Brunei eased things over sea row, says expert

Quratul-Ain Bandial
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

AS EXPECTATIONS loom for the second ASEAN Summit in October, a leading Southeast Asian expert said while Brunei had successfully lowered the temperature of a maritime row with China, it would be a "miracle" if a code of conduct (CoC) was concluded at the October meeting.

Kavi Chongkittavorn, senior fellow of the Institute of Security and International Studies in Thailand, said it could still be several years before the CoC is complete.

"I don't think it will take 10 years. I don't think it will take five years but it will be a miracle if CoC can be completed by October," he told The Brunei Times in an exclusive interview.

"But if it were to happen that will be great for all concerning parties and most importantly it would stabilise ASEAN-China relations."

ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia are locked in a dispute with China over who owns rights over the South China Sea home to rich fishing grounds and possibly vast mineral reserves.

Beijing claims almost all the sea as its sovereign territory, which overlaps with the claims of the four ASEAN countries.

Kavi, who also serves as a columnist for Thai newspaper The Nation, said Brunei's "quiet diplomacy" leading up to the first summit in April had ensured the meeting's success.

The chair had managed to contain tensions and set the groundwork for ASEAN-China negotiations on the CoC a process which had been frozen since last year.

"The chair visited America, China, the two most important dialogue partners of ASEAN," said Kavi.

"Brunei is a small country but with a lot of soft power. When Brunei comes on stage no one can question its credentials to represent ASEAN interests."

When the Sultanate took on chairmanship of 10-nation grouping at the beginning of the year, it had three clearly defined objectives to contain tensions in the South China Sea; ensure concrete progress on the ASEAN Economic Community; and raise ASEAN awareness among youth.

While ASEAN leaders were seemingly upbeat about the prospect for peace, Kavi said the path was still full of hurdles.

"If the atmosphere continues this way it will provide a very conducive atmosphere for both sides to sit down. But whether they will conclude CoC or not would depend on the general situation over the next few months," he said, referring to recent Chinese forays into disputed territory.

"First there needs to be calm in the disputed areas, and then ASEAN can start implementing the Declaration of Conduct... These are part of confidence building measures to return all conflicting parties to the negotiating table."

Dipetik dari - The Brunei Times

Taskforce tingkatkan kualiti kesihatan kanak-kanak ditubuhkan

Oleh: Hajah Siti Zuraihah Haji Awang Sulaiman

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Ahad, 12 Mei. - Dalam usaha mempertingkatkan kualiti kesihatan kanak-kanak di negara ini, Kementerian Kesihatan telah menubuhkan 'Taskforce' Permakanan untuk ibu, anak-anak damit dan kanak-kanak yang bertindak meneliti dengan lebih lanjut hasil dapatan kaji selidik status Kesihatan dan Permakanan kebangsaan.

Taskforce tersebut akan mengenalpasti, memantau dan melaksanakan pelan-pelan tindakan yang strategik untuk mencegah faktor-faktor risiko kesihatan agar tahap kesihatan akan lebih berkualiti, generasi pada masa akan datang akan lebih cergas dari segi mental dan fizikal, aktif, produktif dan dinamik bagi kelangsungan dan kemantapan sosio ekonomi negara di masa akan datang.

Demikian dijelaskan oleh Menteri Kesihatan, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Mohd. Yusof pada Kem Keluarga Sihat Ibu dan Anak sempena Hari Jururawat Antarabangsa 2013 hari ini.

Menurut Yang Berhormat, ibu-ibu dan kanak-kanak merupakan teras pembangunan negara yang mana kesihatan golongan ini akan turut mempengaruhi dan memberi impak yang besar kepada kesihatan, perkembangan fizikal dan mental, kecergasan dan sosio-ekonomi negara di masa akan datang.

Oleh itu jelasnya, adalah tidak wajar untuk kita memandang sambil lewa dan ringan sahaja akan penjagaan kesihatan golongan kanak-kanak ini kerana mereka ini adalah sebagai asset negara yang sangat bernilai yang bakal penerus generasi di masa akan datang.

Yang Berhormat menambah, jururawat dan bidan juga diharap agar tidak jemu-jemu atau 'kelanguan' malahan melipatgandakan lagi usaha dan terus kreatif dan innovatif dalam memperkesankan lagi perkhidmatan, di samping berusaha memberi kesedaran kepada masyarakat mengenai betapa pentingnya menghargai dan memeduli kesihatan ibu-ibu dan anak-anak damit.

