RBA engineer dies in accident

A ROYAL BRUNEI AIRLINES (RBA) engineer, Lim Soon Lee, 49, died in an accident on the airlines' engineering premises yesterday, according to a RBA press release. Ray Sayer, CEO of RBA, in his condolence message said: "All of us at RBA are deeply shocked and saddened over Lim's death today. He will be missed by all of us. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Chua Kong Ai and family," the release added.

Brunei win four more gold medals at BIMP-Eaga Games

BRUNEI DARUSSALAM added four more gold medals to their tally in the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga) Friendship Games yesterday.

After two days of competition the hosts have amassed six gold medals a good improvement after taking home only one gold, 11 silver and eight bronze medals from the fifth edition of the Games in Makassar, Indonesia, two years ago.

"I am totally shocked and what has unfolded is beyond my expectations," the deputy director of the Department of Youth and Sports, Pg Sabri Pg Hj Mohammad, said yesterday.

"The good results came from the good preparations and excellent coordination between the coaches and athletes," he said.

One of Brunei's gold medals came from Aliff Hj Ali, who won the men's 50-metre breaststroke with a new national record of 32.88 seconds. Second place went to Awang Pan Paderewski of Sabah (33.10s) and third place went to Mamma Hasril of South Sulawesi (33.26s).

"I was nervous and felt a lot of pressure," said Aliff. "I trained six times a week for the past three months and it has paid off," he added.

Mohd Faisal Ahad of Brunei 'A' took gold in the men's 200m sprint with a time of 21.94 seconds. The silver medal went to Mohd Abdul Hazim Yunsi, also of Brunei 'A', with a time of 22.62s and bronze went to Andi Alamsyah of South Sulawesi.

Brunei 'A' took another gold from track and field yesterday when their women's team Florence Loh, Maziah Mahusin, Nur Afiqah Hj Rozaini and Siti Fatimah Yusoh won the 4x100m relay in 53.15 seconds. Second place went to Palawan in 53.53s and Sabah were third in 54.2s.

Haazim Abdul Hadzid won his second gold medal at the Games yesterday taking the 1m synchronised diving title with partner Abdul Afi Hj Ali. Second place went to Brunei 'B' divers Muhammad Naiem Shafiee and Muhammad Abdul Hafiz Salleh and third place went to Jolden Jabillin and Ag Sharuddin Manis of Sabah.

Plan to reduce road mishaps by 40% in two years

WITH road safety campaigns 2005-2010, covering the enforcement and legislation of regulation and law of education and engineering in place, road safety issues in Brunei can be focused and handled in an efficient and systematic way.

These could bring about positive affects in reducing the rate of road accidents in the country to 40 per cent by 2010, in line with the road safety council vision.

This was stated yesterday by the chairman of Road safety Council, Hj Alaihuddin Pehin Orang Kaya Digadong Seri Lela Dato Seri Utama Hj Md Taha, at a ceremony in connection with 'World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims' at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Berakas.

Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna was present on the occasion in her capacity as the Royal Patron of the Brunei Darussalam Road Safety Council.

In his speech, Hj Alaihuddin said that one the objective of the event were to create awareness about the importance of road safety.

Hj Alaihuddin, who is also the permanent secretary of Ministry of Communications said that in addition to the council members' working visits to accident prone areas, the Road Safety Council had lined up several activities for the world road safety day, which included mass Maghrib and Isyak prayers, recital of surah Yassin and doa selamat at main mosques throughout the nation.

The event also saw the presentation of uniforms to representative of school crossing patrols from twelve schools in the country.

The ceremony featured a talk entitled " Remembering death and road traffic victims according to the perspective of Islam", delivered by Hj Mail Hj Besar, an officer from the Islamic Da'wah Centre.

Her Royal Highness then went on a tour of the exhibitions, which featured several government enforcement agencies related to road safety.

Participants get tourism briefing

BIMP-EAGA Youth Exchange Programme participants were introduced with Kenali Negara Kitani (Get to know your country) campaign in a tourism briefing conducted by Tourism Development Department, Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources at Youth Centre yesterday.

In the briefing which were facilitated by Tourism Officer Affandi Hj Alias and Project Manager Noriada Emelda Abdullah the participants were presented a number of interesting places and activities offered in Brunei Darussalam. Among the attractions were Taman Negara Ulu Temburong, jungle trekking and a Proboscis monkey tour among others.

The participants were also briefed on the the department's background, objective and target market to further enhance their understanding on Brunei tourism industry.

The activity yesterday was part of the highlights during the youths' eight-day stay in Brunei Darussalam. The programme is an extension of the Sixth Bimp-Eaga Friendly Games 2008, that will take place from Nov. 28 through Nov. 30.

According to the working committee secretary Hjh Noor Masliana Hj Sulaiman, Brunei is the first country to host such program. "Seeing that the networking is crucial for Bimp-Eaga success, a lot of activities have been lined up to facilitate exchange of ideas, cooperation and coordination among the youths."

Organised by the Youth and Sports Department under the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports the event was officiated by the ministry's Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary Hj Mohammad Hj Abd Rahman in the opening ceremony at the same vicinity yesterday.

Crime scene course concludes

THE Basic Crime Scene Course for personnel of the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) ended yesterday with certificates presentation to the participants.

The course 15 participants, including two policewomen from all the four districts were presented with the certificates by the guest of honour, RBPF Director of Criminal Investigation, ecActing ACP Matamit Hj Kanak.

During the two-week course participants were given lessons on various subjects such as photography, fingerprints investigation and forensic module. They also conducted field trainings which were facilitated by instructors from the Crime Scene Unit.

On finger scanning, the participants were taught on the applications of various methods such as by using powders, chemicals and scanner. They were also trained on how to handle forensic evidence and crime scene area systematically.

In the photography module, were trained on the parts of camera, photography techniques and preparing picture file.

In his remarks, Inspector Faisal Hj Lamat, Officer in charge of Crime Scene Unit CID emphasised the need for the participants to make good use of the knowledge and put into practice in their unit or to their given tasks.

He added that an efficient investigation started with an efficient communication between the crime scene officer and the investigating officer.

One of the participants, Gudin Sunggoh said the course had given him the opportunity to learn more about how to take pictures of a crime scene finger prints sample efficiently and in orderly manner.

Lance Corporal Hadafi Hidup who was selected as the best student in photography said that he was determined to improve his skills further from the course.

Meanwhile, Police Constable Mohd Yussaini bin Hj Said, who was the best student in fingerprint said he was gladto be chosen to attend the course and proud to be one of the best students. He expressed the hope that there would be more similar courses being held in the near future asthey were beneficial to them.

The main objective of the course was to standardise the handling of fingerprints and photography by police personnel in the country.

A slideshow of the participants' activities during the course was also presented yesterday. (BPA1)

'Equip students to cope with SPN21 changes'

BERAKAS Secondary School's heads of department and staff have been advised to embrace change in order to ensure that students gain valuable skills and well-equipped to face the challenges posed by the soon-to-be implemented National Education System for the 21st century (SPN 21).

Speaking to over 40 members of staff representing the school's 15 departments, Principal Hj Ismail Hj Zainal acknowledged that change was not something that one could easily accepted, especially by those who were already feel at ease within their own comfort zones.

He dared administrators, heads of departments and assistants attending the Heads of Department (HoD) Seminar-Workshop to not only think out of the box but also to follow it up with appropriate actions.

He said heads of department, as leaders of the 21st century, were required to be knowledgeable, adaptive, innovative and able to learn independently.

All the teachers should be empowered, inspired and motivated in the hope that those attributes would then be passed on to their students, the principal added.

He also touched on the constant cycle of learning and changing, prompting those present to consider transforming learning, moving from quantity to quality.

Hj Ismail advised teachers not to rush to finish their syllabus just for the sake of it, but rather teaching to impart knowledge to the students.

He however acknowledged that there were individuals who went on to touch hearts and engage minds even at the cost of spending their own money to buy materials.

The seminar and workshop was run by the school's Research, Evaluation and Development (Red) Office, featuring the launching of a handbook for present and future heads of departments.

Head of Red Office, Masnonah Hj Abdul Aziz shared her personal experience as a head of department who was appointed by the principal but given very little to no direction nor training despite carrying the heavy burden of responsibility on her shoulders.

The school administration, through the Red Office, prepared the handbook to help heads of department better understand their roles in managing their respective departments and leading them towards achieving teaching and learning excellence with its six modules The role of HoD; Management as an Art; Administration: a Translation; Supervision and Evaluation; Data, Reports and Documentation; and The HoD: an Overview.

In addition, to giving the heads of departments the basic tools to perform their tasks, the principal also offered valuable advice taken from his own experience.

From one leader to many others, Hj Ismail said that leaders were expected to possess insight and foresight, be capable of both leading and managing, effectively communicate and work well with others as a team.

