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 silenced on South China Sea claims

China offers joint deep-sea drilling as oil revenues sink

Brunei is an absolute monarchist, Islamic state of 420,000 people on the north coast of Borneo, wedged into the Malaysian state of Sarawak. Indonesia and Malaysia own 99 percent of Borneo, which is the third largest island in the world, located at the maritime center of Southeast Asia. It has become a key pawn in China’s offense to control the South China Sea.

The United Nations Permanent Arbitration Court in The Hague is due to rule on the Philippines’ claim to the Scarborough Shoal – expected end-May or June. China is scrambling to find global and regional support for “direct bilateral negotiations” rather than international arbitration. It refuses to recognize the jurisdiction of the Court and says it will not abide by its rulings.

China is particularly keen to disable ASEAN from uniting against its ‘nine-dash line’ claim to 90 percent of the South China Sea. It has declared that Laos and Cambodia agree disputes should be settled through direct bilateral negotiations. It has now added Brunei to that list, removing three of the 10 members of ASEAN, which works only through group consensus.

‘Resource Curse’ grips Brunei

Over three decades since its independence from Britain in 1984, the kingdom flew on the magic carpet of oil and gas exports. Earnings from this natural resource enabled its society to be tax-free and well-provided with employment, public health, subsidized housing and free education. Its 29th Sultan, Hassanal Bolkiah, is one of the world’s richest men, with personal net worth estimated at US$20-27 billion.

The oil price is now off 70 percent from its 2008 peak. Like all countries overly dependent on commodity exports, Brunei suddenly finds itself hostage to a global pricing slump. As 90 percent of government finances come from oil and gas, that has unhinged the entire economy. Plans to diversify from oil dependency are drafted in an ambitious grand plan called Vision Brunei 2035. Almost 80 percent of citizens are employed directly by the government or its statutory corporations.

Brunei’s ground oil reserves are estimated to run out in two decades as well. Deep-sea drilling and exploration for oil and gas, is prohibitively expensive. China has reached out to jointly explore deep-sea opportunities for production sharing. Brunei has accepted the deal and made its peace on overlapping sea claims.

Aside from The Philippines, the other littoral ASEAN states with Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) cutting across China’s nine-dash line are Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) grants an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles off the coasts of maritime countries.

Establishing facts & dishing cash

China’s nine-dash line claim is recognized by no international body. It converts its claim into practical reality through forward deployment and occupation of islands in dispute. It is doing so at speed.

ASEAN states’ EEZs will remain unexploited, without the cash to invest in deep-sea drilling tests, and technology to extract reserves. China has the financial capacity to fund deep-sea exploration and the strategic need for hydrocarbon energy. It is using the cash bait to co-opt littoral ASEAN states into its South China Sea co-prosperity scheme. It also has infrastructure goodies on offer in its ‘Belt and Road’ master plan.

Block passage, checkmate Taiwan

Brunei is an important pawn neutralized on the chessboard, to stymie any ASEAN pushback. The parallel strategic benefit for China in the South China Sea, would be military control over these waters, to choke timely arrival of US Forces to defend Taiwan or Japan – both of whom have defence pacts with the USA.

China calculates that the US would rather avoid confrontation with an assertive power with military assets in place. Its South China Sea militarization is rapidly reaching critical mass. The US has shown no firm resolve to challenge that. The ASEAN nations have no capacity to stop China’s navy, or its rampaging fishing fleets.

The reunification of Taiwan is a highly charged national dream which President Xi Jinping has stoked. He already enjoys huge popularity with the masses – although not in Taiwan – for his sustained anti-graft campaign, which has snagged ‘tigers and flies’ at all levels of the government and party – sweeping away factions and personalities opposed to his unprecedented consolidation of personal power.

He has seven more years left of his two-term limit. If Taiwan is reunited with the mainland under his watch, Xi would be elevated to the level of Mao and Deng, on the altar of historic CCP heroes. Neither of these CCP strongmen could lock-up Taiwan. The last ruler who unified China was Emperor Qin Shi Huang in 221 BC.

Control over the South China Sea would bring that glorious day closer. US aircraft carriers just need to be delayed long enough for the PRC to reintegrate Taiwan. Political formulae for a high degree of autonomy and a separate local legislature, are well discussed exchanges in the long-running cross-straits talks.

After all, the US has accepted One-China sovereignty. It would be checkmate and game for China, without a shot being fired. Isn’t that what war strategy is all about – winning without a fight?


Sumber - Asia Sentinel

Bersatu lebih teguh

Baginda Sultan berkenan bergambar ramai bersama para pemimpin negara di Sidang Kemuncak OIC ke-13.

ISTANBUL, 14 April – Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam, hari ini bertitah menekankan kepentingan bagi perpaduan dan kesepakatan dalam kalangan negara-negara ahli OIC dalam menegakkan keadilan dan kedamaian dunia.

Titah Baginda, keadaan keselamatan global yang semakin kompleks dan menakutkan serta ketidaktentuan perspektif ekonomi dunia telah menimbulkan cabaran-cabaran dan peluang-peluang terhadap masyarakat OIC.

Justeru itu, sesuai dengan tema sidang kemuncak, Baginda menekankan agar negara-negara ahli perlu bersatu lebih teguh lagi berbanding sebelum ini.

Dalam titah Baginda pada Sesi Kerja Pertama sidang kemuncak itu yang diadakan di Pusat Kongres Istanbul, Republik Turki, Baginda Sultan memuji kerja-kerja yang telah dilakukan oleh OIC dalam melaksanakan Program Sepuluh Tahun Mekah, dan seterusnya melahirkan rasa gembira atas segala usaha yang telah membawa kepada peningkatan dalam perdagangan intra-OIC; penekanan yang lebih besar terhadap kesihatan, pendidikan, wanita dan kanak-kanak; dan penubuhan suruhanjaya hak asasi manusia.

Baginda dalam titahnya juga menekankan terhadap keperluan bagi OIC untuk terus meningkatkan kerja dan usaha lagi bagi mengatasi cabaran-cabaran seperti isu teras Palestin, pengganasan, keganasan melampau, Islamofobia, kemiskinan, wabak-wabak penyakit dan bencana-bencana alam.

Baginda menyambut baik Program Tindakan 2025 OIC dan memberi sokongan terhadap pelaksanaannya. Pelan tindakan yang baru itu diwujudkan atas program tindakan OIC yang sebelum ini dan ianya menangani matlamat-matlamat yang baru seperti perubahan iklim dan pembasmian kemiskinan.

Program baru itu, tambah Baginda, juga menggalakkan dialog-dialog dan moderation antara agama yang merupakan penting dalam menangani kebimbangan terhadap keganasan melampau dan Islamofobia.

Antara perkara penting yang turut Baginda tekankan adalah mengenai nasib rakyat Palestin yang telah dinafikan hak dalam pertumbuhan dan pembangunan sosioekonomi yang bermakna berikutan cabaran-cabaran geopolitik di rantau Asia Barat.

Baginda seterusnya menggesa negara-negara ahli OIC agar terus mengukuhkan segala usaha mereka melalui apa saja cara yang mungkin dapat menyelesaikan isu berpanjangan Negara Palestin, dan seterusnya memberikan sokongan yang tidak berbelah bahagi Negara Brunei Darussalam kepada rakyat Palestin dalam perjuangan mereka untuk mendapatkan hak bagi menentukan nasib mereka sendiri.

Dalam mengakhiri titah, Baginda menyeru semua negara ahli OIC untuk bersatu dalam jiwa dan raga mereka dalam perpaduan bekerja agar OIC lebih relevan lagi terhadap rakyat-rakyat yang mereka wakili.

Terdahulu Baginda berkenan berangkat menghadiri Sesi Pembukaan Sidang Kemuncak OIC Ke-13 yang diadakan di Pusat Kongres Istanbul, Republik Turki.

Keberangkatan tiba Baginda dialu-alukan oleh Presiden Republik Turki, Tuan Yang Terutama Recep Tayyip Erdogan yang juga Pengerusi Sidang Kemuncak Pertubuhan Kerjasama Islam sesi ke-13.

Baginda seterusnya dijunjung menyertai sesi bergambar ramai bersama raja-raja serta ketua-ketua negara dan kerajaan negara-negara ahli dan bukan ahli Pertubuhan Kerjasama Islam (OIC).

Sesi Pembukaan bagi Sidang Kemuncak OIC Sesi Ke-13 dimulakan dengan ucapan pembukaan oleh Presiden Republik Arab Mesir, Tuan Yang Terutama Abdel Fattah al-Sisi selaku Pengerusi Sidang Kemuncak OIC Sesi Ke-12 yang disampaikan oleh Menteri Hal Ehwal Luar Negeri Republik Arab Mesir,Tuan Yang Terutama Sameh Hassan Shoukry.

Ini diikuti dengan ucapan daripada Setiausaha Agung OIC, Tuan Yang Terutama Iyad Ameen Madani serta ucapan daripada Tuan Yang Terutama Presiden Republik Turki selaku Pengerusi Sidang Kemuncak OIC Sesi Ke-13.

Di samping menghadiri sesi kerja pertama itu, Baginda Sultan turut berkenan mengadakan Perjumpaan Dua Hala dengan Raja Arab Saudi dan Penjaga Dua Masjid Suci, Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Raja Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud yang berlangsung di Hamidiye Salon, Pusat Kongres Istanbul, Republik Turki.

Semasa perjumpaan tersebut, Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam dan Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Raja Saudi bertukar-tukar pandangan mengenai hal ehwal serantau dan antarabangsa dan seterusnya membincangkan cara-cara bagi memperkukuhkan lagi hubungan erat antara kedua-dua buah negara.


Sumber - Media Permata

Talking Policy: YB Pehin Dato Lim Jock Seng on Brunei

Brunei, a Southeast Asian nation with a population of only 400,000, ranks among the world’s wealthiest nations per capita due to its extensive oil and gas resources. Situated strategically on the South China Sea and a member both of APEC and ASEAN, it is also a central player in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact now awaiting Congressional action. David A. Andelman, editor emeritus of World Policy Journal, sat down with Yang Berhormat Pehin Dato Lim Jock Seng, Brunei’s Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade and a close advisor to the His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei, to examine the stakes on both sides of the Pacific and to discuss the country’s domestic politics and relations with its neighbors.

DAVID A. ANDELMAN: Here we are in 2016 in very difficult times. Where do you see Brunei? What do you think is its place in the region right now?

YB PEHIN DATO LIM JOCK SENG: Brunei is a small country, with a population of about 400,000. We are the smallest member of ASEAN. And our role will be actually very minimal in any organization, being that size. So this is why ASEAN is so important to us, because this is one organization where we feel we can contribute to ASEAN, to the region, and internationally. If we're doing it alone, it would be impossible. Nobody cares.

DA: You're the wealthiest country in the region, along with Singapore, by far. You have great resources. You have a strong central government. You're a peaceful country. You should be one of the great forces in the region. Do you have that confidence to do that?

PDLJS: Yes, we are blessed with oil and gas, and when the prices fall and gas is high, we were able over the last 10-15 years to put all that extra money into reserve, and invest it to the States, Europe, and everywhere. So from these reserves, we have the financial backing, but some of the major players in the region are China, Japan, and India. Within ASEAN, we try to play our part. We feel that in diplomacy, the best way to do anything is to trust each other. I realized from my 30-plus years of experience that if you don't have the trust, however brilliant you are, you will never get anything done. We have friends, and the natural way for us in Brunei really is that we are very friendly—we like to be friends and trust is the main thing.

DA: Who do you think does not trust you in the region?