Dalam masa yang sama ujar Yang Berhormat, ibu bapa juga harus memainkan peranan masing-masing dalam menjaga, memelihara dan memata-matai kesihatan anak damit dan kanak-kanak termasuk membawa mereka ke Pusat-pusat dan Klinik-Klinik Kesihatan mengikut perjanjian untuk mendapatkan vaksinasi, pemeriksaan kesihatan dan tumbesaran, nasihat dan tunjuk ajar mengenai permakanan anak damit, amalan penyusuan susu ibu dan lain-lain masalah kesihatan yang perlu diambil perhatian.

"Ibu bapa tidak sepatutnya lalai dengan kewajipan ini walau bagaimanapun sibuk sekalipun dengan urusan kerja atau urusan-urusan yang lain. Ini adalah semata-mata bagi memantau anak damit biskita mengikuti pemeriksaan kesihatan dan perkembangan mereka sehingga meningkat dewasa", jelas Yang Berhormat pada acara yang berlangsung di Sekolah Rendah Perpindahan Kampung Lambak Kanan.

Selain itu jelas Yang Berhormat, ianya juga dapat mengesan lebih awal sekiranya ada terdapat tanda-tanda awal penyakit-penyakit berjangkit mahupun tidak berjangkit atau factor-faktor risiko agar dapat dirawat dan dikawal sebelum ianya akan menjadi lebih kompleks dan kronik yang boleh menjejaskan kesihatan anak-anak damit dan seterusnya membebankan ibu bapa dan keluarga.

Terdahulu dalam ucapannya, Yang Berhormat menjelaskan bahawa Negara Brunei Darussalam dengan pendekatan sistem kesihatan yang komprehensifnya telah dapat mencapai dan menepati sasaran yang ditetapkan oleh Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu di bawah Matlamat Pembangunan Milenium yang berkaitan dengan kesihatan.

Walaubagaimanapun ujarnya, kita tidak sepatutnya berasa 'complacent' atau berpuas hati akan pencapaian Matlamat Pembangunan Milenium yang berkaitan dengan kesihatan yang dimaksudkan.

Sehubungan itu tambah Yang Berhormat, Kementerian Kesihatan akan terus berusaha meningkatkan dan memperkukuhkan lagi sistem pekhidmatan dan penjagaan kesihatan ke arah yang lebih berkualiti dan lebih efektif pada masyarakat di Negara ini.

Dalam hubungan ini jelasnya, kerjasama dan perasaan tanggungjawab semua lapisan masyarakat terutama dalam kalangan ibu bapa dan penjaga kanak-kanak adalah sangat penting dalam menjaga dan memelihara kesihatan anak-anak masing-masing, di samping mengambil langkah-langkah pencegahan dan pengawalan apa jua jenis penyakit.

Dipetik dari - Pelita Brunei

High vehicle ownership not sustainable for Brunei

Ubaidillah Masli
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Main cause of traffic jams, says survey

THE "most extensive transport survey" ever to be conducted in Brunei has pinpointed the "rapidly expanding" ownership of private vehicles as one of the potential causes of deteriorating traffic conditions in the Sultanate.

The survey, which involved some 6,000 roadside interviews and 2,400 Transport Attitude Surveys, was completed recently and constitutes the first part of the ongoing Land Transport Master Plan (LTMP) by the Centre of Strategic and Policy Studies (CSPS) and international consultants.

"These findings from relatively widespread observations showed that rapidly expanding auto ownership is unsustainable for the Sultanate," Gary Ho of SQW China said at a press conference at CSPS in Gadong yesterday.

"In Brunei, most households that can afford cars, have them," he added.

The World Bank placed Brunei ninth in the world, in terms of cars per capita. Statistics from the Department of Economic Planning and Development said there were 2.65 people per vehicle, while vehicle ownership was expected to reach 160,000 by the end of last year. Brunei's population was recorded at 393,372.

In a past report, Development Minister Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Suyoi Hj Osman said car ownership was rising at a rate of four per cent annually, while the population was increasing by three per cent every year. At the time, the minister floated the idea of curbing car ownership if congestion continued to worsen, citing Singapore's Certificate of Entitlement scheme as a possible solution.

