NDP tinjau perkembangan ahli-ahli di Tamu Kianggeh

Oleh Hjh Saemah Kepli

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 29 Dis – Rombongan kepimpinan baru Parti Pembangunan Bangsa (NDP) sesi 2015-2018, hari ini, telah mengadakan aktiviti menyusur desa, dengan berkunjung ke kawasan Tamu Kianggeh, di sini.

Rombongan yang diketuai oleh Presiden NDP yang baru, Malai Hassan bin Malai Haji Othman itu disertai sama oleh Timbalan Presiden, Pengiran Haji Zainal bin Pengiran Talip, serta ahli-ahli Majlis Tertinggi dan ahli-ahli pertubuhan tersebut.

Lawatan itu merupakan salah satu program turun padang mereka, yang antara lain bertujuan untuk melatih saf kepimpinan mereka untuk sentiasa bersifat setiakawan dan saling melaksanakan tugas secara bekerjasama dan bersatu.

Program Menyusur Desa, merupakan aktiviti berterusan pertubuhan itu, bagi mengunjungi ahli-ahli mereka di dalam dan luar bandar termasuk di Daerah Temburong, Belait dan Tutong.

Program itu juga diselajurkan dengan meninjau perkembangan kemajuan ahli-ahli NDP yang menjalankan perniagaan di Tamu Kianggeh, di samping memberi mereka sokongan dari segi moral dengan berbelanja di petak-petak jualan yang terdapat di tamu berkenaan.

Rombongan NDP bergambar ramai bersama beberapa peniaga di Tamu Kianggeh
yang terdiri daripada kalangan warga-warga emas

Sumber - Media Permata

Brunei’s exports fall by 10.4% in October

Koo Jin Shen 
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 

BRUNEI’S exports declined by 10.4 per cent to $625.8 million on a month-on-month basis owing to sharp decrease in exports of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), the Department of Economic Planning and Development (JPKE) said yesterday.

Oil and gas exports, which account for roughly 90 per cent of total exports, decreased 14.5 per cent in October.

LNG exports decreased by 28.1 per cent to $257 million. JPKE said this was due to a decrease in the trade volume of LNG exports from 1,034,047 MMBtu per day to 702,758 MMBtu per day.

LNG’s export price rose from US$ 9.48/MMBtu to $9.88/MMbtu.

Crude oil exports increased by 9.7 per cent to $257.8 million. JPKE attributed this to a higher trade volume from 115.55 kbbl (thousand barrels) per day to 141.48 kbbl per day in October.

JPKE reported declines in exports of chemicals by 31.7 per cent, manufactured goods by 26.7 per cent, food by 16.7 per cent and miscellaneous transactions by 33.3 per cent.

More than 40 per cent of the sultanate’s exports went to Japan. This was followed by exports to Thailand (16 per cent), Malaysia (11.7 per cent) and Kuwait (7.2 per cent).

Brunei’s imports declined by 23 per cent to $342.2 million in October. JPKE said there were decreases in imports of machinery and transport equipment by 56.7 per cent and animal and vegetable oils and fats by 29.4 per cent. JPKE also noted a decrease in import of miscellaneous transactions by 58.8 per cent.

Over 20 per cent of Brunei’s imports came from Malaysia. This was followed by Singapore (20 per cent), China (13.7 per cent) and USA (7.8 per cent).

The total trade for the month of October comprising of both imports and exports was reported at $968 million, or 15.3 per cent lower than the previous month.

JPKE reports a positive trade balance of 283.6 million, an increase of 11.8 per cent in October compared to the month before.

On a year to date basis (January to October), total trade decreased by 27.7 per cent and trade balance decreased by 50.9 per cent, compared to this period last year.

On a year on year basis, merchandise exports declined by 31.3 per cent from $911.3 million to $625.8 million in October 2015. JPKE said this was due to decline in the exports of beverage and tobacco (75 per cent), food (54.5 per cent), chemicals (36.1 per cent) and mineral fuels (33.7 per cent).

By country of destination, the highest share of exports in October 2015 went to Japan, accounting for 40.5 per cent. This was followed by exports to Thailand (16 per cent), Malaysia (11.7 per cent) and Kuwait (7.2 per cent).

Imports declined by 2.1 per cent on back of a sharp decline in machinery and transport equipment imports (which dropped by 26 per cent), animal and vegetable oils and fats (down 25 per cent) and miscellaneous transactions (75 per cent).

The highest share of imports in October 2015 came from Malaysia accounting for 20.2 per cent, followed by Singapore (20 per cent), China (13.7 per cent) and US (7.8 per cent).

The IMTS report for Brunei Darussalam adopts the General System for recording trade statistics which cover imports, domestic exports and re-exports. The IMTS full report for October 2015 is available at JPKE’s website at www.depd.gov.bn.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Optimistic outlook for halal industry in 2016

By Viraj Perera

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 ― Approximately 25 per cent of the world’s population is Muslim and it is evident that there are segments of global markets that adhere to their religious requirements.

Halal, an Arabic word defined as permissible according to Islamic law, is required in the consumption of both goods and services for Muslims.

The halal industry is a rapidly expanding sector not only in the food and beverage market but also in many other markets including cosmetics and healthcare.

Halal products are found worldwide but the most rapid expansion is being seen in mainland Europe and the US. Halal has thus become a global market force that spans into meat and poultry, food manufacturing, food retailing, restaurant chains, food service industry, logistics and shipping, Islamic banking and finance, standards/auditing/certifications, science and new technologies and personal care products.

Basic requirements to be considered halal for consumer products

While most products such as food, beverages, pharmaceuticals and beauty and personal care products can entail a halal label, clothing and footwear are an exception, and for services only food service can acquire a physical halal certification.

Although this is the case, it is still necessary for Muslims to lead the halal way of life, which means ensuring their consumption, behaviour, dressing, social interactions and every other aspect is aligned with Islamic beliefs.

Forbidden ingredients of halal foods include animals that are dead or dying prior to slaughter, blood and blood byproducts, carnivorous animals, birds of prey, land animals without external ears, animals killed in the name of anything other than Allah.

From a Muslim consumer standpoint, products are deemed halal when they are produced without any forbidden ingredients, be proven to be in the interest of the consumer’s health and wellbeing, must be clean, hygienic and have supply chain integrity.

They must also benefit the community from which they came and all ingredients must be traceable at each stage of production.

Some global trends in the halal industry

According to a Thomson Reuters report, halal food made up nearly 17 per cent  of the total world food market in 2013.  And according to a report commissioned by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, the global halal market would be worth US$1.6 trillion (RM6.8 trillion) by 2018, an increase from US$1.1 trillion in 2013 and growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.9 per cent.

The focus imposed on the halal industry in the Middle East is quite notable in the recent times. The UAE is preparing to cater for the growing demand as the UAE government has recently announced setting up of a “Halal Cluster”, a 6.7 million square feet land in Dubai Industrial City, for firms dealing in halal food, cosmetics, and personal care items.

Methods of discovering “haram impurities” in products are rapidly improving. Now, the type of animals that the raw materials are derived from can be identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) ― an advanced molecular biotechnology technique that emerged in the 1980s and evolved into a very sophisticated piece of technology for multiple applications.

The PCR has the potential to greatly improve halal integrity, allowing the development of halal supply chains and product tracking.

Malaysia is the global hub of the halal industry and has set up institutions to determine efficacy of halal, deal with the issues of its standards and certification.

These include Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) and the Halal Development Corporation (HDC). Malaysia is a leading exporter of pure Islamic products to Muslim countries, China and Western countries where there is large presence of Muslim population.

While Malaysia is in the lead, the other drivers in the South-east Asia (SEA) region include Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, Philippines and China. It is notable that the cultural diversity of SEA as well as emerging diversities in other regions of the world has led to strict halal standards.

The multi-cultural complexion of SEA has stimulated the development of the world’s most advanced halal standards and certification agencies. This has given rise to an industry of halal certification created to attempt to verify any issues that may arise when considering the true definition of halal products.

The presence of certifying agencies is varied across the world. However, with a variety of international disagreements, unique challenges and varying halal development in each country, a unified halal hub remains the ideal goal for the halal industry.

Muslim government-approved certification bodies could enhance a country’s reliability and accreditation. SEA seems to have taken the lead due to the top three globally recognised certifying bodies within it, and many neighbouring countries are building their eco-systems to achieve similar recognition and reliability.

How can technology help the global halal industry?

As was mentioned above, some technologies such as PCR can enhance halal integrity in foods and beverages as well as in personal care products. As such, there are many existing technologies that can be adopted or newly developed solely for the global halal industry.

Halal technologies include personal devices for checking halal  integrity, for traceability, in conducting site audits for compliance and in transportation.

High technology can significantly boost this emerging trillion-dollar market and such technologies can be developed and deployed for the benefit of this market.

What’s next?

PlaTCOM Ventures ― the National Technology Commercialisation Platform of Malaysia ― spearheaded the Halal Hi-Tech Challenge 2015 this year to support the application of high technology in halal industry.

PlaTCOM will be organising the Halal Hi-Tech Challenge 2016 in the coming months in order to further support this growing industry and further helping Malaysian SMEs to develop their innovations for halal-related applications. Stay tuned for more information in the forthcoming issues.


Sumber - Malay Mail Online

Lahirnya Komuniti ASEAN

PUTRAJAYA, 30 Dis (Bernama) -- Komuniti ASEAN lahir secara rasmi esok, mencatat pencapaian besar dalam sejarah persatuan 10-negara itu, serta memperkukuhkan lagi integrasi rantau berkenaan demi kemakmuran dan kesejahteraan semua.

