✰ Brunei Darussalam ~ NEWS & HILITES ✰

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Traffic snarl worsens with incessant rain
By Liza Mohd            
              Traffic along the Lorong Tiga Selatan Seria road. - LIZA MOHDThe current erratic weather has left many parts of the oil and gas town waterlogged, leaving hundreds ofSeria-Belait commuters fuming as they are frequently being stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic.The partial closure of Jalan Tengah in Seria to pave the way for the flood mitigation project and the ongoingroad stabilisation project along the 4.5-kilometre Seria-Anduki stretch is also said to be further aggravatingthe traffic chaos.
This has resulted in several roads and traffic junctions such as the Lorong Tiga Selatan three-way junction,Jalan Tengah leading to Jalan Utara, Jalan Singa Menteri Kuala Belait, Jalan Maulana being jam-packed.
The heavy downpour also brought along landslides, blocking the Sungai Liang road.
One government employee from Mumong who sends her children to a school in Seria said that traffic goeshaywire every time it starts to rain, ensuring the traffic practically comes to a standstill.
"It took me nearly 40 minutes to reach Seria from Mumong," she said of the otherwise under-15-minutejourney, before adding, " Where are the traffic police?"
A commuter who travels between Lumut and Seria for work daily said, "It is high time the relevant authoritiesinstalled traffic lights to ease the flow of traffic, especially at the Lorong Tiga Selatan three-way junction.
"Incomplete construction works are further worsening the situation," he said with a hint of frustration.
Meanwhile, a heavy spell of rain on Friday and Saturday flooded homes and resulted in the closing ofseveral schools. An operation room has been set up at the Belait District Office to assist flood victims.
Apart from homes, the floodwaters have inundated most of the business establishments in Kuala Belait,which include a car showroom and a carpet store.

holmes

Another milestone achieved by Baiduri Bank
By Lyna Mohamad            

Guest of honour officially launching the two new centres.
Mr Imhof speaking at the event.	Signing of the plaque by the guest of honour.
Group photo with some of the departmental heads. - PHOTOS:                     LYNA MOHAMAD	Permanent Secretary being briefed on the functions and responsibilities                     of the centres during the tour.

With three strikes of the gong by the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, Dato Paduka Awg HjAli Hj Apong, followed with the beats of Hadrah, the new Business Services Centre and IT Centre of BaiduriBank were officially launched for its loyal customers.General Manager of Baiduri Bank Mr Pierre Imhof in his welcoming speech at the launching noted that thesetwo centres are part of an ongoing large-scale project being undertaken by the Baiduri Bank Group toupgrade facilities and premises.
Mr Imhof, speaking at the new Business Services Centre, underscored that the centre was formed at the endof 2008 with the merger of three distinct departments into one.
It is also the main springboard on which more centralised operations will be implemented to cover theoperational responsibilities of all departments of the bank and its wholly owned subsidiary, Baiduri Finance.
Baiduri Bank Group also leveraged on technology and carried out a number of improvements to the servicesand operations of the IT Department that included renovations to premises and consolidation of the DataCentre and Information System Teams and placing them under one roof.
"This involved upgrading the Data Centre to Tier 4 with state-of-the-art facilities for greater redundancy so asto bring it in line with international Data Centre standards."
Touching on the bank's future direction, he added that the bank's Operations Division will continue to employnew techniques to enhance the business processes to be more customer and process-focused.
He disclosed that with these exercises in place, they hope to streamline the workflow for better efficiency andto improve turnaround time, adding that all these are done with one ultimate aim, which is to reach a higherlevel of customer satisfaction.
Following the launching, the chief guest and other invited guests were taken for a tour of the new premiseswhere prior to their entry into the office area, the Permanent Secretary signed the commemorative plaqueand took a group photo with senior management and departmental heads of the bank.
Both centres, which are part of the premises and services upgrading programme, are located at Block B ofKiarong Complex with the IT Centre occupying the second floor of the centre and the Business Serviceslocated on the ground floor.
Also present at the launching were government officials, customers, business associates as well as DeputyGeneral Operations Manager Mr Andrew Young, Deputy General Manager Retail Banking and BranchNetwork of Baiduri Bank Mr Ti Eng Hui and other senior executives of the bank.
Baiduri, with a combination of strong local commitment and global expertise, has been acknowledged as oneof the leading banks in the country with a track record of financial innovations and pioneering activities.

holmes

National Symposium on Kg Ayer
A National Symposium on Kg Ayer: Culture, Heritage and Conservation will be held on Feb 4-5 at theUnivesiti Brunei Darussalam.There will also be a four-day exhibition from Feb 4-7, and an amateur photo competition, according to theorganisers, Institute of Medicine and Academy of Brunei Studies.
The symposium, with the theme Past, Present and Future, aims to discuss the perceptions and problems ofKampong Ayer.
It aims to bring together organisations and individuals with an interest in the culture, heritage andconservation of Kg Ayer.
By doing so, the different parties will be able to better understand and recognise common points of interestimproving the standard of living of Kg Ayer residents.
The symposium also aims to raise awareness among service providers, community leaders and residentsand find solutions to problems within Kg Ayer.
The photo competition is open to amateurs only. It is divided into child (15 years and below) and open (16years and above) categories.
Each participant may submit up to three different photo prints before Jan 31, 2009.
Registration forms can be downloaded from kgayersymposium2009.blogspot.com and should be submittedto the Symposium Secretariat, Institute of Medicine, UBD, Jalan Tungku Link Gadong, BE1410, BruneiDarussalam.
For more information, contact 2463001-ext 1780/1906/1788 or email [email protected].

