Malaysia resolving red tape on land travel to Brunei border

PM says Brunei and Malaysia have set up a technical committee to resolve bureaucracy issues involving land travel to the Brunei border.

MIRI: Bureaucratic formalities involving land travel between Malaysia and Brunei will be resolved soon, says Prime Minister Najib Razak.

He said the Brunei government had in principle agreed to resolve the issue of bureaucracy along the common border with Malaysia and had set up a technical committee for the purpose.

“The technical committee is looking into facilitating land journeys without the need for passport checks,” he told reporters after launching eight packages of the Pan Borneo Highway for Sarawak, costing a total of RM12.5 billion, here today.

“This matter is being studied and we should be getting a final decision soon,” he added.

Najib said at present, Malaysians from Sabah and Sarawak and the people of Brunei had to go through eight Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complexes.

He said this resulted in the passports of those frequently commuting between Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei, to be stamped as many as 16 times.

When asked about the construction of the five-kilometre Batang Lupar Bridge, Najib confirmed that the federal government was currently in discussions with the Sarawak government over the matter.

The bridge is slated to be built in 2018 as the cost of construction is to be shared by both governments.

“It is expected to cost RM1 billion, and when completed, will be the longest bridge in South East Asia,” he said.

He added that once the bridge was completed, Sarawak would have two highways which would benefit the people living along the coastline and interior of the state.

Najib also said the bridge would be part of the Sarawak coastal highway while the Pan Borneo Highway would connect those living in the interior areas.


Sumber - Free Malaysia Today

Burmese Troops Are ‘Squarely Responsible’ for Torching Rohingya Muslim Villages: Rights Group

Feliz Solomon

Some 21,000 Rohingya have fled across the border into Bangladesh with harrowing stories

The Burmese army has burned down more than 1,500 homes and other buildings in a systematic pattern of destruction targeting the country’s stateless Rohingya Muslims, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).

In a statement released Tuesday, the watchdog said it had collected satellite images and interviews with refugees that directly implicate the army, which has consistently denied allegations of wrongdoing and instead blamed suspected Rohingya jihadists, claiming that they have been torching their own communities.

“The Burma government and military’s barrage of unsubstantiated claims that the Rohingya are burning down their own villages have now finally been exposed as the fraud that we suspected all along,” Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for HRW, tells TIME.

“Rather than continue this game of denials, the Burmese government should allow access to urgently needed humanitarian assistance, and permit U.N. investigators and the media into these areas to investigate how this human rights disaster has come about, and who needs to be held responsible,” he adds.

Armed military troops and police force travel in trucks through Maungdaw, in Rakhine state, on Oct. 14, 2016,
following a government announcement that terrorist groups were behind a series of attacks on security posts

The accusation is the latest of mounting claims that the Burmese army has carried out a disproportionate response to a deadly attack on security forces attributed to Muslim insurgents.

The Oct. 9 attack on three border security posts by a group of Rohingya militants who call themselves Harakah al-Yaqin triggered a military lockdown on the northern part of Arakan state, also called Rakhine, which lies along Burma’s western border near Bangladesh. Humanitarian aid has been suspended in the area and journalists have been barred as the Burmese army carries out what it calls “clearance operations.”

An estimated 21,000 civilians have since fled across the border into Bangladesh, where they have sought shelter in severely under-resourced refugee camps. Those who fled tell harrowing stories of being terrorized by the armed forces; one Rohingya woman told TIME that she watched her son being thrown into a fire and burned alive.

The U.N.’s human rights envoy for Burma, Yanghee Lee, has warned that evidence indicates the actions of Burmese security forces are “getting very close to what we would all agree are crimes against humanity.”

HRW says its collection of pictures and testimony reveal four new developments: the number of buildings destroyed is higher than previously thought at more than 1,500; the timing and locations of the alleged incidents of arson point to a path taken by troops as they advanced west across the area; the timing and nature of the arson attacks suggest that they were carried out as reprisal; and some of the images show Burmese troops present at the site of at least one major fire.

The Rohingya are a stateless Muslim minority numbering about 1.1 million, and are viewed as one of the world’s most persecuted peoples. They have seen their rights erode rapidly since communal riots in 2012 displaced more than 100,000 and ushered in a state of religious apartheid. Tens of thousands have fled to neighboring countries; those who remained are largely denied freedom of movement and access to basic services.

The crisis on Burma’s western border has put pressure on Burma’s de facto leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who was swept to power by a landslide election win last year. Her party, the National League for Democracy, took power in April, the country’s first civilian government following nearly six decades of military dictatorship.

Suu Kyi’s failure to rein in the armed forces as they carried out counterterrorism operations in Arakan state has led some to question how much authority she actually has.


Sumber - TIME

Deepest Oil Cuts in World’s Top Market Didn’t Need OPEC Deal

by Perry Williams and Sharon Cho

• Production from China expected to fall by 200,000 b/d in 2017
• China cut more than level agreed by non-OPEC, excluding Russia

Malaysia and Brunei are doing their bit for the global pact to rebalance oil markets, but the biggest production cuts in Asia are coming from a country that didn’t sign up.

China, the world’s fifth-biggest producer last year, has reduced output by about 300,000 barrels a day this year, more than the combined cuts announced Saturday by non-OPEC countries, excluding Russia, as part of a deal coordinated with the producer group. The decline is expected to continue next year, with Chinese production shrinking as much as 200,000 barrels a day, according to consultant Energy Aspects Ltd.

“We’re seeing a natural decline in China oil production as fields are very mature and depletion rates are high,” said Virendra Chauhan, a Singapore-based oil analyst at industry consultant Energy Aspects Ltd. “The price level we had in last 12 to 18 months has incentivized imports over spending on domestic production.”

China’s output slumped as state-owned firms shut wells at mature fields that are too expensive to operate amid last year’s price crash. Production during the first 10 months of the year averaged about 4 million barrels a day, down about 7 percent from the same period last year, according to Bloomberg calculations based on National Bureau of Statistics data.

Malaysia and Brunei were the only Asian nations in the group of producers outside the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries that agreed to cut output by a combined 558,000 barrels a day starting Jan. 1. The region will use 32.88 million barrels a day of oil this year, accounting for more than a third of global consumption, according to data from the International Energy Agency. Daily demand is forecast to expand to 33.7 million barrels in 2017.

The deal, hammered out over the weekend in Vienna, is the first pact between the group and non-members in 15 years. While all individual country cuts are unclear, the non-OPEC reduction excluding Russia’s 300,000 barrels a day, as well as announced figures from Mexico, Oman and Azerbaijan, totals 83,000 barrels a day.

Morgan Stanley estimates Malaysia will reduce output by 20,000 barrels a day, while Brunei will lose 4,000 barrels a day. Both countries were celebrating holidays Monday and nobody responded to e-mails seeking comment sent to Brunei’s Energy and Industry Department, as well as Malaysia’s Ministry of Energy and state-run oil and gas company, Petroliam Nasional Bhd.

Oil prices surged as trading resumed Monday, rising as much as 6.6 percent in London to the highest intraday level since July 2015. Brent crude has climbed more than 20 percent since OPEC announced on Nov. 30 that it would cut production for the first time in eight years and was at $56.54 a barrel at 7:04 a.m. in New York.

“If all of these cuts are realized in the market, we could see prices potentially rise beyond $65 by May when the next OPEC meeting is convened,” said Sushant Gupta, director of Asia Pacific refining at Wood Mackenzie Ltd. in Singapore.

Output from Brunei, a country with a population of fewer than 500,000 people on the island of Borneo, peaked at 261,000 barrels a day in 1979, while Malaysia reached as high as 776,000 barrels a day in 2004, according to BP data. Wood Mackenzie estimates Brunei will pump 142,000 barrels a day this year and Malaysia at 664,000 barrels a day.

While the individual cuts are small, the combined reduction by OPEC and non-OPEC reductions could flip the oil market balance into deficit next year, according to Sanford C. Bernstein. The current surplus will slip into a 800,000 barrel a day deficit by the first half of 2017, Bernstein’s Neil Beveridge wrote in a research note Monday.


Sumber - Bloomberg

Fast-track federalism, Duterte urges Congress

By: Leila B. Salaverria

President Duterte asked Congress to fast-track moves to put in place a federal system of government in the country, stressing that this was the key to bringing peace in conflict-ridden Mindanao.

Mr. Duterte said he wants the federal system put in place during his term, given the trust placed on him by people from Mindanao.

He also reiterated his promise that he would step down even before his term ends to pave the way for this new system, but it must also have a strong President.

He said he had told Speaker Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez to put in place the federal system in two to three years.  Overhauling the system of government would require charter change.

“I told them, Bebot [Alvarez’ nickname], hurry it up. I told them if you finish it in two or three years, I will step down as President. You can have my word,” Mr. Duterte said in a speech at the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao local governance summit in Davao City.

The ball has to start rolling now, he added, because “the Moro people will not wait for another term of a President.”

“I am not an indispensable factor in this island. But what I’m saying … maybe not really golden but the most appropriate opportunity at this time of our generation, in our lives now, will be now,” he said.

