the event where various food stalls, games and activities were set up by Standard Chartered Bank, Brunei Liverpool Fan Club, BARA, Pusat Ehsan, Pusat Bahagia, There was also a 2.5-kilometre route for the Fun Run category in which over 841 participants took part with 35 teams taking up the blindfold challenge. This category also saw the participation of the guest of honour alongside Mr Danny Quah.

Members of the public also had the opportunity to enjoy the event where various food stalls, games and activities were set up by Standard Chartered Bank, Brunei Liverpool Fan Club, BABA, Pusat Ehsan, Pusat Bahagia, Brunei Darussalam AIDS council, Red Canopy. Saffron, RBC, UNI photo, Dream Cones, Sounds of Hope. Fitness Zone, Armtrix Enterprise, Secret Recipe, Helping Hands Organisation and Malar Setia.

Lucky draws were also held at the event where runners won many exclusive prizes ranging from return air tickets to destinations such as Hong Kong and Singapore, stays at Empire Hotel, dining vouchers and more.

Hundred per cent of the proceeds from the event will be donated to three main charity organisations in Brunei namely Standard Chartered Bank Seeing is Believing Programme, Pusat Ehsan and Persatuan Kanak-Kanak Cacat (KACA).

Ms Jennifer Kang, Head of Corporate Affairs and Marketing, expressed her relief and joy to the Bulletin on the success of the event.

“The event has surpassed our expectations. As the first charity run fully organised by Standard Chartered Bank, it truly is a great honour with the overwhelming response from the number of participants and donations collected for the charity. So far we’ve collected BND$65,000. Surely it was past our $50,000 target. It’s amazing to see Bruneians with such big hearts. We would definitely look forward to doing another event like this next time,” she said.

The official final amount of the funds raised from the event will be announced at a later date and handed over to the relevant charities.

The Standard Chartered Charity Run 2010 was sponsored by Borneo Bulletin, Media Permata, Royal Brunei Airlines, Sunlit Advertising, CSG Marketing, the Empire Hotel and Country Club, Panacom Sdn Bhd, Jerudong Park Playground and Suci.
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New Laws Governing Architects To Be Introduced Soon

Zareena Amiruddin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 02:06:09 +0000

Rules that govern the practices of architects, surveyors and engineers in Brunei are in the final stages of establishment, according to the president of Brunei Institute of Surveyors, Engineers and Architects (Puja).

Dato Hj Idris disclosed this at the ,Puja Architect’s Night on Saturday.

The Architects, Engineers and Surveyors Order is a draft legislation which requires all architects, surveyors and engineers in Brunei to be registered with Puja.

The society will then vet applications for membership by determining whether the professional qualifications of the applicant are recognised by the society.

Dato Hj Idris said that this was one of three things that he wanted to accomplish during his presidency, which includes the establishment of the Architects, Engineers and Surveyors Board of Registration.

Once the draft legislation has been passed, Puja would be able to set up this board, he added.

In a previous interview with The Brunei Times, Dato Hj Idris said that the board would make sure all the duties and services are delivered in accordance with the practice, and the enactment (order) and anyone going against this would be considered as not performing their duties properly and could be deregistered.

“When we talk about best practices, we should be properly guided with good rules and regulations, especially when we talk about our professional practices, we should have established legislature and enactments,” he said.

Also on Dato Hj Idris’ agenda is the setting up of a Green Building Council, which he said was the missing link to the government initiative of conducting seminars, awareness campaigns and experimental projects for example using solar energy.

“Every developed nation is trying to reduce their greenhouse carbon emissions or carbon footprint and researching towards finding energy efficient solutions and looking for alternative or renewable energy,” he said.

He added: “I don’t think we are exempted from this situation, as we are citizens of the world we are also affected and so what are we waiting for? Lets take some action!”

He encouraged the architects to design buildings based on green concepts and to let this be the approach when designing.

Saturday’s Architects Night also featured a short talk by Lim Hooi Siang from Malaysia, who is an urban planner by profession.

Lim specialises in Heritage Conservation and spoke about the different heritage sites in Malaysia such as Malacca and Penang.

