‘All-encompassing discussion needed on oil royalty’ BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo

---

‘All-encompassing discussion needed on oil royalty’ Posted: 30 Mar 2014 03:07 PM PDT KOTA BELUD:  Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said an all-encompassing and comprehensive discussion is needed if the issue on the proposed increase of Sabah's oil royalty is brought up. Abdul Rahman who is also Umno Supreme Council member, said as a local leader of Sabah, he agreed on principle with the suggestion to increase the oil royalty but at the same time, various aspects had to be discussed and ironed out. "I agree with the views of Barisan Nasional youth (Parti Bersatu Sabah, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah and United Pasokmomogun Kadzandusun Murut Organisation). However, the mechanism must be worked out. What is more important to me is the amount the Federal Government will allocate to Sabah. "Will it (development allocation for Sabah) be more than for other states? The oil royalty is not the only source of income for the state but it is also in the form of allocation from the federal government," he told reporters after opening the Kota Belud District Fishermen's Association annual general meeting, here yesterday. Abdul Rahman was commenting on a statement by the youth wings of the Parti Bersatu Sabah, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah and United Pasokmomogun Kadzandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) which suggested that the Federal Government increase the oil royalty to Sabah by 20 per cent. At the opening ceremony, Abdul Rahman also handed out the Cost of Living Allowance of RM200 each to 556 fishermen. According to him, the opposition parties intentionally played up the oil royalty purely for political reasons but they failed to touch on the mechanics of implementation even though they had been asked several times to do so. He said the opposition was supposed to provide the mechanism for the payment of the additional royalty of RM12.5 billion a year to Sabah, Sarawak and Terengganu if it was increased from the present five percent to 20 per cent, and not just stop at making the demand for the 20 per cent increase. Abdul Rahman also asked if the oil royalty was increased, would the state governments, especially those led by the opposition parties, be willing to accept a smaller development allocation from the federal government? What was important, he said, was the commitment of the present-day federal government in providing a large development allocation to Sabah every year and not be too focused on the oil royalty.  — Bernama

Minister: Subsidy rationalisation not injustice to people Posted: 30 Mar 2014 02:49 PM PDT KOTA BELUD: The government has denied claims by certain quarters that the on-going rationalisation of subsidies is a cruelty to the people. Urban Wel lbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said, on the other hand, the move was to ensure they reached the targetted groups. "Cruelty is giving subsidy to those who are not entitled to it. Cruelty is condoning the rampant leakages via smuggling. "If the opposition says the restructuring of subsidies is cruel, I want to stress that it is more unjust to allow leakages amounting to hundreds of millions of ringgit, prior to this, going unchecked," he said. He said this to reporters after opening the 21st annual general meeting of the Kota Belud Area Fishermen Association here, yesterday. During the ceremony, he also gave RM200 each to 556 fi shermen in subsistence allowance aid. Abdul Rahman sai d the gain from the rationalisation of subsidies could be used for national development besides giving direct aid to the people such as the 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M). Earlier in his speech, Abdul Rahman said the rationalisation exercises did not mean the welfare of the well-to-do was ignored as they were also taxpayers. However, he said the government had another approach to help them progress, stay competitive and contribute towards the national development, including by providing modern and advanced infrastructure. Meanwhile Abdul Rahman reminded the fishermen to make full use of all the subsidies given, including those for diesel and petrol, to boost their economy and not sell them to others. — Bernama

You are subscribed to email updates from BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Give them time to adjust - The Borneo Post Online Berita Sarawak - News 2 Sarawak

---

• Give them time to adjust - The Borneo Post Online
• Practical C++ programming projects - The Borneo Post Online
• Indian classical blends well with contemporary dance – BorneoPost <b>...</b>
• PMS smelting plant in Balingian clean - The Borneo Post Online
• <b>Sarawak</b> Museum Dept mulls over decision to display WWII plane <b>...</b>
• Local banks urged to complement government&#39;s efforts to help <b>...</b>