PDLJS: I think, generally, they see us as a small country of no significance, but they like us because we never trouble them, we never criticize them, and we are one of those who think, "fine, if that's alright with you, we'll come along."

DA: Does that include China?

PDLJS: That includes China. Both China and America are two major powers and we are friends with both. We tell our American friends that we're friendly with China, we're friendly with you, but it would be good if you could use us as a channel, because what I do is, every time I would see the Chinese, I would tell them, "have you ever thought properly what it is that the Americans really want? I would tell you exactly what it is." And then I will convey to them what the Chinese think, because the Chinese, when we talk about the South China Sea, were telling me, "look, here is China. We are surrounded by Korea, Japan ... and then you have Australia, you have Thailand, you have everybody around here. All have military relations with the United States. And the moment that Australia and New Zealand come in, we feel surrounded." So that's basically how we see our role.

DA: The Trans-Pacific Partnership is something that's of great interest now in America, and I'm sure here. Do you see TPP—since TPP has excluded China—as yet another threat to China? And since you are participating in that, do you see that you effectively are, too?

PDLJS: No, because TPP is an open association. Everybody can come in. And we've told the Chinese, "come." We've invited everybody and now they have some who are seriously thinking of coming in. And, I think the TPP is good in a sense that it is now moving the RCEP [Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership] we are doing with the Chinese and the Indians. That's 18 of us in total, without the United States. And now the pace is getting faster because they realize TPP is now on. And we told the Chinese we supported them, we want them to come in, the U.S. wants them to come in. I think the Chinese are thinking seriously now about it—they are getting interested in coming, and they're not as opposed to it.

DA: But aren't you afraid that the American government—depending on what administration we have after November—and Congress might say, "Oh, this is just another Trojan horse to get China more weight in the region?"

PDLJS: I think we have more confidence than you on this. In our last meeting, Obama was telling us that he feels that we'll be able to pull it off. And we were talking to Alex Feldman, with the ASEAN U.S. Business Council. Now, if you look at TPP and what they're doing, it would be silly of us not to proceed with it. And I'm sure there have been a lot of business sectors saying, “forget about politics.”

DA: What if the United States Congress said we're not going to ratify this now? Would you go ahead with it without the United States?

PDLJS: I'm not sure of that. We have to change some of the legislation, labor and all that, to accommodate, which will take about 18 months. Then we're ready to ratify.

DA: Do you sense that the aggressive role of China, in the South China Sea particularly, as well as its defensiveness against the TPP, would shift the power balance in this part of the world?

PDLJS: Economically, with the facts and figures, China is becoming a very important player. It is already the second largest economy in the world. Will it take over? It may, it may not. But at the same time, the U.S.—there is no country in the world that I've seen with the same amount of talent, research, and innovation. I was in California’s Silicon Valley. It’s fantastic! There I see Syrians, Sri Lankans, Vietnamese—all the best brains you have. There is nowhere else in the world like it, and that's why your American spirit, your American dream is important—although the Chinese are trying to get the Chinese dream. But, as long as you pursue this, I don't think anybody really has the environment to encourage that kind of innovation, and that's something that America has done very well.

DA: Can Brunei maintain its voice in the region with these levels of oil prices, or do you need to have a higher price of oil?

PDLJS: I think we need some sense so that both the consumer and the producer gain from it. There's no point in us getting $140 and have some people suffering somewhere. So what we need to get rid of is the volatility. I think Brunei's role and influence comes from having resources. And, in that sense, a fairly stable middle of the price of oil in the $60s to $70s range [would be good]. We're fine because constant production is very low.

DA: Now, what I find interesting is the lessons that Brunei could teach other smaller countries that have resources. Indonesia, for instance, has resources. Malaysia has resources. You have the fourth highest GDP-PPP in the world. You must be able to teach other countries something. What kinds of lessons can you teach them?

PDLJS: I’m going to explain to you the policy His Majesty has been following. I once told him, "We have spent a lot of money on welfare. We have spent a lot of money on education." His emphasis is: "I want education. I don't care what you all do, ministers. I want everyone to be educated from A to Z. I want everyone to have access to medical care. If you can't get it in Brunei, we'll fly the patients out. I want everybody to have housing—cheap housing, or free housing. In fact, in the end, it's all free housing." So I said, "You can't sustain it!" He said, "All the money that comes from oil and gas and everything to the government—it's for the people. So spend it on the people."

DA: I hope you won't take this the wrong way, but His Majesty lives very well. And his family lives very well. Do people resent this at all?

PDLJS: As far as I can gather, because he's trying to give all that money to the people, education and all that, people are quite comfortable. And then the social safety net—when you retire, when you're older, you still have the pension scheme, which is non-contributory, so you get it anyway. In that case, I think he has won half of the battle in the sense that he has given them the basics plus this social safety net.

DA: I knew Singapore’s Lee Kwan Yew a bit. He was a tough man, very smart and very for the people. Did you ever contemplate how Brunei might have been different if you have followed more of a Lee Kwan Yew model? You had resources that they never had in terms of oil and so on, and natural gas.

PDLJS: I think with the kind of society we have, it would be difficult. Brunei's society is completely different from that of Singapore.

DA: How would you describe Brunei society in that respect?

PDLJS: I would say we are still family-oriented. Because of our small size, we all know each other, we're all related to each other. And this is why when you talk about corruption and all that, it is so difficult. I'll give you an example. I did my research in a fishing village for a year, and stayed with a family there. So when I came up, the family would say, "Look, my son hasn't got a job. Can you please help me?" And the expectation is that you must help him. Now half of me says no, half of me says you have to help him. So I'm caught in a dilemma between the Western and the Eastern world. Eventually, I said, "Send the application. If he's qualified, he'll get it."

DA: That's more of the Singapore model, isn't it? That's what we would say. I think one of the things you do share with Singapore is no corruption here, right?

PDLJS: We're trying to reduce it. We're conscious that we haven't succeeded.

DA: I don't think of Brunei as a corrupt society, certainly nothing like a lot of the Middle Eastern countries, or certainly most of the African nations. You're very high on the transparency international list, so that's good.

PDLJS: So we're hoping the TPP will help us because the TPP addresses the question of transparency. We need to make some of the rules very clear. That's one way of ruling out corruption. So in this sense, TPP is helping us to really move up.

DA: What would you say if the U.S. Congress rejected it? What would the consequences be for Brunei, and for the region?

PDLJS: Well, TPP is something that will provide us with a market of 800 million people. It provides us with capacity building—we are trying to build all our businesspeople, our rules, our regulations, so that it's on par with everyone. In this way, we are bringing Brunei into the international forum. So that's one aspect of it, apart from creating more jobs. But we also have many other free trade agreements with nations like Australia and New Zealand. There is also RCEP, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. Now this one is with India, China—but not the U.S. If TPP fails, some of these countries will come in.

DA: So basically, it'll be worse for America if it fails than it'll be for Brunei and the region.

PDLJS: Yes.

DA: That's a very interesting perspective.

PDLJS: But if you see the World Bank's report, we are number three getting benefits out of it. But we wouldn't get any benefits until we move up.

DA: Move up what?

PDLJS: In the sense of some of the rules, the regulations. If I want to attract American investors, my rules and my judiciary must be very clear. Some of the rules are not very clear, like labor. That's in the process of being done.

DA: But you don't need TPP for that. You realize that, right?

PDLJS: No, but TPP provides us this motivation.

DA: That's very interesting. So what else would you want from America?

PDLJS: I think, as I said, America is a very good friend of ours. One of the major powers, if not the major power. It has contributed a lot to the peace and stability of this region. China of course is the up-and-coming one, but we want them to play a positive role—the both of them.

DA: They seem to want to encroach on your oil lands and your oil fields in the South China Sea, and it seems they want to make life difficult for you.

PDLJS: At the end of the day, I think that China and the U.S. cannot afford to fight. The reality is that we need each other, and you can't do that. I don't think for a moment that the Chinese would be mad enough to do some thing, and I'm sure the Chinese have a long-term view of things.

DA: So you're not concerned then about these things that are happening in the South China Sea?

PDLJS: If it is the nine-dash line, it is part of it, but we're saying this is ours, and this is yours - but it's not going to come to any blows.

DA: I’m also interested in the legislative part of the government, and wanted to see how that worked in Brunei.

PDLJS: The composition of the legislative council, which was introduced in 2004, is that a quarter of those people are actually elected as head men of villages. From these 50-60 head men, 15 out of them get to represent in parliament. They were chosen by the people, through elections. And then His Majesty adds about five people who represent some ethnic communities and groups, and another five people who represent the interests from the private sector, people with contributions.

DA: So the idea as I understand it is that the legislative council—people come in, and tell the problems they have to the ministers. You're one of the ministers—you'll be up there?

PDLJS: Yes.

DA: If something does not go their way, they can't protest. There isn't that avenue. So does it still function as a safety valve in the communities, or does it not act as a source of frustration?

PDLJS: Our parliament is designed slightly differently. The parliament is trying to have the concept of a discussion, and trying to get a consensus; there is no such thing as opposition. And if you see the design of the sitting arrangement, it's different.

DA: Have they ever gotten what they wanted?

PDLJS: Some of them do, some don't, but some questions come up again and again. So the idea is, how do you find a consensus?

DA: But is it really a consensus? It's really not a true democracy, with all due respect. The head of state and head of government has been in power for over 40 years. But do people still feel a participation in the Brunei miracle, if you will?

PDLJS: There is access to His Majesty. He's there every Friday, and they will see him and pass on letters to him. So every time he comes back with letters complaining about the ministers not doing anything, and the next day all the ministers will have to answer all of the questions.

DA: Does he ever do anything for the people?

PDLJS: Oh, yes. One example is of a market that is operating and the ministers were saying that they wanted to move the vendors to a better place. But the vendors were saying, we've been here for generations, and we want to stay here because this is our place and history and people. So His Majesty came down and talked to them, and they told His Majesty they want to stay. And I think His Majesty took their word and said, “Alright.” They have access to him; they write letters to the palace with requests. The ministers are reminded again and again that everything is for the people, not for themselves. But this message is not well publicized. So His Majesty is always being portrayed as this and that, so he said, “I live with it.”


Sumber - World Policy Institute

Inovasi rangsang pertumbuhan

CALIFORNIA, 16 Feb – Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam bertitah menekankan pentingnya ASEAN dan Amerika Syarikat (AS) untuk membincangkan kerjasama bagi menangani cabaran yang dihadapi ekonomi global, seperti harga minyak yang menurun dan pasaran kewangan yang tidak dapat dijangkakan.

Dalam hal ini, Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia menegaskan pentingnya kerjasama yang lebih kukuh ke arah menggalakkan inovasi dan ekonomi digital sebagai strategi-strategi utama bagi merangsang pertumbuhan ekonomi yang juga merupakan salah satu keutamaan Wawasan ASEAN 2025 ke arah meningkatkan nilai global rantau ini.

Baginda Sultan menekankan perkara ini pada sesi Retreat 1 bagi Sidang Kemuncak Khas Pemimpin-pemimpin AS -ASEAN yang diadakan di Great Room, Sunnylands Welcome Center, Sunnylands Center and Gardens, hari ini.

Dalam titah tersebut, Baginda mula-mula melahirkan rasa gembira di atas penekanan berterusan Amerika Syarikat bagi memperkukuhkan lagi kerjasama dengan ASEAN.

Baginda juga melahirkan harapan supaya AS dapat berkongsi amalan-amalan terbaik bagi mewujudkan persekitaran yang boleh memupuk pertumbuhan inovasi dan kreativiti di rantau tersebut.