holmes

MUIB reviewing current zakat distribution system
By Azaraimy HHThe number of poor individuals receiving zakat has increased over time. However, each year, followingdistribution, the balance of the fund remains high.The Islamic Religious Council (MUIB) is in the process of reviewing the zakat distribution and turning it intoan even more effective means of apportioning it within the scheme of "hukum sharak" (Islamic law).
Acting Secretary of MUIB Haji Abdul Wahab bin Haji Sapar, in an interview with the Bulletin, said suchreview is an answer to the call made by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalamto look into the means of distributing the balance of zakat to rightful recipients.
He revealed, over the phone, that the number of recipients, or "asnaf", has increased.
In 2006, $16.3 million in zakat was distributed to over 16,000 individuals, while in 2007, $15.4 million werehanded over to 16,210 individuals,
Meanwhile, last year, $15.8 million in zakat was distributed to 16,440 individuals.
The balance in these years have not been fully audited yet, he said, though in 2004, the balance stood at$239,631,073.56.
Haji Abdul Wahab noted that each year, the council distributes some $11.5 million to the poor, including $60for every needy child for education, and $822,000 to provide shelters for the poor.
At the moment, he said, the zakat money can be used to pay debts from the construction of mosques andreligious schools, such as unpaid electricity and water bills.
He also revealed that among the topics to be discussed by members of the MUIB is the use of the zakatmoney to help people who are heavily in debt and beyond their control.
Meanwhile, during a meeting on Tuesday, the monarch called on members of the MUIB to come up with amore efficient use of zakat.
His Majesty, in his titah on Tuesday, said it would be momentous if Brunei could declare itself poverty freeeven for a day if the balance of zakat money could be used.

holmes

UBD set to be first-class college
By Sonia K            
              UBD Vice Chancellor Dr Haji Zulkarnain. - SONIA KUniversiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) will be setting up a new unit and establish a new institute to drive thechange the university needs to become a first-class international college.This was said by UBD Vice Chancellor Dr Haji Zulkarnain bin Haji Hanafi during his address to the academicstaff of the university on Monday during the opening of the new semester.
The unit, he said, will be responsible for the continuous professional development of all UBD staff.
The Senate has also approved the establishment of the Institute of Leadership, Innovation andAdvancement, he said.
Dr Haji Zulkarnain also emphasised on the need to develop a culture that constantly strives for excellence,adding that the changes will ensure that UBD stays relevant.
"We should not be afraid to be self-critical," he said. "We must be willing to audit ourselves as anorganisation, faculty and individual, and to continuously scan for gaps, hazards or opportunities if we are toachieve our vision of becoming a first-class international university."
He vowed to commit to the development of newly appointed deans and directors, who began on January 1,through a continuous professional development programme.
"In return, I expect them to make the development of colleagues, students and their respective faculties astheir key deliverable," he said, adding that he also expected them "to propagate a culture of leadership andcontinuously excel themselves as core values of individuals in the university".
The vice chancellor noted that the chancellery will commit to bringing positive changes to the UBDadministration, adding that such an initiative will require knowledgeable and talented team.
To be a first-class international university, he said, UBD will need a first-class administrative system andexecutives.
"It needs to be rigorous and yet adoptable and facilitative," he said. "We will make sure that ouradministrative executives will also undergo continuous professional development through programmes."
Dr Haji Zulkarnain said UBD will this year be implementing a number of projects in its bid to upgrade itsinfrastructure.
"Funding has been made available through the National Development Plan and the projects are expected tobe completed between now and 2012."
The upgrades will include the ICT network and the expansion of internet bandwidth; teaching and learningareas, as well as the construction of new teaching and learning sites; extension works on a number ofexisting buildings as well as the setting up of a central science research facility; refurbishment of the library;and the construction of a swimming pool.
He also said, "The UBD Strategic Plan has identified 'strengthening of research profile' as one of theobjectives to meet our vision.
"Institutionalising research for students and academicians, by integrating teaching and learning, creates aculture of inquisitiveness and resourcefulness," he added.
The vice chancellor called for collaborative and cross-disciplinary research to "enable us to develop a talentpool, which can be tapped by our stakeholders for the benefit of the community".
Last year, he said, everyone saw a strong commitment from His Majesty's Government in supportingresearch in energy, biodiversity and agrotechnology.
"This is the first time - and hopefully not the last - that our researchers have access to bid competitively forsubstantial research funding," he said. "I understand that the selection process is in its final stages, and Ilook forward to UBD research teams being awarded a fair share of the funding."
Dr Haji Zulkarnain also proposed a substantial increase in UBD's budget allocation to support research indisciplines other than science and technology.
In the meantime, he said, alternative sources of funding are sought for research, adding that announcementswill be made from time to time regarding the availability of such funding so that appropriate bid can be made.