Social stigma prevents early detection of breast cancer

MORE than 60 per cent of breast cancer patients only seeks medical treatment after reaching Stage III due to fear, shame, lack of social support and ignorance on breast self examination, among others.

This was said by a senior medical officer from the Oncology Section of the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha (Ripas) hospital, Dr Teo Lee Na, in a lecture titled "Breast Cancer in Brunei Darussalam".

"At this stage they only have around 46 per cent survival rate and if untreated sufferer will end up having only 16 per cent survival rate in Stage IV," she said.

"At the final stage it might be too late as the tumour will invade the bones, liver, lymph nodes and other parts of the patient's body."

The officer urged women to perform breast self-examination so that they are aware of the physical appearance of their own breasts. "This examination is crucial for early detection because many women will at least have one breast lump in their lifetime."

But, she added, it doesn't mean it's cancerous as 80 per cent of breast lumps are usually non-cancerous.

"A change in breast size and shape, nipple discharge, changes in their skin texture among others should be notified to the doctors as soon as possible. Since breast cancer after lung cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women, therefore, there is a need to increase public awareness on the disease."

She said women should start breast self examination as early as 18 years of age.

In the lecture, Dr Teo Lee Na informed that the cause of breast cancer is still unknown. "Even though one does not possess the risk factor it will not promise they will not incur this disease as in Brunei itself 50 per cent of breast cancer patients do not initially possess risk factor."

Risk factor includes age and sex, hereditary, and physical activities, among others, which increase the probability of one incurring the disease, for instance, women is 100 times more susceptible to the disease than male. "Though it does not mean men will never incur the disease as currently in Brunei itself five men have been diagnosed with it."

The talk was attended by 177 people from government, private and non-governmental associations like Fire Rescue Department personnel, Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College students to name a few.

Held with the purpose of increasing women's awareness on breast cancer and to improve their quality of health, the seminar was part of the activities lined up in celebrating the opening of the Health Promotion Centre.

According to the centre's Health Education Officer Pg Anwar Pg Hj Rambli, a final seminar on environmental health will be held on November 29, 2008.

Telling stories to encourage reading

VOLUNTEER storytellers from Duli Pg Muda Al-Muhtadee Billah College yesterday captivated theiryoung audience as they brought their Reading Outreach Programme to pupils of Kiarong Primary School.

Actively gesturing and mimicking animal sounds, the 10 Lower Six students packed their love for reading to share, in the hopes of promoting a better reading culture in the younger generation.

Observing that children nowadays do not read enough, 17-year-old Heng Huat shared that most of them spend most of their time on computers and playing video games that "there is not much love left for reading".

He pointed out that it is important that books are introduced to them from a young age. However, he noted that the price of books and the image of thick volumes may be contributing factors that discourage parents from buying books for their children.

Shirley Lim, 18, understood clearly the dilemma children have when it comes to reading books.

She admitted that she reads to study and improve her English but finds reading for pleasure a difficult concept to grasp.

She told The Brunei Times that personally, she does not like words and prefers colours and pictures.

Quite accustomed to reading to her younger cousins, 17-year-old Anisah Sakinah Hj Mohd Don was a hit with the Primary 2 children who roared like lions at her request as she read out a story of how an alley cat made friends with a zoo lion.

She said that she has always wanted to be a primary school teacher so the experience would help her learn to communicate with children.

A firm advocate of the programme, she said that parents should make reading to their children a habit so that they will improve their language skills and grow to learn reading. They should also push and encourage the activity, buying them books rather than toys.

It was Anisah Sakinah's second time reading to primary school pupils. The first was at Mabohai Primary School.

She admitted that it was nerve-wrecking but the thought of being a future parent handling her own children made the experience exciting for her.

Their General Paper teacher, Breda O'Hara-Davies pointed out that the primary school children would not just benefit from the reading alone but they would also be able to look up to the volunteers as role models.

She said that since the programme began in 2006, response from the students involved have been very positive.

She added that the programme would also help with their holistic development as communication skills and personality are now growing assets in a job-seeker

Order to expand and strengthen Islamic banking and takaful

Focus will be on captive insurance, re-insurance centre takaful & re-takaful

BY THE consent of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the Ministry of Finance recently introduced the Islamic Banking Order 2008, aimed at expanding the Islamic banking sector in Brunei at the same time increasing the competitiveness among players by creating a level playing field as well as strengthening the supervision and regulation of Islamic banking activities.

This was announced by Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdul Rahman Hj Ibrahim, Minister of Finance II, during his keynote address for the Sixth Brunei Roundtable held at the Empire Hotel and Country Club, yesterday.

"This new legislation also aims to attract foreign participants to strengthen the industry as a whole and to nurture local knowledge and expertise," he said.

Additionally, in September 2008, the minister said that His Majesty had given his consent to the new Takaful Order 2008.

The Order is a new comprehensive legislation to govern the activities of the domestic takaful industry and provide the legal platform for a level playing field between conventional insurers and takaful operators.

Under auspices of the Brunei International Financial Centre (BIFC) the focus will be on three categories of insurance namely: captive insurance, re-insurance centre and takaful and re-takaful.

The financial crisis has highlighted some of the irrationalities and the follies of our past action, the minister said.

The minister said the reason why Islamic Finance has been less affected by the current global meltdown is that it is based on the philosophy of upholding of ethics and integrity in all its business dealings.

According to Standard and Poor's, more than US$5.6 trillion ($8.4 trillion) has been wiped out of Syariah-compliant equities worldwide during the third quarter of 2008, indicating that the Islamic finance as it is currently practised is not so straightforward as it should have been, said the minister.

"I am absolutely confident that as practical Islamic finance progresses and improves, it would only be a matter of time before it will be able to fulfil the expectation and prove the perception, that it is a less risky alternative to conventional finance," he said.

The minister said although the domestic insurance industry is small, it is an integral part of the financial system which underwent reforms with the introduction of the Insurance Order, 2006.

As of 2007 insurance takaful assets stood at $1 billion with gross premiums of $175 million. Thee three local takaful operators command approximately one-third share of the country's overall gross premiums, he said.

"With the introduction of the Order, insurance companies had to be better capitalised, well structured and properly governed to remain operational in the Brunei market," said the minister.

As a result of the Order, only 10 out of the 18 then existing conventional insurers were awarded licences continue operations in Brunei, of which seven were non-life insurers and three were life insurers, he added.

Wider broadband wireless access soon

A HIGH-SPEED digital communications system capable of providing broadband wireless access (BWA) up to 50km could be commercially available in the sultanate as early as by the end of next year, depending on which technology future operators adopt.

Brunei's regulatory body and authority for the info-communications technology industry (AiTi) is currently evaluating an undisclosed number of bids it received when a tender process closed last Friday and will be licensing successful applicants to provide a nationwide high-speed BWA system soon, said Tina Lim-Keasberry, the senior manager of AiTi's legal unit.

A relatively new system making its way to the fore, called Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), is one of the possible technologies that may be considered for implementation by potential operators, she said.

WiMAX has the potential to do to broadband Internet access what cell phones have done to phone access, by providing broad coverage like a cell phone network instead of small WiFi hotspots. It also outdistances the WiFi/802.11 wireless local area network standard by miles while WiFi's range is about 30 m, WiMAX will blanket a radius of 15km or 50km, depending on the type of stations used (fixed or mobile).

In practical terms, WiMAX would operate similar to WiFi but at higher speeds (up to 30 to 70 megabits per second), over greater distances and for a greater number of users. It could potentially erase the suburban and rural "blackout areas" that currently have no broadband Internet access because phone and cable companies have not yet run the necessary wires to those remote locations.

The use of WiMAX in the sultanate may well present a boon to Brunei's e-government drive of which a five-year master plan, currently being finalised, is set for commencement next year.

"Whether the e-government will utilize the infrastructure later on, its up to the Prime Minister's Office to decide," said Tina.

The anticipated $797 million high-bandwidth submarine cable system linking Southeast Asia and North America, dubbed the Asia-America Gateway (AAG), will be needed to ensure the WiMAX system is able to provide high-speed connectivity with the rest of the world as current networks linking Brunei to the region and beyond have its limitations, said Norshahrul Nizam Othman, AiTi's manager for infrastructure and technology development.

The AAG project is expected for completion by mid-next year.

A week-long WiMAX showcase was launched yesterday attended by tertiary and secondary school students at the AiTi headquarters in Anggerek Desa, where a makeshift WiMAX station was set up within the building to showcase existing digital applications available in South Korea such as e-health, citizen registration and online gaming over WiMAX.

The public can view the showcase from Monday to Friday between 2.30pm to 4.30pm until December 10.

Leading South Korean IT company Posdata provided the necessary equipments to allow the demonstration of WiMAX capabilites and showcased some of its WiMAX-related products, including the 'FLYVO USB Modem U100', a device which functions and looks similar to existing ones sold by DST and B.Mobile.