Give them time to adjust - The Borneo Post Online Posted: 24 Mar 2014 12:02 PM PDT KUCHING: State Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Ministry (MDTCC) director Stanley Tan has urged folks in Kapit to give the newly appointed transporters some time to deliver the government subsidised goods to the 'Point of Sales' (POS). "The transporters were just appointed to deliver the subsidised goods starting this month (March) so considering that they just started, we need to give them time," he told The Borneo Post when contacted yesterday. Tan was responding to a statement by the leaders of Kapit Dayak non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who claimed that the transporters appointed by MDTCC had failed to deliver the government subsidised goods to the POS in their area. The NGO leaders also questioned why the ministry only appointed one or two transporters and to make matters worse they were all from Kuching, Sibu and Bintulu. "If their services are good, able the deliver the subsidised essential goods to the 'Point of Sales', we will not complain but they failed. " Our people in rural areas are suffering because the essential goods never reach them from the beginning of this year until now," said Kapit Dayak Iban Community Leaders' Association chairman Penghulu Stewart Sawing at a press conference at Meligai Hotel in Kapit yesterday. Baleh Folks Social Social Welfare Committee chairman Bangsa Utang also claimed the transporters appointed by MDTCC had not delivered the subsidised goods such as cooking gas, fuel, rice, sugar, flour, cooking oil to the POS. "These transporters received their Letter of Acceptance (LOA) on Feb 17, 2014 and the goods were expected to reach the POS latest by Feb 24. But until today, none of them reached the POS. This is our concern because our rural folks suffer because of the transporters' failure to execute their jobs." In view of the seriousness of this issue, Sarawak Dayak National Union Kapit branch chairman Joseph Jinggut called on the government to intervene to appoint 'local dealers' such as Tan Bian Seng, Joo Guan, Tintingmas, Syarikat Putra. "Now the ministry appointed transporters from Kuching, Sibu and Bintulu. They not only failed to deliver but local dealers are also deprived of the opportunity and affected their businesses to supply cooking gas, diesel and petrol as in previous years. "The ministry should appoint local transporters to handle the delivery of essential goods because they have the experience and are familiar with the rural transportation network." In responding to the NGO leaders claims, Tan said the issue of where the transporters are from did not arise as they are all from Sarawak. He also dismissed claim that MDTCC only appointed cronies to handle the transportation, stating that the appointed transporters were filtered by the ministry "based on the lowest transportation cost that they could offer to transport the subsidised essential goods". "We are closely monitoring the transporters and we will see whether they deliver the subsidised essential goods or not. They will only be allowed to claim based on their delivery." Tan also said that the ministry could only terminate the contract of the transporters who failed to execute their jobs after two of three months when their contract expired. He added that all the 82 transporters had signed their letters of acceptance.

Practical C++ programming projects - The Borneo Post Online Posted: 24 Mar 2014 12:16 PM PDT by Foad Motalebi. Posted on March 25, 2014, Tuesday AMONG the many assessments that a programming student has to go through, submitting a programming project is considered a substantial assessment. These projects, commonly known as Project Based Learning (PBL), often enhance the learning process as students get to interact in teams, learn independently, take the lead, distribute tasks and manage their time efficiently. Creating programming projects for students is a challenging task, particularly if the projects are designed for students who are new to programming. In every programming course, the students initially learn the syntax and semantics of the language, and thereafter using that knowledge to create problem-solving programmes. Programming projects would be difficult to carry out if students have poor code tracing skills. Giving students simple yet practical project topics to which they can relate to may encourage students to learn this skill through collaborative learning or self-study. It gives them an idea how programming can be used outside the classroom in the real world and also serves as motivation to complete their projects using the knowledge learned from the course. At Curtin Sarawak, Foundation Engineering students study programming for a year. The programming language chosen for the students is C++. The programming course is divided into Programming in C++ 061 in Semester 1 and Programming in C++ 062 in the second semester. In the first semester, C++ mainly deals with non-OOP content, which consists of the structural and procedural aspects of the language, whereas in the second semester, the OOP features of the language are introduced and its benefits elucidated. Throughout the course, which consists of lecture sessions and lab sessions, students are taught with the aid of coding examples for each topic and how best to use the programming features to solve problems. During lab sessions, students solve lab questions by writing programmes that are unsubstantial programmes involving little or no group work. However, at the end of the semester, they have to code a project and are given at least three weeks to complete the project. The students work in groups and divide the task accordingly, mirroring the real world of code development. When the students divide their project tasks in the group, they are told to be aware of each other's coding and explain their contribution code to the rest of the group. This collaborative learning encourages each student to share his or her logic and thinking with another student, thus elevating the overall problem-solving, logic and programming knowledge of the group. This is an integral part of the project as it involves a group assessment component. In addition to the actual project marking, the group assessment components include Self and Peer Assessment as well as Viva Interview, which assess individual contribution of coding to the group. Practical projects can also generate the attention and interest of students who are not keen on learning programming but rather the end product that the coding would produce. It also shows the students the relevance and importance of learning a programming language. Finding practical topics on programming projects requires having an idea for a programming project and then trying to simplify it in the coding process. Keeping this in mind, the points to take into consideration while creating a project are: 1.The topic and its requirements should be easy to understand. 2. The topic should be contemporary and something that the students can relate to. 3.The developed programme should have a practical use, serving as an interesting and useful tool. 4.The programme code should incorporate features that were taught during the semester as outlined in the Unit Outline. Though attempts have been made to create and design practical projects throughout all the semesters for the past three years, students found some projects more practical and interesting than others. The next step would be to carry out a research study that shows the types of variables that can be used to make the project topics more interesting and replicate those variables for future projects. Foad Motalebi is the head of Department of Foundation Engineering at Curtin Sarawak's School of Engineering and Science.