He later said should he die before this is completed, it would be difficult to convince the people to back the idea.

He also assured the Moro people of Mindanao that his only desire was to give them their own territory.

He is not being controlled by any outside influence, he said.

“What you should understand from me, and believe me, what I want to happen is to give what is due to you, and that is semblance of your territory, your governance, and the happiness of the Moro people,” he said.

Mr. Duterte also said Mindanao has been suffering for decades because there seems to be no cohesive action on the part of the Moro people and the central government.

There have been several attempts to address the conflict in Mindanao, but these only proved to be divisive even among Moro groups, he added.

“I think the only acceptable arrangement as of today, this moment of our generation and of the lives of the Moro people is federalism. Other than that, there will be conflict,” he said.

The President also defended armed uprisings by Moro groups.

According to him, terrorism was not started by the people of Mindanao, but by the “colonialists” who “started the killing and the plunder of the land in Mindanao.”

“It’s just a reaction of a person who has been deprived of the most precious thing of Allah’s possessions and that is the land. What they refer to as Muslim rebellion or a Moro rampage is actually Moro nationalism, to put it correctly in the proper perspective,” he said.

He said the anger in the minds of the Moro was grounded in his nationalism, because his land was taken away from him.

“Just as you would call everybody here a Filipino nationalist who sticks to the interest of his own country,” he added.


Sumber - Inquirer News

Pusat pekerjaan Brunei ditubuhkan

Oleh Syahmi Hassan

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 27 Nov – Bagi mengurangkan kadar pengangguran di Negara Brunei Darussalam, Pusat Pekerjaan Brunei (Job Centre Brunei) akan ditubuhkan sebagai pengganti Agensi Pekerjaan Tempatan dan Pembangunan Tenaga Kerja (APTK) yang bakal ditempatkan di Kampung Beribi, Gadong, mulai Disember depan.

Penubuhan pusat berkenaan telah diumumkan oleh Menteri Tenaga dan Perindustrian di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Singamanteri Kolonel (B) Dato Seri Setia (Dr.) Haji Mohammad Yasmin bin Haji Umar semasa berucap pada Majlis Perasmian Pesta Kerjaya Brunei 2016 di BRIDEX, Jerudong, hari ini.

Yang Berhormat Pehin seterusnya menjelaskan, penubuhan pusat berkenaan merupakan tindakan dalam masa jangka pendek pihak kerajaan, di mana dengan adanya pusat tersebut, data-data yang berkaitan dengan peluang pekerjaan dan profil para pencari kerja yang telah dikumpulkan sebelum ini berserta maklumat yang baru adalah diselaraskan dalam pangkalan data Pusat Pekerjaan Brunei yang sedia ada.

Pusat itu akan menjadi ‘one-stop shop’, di mana ia akan menjadi tempat bagi pendaftaran para pencari kerja, mempamerkan pangkalan data kerja-kerja kosong dan juga membantu pencari-pencari kerja memperbaiki peluang mereka untuk mendapatkan pekerjaan.

Menurut beliau lagi, para pencari kerja yang tidak mempunyai komputer boleh mengunjungi pusat berkenaan untuk mendaftar kursus-kursus pembangunan kapasiti bagi meningkatkan kemahiran. Pusat tersebut juga boleh diakses 24 jam, tujuh hari seminggu melalui portal dalam talian.

Para pencari kerja bolehlah meneliti peluang-peluang kerja secara online serta mendaftar bagi program-program ‘upskilling’ untuk meningkatkan kemahiran dan kompetensi masing-masing.

Syarikat-syarikat juga dapat mengakses calon-calon pekerja melalui portal dalam talian berkenaan.

Dalam temu bual bersama media, Yang Berhormat Pehin telah menjelaskan bahawa pangkalan data berkenaan akan memadankan peluang pekerjaan yang paling dekat untuk pencari kerja dan pada masa yang sama juga Pusat Pekerjaan Brunei akan melihat pencari kerja secara menyeluruh.

Menurut beliau, pusat berkenaan akan dikendalikan di bawah Majlis Perancangan Tenaga Manusia.

Mengulas mengenai APTK, Yang Berhormat Pehin berkata bahawa agensi berkenaan telah dibubarkan dan Pusat Pekerjaan Brunei akan menguruskan semua urusan yang dibuat oleh APTK dahulu. Katanya lagi, pusat berkenaan akan beroperasi sepenuhnya pada Januari tahun depan.


Sumber- Media Permata

Brunei Darussalam tackles rise of non-communicable diseases

The rising incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is placing an increasing burden on Brunei Darussalam’s health care system and economy, though the government is stepping up efforts to improve the nation’s health.

NCDs have been the main cause of death in Brunei Darussalam for more than 30 years, with a shift away from traditional lifestyles and dietary patterns seen as the underlying cause, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH).

If unchecked, the increasing incidence of NCDs could put a strain on the country’s health care system, as well as affect social and economic growth.

“Without a change in our behaviour, the number of obese adults in the country is forecast to soar. This will prove devastating for the country and pose a real barrier towards our national development,” the MoH said in a statement in June.

Rising to the challenge

In response, the government has launched the Brunei Darussalam National Multisectoral Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs (BruMAP-NCD) 2013-18 – a broad programme to boost the prevention and treatment of NCDs – as part of the MoH’s Vision 2035, known as “Together Towards a Healthy Nation”.

The programmes aim to reduce premature mortality from NCDs by 18% by 2018, a goal that is in line with the global target of a 25% reduction by 2025.

Under the BruMAP-NCD’s five objectives – to reduce tobacco use, promote a balanced and healthy diet, increase physical activity, identify people at risk of NCDs and manage effectively, and improve the quality of care and outcome of NCDs management – health officials have laid out a number of more specific national targets.

For example, the government aims to curb tobacco consumption by 30% by 2018 and to make public places smoke-free by the end of this year.

In terms of diet, state agencies are targeting a 10% reduction in salt usage, encouraging more Bruneians to engage in regular exercise and mandating improved diets for children by regulating the products offered at school canteens, as well as implementing health programmes in the country’s workplaces.

Overall, these lifestyle changes aim to achieve a 1% reduction in the rate of increase of obesity and diabetes by 2018.

Meanwhile, measures to bolster treatment will include initiatives to identify people at risk of developing NCDs, provide support for the effective management of illnesses and ensure the availability of affordable technologies and generic medicines in both private and public health care facilities.

Risk of obesity

The need for such measures is crucial especially as the country is seeing an increase in obesity in its youth, which is leading to higher levels of NCDs in the adult population.

Obesity is reaching alarming levels among the country’s young people, with half of the nation’s children over the age of five either overweight or obese, according to a statement made by Awang Haji Zulkarnain bin Haji Hanafi, minister of health, in mid-October.

“From 2008 to 2014, obesity among school children in Brunei Darussalam increased from 12% to 18%,” he said. “This means that obesity rises by 1% every year. If this issue is unresolved, every single child in Brunei could potentially be obese in the near future.”

As a result of this growing trend, health conditions normally seen in adults are occurring in children, including Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and sleep disorders.

The increasing rate of excessive weight in childhood is also likely to contribute to obesity later in life, with the MoH showing that currently 62% of Bruneians are either overweight or obese. Furthermore, 30% of the total population suffer from high blood pressure, 12.4% from diabetes and 70% from above-average levels of cholesterol.

Measurable success

Although Brunei Darussalam still has a way to go to curtail NCDs, progress is already being made, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The WHO’s “NCDs Progress Monitor” released last year indicated that Brunei Darussalam had made the most strides out of all ASEAN countries in preventing and combatting NCDs. The country achieved 10 out of 18 indicators on the WHO’s index, such as smoke-free policies and health warnings to reduce tobacco usage, advertising bans and pricing policies to limit alcohol intake, drug therapy and counselling for high-risk individuals, and public awareness on diet and physical activity.

Brunei Darussalam scored higher than other countries in the region, such as Cambodia (3), Myanmar (2) and Laos (1), as well as slightly better than Singapore (9) and Malaysia (8).


Sumber - Oxford Business Group

KENYATAAN RASMI PRESIDEN NDP MENGENAI ISU KEZALIMAN TERHADAP UMAT ISLAM ROHINGYA

Baca atau muat turun kenyataan rasmi Presiden NDP (format pdf) di pautan berikut,

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2OXPABIfo1gc0VuRUdqclJWLW8/view?usp=sharing

Sesi Pencerahan dan Penerangan Mengenai Isu Pemberhentian Perkhidmatan Wad Perbidanan dan Sakitpuan Di Hospital PMMPMHAMB Tutong

Perjumpaan dan perbincangan berjalan lancar penuh hemah. Rombongan NDP telah diberikan maklumat dan penerangan yang tepat:-

1) Ternyata, ada salah pemahaman mengenai isu tersebut dan tidak seperti yang dikhuatiri masyarakat.

2) Perkhidmatan pemeriksaan kesihatan dan pemantauan untuk ibu-ibu mengandung dan sakit puan dan kes-kes kecemasan bersangkutan dua perkhidmatan ini masih diberikan dan diteruskan di daerah Tutong, bukan sahaja di Hospital PMMPMHAMB, Tutong bahkan di Pusat-pusat Kesihatan Lamunin, Telisai dan Sg. Kelugos.