According to a report by Telecoms Korea, an online English news channel that reports mobile and broadband market news, the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) recently sent a delegation to the Ministry of Communications to support Korean equipment manufacturers and operators so they can participate in Mobile WiMAX service and broadband internet projects in Brunei.

South Korea and Brunei signed an MoU two years ago for the cooperation in broadcast and telecommunications.

Accordingly, Brunei requested human exchanges; information for frequency management; and cooperation in wireless broadband and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), the report said. In response, the KCC promised to make sure that Korean broadcast and telecom companies with valuable experience and know-how in information technology will contribute to the establishment of a thriving information society in Brunei.

Brunei finance sector unaffected

BRUNEI'S financial sector has managed to remain largely untouched by the current market turmoil due to the strong regulatory and supervisory framework that is in place which among others emphasise on increasing capital adequacy on liquidity requirements and enhancing risk management.

"It is reassuring too that so far, our financial system remains stable and robust; and our banks and financial institution remain well capitalised and resilient," said Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdul Rahman Hj Ibrahim, Minister of Finance II in his keynote address, yesterday.

Although, he added, the government through the Ministry of Finance recently joined other countries in the region to guarantee bank deposits within the country, the action taken were part of a precautionary measure.

"Nonetheless, we should not be complacent. In fact if anything, the current crisis should awaken us to the importance of ensuring continous effective governance, risk management and the upgrading of market skills and capabilities by all the market actors to ensure the healthy functioning of our financial system," the minister said.

This current crisis, he said, had clearly demonstrated the critical importance for market players and regulators alike, to have a comprehensive and effective grasp of the inherent risk especially in new and complex structure products, such as colateralised debt obligations (CDOs) and structured investment vehicles (SIVs) if the product were to be featured in Brunei's financial market.

"The ever changing and evolving financial market, and the growing complexities of innovative financial products have given rise to the mispricing of risks making it particularly more difficult to fully manage all the underlying risks in a structured product," adding that,"we fail to understand them at our own peril".

The minister also called for greater transparency on financial reporting such as on the disclosure a financial institution's on-and-off balance sheet risk exposures, in light of the deterioration of market confidence and a lower tolerance risk.

Corporate governance practices were also needed to be strengthened, in which the minister had called for board of directors from financial institutions to be able and capable to understand about financial and risk management well.

"The board members should also remind themselves of their fiduciary duty not just to facilitate the management of the company but also to conduct proper evaluation of the company's business and to ensure its business health and longevity by properly taking on board the interests of its various stakeholders," he said. (SHS1)

Drifting Challenge postponed to November 30

THE postponement of the Drifting Challenge yesterday did not dampen the spirits of the remote car control enthusiasts, instead they took the time to hone their skills for the competition which will take place next Sunday, November 30, at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas.

The Drifting Challenge organised by Guan Hock Lee has been postponed due to some technical difficulties and will see more than 30 participants taking part in the eagerly awaited tournament.

Edwin Sim, who is in charge of the Remote Car Control at Guan Hock Lee, said that the tournament will be split into three categories namely Head-to-Head Race, Best Body Shell and Drift Battle.

The first category will require two competitors to compete to reach the fastest timing in one lap while the second category will look into the creative designs and style of their car shell.

The last category will observe the smoothness of the participant's drifting control of their cars in five minutes for each lap.

Sim added that the objective of the tournament is to promote the sports to the public and how it is a much cheaper form of sports compared to drifting a real car.

In an interview with one of the participants, Md Ira Fakhrul Rahim, 20, he said that he has been playing remote control cars since he was a kid. He learned the game three years ago and hopes to win the tournament next week.

Participation of the tournament is still opened and forms can be collected at the Guan Hock Lee shop at Jln Tungku. Members of the public are invited to attend the tournament next week. . (BPA1)

Electric family outing

MORE than 1,000 officers and staff of the Department of Electrical Services (DES) braved the scorching heat yesterday to participate in the "Electric Family Outing" held specially at the department's premises located at Old Airport Road in Berakas.According to the Public Relations Officer, Mohammad Abdullah, the annual event was organised to strengthen and foster the relationships between the staff and their families from all over the country.

He said DES branches from the other districts also helped by contributing food and organised games to make the day's event more exciting and fun for everyone.

Various activities were line up for the event, which started from 7.30 am, which included karaoke for adults and fun games like soccer shoot outs, mini golf and scooter rides for the children. Lucky draws are also held throughout the day with fabulous prizes including a vacuum cleaner, an oven and a television set. The occasion, provided an opportunity for all the staff and all their family members to converge together, since not all employees work in the same district.

The fun and games were however was preceded by the handing over of commemorative plaques to acknowledge the services of the retirees.

Thanking the DES on behalf of the retirees was Hj Ismail Putih, former deputy director of DES.

Gracing the event as the guest of honour was the the Director of DES, Hj Osman Hj Tamin.

Junidi Hj Japar, Chief of DES Belait Branch said that the event was great fun for both the adults and kids especially, as it gave them the opportunity to meet and mingle with their counterparts from the from the other three Districts.

He added that such events were also helpful in developing a sense of teamwork.

"The games are played in groups which require teamwork in the preparation and organisation, as well as training as a team," he added.

He also sincerely expressed hopes events such as these would be held more often and despite the hot weather, everyone seemed to have great fun. (MJH1 & JNB1)

Sharp shooting military cadets

FOLLOWING the success of organising the Armed Forces Skill at Arms Meet (Afsam) in June of 2008, where the Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF) teams were then declared champions and swiped home every major trophy that needed to be won and hosting another renowned international arms tournament, The Brunei International Skill At Arms Meet (BISAM) which was held in the capital last month, the Ministry of Defence once again to a giant leap by hosting another Skill At Arms Meet for the military cadets in the sultanate.

Some 21 skilled military cadets platoons from colleges and secondary schools from all over the country too part in the competition which began on 21 of November and held at the Berakas Camp Shooting Range.

The event was conducted annually by the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Military Cadet which is aimed at testing the participants' shooting precision as well as practical applications of their weapons studies. A total of five events were competed.

The event is also organised in the hope of fostering closer relations among the participating members and establishing a platform for young cadets in their military studies. The need for mutual convergence with regards to defence is indeed crucial for the Asean region to combat regional uncertainties.

It is aimed at providing ample growth and development opportunities in seeking new talents and to promote professional level marksmanship among the cadets. This naturally instill discipline in the younger generation.

Present to open the competition was officiated by Special Duties Officer of the Commander of RBAFcolonel (U) Pg Hj Kamal Bashah Pg Hj Ahmad.The opening ceremony began with an introduction of the guest of honour to the respective heads of participating platoons and a total of five events were competed and was opened to students and supervising teachers. (SRH1)

HM glad all will battle crisis

HIS Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam in his titah expressed satisfaction that everyone is on board to help mitigate the effect of the global financial crisis on the real economy.

His Majesty delivered the titah during the 16th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Leaders' meeting at the Leaders' First Retreat held on November 22 at the Ministry of Defence Convention Centre in Lima, Republic of Peru.

His Majesty also reiterated the importance of faster recovery by bringing back the confidence of the people through efforts that is global in scale and by reaching an agreement in the Doha round of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Upon arrival at the Ministry of Defence, His Majesty together with another 21 Apec leaders was greeted by the President Alan Garcia Perez of the Republic of Peru-cum-chairman of Apec 2008.

According to a report by RTB last night, during the first retreat session, His Majesty together with the other Apec economic leaders focused on the world economic slump with the commitment to respond swiftly to the distressed financial institutions, strengthen capital markets and to broaden and diversify the investor base.

The discussion also featured other topics such as the Food and Energy Security which were also discussed by His Majesty and another 20 Apec Leaders during the Retreat session.

This event was also followed by a Dialogue with Apec Business Advisory Council (Abac) in which His Majesty and other Apec Leaders were in attendance.

Abac was created by the Apec economic leaders to provide advice on business sector priorities and to respond to the various Apec requests for information on business-related issues or provide the business perspective on specific areas of cooperation.

The monarch together with the other leaders attended dialogue sessions with the members of Abac in which they exchanged views on current international issues such as the WTO and Doha trade negotiations and various strategic plans to tackle the current world economic crisis.

This year's theme for Abac, "Mind The Gap: Making Globalisation An Opportunity For All" will identify measures to transform growth of the Apec region into a lasting development and spread the benefits of globalisation more widely between and within the Apec economies to achieve trade and investment liberalisation, facilitating business and capacity building for sustainable growth and development.

His Majesty also exchanged talks with the President of Colombia, Alvaro Uribe, at a hotel in the Republic of Peru.

During the talks, President Alvaro Uribe informed His Majesty of Colombia's interest in joining Apec as well as the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement.

His Majesty welcomed the Colombian interest, simultaneously noting that their participation would help enhance closer economic ties in the Asia-Pacific. Also present at the talks was Minister of Foreign Affairs Two, Pehin Dato Lim Jock Seng.