holmes

Brunei sets up fund for Palestinians
By Azlan OthmanBrunei Darussalam has set up a humanitarian fund for Palestinebeginning yesterday (Jan 14) amid Israel's atrocities in Gaza beingunleashed since Dec 27, which has claimed over 1,000 lives, mostlywomen and children, with over 4,500 wounded and thousands left homeless.This was revealed yesterday at the national committee meeting of the Palestinian Humanitarian Fund.
The cash donation drive will last for three months until April 13, and the public can donate through variouschannels such as short message service (SMS), donation boxes at mosques and suraus, banks, shoppingcomplexes and public buildings including government buildings throughout the country. The long duration isto enable organisers to carry out charity and welfare activities.
The public can also go directly to the secretariat of the Palestine Humanitarian Fund located on the 2ndfloor, Administration and Finance, Community Service Department of the Ministry of Culture, Youth andSports.
The donations will be handed over to international organisations. It is hoped the initiative could lessen theburden of the Palestinians.
Present at the meeting yesterday were the joint advisors of the fund, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports,Pehin Orang Kaya Setia Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Dr Awg Hj Ahmad, and Minister of Religious Affairs,Pehin Jawatan Luar Pekerma Raja Dato Seri Utama Dr Ustaz Hj Awg Mohd Zain.
The committee for the fund was jointly chaired by Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth andSports and Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs and comprise members fromgovernment and non-government agencies.
During the meeting, it was highlighted that as a form of information dissemination, circulars will be distributedto various government ministries and departments through the Prime Minister's Office and throughpromotion in the electronic and print media.
The committee will only receive cash donations, as it is easy to channel it faster to the victims.
The Israel bombardment of Gaza, which is populated by 1.5 million people, has entered the 19th day killinghundreds of innocent civilians, damaging buildings and cutting water and power supply. The Palestinians arein dire need of food, clean water, medicines and temporary shelters.

holmes

Published on The Brunei Times (http://www.bt.com.bn/en)   
          Acting Minister of Education visits flood-hit schools         
   
                                                                                                                         

                                        Visit:Hjh Zaiton Abdullah (L), principal of Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan OmarAli Saifuddien Primary School in Kuala Belait showing the ruined booksto Acting Minister of Education Pg Dato Dr Hj Mohammad. Picture: BT/HjMohd Ali

                               
                                                  BELAIT


                    Thursday, January 15, 2009

                          THEActing Minister of Education yesterday conducted a working visit to twoschools in Belait which were closed for one day after being hit byheavy floods recently.

Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj MohammadPengiran Hj Abdul Rahman made his way to and Perdana Wazir SecondarySchool, to check out the visible damages to school buildings and books.

Duringhis visit to Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien PrimarySchool, the acting minister was led by Headmaster Hjh Zaiton Abdullahto tour the school areas, where he was shown several damages caused bythe floods.

This year's floods were the worst one we ever encountered, Hjh Zaiton told The Brunei Times.

"Manytextbooks are ruined. Even parts of the building are damaged as well.Apart from that, the flooding occurred around the area has caused a badtraffic jam that day."

"Teachers had to park their cars alongthe main road outside the school's area as the water level was high andcars simply cannot drive through," she said.

The primary schoolis situated nearby the Jefri Bolkiah College of Engineering (MKJB). Theroad which separates the school and the college is the main road forcommuters to Kuala Belait town.

"The unforeseen circumstanceshave also caused a bad traffic jam along the main road. Apart fromslowing down the traffic, it also caused stagnant traffic as theteaching staff's cars were parked along the main road and blocked theroad lane. The police has to come down and control the traffic duringthe day," she said.

The headmaster said that the relevant authorities will re-supply new textbooks to the school.

"Someparents cannot afford to buy new textbooks for their children. For thetime being, we will make copies from the original textbooks for thestudents temporarily," she said.

The acting minister thenproceeded his visit to Perdana Wazir Secondary School where he waswelcomed by the school's headmaster, Cheong Poh Lian.

Pg Dato Dr Hj Mohammad also inquired the school's headmaster whether the school's machinery or equipment were damaged as well.

Afterinspecting the whole school area, the acting minister and delegationdiscussed on plans to improve the school infrastructure.

Among the plans discussed was to demolish the school and build a new one to provide better facilities for students.

Dependingon the budget, proper action will be taken to make the school a moreconducive environment for the students, based the informal discussionsbetween the acting minister and the school's teaching staff.

Theworking visit continued in the afternoon where the acting minister wentto Penapar Primary School and Panchong Primary School in Tutong.

Alsopresent during the visit were Permanent Secretary at the Ministry ofEducation Datin Paduka Hjh Apsah Hj Abdul Majid and Sarimah Hj AbuBakar, senior education officer of Science, Technology andEnvironmental Partnership (Step) Centre. (NJA1)

The Brunei Times

                                                      
              Source URL:
http://www.bt.com.bn/en/en/home_news/2009/01/15/acting_minister_of_education_visits_flood_hit_schools

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Published on The Brunei Times (http://www.bt.com.bn/en)
Without key chip your credit card may be void

Melvin Jong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Thursday, January 15, 2009

WITHOUT a key chip your credit card may be useless during your travels abroad.

Your credit card needs to be equipped with an EMV (Europay, MasterCard and Visa)-chip, along with advanced notification of travel plans to your banks to ensure that your credit cards are accepted worldwide during your travels.

Imagine yourself approaching a counter to pay for an item during your trip to Malaysia. To conserve money for emergency purposes, you have decided to pay by credit card, just to have the cashier notify you that your card has been rejected or is unreadable by their machine.