Dalam hal ini, mewujudkan satu program bagi warga ASEAN menjalani latihan dengan pelbagai syarikat-syarikat Amerika adalah antara perkara yang boleh dilaksanakan, dan sebagai salah satu cara yang boleh menyumbang ke arah pembangunan sumber manusia.

Baginda juga mengambil maklum bahawa kemajuan-kemajuan teknologi mampu memudahkan lagi perniagaan, sama ada kecil mahupun besar, untuk beroperasi secara global.

Oleh itu, Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia menekankan kepentingan meningkatkan kesedaran dan menggalakkan penggunaan teknologi dan ekonomi digital untuk kekal berdaya saing dalam ekonomi global.

Terdahulu keberangkatan tiba Baginda di Sunnylands Center and Gardens bagi Retreat 1 dialu-alukan oleh Presiden AS, Barack Obama.

Baginda seterusnya dijunjung menandatangani Buku Lawatan Sunnylands Estate.

Retreat 1 dimulakan dengan ucapan pembukaan oleh Presiden Obama diikuti dengan Ucapan Pembukaan daripada Presiden Republik Demokratik Rakyat Laos, Tuan Yang Terutama Choummaly Sayasone, selaku Pengerusi ASEAN.


Sumber - Media Permata

HM to attend US-ASEAN summit

Rabiatul Kamit
CALIFORNIA

HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, and his ASEAN counterparts will convene for a special summit with US President Barack Obama at the Sunnylands Centre in Rancho Mirage, California today.

It is the first time Washington is hosting a standalone summit for leaders of the 10-nation bloc on American soil as the US deepens its engagement with ASEAN, a central pillar of its rebalance to Asia.

The move marked the Obama administration’s commitment to the region of diplomatic, economic and strategic importance, which sits astride some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and is a key partner in addressing regional and global challenges.

Both sides are looking to build on the momentum at the two-day summit, following the elevation of their relationship to the level of a strategic partnership at the ASEAN Summit last November.

US officials said the Sunnylands Summit will comprise a retreat session on economic issues to highlight the strength of the US-ASEAN economic relationship, where they will identify ways to promote further trade and investment.

The leaders will also exchange ideas on policy reforms to promote growth and integration by focusing on key themes such as innovation and entrepreneurship.

There will be discussions on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) with ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam part of the pact.

Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand have also expressed interest in joining the ambitious free trade agreement.

Meanwhile, the working dinner will enable the leaders to share views on broader strategic developments in the region.

Although the dinner was designed to be in an informal setting, Obama is expected to take the opportunity to stress America’s commitment to the region as well as importance of issues including governance, accountable institutions and rule of law.

The retreat session on political and security issues will explore ways to enhance cooperation on major political security challenges confronting the region.

Among the topics of conversation will be upholding international law in the South China Sea maritime dispute involving ASEAN claimants Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam. The leaders will also discuss ISIS in relation to terrorism and countering violent terrorism.

Other key items on the political and security agenda include trafficking-in-persons, global health and climate change.

Prior to His Majesty’s departure to the US, several members of the Royal family gathered at the Sultan’s Flight Hangar in Rimba to bid adieu including His Royal Highness Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office.

Also present were HRH Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah; HRH Prince ‘Abdul Malik; HRH Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel; and HRH Princess Ameerah Wardatul Bolkiah.


Sumber - The Brunei Times



HM, ASEAN leaders in US for Summit

His Majesty being greeted by officials at the hotel at Rancho Mirage in Sunnylands on Sunday.

Rabiatul Kamit
CALIFORNIA

HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, arrived in California on Sunday ahead of a special summit hosted by United States President Barack Obama for ASEAN heads of state this week.

The monarch and the other nine leaders from the regional grouping will meet the American president in Sunnylands, Rancho Mirage, on February 15 and 16 as both sides seek to intensify their recently-elevated strategic partnership.

Economic cooperation and security issues are expected to top the agenda of the two-day standalone summit, a first-of-its-kind to take place in the US as Washington demonstrates commitment to ASEAN as central to its Asia Pacific rebalance.

Engagement with the 10-nation bloc is of strategic importance to the US as the Southeast Asian region, which straddles some of the world’s vital shipping lanes, is a key partner in addressing regional and global challenges.

While the Special US-ASEAN Leaders Summit is slated to produce an outcome document highlighting shared principles, United States officials said it will be less formal compared to traditional meetings featuring strict agendas and tightly negotiated joint statements.

His Majesty’s arrival amid heightened security at the nearby Palm Springs International Airport was greeted by US Assistant Chief of Protocol Gladys Boluda and a number of high-level senior representatives from the Brunei government.

Among those welcoming the Sultan was Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Also present were YB Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Mohd Yasmin Hj Umar, Minister of Energy and Industry at PMO, and Dato Paduka Hj Serbini Hj Ali, Brunei’s ambassador to the United States.

Collectively, ASEAN states comprise the third largest economy in Asia and the seventh largest economy in the world with a combined GDP of US$2.4 trillion. It is also the US’s fourth largest trading partner with trade in goods topping US$226 billion.

The US along with ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam are part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), an ambitious free trade pact that aims to deepen economic ties and boost growth between the 12 nations involved.

With over 39 years as dialogue partners, the United States and ASEAN cooperate on a diverse range of issues from countering terrorism and pandemic disease to upholding international law and standards in the South China Sea and other issues.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

NDP sokong hasrat memantapkan pengurusan hal ehwal luar dan perdagangan negara

Titah Arahkan Pemeriksaan Postmortem Keatas MOFAT

LIMBARUH HIJAU 12 RABIULAWAL 1437 / 22 JANUARI 2016 : PARTI PEMBANGUNAN BANGSA (NDP) mengalu-alukan keprihatinan Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam tentang pengurusan dan pentadbiran serta perlaksanaan dasar luar negara yang dikendalikan oleh Kementerian Hal Ehwal Luar Negeri dan Perdagangan (MOFAT) yang ketika ini diterajui oleh baginda sendiri.

Dalam hal ini, seperti yang telah digariskan dalam manifesto parti 2006 – 2016, NDP mahu melihat Dasar Luar Negara Brunei Darussalam yang bebas dan dinamik, supaya berjaya bukan sahaja mengikat hubungan politik dan diplomatik dengan banyak negara bahkan juga menggalakkan kepentingan perdagangan dan ekonomi Negara Brunei Darussalam sendiri. NDP berpandangan agenda utama dasar luar dan peranan perwakilan-perwakilan negara di luar hendaklah meletakkan agenda ekonomi dan perdagangan teratas sekali.

Justeru itu, Parti Pembangunan menyokong agar pihak yang berwajib memanfaatkan hubungan antarabangsa sebaik-baiknya untuk meningkatkan perdagangan dua hala dengan Negara Brunei Darussalam, untuk kebaikan dan kepentingan kesemua lapisan rakyat Kebawah DYMM dan tidak menghadkan kebaikan dan kepentingan tersebut kepada sebilangan yang tertentu sahaja. Untuk menjayakan dasar ini, tindakan bersepadu yang agresif hendaklah diambil oleh semua kementerian yang berkaitan agar dapat mengeluarkan produk-produk yang boleh dipasarkan di peringkat antarabangsa.

Parti Pembangunan juga mahu melihat MOFAT memanfaatkan pendekatan Islam yang diamalkan oleh negara ketika ini sebagai instrumen dalam memajukan keamanan sejagat.

Selain itu Parti Pembangunan juga berpandangan dasar luar negara perlu tegas dan teguh bagi memastikan negara-negara lain tidak akan mengeksploit Negara Brunei Darussalam sehingga mengikatnya dengan perjanjian-perjanjian yang berat sebelah dan tidak menguntungkan kedua-dua pihak, secara adil dan saksama, mengikut Syariat Islam.

NDP juga melihat perlunya MOFAT memastikan yang perjanjian-perjanjian di antara Negara Brunei Darussalam dan negara-negara lain dimesyuaratkan dan diperdebatkan secara terbuka, dan disokong oleh Majlis Mesyuarat Negara, sebelum dipersetujui untuk ditandatangani atau disambung, dan proses menyemak semula perjanjian-perjanjian tersebut dilaksanakan dari semasa ke semasa dalam jangka waktu yang munasabah di mana proses penyemakan semula tersebut akan ditugaskan, antara lainnya, kepada jawatankuasa-jawatankuasa tetap yang semestinya ditubuhkan di dalam Majlis Mesyuarat Negara, seperti Jawatankuasa Tetap (Hal Ehwal Luar Negeri dan Perdagangan).

Sementara itu KDYMM dalam titah mengariskan,“Kementerian Hal Ehwal Luar Negeri dan Perdagangan mempunyai banyak jabatan-jabatan dibawahnya, lebhi dari 10 buah jabatan semuanya. Jabatan jabatan ini menpunyai fungsinya masing-masing yang tidak sama diantara satu dengan yang lain”.

“Jabatan Pentadbiran (Administration Department) misalnya, ada dengan fungsinya yang tersendiri. Jabatan Perancangan Dasar atau Policy Planning juga dengan fungsinya. Jabatan Politik (Department of Politics), Jabatan ASEAN, Jabatan Pertubuhan Antarabangsa atau Department of International Organisations dan lain-lain, semua itu dengan fungsinya masing-masing”

“Soalnya adakah semua jabatan yang banyak ini sudah dapat berfungsi dengan cukup baik”, titah KDYMM.

“Mengenai perlaksanaan fungsi-fungsi ini, adakah juga pernah diadakan sebarang post mortem mengenainya? Beta sendiri ingin tahu atau membaca hasil daripada postmortem tersebut”, tegas baginda sultan.

“Post mortem bagi hemat beta adalah penting untuk mengetahui sejauh mana kemajuan atau kesan dari rancangan atau kerja yang sudah dilaksanakan. Daripada postmortem kita juga dapat mengetahui, kelemahan-kelemahan atau kekurangan kita jika ada. Dengan itu dapatlah kita membaikinya”, jelas baginda.

“Inilah namanya kita belajar dari pengalaman. Kita mesti berani bertanya apakah yang sudah kita buat untuk Negara”, titah baginda lagi.

Titah baginda,”Kita ambil misal, jabatan kerjasama ekonomi (Department of Economic Cooperation) dibawah Kementerian ini sejauh manakah fungsi perdagangan dan perlaburan sudah dilaksanakan melalui expo-expo dan jerayawara-jeraaywara ekonomi?”

“Berjayakah sudah kita meningkatkan imej negara kita di luar melalui promosi-promosi seperti ini?”, soal baginda.

“Selanjutnya kita juga perlu bertanya tentang apakan Jabatan Pertubuhan Antarabangsa dibawah Kementerian ini sudah lakukan dalam mempromosi dan melindungi kepentingan Negara di kalangan organisasi antarabangsa”.

“Beta ambil contoh perkara memilih wakil ke persidangan-persidangan antarabangsa, atau serantau. Adakah kita sudah melakukan yang terbaik, yang menepati apa yang semestinya”.

Titah baginda menekankan, “perkara ini pun memerlukan post mortem juga”.

MIB Paksi Dasar Luar Negara

Dalam titah tersebut baginda sultan seterusnya menekankan pentingnya Melayu Islam Beraja sebagai falsafah bernegara dan berbangsa dijadikan paksi dasar luar negara.

Diantara fungsi Jabatan Pertubuhan Antarabangsa, titah baginda, ialah untuk menyebarkan maklumat mengenai dasar luar Negara dan perananya dalam organisasi2 antarabangsa.