Idea komuniti berasaskan tiga bidang itu - Komuniti Politik-Keselamatan, Komuniti Ekonomi dan Komuniti Sosio-Budaya - tercetus pada 2003 dengan prospek penawaran peluang besar kepada setiap orang yang tinggal dan bekerja di rantau ini.

Berucap mengenai langkah besar diambil kumpulan serantau itu yang dibentuk pada 1967, timbalan ketua pengarah Komuniti Sosio-Budaya ASEAN Kementerian Luar, Duta Besar Jojie Samuel berkata:

"ASEAN memasuki tahun 2016 sebagai sebuah komuniti, hingga menghasilkan proses integrasi yang mewujudkan peluang-peluang baharu untuk penduduknya seramai 650 juta bagi merebut peluang daripada sifat berpandangan jauh dan kecergasan ekonomi komuniti ASEAN."

Gerak langkah ke arah pembentukan komuniti ASEAN bermula di Bali, Indonesia, pada Oktober 2003 bila anggota-anggotanya mengesahkan Deklarasi Kesepakatan ASEAN II, juga dikenali sebagai Kesepakatan Bali II.

Ketika itulah ASEAN merencana Komuniti Ekonomi ASEAN menjelang 2015 bagi mewujudkan sebuah pasaran dan pangkalan edaran, sebuah rantau ekonomi yang cukup kompetitif dengan pembangunan ekonomi yang saksama dan sebuah rantau yang terlibat sepenuhnya dalam ekonomi global.

Sebagaimana Samuel tegaskan, pembinaan Komuniti ASEAN merupakan proses berterusan yang menyaksikan negara-negara anggota mengusahakan inisiatif di bawah rangka tindakan bagi memperkukuhkan lagi integrasi.

"Pemimpin ASEAN telah juga menerima Wawasan Komuniti ASEAN 2025, yang merangka integrasi dan konsolidasi berterusan kumpulan serantau itu untuk sepuluh tahun akan datang," katanya.

Pada majlis pembukaan Sidang Kemuncak ASEAN ke-27 dan Sidang Kemuncak Berkaitan di Kuala Lumpur pada 21 Nov lalu, Perdana Menteri Malaysia Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak menyebut tentang kelahiran Komuniti ASEAN: "Itulah hari yang kita tunggu-tunggu. Ia adalah hari kita - ASEAN - boleh banggakan."

Menyokong sentimen itu, Dr Muhammad Fuad Othman dari Universiti Utara Malaysia berkata pembentukan Komuniti ASEAN adalah sebuah inspirasi untuk penduduk rantau ini bagi mengeratkan lagi hubungan demi keamanan, keselamatan dan kemakmuran.

"Komuniti Ekonomi ASEAN mula melahirkan bentuknya dengan melaksanakan pergerakan bebas barangan, perkhidmatan, modal dan buruh mahir, dengan hasrat menambah baik kehidupan warga ASEAN," kata beliau.

Negara-negara ASEAN memiliki gabungan produk dalam negeri kasar (GDP) berjumlah US$2.6 trilion pada 2014, dan kadar pertumbuhan GDP 4.6 peratus.

Duta Besar Malaysia ke Belgium Datuk Nafisah Mohamed berkata penubuhan Komuniti ASEAN adalah demi kepentingan rantau ini dan dunia yang lebih luas untuk keamanan, kestabilan dan pembangunan.

"Ini adalah cara ASEAN menilai pencapaiannya dan mengenal pasti langkah untuk ke hadapan demi menjayakan Komuniti ASEAN sebagaimana dirancang oleh pemimpin-pemimpin pengasas ASEAN.

"Prospek untuk pertumbuhan dan pembangunan lebih besar dalam ASEAN begitu menjanjikan oleh kerana kemajuan kini bergerak ke arah pemeteraian perjanjian perdagangan bilateral dan serantau dengan ASEAN dan rakan-rakan dialognya," kata beliau dalam respons e-mel kepada Bernama.

Menurut laman web sekretariat ASEAN, dianggarkan menjelang 2030, ASEAN akan muncul sebagai kuasa ekonomi keempat terbesar di dunia selepas Komuniti Ekonomi ASEAN dilancarkan menjelang 2020.

ASEAN dianggotai Brunei, Kemboja, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Filipina, Singapura, Thailand dan Vietnam. Laos akan mempengerusikan persatuan serantau itu mulai 1 Jan.


Sumber - BERNAMA

ASEAN to gain competitive edge as one community: ST survey

ASEAN will be more competitive once the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is a reality, going by a new regionwide poll.

Businesses will do better, work opportunities will grow and lives will improve, according to the survey, which was conducted by The Straits Times and covered the 10 ASEAN nations.

Many respondents expect to travel a lot more in the coming years.

If the AEC is regarded as a single market of 625 million, it has the potential to be the world's fourth-largest economy, after the European Union, the United States and China, some experts say.

The AEC kept a fairly low profile in the planning stages, but expectations are now growing about the benefits of being part of an economic community, as the crucial date of Dec 31 nears - marking the official formation of the community.

Yet, the poll results show that people within the region remain circumspect about the gains made so far and sceptical about how fast matters can progress on regional integration, given current realities.

ASEAN was formed in 1967 with five member nations - driven in no small part by fears over the spread of communism. One key goal from the start was to promote economic growth among member states.

The AEC aims to take ASEAN integration - which has already seen steps such as encouraging regional countries to grant visa-free travel to ASEAN citizens - to a new level.

In the poll, few responded with a "yes" to whether ASEAN is close to becoming a community.

A significant majority acknowledged that it is difficult to do business in the region.

And close to half said people's mindsets will be a challenge in bringing the region closer together, attaching far more importance to this factor rather than rules and legislation in the region.

The Straits Times embarked on this poll on Oct 20 to gauge sentiment across ASEAN as the region nears this historic moment.

ST was supported by all the English ASEAN papers of the Asia News Network, a grouping of 22 newspapers seeking to promote coverage of Asian affairs.

Responses surged in from Malaysia and the Philippines in the first few weeks after the poll's launch, while it took longer to get the minimum number of 80 responses per country - for a credible sample - from Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.

No reward was offered for joining the poll. It was closed on Dec 9, after 50 days online.

Only ASEAN citizens could participate. Responses came from all over the world and language issues likely prevented more responses to the straw poll from the remaining ASEAN countries.

Said Mr Ong Keng Yong, Singapore's Ambassador-at-Large: "The result of the poll clearly shows that there is general acceptance that working together as 10 countries will yield a better outcome for everyone in ASEAN.

"Unfortunately, there is still insufficient awareness of how the 10 countries can operate the ASEAN Community into a regional system which provides benefits for the ASEAN citizens."

The establishment of the overarching ASEAN Community concept for the region was agreed to by regional leaders in 2003. It will have three pillars - the AEC, the Political-Security Community and the Socio-Cultural Community. The ASEAN Community's establishment will be declared formal on Dec 31.

For Dr Ooi Kee Beng, deputy director of the Iseas-Yusof Ishak Institute, the poll results show that ASEAN businessmen are very supportive of regional integration.

"But their hope that it will succeed is much stronger than the expectation they have that it will succeed, at least in the short term."

In the works for several years, the AEC is expected to spur trade and boost economies, with governments having already agreed to the lowering of tariff as well as non-tariff barriers.

Connectivity is also set to get a boost, with industries to be integrated across various countries and free movement of goods, services, investment and skilled labour and freer flow of capital to be encouraged.

Here are some of the key findings of the poll, which 655 people took:

Over 75 per cent of the respondents say ASEAN will become more competitive globally after the AEC is a reality.

Slightly more than half expect business to improve.

Half of those polled are certain that life will be better.

Two-thirds expect work or travel to rise in the next three years.

Only a quarter of the respondents believe that ASEAN is close to becoming a community. More than one-third are clear that it is not close to being a community while the remaining are uncertain.

Among other findings of the survey: Close to two-thirds of those who took the poll already identify with their peers in the region, although the majority agree that people in the region do not share a common identity.

The survey was hosted and promoted by The Straits Times as well as journalists from these newspapers: The Star (Malaysia), Philippine Daily Inquirer (the Philippines), The Jakarta Post (Indonesia), The Nation (Thailand), Viet Nam News (Vietnam), Vientiane Times (Laos), Rasmei Kampuchea Daily (Cambodia), the Eleven Media Group (Myanmar) and The Brunei Times (Brunei).


Sumber - AsiaOne

Rombongan NDP prihatin tentang untung nasib peniaga-peniaga Tamu Kianggeh

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 28 Dis - Hampir semua peniaga secara kecil-kecilan dan sederhana, di Tamu Kianggeh melahirkan rasa tidak bersetuju atas keputusan untuk mereka dipindahkan daripada kawasan berniaga yang sudah sinonim dengan mereka terutama sekali di kalangan peniaga-peniaga warga emas yang mendakwa sudah berpuluh-puluh tahun menjadikan tempat itu sebagai tempat mereka mencari mata pencarian selama ini.

Mereka juga terkilan kenapa mereka tidak diajak untuk memberikan pandangan sama atas keputusan pihak berkenaan itu. Mereka meluahkan perasaan dan pandangan mereka ini kepada rombongan Parti Pembangunan Bangsa (NDP) yang membuat lawatan kerja mereka ke kawasan tamu tersebut kemarin. Rombongan di ketuai oleh Presiden parti itu, Malai Hassan bin Malai Haji Othman.

Ramai di kalangan peniaga-peniaga di sana terdiri daripada kalangan warga emas selain terdapat juga di kalangan ibu tunggal yang berniaga di sana untuk menampung kehidupan bersama anak-anak mereka. Menurut mereka pendapatan minima setiap hari kira-kira lebih $30.00 dan pendapatan akan meningkat di waktu hujung minggu.