Indian classical blends well with contemporary dance – BorneoPost <b>...</b> Posted: 24 Mar 2014 12:14 PM PDT by Marilyn Ten, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on March 25, 2014, Tuesday KOTA SAMARAHAN: The spirit of contemporary dance can flourish alongside traditional form of Indian classical dance. Such instances can be found through Sutra Foundation's brand of Indian classical dance which exemplified its belief that the contemporary spirit can actually thrive side by side with the traditional, said Sutra Foundation chairman Datuk Ramli Ibrahim. In his keynote address prior to the showcase of Sutra Foundation's 'Krishna, Love Re-invented (Odissi)' at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) Faculty of Applied & Creative Arts Panggung Eksperimen here on Sunday, the guru of Indian classical dance pointed out that Sutra's production appealed not only to Indian audiences but also non-Indians. "Sutra has a great multi-racial following everywhere and what is persuasive about Sutra's production is not only the dancing but the concept of with which classical Indian dance is presented such that it appeals to all," he said, adding that 'Krishna, Love Re-invented (Odissi)' served as the perfect manifestation of an Asian traditional form whereby the modern and the classical manifested in seamless continuum. "We offer a classical tradition which will hopefully be able to stir the imagination of an audience who is keen to find the indigenous dance motives and idioms explored to redefine what is perceived as modern within a traditional framework especially with regards to Asian contemporary artistic sensibilities," Ramli expressed. Performed by Ramli and his 12 students, 'Krishna, Love Re-invented (Odissi)' is a mystical presentation in tribute to Krishna, one of the most popular Indian divinities who is the embodiment of love and divine joy. Audiences which also included National Department for Culture and Arts Sarawak (JKKN) director Salehhuddin Salleh, Unimas deputy vice-chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni) Prof Fadzil Abdul Rahman and Unimas Faculty of Applied & Creative Arts dean Assoc Prof Dr Hasnizam Abdul Wahid among those present, were treated to a discovery of modern ideas within the creative and innovative presentation through its dance composition and choreography that still maintained the authenticity of the original spirit. 'Krishna, Love Re-invented (Odissi)' is currently on its national tour where they will next be performing in Kota Bahru on April 18, Kuala Terengganu on April 19, Melaka on April 26 and Seremban on May 10.