“Apakah ia dasar luar itu? Kita jangan lupa samada dasar luarkah atau dasar dalamkah, paksinya adalah MIB”.

“Beta tegaskan disini, MIB bukanlah ia untuk tahan-tahan di dalam negara saja. Tetapi juga untuk dibawa keluar”.

“Bertolak daripada MIB inilah, kita akan menghulurkan tangan kepada semua orang untuk bersahabat dan berbaik-baik dengan mereka, siapa jua. Kita mesti tunjukkan kepada dunia akan keluhuran MIB itu, bukan menapuk”, tegas baginda.

Berkaitan MIB, titah baginda, kita perlu merancang dan bertindak tanpa bercangah dengannya.

“Kita tuju sasaran dan luruskan cara sehingga kelihatan benar-benar sesuai dan tidak janggal. Misalnya siapa yang benar-benar sesuai untuk kita pilih mewakili Brunei ke pertubuhan-pertubuhan dunia di dalam persidangan-persidangan, kita mesti pilih mereka yang benar-benar berkemampuan dan berpengalaman yang dapat memberikan gambaran tepat siapa kita dan Brunei ini yang sebenarnya di mata dunia”, nasihat baginda lagi.

“Beta sangat mengambil berat tentang matlamat bagi jabatan-jabatan. Diantara yang penting ialah matlamat mempromosi dan melindungi kepentingan Negara di dalam organisasi-organisasi antarabangsa”.

Rakan-rakan dialog dunia bukanlah satu, tetapi banyak. Disana ada UN atau PBB, ada OIC atau pertubuhan kerjasama Islam, Commonwealth, rakan terdekat iaitu ASEAN dan lain-lain, titah baginda.

“Semua ini menunggu promosi dari kita, tentang Brunei dan terserah kepada kita bagaimana untuk melindungi kepentingan-kepentingan Brunei disisi rakan-rakan antarabangsa dan serantau itu”.

“Keadaan kini semakin sukar apabila konflik dunia semakin berkecamuk. Ini tentu saja meminta kita lebih berhati-hati dan bijaksana untuk menghadapi, maka untuk itu MOFAT adalah pihak yang lebih dibebankan untuk mengendalikannya”.

Satu lagi jabatan dibawah Kementerian ini ialah Jabatan Keselamatan (security Department). Jabatan ini, titah baginda, turut berfungsi untuk perlindungan keselamatan yang berkesan, mesra, bijak dan boleh dipercayai.

“Ia juga dikehendaki untuk bekerjasama dengan agensi-agensi kerajaan yang ada kaitan dengan perkara-perkara keselamatan. Fungsi ini sangat penting dilaksanakan dengan betul. Janganlah ia hanya diatas kertas sahaja. Sebarang rancangan yang hendak dibuat, hendaklah dipertimbangkan masak-masak”.

Dalam hal ini baginda menasihatkan, “kalau ia ada berkaitan dengan unsur keselamatan atau hukum Ugama, maka janganlah ia terus dibuat begitu saja, melainkan rujukan atau muzakarah kan dulu dengan pihak-pihak berkenaan itu, bukannya terus-terus dibuat atau terus saja memberi arahan”.

“Elakkan dari bersifat ego dalam pentadbiran, patuhi apa-apa jua peraturan sebagaimana pihak lain mematuhinya. Janganlah ada peraturan yang dilangkahi, sebagai misalan, peraturan pengantaran pegawai-pegawai keluar negari kerana bertugas masih ada saja pihak yang melangkahinya”, titah baginda lagi.

Seterusnya baginda sultan mengingatkan,”jika peraturan itu mengkehendaki sekian-sekian, maka mestilah ia diikut, kecuali peraturan itu diubah atau dibatalkan”.

“Tegasnya, semua Kementerian dan agensi yang ada, mestilah mematuhi peraturan-peraturan yang telah ditetapkan.Tidak sesiapapun dibenarkan untuk berkecuali daripadanya. Kerana inilah tandanya kita bangsa yang bertamadun dilengkapi dengan disiplin dan peraturan-peraturan yang baru”.

Menyebut disiplin dan peraturan ini, titah baginda,”turut berkenaan adalah Jabatan Hal Ehwal Protokol dan Consulate (Department of Protocol and Consulate Affairs)”

“Jabatan ini berfungsi menjadi penyelaras kepada lawatan-lawatan negara, dan lawatan rasmi ke luar negeri. Selaku penyelaras adalah mustahak untuk diperhatikan segala atur cara bagaimana lawatan itu dibuat. Misalan, biasanya terdapat banyak tempat untuk dilawat, pihak protocol berhak untuk memilih atau mencadangkan tempat yang sesuai untuk dilawat itu”, titah baginda.


Sumber - Laman Aspirasi NDP

KDYMM: Jangan sembunyi MIB

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 21 Jan – Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam bertitah menekankan perlunya negara menunjukkan kepada dunia tentang keluhuran Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB) dan bukan hanya setakat di dalam negara sahaja di mana dasar negara adalah berpaksikan MIB.

Baginda Sultan bertitah mengingatkan perkara berkenaan semasa keberangkatan lawatan kerja ke Kementerian Hal Ehwal Luar Negeri dan Perdagangan dan jabatan-jabatan di bawahnya di Bandar Seri Begawan, hari ini.

“Antara fungsi Jabatan Pertubuhan Antarabangsa ialah untuk menyebarkan maklumat mengenai dasar luar negara dan peranannya di dalam organisasi-organisasi antarabangsa itu.

“Apakah ia dasar luar itu? Kita jangan lupa, sama ada dasar luarkah atau dasar dalamkah paksinya adalah MIB. Beta tegaskan di sini, MIB bukanlah ia untuk tahan-tahan di dalam negara saja tetapi juga untuk dibawa keluar.”

Baginda bertitah, “Bertolak daripada MIB inilah, kita akan menghulurkan tangan kepada semua orang untuk bersahabat dan berbaik-baik dengan mereka, siapa jua. Kita mesti tunjukkan kepada dunia akan keluhuran MIB itu, bukan menapuknya.

“Berkaitan MIB, kita perlu merancang dan bertindak tanpa bercanggah dengannya. Kita tuju sasaran dan luruskan cara sehingga kelihatan benar-benar sesuai dan tidak janggal misalnya siapa yang benar-benar sesuai untuk kita pilih mewakili Brunei ke pertubuhan-pertubuhan dunia di dalam persidangan-persidangan.

“Kita mesti pilih mereka yang benar-benar berkemampuan dan berpengalaman yang dapat memberikan gambaran tepat, siapa kita dan Brunei ini yang sebenarnya di mata dunia.

“Beta sangat mengambil berat tentang matlamat bagi jabatan-jabatan, di antara yang terpenting ialah matlamat mempromosi dan melindungi kepentingan-kepentingan negara di dalam organisasi-organisasi antarabangsa.

“Rakan-rakan dialog dunia bukanlah satu tetapi banyak, di sana ada UN atau PBB, OIC atau Pertubuhan Persidangan Islam, ada Komanwel, rakan terdekat iaitu ASEAN dan lain-lain.

“Semua ini menunggu promosi daripada kita, tentang Brunei dan juga terserah kepada kita bagaimana untuk melindungi kepentingan-kepentingan Brunei di sisi rakan-rakan antarabangsa dan serantau itu. Keadaan kini semakin sukar apabila konflik dunia semakin rencam, ini tentu saja meminta kita lebih berhati-hati dan bijaksana untuk menghadapinya, maka untuk itu Kementerian Hal Ehwal Luar Negeri dan Perdagangan adalah pihak yang lebih dibebankan untuk mengendalikannya.”

Baginda Sultan yang juga Menteri Hal Ehwal Luar Negeri dan Perdagangan dalam titahnya menekankan sikap ego dalam pentadbiran perlu dielakkan, setiap peraturan hendaklah dipatuhi.

Baginda bertitah lagi, “Satu lagi jabatan di bawah kementerian ini ialah Jabatan Keselamatan atau Security Department. Jabatan ini turut berfungsi untuk perlindungan keselamatan yang berkesan, mesra, bijak dan boleh dipercayai.

“Ia juga dikehendaki untuk bekerjasama dengan agensi-agensi kerajaan yang ada kaitan dengan perkara-perkara keselamatan.

“Fungsi ini sangat penting dilaksanakan dengan betul, janganlah ia hanya di atas kertas sahaja, sebarang rancangan yang hendak dibuat, hendaklah ditimbangkan masak-masak.

“Kalau ia ada berkaitan dengan unsur-unsur keselamatan atau hukum agama, maka janganlah ia terus-terus dibuat begitu sahaja melainkan rujukan atau muzakarahkan dahulu dengan pihak-pihak berkenaan itu, bukannya terus-terus dibuat atau terus sahaja memberi arahan.

“Elakkan dari bersifat ego dalam mentadbir, patuhi apa-apa jua peraturan sebagaimana pihak lain mematuhinya. Janganlah ada peraturan yang dilangkahi, sebagai misalan, peraturan penghantaran pegawai-pegawai ke luar negeri kerana bertugas masih ada saja pihak yang melangkahinya, jika peraturan itu menghendaki sekian-kian, maka mestilah ia diikut kecuali peraturan itu sudah diubah ataupun dipadam.

“Tegasnya semua kementerian dan agensi yang ada mestilah mematuhi peraturan-peraturan yang telah ditetapkan, tidak sesiapapun dibenarkan untuk berkecuali daripadanya kerana inilah tandanya kita bangsa yang bertamadun, dilengkapi dengan disiplin dan peraturan-peraturan yang baik.”

Menyentuh mengenai kerja berpasukan, Baginda menegaskan dalam kerja berpasukan tidak ada pihak yang boleh dianggap lebih istimewa daripada yang lain terutama dalam menangani dasar negara.

“Menyebut disiplin dan peraturan ini, turut berkenaan ialah Jabatan Hal Ehwal Protokol dan Konsular atau Department of Protocol and Consular Affairs. Jabatan ini berfungsi menjadi penyelaras kepada lawatan-lawatan negara dan lawatan-lawatan rasmi ke luar negeri. Selaku penyelaras adalah mustahak untuk diperhatikan segala atur cara lawatan di mana lawatan itu dibuat.

“Misalnya, biasanya terdapat banyak tempat untuk dilawati. Pihak protokol berhak untuk memilih atau bercadang mana-mana yang tempat yang sesuai untuk dilawati, jika ada cadangan dari negara yang dilawat, adalah tidak wajar bagi pihak protokol untuk bulat-bulat menerima atau bersetuju sahaja apa yang dicadangkan itu, tanpa mengambil kira tentang kesesuaiannya.

“Atau katakan pihak yang dilawat tidak memberi sebarang pilihan tetapi pada lazimnya, kita masih tetap juga masih diberikan kebebasan untuk menentukan apa yang sesuai dan patut kita pilih tetapi yang jadi masalah ialah kalau kita sendiri tidak mahu membuka perundingan atau tidak bersedia membuat penilaian tentang kesesuaian apa-apa yang patut dipilih.”

Baginda selanjutnya bertitah; “Kita tidak boleh melihat pada jurusan politik atau jurusan hubungan dua hala semata-mata tetapi lihatlah juga yang lain-lain seperti ugama atau budaya. Ini penting kerana kita adalah bangsa yang berakidah, berbudaya dan bertradisi. Ini semua mesti turut dilihat, jika kurang tahu, janganlah segan bertanya kepada yang lebih tahu, bukankah kita ini di dalam satu pasukan, mengapa tidak diamalkan falsafah berpasukan itu.