Banyak perkara yang mereka bimbangkan dengan langkah untuk memindahkan mereka ke kawasan tamu baru di Gadong.

“Jika kami dipindahkan ke kawasan Gadong sepertimana kami difahamkan, maka antara kesukaran kami ialah terpaksa dua kali naik bas, daripada tempat tinggal kami, bas berhentian di satu perhentian di Bandar Seri Begawan sahaja, kemudian dari sini kami terpaksa lagi naik bas lain untuk ke Gadong, dan kami terpaksa mengangkut dagangan kami”, kata beberapa orang peniaga di sana yang tinggal jauh daripada kawasan tamu.

Selain yang tinggal di kawasan kampung ayer pula, jika dipindahkan ke kawasan baru, adalah menjadi kesukaran mereka dari segi pengangkutan, biarpun ada bas, tetapi ramai dikalangan mereka adalah warga emas yang sudah kurang kekuatan fizikal.

“Kami selalunya hanya naik motor bot, dari seberang kampung kami dan naik di tambatan depan tamu ini” kata beberapa orang lagi peniaga warga emas yang tinggal di kawasan kampung ayer.

Sementara itu Presiden NDP, Malai Hassan bin Malai Haji Othman, ketika ditemui menyatakan rasa terkilannya dengan isu hangat pemindahan Tamu Kianggeh yang telah mengundang banyak bantahan daripada kalangan masyarakat tempatan terutama penjaja-penjaja yang merasakan langkah itu akan menjejaskan mata pencarian mereka.

Menurutnya, sebahagian besar masyarakat di negara ini pula merasakan langkah tersebut tidak wajar, memandangkan Tamu Kianggeh merupakan sebahagian daripada warisan sejarah dan budaya orang Brunei, selain turut merupakan kawasan popular di kalangan pelancong luar negara yang ingin melihat sambl belajar menghayati suasana kehidupan dan budaya orang Brunei.

“NDP dalam hal ini memahami sentimen orang ramai yang terbabit, dan bimbang ianya boleh mengundang kepada kebencian rakyat kepada sektor perkhidmatan awam terutama elit-elit pentadbir yang di amanahkan untuk menjaga kemasalahan rakyat, selain kami juga khuatir perlaksanaan perancangan yang gagal mengambil kira kemasalahatan peniaga-peniaga kecil dan sederhana di tamu itu, akan sekali lagi menjejasakan kredibiliti sektor perkhidmatan awam sebagai pemudahcara pembangunan bangsa dan negara, seperti juga yang pernah dicetuskan oleh isu Pasar Seria yang dipindahkan ke Pasar Baru Lorong Tiga, hingga sekarang ia dilihat sebagai satu testimonial kehancuran peniaga-peniaga Melayu berpunca daripada perancangan yang lemah” katanya.

Tambahnya lagi, NDP menyokong penuh usaha pihak Lembaga Bandaran Bandar Seri Begawan ke arah mencapai objektif-objektif  antaranya untuk memelihara kebersihan alam sekitar, keselamatan dan keselesaan pengguna-pengguna jalanraya serta bagi tujuan menambah cantik persekitaran ibu negara Bandar Seri Begawan, selain alasan yang turut ditekankan untuk menghormati tanah perkuburan orang-orang Islam yang terletak berdekatan di tamu itu.

“Akan tetapi NDP berkeyakinan objektif-objektif tersebut masih boleh dicapai tanpa mengambil langkah-langkah drastik yang jelas telah banyak mengundang kegelisahan dan kekecewaan di kalangan peniaga-peniaga di tamu itu, khususnya dan di kalangan masyarakat umum, dari itu, kami berharap pihak-pihak berkenaan akan dapat memikirkan semula perancangan tersebut dengan mengambil kira semua sudut pembangunan bukan sahaja pembangunan fisikal akan tetapi lebih penting pembangunan sosial rakyat Brunei, serta kami menyeru pihak berkenaan agar mempertimbangkan semula perancangan dengan mengingati motto negara “Berkhidmat Mengikut Petunjuk Allah”, di mana nanti negara akan terus menjadi negara yang baik dengan keadilan di tegakkan” ujarnya.

Turut menyertai lawatan hari ini, Timbalan Presiden NDP, Pengiran Haji Zainal bin Pengiran Haji Talib, serta ahli-ahli Majlis Tertinggi pertubuhan itu daripada seluruh negara.

Berikut kenyataan rasmi Parti Pembangunan Bangsa (NDP) tentang isu Tamu Kianggeh:

KENYATAAN MEDIA PARTI PEMBANGUNAN BANGSA (NDP)

UNTUK SIARAN SEGERA
TARIKH: 25 DISEMBER 2015
PER: NDP KESAL DENGAN ISU TAMU KIANGGEH

1. PARTI PEMBANGUNAN BANGSA (NDP) rasa terkilan dengan isu hangat pemindahan Tamu Kianggeh yang telah mengundang banyak bantahan dari kalangan masyarakat tempatan terutama peniaga-peniaga Melayu yang merasakan langkah tersebut akan menjejaskan mata pencarian dan masa hadapan mereka

2. Langkah tersebut juga dilihat oleh sebahagian besar masyarakat Brunei sebagai tidak wajar kerana Tamu Kianggeh merupakan sebahagian dari warisan sejarah dan budaya orang Brunei yang perlu dipelihara dan dimajukan

3. Tambahan lagi Tamu Kianggeh telah dikenali ramai sebagai destinasi popular yang menjadi tarikan pelancong asing yang ingin melihat keunikan Negara Brunei dan menghayati suasana kehidupan dan budaya orang Brunei

4. Di Tamu Kianggeh pelancung asing dapat melihat dengan lebih dekat lagi suasana hiruk pikuk di tamu berkenaan disamping meninjau ke tempat jualan kuih-kuih kering, jualan perubatan tradisi orang-orang Brunei dan tempat jualan ikan kering, belacan dan lain-lain hasil usaha kampong

5. NDP mengingat kembali sejarah Tamu Kianggeh yang bermula pada awal 1960-an. Dulunya ia merupakan tempat padian wanita menjual pelbagai hasil produk mereka dengan menggunakan bot yang juga dikenali sebagai padian dan tempat ini juga dikatakan pernah mennerima lawatan dari Ratu Elizabeth sebanyak dua kali dan juga puteranya, Putera Charles sekitar tahun 1980-an

6. Sehubungan dengan itu NDP sangat memahami sentimen orang ramai mengenai isu tersebut dan berkongsi pandangan dengan seluruh rakyat yang tidak selesa dengan tindakan pihak berkuasa tersebut

7. NDP bimbang langkah tersebut mengundang ‘kebencian' rakyat dan boleh menghakis kepercayaan rakyat terhadap sektor perkhidmatan awam terutama elit-elit pentadbir yang diamanahkan untuk menjaga maslahah rakyat

8. Menurut laporan media-media perdana pihak Lembaga Bandaran Bandar Seri Begawan telah mengeluarkan notis pemindahan dan telah mengarahkan semua peniaga-peniaga di Tamu Kianggeh untuk mengosongkan kawasan tersebut dan berpindah ke kawasan Pasar Gadong selewat-lewatnya bulan Mac 2016

9. NDP mengambil maklum bahawa pihak Lembaga Bandaran Bandar Seri Begawan telah memberikan beberapa alasan-alasan seperti berikut untuk menjustifikasikan langkah tersebut:

I. Ianya merupakan salah satu program Lembaga Bandaran BSP untuk mencantikan persekitaran Bandar Seri Begawan

II. Langkah untuk memelihara kebersihan alam sekitar Bandar Seri Begawan

III. Mengurangkan kesesakan lalu lintas jalan utama berhadapan Tamu Kianggeh

IV. Untuk menghormati tanah perkuburan orang-orang Islam yang berdekatan dengan Tamu Kianggeh

10. NDP juga mengambil maklum langkah memindah Tamu Kianggeh tersebut merupakan sebahagian dari projek pembinaan Tamu Gadong (Berpayung) yang ‘bermasalah' sejak ianya siap dibina pada tahun 2014

11. Dari sudut pandang NDP isu ini dilihat sebagai satu lagi kegagalan pihak-pihak berkenaan dalam membuat perancangan kemajuan yang melibatkan secara langsung kemaslahatan peniaga-peniaga kecil dan sederhana dengan bijaksana

12. Ia juga merupakan satu kegagalan pihak berkuasa untuk mengambil pendekatan yang holistik selaras dengan tuntutan Melayu Islam Beraja sebagai konsep berbangsa dan bernegara orang Brunei dalam membuat perancangan dan perlaksanaan sesuatu perancangan yang melibatkan kemaslahatan peniaga-peniaga kecil dan sederhana

13. Dalam hal ini apa yang jelas ialah proses membuat keputusan tidak melibatkan sepenuhnya pandangan-pandangan rakyat terutama peniaga-peniaga di Tamu Kianggeh yang merupakan ‘stakeholder' yang tidak kurang penting dalam membuat keputusan besar ini

14. Perlu dijelaskan NDP bersetuju dengan objektif-objektif yang diketengahkan oleh pihak Lembaga Bandaran Bandar Seri Begawan dalam langkahnya memindah peniaga-peniaga di Tamu Kianggeh ke empat lokasi di Gadong

15. Akan tetapi NDP kurang bersetuju dengan langkah kearah mencapai objektif-objektif tersebut iaitu dengan menamatkan riwayat Tamu Kianggeh dan sekali gus meletakan masa hadapan peniaga-peniaga di Tamu Kianggeh dalam keadaan gusar akan masa hadapan yang boleh pasti terjamin

16. NDP juga sangat tidak selesa untuk bersetuju dengan sebarang langkah yang terdapat unsur-unsur ketidakadilan didalamnya terutama yang boleh menjejaskan mata pencarian dan masa hadapan peniaga-peniaga anak tempatan

17. NDP berkeyakinan objektif-objektif tersebut masih boleh dicapai tanpa mengambil langkah-langkah ‘drastic' yang jelas telah banyak mengundang kegelisahan dan kekecewaan dikalangan peniaga-peniaga di Tamu Kianggeh

18. Dari itu NDP berseru kepada pihak-pihak berkenaan agar memikirkan semula perancangan tersebut dengan mengambil kira semua sudut pembangunan bukan sahaja pembangunan fisikal akan tetapi lebih penting pembangunan sosial rakyat Brunei

19. NDP khuatir perlaksanaan perancangan yang gagal mengambil kira kemaslahatan peniaga-peniaga kecil dan sederhana di Tamu Kianggeh akan sekali lagi menjejaskan kredibiliti sektor perkhidmatan awam sebagai pemudahcara pembangunan bangsa dan negara, seperti juga yang pernah dicetuskan oleh isu pasar Seria yang dipindahkan ke pasar baru di Lorong Tiga.