PMS smelting plant in Balingian clean - The Borneo Post Online Posted: 22 Mar 2014 04:55 PM PDT by Conny Banji, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on March 23, 2014, Sunday MUKAH: Press Metal Sarawak (PMS) has refuted an allegation by the opposition that its smelting plant in Balingian is polluting the environment. Its group chief executive officer Datuk Paul PK Koon said yesterday its plant there was using the latest technology and adhered strictly to World Bank standard and Department of Environment (DOE) requirements. "We have been very committed in following all necessary requirements and approved standard since our establishment in 2009. "We have records to show our compliances. "The DOE has very stringent requirements, which we have been able to observe all the time," he told a press conference at PMS Balingian smelting plant here. In fact, he said, emissions from the plant were monitored via online connection by DOE. "We have external auditors coming once every three months to check on our compliances. Koon said there were many perceptions regarding aluminium smelting industry, but over the last 20 to 30 years the technology used in the industry had evolved a great deal. "Of course there are some plants still using 20 to 30 years old technologies, but they are in the remote areas in Siberia and China. "So, maybe this is how this kind of perception came into being. But these old plants are almost gone because today's environment will not allow old technologies." Koon said the aluminium industry was very important to Malaysia, especially to push its industrialisation drive. "There are now more and more demands for products like billets and ingots from around the world. Sarawak is exporting US$1 billion annually. This is a great source of foreign exchange to the country. "The industry is also about technology transfer. We are slowly getting more Sarawakians to be trained as engineers and workers. "Out of the 850 workers in our Balingian plant, half are Sarawakians. We intend to increase the numbers soon."

<b>Sarawak</b> Museum Dept mulls over decision to display WWII plane <b>...</b> Posted: 12 Mar 2014 12:20 PM PDT LIMBANG: The Sarawak Museum Department is mulling whether to bring for display at the museum here the wreckage of the US aircraft shot down by the Japanese forces during the Second World War at Kampong Telahak here. Its director, Ipoi Datan, said inspection done earlier at the site showed that the wreckage had historical value. "We are trying to bring to the museum the engine pieces of the aircraft left at Kampong Telahak now that a road has been built near the site," he said when met by reporters yesterday after the official opening of the upgrading works on the Limbang Museum by Assistant Minister of Culture and Heritage Liwan Lagang. Liwan represented the Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan. Among those present were the Bukit Kota assemblyman Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail, representative of the chief executive officer of SEB, Aisah Eden, and Deputy Resident (Development) Selamat Jati. He said besides Limbang, Lawas too has many historical artefacts such as aircrafts of the Japanese at Kampong Pa Puti Merapok Lawas which have been brought to Lawas town because the Pa Puti residents wanted them to be placed near their area. We might have to set up a museum too in Lawas for displaying these artefacts and other items of historical value from Long Semadoh, Ba Kelalan and Bario, Ipoi added. On efforts to popularise Limbang Museum among the people, Ipoi said various activities will be organised. Among them are 'Bicara Warisan' on the cultures in Limbang and educational talks for students. "We hope that with these activities, more people will come to the museum. Currently, there is a slight decrease in the number of visitors," he said.

Local banks urged to complement government&#39;s efforts to help <b>...</b> Posted: 23 Mar 2014 04:15 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: The Maritime Institute of Malaysia (MIMA) has urged local banks to complement the government's efforts in helping the shipping sector by providing financing to deserving companies within it. In October last year, the government announced the establishment of a RM3 billion maritime development fund aimed at providing soft loans to industry players, especially those hit by the slump in seaborne trade and the global economic downturn. MIMA senior fellow Nazery Khalid told Bernama that through the local public-private banks partnership, more funds can be made available to the "capital expenditure (capex) hungry" shipping sector to help players amid a very challenging operations landscape. "Without the shipping industry's ports, the country's economy will be paralysed. "As such, deserving players in the maritime supply chain should be given assistance, given this strategic importance of the industry to the nation's economic well-being," he added. He reiterated the need for the government to lend stronger support to the shipping sector, drawing attention to the fact that it helps facilitate 95 per cent of Malaysia's trade and 80 per cent of global trade. Against such a backdrop, having a roadmap for the maritime industry can help create what Nazery termed as, a "complete maritime industry ecosystem" like in neighbouring Singapore. "Local shipping companies should look beyond just carrying cargo and focus greater attention to providing value-added services to customers. "They must be prepared to compete internationally and explore untapped areas across the maritime supply chain and within global trade to create differentiation in services," he said. He called upon financiers and other stakeholders to view shipping using a "long term lens" to appreciate its growth potential. "The shipping sector is among the first economic sectors to be affected when there is a recession. But it also among the first to recover when the economy rebounds and trade volumes pick up. "This accentuates the need for the government to have a strategic plan to help shipping companies grow and face the challenges of their volatile and ultra competitive operating environment," he said. Since the world was hit by an economic crisis, brought on by the sub-prime crisis emanating from Wall Street in 2008, the shipping sector has borne the brunt of the slump in global demand for goods and raw materials, alongside a drop in business and industrial activities. "As a result, shipping companies worldwide faced losses and difficulties in raising substantial capital to maintain capacity, pay overheads and stay profitable from seaborne operations," said Nazery. Amid the prevailing challenging scenario, the country's maritime industry has been doing well as evidenced by the growing volume of cargo handled at the main ports, namely Port Klang and Port of Tanjung Pelepas. Both are listed among the top 20 busiest container ports in terms of throughput handled. — Bernama