“Di dalam pasukan tidak ada pihak yang boleh dianggap lebih istimewa dari yang lain terutama dalam menangani dasar dan polisi, kita ini adalah sama. Sama-sama berkewajipan untuk kepentingan negara.”

Dalam titah, Baginda Sultan turut menyentuh mengenai dengan fungsi beberapa buah jabatan di Kementerian Hal Ehwal Luar Negeri dan Perdagangan yang mempunyai kepentingannya kepada negara.

Baginda turut menekankan bahawa setiap jabatan mempunyai fungsi masing-masing. “Soalnya adakah semua jabatan yang banyak ini sudah dapat berfungsi dengan cukup baik. Mengenai pelaksanaan fungsi-fungsi, adakah juga pernah diadakan sebarang post-mortem mengenainya?

“Beta sendiri ingin tahu atau membaca hasil daripada post-mortem tersebut. Post-mortem pada hemat Beta adalah penting, untuk mengetahui sejauh mana kemajuan atau kesan dari rancangan atau kerja yang sudah dilaksana.

“Daripada post-mortem juga kita dapat mengetahui kelemahan-kelemahan atau kekurangan kita jika ada, dengan itu dapatlah kita membaikinya. Inilah namanya kita belajar dari pengalaman. Kita mesti berani bertanya, apakah sudah kita buat untuk negara.

“Kita ambil misalnya, Jabatan Kerjasama Ekonomi atau Department of Economic Cooperation di bawah kementerian ini, sejauh manakah promosi perdagangan dan pelaburan sudah dilaksanakan melalui ekspo-ekspo dan jerayawara-jerayawara ekonomi, berjayakah sudah kita meningkatkan imej negara kita di luar melalui promosi-promosi seperti ini.

“Selanjutnya, kita juga perlu bertanya tentang apakah yang Jabatan Pertubuhan Antarabangsa di bawah kementerian ini sudah lakukan dalam mempromosi dan melindungi kepentingan negara dalam kalangan organisasi-organisasi antarabangsa?

“Beta ambil contoh perkara memilih wakil ke persidangan-persidangan antarabangsa atau serantau, adakah kita sudah melakukan yang terbaik yang menepati apa yang semestinya. Perkara ini pun memerlukan post-mortem.”

Dalam mengakhiri titahnya, Baginda Sultan menegaskan bahawa itu merupakan di antara perkara-perkara yang ingin Baginda timbulkan tetapi ia tidak bermakna bahawa mana-mana perkara yang tidak disebut adalah semuanya dalam keadaan baik.

“Inilah di antara perkara yang ingin Beta timbulkan. Bukan bermakna yang lain-lain yang tidak disebut di sini, semuanya itu telah OK tetapi ada lagi apa-apa masalah bukan begitu.

“Cuma jabatan-jabatan yang disebut di sini hanyalah sebagai contoh sahaja untuk menyenangkan kita mengenali masalah-masalah yang patut diambil perhatian dan diatasi.”


Sumber - Media Permata

Brunei, US hold high level meeting in London

A UNITED States delegation met with senior Bruneian ministers in London on Monday to discuss how the two countries can further enhance their bilateral relationship covering security and defence, trade and economics, and regional cooperation.

According to a press statement from the US Department of State, the US delegation included Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, Tom Malinowski; US Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, Craig Allen; Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Scot Marciel; and Special Representative to Muslim Communities, Shaarik Zafar.

The two countries discussed enhancing security ties, increasing military-to-military cooperation, and advancing a rules-based order to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.

On human rights, US officials urged Brunei to protect the rights of all its citizens. Bruneian officials emphasised that Bruneian law would be implemented in accordance with international human rights standards.

Both countries also agreed to find ways to increase the number of Bruneian students studying in the US.


Sumber - Borneo Bulletin

Brunei-M’sia ulangi komitmen

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 11 Ogos – Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam berkenan mengadakan perjumpaan empat mata bersama Perdana Menteri Malaysia, Dato Laila Utama Datuk Seri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak yang berlangsung di Cheradi Ratna Kenchana, Istana Nurul Iman.

Semasa majlis perjumpaan tersebut, Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia dan Perdana Menteri Malaysia telah berbincang mengenai isu-isu dua hala di antara Negara Brunei Darussalam dan Malaysia, serta bertukar-tukar pendapat tentang hal ehwal serantau dan antarabangsa yang mempunyai kepentingan bersama.

Dato Laila Utama Datuk Seri Mohd Najib berada di negara ini bagi Rundingan Pemimpin-pemimpin Tahunan ke-19 di antara Brunei Darussalam dan Malaysia.

Dalam kenyataan bersama yang dikeluarkan selepas rundingan tersebut kedua-dua pemimpin mengulangi komitmen untuk meningkatkan kerjasama dalam bidang kepentingan bersama demi manfaat kedua-dua negara serta menzahirkan rasa gembira mereka dengan perkembangan menggalakkan di bawah pelaksanaan Pertukaran Surat ditandatangani oleh pemimpin kedua-dua negara pada 16 Mac 2009.

Sementara itu, Dato Laila Utama Datuk Seri Mohd Najib dalam sidang akhbar pada akhir lawatan beliau ke Brunei di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Brunei di sini hari ini berkata, operasi di pintu masuk di sempadan Malaysia dan Brunei yang kini dibuka dari 6 pagi hingga 10 malam akan dilanjutkan sehingga 12 malam.

Katanya, perkara itu telah mendapat perkenan Baginda Sultan semasa perjumpaan di sini hari ini.

“Dari segi (waktu operasi) pintu masuk sekarang, terdapat kesukaran dalam kalangan orang ramai, sama ada dari Brunei ke Malaysia atau Malaysia ke Brunei. Tempoh pembukaan di pintu masuk hanya sehingga 10 malam supaya perhubungan antara kedua-dua negara berjalan dengan lebih lancar lagi,” katanya.

Beliau bagaimanapun tidak menyatakan bila tarikh pelanjutan waktu operasi di pintu masuk sempadan itu akan mula dikuatkuasakan.

Katanya, kajian juga akan dilakukan untuk melicinkan perjalanan antara Brunei dengan Sabah dan Sarawak berikutan pasport perlu dicap banyak kali kerana terdapat banyak pintu masuk di sempadan kedua-dua buah negara.

Mengulas lanjut berkenaan perjumpaan dengan Baginda Sultan, Dato Laila Utama Datuk Seri Mohd Najib, berkata Baginda Sultan juga telah bersetuju untuk mengurniakan empat helikopter Black Hawk terpakai kepada Kementerian Pertahanan Malaysia.

“Perkara ini akan disusuli nanti oleh Datuk Seri Hishammuddin selaku Menteri Pertahanan. Kerjasama bidang pertahanan (Malaysia-Brunei) berada pada tahap yang baik,” katanya.

Perdana Menteri berkata dalam soal pertahanan juga, Malaysia telah mewujudkan ‘sea based platform’ di perairan Sabah dan pihak Brunei terutama angkatan tenteranya boleh mewujudkan platform yang sama di perairan negara itu.

Beliau berkata, dalam perjumpaan hari ini, kedua-dua pihak juga bersetuju supaya nelayan yang melakukan aktiviti perikanan di kawasan tradisional tidak akan dihalang berbuat demikian jika termasuk ke kawasan perairan kedua-dua negara.

“Mereka ini tak kenal antara kawasan (perairan) Brunei dan Malaysia,” katanya.

Tambah beliau, kedua-dua negara juga akan meneruskan usaha penentuan tanda sempadan darat di kawasan yang masih belum dimuktamadkan.

Mengenai pembinaan Lebuh Raya Pan Borneo menghubungkan Sarawak, Sabah dan Brunei yang dijangka siap enam tahun lagi, beliau berkata, kerajaan Brunei akan membuat perancangan awal supaya bahagian lebuh raya yang melalui Brunei akan mempunyai kemudahan asas tambahan untuk keselesaan pengguna lebuh raya itu nanti.

Katanya, hubungan yang terjalin selama ini antara kedua-dua negara akan terus dijadikan landasan untuk mengorak langkah ke hadapan serta menambah baik apa yang diusahakan, selain mencari bidang kerjasama yang baharu dan boleh diterokai bersama antara Brunei dan Malaysia.


Sumber - Media Permata

Brunei, M’sia mantap

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 11 Ogos – Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam, hari ini, berkenan mengadakan pertemuan dengan Perdana Menteri Malaysia, Dato Laila Utama Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Haji Abdul Razak, bagi Rundingan Pemimpin-pemimpin Tahunan ke-19 di antara Brunei Darussalam dan Malaysia.

Rundingan diadakan dalam suasana yang baik dan mesra, melambangkan hubungan rapat dan lama di antara kerajaan dan rakyat kedua-dua negara.

Dalam kenyataan bersama selepas pertemuan itu, kedua-dua pemimpin mengalu-alukan pengukuhan berterusan hubungan dua hala sejak Rundingan Pemimpin-pemimpin Tahunan ke-18 pada 3 November 2014, dan mengesahkan semula komitmen mereka untuk mempertingkat lagi kerjasama dalam bidang kepentingan umum, demi faedah kedua-dua negara.

Mereka juga menyatakan rasa gembira terhadap perkembangan yang menggalakkan di bawah pelaksanaan Pertukaran Surat yang ditandatangani oleh pemimpin-pemimpin Brunei Darusalam dan Malaysia pada 16 Mac 2009 serta menekankan peranan penting Pertukaran Surat dalam memantapkan lagi hubungan mesra dan istimewa serta memajukan kerjasama strategik.

Kerjasama dalam petroleum, penternakan

Mereka turut melahirkan rasa puas hati dengan kemajuan berterusan yang dicatat oleh Petroleum Brunei dan PETRONAS. Perkongsian lama ini dapat dilihat dengan jelas menerusi kerjasama dalam Bidang Pengaturan Komersial (CAA), Perjanjian Perkongsian Pengeluaran (PSA) dan di negara lain seperti Kanada dan Myanmar. Kedua-dua pemimpin juga menggalakkan Petroleum Brunei dan PETRONAS supaya terus bekerjasama untuk mencari penyelesaian inovatif untuk memperdagangkan penemuan CAA baru-baru ini sebaik sahaja ada peluang. Usaha untuk merealisasikan sebuah pusat luar pesisir sedang diselaraskan oleh Jabatan Tenaga Brunei Darussalam, Jabatan Perdana Menteri (EDPMO).

Perkembangan besar dalam Kumpulan Kerja Bersama Penyatuan Brunei Darussalam-Malaysia mengenai aktiviti yang berkaitan dengan (i) Gumusut/Kakap (GK) dan Padang Geronggong/Jagus Timur (GRG/J) dan (ii) Kinabalu West NAG (KN) dan Padang Maharajalela Utara (MLJ)juga disentuh dan Perjanjian Muktamad dalam kedua-dua bidang pada akhir tahun ini dinanti-nantikan.

Baginda Sultan dan Perdana Menteri Malaysia juga menyatakan rasa puas hati dengan perkembangan yang dicatat oleh kumpulan teknikal bersama mengenai penentuan bersama dan tinjauan sempadan tanah di antara Brunei Darussalam dan Malaysia, mendapati kemajuan telah dicatat dalam beberapa bidang utama. Pihak berkenaan yang menjalankan tinjauan bersama dan aktiviti penentuan digesa untuk melakukannya dengan cepat dan cekap, terutamanya dalam bidang yang penting kepada rakyat kedua-dua negara.

Kedua-dua pemimpin juga menggesa pegawai dua negara ini supaya mempertingkat lagi perbincangan mereka dengan tujuan menubuhkan memorandum persefahaman atau rangka kerja lain yang sesuai, untuk membolehkan pelaksanaan awal peruntukan Pertukaran Surat berhubung dengan hak menggunakan laut serta mempergiatkan usaha untuk membolehkan perbincangan berakhir awal.