3) Hanya wad-wad untuk bersalin dan perawatan sakit puan yang akan ditiadakan dan pesakit-pesakit boleh memilih di Hospital RIPAS atau Suri Seri Begawan. Ini memandangkan dari lima ratus(500) kelahiran setahun yang didaftarkan di daerah Tutong, kurang dari dua ratus(200) yang memilih melahirkan di daerah Tutong, tapi memilih melahirkan di Hospital RIPAS atau Hospital Suri Seri Begawan.

4) Minit tersebut masih sebatas perbincangan dalaman Hospital PMMPMHAMB dan belum muktamad diperingkat atas Kementerian Kesihatan untuk lebih mengemaskinikan dan memantapkan program tersebut.

5) Rombongan juga dikongsikan maklumat tentang wacana Kementerian Kesihatan untuk menjadikan setiap Hospital mempunyai "individual niche" sebagai "one stop centre" atau Pusat Serenti. Dalam hal Hospital PMMPMHAMB, ia diwacanakan menjadi pusat rawatan ringan seperti pembedahan katarak, kongenital dsbnya untuk pesakit-pesakit seluruh negara, bukan hanya penduduk Tutong.

6) Hospital RIPAS, Bandar Seri Begawan dan Hospital Suri Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, juga akan mempunyai "individual niche" yang tersendiri, berlainan dengan Hospital PMMPMHAMB, Tutong.
Demikianlah serba ringkas maklumat yang dapat Badan Perhubungan Daerah Tutong kongsikan hasil dari sesi pencerahan dan penerangan dari pihak pentadbiran Hospital PMMPMHAMB mengenai isu minit yang heboh diviralkan dan hangat diperdebatkan dan dikritik di media sosial.

Menjunjung Titah, Membangun Bangsa.


Jefry Mohd Daud
Naib Presiden Tutong.
PARTI PEMBANGUNAN BANGSA (NDP)
Sabtu, 19 November 2016
(9:30am - 11:30am),
Bilik Inovasi, Hospital PMMPMHAMB Tutong.

Turut hadir:
1) Ahli Majlis Tertinggi, YM Mohd Tahir bin Radin;
2) Ahli Majlis Tertinggi, YM Hj Ratu bin Mohd Tahir;
3) Ahli Majlis Tertinggi, YM Puspalinda bte Abidin;
4) Ketua Pemuda Pusat, YM Md Ali bin Abdul Rahman;
5) Ketua Biro Aduan Awam, YM Abuzah bin Md Noor;
6) Ketua Pemuda Daerah, YM Hj Akramin bin Hj Hashim;
7) Perwakilan JASA(Jabatan Setiausaha Agung), YM Ali bin Ahad.

Burma: New Wave of Destruction in Rohingya Villages

820 Newly Identified Destroyed Buildings; UN-Aided Investigation Urgently Needed

(New York) – New satellite imagery of Burma’s Rakhine State shows 820 newly identified structures destroyed in five different ethnic Rohingya villages between November 10-18, 2016, Human Rights Watch said today. The Burmese government should without further delay invite the United Nations to assist in an impartial investigation of the widespread destruction of villages.

Updated Damage Assessment of Affected Villages in Maungdaw District. Human Rights Watch identified
a total of 820 destroyed buildings in five villages of Maungdaw District from an analysis of very high resolution
satellite imagery recorded on 10, 17 and 18 November 2016. These damages are in addition to the 430 destroyed
buildings Human Rights Watch identified earlier and represent a second, more destructive round of arson attacks
occurring between 10 and 17 November 2016

The latest images bring the total number of destroyed buildings documented by Human Rights Watch in northern Rakhine State through satellite imagery to 1,250. US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power, at a November 17 UN Security Council meeting on the deteriorating situation in Rakhine State, called for international observers to be allowed to investigate and for aid groups to have their access restored. After a short visit by diplomats to the area, Yanghee Lee, the UN special rapporteur on Burma, said on November 18, “The security forces must not be given carte blanche to step up their operations under the smokescreen of having allowed access to an international delegation. Urgent action is needed to bring resolution to the situation."

“These alarming new satellite images confirm that the destruction in Rohingya villages is far greater and in more places than the government has admitted,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The apparent arson attacks against five Rohingya villages is a matter of grave concern for which the Burmese government needs to investigate and prosecute those responsible. UN participation is crucial for such an investigation to be credible.”

Human Rights Watch identified a total of 820 destroyed buildings in five villages of Maungdaw district from an analysis of very high resolution satellite imagery recorded on November 10, 17, and 18. This damage is in addition to the 430 destroyed buildings Human Rights Watch identified from satellite imagery on November 13. Of the 820 destroyed buildings, 255 were in the village of Yae Khat Chaung Gwa Son; 265 in Dar Gyi Zar; 65 in Pwint Hpyu Chaung; 15 in Myaw Taung; and 220 in Wa Peik (in addition to the 100 which were destroyed earlier in the village).

Human Rights Watch also reviewed thermal anomaly data collected by environmental satellite sensors that detected the presence of multiple active fires burning in the village of Pwint Hpyu Chaung on November 12, in Dar Gyi Zar on November 13, and in Yae Khat Chaung Gwa Son on November 13, 14, and 15. Dense tree cover may have concealed a limited number of additional buildings that were destroyed, making it possible that the actual number is higher.

At a press conference on November 15 in response to Human Rights Watch’s November 13 statement, the Burmese government admitted widespread burning but claimed that the total number of buildings destroyed was significantly lower. The government cited helicopter flyovers of the area to arrive at its figures and blamed unspecified “terrorists” for the burnings.

Rohingya Muslim children stand in U Shey Kya village outside Maungdaw in Rakhine state

The new imagery shows village destruction that far exceeds the figures released by the Burmese government, Human Rights Watch said. On November 15, the Burmese military reported that militants burned down 60 homes in Dar Gyi Sar, while the State Counsellor Office’s newly created “Information Committee” reported on November 16 that only 30 buildings were destroyed in the same town. The new imagery shows that 265 buildings have been destroyed in Dar Gyi Zar alone. The State Counsellor’s information committee press release on November 16 mistakenly attributed a claim that all buildings were destroyed in Dar Gyi Zar to Human Rights Watch.

Both the military and the State Counsellor’s information committee reported that 105 buildings were destroyed in Wa Peik village. Satellite imagery collected by Human Rights Watch between November 10-17 shows that an additional 220 buildings were destroyed. This newly documented destruction, coupled with the 100 buildings Human Rights Watch imagery determined were destroyed from images collected between October 9 and November 3, brings the total to 320 buildings destroyed in Wa Peik village.

“On November 15, a government spokesperson suggested that Human Rights Watch was part of a ‘conspiracy’ to harm Burma’s image,” Adams said. “Instead of responding with military-era style accusations and denials, the government should simply look at the facts and take action to protect all people in Burma, whatever their religion or ethnicity.”

The crisis follows violence on October 9, in which gunmen attacked three police outposts in Maungdaw township near the Bangladesh border, leaving nine police officers dead. The government said that the attackers made off with dozens of weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition. The Burmese government asserts the attack was carried out by a Rohingya group, but actual responsibility remains unclear. A second attack on a border guard post that resulted in the death of a police officer reportedly occurred on November 3.

Immediately after the October 9 attack, government forces declared Maungdaw district an “operation zone” and began sweeps of the area to find the attackers and lost weapons. They severely restricted the freedom of movement of local populations and imposed extended curfews, which remain in place. With the area sealed off to observers, local sources reported that government forces committed serious human rights abuses, including torture, rape, extrajudicial executions, and widespread destruction of buildings, including mosques.

On October 28, Reuters published interviews with Rohingya women who allege that Burmese soldiers raped them. The government also allegedly pressured the Myanmar Times to fire one of its editors who reported allegations of rape by Burmese army soldiers.

The Burmese government conducted a government-supervised tour of some impacted sites in Maungdaw on November 2 and 3 with a nine-member delegation of foreign ambassadors, including the UN Resident Coordinator. The delegation conducted no formal investigation or assessment, but confirmed that they saw burned structures in several towns and spoke with several villagers. Allegations of reprisals against those who spoke to delegation members surfaced shortly after the trip concluded.

Another outbreak of violence reportedly began on November 11. The government reported the deaths of 69 alleged militants and 17 security force personnel. Local groups reported significant civilian casualties, but the lack of access makes all casualty reports difficult to verify. The Burmese military said that helicopter gunships called in to provide air support to its troops were attacked by hundreds of militants.

According to humanitarian aid groups, tens of thousands of people have been displaced by the recent violence, with hundreds attempting to flee to Bangladesh.

The government has responded with blanket denials to allegations that the security forces have committed abuses. Officials maintain that terrorists are responsible for the destruction of the buildings and urge that international journalists investigate the claims. However, the government has continued to block journalists, humanitarian aid workers, and human rights investigators from traveling to the impacted areas.