Diplomatic relations between Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of Colombia have been in force since 1992.

Later in the evening, His Majesty and the other leaders attended the Official Leaders' Dinner at the Banquet Hall of the Ministry of Defence hosted by President Alan Garcia Perez of the Republic of Peru.

The objectives of the Apec summit are to build dynamism of the Asia-Pacific community through economic growth and cooperation, capacity building and equitable development to strengthen the multi-lateral trading system among those participating in the WTO process.

By 2010, it is hoped that there would be an achievement of free and open trade in the Asia-Pacific region.

Apec has 21 member economies which account for more than a third of the world's population with over 50 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). (SHS1 & SHR1)

Tourist guides accredited internationally

IN a move to improve the quality of local tourist guides to an international standard, Brunei Tourism organised the nation's first World Federation Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA) training courses.

The training which started from November 3 until November 27 was conducted by Iris Barry and Mary Kemp Clarke, World Trainers under the WFTGA.

The 'Hands On Tourist Guiding Course' saw the participation of 20 tourist guides enrolled in the course. Those who passed the examination were awarded with badges indicating that they are on par with the international standard of WFTGA, said Clarke in an interview with The Brunei Times.

She said that she has no means of knowing how many of the tourist guides (students) will pass the examination as the exam was moderated by the WFTGA.

She added that a further 20 tourist guides in the second intake of training would be completing their training on Thursday, where they will be sitting through their examinations. She expressed her hope that a majority of them would pass their examinations.

"What we are trying to create is the standard where people could expect good professional communication and guiding skills to visitors the world over," she said.

"The World Federation believes that tourist guides are ambassadors and they are the people who would market a place," she said, emphasising on the importance of having local information and knowledge.

" We come here to train them in terms of communication skills, observations, understanding and raising cultural awareness, understanding about the need for rapport and ensuring the well-being of the tourist", she said.

She explained that for the practical test, they chose a walk around the capital, in addition to touring the Brunei Museum. Clarke added that they have to perform well during a bus tour which took about one and a half hour. The site visit test could be of three locations, namely a mosque, museum or gallery.

The Brunei Times asked the WFTGA world trainer on her opinion of the standard of Brunei tourist guides. She remarked that Brunei tourist guides 'are looking pretty good'.

"We expect the tourist guides to sit down when they are in a moving vehicle (but) in many parts of the world, guides like to stand up."

She said that remaining seated in a moving vehicle was important for the safety of both the tourist guide and the tourists.

She said that most tourists coming into the country develop a relationship with their tourist guides, regardless if the visit was only for a few hours or a few days.

"The tourist guides may be the only local people that the tourist may come to know," she said, adding that tourist guides were crucial in the interaction between people and the local community.

Thus, Clarke stressed the importance of having a trained professional, with good communication skills and can double up as an interpreter.

In light of the current economic crisis, she said "money is short all over the world, people may not want to travel to Europe, so Brunei is an ideal destination". She added Brunei was a place where one would not have to travel far within the country to enjoy themselves.

When asked for a tourist guide's opinion of the country's eco-tourism industry, Clarke replied that the eco-tourism in Brunei was ideal.

"The idea of not putting Proboscis monkeys inside a zoo is wonderful," she said.

She remarked that tourists wanted to see the animals and nature in their natural state, adding that the days of the zoo and safari parks are finishing.

She lauded Brunei for its efforts in preserving primary rainforest. She recalled that in other places, one would have to travel days upriver to get to the rainforest.

Brunei should be proud of its rainforest and therefore it is important to protect them, she said.

Another intriguing aspect of Brunei lie in its official religion, Islam which she described as 'gentle'. People from all over the world were welcome into places where they were able to learn about other cultures.

With interconnection flights originating from all parts of the world, she said Brunei was in a position to start inviting people in.

The world trainer suggested that Brunei could develop Spa tourism as a form of relaxation that would develop a niche.

New strain of Ebola virus discovered

SCIENTISTS said yesterday an outbreak of Ebola that killed 37 people in Uganda last year was sparked by a hitherto unknown species of one of the world's most notorious viruses.

The strain provisionally named Bundibugyo ebolavirus after the district where the outbreak occurred joins four other known species of the pathogen, they said.

More than one in three of patients infected with Bundibugyo died, according to their study, appearing in the US journal PLoS Pathogens, published online by the open-access Public Library of Science (PLoS).

Ebola and the Marburg virus are the two main categories of so-called filovirus which causes haemorrhagic fever (VHF), a disease dubbed a "slate-wiper" for its extreme lethality.

The early signs of VHF are usually a high temperature, exhaustion, dizziness, watery diarrhoea and muscle ache. These symptoms are often mistaken for other fevers, such as flu or yellow fever, because VHF is rare.

As the virus spreads, the feverish patient often starts to bleed under the skin and in severe cases, from the mouth, ears and eyes.

Blood loss, shock and organ failure lead to coma and delirium and, in many cases, to death, within three to seven days after onset of symptoms.

Ebola first came to light in 1976 in Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and is named after the Ebola river with which this outbreak is associated.

Approximately 1,850 cases with over 1,200 deaths have been documented since the virus was discovered, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The deadliest strain, Zaire ebolavirus, inflicts a death rate of 80-90 per cent, followed by Sudan ebolavirus, with a mortality of 50-55 per cent.

The least harmful are the Cote d'Ivoire ebolavirus, which was discovered in the Ivory Coast in 1994 and so far has caused only a single, non-fatal case of VHF; and the Reston ebolavirus, identified at a US research facility in 1989, which spread from imported lab monkeys to at least four people, none of whom fell sick.

The newly-discovered species came to light after VHF erupted in the townships of Bundibugyo and Kikyo in November 2007, says the study, authored by US and Ugandan doctors. The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tested 29 blood samples, which were negative to high-sensitivity tests tailored to the three known strains of Ebola virus. AFP

Madonna granted 'quickie' divorce

US pop star Madonna and Guy Ritchie ended eight years of marriage in a few minutes yesterday when a British court granted them a "quickie" divorce.

Neither Madonna, 50, nor British film director Ritchie, 40, were in court for the hearing, according to the Press Association. It was listed on Thursday under the names Ciccone M L v Ritchie G S.

A sworn statement released by the court showed Madonna petitioned for divorce on the grounds of Ritchie's unreasonable behaviour and she said the behaviour was continuing.

In another court document, district judge Philip Waller said he was happy the court did not need to exercise its powers under the Children Act nor give directions under the Matrimonial Causes Act.

Family lawyers said the document did not necessarily mean the terms of the divorce had been finalised, just that the court was happy with arrangements as they stood now.

The couple announced the split last month, nearly eight years after their fairy tale wedding at Skibo Castle in Scotland.

SPN21 will introduce new assessment procedure

THE Minister of Education is urging school leaders to be more innovative and resourceful and to take the helm in steering their schools toward realising its potential in all areas of learning.

Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Lela Dato Seri Setia Hj Abd Rahman Dato Setia Hj Mohamed Taib said this during the 70th Anniversary Gala Night of St George's School which was held yesterday at the Rizqun International Hotel in Gadong.

In his speech the minister said that his ministry expects and encourages schools to be more proactive in identifying and developing niche areas from which students and teachers can excel and become their hallmarks of quality and pride. "Every school harbours a rich pool of diverse talents, potentials and aptitude within its walls that it can tap to enrich the culture and learning environment of the school," he said.

The minister mentioned these traits for schools to develop as he touched on issues relating to the new system of Education which is commonly referred to as SPN 21 and will be implemented in stages starting next year.

According to the minister, the new system will be accompanied by new and revised assessments to measure the students achievements as they aim to introduce greater flexibility in the system, provide children with more choices and multiple pathways towards higher education. "We will create in the new education system a seamless progression for some of our learners to progress from our mainstream schools to our vocational institutions via a three tiered system" he said.

The Ministry, according to the minister, is committed to providing a quality education that moulds individuals who are well balanced and well rounded among others as well as providing them with the skills to adapt to change and compete in the globalised economy.

The 70th Anniversary Gala Night was attended by hundreds of ex-students and students of St George's as well as various senior government officials and business industry leaders that were also ex-students of St George's School.

The evening began with formalities and words of appreciation from the school leaders and organisers followed by a cutting of the anniversary cake by the minister and a presentation of souvenirs.

Fun filled entertainment commenced immediately afterwards as the organising committee of the celebrations had scheduled a variety of performances by current and ex-students.

Michael Jackson converts to Islam

POP singer Michael Jackson has converted to Islam and changed his name to Mikaeel.

The 50-year-old star, pledged his allegiance to the Koran in a ceremony at a friend's mansion in Los Angeles, the Sun reported.

Jackson sat on the floor wearing a tiny hat after an Imam was summoned to officiate — days before the singer is due to appear at London's High Court where he is being sued by an Arab Sheikh, the paper said.