This might seem like a trivial issue to some but to others, it might mean more than a minor inconvenience.

"I was really frustrated as I urgently had to purchase a ticket back to Brunei and the cashier said that my card was not accepted," said a woman in her mid-40s who opted for anonymity.

According to the woman, the cashier at the time had informed her that her card lacked a chip which was necessary for their credit card machine to work.

According to Alex, the assistant manager of Brunei's HSBC call centre, the fault lies not with the chipless cards but with the operator as these machines have a built in option to process these cards.

"It is the merchants themselves who don't know about this option or how to activate it," added the assistant manager.

He went on to say that the customers could and should request the merchants to contact the appropriate banks for advice on how to manually approve the cards, if such a case ever occurs to them.

According to information provided by Annie Ng, the general manager of credit cards and personal loans for Standard Chartered Bank Brunei, EMV equipped cards are the global standard for chip-based credit and debit transactions.

These EMV cards carry with them an embedded microchip that can store and process encrypted data, thus offering greater security as they can protect against "skimming" or copying of the contents on the magnetic stripe.

She explained that the card will send a different secret message to authenticate every transaction, making it practically impossible for a fraudster to steal the information to create counterfeit cards.

So far, Standard Chartered Brunei has successfully converted their platinum card base to EMV-chip credit cards while other card types will be converted during the card renewal process or upon customer's request.

She went on to say that in view of the growth in prominence of EMV-chip terminals worldwide, customers are encouraged to convert their cards for enhanced security features and also greater convenience, especially for those travelling abroad.

"While non-EMV-chip cards remain acceptable worldwide, some merchants around the world had opted to accept only EMV-chip cards," said Annie.

A staff from Baiduri Bank Bhd informed The Brunei Times that all their credit cards come equipped with this EMV-chip while personnels of Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam Berhad (BIBD) was unavailable to comment.

Alex also spoke of another scenario where problems of credit card rejections might arise.

"The customers card might also be blocked if they did not inform the banks of their travelling abroad."

He added that if the card was used in areas with high risk of credit card frauds such as Thailand without prior notification to the banks, the card would automatically be blocked due to security reasons.

"If this happens, the card holders can contact their card centre and we can immediately activate their card after they provide proper verification." The Brunei Times


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holmes

Published on The Brunei Times (http://www.bt.com.bn/en)
Fewer criminal cases and 46% drop in road fatalities in 2008


Celebrating 88 years: Pehin Datu Kerma Setia CP Dato Paduka Seri Zainuddin Jalani (C), Royal Brunei Police Commissioner, inspecting the guard of honour during celebrations to mark the 88th year of Royal Brunei Police Force at the police headquarters, Gadong. Picture: BT/Rudolf Portillo
Syed Rory Malai Hassan
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Friday, January 16, 2009

Police attribute this to their improvedpresence and public cooperation

IMPROVED police presence and public cooperation helped reduce the number of criminal cases recorded in 2008 to 3,287 from 3,379 in 2007 while the number of traffic fatalities that occurred in 2008 was reduced by 46 per cent or 29 deaths from 54 in 2007, according to the Royal Brunei Police Force.

In a press conference with the Police Commissioner yesterday, department directors namely Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and Investigations and Traffic Control Department revealed the police statistics for 2008 which show a significant improvement over previous years.

According to the CID Director Acting ACP Matamit Hj Kanak, throughout 2008, 4,586 criminal cases were reported out of which 3,287 or 72 per cent were handled by the police while 1,229 or 28 per cent were cases under the jurisdiction of other enforcement agencies.

The overall number of cases shows a slight increase of two per cent over 2007 which recorded 4,519 cases, he added, however police cases saw a decrease of three per cent from 3,379 cases in 2007.

For other enforcement agencies, the increase in number of crimes that were committed in 2008 rose by 14 per cent over 2007 which recorded 1,140 cases, said the director.

Of the 4,586 cases, 1,972 or 43 per cent were successfully solved from which 1,002 were police cases while 970 cases were solved by other enforcement agencies.

A breakdown of the criminal cases that were recorded for last year include 1,875 for property crimes where 303 were solved, 656 cases of causing bodily injury out of which 518 were solved, 115 crimes solved out of 669 recorded against the penal code and 66 out of 87 crimes of miscellaneous acts solved.

The Police Commissioner Pehin Datu Kerma Setia CP Dato Paduka Seri Zainuddin Jalani commenting on the crime statistics attributed the success in bringing down the rate of crime in 2008 to increased police presence namely the introduction of RBPF's Rapid Response Squad and enhanced public cooperation and information.

Director of Investigations and Traffic Control Department ACP Pg Hj Abd Wahab Pg Hj Omar reading out the statistics of traffic violations for 2008 noted that there has been an increase in the number of traffic cases recorded.

With an increased number of traffic operations being conducted in 2008, RBPF recorded 14,114 compound cases last year compared to 10,398 in 2007 while summons cases saw an increase from 1,780 in 2007 to 2,659 in 2008.

Beginning January 1 up to December 31, 2008, the number of traffic accidents rose to 2,775 or 3.77 per cent compared to 2,674 cases in 2007, said the director.

Two categories namely car-on-car collisions and single-car accidents topped the list of increasing traffic accidents recorded in 2008 and compared to 2007. Of the 2,775 accidents recorded in 2008, 1,289 cases were car-on-car collisions while 1,192 were single-car accidents.