Burma is obligated under international law to conduct thorough, prompt, and impartial investigations of alleged human rights violations, prosecute those responsible, and provide adequate redress for victims of violations. Standards for such investigations can be found, for example, in the UN Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions, and the UN Guidance on Commissions of Inquiry and Fact-Finding Missions. Burma’s failure to conduct such investigations in the past underscores the need for UN assistance, Human Rights Watch said.

In early November, the government granted the World Food Programme (WFP) one-time access to four villages for a one-time food delivery. However, humanitarian aid groups continue to be denied full access, placing tens of thousands of already vulnerable people at greater risk.

Thousands of people impacted by the violence in the villages of Maungdaw have been without aid for six weeks. Despite assurances from the Burmese government that aid access to all impacted areas would be restored, many of the most significantly affected areas remain sealed to humanitarian assessment teams and human rights groups.

“After six weeks of violence with virtually no aid reaching tens of thousands of highly vulnerable people, the government needs to act decisively to assist them,” Adams said. “A government with nothing to hide should have no problem granting access to journalists and human rights investigators.”


Sumber - Human Rights Watch

Ucapan Dasar Presiden NDP di Kongres Agung Tahunan ke-11 2016

Baca atau muat turun teks penuh ucapan (format pdf) di pautan berikut,

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8DOv3PE5yZ9NGNVNi1ELWtrcEU/view?usp=sharing

Sekitar Kongres Agung NDP ke-11 pada 5 November 2016

Kongres Agung Parti Pembangunan Bangsa (NDP) ke-11 pada 5-6 November 2016, bertempat Di Dewan Mesyuarat, Tingkat 4, Bangunan Persekutuan Pengakap Brunei Darussalam, Gadong. Diterajui oleh Yang Di Hormati Pengerusi Tetap Awg Hj Abd Rahman bin Hj Mohd Yusof.

HM questions students’ Arabic language proficiency

Rasidah HAB
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, has called into question Arabic school students’ proficiency in the Arabic language.

During Seri Begawan Religious Teachers University College’s (KUPU SB) sixth convocation yesterday, the monarch said authorities need to investigate complaints of Brunei’s Arabic school students unable to master the Arabic language.

“In Brunei, we have Arabic schools. I want these schools to accurately reflect its name,” the Sultan said in his titah.

His Majesty, who is also Chancellor of KUPU SB, said Brunei undoubtedly takes pride in Arabic schools as they teach various disciplines such as religious knowledge and Arabic language, while its graduates were able to further their studies locally or abroad.

“However, there have been complaints that students of an Arabic school could not master the Arabic language or in other words, they were not able to converse well in the Arabic language compared with the English language.”

He added, “If this is true, I hope that it will be investigated and rectified”.

The Sultan called on schools to make it their primary task to seek answers as to why the students are still weak in mastering Arabic.

“Does it concern the teachers? Are there insufficient teachers or unqualified teachers, or does it relate to teaching equipment such as not enough books or the books are no longer suitable with the current situation? Or maybe it concerns teaching methods that do not meet standards,” he said.

“All these must be investigated thoroughly. Weaknesses or strengths in language cannot simply be assessed solely based on marks given on examination papers. This is because the answers can simply be memorised,” the monarch added.

His Majesty went on to say that teachers, especially religious teachers, need to know they are “agents of their time” in ensuring the survival of people and the nation.

Teachers are not only tasked with delivering lessons in classrooms but also become role models to their students and the community.

“This is the true principle of education,” he said during the convocation at the International Convention Centre.

KUPU SB graduates are qualified teachers, and as qualified teachers, they possess extensive knowledge, he added.

“This knowledge is about trust. Teachers are entrusted to impart knowledge to those entitled to it — the community, and this should be maintained,” the monarch said.

His Majesty said KUPU SB must draw up guidelines for its students to become religious teachers who have strong work ethics and are competent.

The sovereign likened KUPU SB to a factory that produces high quality commodities, in which the quality must be determined by the primary objective of education, which is to bring forth graduates who are well-mannered.

“This is a basic need, whose position should not be below but placed high, consistent with the declaration made by Prophet Muhammad SAW, as narrated by Bukhari and Muslim: ‘Verily I was sent to perfect good manners of man’”, he said.

The Sultan said the importance of akhlak or morals is more pronounced in this modern era, following the advent of information communication technology (ICT), he said.

“The whole community, including children are not exempted from being exposed to ‘symptoms’ that are detrimental to one’s morals. The ‘symptoms’ are many and difficult to control. Controlling it requires strategies that are carefully thought out and implemented in an orderly manner,” he added.

His Majesty said it is important to engage the services of qualified teachers to teach moral values to children as well as guide and motivate them to become children who have faith.

Moreover, parents are also urged to provide their children with an environment that is good and conducive for Islamic learning.

The monarch said one must not forget the meaning behind the hadith which states: “Every child is born in a state of fitrah that is clean like a piece of white cloth. It is parents who are responsible in bringing them up either as a Jew or a Christian”.

His Majesty also announced the establishment of ‘Fiqh Al-Usrah Research Centre’ at KUPU SB that aims to strengthen education and family institutions.

Speaking on Brunei’s accomplishment in implementing the Compulsory Religious Education Order 2012, the Sultan said it is a “huge responsibility”.

“Alhamdulillah, we have fulfilled (this responsibility), what is left for us to do now is to make religious education prominent, progressive and well established,” he added.

The sovereign then extended his congratulations and appreciation to all members of KUPU SB for their contribution and service and hoped that Allah SWT will bestow them many rewards and that KUPU SB will become a blessed institution of higher learning.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Taking the Rohingya Insurgency at Face Value

By Richard Potter

Much of the speculation about the recent attacks miss a simple truth about the plight of the Rohingya.

Following deadly attacks on three police outposts that killed nine police officers along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, speculation about the perpetrators has spread wildly, both from the Myanmar government and the media. The attack was apparently carried out by a massive group estimated at 400 people that coordinated simultaneous assaults on three separate border guard police posts near the city of Maungdaw, in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The attackers were believed to belong to the country’s long oppressed Rohingya Muslim minority. Speculation has been rampant in the wake of the attacks and subsequent military crackdown, ranging from claims that the assailants were trained by the Pakistani Taliban, to those in opposition claiming the entire affair has been orchestrated by the military to seize resources, regain control of the government, and expel the Muslim minority. What seems clear is that much of what happened and who is behind it is lying in plain sight, but very few have been willing to acknowledge it.

Rohingya Muslim men stand at U Shey Kya village outside
Maugndaw in Rakhine state, Myanmar October 27, 2016.

The initial speculation by government and media sources was that the attack was carried out by the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO), even though that group has been defunct since they were disarmed by the Bangladeshi government in the early 2000s. Rumors have abounded that the group in fact remains active, even as the RSOs leadership – and indeed the leaderships of nearly all Rohingya militant groups – have gone into exile and taken on more diplomatic roles. Whatever remnants of the RSO do remain in Bangladesh are a toothless version of what once was. This doesn’t eliminate the potential for militarization of Rohingya in the region, but relies heavily on rumors to explain what might be happening.

Within a few days of the attack unconfirmed videos began to appear online of men insinuating their connection to the attacks, calling for Muslims and Rohingya to join them in combat against the military and government. The group identified itself as al Yakeen in several of the videos, and elsewhere as Harakat al Yaqeen, which was translated to me by fluent Arabic speakers as well as Rohingya familiar with the group as “The Movement of the Faith” or alternatively “The Movement of Hope.” In the first videos released several adult men in civilian clothes can be see holding assault rifles and small pistols. In a later video they appear marching and say their emir, or spiritualist leader, has been injured but is continuing on while asking for others to join them. The camera then pans to show a wider shot of the entire militia walking. Their numbers are so great they are unable to show all of them, but they are apparently in the hundreds. What is beyond striking, though, is that only a handful of the men are adults with guns; the rest are children who appear to be 12 years old or younger armed with swords, sticks and farm tools. The feeling quickly sinks in that these children are being marched to their deaths for something they aren’t even old enough to understand. Frankly, it is horrifying.

The president’s office later released a statement regarding the attacks which attempted to clarify previous unconfirmed statements in a single account of facts. The statements described the leadership of a little known group called “Aqa Mul Mujahadeen,” whom they said was trained by the Pakistani Taliban over the course of six months through an RSO contact. “Aqaa Mul Mujahideen” means “Those who stand as Mujahideen (Muslim warriors)” in Arabic, and reads more as a generic reference than any kind of official name. The statement said that this organization was funded by Middle East backers.