The star decided to adopt the new religion while he was recording a song at the home of his friend where a Jehovah's witness was brought up to help him through the ceremony.

Apparently the star of hits like "The Way You Make Me Feel" was convinced by his producer and songwriter friends David Wharnsby and Phillip Bubal.

"They began talking to him about their beliefs, and how they thought they had become better people after they converted. Michael soon began warming to the idea.

"An imam was summoned from the mosque and Michael went through the shahada, which is the Muslim declaration of belief," the source revealed.

Mikaeel is the name of one of Allah's angels.

"Jacko rejected an alternative name, Mustafa meaning "the chosen one", the source added.

The singer, who rarely ventures out without a mask, is due to give evidence on Monday in a £4.7 million ($11 million) lawsuit brought by Prince Abdulla Al-Khalif of Bahrain for defaulting on an exclusive recording contract.

"He has been cleared by his medical advisers to travel in two days' time," Jackson's lawyer Robert Englehart told the High Court in London.

Police shut down 55 'inactive' associations

They failed to submit reports on their activities to Registar of Societies

THE police have shut down 55 various youth, welfare and sports associations in the country between March and November this year for failing to submit reports on their activities to the Registar of Societies (ROS).



Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sharazuddin (DSP) Hj Masri that among other reasons for the associations being disbanded were that they no longer active and that some of them did not comply with the rules given by the ROS.

He also said that the societies dismantlement was because of their negligence in submitting the annual reports of their associations activities as well as a failure to provide a new moving address to the ROS.

DSP Sharazuddin stated that there were several reason why there was a failure to submit the report.

The first being society members did not notify the relevant authorities of a new moving address, the society has ceased giving the relevant documents if they have moved or ceased their activities and finally societies had a lack of knowledge in the associations operations.

He also stated that if they possessed all these attributes, the society is accountable to be charged under Section 31, where the Societies Order 2005 will dub them an illegal society.

He also stated that in several sections under the Societies Order 2005, respective bearer of associations will be subject to either three or five years of imprisonment and will not be permitted to hold any positions in any organisation in either three to five years.

Section 41 of the same order, also states that bearers of societies within the society that has already been dismantled and continue to encourage their activities can be fined up top $15,000 and have five years of imprisonment or both at the same times.

With this information,the ROS would like to remind the societies in Brunei that have registered under the Societies Order 2005, to abide by all orders under Section 22.

Section 22 states that societies have to submit their annual general meeting minute as well as their yearly report within 60 days after they have completed the societies annual general meeting.

The ROS would also like to state that they will not hesitate to take action should the societies fail to adhere to the abovementioned under the Societies Order 2005.

Sarawak is key state for M'sia politics: Anwar

MALAYSIAN opposition leader and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Anwar Ibrahim said Sarawak, which has 30 members of parliament, holds the key to the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government in the country.

"When Sarawak changes its course, the Barisan Nasional government will collapse," he said at a dinner organised by "Friends of PKR" at the Sibu Trade and Exhibition centre here last night.

He said leaders in the PR coalition like Abdul Hadi Awang of Pas, Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng of DAP and himself and his wife would continue to meet and hold discussions with BN MPS to get them to cross over.

About 3,000 people were present at the dinner, the biggest so far for a PKR function here.

Those present included PKR vice-president Dr Jeffery Kitinggan, Sarawak DAP leader Wong Ho Leng, former Sri Aman MP Jimmy Donald, and Baginda Minda, the former Parti Rakyat Sarawak Balleh branch publicity chief, who caused a furore with his statement accusing the state dominant BN party, the Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, of being a bully.

At the function, Anwar received membership application forms from Gabriel Adit Demong, one of two independent state assemblymen, and from 11,752 individuals from throughout the state.

Anwar said Sarawakians were now ready for change, saying Adit had volunteered to lead a recruitment drive for more members for PR.

"Do not be surprise if what had happened in five peninsula states in the March general elections could happen here," he said, adding that PR was prepared to face the coming state election.

He also claimed that several people from the state had visited him to express their interests to join PKR.

Meanwhile, Adit said a lot of BN members were "waiting in the wing" to join him and that his decision in joining PKR was "the first of many installments" over the next few.

Bernama

Iran VP scored after girls dance with Quran

THE Iranian vice-president in charge of tourism yesterday faced calls for his sacking after girls danced with the Quran during a ceremony staged by his ministry, media reported.

Esfandyar Rahim Mashaie, who survived criticism this summer for asserting than Iran is "a friend of the Israeli people", came under renewed fire from conservatives and from religious leaders for "insulting the Quran".

At a ceremony in Tehran on November 8 on foreign investment in Iran's tourism industry, a dozen dancing girls clad in traditional clothes brought the Islamic holy book to the narrator on a tray.

Official ceremonies in the Islamic republic often begin with a recitation of excerpts from the Quran, but the fact that the book was carried to the narrator by dancing girls went down badly with many influential figures.

Mehdi Jahangari, Mashaie's deputy who organised the ceremony, resigned on Saturday. He defended his action by saying that "bringing the Quran on a tray is part of the traditions of the people in western Iran".

However, his resignation failed to end the storm of condemnation.

Laleh Eftekhari, who heads the "Quran" parliamentary group in the conservative dominated legislature, has asked President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to immediately fire Mashaie, Fars news agency reported yesterday.

Conservative groups the Bazaar Islamic association and the Islamic Coalition Party, through its chairman Mohammad Nabi Habibi, denounced the "insult to the Quran" in separate open letters.

Two senior clerics, the Grand Ayatollahs Lotfollah Safi Golpayegani and Nasser Makarem Shirazi have condemned the ceremony.

"The insult to Quran is not acceptable," Ayatollah Golpayegani said on Wednesday, adding Mashaie "is not competent for the position".

Mashaie provoked an outcry in mid-July by declaring that Iran is "friends with the Israeli people". He repeated the opinion in August.

The Islamic republic does not recognise Israel and Ahmadinejad has advocated the destruction of its arch-foe while describing the Holocaust a "myth".

Many MPs and clerics demanded Mashai's resignation on that occasion but the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, intervened on September 19 to halt attacks, while also admonishing Mashaie.

AFP

Greece detains 100 illegal migrants

MORE than 100 illegal migrants were detained on two Greek islands over the weekend, the coast guard confirmed yesterday. On Lesbos, 60 migrants were picked up Saturday, bringing to 11,000 the number detained on the island so far this year. On the Dodecanese islands to the south, 42 were taken into custody.

Officials said the smaller Dodecanese islands were overwhelmed with migrants. On Agathonissi, which has a population of 80, some 4,300 refugees have arrived since the beginning of the year.

"We cannot really help them," the island's mayor, Evangelos Kottoros, said on yesterday. "They spend three or four days in the open before they are collected."

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees warned last week that reception centres for migrants on islands in the Aegean Sea were badly overcrowded. DPA

Village heads must take lead in resolving people's issues

VILLAGE heads and penghulus should be adept in their line of work by observing trends and needs, and take quick action to resolve issues, said a senior Ministry of Home Affairs official.

Facilities should be utilised to gather information through the mass media to improve the effectiveness in implementing tasks for citizens' welfare, said Pg Abd Haris Pg Hj Shabudin, yesterday.

During the handover of an appointment letter to the new village chief at a ceremony at Kg Putat, Mukim Lumapas, he said:

"We as a leader, should always equip ourselves with relevant knowledge, for instance specific laws and regulations to take appropriate action, as having knowledge and experience will definitely give self-confidence in carrying out effective work."

Village heads and penghulus should also carry out their duties proactively to ensure that issues can be detected earlier, such as conducting working visits to villages or making observations around the mukim areas.

Leaders should also have additional characteristics such as flexibility in negotiating, discussing and showing interest in any issues, and try his best to resolve the issues, said the permanent secretary.

"If we want to play a role as a good and effective facilitator, I believe that the community would be confident to work with us, however, if we do not give proper attention and cannot resolve an issue as they hoped, the community will lose confidence with us," he said.

He added: "It is the responsibility of the village chiefs to uphold the image, reputation and the standard of the mukim institution as a strong foundation between the village and the government."

The speech was then followed by the handover of the Kg Putat village chief appointment letter, followed by village chief pledge and the signing of the pledge which proceeded with the unveiling of the Kg Putat village chief signboard.

Jumat Akim was elected as the new village head, following the handover of the appointment letter and signing of the pledge at his residence in Kg Putat.

He is replacing Hj Sani Akim, who held the position for 30 years since November 1978.

Two candidates were chosen to take the role of a village head, with the voting held at the Putat Primary School, Jumat Akim won 282 votes, while the other candidate, Hj Hamzah Hj Sani, won 27 ballots out of 470 people who cast their votes.