The director noted that in 2008, the number of traffic fatalities that were recorded came to 23 cases with 29 deaths, a decrease of 46 per cent or 25 people from 54 in 2007. Meanwhile 57 people sustained major injuries in traffic accidents throughout 2008 compared to 74 in 2007 and 458 sustained minor injuries in 2008 compared to 482 in 2007, a decrease of 4.97 per cent or 24 people.

The director said that the increase in numbers for 2008 compared to 2007 signifies the department's success in reducing traffic offences by prevention and public awareness of accident prone areas.

The press conference was held at the Gadong Police Headquarters following the 88th Anniversary Police Parade.

The Brunei Times


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holmes

Published on The Brunei Times (http://www.bt.com.bn/en)
Call to speed up law on domestic violence

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Friday, January 16, 2009

BRUNEI should not delay introducing a law specifically on domestic violence offences, said the vice-president of Brunei Darussalam Women's Council (BDWC).

It is necessary for Brunei to have this law as it would bring the existing relevant laws and policy on the protection of women into a more consistent framework, said Datin Hjh Masni Hj Mohd Ali.

The major challenge here is to convince the mind set of the community that domestic violence is recognised as a criminal matter and not a private matter between individuals or married couples.

However most women who are abused tend to ignore the situation once they reconcile with their husbands especially if they are fully dependent on their husbands. If they bring their husbands to justice, they may not have enough money to spend for their daily expenses particularly when they have children.

"Eight Asean countries, except Brunei and Myanmar, have a specific domestic violence law," she said.

In this matter she has the support of the Minister of Health who on July 6, last year said violence against women was a social ill in Brunei Darussalam that needed to be dealt with.

Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Suyoi Hj Osman, the Minister of Health was delivering a speech as guest of honour at the Domestic Violence Symposium held in conjunction with the Asean Women's Day 2008.

Pehin Dato Hj Suyoi stressed the need for a Domestic Violence Act to be introduced in Brunei to protect the rights of those who have been affected by domestic violence, similar to such acts introduced in neighbouring countries.

He also stated that if domestic violence is not curbed at the early stages then the social development will be affected on the whole as it affects the very core of society.

Today, the gender-based violence, especially violence against women has been recognised as an abuse of human rights and it affects society on the whole, he said.

Currently, there are nine laws for the protection of women's rights, including the Women and Girls Protection Act, Married Women Act, as well as the Emergency (Islamic Family Law) Order.

Datin Hjh Masni said legislation against domestic violence was regarded as an effective tool to reduce the number of domestic violence cases against women.

Brunei's Women's Council should also organise a forum bringing together the relevant government agencies, policy and decision makers to work out a coordinated plan of action to tackle domestic violence in the country, said the vice-president.

"This awareness will advocate women's and victims' rights. The public must treat domestic violence as a criminal act," said Datin Hjh Masni.

She said domestic violence was under-reported even though it was the most common violence against women in the region.

Domestic violence denies the human rights of women and challenges the pathway to gender equality and women's empowerment," she said, adding that the connection between domestic violence and transmission of diseases such as HIV/Aids has become an urgent issue.

Datin Hjh Masni who is also the President of Basmida (The National Anti-Drug Association of Brunei) was sharing her views and experiences with The Brunei Times about the Asean Regional Workshop on Domestic Violence Legislation that she attended that took place at Hanoi, Vietnam last year.

Among the aims of the workshop were to strengthen the regional cooperation among the Asean member countries in domestic violence prevention and response programmes, build models and guidelines to be promoted as the Asean standard and an opportunity to share experiences in addressing domestic violence through legislation, policies and programmes.

She explained that their BDWC was aimed at raising the status of women and those women who works for the social development in the country. They also raise issues such as gender equality, discrimination against women, domestic violence against women which also includes verbal violence. (NLR1) The Brunei Times


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Fire and Rescue Dept strives to ensure safety


In action: Demonstration by some Fire and Rescue Department personnel at the skills competition. Picture: BT/Raul Padernal
Bahrum Ali
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Friday, January 16, 2009

THE Fire and Rescue Department has taken several initiatives to improve its operational standards to deal with multi-faceted challenges that are continuously increasing due to the occurrence of disasters around the Sultanate.

A number of projects and activities has been taken, including assessing and improving emergency plans of action, said Superintendent Chin Pok, head of the department's Public Relations Unit yesterday.

"The task nowadays has changed dynamically compared to before. Our department mostly handle cases like firefighting and now we are doing other tasks as well, such as landslides, humanitarian aid and handling harmful animals," he said.

One such initiative is the extension of recruit training to six months this year, which is three months longer than last year. The superintendent explained that there are now a number of extra lessons and skills that new recruits have to overcome before they are posted to their respective units.

Even when they have been posted to their units, they still have to undergo some training for their revisions, added the officer.

The department also sends their qualified personnel for overseas training, for example in Singapore, where they participate in various courses such as the Search and Rescue Course and Toxic Gas Explosion Control.

Chin Pok said that this was one of the department's steps to improve its services and operations as it represents a good opportunity for their personnel to participate in these courses. The superintendent added that a lot of branches of the department has already been established in Brunei and that they were expecting more branches to be established in the future.