The event was attended by some 70 people, including architects and members of staff from different practices in Brunei.
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Blood Vessel Diseases High Among Locals

Rachel Thien — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:53:30 +0000

The number of people in Brunei with blood vessel diseases, which lead to strokes, is “disproportionate” to the population, a health expert told The Brunei Times yesterday.

Dr Haroon Pillay, head of the Neurosurgery Department at Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (Ripas) Hospital, blamed the disproportion on “faulty lifestyles”.

“Considering the population of Brunei, we have quite a significant number of people with blood vessel disorders, which is “disproportionate” to the population.

“Blood vessels can have many types of disorders, such as vessels becoming thick and blocked, or where it can burst and rupture,” he said on the sidelines of the “Vascular Symposium” at The Empire Hotel and Country Club.

He explained blood vessel disorders were either caused by a genetic disorder which was inherited from either one of the patients’ parents, or acquired from unhealthy food habits.

“(These type of patients) eat plenty of fatty foods and lack exercise, which will thicken the walls,” he added.

However, Dr Pillay said one way of preventing the occurrence of blood vessel disorders was if patients went for “regular screening, blood pressure checkups, blood sugar check-ups and blood cholesterol check-ups.”

“If people do not come for these regular check-ups, but have these blood vessel disorders, it can either rupture or it can get blocked. In the brain, if it gets blocked, they will get a stroke. If it ruptures, they will also get a stroke,” he said.

He explained that if a patient suffered from a mild stroke, the patient’s well-being would be weakened. If the stroke is severe, it may cause a person to die.

“If they (patients) are lucky and come in with a mild stroke, then they may recover. If they are unlucky, they may die or become permanently disabled.”

With the launch of the Neuroscience, Stroke and Rehabilitation Centre (NSRC) at Jerudong Park Medical Centre (JPMC) on July 19, Dr Pillay said Ripas will be “strongly collaborating” with JPMC for stroke management and rehabilitation.

“With our recent directive, if a patient comes to Ripas with symptoms of stroke and is fully conscious, we will refer him/her straight away to JPMC.

“If the patient is unconscious, we will do a CT scan and if it shows a haemorrhage, then we will admit the patient into Ripas,” he added.

Dr Pillay advised the public to safeguard their health by doing regular exercise, reduce fatty and fried foods and “be happy”.

He also encouraged the public to take a blood test and blood pressure test every six months. “However, if results are shown to be “abnormal” depending on how abnormal it is, then a patient should come in for a check-up every month or every two months,” he said.
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18 youths detained in ‘Operasi Lepak’

The Brunei Times — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:36:12 +0000

Some 18 youths were detained for further questioning during a police operation at the Kiulap commercial area early yesterday morning after alcoholic drinks were found at the arrest site.

Senior Inspector Pg Abd Aziz Pg Hj Muhammad, leader of the operation, said: “13 males and five females aged 20 to 28 years were detained for questioning after two bottles of liquor and a few cans of beer were found at the scene.”

In the operation dubbed “Operasi Lepak”, the 15 police officers from the Bandar Seri Begawttn Police Station targeted the Kiulap commercial area, specifically near the Aneka Rasa Restaurant.

Senior Inspector Pg Abd Aziz said the operation was carried out to curb unhealthy activities among adolescents and youth.

The youths have been released on bail after being detained for urine or blood tests.
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Labour Dept Gets Tough On Employers

James Kon — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:16:51 +0000

Warns over unpaid wages to workers

The Department of Labour is taking a firm stand against employers found to have violated Brunei’s Labour laws and is appealing to employees not to hold back complaints to help enforcement officers carry out investigations.

Awang Zulhilmi Hj Abidin, Assistant Commissioner of Labour, Head of Law Enforcement Section, in an interview with Borneo Bulletin said the Labour Department is taking all cases, including labour offences and cases of unpaid wages, very seriously.

“The Law Enforcement Section under the Department of Labour is responsible for the enforcement of the laws including cases involving employers and foreign and local workers. Among the important functions of the section is to ensure the welfare of the workers in the private sector, including domestic helpers, is taken care of.

“Currently the department is taking a number of steps like conducting operations, checks, investigation and prosecution. Last year, the Department of Labour reviewed the Labour Law and replaced the Labour Act 1954 with Employment Order 2009.”