Mereka mengesahkan semula komitmen terhadap kerjasama maritim dan meminta pegawai kedua-dua negara supaya meneruskan perbincangan mengenai pertambahan kerjasama dalam bidang ini dengan tujuan mencapai satu memorandum persefahaman dalam kerjasama maritim.

Pemimpin-pemimpin turut mengenang kembali perbincangan berterusan mengenai perkara berkaitan kerjasama perikanan di antara Brunei Darussalam dan Malaysia, termasuk pengawasan penangkapan ikan tradisional. Kedua-dua pemimpin mendapati pegawai kedua-dua pihak kini sedang membincangkan mengenai isu ini dan mengalakkan mereka supaya mengakhiri perbincangan dengan cepat dengan tujuan mencapai memorandum persefahaman dalam kerjasama perikanan.

Pemimpin-pemimpin menyatakan rasa puas hati dengan perkembangan perbincangan mengenai kerjasama ekonomi di antara Brunei Darussalam dan Negeri Sabah dan Sarawak serta mengalu-alukan penglibatan berterusan mengenai Pusat Ternakan Bersepadu Keningau (KILC) di Sabah, dan menggalak kedua-dua pihak supaya terus meninjau bidang kerjasama ekonomi berpotensi yang lain.

Pelancongan, pelaburan diberi perhatian

Mereka juga menyambut baik perkembangan yang dicatat dalam kerjasama telekomunikasi di antara SACOFA, Sarawak, dan DST Communications, Brunei Darussalam. Dalam hal ini, kedua-dua pemimpin berasa gembira dengan pemeteraian Perjanjian Dua Hala untuk Tukaran Optik Gentian Bersama dan Gran IRU pada 11 Ogos 2015.

Kedua-dua pemimpin menyetujui penubuhan Kumpulan Kerja Pelancongan Brunei-Sarawak untuk bekerjasama dalam bidang kesalinghubungan, pemasaran dan promosi serta keselamatan.

Baginda Sultan dan Perdana Menteri Najib Tun Razak juga menyambut baik kerjasama pertanian dua hala di antara Brunei Darussalam dan Sarawak dalam bidang pengeluaran beras, haiwan ternakan dan akuakultur. Kedua-dua pemimpin mengambil perhatian mengenai hasrat Brunei Darussalam dan Sarawak untuk mencapai satu perjanjian untuk bekerjasama dalam bidang minyak kelapa sawit pada masa depan.

Mereka berasa gembira mencatat aliran pelaburan dan perdagangan dua hala yang positif di antara kedua-dua negara. Kerjasama selanjutnya di antara sektor swasta amat digalakkan oleh pemimpin untuk merangsang kerjasama perdagangan dan pelaburan yang lebih mantap, secara dua hala serta serantau menerusi BIMP-EAGA, ke arah realisasi Komuniti Ekonomi ASEAN.

Kedua-dua pemimpin menekankan lagi kepentingan kerjasama berterusan di antara kedua-dua negara untuk melancarkan kemajuan industri perkhidmatan kewangan mereka dan penyeliaan pertubuhan antara sempadan, termasuk pelaburan dalam infrastruktur kewangan Islam kedua-dua negara dalam mengembangkan lagi industri tersebut bersama.

Pemimpin juga menggalak pertukaran berterusan maklumat dan kepakaran di antara Bank Negara Malaysia dan Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam dengan mengambil kira Memorandum Persefahaman yang ditandatangani di antara kedua-dua institusi.

Pemimpin melahirkan kepuasan mengenai perkembangan yang dicatat dalam pembangunan kerjasama dua hala dalam pertahanan, menerusi pertukaran lawatan yang tetap, kursus latihan dan latihan tentera di antara Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei (ABDB) dan Angkatan Bersenjata Malaysia (ATM), yang telah menyumbang ke arah pemupukan persahabatan dan pemahaman di antara kedua-dua pihak.

Mantapkan pertahanan, pendidikan

Kedua-dua pemimpin mengesahkan semula kepentingan kerjasama pertahanan di antara kedua-dua negara, dan memuji kakitangan ABDB dan ATM yang buat masa sekarang berkhidmat dalam Pasukan Sementara Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu di Lubnan (UNIFIL) dan Pasukan Pengawasan Antarabangsa (IMT) di Mindanao, Filipina, atas dedikasi mereka untuk mengekal keamanan dan kestabilan di rantau masing-masing.

Baginda Sultan menyatakan penghargaan terhadap penyertaan Malaysia dalam Kemahiran Menembak Antarabangsa Brunei pada Pertemuan Senjata (BISAM) yang diadakan pada 20-31 Januari 2015 di Bandar Seri Begawan. Perdana Menteri Malaysia juga menyatakan penghargaan terhadap penyertaan Brunei Darussalam dalam Ruang Aeroangkasa dan Maritim Antarabangsa Langkawi ke-13 (LIMA) pada 17-21 Mac 2015 di Langkawi, Malaysia.

Kedua-dua pemimpin menyatakan rasa puas hati dengan inisiatif berterusan yang dilaksanakan untuk mempertingkatkan lagi kerjasama rapat dalam pendidikan, termasuk institusi pembelajaran lebih tinggi dalam bidang penyelidikan, pertukaran pelajar dan fakulti, seminar, ceramah awam dan dalam penerbitan bahan akademik. Sehubungan itu, mereka mengalu-alukan pemeteraian MoU di antara Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali Brunei Darussalam (UNISSA) dan Universiti Islam Malaysia (UIM) pada 27 Mei 2015 dan Persidangan Bersama mengenai “Perkongsian Pengetahuan Islam” oleh UNISSA dan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

Mereka juga mengambil perhatian mengenai kemajuan yang dicatat ketika Mesyuarat Menteri Kesihatan Dua Hala ke-7 di antara Brunei Darussalam dan Malaysia pada 1-2 Disember 2014 di Bandar Seri Begawan, dan mengalu-alukan penubuhan bidang kerjasama baru yang menumpu pada penguatkuasaan kesihatan, mengiktiraf kepentingan rangka kerja peraturan kesihatan yang efektif dan mapan untuk perlindungan kesihatan orang awam.

Baginda Sultan juga mengalu-alukan kerjasama dengan Malaysia dalam mempelopori bidang kesihatan sebagai menyokong wawasan Komuniti ASEAN, terutamanya ketika penganjuran Mesyuarat Menteri Kesihatan ASEAN (AHMM) ke-13 oleh Brunei Darussalam, Mesyuarat Menteri Kesihatan ASEAN+3 ke-7 (7th APTHMM) dan Mesyuarat Menteri Kesihatan ASEAN-China ke-6 (ACHMM) pada 2016.

Mereka gembira dengan perbincangan berterusan mengenai pergerakan banduan dari kawasan di antara Sabah dan Sarawak menerusi Brunei Darussalam dan pergerakan banduan di Brunei Darussalam menerusi Sarawak. Mereka terus menggalak agensi relevan supaya memperkukuh kerjasama dalam bidang ini, terutamanya berusaha untuk memuktamadkan satu prosedur operasi standard (SOP) yang dipersetujui.

Peningkatan hubungan kebudayaan di antara kedua-dua negara sejak setahun lalu turut diberi perhatian kedua-dua pemimpin. Baginda Sultan mengambil perhatian terhadap minat Malaysia untuk meninjau kerjasama dalam bidang keluarga, wanita dan kanak-kanak, dan menggalakkan kedua-dua pihak supaya menimbang kemungkinan mengadakan penempatan pegawai dan kakitangan dua hala, serta pertukaran kepakaran di antara kementerian yang terbabit.

Manakala Perdana Menteri Malaysia mengalu-alukan penyertaan atlet Brunei Darussalam pada Sukan Malaysia (SUKMA) di Sarawak, Malaysia pada 2016, dan menyatakan harapan agar kontinjen Brunei Darussalam menyertai sukan itu secara berterusan pada masa depan.

Baginda Sultan juga menyambut baik sokongan dan penyertaan Malaysia dalam Sukan Sekolah ASEAN 2015 ke-7 yang akan berlangsung pada 21-29 November 2015 di Bandar Seri Begawan untuk kali pertamanya, bertujuan mempertingkat persahabatan dalam kalangan pelajar di rantau, mempromosi perpaduan belia ASEAN menerusi sukan sekolah serta menyediakan peluang untuk atlet sekolah berinteraksi dan membabitkan diri dalam pertukaran kebudayaan di ASEAN.

Kedua-dua pemimpin menyatakan rasa gembira dengan ketibaan pelancong yang memberangsangkan di antara kedua-dua negara. Baginda Sultan berasa gembira Malaysia adalah sumber pelancong terbesar untuk Brunei Darussalam, dan berasa puas hati dengan pertambahan jumlah pelawat dari Malaysia.

Mereka menggesa pegawai kedua-dua buah negara supaya terus bekerjasama untuk memperkukuhkan lagi kerjasama pelancongan di antara Brunei Darussalam dan Malaysia.

Baginda Sultan dan kerajaan serta rakyat Brunei Darussalam menyampaikan takziah kepada mangsa dan keluarga yang terjejas oleh gempa bumi di Ranau, Sabah, pada 5 Jun 2015. Baginda Sultan juga menyampaikan rasa simpati kepada penduduk yang kehilangan tempat tinggal dan kerosakan harta yang dialami akibat banjir dan runtuhan tanah di Sabah.

Perdana Menteri Malaysia pula mengucapkan terima kasih atas sumbangan yang dibuat oleh kerajaan Baginda Sultan serta rakyat Brunei Darussalam menerusi “Dana Kemanusiaan untuk Mangsa Banjir di Malaysia” terhadap usaha bantuan banjir di Malaysia pada Disember 2014, dan atas bantuan yang dihulurkan oleh anggota pertubuhan bukan kerajaan Negara Brunei Darussalam, Anggota Sukarelawan Belia Negara (SBK) dan Cabaran, Pengembaraan, Rekreasi dan Mendidik (CARE) pada Januari 2015.

Perdana Menteri Malaysia merakamkan penghargaan terhadap sokongan padu Brunei Darussalam sepanjang penganjuran ASEAN oleh Malaysia dan dalam masa yang sama, Baginda Sultan memuji kepimpinan Malaysia terutamanya, lapan dasar utama yang digariskasarkan oleh Malaysia untuk menubuhkan Komuniti ASEAN secara formal, termasuk tumpuan dalam merealisasikan ASEAN yang “menumpu pada rakyat”. Baginda Sultan juga tidak sabar untuk menghadiri Sidang Kemuncak ASEAN akan datang yang dijangka diadakan di Kuala Lumpur pada 20-22 November 2015.

Kedua-dua pemimpin menyatakan rasa puas hati mereka dengan keputusan mesyuarat ini dan mengalu-alukan pelaksanaan keputusan yang dicapai bersama untuk hubungan dua hala dan kerjasama yang lebih kukuh di antara Brunei Darussalam dan Malaysia.

Baginda Sultan juga menyampaikan salam mesra kepada semua warga Malaysia pada sambutan perayaan Hari Raya Aidilfitri baru-baru ini, dan juga mengucapkan tahniah kepada Malaysia bersempena Hari Kebangsaan ke-58 pada 31 Ogos 2015. Perdana Menteri Malaysia juga mengucapkan Selamat Hari Raya kepada semua warga Brunei bersempena sambutan perayaan Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

Kedua-duanya bersetuju untuk mengadakan Rundingan Pemimpin Tahunan ke-20 di Malaysia pada 2016.