Jumat graduated from the Teaching College and attended the Education Management course at Universiti Brunei Darussalam. He was a Malay language teacher since 1976 and was the principal at Putat Primary School from 1998-2001. His last post was an officer at the Ministry of Education's Schools Department. (BPA1 & SHS1)

Kg Putat chief vows more development

RESIDENTS of Kg Putat can expect further development in the near future, pledged the newly-elected village head. Jumat Akim said that the development and facilities which Kg Putat have enjoyed were almost at the same level as other villages in the country.

Speaking at a ceremony for his appointmentyesterday, the 57-year-old village head said that the construction of the village new mosque is expected to be completed by the end of the year, in addition to the roads, water, electricity, telephone and schools that were already available.

"With the construction of the mosque it is hope that it will be able to accommodate more jemaah (worshippers) as the population is increasing every year," he said.

In the areas of hygiene, he said work on finding a suitable location for rubbish disposal has been proposed and approved by the Brunei-Muara District Office and has been forwarded to the respective agencies.

He said that officers from the Department of Environment, Park and Recreation had conducted a series of visits to the proposed disposal site. "The issue of waste disposal is important that should implemented with the utmost care, as it is an issue that has been taken seriously by the government over at the Environment and Recreation Department's Health Unit," he said.

The village leader also urged villagers to remain patient and maintain the cleanliness in the village while work on the disposal location is being carried out.

"In our endeavour to develop the village, we should always take the opportunity available and make extra efforts ," he said.

He called on the villagers to maintain unity and cooperation as well as assisting one another in any activities that is being carried out in the village or the mukim. "Only through strong sense of unity can we develop the village, mukim and districts and Brunei."

"We will also work closely to rid illegal activities and help relevant government agencies in enforcing the laws and regulations."

Kg Putat, located in Mukim Lumapas, has a population of 670 with majority of them Malays. (SHS1)

UBD's public talk on SEA spiders on Nov 19

UNIVERSITI Brunei Darussalam (UBD) will conduct a talk on the biodiversity of spider fauna found at the Asean Heritage Park of Tasek Merimbun and the Ulu Temburong National Park which supports the importance of conservation in the Heart of Borneo (HoB) project.

The lecture titled "Diversity of Southeast Asian Spiders: A Snapshot From Their Feeding Strategies" will be presented by Singapore High Commissioner to Brunei Joseph Koh on Wednesday, November 19, at UBD's Faculty of Science FMS 2.18.

The public will have the chance to view the various strategies adopted by spiders in catching their prey through a series of macro-photography images of spiders in Brunei and other Southeast Asian countries, a press statement from UBD said.

The speaker was also expected to talk on spiders' unique web architecture technique.

Koh had a First Class Honours in Zoology from the University of Singapore in 1972 and published a book and several scientific papers. (DKR1)

Gas producers to discuss Opec-style forum in Moscow

THE ministers of the world's leading gas producers will discuss in Moscow, Russia, on December 23, the founding charter of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), of which Brunei Darussalam is a member.

The Russian Energy Ministry said on Friday the GECF will agree on a draft charter on November 26 and will help the largely informal club morph into a more formal organisation, which observers say could resemble the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) in gas form.

The meeting was originally planned for mid-November but was delayed while the countries made preparations for the forum's charter, the ministry said in a statement.

Following a high-level GECF commission set for agreement on the Charter, the grouping, established in Tehran, Iran, in 2001, should become a permanent body holding regular meetings to discuss key developments in the gas markets, and could include other countries later on.

The member countries currently control about 73 per cent of the world's gas reserves and 42 per cent of its production.

Its formation aroused fears from big consumer nations such as the EU and the United States, which have argued that the market should set gas prices.

Both have repeatedly warned that an Opec-style gas group could pose a serious danger to global energy.

The reserves of Russia, Iran and Qatar combined boast more than half of the global total.

Global No 1 gas producer and largest reserve-holder Russia held talks with Iran and Qatar, ranked second and third biggest holders of natural gas reserves, this week after they formed what Moscow called a "big gas troika" last month.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that fears by Western consumers over price manipulation by the group were ungrounded.

"We are aware of the concerns and fears expressed by some energy consumers," Putin said. "There are absolutely no grounds for such fears. We are not establishing a cartel, nor are we striking any cartel deals."

"However, energy producers, as well as consumers, have the right to and must coordinate their decisions, exchange information, and do their best to ensure uninterrupted hydrocarbon supplies on global markets," Putin said, adding that uninterrupted supplies and reasonable prices were the main objective of the grouping.

The forum also includes Algeria, Bolivia, Indonesia, Libya, Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Brunei and Malaysia. Norway and Equatorial Guinea are observers.

Almost all of Brunei's natural gas is liquefied at Brunei Shell's Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plant, which opened in 1972 and is one of the largest LNG plants in the world. Some 90 per cent of Brunei's LNG is sold to Japan under a long-term agreement renewed in 1993.

The agreement calls for Brunei to provide over five million tonnes of LNG per year to three Japanese utilities, namely to TEPCo, Tokyo Electric Power Co, Tokyo Gas Co and Osaka Gas Co. Japanese company Mitsubishi is a joint venture partner with Shell and the Brunei Government in Brunei LNG, Brunei Coldgas, and Brunei Shell Tankers, which together produce the LNG and supply it to Japan. (HDM1)

B-@ktif winners announced

SENTIENT and Belia Berilmu emerged as winners of silver medal in the B-@ktif 2008 competition organised by the Youth and Sports Department, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

During a certificate and prize presentation ceremony yesterday, both groups received cash award of $1,000 each with their projects titled H.A.P.P.Y (HIV Awareness Programme For Peers and Youth) by Sentient and Motivational Camp Towards Youth's Excellence by Belia Berilmu respectively.

B-@ktif is a competition to draft a working paper on various topics. The ministry then select the best project to be competed internationally.

The competition, was the second of its kind being held for youth aged between 15 and 25 years old. Among the objectives of competition were to provide opportunities for the youth to involve in project planning and implementation and allow them to learn and increase their knowledge in managing the social activities.

It also aimed to give the youths freedom to organise and choosing activities according to their preferences and to instill sense of ownership and responsibility among them.

The competition was divided into three phases: the first was in the form of assessment and evaluation of the participants' working papers. The proceeding phase saw the project proposal, and the final phase comprised implementing the project within the given budget of $500. Some 35 groups participated in this year's B-@ktif competition. Out of the total, only 16 had successfully completed their projects in three months which commenced early this year.

Present at yesterday's event was Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pg Hj Bahrom Pg Hj Bahar, who also presented the prizes and certificates certificates to the respective recipients.

The ceremony also included the performing of B-@ktif theme song by the Emergence group, a musical and theatrical act titled "Belia Benci Dadah" by the Belia Berwawasan Sungai Bunga young performers, as well as presentation of certificates and medals for the Commonwealth Youth Silver Award 2007-2008 to the winning team, Penyinar Club of the Brunei Darussalam AIDS Council with their project title HIV Awareness Programme.

Belia Pro-aktif 2, SEPAKAT and Adai-Adai received bronze medalists bringing home a cash prize of $750. Sentient also won the best overall project proposal and Belia Pro-aktif 2 won as the outstanding group.

There was no gold medal winner at this year's competition. (NJA1)

Walking to healthy lifestyle

A WALKATHON to promote health awareness and also to commemorate the opening of the new Health Promotion Centre, Berakas, was held yesterday at the Ministry of Health (MoH).

The walkathon, organised by the Laboratory Services Department had the male participants on a four-kilometre route, while the women walked a distance of 3.5-kilometre. The event was one of the many activities scheduled for the Healthy Lifestyle Campaign run throughout the year conducted by the ministry.

According to Denny, the public relations officer at the Ministry of Health, walkathons such as this one was held by the ministry once every two to four months to promote the awareness of living a healthy lifestyle. He added that the timing of this particular walkathon was a great opportunity to publicise the opening of the new Health Promotion Centre which was opened to the public since Saturday.

Participants of the walkathon included friends and families of the staff members and invited guests such as the penghulus, sponsors and business partners.

One of the participants was Lim, marketing director of KOSI(B) Sdn Bhd, a company which provides supplies for the ministry.

He told The Brunei Times that the walkathon is a very good idea to promote healthy living especially among the youth. He added that this was especially true in this day and age where there is "a lot unhealthy (factors)".

A 10-minute light warm-up session led by personnel from the MoH preceded the walkathon.

Also taking part in the event was the guest of honour, the Minister of Health, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Suyoi Hj Osman.Efforts to raise awareness for the opening of the Health Promotion Centre continued into the afternoon with the 'Fun Day' event held at the centre itself.

A number of different carnival games including a mini golf game, a football shootout and board puzzles were available to provide fun for the whole family.

Visitors who participated in the games stood a chance to win prizes such as water bottles, skipping ropes, food thermos and other items of memorabilia. (MJH1)

Obama to YouTube weekly talk

US PRESIDENT-ELECT Barack Obama is to make the first YouTube address to the nation today, recording a talk not just on radio but also on video, a spokesman said yesterday.