20. Hingga kehari ini ia menjadi ristaan tentang kehancuran peniaga-peniaga Melayu yang berpunca dari perancangan yang tidak bijaksana

21. Sekali lagi NDP menyeru pihak-pihak berkenaan agar mempertimbangkan semula perancangan tersebut dengan melihat semula nilai-nilai Tamu Kianggeh sebagai satu aset sejarah dan budaya bukannya semata-mata sebagai satu liabiliti kepada persekitaran Bandar Seri Begawan

22. Ada berkatnya jika pihak-pihak berkenaan mengingati semula motto negara “BERKHIDMAT MENGIKUT PENTUNJUK ALLAH” dan bertolak dari sana serta atas landasan Negara Zikir dalam membuat sebarang perancangan dan keputusan

23. Ada juga berkatnya jika pihak-pihak berkenaan turut mengingat titah Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam seperti berikut:

"Salah satu dari ciri bersyukur itu ialah dengan melaksanakan keadilan. Kerana keadilan adalah segala-galanya. Tanpa keadilan, semua kebajikan akan jauh atau menarik diri daripada kita.
 
Oleh itu, satu peringatan perlu disebut di sini, bahawa sesiapa jua yang dilantik atau dipilih menjadi pemimpin, mereka itu adalah berkewajipan untuk menjalankan keadilan. Tempat tumpahnya keadilan ialah keatas rakyat, bukan kepada diri sendiri. Adapun untuk kepentingan diri sendiri, itu bukanlah keadilan tetapi kezaliman.
 
Sebab itulah kadang-kadang, bersedia mendengar suara orang di bawah, atau menerima idea-idea yang baik, atau keluhan atau rintihan mereka dapat dianggap sebagai ciri melaksanakan keadilan."

(Titah Rombakan Keahlian Majlis Mesyuarat Menteri-Menteri Kabinet Dan Pelantikan-Pelantikan Baru 09 MUHARRAM 1437 / 22 OKTOBER 2015)

24. Semoga dengan itu nanti negara akan terus menjadi negara yang baik dimana keadilan ditegakkan, pihak yang berhak mendapat hak nya dengan adil dan ihsan, dan yang berkewajipan menjalankan kewajipan mereka dengan jujur, amanah dan bersih. In sya Allah negara uyang baik ini akan sentiasa mendapat perlindungan Allah jauh dari murka Allah.


Sumber - Laman Aspirasi NDP

National housing development rises above challenges

Part of the 1000 new cluster houses at the Kg Lugu National Housing Scheme that are
still under construction with a complete model house (R) for public viewing

Julius Hong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

WITH only five per cent of Brunei’s land area available for development and 57 per cent of Brunei’s land area protected under the Heart of Borneo conservation initiative, The Ministry of Development has said that it will no longer be feasible to dedicate large swathes of land.

Hence, the government’s housing scheme has to rise above the land issue as there is a need for greater agricultural and industrial development.

According to the Housing Development Department, there are more than 10,000 housing applicants seeking properties in Brunei-Muara and some of these applications were received more than 15 years ago.

Vertical housing project

The Ministry of Development is currently developing a $55 million high-rise apartment at Lambak Kanan/Salambigar which is slated to be completed by May 2016.

In the first phase of the vertical housing project, there will be 10 apartment blocks complete with a multi-storey car park as well as recreational and sports facilities.

Each apartment unit is equipped with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a living room, a dining room with a kitchen and a laundry room as well as a storage room.

The apartment blocks will also be built with the “green building concept”, with features that allow tenants to save water and energy.

The decision to move from single housing to high-rise apartment was made to address the growing Bruneian population and the limited amount of land available in Brunei.

A survey was distributed to the public during roadshows to obtain feedback regarding the designs of the vertical housing project with 75 per cent of the respondents saying they liked the designs.

In 2010, a survey for the second BSB Development Master Plan found that 95 per cent of poll respondents were in favour of the vertical housing with amenities and walkable neighbourhoods.

“We want to make sure people like the idea, and if it is well-received, we may build more of these units in the future,” said the previous Minister of Development Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Suyoi Hj Osman.

Currently, 2,500 units have been marked for Lumapas while 420 units have been designated in Lambak Kanan and recently Kampung Lugu was identified as a possible new site for the vertical housings.

Improvements to be made on lack of accessibility

Public facilities such as schools, mosques, grocery stores, health clinics and police stations should be constructed to protect the welfare and safety of the residents in the neighbourhood.

These were raised by residents from several of the NHS as they have to go out of their way to utilise these facilities.

Residents from the Tanah Jambu NHS have expressed a lack of accessibility as they are only able to access the neighbourhood through two entry point in Jalan Bukit Kabun and Tutong-Muara highway.

Housing design

Several concerns were voiced by homeowners and recipients under the National Housing Scheme (NHS) and Landless Indigenous Citizens’ Housing Scheme this year regarding the quality of their houses.

On March 18, YB Pehin Dato Hj Suyoi addressed a number of complaints have been raised by residents in NHS regarding the issue of water leaks and gaping holes in the roofs and ceiling in their houses.

“Looking back, we have learned our lesson from this episode. The house design, and the type or designs of roofing adopted were incompatible with the climate here,” he said.

Many have also complained about the interior design of the houses such as having the kitchen face the toilet, lack of space in the kitchen to fit a dining table are a few of the problem which are considered not ideal in the context of Bruneian culture.

“Bruneians like to invite their family members over during the weekend. But if the dining area is too small, how do you expect Bruneians to maintain the culture of visiting one another,” said 43-year-old Pg Mustafa Pg Amat, a resident from Kg Panchor Mengkubau.

Another resident has also raised issues about the quality of the facilities citing faulty fans and lightings, cracked floors and a flood prone garage as a few examples.

Kampong Ayer scheme

A member of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Maharaja Kerna Dato Paduka Seri Hj Yaakub Pehin Orang Kaya Maharaja Diraja Dato Paduka Hj Zainal suggested that more national housing schemes should be built in Kampong Ayer.

He said that this suggestion would preserve the population and cultural heritage of one of Brunei’s iconic landmarks as well as solve the problem of insufficient land for housing schemes, said YB Pehin Dato Hj Yaakub.

“This suggestion, I believe, is in line with the BSB Development master plan for enlivening the infrastructure to accommodate the tourism industry,” he added.

He said that there is a trend of migration of Kg Ayer residents to land via the NHS causing a slow depletion of the water village and that the scheme should emphasise the necessity of keeping in line with the traditional homes on the river in terms of design and functionality

In the 1980s, the water village population was estimated at 40,000 but according to the 2012 national census, it has dwindled to 13,162.

Currently, there are two national housing schemes located in the water village – Kg Bolkiah ‘A’ and Kg Bolkiah ‘B’ – as well as the 64 eco-friendly houses that are part of the Upgrading Kampong Ayer Pilot Project.

In response, the Minister of Home Affairs said the recommendation to extend the NHS to Kampong Ayer still needs further review.

“Under the circumstances, I am doubtful as to whether it is advisable for the government to extend the NHS to the Kampung Ayer area,” said the minister.

Future schemes

Several villages in Tutong were studied by the Town and Country Planning Department for potential economic and residential development. Mukim Kiudang and several of its villages are some areas that have been identified as possible areas for development.

“The housing scheme will be able to accommodate workers for the expanding agricultural businesses within that area,” she said.

According to Town and Country Planning Officer Mawarni Hj Ahmad, the Tutong District plan has determined that Kg Pengkalan and Kg Kebia are able to accommodate over 3,000 new residents in some 700 dwellings.

The Tutong district plan is a strategic document that guides the planning and development of Tutong till the year 2025.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Falling oil prices fail to push civil servants to save

Wail Wardi Wasil and Rachel Thien
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

PLUNGING oil prices have yet to force civil servants in Brunei to save for a rainy day, with government employees saying they need to use their annual bonus to pay off debts.

Droves of civil servants yesterday flocked to banks around the sultanate after receiving their annual bonuses.

Most civil servants interviewed by The Brunei Times said they are aware of the falling oil prices, but admitted to not being able to save money due to other obligations.

Mohd Ali Noor Yussof, 31, said he is going to use his annual bonus to pay for his children’s education such as school uniforms, books and stationeries.