The consultant said yesterday the high car ownership rate was responsible for congestion in the "under-populated" capital, with Jalan Gadong, Jalan Tutong and the Tungku-Link Highway being "particularly bad".

"If the population targets meet the Wawasan 2035 (Vision 2035), the country's transport infrastructure will not be able to support the expanding car use," Ho said.

Four peak periods were identified — once in the morning, twice during lunchtime (to and fro) and once in the afternoon — in line with the daily commute patterns of those surveyed.

The severity of the jams was reflected in the willingness of Bruneians surveyed to buy their way out of the problem.

"Congestion has become so bad that Bruneians said they would pay about $7 per hour to avoid long queues," Ho said.

Despite the high car ownership rate, survey respondents "do not favour the government building more roads", and instead called for more transport options to be introduced, as well as improvements to existing public transport.

Acting Director of Transport Policy Dr Hj Supry Hj Ladi said the public bus system needed improving in terms of "connectivity, punctuality, frequency and other general services such as the fare systems".

In this regard, he highlighted the recent initiative to revamp the public bus system under a five-year roadmap, starting with the introduction of a colour-coded system and a campaign to reduce waiting times from 30 minutes to 15 minutes over the next several years. "As for taxi services, we will be looking into this very soon," the transport official said.

The findings of the survey, which was completed a few months ago, were part of the LTMP's Cluster 1 Report. The Cluster 2 Report is in its "completion stage".

"This report will come up with recommendation to tackle those issues. This will be shared in due course once Report 2 is completed," Dr Hj Supry said.

The LTMP, which was launched in the middle of last year, is expected to recommend policy options "not just for the current issues, but also for the development of a long-term policy agenda to 2035 and beyond".

The LTMP will include the drafting of a Land Transport White Paper that will provide the government with "a focus on the long-term policies to improve the land transportation system", according to CSPS Chief Researcher Dr Diana Cheong Poh Poh.

"In addition to policy recommendations from the LTMP, we are also reviewing and formulating other policies that we believe would be practical and beneficial to the context of the nation from a holistic perspective," the acting Transport Policy director said.

"Of course, the introduction of these policies will be done (in the proper time frame and with) the appropriate approach."

Dipetik dari - The Brunei Times

Temburong bridge ready 2018

Rabiatul Kamit
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE long-awaited bridge connecting Temburong to Brunei-Muara is expected to be ready by 2018 under a fast-track programme, following the awarding of contracts for the project's initial assessments yesterday.

Arup Group was appointed the civil and structural consultant for the 30km bridge, led by a Prince Philip gold medallist for 2012, Naeem Hussain. The award-winning firm's portfolio includes the Sydney Opera House, Beijing's Olympic Stadium and Stonecutters Bridge.

"We will undertake the task with the same dedication and excellence that our firm has been doing for other equally renowned projects. This project is undertaken under a fast-track programme to meet the very important symbolic physical connection between Brunei-Muara and Temburong in 2018," said the Director of Infrastructure at Arup Group, Dr KK Yin.

He explained that the proposed link will cover approximately 30km, with 14km crossing Brunei Bay, which is expected to become an iconic landmark upon its completion in five years' time.

The link will start from an interchange at Jalan Penghubung Mentiri through a series of tunnels within Bukit Subok, before crossing the scenic Brunei Bay.

From the first navigation span, the Brunei Channel Bridge, the link will skirt between Pulau Pepatan and Baru-Baru, coming to the second navigation span, the Eastern Channel Bridge, leading up to landfall at the Temburong side and the final connection to Jalan Labu.

The construction will be divided into a series of packages with the first tender slated for the fourth quarter of 2013. Dr Yin said details of the divisions are being finalised by the Ministry of Development.

"This project will provide opportunities for local professionals to be involved and to acquire experience in the construction and maintenance of various sectors of the bridge. There will be downstream benefits in terms of employment, services, trading and real estate," said the representative from Arup Group.

The Minister of Development, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Suyoi Hj Osman, estimated that travel between Temburong and Brunei-Muara via the bridge will take 30 to 40 minutes. Presently, the only mode of public transportation between the two districts is by boat.