"President-elect Obama will record the Weekly Democratic Radio Address on video and radio," spokesman Nick Shapiro said.

"The address will be turned into a YouTube video which we will post on www.change.gov," the official web site of the Obama transition team, he said.

"No president-elect or president has ever turned the radio address into a multi-media opportunity before," Shapiro added.

"This is just one of many ways that president-elect Obama will communicate directly with the American people and make the White House and the political process more transparent," he said.

US presidents have made weekly addresses to the nation by radio for years with the party in opposition delivering a response afterwards.

Shapiro said Obama will continue to use video for the weekly addresses after he takes office on January 20.

"President-elect Obama will continue to record and make available the Democratic radio addresses on video when he is in the White House," he said.

Obama relied heavily on the Internet during his successful campaign for the Democratic nomination and the presidency, organising volunteers and pulling in large amounts of money through online fundraising.

The Washington Post yesterday quoted transition officials as saying that senior members of the transition team, policy experts and Cabinet selections would also be recording videos to be posted on Change.gov.

Bare secrets to snag plum Obama jobs

ANYONE who wants one of the dizzying array of jobs in president-elect Barack Obama's administration had better be ready to lay bare their most closely-guarded secrets.

Applicants for government posts must respond to an exhaustive seven-page questionnaire probing deep into hidden corners of their personal and professional lives as well as those of their spouses and grown children.

What may be the most detailed burrowing ever into the background of potential government employees appears to be a bid by Obama's team to avoid personnel scandals that have plagued other presidential transitions.

Aides say the questionnaire, first reported by The New York Times, is in keeping with the president-elect's campaign promise to purge Washington of seamy influence peddling.

Transgressions like tax problems, criminal convictions, business snafus or membership in clubs which bar members due to race or gender could be a problem for potential nominees, if the questionnaire is to be believed.

Internet indiscretions may also bar someone from one of the thousands of jobs in the federal government turning over with the new administration.

"If you have ever sent an electronic communication, including but, not limited to an email, text message or instant message that could suggest a conflict of interest or be a possible source of embarrassment to you, your family, or the president-elect if it were made public, please describe."

Potential applicants are also asked to detail every speech, newspaper column or blog post they have written and must even provide the URL of any web sites in which they feature including Facebook or MySpace.

They must also list every cohabitant for the last 10 years and say whether they have ever owned a gun. They must also testify that any domestic helpers they have employed were eligible to work.AFP

Clinton as state secretary?

US PRESIDENT-ELECT Barack Obama is considering naming former first lady Hillary Clinton, his onetime rival for the White House, as his secretary of state, US news media reported yesterday.

Two unnamed Obama advisers told NBC News network that Clinton, now a senator for New York, "is under consideration" for the post.

According to NBC, Clinton flew to Chicago where Obama is based on Thursday, but an adviser said it was on personal business.

Obama sources confirmed to CNN that Clinton was being considered, but her spokesperson Philippe Reines was non-committal when asked.

"Any speculation about cabinet or other administration appointments is really for president-elect Obama's transition team to address," Reines told CNN.

Clinton, 61, has extensive foreign policy experience from her time in the senate, where she serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and indirectly when her husband Bill Clinton was president from 1993 to 2001.

Several big names have been mentioned in the press as possible Obama secretaries of state including another former Democratic presidential candidate, Senator John Kerry; New Mexico governor and former UN ambassador Bill Richardson, a favorite of the Latino community; and moderate Republican senators Richard Lugar and Chuck Hagel.

The Obama transition team has not said publicly who may be under consideration for cabinet positions, but has insisted no announcements would be made this week. According to the Washington Post, Clinton's name emerged because the Obama camp "is not overly happy with the usual suspects" contending for the job.

During the bruising Democratic presidential primary Clinton tore into Obama's lack of foreign policy experience, describing some of his proposals such as talking to Iran as "dangerous and naive".

Obama in turn constantly reminded voters that Clinton approved legislation authorising President George W Bush to invade Iraq, a vote she never publicly rejected.

Once Clinton lost the Democratic presidential nomination, she campaigned fiercely for Obama. She was asked at a New York event on Monday if she would consider taking a position in the Obama administration. "I am happy being a senator from New York, I love this state and this city," Clinton said. "I am looking at the long list of things I have to catch up on and do. But I want to be a good partner and I want to do everything I can to make sure his agenda is going to be successful," Clinton said. AFP

World leaders meet in Washington as crisis worsens

WORLD leaders are meeting in Washington today to discuss ways to tackle a global economic crisis that has plunged much of Europe into its first recession since the euro currency was formed.

Leaders of the world's 20 richest nations are not expected to make any breakthroughs at the meeting, given the absence of US President-elect Barack Obama, whose involvement will be key to any global initiatives.

The crisis continues to wreak havoc on the world's major economies, with official data showing the 15-nation eurozone economy had shrunk by 0.2 per cent for the second quarter in a row, meaning it technically is in recession.

The US is probably already in recession, most economists agree, but official data showing that will not come out until January. Signs for the US economy worsened as retail sales fell a record 2.8 per cent in October, the biggest decline since comparable numbers were first calculated in 1992.

US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said central banks worldwide were ready to do more to support faltering growth and European Central Bank policymakers signalled further interest rates were likely. "Policymakers will remain in close contact, monitor developments closely, and stand ready to take additional steps should conditions warrant," he said in remarks prepared for delivery to an ECB conference in Frankfurt.

With Europe, as well as parts of Asia and North America, suffering, leaders of the G20 developed and emerging countries will try to find ways to ensure the crisis is not repeated.

But agreement among the G20, which represents 85 per cent of the world's economy and two-thirds of its population, is unlikely over whether more regulation of markets can protect consumers, savers and companies from the fall-out.

Washington says there should be no return to greater state control of financial markets. Much of Europe says without more regulation, a repeat of the last year's turmoil is inevitable.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for more coordinated measures to spur economic growth, a policy area where there may be more consensus at the summit.

European Commission President Jose Manual Barroso said he hoped to draw more emerging economies into global financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, saying Europeans were ready to lower their representation to make more room for countries such as China. "There is an openness to accommodate an increased role of the emerging economies," the International Herald Tribune quoted Barroso as saying.

Work on the crisis should not stop in Washington, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said. "I fully support the idea to hold the next summit after Washington without delays and fast enough."

Some in the West hope countries with large reserves, notably in the Gulf, will help fund the IMF, which has offered loans to economies labouring under heavy debts.

Before the eurozone reported it was in a recession, Germany, Spain and Italy all said their economies shrank in the third quarter.

France escaped, reporting growth of 0.1 per cent in the third quarter but analysts said it was a semantic debate.

In Asia, Hong Kong became the second Asian economy after trading rival Singapore to tip into recession as exports were hit in the third quarter by weakening global demand and consumers were jolted by falling asset prices

DST's On the Go! brings world to your mobile

DATASTREAM Technology's (DST) unveiled its latest product, a web portal for mobile phones yesterday.

"On the Go!" portal was launched by the Minister of Communications Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia Hj Abu Bakar Hj Apong at a ceremony held at DST Group headquarters in Tungku Link.

The new web portal is set to bring a new world of endless entertainment, news, sports and more.

"On the Go!" portal is a significant stage in the development of content in the country enabled by the mobile broadband infrastructure," DST Group chief operating officer Hj Marsad Hj Ismail said.Accessible at http://onthego.dst-group.com, the On the Go! portal comes with content like Disney, Nickelodeon kiddy, Live CNN News, ESPN Sports and Entertainment channels which include MTV and Astro Ria, Astro Hitz and Astro AEC. All this is from now on closer to users, via their mobile phones.

"It is noted that sources of many of the contents are still from overseas content suppliers but DST Group has also worked with a number of local content developers to encourage the development of more local contents," said the chief operating officer.

He said that the new product is one of the many challenges faced by DST, in that providing the latest innovative technology at an affordable price for its customers while ensuring optimum quality service is maintained at all times.

To facilitate the demands and expectations of customers, he added more base station sites will be needed to provide wider coverage and optimum capacity.

However, he said, mobile broadband will not be able to meet the ever increasing demand for bandwidth and a robust wireline broadband infrastructure has to be put in place.

"We have strengthened our optical fibre network and will continually enhance its capability,"said Hj Marsad.

Their support in the development in the broadband infrastructure is evident with their active participation in the Asia America Gateway (AAG) submarine cable project.

After the launch, the minister and other guests proceeded to tour new DST Care 151 Call Centre after its relocation from a building adjacent to the main headquarters building. A brief presentation was given by head of customer service, Datin Hjh Umikaltum Hj Daud. According to Dk Tuty Rahayu Pg Hj Zaidi, general assistant at the centre said that the centre is manned by 35 operators.