You are subscribed to email updates from berita sarawak - Google Blog Search To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

TB is highest contracted communicable disease in Sabah ... Berita Sabah - News 2 Sabah

TB is highest contracted communicable disease in <b>Sabah</b> <b>...</b> Berita Sabah - News 2 Sabah

---

• TB is highest contracted communicable disease in <b>Sabah</b> <b>...</b>
• Ford <b>Sabah</b> quest for five day expedition - The Borneo Post Online
• <b>Sabah</b>, China in win-win tourism promotion - The Borneo Post Online
• Petronas, Yayasan <b>Sabah</b> reach out to Imbak Canyon community <b>...</b>

TB is highest contracted communicable disease in <b>Sabah</b> <b>...</b> Posted: 16 Mar 2014 03:35 PM PDT KOTA KINABALU: A total of 4,515 cases of tuberculosis (TB) were recorded in Sabah in 2013, which on record is the highest contracted disease compared to other communicable diseases. State Health Department director Dr Christina Rundi disclosed this yesterday  in her speech delivered by her deputy, Dr Richard Avoi, during the launch of Sabah Anti-Tuberculosis Association's (SABATA) 60th Anniversary Seminar entitled "To Improve Detection, Treatment and Curing Tuberculosis." According to Dr Rundi, the number recorded for the disease is the highest compared to other communicable diseases such as malaria and dengue. "TB is on the rise and is a serious problem in Sabah and it is still a challenge to keep the disease under wraps, especially with cases that are diagnosed too late," she said. She added that possible contributing factors to the delayed diagnosis of TB are due to the patients themselves, who are unaware of early symptoms, or the healthcare delivery system. "It is also believed that there are still many more undetected cases of TB (in the state), as the search for TB cases is still low," Dr Rundi said. Another challenge, she said, is to deal with the refusal of treatment, especially from the immigrant community, which has contributed to the rise of drug-resistant TB cases. Therefore, she urged for cooperation between non-governmental organisations and the Health Department to help in controlling TB, especially through awareness programmes. Meanwhile, head of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Sector, Dr Jiloris F Dony of the Health Ministry, said that Malaysia ranks seventh on the list of TB-burden countries within the 37 countries listed on the World Health Organisation's Western Pacific Region. "TB is the second most common communicable disease in Malaysia, after dengue and is the leading cause of mortality among all communicable diseases," Jiloris said. He also said that ensuring quality screening and clinical management of TB cases, providing adequate infection control measures in healthcare facilities and early case findings are, amongst others, efforts to control the spread of TB. About 230 participants attended the public seminar, organised together with the Malaysian Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis (MAPTB), which was held in conjunction with the World Tuberculosis Day that falls on March 24.

Ford <b>Sabah</b> quest for five day expedition - The Borneo Post Online Posted: 17 Mar 2014 05:50 PM PDT Tutong: The quest was flagged off yesterday by the Premier Automobiles Sdn Bhd (PASB) Marketing Manager, Adeline Ng, ©BRUDIRECT.COM reported. The convoy is led by PASB Sales Manager Teng Chee How with 16 4×4 Ford vehicles from Ranger and Everest models, going to Kota Kinabalu while also stopping by at places like Tawau, Sandakan and Lahad Batu before returning back on Friday March 21. 60 participants have joined in including the staff and Ford owners along with their families. The quest is one of PASB's initiatives to maintain strong relationship with its customers. We encourage commenting on our stories to give readers a chance to express their opinions; please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. While the comments here reflect the views of the readers, they are not necessarily that of Borneo Post Online. Borneo Post Online reserves the right not to publish or to remove comments that are offensive or volatile. Please read the Commenting Rules.