The trouble with these statements is that they make very little sense in light of what information is available. While the government is describing an overwhelming force of well trained and well funded Taliban-tied militants, the reality for them is far more embarrassing: Their police posts were overrun by a militia composed mostly of small children led by downtrodden men armed with farm tools, who stole their guns and quickly vanished. Neither the military nor the police can find them. The insurgency the government is trying to identify is more of an uprising, albeit a well coordinated one. Evidence of funding and links to clandestine groups may prove true over time, but at the moment evidence suggests the attacks were local to the areas near the Naf river, the attackers were only armed with swords and tools before robbing the police posts of their guns, and that their initial tactics were sophomoric at best. The Rohingya they’re fighting now are living in the same conditions as the Rohingya who knowingly fled with human traffickers two years ago that could – and often would – kill, rape and sell them in to slavery, in the hope they might escape the circumstances inside of Myanmar and the Bangladesh refugee camps. It is not a jihadist invasion of Myanmar; It is an act of desperation. But unlike the Rohingya who fled on boats, those fighting believe they preserve some sense of autonomy and dignity after decades of having been denied both.

In one of the videos posted on a channel called “The Faith Movement,” the same men seen in the previous videos appear, but a voice is dubbed over, and seemingly modulated perhaps to hide the identity of the speaker. The dubbing is in English and calls for a restoration of rights and that a number of grievances be immediately resolved. They deny any links to terrorists groups, or any outside influence at all. They clearly express a feeling of abandonment by the international community, and perhaps most unexpected of all they call on the Myanmar government to end its civil war with the ethnic minorities in the country, many of whom have been fickle allies, if not outright political opponents to the Rohingya. While the dubbing of this video can’t be verified yet, when compared to what facts on the ground are known they stand well enough to take seriously. Within all the chaos that has happened since the initial attacks no Buddhist civilians have been targeted or attacked. Whether or not the video itself can be verified, it does seem that those involved in this conflict do want to avoid the label of terrorists, and like the other ethnic groups, they may be seeking to gain legitimate political power through guerrilla fighting as the Kachin Independence Organization and Karen National Union have done in the Kachin and Karen ethnic regions.

As few facts emerge about the conflict journalists have also scrambled to gather information on the militants, but with limited success. Surely if hundreds of men and boys left to go fight the government someone would know about it. Yet, the Rohingya have remained incredibly silent on the issue, and one has to imagine how disheartening it must be to be approached by journalists who have often ignored or minimized cries for help from the community but are suddenly now are interested in a sensational story that risks demonizing them even as they watch dozens of their own die in the crackdown. It confirms in the worst way that their grievances are taken more seriously by the world when they are armed than when they are victims.

On October 11, four Burmese soldiers were reportedly killed in a skirmish in Maungdaw. Accounts varied between government and Rohingya sources about who initiated the fight, but given the high number of casualties of well armed Burmese soldiers it seems likely they were ambushed, which may be a dreadful sign of things to come.

In my conversation about the insurgency with Rohingya I feel swept with guilt for exactly this, and few would open up to me, though they were plainly aware of exactly who al Yakeen was. A small few did agree to talk, and it’s with regret they see their people having run out of options. It is desperation, pure and simple. It can’t be justified, and while listening I am painfully aware of how significantly these events will worsen the suffering of the Rohingya, but it is still imperative to understand where these beliefs came from, how they spread, and how they might be resolved.

As the military and government seek to calm the situation and restore order, they are operating with a heavy hand. Civilian casualties are already high, and credible reports are emerging of Rohingya men dying in police custody, under circumstances that are questionable at best. The situation could easily worsen as resentment and hopelessness increase among the population. The Rohingya have long tried to address their grievances through political means, and the vast majority would prefer to still do so, but lack any course or mechanism. If State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and her party’s new government wants to legitimately restore peace they should be aware their best tool now is compassion. Any acknowledgment of the Rohingya’s humanity, of their suffering, and an offering of a way to dignity and autonomy will do more to reduce violence than any army is capable of. Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy need only to have the courage to do so.


Sumber - The Diplomat

Kedudukan Brunei meningkat

Oleh Pg Fairol RMF

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 27 Okt – Laporan Bank Dunia Doing Business 2017 yang dikeluarkan hari ini telah meletakkan Negara Brunei Darussalam sebagai ekonomi paling meningkat untuk tempoh dua tahun berturut-turut dalam usaha untuk memudahkan aktiviti menjalankan perniagaan di negara ini.

Laporan Doing Business 2017 mengukur tahap kecekapan dan pengawalseliaan perniagaan domestik, telah merekodkan lonjakan Negara Brunei Darussalam ke kedudukan ke-72 di kalangan 190 negara-negara di seluruh dunia, dengan peningkatan skor pada enam petunjuk dan skor Distance to Frontier sebanyak 65. 51 daripada 100.

Peningkatan tersebut sekali gus menunjukkan pengurangan jurang di antara Negara Brunei Darussalam dengan negara-negara berprestasi tinggi, kata Menteri Tenaga dan Perindustrian di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (JPM), Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Singamanteri Kolonel (B) Dato Seri Setia (Dr.) Haji Mohd Yasmin bin Haji Umar juga selaku Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pandu Ease of Doing Business.

Bercakap pada satu sidang media di Bangunan JPM hari ini, beliau menjelaskan, laporan terkini menunjukkan Negara Brunei Darussalam masih lagi mengekalkan kedudukannya di tangga ke-4 di rantau ASEAN, di bawah Singapura (tangga ke-2), Malaysia (23) dan Thailand (46) dan diikuti oleh Vietnam (82), Indonesia (91), Filipina (99), Kemboja (121), Myanmar (170) dan Laos (139).

“Kejayaan-kejayaan yang dicapai ini adalah hasil daripada pengenalan proses-proses baru, peraturan dan perubahan sistem bagi memudahkan perniagaan khususnya dalam menyokong perkembangan para pengusaha perusahaan mikro, kecil dan sederhana (PMKS).

Yang Berhormat Pehin Haji Mohd Yasmin berkata kejayaan-kejayaan yang dicapai ini adalah hasil daripada
pengenalan proses-proses baru, peraturan dan perubahan sistem bagi memudahkan perniagaan khususnya
dalam menyokong perkembangan para pengusaha perusahaan mikro, kecil dan sederhana (PMKS).

“Di samping itu, pertambahan penglibatan dan kerjasama secara berterusan daripada peniaga-peniaga tempatan melalui program-program kesedaran dan maklum balas daripada komuniti peniaga juga turut memberikan impak positif dalam meningkatkan keupayaan kerajaan dalam menangani isu-isu on-the-ground,” jelas Yang Berhormat Pehin.

Katanya, menurut laporan tersebut, beberapa petunjuk juga telah menunjukkan penurunan daripada kedudukan sebelumnya dengan mengambil kira usaha pembaharuan yang turut dilaksanakan oleh negara-negara lain yang mana antaranya adalah petunjuk Starting a Business dan Dealing with Construction Permits.

“Ini menandakan Negara Brunei Darussalam perlu terus giat untuk meningkatkan kecekapan, di samping terus mengenalkan inisiatif pembaharuan terhadap dasar-dasar dan peraturan bagi mengurangkan jurang skor DTF Negara Brunei Darussalam.

“Peningkatan ketara dalam kedudukan Doing Business dalam tempoh dua tahun yang lalu adalah mencerminkan terhadap serius pihak kerajaan Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam untuk memudahkan suasana perniagaan, sejajar dengan titah Baginda Sultan semasa Hari Perkhidmatan Awam ke-23 menekankan keperluan bagi Negara Brunei Darussalam untuk menanda-aras prestasi dengan peringkat global.

“Sebahagian besar daripada agenda pembaharuan Negara Brunei Darussalam telah dikemudikan oleh Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah selaku pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pandu Penggerak.

“Setiap kemajuan ke arah ini sentiasa dipantau melalui Jawatankuasa Pandu Ease of Doing Business dipengerusikan oleh Menteri Tenaga dan Perindustrian di Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan diterajui oleh Champion Groups dari jabatan-jabatan dan agensi-agensi di bawah JPM, Kementerian Kewangan, Kementerian Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri, Kementerian Sumber-Sumber Utama dan Pelancongan, Kementerian Pembangunan, Kementerian Hal Ehwal Ugama, Kementerian Kesihatan, Kementerian Perhubungan dan Autoriti Monetori Brunei Darussalam,” jelas Yang Berhormat Pehin.

Dengan ini Negara Brunei Darussalam mencatatkan kenaikan skor DTF sebanyak 5.28 markah iaitu tertinggi di antara ekonomi yang meningkat termasuk negara-negara di rantau ASEAN diikuti dengan Indonesia dengan kenaikan sebanyak 2.95 markah dan Vietnam dengan kenaikan sebanyak 2.72 markah.

Manakala di rantau Asia Pasifik, Negara Brunei Darussalam menduduki kedudukan ke-13, di bawah negara-negara Asia Utara seperti Republik Korea menduduki kedudukan ke-4, Taiwan ke-5, dan Jepun ke-8, dan mendahului beberapa negara “Asian Powerhouse” seperti China berada di kedudukan ke-16, dan India berada di kedudukan ke-23.

Manakala 10 negara menduduki tangga teratas dalam laporan Doing Business 2017, mengikut kedudukan adalah New Zealand, Singapura, Denmark, Hong Kong, Republik Korea, Norway, United Kingdom, Amerika Syarikat, Sweden dan Macedonia.