"Our department is rapidly taking in new intakes to get sufficient personnel at each of our branches," he said, adding that this year, the department will take in recruits twice a year as opposed to only once a year last year.

He said that the academic qualifications for recruits has also been shifted to Form Three and above, adding that this move will increase and improve the department's academic capabilities.

"The new recruits are much younger and fit to fight," said the officer, explaining that young people have no problem in running and carrying heavy firefighting equipment.

Several equipments have also been improved in the department, including the road traffic accident equipment. He said that previously, Fire and Rescue personnel had to extract victims out of the car manually, but they can now save victims more efficiently with proper machines.

The Brunei Times


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http://www.bt.com.bn/en/en/home_ ... es_to_ensure_safety

holmes

Published on The Brunei Times (http://www.bt.com.bn/en)
4 local students to meet Nobel prize winners

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Friday, January 16, 2009

FOUR local students have been chosen to represent Brunei in the International Science Youth Forum (ISYF) in Singapore this month where they will have the opportunity to participate in dialogue sessions with Nobel laureates.

Yesterday saw the handing over of the national flag to the participants by Hj Abd Aji Hj Ishak, acting head of the Special Education Unit at the Ministry of Education. The students were chosen through a series of competitions and selected based on their high dedication and intellectual capabilities.

The four students are Nadzirah Hakeemah Zainal Ariffin, an Upper six student from Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College; Auzee Haziqah Hj Rosmadee, Form five student from Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College; Dk Rabiatul Adawiyah Pg Hj Masri, Upper six student from the Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College and Richie Chin Fook Ming, Upper six student from Sayyidina Ali Secondary School.

Jennie Wong, acting assistant director of the Special Education Unit said that the forum will be featuring dialogues with three Nobel laureates, Professors Osheroff (1996, Physics), Wuthrich (2002, Chemistry) and Legget (2003, Physics), with science students from schools in Asia.

She added that the forum aims to benefit students and educators in science by creating a high profile platform for science students to network with their counterparts as well as an avenue for dialogue and engagement with the Nobel laureates.

Jennie also mentioned that the forum has a three-fold purpose which is to inspire passion in science among youths, establish cooperation and friendship among young talented science students and build capacities of science educators.

She said: "This experience is intended to be a life changing one, if you open yourself to this privilege to access top expertise and cutting-edge knowledge thereby allowing yourself to develop abilities and talents and expand lifelong learning possibilities."

The educators who will be accompanying the students are Fazidah Dr Hj Hisham from the Berakas Sixth Form Centre and Edna Hj Osman from Rimba Secondary School.

During the event, Hj Abd Aji hoped that through participation in the forum, the students will bring success, gain valuable experience and knowledge that will enrich their respective skills.

The participants told The Brunei Times that they hope to learn different cultures, know more about the learning systems and exchange ideas among themselves during the forum.

They added that there will be a book circle session whereby each of them will play different roles such as the summariser, accessor or connector. Each of the participants felt honoured to be selected as they said it would be a golden opportunity for them to meet the Nobel laureates. They hoped that they will perform their best to keep up the good name of Brunei.

According to Mona from the Special Education Unit, the participants and educators will be in Singapore from January 17-24.

The event is organised by the Special Education Unit of the Ministry of Education and was held at the Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College yesterday. (NLR1) The Brunei Times

Source URL:
http://www.bt.com.bn/en/en/home_ ... nobel_prize_winners

holmes

All passengers safe in bizarre accident
By Hj Minor Absah & Syafiq Affendy            

Checking out one of the vehicles.

Tyres in the air on Jalan Gadong. - PHOTOS: HJ MINOR ABSAH

An unusual accident at the Gadong traffic lights had one passenger flung out of one vehicle's windscreenand survive with minor injuries.This mishap took place late last night involving a 4WD and a saloon vehicle, as reported by the police at thescene.
The force of the impact between the two vehicles was so great that the four-wheel-drive landed on its sideand had one of its passengers flung out. Amazingly, no serious injuries were reported. The driver andpassengers were taken to RIPAS Hospital.
According to the Police and Fire & Rescue personnel, a distress call was made at around 10.20pm, Friday.The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

holmes

Seria no longer a 'Ghost Town'
By Haji Abdul Latif Md Jair            

Customers buying fruits and vegetables at Seria Market. -                     PHOTOS: HAJI ABDUL LATIF MD JAIR
Taking a closer look at orchids.	Traditional cakes on sale.

Seria in the Belait District is famously known for its oil and gas and is situated 16km from Kuala Belait's citycentre.Not long ago, Seria was dubbed "Ghost Town".
Now, however, Seria has been given a dynamic face-lift with its organised and beautified roads.
One of the main attractions that can be found is the Tamu Seria, which situated in the Pasarneka Seria area.Tamu Seria, also known as Seria Market, is held every Friday from morning till dusk and Saturday morning.
A number of must-haves such as traditional cakes, local fruits, "kampong" vegetables, fresh fish and livechickens can be found when one goes to visit the market.
Also, at a different section of the market, gardening enthusiasts may find themselves surrounded by liveflowers, fruit seeds and flowerpots.