<b>Sabah</b>, China in win-win tourism promotion - The Borneo Post Online Posted: 13 Mar 2014 11:43 AM PDT KOTA KINABALU: The State Government will work closely with tour operators from China to create a win-win situation for both sides in the tourism industry, said Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Pang Yuk Ming. At present, he said, Sabah has been working with officials and tour operators from China to boost the tourism industry in both places. Pang said that when meeting with Chongqing Yangtze Gold Cruises Co. Ltd vice general manager She Yangyi, Chongqing Yangtze Gold Cruises Co. Ltd sales and marketing manager Steven Wu and China Travel Service Chongqing general manager Zhu Jie on Wednesday evening. Also present were Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Limited district sales manager Jimmy Liew, Times Holidays Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd managing director Lawrence Wong and Times Holidays Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd sales manager Lily Chong. Pang said China was blessed with beautiful scenery and historical sites. Pang himself has visited Chongqing and went onboard Yangtze Gold Cruises that sailed along the Three Gorges last July. "That was a mesmerizing and memorable experience," he said. Pang said Chinese tourists in Sabah should visit the Three Gorges because of its scenic views and historical sites. Meanwhile, She said a total of 136,000 passengers have gone on board the company's Yangtze Gold Cruises last year, and that passenger traffic from Sabah and Sarawak was on an upward trend in recent years. She said Yangtze Gold Cruises was in the top 10 list of the best automobile and ships in China, as well as being the leader in the cruise business along the Three Gorges. He added that Yangtze Gold Cruise fleet has seven ships that allowed the company to operate daily. She said since Pang has visited Chongqing and went onboard Yangtze Gold Cruises last year, the latter has assisted in the promotion of the Three Gorges and Gold Cruises, leading to a rise of cruise passengers from East Malaysia. On the visit to Sabah, She said the aim of the trip was to meet with Pang and local tour operators to strengthen tourism exchanges between Sabah and Chongqing. She said Pang had informed that Sabah Air Aviation Sdn Bhd (Sabah Air) would be providing chartered flights to four big cities in China, including Chongqing. Hence, he believed that the cooperation between both sides could be expanded to create a win-win situation. On another note, She announced that Times Holidays Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd would continue to serve as the East Malaysian representative for Yangtze Gold Cruises as the tour operator has performed well since its appointment last year.

Petronas, Yayasan <b>Sabah</b> reach out to Imbak Canyon community <b>...</b> Posted: 16 Feb 2014 03:32 PM PST TONGOD: Petronas and Yayasan Sabah reached out to the communities around Imbak Canyon Conservation Area (ICCA) in Tongod in the heart of Sabah, in a briefing session, aimed at creating awareness on the effort to conserve the state's pristine heritage. Some 140 residents from 10 villages in Mukim Pinangah attended the session on February 5. The villages were Kampung Alitang, Kampung Saguon, Kampung Diwara, Kampung Mankawagu, Kampung Pinangah, Kampung Melikop, Kampung Masaum, Kampung Langga, Kampung Tudungin and Kampung Kampung Inarad are located west of ICCA. In her speech at the event, general manager of Petronas Sabah and Labuan Regional Office, Julita Ontol, spoke of the collaboration to conserve Imbak Canyon under the Yayasan Sabah-Petronas Imbak Canyon Conservation Partnership. "Despite all these efforts, the support of the communities around the ICCA is equally important in the conservation of Imbak Canyon," she said. Among the activities during the one-day event was a presentation each by the ICCA, Sabah Wildlife Department, Sabah Forestry Department and Universiti Malaysia Sabah as well as a dialogue with the local community. ICCA acting manager Robinson Rozali Rustin, in his presentation, said the local communities would benefit from Imbak Canyon's conservation efforts. "To cater to the anticipated increase in the number of tourists in the future, there will be demand for jobs such as research assistants, and services such as guides and porters, as well as transportation, which will benefit the surrounding community," he said. Also present were Tongod district officer Robert Stidi and Yayasan Sabah's senior manager of Conservation and Environmental Management Division, Rita Stuel Galid. The programme also aimed at collecting information on the customs, culture and language as well as the socio-economic activities of Mukim Pinangah which would later be used to update the information at the Petronas-funded Ulu Kinabatangan Information Centre in Kampung Imbak. The centre was opened last year along with the Ulu Kinabatangan Jetty, also funded by the national oil company. In 2012, a similar reach out programme was held in Mukim Karamuak, one of four clusters of villages around the ICCA. The three others are Mukim Tongod, Mukim Kuamut and Mukim Pinangah.