Laporan Doing Business 2017 tahun ini membawa tema “Equal Opportunity for All”, memberi penekanan akan kesamaanrataan gender (Gender Equality) dalam peraturan perniagaan dan buat kali pertama mengetengahkan isu gender dalam tiga petunjuk iaitu Starting a Business, Registering Porperty dan Enforcing Contracts di mana kajian menunjukkan bahawa peraturan mengehadkan penglibatan wanita dalam bidang ekonomi akan melihat sumbangan wanita lebih rendah di sektor swasta, sama ada menjadi pekerja ataupun usahawan.

Walaupun Brunei mencatatkan penurunan dengan semakan kedudukan, pencapaian negara adalah dikira sangat memberangsangkan dan direkodkan sebagai salah sebuah ekonomi dari hanya 10 ekonomi di dunia telah mencatatkan peningkatan sebanyak tiga atau lebih petunjuk di dalam laporan tersebut.

Petunjuk mencatatkan peningkatan terbesar pada tahun ini ialah mendapatkan kuasa tenaga (Getting Electricity), melonjak sebanyak 55 anak tangga ke kedudukan 21 berbanding tangga ke-76 pada tahun lalu; petunjuk Enforcing Contracts tangga ke-93 daripada 115 dalam laporan 2016, petunjuk Getting Credit di tangga ke-62 daripada 78 dalam laporan 2016, petunjuk Protecting Minority Investors di tangga ke-102 daripada 96 dalam laporan 2016, Trading Across Borders di tangga ke-142 daripada 143 dalam laporan 2016 dan petunjuk Registering Property di tangga ke-134 daripada 135 dalam laporan 2016.

Di sebaliknya kejayaan pada dua tahun lalu, kerajaan telah menyatakan masih banyak pembaikan perlu dilakukan bagi negara mencapai sasaran 20 tangga teratas dalam indeks Doing Business dan juga memastikan persekitaran makmur bagi menyokong Wawasan Negara Brunei Darussalam 2035, menyeru kepada kerjasama yang lebih erat, penglibatan dan komitmen berterusan dari kedua-dua sektor awam dan swasta, bagi menangani isu-isu dihadapi on-the ground dan juga meningkatkan daya saing negara.


Sumber - Media Permata

One in every two children from age five in Brunei is overweight

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

ONE in every two children from the age of five is either overweight or obese in Brunei, the minister of health said in a message to mark World Obesity Day 2016.

Minister of Health Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Zulkarnain Hj Hanafi said being overweight and obese have “seemingly become the new normal” among children.

He said obesity among schoolchildren in Brunei increased to 18 per cent in 2014 from 12 per cent in 2008.

“This means that obesity rises by one per cent every year. If this issue is unresolved, every single child in Brunei could potentially be obese in the near future.

“As a result of obesity, it is entirely possible that our children may have a shorter life span than their parents,” added the minister.

He said obese children in Brunei are increasingly being diagnosed with a range of health conditions that are mostly seen only in adults. Some examples include Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and sleep disorders such as having breathing difficulty during sleep, known as sleep apnea.

“It is also worrying that some children have even died at a very young age from heart attacks,” the minister said.

YB Dato Dr Zulkarnain said childhood obesity may also affect their emotional and mental wellbeing.

“Overweight and obese children are more likely to be bullied, feel socially isolated, have a high risk of depression and may experience high stress and anxiety levels.

“Unfortunately, obesity in children and youth do not go away as they grow older. In fact, most people continue to gain weight as they age and obese children become obese adults,” he added.

With 62 per cent of adults in Brunei overweight and obese, the minister said it is a problem that cannot be ignored.

He said less than five per cent of children eat the recommended serving of five portions of fruits and vegetables a day.

Moreover, 40 per cent of children aged five to nine drink sugar-sweetened beverages or soft drinks every day, while eating a lot of fast food at the same time.

“We should encourage our children to care about what they eat and how to treat their bodies well such as not to take a lot of sugar and being more active. Being involved in fun exercises will uplift moods and eating healthily can make them grow into a healthy adult.

“Children should (also) learn how important fruits and vegetables are to their growth and health in the long term. It is also crucial for them to understand that water is better to quench their thirst than sugary drinks,” added the minister.

Speaking on the World Obesity Day 2016 theme of ‘Ending Childhood Obesity’, the minister said obesity prevention and treatment require a “whole-of-nation approach” in which policies across all sectors take health into account. “We need to do something about this situation urgently. Unfortunately, for those seeking a magic pill, no single intervention can cure this. Instead of obesity, we want to change the conversation and make being healthy normal again.”

YB Dato Dr Hj Zulkarnain added that Brunei is beginning to see the first signs of change for the better.

“Head down to Tasek Lama in Bandar Seri Begawan on a late afternoon to see it filled with families hiking and walking together. Even the street vendors are increasingly aware of reducing sugar in drinks, and more and more people are asking for healthy options in restaurants and supermarkets. “Health is everyone’s business and every individual needs to take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing. Any individual intervention for an obese or overweight child will not work without the full support of the family including parents, grandparents and caregivers,” he added.

He said parents in particular play a crucial role as children learn and follow parents’ behaviours.

“If parents are eating a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables, drinking water rather than sweetened beverages and exercising regularly, then children will be encouraged to do the same.”

The minister advised members of the public to take action to improve the health of their family and themselves through physical activities or reducing their intake of unhealthy food and drinks.

“On World Obesity Day, no matter what your weight or where you are at your journey, promise yourself one action that you and your family can take to live healthier lives for the year. Make sure that you can measure this action and tell others what your health goal for the year is.

“This could simply be walking 10,000 steps a day, or cutting out sugary drinks from your diet. It could be replacing dessert with a piece of fruit. Encourage others to do the same. No matter who you are, or how much time you have, let us all do our own part and together we can build a healthier Brunei Darussalam,” said the minister. — Julius Hong


Sumber - The Brunei Times

What is King Bhumibol’s legacy?

Nicholas Farrelly

The 70-year reign of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej started and ended inauspiciously. It was a family tragedy that unexpectedly brought Bhumibol to the throne. He went on to become the world’s longest serving monarch but, in death, his formidable legacy is deeply tarnished by the ambitions of those who fought hardest to defend him.

In 1946, the untimely and mysterious death of his older brother, King Ananda Mahidol, catapulted the young Prince Bhumibol into a role for which he was unprepared. King Ananda died violently in Bangkok’s Grand Palace. He was found in bed with a pistol shot to the head. To this day, nobody knows who pulled the trigger. Forensic reports suggest that neither suicide nor an accident were likely. Whispered speculation about regicide has continued ever since.

Many like to believe that shadowy figures outside the palace were responsible. There is also the deeply disturbing possibility—unthinkable for most Thais—that Ananda’s death was an inside job. Some commentators have wondered if Bhumibol, who was the last person to see King Ananda alive, would ever cast any light on the mystery. He never did, and any knowledge he had of the tragic event is now probably gone forever.

Bhumibol was born in the United States and spent much of his early life attending school and university in Switzerland. Even after becoming king, he returned to Switzerland for another five years of education, jazz music, fast cars and European high-society. He returned full-time to Thailand in 1951, aged 23 and speaking imperfect Thai.

Few would have expected this highly westernised young man to become Thailand’s longest reigning king and a potent symbol of the Thai nation. In fact, early in his reign, there was diplomatic chatter that Bhumibol was easily controlled by scheming politicians within the government. In 1932 a revolution had bought about an end to the absolute monarchy and by the time Bhumibol became king Thai royalty had lost much of its former prestige and power. Some of the old palace hardliners would have preferred a more formidable figure on the throne.

It was an unremarkable beginning, but King Bhumibol gradually grew in stature as a role in modern Thai politics was constructed for him. The palace became a useful symbol around which Thailand’s ruling military strongmen could build the ideological infrastructure of national unity. In those years, royal endorsement and conservative credentials were far more important for Thai governments than electoral legitimacy.

Surrounded by loyal establishment figures, Bhumibol was manoeuvred into the public consciousness as a diligent and compassionate king and as the embodiment of Thai values. In those crucial years, the monarchy grew to become Thailand’s premier institution. It was not long before Thailand’s once tentative king was making globetrotting trips, meeting with international leaders and showing off his glamorous queen.

At home, national unity was a pressing concern. In the 1960s and 1970s, Thailand was besieged by the communist advances in Indochina. Within Thailand’s borders, communist insurgents mounted a persistent campaign against the government. Nullifying these opponents, and winning over the hearts and minds of the Thai people, became a top priority for both the government and the palace.

As Cold War anxieties climaxed, Bhumibol supported a strong American presence in Thailand. From its bases in the kingdom, US forces bombed Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. In Thailand, Bhumibol sponsored the establishment of paramilitary organisations, and became the patron of the Border Patrol Police and other guardians of the realm. He also set up a series of rural development centres in the poorest and most remote areas of the country.

He argued, quite rightly, that social and economic development would make Thailand’s rural poor less vulnerable to leftist indoctrination. Some of the most iconic images of Bhumibol’s reign come from his visits to rural villages, where he dispensed development resources and agronomic wisdom to his grateful peasant subjects.