Sumber - Media Permata

Rohingya crisis highlights toothless nature of ASEAN

By MALCOLM FOSTER

BANGKOK (AP) — The Southeast Asian grouping known as ASEAN has made a point of not pressuring member nations over internal issues such as rights abuses, and in the case of Myanmar's persecuted Rohingya minority, the policy has come back to haunt it.

Three other ASEAN nations — Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand — now must contend with a humanitarian crisis involving thousands of Rohingya and Bangladeshis stranded off their shores. After years of ignoring the issue, their chances of using diplomacy to achieve any change in Myanmar's behavior appear bleak.

The crisis is among the 10-nation group's biggest tests since the Vietnam War, both in whether it can protect migrants' lives and to what extent the group can confront one of its members — in this case Myanmar. The stakes for ASEAN are high, given the global attention the crisis is getting and the possibility that many migrants could die if no country takes them in.

"This is a test for ASEAN, for ASEAN's sustainability. Its legitimacy will depend on this, and how it is resolved," said Charles Santiago, a Malaysian parliamentarian who is chairman of a regional lawmakers' group pressing for human rights and has spoken out about the need to rescue the refugees and migrants floating in Malacca Strait waters.

Some cracks in the group's bedrock principle of non-interference have appeared.

Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said over the weekend that Myanmar should take responsibility for resolving ethnic tensions with the Rohingya to prevent other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations from being burdened, according to the national news agency Bernama.

Rohingya in Myanmar have been persecuted for years, and only more so since 2011, when a long-ruling junta gave way to a nominally elected government. More than 120,000 Rohingya have fled the country since 2012, as Buddhist mobs killed up to 280 of them and drove tens of thousands from their homes. Those displaced are forced to live in camps where they can't work, get an adequate education or receive medical care.

In Thailand, leaders have said the migrant crisis isn't their problem but needs to be addressed by the "origin country" — without being more specific. Myanmar refuses to even use the word "Rohingya," saying the group illegally migrated from Bangladesh, though Rohingya have lived in Myanmar for generations.

Myanmar's Foreign Ministry said in a statement released Tuesday night that it is "equally concerned about the migrant crisis" and will patrol its waters with planes and ships to "save those in trouble."

However, Myanmar denies it is the source of the crisis and appears unwilling to join in regional talks to address it. Its government has cast doubt on whether it will attend a conference to be hosted by Thailand on May 29 that is to include 15 Asian nations affected by the emergency.

Foreign ministers from Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand — countries where about 3,000 migrants washed ashore in crowded boats in recent weeks but that have turned away other vessels — are scheduled to hold a separate meeting Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur.

But experts are doubtful the ministers will be too critical of Myanmar, which could serve to only underline ASEAN's toothless reputation. Most likely, the immediate focus will be on managing the crisis and not getting to the root causes.

"This is going to put on display ASEAN's impotence," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist and director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University. "This is another reflection of ASEAN's ineffectual cohesion."

Founded in 1967 as an anti-communist bloc in the Cold War era, ASEAN has taken few steps to address human rights concerns in the vast region of 600 million people. In a charter adopted in 2007, ASEAN countries committed to uphold international law and human rights but insisted they would not interfere in each other's internal affairs — a loophole that critics say helps member states commit abuses without consequence. In 2009, the group unveiled a commission that was tasked to promote human rights but deprived of power to investigate violations or go after abusers.

At times, ASEAN members have been critical of Myanmar, particularly during the years it was ruled by a military junta.

Though Rohingya asylum-seekers generally go to other ASEAN countries — particularly Malaysia — Myanmar's neighbors have long tolerated the exodus. Ironically, a crackdown by Thai authorities on human smugglers contributed to the crisis, prompting many boat captains and traffickers to abandon their vessels and leave migrants crammed on board with little food, water or fuel, drifting along in the ocean currents.

UNHCR, the U.N. refugee agency, estimated Tuesday that nearly 4,000 people remain stranded at sea with dwindling supplies.

Thailand and Malaysia have stressed that while they recognize the plight of the refugees, they cannot absorb thousands of them for fear that they would encourage more to flood in.

Malaysia, the current chair of ASEAN, has been criticized for turning away two boats packed with hungry people. The nation of about 30 million already has 150,000 asylum-seekers and refugees, including 45,000 Rohingya, most of whom barely scrape by because they have no legal status and cannot legally work. Many have filed for refugee status with the U.N. refugee agency and hope to be resettled in a third country such as the U.S. — a dream that few actually realize.

"What do you expect us to do? We have been very nice to the people who broke into our border," Malaysian Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Jafaar said last Friday. "We have treated them humanely, but they cannot be flooding our shores like this.... They are not welcome here."

While there is a strong emotional argument that the people on the boats need to be saved, any country that does so will have to deal with difficult issues such as their legal standing and dependence on government support. Thitinan said setting up a coordinated regional framework to cope with the problem will take time, and predicted that it would succeed only with international financial support.

Myanmar is particularly unlikely to respond to any ASEAN pressure at the moment because it is focused on November elections, said Bridget Welsh, a senior research associate at the Center for East Asia Democratic Studies of National Taiwan University.

"Right now, the politics of Myanmar are domestic, not international," she said. "They're in a holding pattern until elections happen."

ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, the group chaired by Santiago, the Malaysian lawmaker, has demanded that ASEAN abandon its non-interference policy, and last week released a statement saying Myanmar's government must be held accountable for the persecution of the Rohingya.

Santiago believes that Myanmar would be more responsive to pressure from China, the U.S. and other major investors in the country regarding its policies toward the Rohingya.

"It appears that so far, ASEAN is unable to respond to a humanitarian crisis involving its own people," he said. "But to be fair, let's see what happens over the next two or three days. My only fear is that before a decision can be made, more people will die."


Sumber - Yahoo News

Cameron in deal to extend British troops' stay in Brunei

The stationing of UK troops in Brunei also allows them to undertake extreme environment training.

Prime Minister David Cameron (R) and the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah (L) shake hands after signing
a defence cooperation agreement between the United Kingdom and Brunei following talks at Chequers,
the prime mininster's residence near Aylesbury, north west of London

Britain will continue to station troops in Brunei for a further five years to help maintain the armed forces' permanent presence in South Asia, Downing Street has said.

Prime Minister David Cameron renewed the long-standing agreement during a meeting with the Sultan of Brunei at Chequers.

The stationing of UK troops in Brunei also allows them to undertake extreme environment training.

Following the meeting this morning, a No 10 spokeswoman said: "The Prime Minister welcomed His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei to Chequers this morning. They agreed to renew a long-standing agreement to station UK troops at a garrison in Brunei for a further five years.

"The PM noted that the garrison enables the UK to provide a permanent presence in South Asia while also providing an opportunity for British forces to undertake extreme environment training."

The UK has had a contingent of Gurkhas in Brunei since 1962 and there are currently around 2,000 personnel based in the country.

Following Bruneian independence in 1984, Britain agreed to continue to station an infantry battalion in the Sultanate, a deal which is renewed every five years.

The garrison includes a resident infantry battalion - currently the First Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles, Training Team Brunei, which provides training to members of the British Armed Forces, and a small number of British loan service personnel who serve with the Bruneian Armed Forces.

Mr Cameron also discussed action against Islamist extremists with the Sultan of Brunei during the talks.

"It is absolutely clear that what we need to be doing around the world is working with other countries to tackle this growing threat from Islamist extremists and their poisonous ideology wherever we find it," said the spokeswoman.

Asked whether the weekend's events made Mr Cameron regret his decision to commit UK military forces in Libya in 2011, the Number 10 spokeswoman said: "This was a country where people were being oppressed by a dictator, where they were not able to pursue their aspirations and have their voice heard for a democratic and peaceful Libya.

"The actions we took there and the decision to intervene was an international one."

Libya is currently engulfed by political uncertainty and violent power struggles, with the unrest seen as the worst since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Sir Richard Dalton, a former British ambassador to the country, said IS has established a presence in the country following the "disappearance of legitimate authority".

However, he stressed the scale of IS's influence appears to be "limited" and played down the possibility of the militant group building a power base similar to those it established in Syria and Iraq.

Bishop Angaelos, general bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK, condemned the brutality as "plunging the world back into a medieval time".

The Archbishop of Canterbury called the beheading of Christian hostages in Libya by Islamic State (IS, or Isis), shootings in Denmark and a suicide bombing in Nigeria "terrible cruelty".


Sumber - Telegraph

Malaysia-Brunei sepakat

Rundingan proses persempadanan, kerjasama dua hala berjalan lancar

Oleh THOMAS CHONG

PUTRAJAYA 3 Nov. - Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak dan Sultan Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah mahu pasukan teknikal bersama yang dibentuk kedua-dua negara menyegerakan proses pengukuran dan persempadanan darat kedua-dua negara.

Kedua-dua pemimpin itu dalam satu kenyataan bersama turut mengalu-alukan penggunaan prosedur operasi standard (SOP) untuk ukur hidrografi bagi menentukan sempadan dari Sungai Pandaruan dan Sungai Menunggol ke Sarawak.

“Kedua-dua pemimpin memuji kerja cemerlang yang ditunjukkan pasukan teknikal bersama dalam persempadanan dan pengukuran serta berpuas hati dengan kemajuan signifikan dalam bahagian yang sudah dikenal pasti dan diberi keutamaan,” jelas kenyataan itu yang dikeluarkan selepas Rundingan Tahunan Pemimpin Malaysia dan Brunei Ke-18 di sini hari ini.

Majlis rundingan itu yang diadakan di kediaman rasmi Perdana Menteri di Seri Perdana membincangkan pelbagai isu dan kedua-kedua pemimpin berpuas hati dengan hubungan dua hala selain menegaskan kepentingan mengukuhkan kerjasama dalam bidang pertanian, maklumat, teknologi, komunikasi dan percukaian.

Kuala Lumpur dan Bandar Seri Begawan turut berpuas hati dengan pelaksanaan perjanjian dua hala yang dimeterai pada 16 Mac 2009 selain menggesa pegawai masing-masing untuk menyelesaikan semua isu berbangkit.

Dalam pada itu, Najib dan Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah menyambut baik kerjasama kukuh antara Petroliam Nasional Bhd. (Petronas) dengan Syarikat Petroleum Nasional Brunei (PetroleumBRUNEI) yang menjangkau Kawasan Aturan Komersial (CAA) di Blok N dan Q dengan merangkumi negara ketiga seperti Kanada.

Kerjasama antara Petronas dengan PetroleumBRUNEI di Myanmar turut dialu-alukan Najib dan Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.

Dalam bidang perikanan, kedua-dua pemimpin itu mahu pegawai kedua-dua negara mempercepatkan perbincangan supaya memorandum persefahaman (MoU) mengenai kerjasama dalam bidang itu dapat dimeterai.

“Kedua-dua pemimpin mengulangi komitmen mengenai kerjasama ekonomi antara Brunei dengan negeri Sabah dan Sarawak serta gembira dengan hasil perbincangan untuk memudah cara usahasama untuk pusat Ternakan Bersepadu Keningau (KILC) di Sabah.

“Kedua-dua pemimpin menggalakkan pihak swasta mempertingkatkan kerjasama perdagangan dan pelaburan seterusnya memperdalamkan integrasi ekonomi rantau ini,” kata mereka dalam kenyataan bersama itu.

Sementara itu, Najib menghargai sokongan Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah terhadap Pameran Udara dan Maritim Antarabangsa Langkawi (LIMA).