“My youngest is still a baby, so what is left over from my annual bonus will probably go to her and also the house utilities as well as repairs for my car,” said the father of three.

Ministry of Development employee Zamri Hj Jaludin said Bruneians tend to spend than save because they are too used to being dependent on the government.

“In Brunei, everything is paid for; education, healthcare and many other things, so we (Bruneians) tend to think there is no need to save because all the important expenses are already handled by the state,” said the 47-year-old.

Zulwaqar Hj Zulzali, 27, said many Bruneians are not concerned about the slump in global oil prices because the effects are not yet apparent to them.

“Even when there are budgets cuts experienced by the ministries, civil servants and members of the public will not feel the impact because their salaries are not affected, which causes them to not care as much,” he added.

“Once the public see that the price of everything is starting to rise, then maybe they’ll think about what they are going to do during this recession,” said Shahirah Hamizah Hj Sahri, 26, a civil servant who did not wish her position to be stated.

According to a Reuters report, oil fell to $37.11 a barrel yesterday, with prices expected to stay low for some time.

Meanwhile, the Legislative Council (LegCo) representative of Belait district Zone 1 said residents need to realise the impact of plunging oil prices on Brunei and not continue seeking more government welfare during tough economic times.

Yang Berhormat Hj Mohd Shafiee Ahmad said he will soon raise awareness on the country’s current economic situation to his residents and that the government is doing what it can to minimise the impact of oil prices on its people.

“I would like my village residents to be considerate of this situation. Do not ask for too much while the country is facing difficulties,” he said.

YB Hj Mohd Shafiee said the global slump in oil prices is not really talked about among residents in his village.

“They (village residents) are not really talking about the situation, as they are much more concerned about their welfare and benefits,” he said.

He said the low oil prices affect everyone in the country, and that people should be concerned and do what they can to help the government.

“We must all work together and help the government when they are facing difficulties,” he added.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Brunei at the forefront of TPP ratification

Leo Kasim
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

AS negotiations for the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement have concluded with each country going into the ratification process, Brunei could become one of the first countries to ratify the trade deal due to the sultanate’s more straightforward government system.

The trade deal was signed on October 5, 2015 in the US after about five years of trade negotiations and heated debates in which member countries sought to achieve a balanced deal.

In a November statement, Brunei’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MoFAT) said that the TPP will create a market with a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of US$30 trillion, which is 40 per cent of global gross domestic product, once it is ratified.

Brunei is one of the countries to agree to the trade pact along with Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the US and Vietnam.

Increased market access for Brunei

Last month, MoFAT said that the Sultanate will benefit from the trade deal which will improve market access and investment flows.

MoFAT also said that the government sees the country’s participation in the pact will help drive its economic successes in the future.

“The government of Brunei sees its participation in the TPP (as one) of significant importance that will drive national economic development, ensuring that our nation can continue to prosper in the future,” the ministry said in a November statement.

MoFAT said the Brunei’s total trade with the TPP countries under has amounted to $10 billion in 2014, a figure which further signifies the importance of the trade pact to the Sultanate’s economy.

It added that the TPP will provide greater predictability and transparency in the trade and investment regime, boosting confidence among investors and complement efforts to improve the business environment in the country.

Changes to improve labour standards

Brunei could see itself implementing labour reforms as part of its commitment to the TPP, according to the US President last month during the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit 2015 in Kuala Lumpur.

In his address, President Barack Obama said that Brunei, along with Malaysia and Vietnam, has committed to “specific and concrete reforms” to reach the high labour standards stated in the trade deal.

Both Brunei and the US agreed to work on legal reforms labour reforms under the Brunei-US Labour Consistency Plan, a bilateral instrument in accordance with Chapter 19 of the TPP, in order to improve labour standards for Brunei.

The seven-page document, which was made publicly available in the full text of the TPP, mentioned specific reforms for Brunei such as the creation of a workers’ union, prohibiting discrimination, enacting minimum wage laws and having procedures for collective bargaining and strikes.

The document also said the country must ensure the effectiveness of its mechanisms such as allowing anonymous reporting of labour violations to have procedures for referring complaints to labour inspectors for record and follow up purposes.

President Obama said that better conditions for workers will help boost wages which improves working conditions and improve living standards.

No price shocks on consumer goods

After TPP negotiations concluded in October, some senior diplomats in the country said that prices of consumer goods in Brunei may not see drastic changes as a result of the trade deal.

Craig Allen, the US Ambassador to Brunei, said that Bruneian duties have already been “relatively low and the country has had an open economy, adding that the issues have to be seen from a “product by product” basis.

“In the areas where tariffs are currently high, that (lowering of prices) would be the case,” he said in October when the full TPP text was not released yet.

In a separate interview, Todd Mercer, Australian High Commissioner to Brunei, said that the TPP will not have a major effect on consumer goods prices in Brunei due to existing low tariffs.

“We’ll need to look into the details of things...because it really depends on your import makeup. There are already low tariffs between Brunei and Australia (so) it will not significantly affect consumer goods prices,” he said.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Brunei strives to improve its labour market

Azmi Zainal
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE sultanate made inroads this year in reducing the jobless rate, empowering the labour force to improve their employability and encouraging Bruneians to reduce their reliance on the government sector and take up private sector jobs.

Unemployment down

Unemployment rates have seen a sharp fall this year.

According to the most recent data from the Department of Economic Planning and Development (JPKE), the number of jobless in the sultanate fell 8.6 per cent to 11,093 in September from 12,137 a year earlier.

September also saw the lowest number of jobless for any month so far this year.

Unemployment in Brunei is projected to fall to three per cent by 2016, according to a report from the UN Economic and Social Survey of Asia-Pacific (UNESCAP), which cited government initiatives to help mitigate the number of jobless.

The government has made a number of efforts to reduce unemployment. Some of its campaigns included public encouragement of taking up vocational training and jobs through scholarships and initiatives such as the Energy Sector Job fair, said UNESCAP. It also included promotion of entrepreneurial grants from various institutions such as the Brunei Economic Development Board.

Agencies such as the Energy Department at the Prime Minister’s Office and the Local Employment and Workforce Development Agency (APTK) under the Ministry of Home Affairs have also been active in organising career programmes and job fairs throughout the year to provide opportunities for locals.

Entrepreneurship

In August, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, The Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, urged local jobseekers to shed preference for the civil service as many continued to shun opportunities in the private sector.

In his 69th birthday titah at Istana Nurul Iman, the monarch pointed out that “a picky attitude” in seeking employment can hinder the progress and success of a nation.

“There are opportunities available, but it is still up to the respective jobseekers. As usual, these opportunities are frequently taken up by foreign workers in the private sector, while local jobseekers are seen as preferring to work in the public sector or government,” he said.

Earlier in the year, during the Legislative Council’s sessions in March, Bruneians were urged to change their mindset and stop relying so much on the government for jobs and financial support and instead set their sights on becoming entrepreneurs. Employers were also encouraged to give priority to locals when hiring.

Then Minister of Health YB Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Adanan Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Hj Mohd Yusof highlighted that Bruneians should move away from relying on government salaries and support and instead enter the more industrious world of business.

“The industry sector is the heart of the economy, which has been proven to be capable of creating more employment, including advancing other industry-related economic activities,” he said.

YB Pehin Dato Hj Adanan said young Bruneians must be given the opportunity and priority in filling the important roles to replace expatriates because there are qualified locals for these roles.

Also In March, then Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Hj Awang Badaruddin Pengarah Dato Paduka Hj Awang Othman said the government’s policy of capping the number of foreign workers is not intended to hinder industrial growth and development.

He said the policy introduced last year is aimed primarily at reducing the unused quota of foreign workers. However, the ministry will insist that companies make plans within three years to gradually replace their foreign staff with locals, maintain the quota, or increase the number of expatriates as and when their companies’ growth and expansion make it necessary.

The minister said companies should make an effort to recruit more Bruneians.

There are currently 141,852 foreign workers in all sectors, including construction and private domestic help. On top of that, private sector employers have an unused quota for foreign workers totalling 71,000.

He said the ministry wants to regulate the number of foreigners working in the sultanate to make sure they don’t dominate jobs in the five sectors.

Curbing youth unemployment

In October, it was reported that the Institute of Brunei Technical Education in collaboration with the Continuing Education and Training Department (CET) was providing free training courses for unemployed youths between the ages of 18 and 35 as one of their initiatives to build skills among youths.

Hjh Nimah Hj Ahad, a senior officer from CET, encouraged more youths, particularly those who had just graduated from higher institutions, to develop their skills as opposed to merely waiting for job opportunities.

“We’re encouraging youths in the search for employment to apply for training courses to acquire new skills which would increase their opportunities to open businesses and become self-employed,” she added.

In relation to this, in March, Steven K Gold, an entrepreneurship professor from Babson College in the US, said entrepreneurship is important for the growth of a country, as it could help generate jobs and make the nation attractive to foreign investors.

Gold was invited to Brunei in 2014 by the Entrepreneurship Village under the Ministry of Education as a consultant for the National Entrepreneurship Agenda.

The Entrepreneurship Village’s strategies include equipping primary school children with the skills or tools required to become entrepreneurs.

For secondary and university students, it guides them on how to start and grow a business.

It also hopes to help existing entrepreneurs sustain and make their businesses globally competitive.

“The important factors to becoming [successful] entrepreneurs are communication skills, connections and being proactive,” he said.

“We guide interested entrepreneurs by giving them wider connections to other international experts to guide them further,” he added.

In June the Ministry of Home Affairs launched their job portal for private sector jobs.

The e-Labour Exchange also allows registered employers to post vacancies and seek potential employees.