Thailand’s status as a linchpin in the anti-communist fight, paved the way for an economic boom and the enmeshment of Bhumibol in global power politics. The defeat of local communist forces in the early 1980s was directly linked, in many Thai minds, with the king’s devotion to his kingdom. Following the spectacular economic growth and semi-democracy of the 1980s, the last three decades of Bhumibol’s life were accompanied by constant reference to his newly democratic public persona.

His adoration by the Thai public was stoked by a constant diet of positive press coverage about him and his family. Bhumibol’s status grew as international organisations flocked to honour Asia’s modern monarch with a welter of awards and honorary degrees.

His greatest public relations triumph came in 1992, following a massacre of unarmed protesters by army units on the streets of Bangkok. In a nationally televised display of royal authority, Bhumibol called the protest leader and the Prime Minister to his palace. As they knelt before him, he commanded that they settle their differences peacefully. This is the king that many people in Thailand will want to remember: powerful, wise and rescuing the nation in a moment of crisis.

This image served the king well in the years that followed. In an emerging but still fractious democracy, Bhumibol was seen as the ideal national arbiter if things got out of control. His homespun “sufficiency economy” philosophy provided Thais with moral reassurance during the Asian economic crisis of 1997. The king was capitalising on the charisma that he had accumulated during the earlier decades of his reign.

But Bhumibol’s health began to falter and fade at the same time as new political challenges were emerging in his kingdom. Modernisation, consumerism, mass education and the Internet were starting to unravel the established political order. In these turbulent times, Bhumibol was very poorly served by his energetic backers.

In September 2006 the Thai military overthrew the elected government of billionaire businessman Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin was an immensely popular political leader and his populist economic policies dwarfed the benevolence of the king. Thaksin had cashed in on Thailand’s lust for modernity and many felt that his unprecedented electoral power was a threat to Bhumibol’s traditional royal authority.

The king’s closest supporters were instrumental in engineering the move against Thaksin. The coup-makers were obliged to infuse their actions with royal mystique. When the tanks took to the streets of Bangkok, yellow ribbons were tied around their gun barrels. Yellow is King Bhumibol’s colour. After the putsch, one of the king’s Privy Councillors, and a military veteran of the fight against communism, was appointed as Prime Minister. The unelected government actively promoted Bhumibol’s “sufficiency economy” philosophy as an antidote to the brash commercialism of Thaksin.

What Bhumibol thought about the enthusiastic use of his royal brand by a military government that had destroyed Thailand’s constitution is not known. What is known is that he made no attempt to distance himself from it. For the first time, the Thai public had a clear view that the palace was a player in partisan politics and, what’s more, had contributed to the overthrow of a government that had been elected three times.

There was worse to come for Thailand’s monarchy. In the post-coup election of December 2007, a new Thaksin-aligned government was elected, effectively undoing the work of the coup-makers. Powerful sections of the Bangkok elite could not accept this result. They mounted a series of increasingly belligerent street protests, swathed in royal yellow, to bring down another elected government.

Carrying portraits of the royal family everywhere they went, the “yellow-shirt” protestors occupied government house, blockaded the parliament and, in their ultimate act of national vandalism, closed down Bangkok’s international airport. Despite the damage to Thailand’s economy and international reputation the security forces refused to move against them. There was speculation that the protesters had friends in very high places.

Eventually the pro-Thaksin government fell, and a much more royal-friendly administration lead by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva took its place. Throughout the months of yellow-shirt chaos, neither the king nor his advisors did anything to call off those who were campaigning under the royal banner for the forcible overthrow of his majesty’s elected government.

That government eventually fell at an election, replaced by Thaksin’s sister Yingluck Shinawtra. Her opponents in royalist and militarist circles insisted on undermining her grasp on a democratic mandate. It was no great surprise when her prime ministership ended in May 2014 with yet another army coup.

The current government in Bangkok, headed by General Prayuth Chan-ocha, took charge specifically so that top military and palace figures could control the kingdom in the sensitive hours, days, weeks and months after Bhumibol’s passing. Under these conditions it is clear to analysts, both within Thailand and internationally, just how little Bhumibol’s reign contributed to democratic consolidation.

Despite these troubled times, King Bhumibol’s record of virtuous good works, combined with the formidable royal publicity machine, means that he is still held in great regard by a large proportion of the Thai population. His image hangs in houses throughout the kingdom – from elaborate mansions in Bangkok to bamboo huts in the far-flung hills of Thailand’s north. His death will generate deep sadness and a long period of mourning.

Those who publically depart from the acceptable script of royal virtue risk being charged under Thailand’s punitive criminal code. There is a real fear in Thailand about discussing royal matters. In his later years, Bhumibol expressed discomfort about the abuse of laws that protected him, but he never openly called for their reform or repeal.

The reverence for the late king is very real. But the active repression of free speech means that there is no room in Thai public life for any other sentiment.

Perhaps there may be stirrings of new sentiments when the new king takes the throne. Bhumibol’s son, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, is expected to be the new king, although his elevation is a delicate and contentious matter. Vajiralongkorn has a chequered private life and a reputation for hot headedness. He is a magnet for salacious rumour and colourful internet imagery. He is much less popular than his younger sister, the unmarried Princess Sirindhorn, who is popularly referred to as Princess Angel.

Much planning has gone into what happens next, but Bhumibol’s death may still loose forces that will energise a new round of political turmoil. No wonder the Thai stock market is jittery and investors are calling in their risk assessors.

King Bhumibol was the dominant political and cultural figure in Thailand for as long as most people can remember. He reigned over a newly-prosperous and internationally respected kingdom, and found a place in the hearts and minds of his subjects. But in late moments of reflection he may have regretted that his country became so ill prepared for mature leadership transitions and that his own charisma had been so regularly mobilised against the political wishes of the Thai people.


Sumber - New Mandala

Intipati Rundingan Tahunan ke-20 Brunei-Malaysia

1. Sepintas Lalu:

Rundingan melambangkan hubungan istimewa yang berpanjangan di antara Malaysia dan Brunei Darussalam. Pemimpin-pemimpin mengesahkan semula komitmen mereka untuk meningkatkan lagi kerjasama dan kolaborasi dalam bidang-bidang berkepentingan bersama, seperti perdagangan dan pelaburan, pertahanan, pendidikan dan pertukaran belia.

2. Kemajuan Pelaksanaan Surat-Surat Pertukaran:

Pemimpin-pemimpin meluahkan rasa puas hati dengan kemajuan pelaksanaan Surat-Surat Pertukaran dan menggesa pegawai-pegawai mereka untuk meningkatkan usaha menyimpulkan elemen-elemen yang belum diselesaikan.

3. Penandatanganan MoU dalam Teknologi Hijau:

Pemimpin-pemimpin gembira dengan penandatanganan memorandum persefahaman (MoU) di antara kerajaan Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam dan kerajaan Malaysia dalam bidang Teknologi Hijau.

4. Lebuh Raya Pan Borneo:

Pemimpin-pemimpin menggesa pegawai-pegawai mereka untuk memulakan perbincangan mengenai rangkaian Lebuh Raya Pan Borneo, kerana penambahbaikan kesalinghubungan akan mempercepatkan pertumbuhan ekonomi dan sosial di antara kedua-dua buah negara.

5. Mengadakan forum perniagaan mengenai PKS:

Pemimpin-pemimpin menga-kui bahawa masih terdapat potensi yang belum diterokai dalam hubungan ekonomi Brunei Darussalam-Malaysia.

Dalam hal ini, mereka mencadangkan agar perusahaan kecil dan sederhana (PKS) kedua-dua buah negara untuk bekerjasama meneroka peluang-peluang perniagaan, dan dengan itu gembira untuk mengambil maklum bahawa satu forum perniagaan yang memfokuskan ke atas PKS dari Brunei Darus-salam dan Malaysia akan dianjurkan di Brunei Darussalam pada separuh pertama 2017.

6. Menangani Virus Zika:

Pemimpin-pemimpin berpuas hati dengan usaha kedua-dua buah negara dalam menangani ancaman kemunculan dan kemunculan semula penyakit-penyakit berjangkit seperti ancaman Virus Zika.

Mereka menekankan komitmen menteri-menteri kesihatan ASEAN semasa Persidangan Video Khas Menteri-Menteri Kesihatan ASEAN mengenai Ancaman Virus Zika pada 19 September.

7. Peranan Malaysia sebagai ahli tidak tetap Majlis Keselamatan PBB:

Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia memuji peranan Malaysia sebagai ahli tidak tetap Majlis Keselamatan Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Ber-satu bagi 2015-2016, termasuk kejayaan kepimpinannya bagi bulan Ogos 2016, menekankan bahawa wawasan keamanan dan kesederhanaan Malaysia adalah pendekatan penting dalam usaha-usaha antarabangsa kini untuk mencegah pengganasan dan fahaman pelampau.


Sumber - Media Permata

Brunei defence spending per capita among highest in region

Quratul-Ain Bandial
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

BRUNEI has the second highest per capita defence spending in ASEAN after Singapore, according to figures published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Based on 2015 data from SIPRI, the Brunei government spent US$1,012 ($1,420) per person from an overall defence budget of US$460 million, representing 8.2 per cent of total government spending or 3.7 per cent of GDP.