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah pula menyambut baik minat Malaysia terhadap Program Khidmat Bakti Negara (PKBN) Brunei dan mengharapkan kerjasama antara PKBN dengan Program Latihan Khidmat Negara (PLKN).


Sumber - Utusan Online

MH370 crisis shows lack of cooperation in Asean, says Singapore MP

KUALA LUMPUR, April 8 — Asean nations need to close ranks and present a united front if they hope to counter to increasing pressure from China over territorial issues in the region, a Singaporean lawmaker said.

Lim Wee Kiak, who heads Singapore’s government parliamentary committee for defence and foreign affairs, said the disappearance of Flight MH370 was a “disturbing sign” of lack of cooperation among the 10 countries that make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), a Singapore daily reported.

“There’s been speculation that countries are hiding their military capabilities but it’s sad, this is a humanitarian case. This is the time for you to use your assets to help someone else,” he said in an interview published by Straits Times over the weekend.

“With the row with China on the South China Sea, this episode may give China a reason to say they should manage the airspace over South China Sea. That may directly or indirectly imply the sea and islands as well,” Lim was quoted saying.

The Philippines and Indonesia are currently embroiled in a diplomatic spat with China over the Chinese claim on the South China Sea — dubbed the ‘Nine Dash Line’.

Said to have been drawn up by Kuomintang cartographers in 1946, the area under the Nine Dash Line puts nearly the entire South China Sea under Chinese control, leaving naval control of just a sliver of the sea hugging the coasts of the Philippines, East Malaysia and Vietnam to the Asean member nations.

China has also been long at odds with Asean nations over control of the Spratly islands. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam are all staking a claim over the area which is rich with oil and gas as well as marine biodiversity

Lim, a member of Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party, stressed that Asean member countries should have set aside their differences and worked together in solidarity in the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines-owned Boeing 777-200.

“What I found most appalling is this: the plane was in the heart of Asean, flying towards Vietnam in the South China Sea. Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines all nearby. How could everybody miss the plane?

“If Asean can’t even have good management of airspace, a coordinated approach in sharing information, then it shows a lot to the outside world. It doesn’t present a good image,” he said.

Lim said that Asean leaders need to go beyond just talking about how well they responded to crises such as the March 8 disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines plane, and actually build on their coordination and cooperation.

“We don’t want Asean to be a community existing just for economics, for free trade. We want it to be a region where people freely collaborate with one another.

“What Singapore needs to do is continue to focus on the development of Asean. Being a small country, we will not have all the resources. If we are able to co-ordinate, get everybody to come on board together, 10 Asean countries can be a formidable force especially if we are dealing with natural disasters,” he said.

The Beijing-bound Boeing 777 carrying 239 passengers and crew vanished from civilian radars under one hour after departing from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Satellite data showed the plane turned back. It was tracked it to the Indian Ocean before signal was lost altogether.


Sumber - The Malay Mail Online

Flight MH370 Shows Limits of ASEAN’s Maritime Cooperation

The limits of regional Search and Rescue cooperation were evident following the disappearance of MH370.

By Carl Thayer

The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 prompted media commentators and regional specialists to marvel at how regional navies quickly shifted from confrontation over maritime disputes to multilateral cooperation in search and rescue (SAR) operations. There was even speculation that current SAR efforts might become the model for future cooperation.

However, after a few days of concentrated search efforts failed to turn up anything definite about the fate of MH370, Malaysia’s handling of SAR operations became the subject of public recriminations.

On March 15, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak held an international press conference where he officially confirmed that the missing MH370 had changed course deliberately from its last known location and flown west away from the designated search area in the Gulf of Thailand/South China Sea. At the time the Prime Minister spoke, fourteen countries, forty-three ships and fifty-eight aircraft were involved in the search.

Malaysian military radar detected what was later presumed to be flight MH370 as it flew over the Malay peninsula towards the Indian Ocean. Information gleaned from commercial satellites revealed that MH370 had likely continued to fly for six or seven more hours headed on either a northerly route over the Central Asian landmass or a southerly route over the Indian Ocean.

Immediately after Najib’s press conference, China’s Deputy Foreign Minister Xie Hangsheng demanded more “thorough and accurate information” about the new search area proposed by Malaysia.

Xinhua, China’s official news agency, took the Malaysian government to task for its lack of transparency and delays in reporting relevant information. Xinhua declared that the search efforts in the Gulf of Thailand was “a huge waste of valuable time and resources… Given today’s technology, the delay smacks of either dereliction of duty or reluctance to share information in a full and timely manner.”

Xinhua further editorialized that Boeing, the manufacturer of the 777-200 aircraft, Rolls Royce, the manufacturer of plane’s engines, and the United States, an “intelligence superpower,” all had access to vital information and should “have done a better job” sharing it with China.

Whatever the veracity of China’s criticism, it is apparent the ongoing MH370 saga has exposed serious shortcomings in efforts to establish an effective regional SAR emergency management regime.

For example, as long ago as April 1972 the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation reached an Agreement for the Facilitation of Search for Aircrafts in Distress and Rescue of Survivors of Aircraft Accidents. This agreement established mechanisms for states to request/offer assistance and coordination of emergency joint operations.

Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia acceded to the 1972 agreement when they became members of ASEAN. In November 2006, seven ASEAN countries carried out a three-day Search and Rescue Exercise.

ASEAN-China cooperation on search and rescue has been marked by procrastination. For example, on December 7, 2004 China and ASEAN agreed to establish a Joint Working Group on the Implementation of the Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). This group was charged with implementing, among other activities, search and rescue cooperation.

The DOC was agreed to between China and the ten members of ASEAN in November 2002. Despite the creation of the Joint Working Group in 2004, no guidelines were drawn up to implement the DOC until 2011. It was only in June last year that ASEAN and China held a workshop on strengthening cooperation in search and rescue at sea.

At the sixth China-ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting and the ninth Joint Working Group Meeting on the Implementation of the DOC, held in China in September 2013, China proposed a “maritime emergency help line” and a joint maritime search and rescue sandbox exercise.

A review of ASEAN efforts to forge SAR cooperation reveals agreement on policy objectives, progress in implementation and capacity building but few large-scale practical exercises. None of ASEAN’s SAR activities addressed the kinds of issues that emerged following the disappearance of flight MH370.

In 2009, the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint, a major policy statement, recommended that action be taken to promote cooperation in maritime search and rescue, but restricted its recommendations to “information sharing, technological cooperation and exchange of visits by authorities concerned.”

In October the following year, ASEAN adopted the Declaration on Cooperation in Search and Rescue of Persons and Vessels in Distress at Sea. This Declaration encouraged members to designate a national Rescue Coordination Center, to establish direct communication channels to share information and assist in search and rescue, and to promptly extend support upon request to assist in SAR operations.

The Declaration further encouraged members to intensify cooperation in capacity building for SAR missions at sea, to promote cooperation with ASEAN’s dialogue partners, and to maintain a directory of all national Rescue Coordination Centers.

Finally, the Declaration called for developing and strengthening coordinated regional approaches and for establishing or upgrading “regional policies, operational mechanisms, plans and communications system to prepare for and ensure rapid and effective response to distress situation.”

It should be noted that the focus of ASEAN SAR planning is mainly on ships in distress at sea. For example, the chairman’s statement issued after the twenty-third ASEAN Summit in Brunei in October last year declared that ASEAN leaders looked forward “to developing the ideas of establishing hotlines of communication to further enhance trust, confidence and to respond to emergency situations at sea and cooperate in the area of search and rescue for vessels in distress at sea…”

The ASEAN Maritime Forum, which was founded in 2010, has held four meetings. None of these meetings has explicitly addressed SAR missions, capacity building or practical exercises.

As the MH370 incident revealed, military assets are invariably committed to SAR missions, especially in their initial phase. ASEAN Defense Ministers, however, have not made SAR a priority. For example, the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting (ADMM), established in 2006, began to conduct tabletop exercises in 2011, but they have not included SAR.

ASEAN Naval Chiefs, in contrast, have begun to address SAR issues, at least tentatively. In July 2012, the Singapore and Indonesian navies co-hosted the inaugural ASEAN Maritime Information Sharing Exercise at the Changi Command and Control Center in Singapore. During this exercise national control centers were electronically networked with the Changi Center to exchange information on maritime security. While this exercise did not address SAR directly, it demonstrated the utility of a region-wide electronic communication network. Later, in September, the ASEAN Chiefs of Navy Meeting held in Brunei agreed that the center in Singapore should add SAR to its responsibilities.

In September of last year, the seventh ASEAN Chiefs of Navy Meeting, held in Makati City, the Philippines, endorsed the idea of establishing hot lines to deal with maritime emergencies but made no explicit mention of SAR exercises or capacity-building.

The 2010 ASEAN Declaration on Cooperation in Search and Rescue of Persons and Vessels in Distress at Sea, as well as other ASEAN policy documents laid the foundations for the Malaysian-directed SAR effort to find the MH370. In doing so, it showed serious weaknesses in ASEAN’s SAR planning.

ASEAN SAR planning appears to be based on the assumption that there will be actionable information about the location and causes of an aircraft in distress over the sea. Planning protocols assume that a search and rescue effort conducted from the last known location of the aircraft would either render assistance to the survivors or locate the wreckage of the downed aircraft. All of these suppositions were absent in the case of MH370.

ASEAN’s past experience providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) to the victims of the 2006 tsunami and Cyclone Nargis in 2005 indicate that it will study the lessons learned from the search for MH370 and incorporate them into future SAR policy planning. ASEAN Ministers of Transport and national civil aviation authorities, for example, are likely to strengthen the protocols dealing with aircraft as they transit from one control zone to another, and speed up the response if there is any glitch in the plane’s ability to communicate while crossing into another zone.

Malaysia should review its management of the MH370 incident, study the lessons to be learned, and make recommendations to relevant ASEAN bodies about how to process and verify information coming from such diverse sources as civil airline authorities, military radar, commercial satellite information and information from intelligence-gathering satellites.

Malaysia should also review its handling of the international media, identify any possible shortcoming or deficiencies, and draw up draft guidance for consideration by other ASEAN members. It is clear that a balance must be struck between providing timely information and ensuring that the information is accurate. Some guidance must be drawn up to manage the expectations of the media about what they can expect in an emergency situation.

This Indonesian Navy is due to host the first joint ASEAN and dialogue partner naval exercise this year, which will focus on military operations other than war. This exercise is scheduled to include an SAR component. This joint exercise provides the opportunity for SAR to be incorporated into the work program of the ASEAN Defence Ministers and their dialogue partners (ADMM Plus). The ADMM Plus has six working groups, responsibility for SAR could be delegated to either the joint working group on maritime security or the joint working group on HA/DR.

The larger implications of the MH370 incident on future multilateral regional cooperation are less clear. The initial search area of the missing MH370 took place in the Gulf of Thailand/South China Sea in a semi-enclosed area outside the maritime zone enclosed by China’s nine-dash line. All of the ASEAN littoral states, except Cambodia, followed Malaysia’s lead and offered assistance despite minor disputes over maritime boundaries.

Extending multilateral SAR cooperation to cover the South China Sea proper is another matter. There, the International Maritime Organisation has allotted the area north of ten degrees north latitude and west of 116 degrees east longitude to China as its area of responsibility for SAR operations. The IMO’s zone overlaps with the national maritime boundaries claimed by littoral states. This could cause difficulties for effective cooperation in the event of a plane crash in a disputed area. This is one area where the ASEAN-China Joint Working Group to Implement the DOC should give priority attention.


Sumber - The Diplomat