Hj Shahrul Jeffri Dato Paduka Hj Ibrahim, acting head of the ministry’s Local Employment and Workforce Development Agency, said the system will speed up the recruitment process.

Hiring Bruneian workers will be faster and more cost-effective for employers, he said.

Through the new system, jobseekers can register and update their profiles online. They can also apply for courses offered on the e-Labour Exchange.

“The most important thing which I would like to emphasise is the government’s continuous effort to facilitate jobseekers to potential employers,” said YB Pehin Dato Hj Awg Badaruddin.

The minister hoped all private employers in the country would register with the new system and encourage local jobseekers, including students looking for part-time jobs, to make use of the portal.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Program Jejak Ehsan bantu kurang berkemampuan

Oleh Hajah Saemah Kepli

KUALA BELAIT, 25 Dis – Bersempena Sambutan Maulud Nabi Muhammad S.A.W, Himpunan Wanita Pusat Parti Pembangunan Bangsa (HAWA NDP) dengan kerjasama Badan Perhubungan NDP Daerah Belait telah meneruskan Program Jejak Ehsan dengan mengunjungi sebuah keluarga yang kurang berkemampuan di kawasan Berek Mumong di sini, hari ini.

Melalui program tersebut, rombongan yang telah diketuai oleh Ketua Himpunan Wanita Pusat, Dayang Kartini binti Abdul Manap dan disertai sama oleh Naib Presiden NDP Daerah Belait, Haji Metali bin Haji Ibrahim serta beberapa orang ahli jawatankuasa mereka, telah menyampaikan sumbangan berupa keperluan asasi kepada keluarga berkenaan yang pada masa ini tinggal di Berek 773, STKRJ Kampung Mumong.

Ketua keluarga seramai tujuh orang itu, Awang Musa bin Zainal, 42, hanya bekerja sebagai buruh di sebuah syarikat tempatan, dan lima anaknya yang berusia di antara lima hingga 13 tahun masih bersekolah, manakala itu, isterinya Dayang Suziana binti Abdul Kadir, 29, hanya seorang suri rumah.

Awang Musa mendakwa, setelah dia terpaksa membayar hutang kereta, gajinya tidak mencukupi untuk menampung kehidupan mereka sekeluarga hingga ke hujung bulan, tambahan lagi gajinya sering keluar lewat antara 6 hingga 10 haribulan pada setiap bulan.

Perwakilan daripada HAWA NDP bergambar ramai bersama sebuah keluarga yang dibantu semasa kunjungan tersebut

Keluarga berkenaan pada masa ini, tinggal menumpang di berek kerajaan, setelah rumah yang mereka sewa di Kampung Mumong roboh dalam kejadian yang berlaku Mei lalu dan kediaman mereka pada masa ini, langsung tidak mempunyai sebarang perabot dan kemudahan bagi keluarga itu.

Menurut Awang Musa, mereka telah pernah menghadapkan permohonan bantuan kepada pihak berkenaan pada September 2014, tetapi sehingga kini belum mendapat jawapan, permohonannya adalah untuk mendapatkan bantuan makanan asasi dan belanja persekolahan anak-anaknya.

Anak lelaki sulungnya, 13, belajar dalam Tahun 7 di Sekolah Menengah Sekolah Menengah Sayyidina Ali, manakala anak kedua hingga keempat yang juga lelaki, masing-masing berusia 11, sembilan dan tujuh tahun, bersekolah di Sekolah Rendah Kuala Belait dalam Tahun 6, 4, dan 2, sementara itu, anak bongsu mereka berusia lima tahun akan mula bersekolah awal tahun depan di sekolah yang sama.

“Memandangkan pendapatan saya kecil, saya hanya dapat membeli persiapan sekolah anak-anak semampunya, selain terpaksa menunggu gaji saya yang keluar lambat,” kata Awang Musa.


Sumber - Media Permata

Four more years of cheap oil, says OPEC

The OPEC oil cartel sees only a gradual improvement in the global crude market, with prices recovering to above US$70 per barrel after four years, according to a report released Wednesday.

With the global benchmark oil price touching an 11-year low of US$36.04 on Monday, the cartel which produces a third of the world’s crude said that it foresees a “gradual improvement in market conditions as growing demand and slower than previously expected non-OPEC supply growth eliminate the existing oversupply and lead to a more balanced market”.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, in its annual World Oil Outlook report, bases its reference scenario on US$70.70 for a barrel of crude in 2020 and US$95 in 2040.

Those projections represent a sharp drop in market value compared to last year’s report, which predicted a nominal price of US$110 for the rest of this decade.

The oil market has been rife with drama over the past year and a half as OPEC abandoned its policy of cutting production to support prices, with the price of a barrel of crude plunging more than 60 per cent.

Led by Saudi Arabia, the cartel instead aimed to preserve its market shares and push out growing competition from higher-cost shale rock producers in the United States.

OPEC nations, which are highly dependent on oil for government revenues, may be in for a longer haul than they had bargained for initially.

The report sees shale oil production only starting to “plateau” at 5.6 million barrels per day by 2025 and then decline.

And low oil prices are only leading to short-term boost in demand.

“The impact of the recent oil price decline on demand is most visible in the short term. It then drops away over the medium term,” noted the cartel, which is headquartered in Vienna.

It projected the world’s total crude demand to hit 97.4 million barrels per day by the end of the decade, an increase of 500,000 barrels per day compared to its forecast from last year.

And while demand for OPEC oil is also set to increase more than previously forecast over the next five years, it will still remain below current production levels.

The cartel sees demand for its output reaching 30.7 million barrels per day by 2020, an increase of 1.7 million barrels compared to last year’s projections. It is currently pumping 32 million barrels per day.

The cartel said it expected its current market share to increase by four points to 37 per cent by 2040.

For trends in the global energy market, OPEC sees the developing world accounting for 63 per cent of the total fuel consumption, overtaking industrialised countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Natural gas is expected to replace oil and coal as the fuel with the largest share of global energy use by 2040, making up close to 28 per cent of world demand.

Meanwhile, although wind and solar power are set to grow at the fastest rates, their overall market reach will only be around 4 percent in 15 years from now, according to OPEC.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

KDYMM: Teruskan semangat menjulang nama Islam di mata dunia

Assalamu'alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil'alameen, Wabihee Nasta'eenu 'Alaa Umuriddunyaa Waddeen, Wassalaatu Wassalaamu 'Alaa Asyrafil Mursaleen, Sayyidina Muhammadin, Wa'alaa Aalihee Wasahbihee Ajma'een, Waba'du

SEBAGAI hamba Allah yang tahu menghargai nikmat Allah terhadapnya, maka kita sangatlah wajar bersyukur di atas limpah kurnia Allah mengutus Nabi-Nya Yang Mulia, Sayidina Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam ke alam maya ini.

Dengan kelahiran Nabi Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, dunia ini telah bertukar rupa, dari gelap-gelita kepada terang-benderang. Jiwa buas manusia dapat dijinakkan menjadi lebih tenang dan bertimbang rasa.

Inilah berkat kerasulan Nabi Muhammad selaku pelita dan rahmat. Baginda benar-benar menjadi rahmat kepada seluruh alam (Rahmatan Lil’aalamin). Inilah rahsia Allah mengutus Baginda.

Kita yang menerima rahmat dan nikmat ini, tidak ada sebab untuk tidak memperingati hari keputeraan Baginda, selaku pembawa rahmat tersebut. Inilah namanya kita bersyukur sambil mengenang jasa.

Orang yang bersyukur dan pandai mengenang jasa adalah orang baik, dan malah Allah sangat menyukai mereka. Lagipun apabila kita memperingati detik bersejarah ini, kita bukan mengisinya dengan perkara sia-sia, tetapi dengan perkara-perkara yang disuruh oleh ugama sendiri, seperti berselawat dan berzikir atau mengadakan majlis-majlis ceramah dan kuliah.

Jadi kalau ada pendapat yang tidak bersetuju kita memperingati hari keputeraan Nabi dan lain-lain hari kebesaran Islam, seperti menyambut Awal Tahun Hijrah, adalah itu pendapat yang lemah.

Beta terus mengingatkan, supaya jangan berhenti dari melakukan amalan tradisi memperingati hari-hari kebesaran Islam, biarpun orang lain tidak melakukannya. Kita melakukan ini adalah sebagai usaha untuk memperkaya semangat kita sendiri dalam menjulang Islam di mata dunia, di samping mengambil manfaat daripadanya.

Islam adalah ugama tertinggi yang menghulurkan kebajikan kepada siapa saja. Ia perlu terus dilihat dan dikenali sebagai ugama terbaik. Kerana itu jangan takut mempromosi Islam, sebagaimana Allah sendiri mempromosinya di dalam Surah Ali ‘Imran, ayat 19 tafsirnya: “Sesungguhnya ugama (yang benar dan diredhai) di sisi Allah ialah Islam.”

Ini adalah promosi mutlak daripada Allah mengenai Islam. Ia sudah tidak boleh dipertikaikan lagi, kerana pengakuan ini bukannya dari siapa-siapa melainkan daripada Allah sendiri. Jika ada orang yang mahu menyangkalnya, maka itu adalah satu keceluparan di sisi Maha Pencipta.
Islam selama-lamanya adalah benar, dan Islam selama-lamanya tidak pernah membuat sebarang kesalahan. Adapun yang bersalah itu ialah orang. Jadi yang dicela bukanlah Islam, tetapi patut dicela ialah siapa yang mencela Islam.

Ini mustahak difahami oleh setiap individu, khasnya orang-orang Islam sendiri, supaya tidak berbangkit, akan ada pihak-pihak yang keliru yang memandang serong kepada Islam.