According to the global security think tank, per capita defence spending in Brunei has grown by 46 per cent over the past 10 years, from US$692 in 2005 to US$1,012 in 2015.

ASEAN’s biggest defence spender, Singapore, laid out US$1,705 per person from an overall defence budget of US$10.2 billion, representing 16 per cent of the government’s expenditure in 2015.

By comparison, Singapore and Brunei – which are the two smallest Southeast Asian countries in terms of population – significantly dwarf their fellow ASEAN members in per capita defence spending.

The third-highest ranking country in the region was Malaysia, which spent roughly US$146 per capita, followed by Thailand at US$83 per capita, and Vietnam at US$49 per capita.

ASEAN’s largest country, Indonesia, with a population of 250 million people, came in eighth, spending US$29 per capita.

In terms of total defence expenditure in ASEAN, Singapore still came in first, comprising 25 per cent of all ASEAN military spending, followed by Indonesia (20 per cent), and Thailand (15 per cent). Brunei represented just one per cent of overall defence spending in ASEAN.

According to SIPRI, the Asia-Pacific is seeing an upward trend in defence expenditure and weapons trade, with the region representing 46 per cent of all global arms imports.

Vietnam and Singapore were among the top 20 arms importers in the world from 2011 to 2015, ranking eighth and thirteenth respectively.

Global military expenditure totaled almost US$1.7 trillion in 2015, about 2.3 per cent of the world’s total GDP.

The Sweden-based SIPRI is dedicated to research into conflict, arms control and disarmament, and maintains comprehensive data on military expenditure worldwide. It is consistently ranked among the most influential think tanks globally, and has a presence in Stockholm and Beijing.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

‘More than 100,000 foreigners working in Brunei’

Khai Zem Mat Sani 
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 

THE number of foreign workers staying in Brunei remains over 100,000 with a majority of them employed under the private sector, said the acting commissioner of the Department of Labour yesterday.

Hj Shariful-Bahri Hj Sawas said that there are currently more than 100,000 foreign nationals working in Brunei and that many of them are working in the construction sector.

“Construction industry is the biggest sector that employs foreign workers,” he said.

Hj Shariful-Bahri said that more than 90,000 foreigners are currently employed by the private sector.

The remaining amount comprises mostly of domestic workers, he said.

The acting commissioner said that most of the foreign workers come from neighboring countries, as well as South Asia.

“The top ranking countries are Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia. For the past years, more foreigners are coming from India and Bangladesh,” said Hj Shariful-Bahri.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Brunei now in world’s most competitive economy index

Darren Chin
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

BRUNEI is now included in the world’s most competitive economy index as reported by the Geneva-based World Economic Forum yesterday.

The 2016-2017 Global Competitiveness Report has put the sultanate at 58th place.

Several ASEAN countries were also included in the global list, such as Singapore which placed second and Malaysia at 25th place. Switzerland is considered the world’s most competitive economy.

In a statement, the Energy and Industry Department at the Prime Minister’s Office (EIDPMO) said that this marks the country’s first ever entry into the benchmark index that rates the competitiveness of world economies.

“The report, widely recognised as the world’s leading assessment of competitiveness, highlighted that the top three most problematic factors for doing business in Brunei Darussalam were inefficient government bureaucracy, (lack of) access to financing and restrictive labour regulations,” said EIDPMO.

“This ranking comes at a time of significant focus by His Majesty’s Government to improve its business environment following the global drop in oil prices which hurt the economy. Diversification efforts have since intensified to ensure the economy’s sustainability, recognising that inefficiencies in the civil service need to be addressed to increase competitiveness and drive progress,” said EIDPMO.

EIDPMO said that it had carried out several reforms in the past year as part of its efforts to establish a pro-business environment including setting up the Business Support Centre, introducing the Collateral Registry System to help facilitate financing and reviewing the labour policy which is due for completion next month.

“The Ease of Doing Business Steering Committee is actively driving business reform to streamline inefficient government processes, ensure a competitive cost of doing business and that regulation is aligned with international best practice to address the top three identified barriers to business,” said EIDPMO.

“Improving the business environment and Brunei’s global competitiveness is a key priority of His Majesty’s Government to ensure that Brunei can sustain its growth towards achieving Wawasan 2035,” said EIDPMO.

EIDPMO had earlier carried out a study on its global competitiveness involving companies in Brunei from various industries in collaboration with Universiti Brunei Darussalam between March and May this year in preparation for this year’s report.

The annual index gives ratings on 12 factors of the economy to decide a final average rating for Brunei of 4.3 out of 7.

The index cited Brunei’s health and primary education as its best attribute with a 6.3 rating while unsurprisingly, market size was its most prominent drawback with a 2.7 rating given.

The ASEAN region generally fared worse compared with last year, with only Brunei and Singapore not falling down the ranks in this year’s ranking of 138 countries.

Laos and Myanmar were not included in this year’s index.

The podium places of the index remain unchanged from the previous year with Switzerland, Singapore and United States maintaining their places at the top, respectively.

The Executive Chairman of World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab said in the report that declining openness in the global economy is harming competitiveness and making it harder for leaders to drive sustainable and inclusive growth.

The annual report is compiled based on opinions from business leaders on issues ranging from the state of an economy’s institutions to the country’s health and educational infrastructure.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

HM questions healthcare services

His Majesty speaks with an elderly patient during an impromptu visit to Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital

Nabilah Haris
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, yesterday questioned the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) delivery of healthcare services after learning about complaints from the public.

In his titah during an impromptu visit to Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital, the monarch said members of the public had raised concerns on the quality of healthcare services provided by MoH and the hospital, including the waiting time to see a doctor at the Accident and Emergency Department.

“What does emergency mean? Try to truly understand what is meant by emergency. There should be no issues of waiting a long time for doctors at the emergency section,” the Sultan said.

He added, “The same goes for patients admitted to the ward but are forced to stay for a night or more to be checked by a doctor. Is this considered good healthcare customer service?”

His Majesty said people in healthcare services must remember that patients are in pain, and that it is their responsibility to alleviate the pain and not place a heavier burden on them.

He added that a nurse who is rude is enough to add more burden on the patient.

This also include administration staff and doctors who do not show enough care to patients, to the point that patients’ emotions are affected and may result in more serious health problems, His Majesty said. “It is evident that healthcare customer service is important, especially in the way one speaks and acts,” he added.

Medical practices

The Sultan also expressed his concerns on promises some doctors had made to patients and their families on the former’s recovery chances. “Many have said that there are medical officers who can easily give hope of (survival rates) as high as 80 and 90 per cent.

“After hearing about the survival rates, patients and families did not take too long to decide and chose to proceed with surgery but once the surgery is over and the patient’s development is not encouraging, it is disappointing as the patient falls unconscious and eventually passes away,” said His Majesty.

The monarch called for stern action on such medical officers to prevent such practices from happening again. “This is not an isolated incident, many families had said they have lost a child, or their husband or other family members who were swayed by the promises,” he added.

His Majesty also urged doctors to give more medical advice instead of solely prescribing medicines. “In my opinion, a great doctor is not only good at prescribing medicines, but do not mind imparting advice as that advice is sometimes more needed apart from the medicine. It is an important step towards realising the Ministry of Health’s Vision 2035,” said the king.

Zika virus prevention

His Majesty also called for a more proactive approach in addressing Zika beyond issuing advisories, noting that countries close to Brunei have recorded cases of the mosquito-borne virus.

“They are worried, and by right we should also be worried since we are so close.

“There are no stern warnings or action being taken. We have only been adivising the public not to be worried despite the rising number of cases in neighbouring countries,” added His Majesty.

The Sultan said public adviso-ries were made, but more action should be taken, such as ensuring the country’s cleanliness to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

“Maybe we would like to blame it on members of the public who may be reluctant to maintain cleanliness. If there is any truth to this, I want to know what is being done to address this. Are any actions being taken?

“Are there any rules or acts to cure this illness? If there are any, what is being done to discipline the public? I want a response from the relevant parties,” added the monarch.

Achieving Vision 2035

His Majesty commended the Ministry of Health’s efforts in formulating the Vision 2035 strategy that carries the motto, ‘Together Towards A Healthy Nation’.

He said what has been written is excellent, but how it translates into action is important. “What we want to see is its implementation. It is not enough to be amazing on paper but it must become a reality that can be enjoyed by everyone.

“One of its main targets is good customer service. It is good in its language and no one can deny that but can it be done? If yes, then Alhamdulillah. This is what we want, which is not only have it written on paper but to carry it out,” added the Sultan.

His Majesty inspected the hospital’s facilities for about three hours during the impromptu visit.

He toured the Women and Children’s Block, Specialists’ building, Medical Storage, Emergency Department, Cardiac Centre, Sports Complex, the Acute Medical Unit, and RIPAS Hospital library.

The Sultan also took time to talk with doctors, nurses, patients and their families to better understand the hospital’s quality of healthcare services.


Sumber - The Brunei Times