The guest of honour then toured the 3G "On the Go!" Portal and Content Partners experience centers where live demo "On the Go!" was presented.

The launch also marked the beginning of a three-day DST carnival, featuring fun-filled activities and shows such as song and dance performance, lucky draws, pony rides and flying-fox.

Local fast-food restaurants and companies are also participating in the carnival in order to enliven the celebration.

Enthusiastic visitor to the carnival yesterday was Angeline Joy,13 of Seri Mulia Sarjana School who said that she was excited with the celebration especially the dance performances and she is hoping to see more at the weekend.

Angeline and other carnival enthusiasts can expect to be entertained to a fireworks display this evening with more performances like High School Musical performance tomorrow as well as prize presentation on the grand draw of DST Group "Log and Drive Away" promotion.

For visitors' convenience, they are allowed to park their cars at the UBD Campus while shuttle buses will transport them to the venue.

Also attended the event was Deputy Minister of Communications, Dato Deputy Minister of Communications, Dato Paduka Hj Yusoff Hj Abdul Hamid as well as permanent secretary, deputy permanent secretary and senior government officers of the ministry and invited guests. (JQR1 & BPA1)

Brunei fruit production low

BRUNEI'S fruit production is still at a low level and far from being self-sufficient as 77 per cent or 14,322 metric tonnes of total fruits last year, worth approximately $35 million, were imported, said Tutong District Officer, Hj Idris Hj Mohd Ali

Speaking at the launching of Fruit Expo being held at Kg Menengah Primary School field yesterday, Hj Idris stressed that local farmers should continue to strive harder and to "think big and forward" to reach self-sufficiency level which according to him was not an impossible feat.

The expo is organised by the Kg Menengah and Bukit Sulang village Consultative Council, Mosque's Takmir committee and Suburban Farmers Development of Kg Menengah and Bukit Sulang.

In his remarks, the district officer said that during 2005 to 2007 season, approximately 678 metric tonnes of fruits were produced by farms under the Suburban Agricultural Development Farms (communal farms), of which 122 metric tonnes were produced by Kg Menengah and Bukit Sulang.

In view of this, Hj Idris called upon the farmers and villagers to use this achievement as a motivation and a starting point towards the production of more significant volume of local fruits.

Commenting on the expo, the district officer said not only would it provide the fruit farmers with an additional source of income, but also to show Kg Menengah and Bukit Sulang's potential as major producer of local fruits in the future. This is because, he added, the village has a number of vast and productive farms.

Hj Idris expressed his confidence that if individual farms were able to maximise their fruit production, it would have an impact on both local and foreign markets and at the same time to help reduce the country's dependency on imported fruits.

He also hoped that the Department of Agricultural Development could lay out effective strategies such as introducing new methods in fruit planting, assisting and guiding the farmers in spotting opportunities for product marketing, helping in increasing the quality of products through attractive packaging and providing innovative incentives that could increased the revenue of the fruit farms to an outstanding level.

He also lauded efforts by the Village Consultative Council for bringing the villagers together to work on the communal farms in potential areas in the district and urged unemployed youths to involve in the agricultural activities as it provides good returns which could elevate their standard of living. Some 60 farmers participating in the three-day expo. (RSH1

Sermon highlights power of 'doa'

DEVOUT Muslims are expected to constantly remember Allah (SWT) and seek Him out to have their prayers answered be it for forgiveness, happiness, health or even success.

In yesterday's sermon which touched on the power of doa, imams describing the simple act as a major aspect in Islam, a light that illuminates both earth and sky, as well as a weapon against catastrophe and disasters. It does not matter how quickly or slowly one's doa is answered but its the efforts that counts and the faith one has that Allah (SWT) may hear it.

When the prayers were not answered, Muslims were advised not to give up hope but rather have faith in that there may reasons behind it.

To get the best out of a doa, one needs to be humble yet confident that Allah (SWT) will answer it. The sermon also points out some rites that needs to be done prior to saying the doa in order for it to be answered. These include performing an ablution, to speak praises for Allah (SWT) and give salawat to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), all while reciting the doa in a soft voice and full of concentration.

In addition, one must also ensure that one consume food, drink and wearing clothes that came from halal sources.

Imams also warned yesterday against asking for the impossible or bad things to befall another individual.

It was pointed out that the best times to perform doa are on Thursday evenings and Fridays, during sujud (prostrate) during prayers, and the holy month of Ramadhan. They also warned that those who do not recite the doa are seen as arrogant in the eyes of Allah (SWT). (NAS1)

Six join Japan exchange programme

SIX local students will be heading off to Japan for the first Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) programme.

Yesterday the Japanese Ambassador to Brunei Hashimoto Itsuo held a cordial reception for the selected students at his residence in Kota Batu.

Also present at the event were Dr Chin Yam Chin, president of Brunei Association Japan Alumni (BAJA), Hj Kassim Hj Mohd Yassin, assistant director of secondary school from the Department of School and several officers from the Ministry of Education.

The selected students are Ang Cha Ying from Raja Isteri Girls' High School (STPRI), Amal Widaad Mohammad from Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College, Zayani Zainal and Abdul Muiz Madani from Pengiran Anak Puteri Hjh Rashidah Saadatul Bolkiah Secondary School Lumut, Muhammad Wazzirul Wafaudin Esa from Sayyidina Umar Al-Khattab Secondary School, and Abdul Mu'adz Abidin from Sayyidina Abu Bakar Secondary School.

Also going with the students was a a teacher from Ahmad Tajuddin Primary School, Kuala Belait, Mohammad Faizal Hj Rashid. During the trip he will have the opportunity to meet his Japanese counterparts at junior high school.

The JENESYS programme was launched earlier last year at the second East Asia Summit in Cebu, Philippines to deepen the youth understanding of the Japanese culture through home-stay experience and other exchange activities with Japanese junior high school students.

According to Hjh Norida Abdullah, each school nominated two best students based on their academic excellence, English language proficiency, proactive in extra-curricular activities and good communication skills.

The nominated students were then shortlisted after undergone interviews held by the Japanese embassy.

The Bruneian delegation will depart on November 17 and return home on November 30, 2008.

The programme will include visits to Kyoto and Tokyo, home-stays at Toyota city in Aichi as well as the opportunity of study experience in a Japanese secondary school and performing cultural dances. (NJA1)

Mixed reaction from parents to SPN21 briefing by Ministry

Some embrace the system, others are disgruntled and feel left in the dark

WITH the arrival of the National Educational System for the 21st century (SPN21) just two months away, the briefing organised by the Ministry of Education (MOE) for parents who have children in the secondary level has struck a chord both ways.

Some parents embraced the system with open arms, but others were just left disgruntled and in the dark.

A 36-year old man working in the private sector, who opted for anonymity,stated that he was in the briefing for the whole morning and was still puzzled.

"This was supposed to be a briefing on the SPN21, but I just wasted my time and came empty-handed towards the end of the day because I feel I have yet to fully understand how the system works," he said.

He said everything was badly organised and that there should have been some booklets or clear guidelines that outline the plans for the new system so the parents will at least be able to comprehend what was actually being said.

He also stated that the change was so drastic and added how it was not thought out thoroughly .

"It is making me question whether the teachers themselves are ready for this change or not. It is easy to be excited about a new system when you are up there, but when you are down here with the teachers and parents, we are the ones who are responsible for our children," he said.

He stated that the challenges will be difficult but can be ironed out if only there was more awareness and information.

A mother of five children in her late thirties working in the government sector also complained of the lack of transparency that occurred during the briefing.

"I felt that all the information was so incomplete. I have some idea of the new syllabus but the way it was presented, the whole idea, was so obscure that i hope this is not the last time as I would like to know about the system in more depth and detail," she said.

She also said that she hoped that the authorities could look into giving out samples of the SPN21 test format soon so that she will be well-informed about how the assessment system works.

"How can I help steer my child towards the right preparations when even I don't have a clue as to what kind of approach will be taken in the new syllabus?," she said.

Julaimah Jumat a mother of six, has faith in the new system and the information that has been passed on, as she knows the new innovative system will be able to help her child who she admits, is a slow learner.

She stated that the new system will be able to assess students individually and this requires parents to converse with teachers constantly in hearing about their progress.

She said that this system will be able to manifest some slow learning students that parents might not be able to be comfortable admitting to it.

"This should not matter. We want what is best for a children. Maybe it's about time to make a change,"she said.

She added that the new system will be a pinnacle of change compared to the current one and requests for more teacher-parent interaction to monitor children's progress.

A uniformed personnel by the name of Hjh Zainah Hj Mahmud and also a mother to a secondary one student said that she also embraces the changes positively as it brings a better and more different level to the standards of education.

She stated that her child will be more motivated in her academic endeavours and will definitely be working with the teachers to ensure that her child will rise up and be ready for the challenges that are to come.