Islam tidak terlibat, atau sama sekali tidak boleh dilibat-libat dengan keburukan. Ia tetap ugama samawi, yang semata-mata hanya menjana kebaikan. Jika terjadi sebarang keburukan, seperti jenayah dan lain-lain, maka itu bukanlah dari ajaran Islam. Ajaran Islam adalah sebaliknya, sangat kuat memelihara darah, nyawa, keturunan, harta benda dan maruah.

Siapa yang mengenalkan semua ini kepada kita? Jawabnya tidak lain ialah Nabi Pesuruh Allah, Sayidina Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.

Oleh itu, sangatlah perlu Baginda itu dikenang selalu, untuk mengilhami kita meneruskan usaha-usaha suci memelihara Islam dan kesejahteraan sejagat.

Semoga dengan berkat niat baik kita ini, Brunei Darussalam akan terus dilimpahi dengan rahmat, berupa keamanan, kesejahteraan dan kemakmuran.

Sekian, Wabillahit Taufeq Walhidayah, Wassalamu 'Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

Crops badly affected by floods

Darren Chin
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

FARMERS at the Wasan rice plantation fields are facing a poor harvest yield this quarter after floods damaged their latest batch of rice crops.

The heavy downpour on Saturday night caused flooding in low-lying areas where the Wasan rice plantation fields are located.

Rice farmers blamed the poor flow of the river irrigating the fields as the cause of flooding.

“The river is usually dirty, with rubbish and tall weeds obstructing the river flow,” said a rice farmer at Wasan who declined to be named.

“Furthermore, the drainage under the bridges built over the river are just too small and narrow compared to the width of the river, causing the water to bottleneck which subsequently causes the river to burst its banks during heavy rainfall,” he said.

However, the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism cited the unusual weather patterns as the instigator of the natural disaster.

“The flooding happened due to extraordinarily heavy rainfall caused by the current weather system that is affecting the whole region,” said Hj Khairuddin Hj Abd Hamid.

“The Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department has already issued several advisories for low-lying areas where rice plantations are located beforehand,” he said.

He also assured farmers that the case is being handled by the authorities and urged the affected parties to be patient while reminding that the flooding has consequences not just for the agricultural sectors but also affects the public such as public roads and houses.

“The Department of Agriculture and Agrofood (DAA) will continue to monitor the situation and will continue to work with the Department of Drainage and Sewerage at the Public Works Department to address the problem,” he said.

Speaking to The Brunei Times, another farmer who also did not wished to be identified said that their woes started three days ago when the fields were flooded after heavy rainfall during Friday night.

“It was already flooded by Saturday morning but we were hoping that it would drain out by today (Sunday) but Saturday night’s rain just made the flooding even worse and there is no way it will drain out by Monday now,” he said.

“The water levels in the field are now chest-deep, completely covering all the plants except the top of the mature plants which were a couple of weeks away from harvest,” he said.

He also explained that based on his experience, the rice plants in the flooded fields are as good as gone.

“It takes about 90 days for the seedlings to grow big enough for harvest but if the stalk of the rice plants are submerged in water for three days or more, especially the ones still at the early stages of growth, it will cause the rice plant to die,” he explained.

“The rice plants you can see now are actually about more than four feet high but all you can see is the top of the plants of which about one foot is visible – plants which are quite near harvest time,” he said.

He further explained that now they will be under pressure to meet the production quotas set by the Department of Agriculture and Agrofood now that the crops are damaged.

“We could probably still harvest the rice which were a couple of weeks away from harvest and would be edible but it will not be in saleable condition as the quality won’t be acceptable by the Department nor the consumers,” he said.

Farmers for now are bracing themselves for the financial losses for the current batch of damaged crops.

According to another farmer, who wished to be known only as Hj Nizam, whose rice plantations were affected by the floods, his lot of rice plantation could have produced more than three tons of rice valued at $4,800.

“Furthermore, for each lot that could have produced three tons of Laila rice if the flood had not occurred, we are facing losses between $2,000 to $3,000 in the capital that was put into planting the rice,” he said.

“That’s just the expenses that had to be paid before harvest. We also have to make post-harvest payments such as the installments for the subsidised machinery and other farm equipments provided by the government,” he said.

When asked whether farmers would be compensated for the losses due to the natural disaster, the Deputy Permanent Secretary stated that it was unlikely.

“Compensations are seldom made for damage to personal properties like rice plantations in general due to naturally-occuring incidents such as flooding,” he stated.

“However, the DAA will nevertheless help the farmers start the next season of rice planting with technical assistance once the conditions permit them to do so,” he said.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Rice farming for food security

Abdul Aziz Ismail
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

CONCERNS over food security prompted Brunei to prioritise agricultural output in recent years, but the government fell short of meeting its rice self-sufficiency target.

In 2009, the government set the goal of 60 per cent rice self-sufficiency by this year, but figures showed that efforts have not paid off.

It was reported in March this year that Brunei’s rice production was far from the 60 per cent target set by the then Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, now known as Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT).

Self-sufficiency in rice production was only at four per cent last year, said a former senior official at MPRT.

Former minister Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar had said domestic production of rice increased from 1,230 metric tonnes in 2013 to 1,380 metric tonnes last year. Figures for this year were not made available.

Earlier this year, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Primary Resources and Tourism Hj Khairuddin Hj Abd Hamid, had said the agriculture sector contributes only 0.4 per cent to Brunei’s gross domestic product (GDP).

After falling short of reaching the rice self-sufficiency target, the government continued its initiatives to increase padi production this year.

Rice varieties

The sultanate developed various hybrid rice strains over the years as one way of achieving its output goals.

This included the Laila rice strain, which was introduced and renamed from Brunei Darussalam Rice 1 in 2009 to assist in achieving the self-sufficiency target.

In July, more Laila rice padi seedlings were planted over 50 hectares of land by 21 local farmers at the Kg Limau Manis Agricultural Development Area.

The planting hoped to boost the Limau Manis Village Consultative Council’s economic growth and contribute to the target.

Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Hj Ali Hj Apong, who was appointed as minister of primary resources and tourism this year, had said his ministry will continue to diversify the country’s rice planting methods and boost production by increasing the use of its domestically developed hybrid rice strain.

He said the sultanate’s first home-grown hybrid rice strain called Beras-Titih can be used efficiently to establish more paddy plantations and increase rice output.

In 2012, the Beras Titih was introduced as part of a project between the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood and Sunland Agri-tech Sdn Bhd.

Challenges

Challenges continue to affect farmers in increasing their rice production.

One of the challenges was pests in rice crops, which often hinder the effectiveness of production as the pests feed on the roots, stems, leaves and grains of padi.

In October, concerns over the inconsistent growth of rice production were also raised as some padi farms faced water supply issues in the Limau Manis agricultural area.

The ministry had said it was trying to resolve the issue by introducing better irrigation systems to ensure the soil is dry enough to be plowed.

The government has also been working to improve the quality and capability of the farms as the ministry believes that the rice self sufficiency target can still be achieved through better farming and farmlands.

The ministry is currently developing the National Biosafety Framework to minimise the potential risks and improve Brunei’s food security management and infrastructure.

Initiatives

The government has carried out initiatives and efforts to increase rice production through incentive schemes.

The schemes included the buy-back programme, improvements to infrastructure and the adoption of advanced production technologies to bump yields and overall productivity.

The ministry has been coordinating with public and private entities to employ agro-industrial research and development efforts, such as selective breeding, tissue culture and cross-breeding.

Furthermore, the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood (DAA) introduced the Professional Services for the Wasan-Bebuloh Mechanised Rice Scheme in July to encourage more villagers at Kg Limau Manis to venture into padi farming.

The scheme aimed to improve padi irrigation at Mukim Pengkalan Batu and to provide farms with enough water to meet cultivation needs and boost yearly production.

The government is also targeting youth to pursue a career in padi farming.

In July, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports launched the first youth padi planting course at the Youth Development Centre.

The five-month course aimed to encourage and attract more youth to pursue a career in agriculture.

The course also saw the participants produce 3,540kg of padi worth $5,664.

After the end of the course, the government awarded 18 hectares of land in Kg Bebuloh to the youth farmers to start their rice production.

Under the land agreement, the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood will also provide basic farm infrastructure and other incentives such as fertilisers, pesticides, machineries and pricing assistance scheme as well as training programmes and advice from the Brunei Rice Farmers Field School.

Meanwhile, the Institute of Brunei Technical Education’s Wasan Vocational School (IBTE SVW) also held a workshop in August to teach farmers rice cultivation and preparation methods.

The course provided training to the farmers on farming methods to improve the country’s food security and sustainable agriculture.


Sumber - The Brunei Times


Artikel berkaitan:

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• Brunei’s Vision 2035: Can It Achieve Food Self-Sufficiency? – Analysis
• ‘Set modest rice production goal’

Gov’t pushes for online services

Darren Chin
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE government rolled out more online services in 2015, as part of its push to adopt information communication technology (ICT) as an enabler to achieving Vision 2035.

After spending $1 billion on e-government since 2000, the government now aims to integrate all its services onto the single one-stop portal of e-Darussalam.

Minister of Energy and Industry at the Prime Minister’s Office Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Mohammad Yasmin Hj Umar had said the e-Darussalam portal is one of the ways to improve Brunei’s rank in the United Nations E-government Survey.

The sultanate dropped 32 places to 86th in the survey last year, with low number of online services, lack of basic features, and poor public involvement with the government cited as the main factors for the decline.

e-Darussalam portal

A total of nine online services are available on the e-Darussalam portal, including three that were launched this year - the Public Service Commission (PSC) Recruitment System, JobCentre Brunei and Labour Control System.