The order, he said, is to create a safe and harmonious environment and to take employment right protection to a higher level in the country following good practices and by taking into account the standards of International Labour Organisation. “In the formulation of the order, we have also taken reference from acts from neighbouring countries like Singapore and Malaysia. In addition, we have also taken reference from International Labour Organisation.

“In general, the Employment Order 2009 is to state the rights and responsibilities of employees and employers, as well as to set requirements for the contract of service that must not be missing as stated in the guideline,” he said.

According to statistics, the Labour Department has received 61 complaints from workers, which involved 35 employers. The workers included domestic helpers and also from various companies in the private sector.

The complaints included unpaid salaries and air ticket claims which amounted to 32 complaints while unpaid salaries totalled 19 and the rest were for extra working hours as well as dismissals without notice and pay cut.

Awg Zulhilmi said, “From 2001-2010, a total of 21 employees have been prosecuted for not paying salaries and this year, another 10 employers are in the process of being prosecuted. Employers who have been convicted based on the offences will be blacklisted against having a foreign employment licence.”

Regarding administrative actions against labour offenders in 2008 and 2009, Awang Zulhilmi said, “A total of 51 employers or their foreign employment licences have been revoked while 74 employers or their quotas for hiring foreign workers have been cut after they were found to have violated the labour law.”

From January until July 2010, the Law Enforcement Section of the Labour Department has carried out more than 300 operations, checks, investigations and surveillance to enforce the laws and regulations of the Labour Department as well as to make sure that the welfare of the workers- in the private sector is taken care of.

Speaking about the challenges while investigating cases, Awang Zulhilmi said, “We have received cases dating back to many years where the employers have gone bankrupt and the workers have gone back to their countries of origin. The evidence may not be strong and this will add to the complexity of the case.

“We would like to advice workers to report any complaints as soon as possible by contacting the enforcement hotline at 2381848,” he said.

He warned Labour law offenders that under chapter 39 (1) of the Employment Order 2009, employers who fail to pay the salary of their employees in seven days from the date stated will face a maximum fine of $3,000 or one-year imprisonment and the licence to employ foreign workers will be revoked or terminated. While under chapter 112 (1) the Labour Employment Order, anyone found guilty of hiring foreign workers without permission will face a minimum fine of $6,000 and a maximum of $10,000 or jail for six months and not more than three years.
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India’s Independence Day flag hoisting on August 15

The Brunei Times — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 04:14:43 +0000

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Saturday, August 7, 2010
THE Indian High Commission in Brunei Darussalam will once again be hosting a Flag Hoisting ceremony, to mark the country’s 64th Independence Day on August 15.

The event will take place at 8am at the High Commission’s newly purchased site, located at the Diplomatic Enclave near the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sports, Jalan Kebangsaan, Bandar Seri Begawan.

As with the previous years, the function will begin with the unfurling of the Indian flag by the High Commissioner to be followed by the singing of the national anthem.

The High Commissioner will also read the President of India’s message to its nationals. All Indian nationals and friends of India in Brunei Darussalam are cordially invited to attend the function. The Brunei Times

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TAP counters operating hours in Ramadhan

The Brunei Times — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 04:13:20 +0000

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Saturday, August 7, 2010
DURING the holy month of Ramadhan, the Employees Trust Fund’s (TAP) service counters will operate from 8.15am to 1pm on Monday to Thursday and Saturday. On Friday, (headquarters only) the operating hours will be from 8.15am to 11pm.

Employers and the public are advised to take note of the changes.The Brunei Times

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Thai woman fined for custom offences

Syafiq Affendy — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 04:12:42 +0000

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Saturday, August 7, 2010
A THAI woman was fined $7,000 by the Magistrates Court yesterday after she pleaded guilty for possessing undeclared alcohol and cigarettes.

The facts of the case read in the court said that the defendant, Sudarat Tojui, 41, was found to have in possession 24 bottles of alcohol and 700 packets of cigarettes following a public tip-off which led the Customs and Preventive personnel to conduct an inspection on a house and a canteen in Jalan Mulaut in July 14.

Upon investigation, Sudarat admitted that all of the goods belonged to her, adding that she only started to purchase the goods when the supplier, who can speak Thai, came to the canteen and offer her the goods.

The goods were meant to be used for first-time offender Sudarat’s 10th wedding anniversary.

Sudarat paid the fine. The Brunei Times

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