"Since this bridge will become a landmark for Brunei and as it is a mega project for the Ministry of Development, (we) will ensure that all aspects of the bridge project will incorporate Bruneian characteristics reflecting a work of engineering, which we can be proud of," said the minister.

A ceremony was held at the ministry yesterday to mark the awarding of contracts to Arup Group and six local firms. The comprehensive environmental impact assessment will be carried out by MWH Consultant, while Teca (B) Sdn Bhd will conduct the soil investigation works.

Four surveyors — Taib Said, Bersatu Consultants, Perunding Services (B) and CMK Consultants — signed contracts for the geophysical marine and land surveying of Temburong and Brunei-Muara.

Dipetik dari - The Brunei Times

ADMM Ke-7 sepakat perkukuh keamanan, kestabilan serantau

Oleh: Abu Bakar HAJI Abu Bakar / Saerah Hj Abd Ghani / Haniza Abd Latif

JERUDONG, Selasa, 7 Mei. - Para Menteri Pertahanan ASEAN yang menghadiri Mesyuarat Menteri-Menteri Pertahanan ASEAN Ke-7 (ADMM) sepakat untuk memperkukuh serta meningkatkan usaha ke arah menggalakkan keamanan dan kestabilan serantau melalui dialog dan kerjasama, keamanan, kestabilan serta ketahanan Komuniti Politik-Sekuriti ASEAN (ASEAN Political-Security Community).

Perkara tersebut merupakan antara perkara yang disepakati dalam deklarasi bersama yang dikeluarkan di akhir Mesyuarat Menteri-Menteri Pertahanan ASEAN hari ini di Empire Hotel and Country Club, di sini.

Para menteri juga mengambil langkah dan inisiatif untuk meningkatkan tahap kesedaran dalam pertahanan ASEAN dan angkatan-angkatan tentera bagi menggalakkan pembinaan identiti ASEAN dalam menyokong Komuniti Politik-Sekuriti ASEAN.

Dalam pada itu mereka juga mengesahkan peranan penting yang dimainkan oleh tentera ASEAN dan menggalakkan mereka untuk memajukan kesepakatan melalui aktiviti-aktiviti kerjasama yang praktikal dan konkrit bertujuan untuk meningkatkan kapasiti serta meningkatkan operasi dalam menangani isu-isu keselamatan dan cabaran yang bukan tradisional dan transnasional.

Deklarasi bersama itu juga menyebut para Menteri Pertahanan bersetuju untuk mengukuhkan keberkesanan operasi dan kesediaan dalam bidang bantuan kemanusiaan dan bencana (HADR) serta mengalu-alukan bagi Latihan Bantuan Bencana - Bantuan Kemanusiaan Tentera ASEAN Kali Kedua (AHX) yang akan diadakan di Negara Brunei Darussalam pada Jun 2013.

Sementara itu, mereka juga berusaha untuk memajukan pencapaian ‘ADMM-Plus’ dalam mempromosikan dialog serta usaha-usaha kolektif dan kerjasama antara ASEAN dan negara-negara ADMM Plus selain untuk memanfaatkan peluang-peluang serta menghadapi cabaran yang ditimbulkan oleh ancaman keselamatan bukan tradisional dan transnasional.

Para delegasi Menteri Pertahanan juga menerima pakai kertas konsep mengenai peralihan pengerusi bersama kumpulan kerja Pakar ‘ADMM-Plus' yang akan bertindak sebagai panduan yang berkesan untuk peralihan yang lebih lanjut dan menyediakan prosedur yang perlu bagi menyokong apa jua tambahan kepada ‘ADMM-Plus EWG’ dan pengerusi bersama mereka.

Selain daripada itu para Menteri Pertahanan tersebut juga menyokong bagi usaha-usaha dan komitmen ke arah menggalakkan ketelusan yang lebih tinggi, membina keyakinan dan kefahaman mengenai cabaran-cabaran keselamatan serantau dan persepsi di Asia Tenggara termasuk melalui penerbitan pertama ‘ASEAN Security Outlook’ (ASO).

Para Menteri Pertahanan ASEAN juga mengalu-alukan Myanmar sebagai Pengerusi ASEAN dan menghoskan ADMM Ke-8 pada tahun 2014.

Dipetik dari - Pelita Brunei

NDP mengucapkan Selamat Menyambut Hari Keluarga