The number of registered e-Darussalam users hit more than 56,000 at the end of November 2015, with figures expected to rise when more government services are introduced on the portal.

His Royal Highness Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, launched the portal in July 2011.

With one e-Darussalam account, Bruneians may soon be able to do nearly every action that previously required a visit to government agencies, such as bill payments, submitting application forms or licence renewals from the comfort of their homes.

The minister of energy and industry at the Prime Minister’s Office earlier this year said the goal is to have all government services on the e-Darussalam portal as part of the Digital Government Strategy 2015-2020.

The minister had said the portal will allow a platform for citizens and the government to communicate and provide feedback in helping developing national policies.

Recruitment system

The Public Service Commission in March launched the PSC Recruitment System, an online service for jobseekers wishing to find employment at government agencies.

The recruitment system, which replaced the semi-automated Civil Service Information System (SIMPA), automatically processes all online job applications for ministries and departments.

This streamlined the job application process for prospective civil servants on one portal.

After the recruitment system’s launch in November, the PSC also introduced the psychometric assessment in electronic form, which negated the need for paper and reduced the problem of job mismatch, according to its human resources officer.

All jobseekers wishing to apply for above-entry level jobs in the public sector are required to complete the psychometric test to assess their capabilities in performing their duties.

The launch of PSC Recruitment System also turned out to be the main factor in the spike of registered e-Darussalam users this year as Bruneians who wished to apply for government jobs were required to do so online via the system which required an e-Darussalam account.

JobCentre Brunei

The Ministry of Home Affairs launched JobCentre Brunei in June to streamline and simplify the process of finding employment in the private sector.

The job portal allows jobseekers to apply for vacancies in the private sector while also allowing employers to register on the portal and seek potential employees to fill up vacancies at their companies.

Employees can upload their CV and profiles on the portal as well as apply for training courses through JobCentre Brunei which would diversify the skills set of jobseekers and increase their value to potential employers.

At press time yesterday, 4,008 jobseekers and 378 companies were registered on JobCentre Brunei with 46 vacancies.

Labour Control System

The Labour Control System was launched on May 25, 2015 to make the Labour Department’s services available online.

The system promises convenience and quicker processing times for any applications made to the department and also to prevent falsification of documents issued by them.

Thus far, the system can only accept applications for domestic worker recruitment licences and signing of contracts for new employees.

In line with the Digital Government Strategy 2015-2020, the system will be looking to provide all services to the public online.

This year also marked the first time that employers had to complete the mandatory annual labour census online using the system.

However, it was not without problems as the original deadline of November 30, 2015 had to be extended until the end of the year as companies were not ready and unfamiliar with using the system.

Most of the companies did not even have an e-Darussalam account when it was announced that this year’s census was required to be completed online.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Mega bridge project on right track

An artist impression of the proposed Temburong Bridge which will
link the Temburong district directly with the rest of the country

Ak Md Khairuddin Pg Harun
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

WITH construction of Brunei’s first mega bridge set for completion by end of 2018 early 2019, Temburong District will finally be directly linked to the rest of the country.

The 30-kilometre bridge, which costs approximately $1.6 million, will consist of a two-lane highway between Jalan Utama Mentiri in Brunei-Muara District and Jalan Labu in Temburong District.

Prior to the construction work, various studies and official meetings had taken place even before the announcement of the tender for pre-qualification to contractors for the proposed Temburong Bridge Project in 2013.

It was a mission impossible for Brunei as a whole, especially those in Temburong district, whose residents have been living on the other side of Bandar Seri Begawan, separated by the Brunei Channel for many centuries.

Nevertheless, in 2012, Temburong residents woke up to good news when His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, The Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, announced the start of the project in his 66th birthday titah.

In his titah, the monarch proudly announced that his government began working on details of the project following the completion of a feasibility study for the bridge that year.

$2.84 million Feasibility Study period between 2010 – 2012

The feasibility study of the bridge was carried out in 2010 by Ove Arup & Partners, which has among its credits the structural design of the Sydney Opera House and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

Ove Arup & Partners is a British multinational professional services firm headquartered in London in the United Kingdom. The firm provides engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment.

The Ministry of Development and the international consultancy firm Ove Arup & Partners signed an agreement in 2010 on the feasibility study which identified the possible social, economic, environmental and political impact of the bridge’s construction on the country. Ove Arup & Partners completed the $2.84 million feasibility study in 18 months which included the route selection process, traffic impact assessment, marine impact assessment, hydraulic impact assessment, socio-economic assessment, preliminary environmental impact assessment and preliminary design. According to a slide presentation in the Public Works Department (PWD) official website, it was found out that the bridge project is “technically feasible, economically viable and environmentally acceptable”.

In a previous report, senior director of Ove Arup & Partners, Naeem U Hussain, said the 10km bridge across the Brunei Bay will be part of the estimated 30km stretch of road linking Brunei-Muara and Temburong districts. Naeem also said that the bridge will drastically cut travel time between the two districts from two hours to a mere 30 minutes.

The mega-bridge also provides job opportunities to local construction industry as well as great opportunity for the government to take advantage of the abundance of unallocated land in Temburong district which can be utilised for agricultural, tourism and housing purposes, said Naeem.

Six contract packages

The former Minister of Development, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Suyoi Hj Osman, said early this year that the estimated total cost for the Temburong Bridge is around $1.6 billion.

The mega-project was divided into six contract packages - CC2 (Marine Viaducts); CC3 (Navigation Bridges); CC4 (Temburong Viaduct); CC1 (Mentiri Tunnels); CC5A (Traffic Control and Surveillance System (TCSS), Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system (SCADA), and Road Lighting; and CC5B (Power Supply System). The CC2 package (Marine Viaducts), which the minister said was valued over $600 million, was awarded to Daelim-Swee, a joint venture between Korean construction giant Daelim Industrial Co Ltd and Swee Sdn Bhd.

The former minister of development said that the CC2 project ran smoothly as the firms have already started out the earthwork.

The Daelim-Swee joint venture was once again awarded with another project which is the CC3 package, which involves the construction of the navigational bridges that began in October this year.

One of the two navigational bridges runs from Kota Batu and Tanjung Kerasek, connecting the marine viaduct and interchanges. This single pylon cable stay bridge with two spans of 145 metres each crosses the Brunei Channel.

The second navigational bridge is a twin-pylon cable stay bridge with a main span of 260 metres and back spans of 130 metres each over the Eastern Channel. This contract package is expected to be completed within 39 months, starting from October 1 this year to February 4, 2019.

Meanwhile, the Brunei-China joint venture between China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd (CSCEC) and Ocean Quarry & Construction Sdn Bhd was awarded the contract for CC4 Package which involves the construction of the Temburong Viaduct.

The CC4 contract involves the construction of about 11.8 kilometres of viaduct bridge across the Temburong side on the mangrove swamp area from Tanjung Kerasek to Labu in Temburong District. This also includes a smaller bridge crossing Sungai Labu and a junction treatment at Jalan Puni-Labu in Temburong. This contract is expected to be completed within 42 months starting from October 1 this year to March 29, 2019.

Land works in Brunei-Muara Section

According to the PWD official website under Proposed Temburong Bridge Project section, the CC1 (Mentiri Tunnels) will involve a total length of approximately 3.6km long short tunnels which has two entrances - Jalan Kota Batu connection and Mentiri Interchange connection.

The slideshow shows that the tunnel will go through the Mentiri Ridge overlooking the Brunei Channel. The information also shows the typical section for twin tunnel tube which is a two-lane carriageway 5.7 metres in height for each tunnel tube, equipped with ventilation space and marginal strip at the shoulder of the roads.

The website provides the envisaged tunnelling construction mechanical methods such as Roadheader, Hydraulic Excavator, Breaker and Hydraulic Splitter.

The west portal of the tunnel will be from the Jalan Utama Mentiri, while the east portal is from Temburong Bridge, according to the PWD website.

Land works in Temburong Section

The PWD website stated that the land works in Temburong “require careful considerations of working fronts and construction methods” as to consider the geological landscape.

Consideration of the environmental impact on the mangroves, rivers, possible flooding, soft ground, logistics, construction progamme and material availability were priorities, said the website. Several of the key construction issues highlighted in the slide presentation were mudflat, mangrove, peat swamp and river, said the website.

Residents affected by the project

According to previous reports, 16 families from Kg Sungai Besar, have their houses demolished recently and last year.

Kg Sg Besar Village Chief Hj Chuchu Hj Ibrahim said that all the families were all compensated with new homes in the Kg Meragang National Housing Scheme (NHS) and Landless Indigenous Citizens Housing Scheme (STKRJ) in Kg Katok.

A few of the families, consisting elderly and wheelchair users, expressed their frustrations over the inadequate compensations by the Housing Development Department. Hj Serudin Talip, 74, said the new house at Kg Katok A was not wheelchair friendly for his two children with special needs.

Labour safety issue

According to a previous report, Swee Sdn Bhd Head of Safety Livan Robert said that the construction firm and their Korean partner construction company Daelim Industrial Co Ltd, are following the Workplace Safety and Health Order 2009 set by the Labour Department.

The 2009 Order states that all employers are responsible for taking measures necessary to ensure the safety and health of their employees at work, such as ensuring that whoever is at work has adequate instruction, information, training and supervision necessary for them to perform their work.

Swee Sdn Bhd conducts a daily risk assessment for some of their 300 workers to ensure a zero hazard range and prevent construction site fatalities, said Livan.

In the daily operations at the site, there will be daily meetings and discussions among the supervisors and employees on the risk assessment before work starts, said Livan.


Sumber - The Brunei Times


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