holmes

Kg Pandan C elects new village leader
By Liza Mohd            
              Awang Hj Affandy (right) receiving the official letter of appointment               from the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs. -               LIZA MOHDA village leader must be trustworthy and open-minded when dealing with the public, as this would lead tobetter exchange of ideas and suggestions.This observation was made by the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Dato PadukaAwang Serbini Ali, who was the chief guest at a special ceremony to welcome the new village head of KgPandan C, Awang Hj Affandy bin Awang Damat.
"As village head, Awang Hj Affandy is entrusted to lead, guide and oversee the village's current affairs andwelfare," the permanent secretary said, who added that it was imperative for village heads to ensure thatvillagers are encouraged to take part in any village activity.
In light of this, village programmes should take into account the needs of the majority and not just a smallgroup. The absence of a 'sense of ownership' or self-centeredness will result in any programme or initiativenot getting support or acknowledgement from members of the public, he said.
The permanent secretary also reminded village heads to follow the current developments of the nation andto boost their intellectual capacity by learning new skills that would aid them in performing their tasksdiligently.
With regards to this, he noted that various methods should be learnt particularly in the area of InformationTechnology, where the Ministry of Home Affairs and all district offices will soon double their efforts tointroduce the IT system at the Mukim and district level.
Awang Hj Affandy, 51, is a former Senior Education Officer at Jefri Bolkiah College of Engineering. KgPandan C has a population of around 7,500.

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ehemmm... sape punya bapa ni ekkk???

koling hakemmm...

hakeemm

shhh..hingarrrrr!

holmes

Two die in worst ever floods


Cars are seen partially submerged in floodwater. - JASON LEONG
By Azlan Othman

Cars are seen partially submerged in floodwater. - JASON LEONG
The heavy downpour that lasted more than four hours Tuesday night has claimed two lives, caused flash floods, landslides and left the power station in Gadong under three feet of water forcing power interruption in some parts of the Brunei/Muara and Tutong Districts leaving residents groping in the dark.
The capital came to a grinding halt with telephone lines down affecting even the police hotline.

The Kiarong underpass was also flooded in what has been described as the worst to hit the Brunei/Muara District in recent years. The downpour, which started at around 8.30pm, also caused traffic lights in areas like Gadong to blink.

In general, areas that have never experienced flash floods in the district were inundated with water leaving residents little time to salvage their belongings.

Regarding the two deaths, a police spokesperson said a 46-year-old Chinese woman died as she was trapped under the debris of mud and concrete when a landslide occurred at her house in Kg Lambak in Berakas while she was fast asleep.

The incident happened at around 10.45pm. Occupants of the house said they heard a loud bang from the bedroom at the back of the house. They tried to pull the deceased out of the room but failed.

In another mishap, a 19-year-old local woman on her way home from work was trapped in a drain with fast flowing floodwater in Kg Katok. The incident happened after midnight.

Her father fetched her from work and on the way home they realised their car could not pass through the flooded road and had to get down and walk to reach home, which is a kilometre away from the road.

Unfortunately, the woman skidded under the force of rapid flowing water and was trapped by the steel barrier.

The father tried to lift her in vain and two other men crossing the stretch also gave a helping hand but failed. She was pronounced dead at the RIPAS Hospital.

Meanwhile, the Department of Electrical Services (DES) said electrical equipment at the 66,000-volt main station in Gadong was submerged under water and power was interrupted at 11pm (Tuesday night).

They are trying to rectify the problem and are currently doing maintenance and restoration works. Areas affected by the power interruption include parts of the Brunei/Muara and Tutong Districts. The department has urged the users to get ready for any eventuality should the power interruption persist.

The police said their hotline 993 has been non-operational since yesterday and urged the public to use telephone lines 7123181-85 & 8687183-87 instead. The spokesperson said the communication system and hotline are down.

Ban areas in Kilanas, Lumapas, Kg Mata-Mata, Sengkurong, Gadong police station, Jangsak, Jln Tutong, Jerudong and Beribi were also submerged under water forcing the police to erect warning signs and block the road from traffic.

Along the Jerudong road near the cross-junction traffic light, the opposite lane on Tuesday night was used as an alternative for drivers to pass through. Police personnel were seen monitoring the traffic flow.

Also affected were barrack occupants near the Gadong power station. Cars had to be parked on higher ground. Meanwhile at Sungai Tampoi, the drainage system under construction overflowed unable to take the volume of floodwater.

Internet access and phone lines at several offices remain interrupted while many cars were seen abandoned in low-lying areas. Motorists heading for work yesterday were stuck in traffic as traffic lights were non-functional and landslides blocked roads in Tanjung Bunut, Tasek Meradun and Kilanas.

Drivers had to take alternative roads while many workers had to take a day off to clear mud and floodwater from their homes. Kg Putat and Kg Setia were also not spared from landslides.

Amal Umi Kalthum Religious School in Kg Mulaut was submerged under water forcing the suspension of morning and afternoon classes. Meanwhile, at a religious school in Jln Tutong, parents were not allowed to enter the road but instead asked to wait outside.

Speedboat operators to Temburong said the time to reach Bangar would take longer than the usual 45 minutes as they have to be cautious against fast river flow and logs drifting along the river.

The weather forecaster yesterday said some 145.8 mm of rainfall was recorded during the 24-hour period from 8am (Tuesday) to 8am (Wednesday) and more rainfall is expected in the days to come but not as heavy as the capital experienced Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, a police spokesperson advised motorists to stay away from flooded roads and urged parents to look after their children who may take advantage of the current wet spell to play or swim in floodwater. Pedestrians have also been cautioned to remain indoors unless there is a pressing need to go out. Those residing along the hillside have been advised to evacuate their houses to avoid any landslides.

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TAKZIAH kepada kedua2 keluarga mangsa banjir yg meninggal dunia ....

holmes

Floods knock out power and phone equipment

By James Kon

The Electrical Services Department said yesterday it was doing its best to fix the transformer damaged by floodwater which reached as high as three feet on Tuesday night.
The floodwater damaged Power Station Gadong 1, causing blackouts in a number of areas in Muara and Gadong as well as Bandar Seri Begawan, the department said.

The department urged the public to remain calm and be patient while its personnel repair the problem.

The department also apologised to the public for any inconvenience caused.

Meanwhile, TelBru said that the flash floods damaged its telephone equipment in Gadong.

TelBru personnel yesterday were fixing the problem and bringing in new equipment to replace the damaged ones.

Restoration will be done in stages. While services were restored to some of the affected areas, the problem persists in other locations.

TelBru urged the public to stay calm and be patient, saying that additional notifications will be released.

Members of the public, who encounter any problems, can contact the TelBru hotline 121 for further information.

holmes

Rain comes down hard on BSB residents

By Syafiq Affendy



The inaccessible underpass near Jame 'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah. - ARJUNA


Workers removing waterlogged goods from a shop. - JASON LEONG


A car moves through flood water in Kg Mulaut. - H BAT


Furniture dried out in the sun. - SYAFIQ AFFENDY


Kg Mata Mata residents cleaning up after the flash flood. - SYAFIQ AFFENDY


A heavy vehicle removes debris deposited along Jalan Tutong road. - H BAT


Members of the public push a stalled vehicle to make way for the rescue team. - ARJUNA

The relentless downpour over the last few nights has brought misery to many families here, leaving houses inundated with water and home appliances damaged.
For the residents of Simpang 74-41-13-20 in Kg Mata-Mata, it was no different. The continuous downpour on Tuesday night resulted in flash floods wreaking havoc in the area.

"The flash flood isn't usually this bad. Our high steps would usually ensure the water stays outside, however, this time it was different. And it so happened that the whole family was not in the house," said Sharom, a civil servant who has been residing there for 10 years.

"The water was able to enter our home and it has now left us with a muddy mess. Our furniture is ruined and I am unsure if the electrical appliances are still functional," he added.

For Malaysian national Rosli Che Aman, it was a struggle to even get back home. The Royal Brunei Catering personnel said he was on his way home from work at around 10.30 pm when he discovered that the route home had turned into a 'river of fast-flowing water.'

"I had to sit on the roof of a neighbour's car parked at a higher area until two in the morning because the current was just too strong for me to go against," he said.

"Because my home is located on a level that is lower than others, the flood waters actually reached my chest. My home theatre, newly purchased air-conditioner and refrigerator, all of which are kept downstairs, are now no longer in working order," Rosli lamented.

His two cars - a 4WD and newly purchased saloon vehicle - were not spared either, despite his neighbour's efforts to remove the vehicles.

"Being hit by a flood like this once is more than enough. We are now looking for other housing areas to avoid the loss of our personal belongings again," Rosli said in frustration.

holmes

Flash flood hits low-lying areas

By Rohani Hj Abd Hamid


Marzuki's JKR flat was hit by the rising water. - ROHANI HJ ABD HAMID


Car abandoned at Jalan Babu Raja 2. - ARJUNA


A house hit by flood. - ROHANI HJ ABD HAMID


National Army personnel push a car that was trapped in water near Nursing College. - ARJUNA

The heavy downpour and gusty winds Tuesday night saw every low-lying area in the country affected by flash floods.
The rising water level engulfed the houses also destroyed the residents' belongings and cut off power supply in some parts of the district.

This caused difficulty for personnel from the Fire and Rescue Department and the Armed Forces to get to the affected area.

One of the worst affected areas was the JKR Flat in Beribi where the water level rose almost five feet. According to Marzuki Anak Gayau, the heavy downpour began around 9.30pm Tuesday night and within a few minutes, the water level rose rather quickly, threatening their lives.

"Due to the flash flood, everything in my house is damaged. Our television, refrigerator, children's schoolbooks, clothes and computer and even our car were submerged under water.

"This is the first time that our family has been seriously affected by the flash flood. I hope the relevant authorities could provide us assistance," he said.

He added, "Actually we endure this situation every time there is a heavy downpour but not as worse as it was this time. I have already applied for new accommodation but till now there is no news.

"What saddens me actually is the rescue personnel couldn't come in time. That's why all my belongings were damaged.

"However, I thank the Building Maintenance 9 from JKR and Water Works Department for voluntarily lending a hand to clear off all the debris and clean up roads and help me to put my belongings back into the house," he said.

Government offices were also affected yesterday due as power supply was disrupte. Officers and staff of affected ministries had to do some morning exercise of climbing up the stairs, some as high as eight levels.

One of the officers who did not want to be named said, "We have to work in the dark and of course it was not very comfortable. We did what could be done, for example filing, paper cutting, writing notes, etc. Work that requires computers had to be put on hold until the power line is fixed."

Police personnel were also busy assisting road users at the traffic lights that were not functioning. One of the motorists said, "We need to be cautious when approaching non-functioning traffic lights because they might cause accidents if other road users are not patient."