You are subscribed to email updates from berita sabah - Google Blog Search To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Renewable energy potential in Sabah projected to exceed 2,700MW — Ongkili BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo

---

• Renewable energy potential in Sabah projected to exceed 2,700MW — Ongkili
• ‘Unity council open to all to give views’
• Litterbugs will be fined on the spot – City Hall
• PBRS to fly flag at Mt Everest peak
• Strong demand for higher royalty
• Fire destroys quarters

Renewable energy potential in Sabah projected to exceed 2,700MW — Ongkili Posted: 29 Mar 2014 12:00 PM PDT KOTA KINABALU: The renewable energy (RE) potential in Sabah is projected to exceed 2,700 megawatt (MW) in total if fully exploited, said Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili. He said most of the capacity was expected to come from hydro resources at 1,930MW, geothermal (405MW) and biomass (370MW). "Sabah is already a leader in grid-connected RE power plants such as from oil palm biomass, biogas and small hydro, and very soon, geothermal sources. "There are five RE power plants with a total installed capacity of 36.5MW operating in Sabah. The biomass plants account for 30MW while the remaining 6.5MW comes from mini hydro," he added. Ongkili was speaking at the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) involving Tawau Green Energy (TGE) Sdn Bhd, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and Atlas Copco, as well as the launch of the Renewable Energy Association of Sabah (REASabah) here on Friday. According to the minister, one of the RE projects in Sabah was Malaysia's first geothermal power plant being built by Tawau Green Energy at Apas Kiri in Tawau, with capacity of 36MW. He said the plant when commissioned would not only help to reinforce generation capacity in Sabah's east cost but would also put Malaysia on the world map of geothermal power production. On the MoU signed with UMS, Ongkili said it would enable the university to utilise TGE's project site to undertake research in the field of geology, geophysics, chemistry and other related studies, and the insight gained from  the research was expected to boost capacity building in geothermal energy. He said findings from the research would also facilitate future develoment of geothermal resources exploration in the country, especially in the Tawau-Semporna peninsula. On REASabah, Ongkili hoped the new association would provide Sabah RE industry players a platform to exchange ideas and network constructively to strengthen the industry in the state. — Bernama

‘Unity council open to all to give views’ Posted: 29 Mar 2014 11:58 AM PDT KOTA KINABALU: The National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) is opened to all individuals or groups to submit views to strengthen national unity, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Joseph Kurup. He said, when the 30-member council was set up after the 13th general election, individuals, non-governmental organisations (NGOs)and political parties were invited to voice their views in a series of dialogue being organised throughout the country. "NUCC has been to 18 locations nationwide to hold these dialogues. Every NGO  has been invited and we would like them to turn up while political parties are also invited to give their views. "It is also opened to the people and those who attended but are unable to give their views, can write them down and insert them in the boxes provided," he told reporters here yesterday after attending the presentation ceremony of the Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), Barisan Nasional (BN), Jalur Gemilang and Sabah flags, which will be brought to Mt Everest summit. Kurup was commenting on the possibility of certain quarters, especially the opposition parties   questioning the NUCC report based on the series of dialogues to be submitted to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak later. "In actual fact, the opposition parties need not dispute (the dialogue report) and they have also questioned the setting up of NUCC. "But it is alright as long as we know what is best for the country in terms of uniting the people," he said. He said those who did not have the opportunity to attend the dialogues that were held in their areas  could also submit their views by surfing the website  www.nucc.my to submit their views and opinions. On the mission to bring the flags of PBRS, BN, Jalur Gemilang and Sabah to the top of Mt Everest, Kurup said they would be brought to the world's highest summit next April 4. — Bernama

Litterbugs will be fined on the spot – City Hall Posted: 28 Mar 2014 10:36 AM PDT by Chok Sim Yee. Posted on March 29, 2014, Saturday KOTA KINABALU: Litterbugs be warned as City Hall will now compound them on the spot to raise public awareness that littering is an offence. Mayor Datuk Abidin Madingkir has announced that this is the Year of Enforcement for City Hall, in support of Visit Malaysia Year and Visit Sabah Year 2014. He said City Hall would compound litterbugs on the spot to teach them a lesson. It was learnt that the on-the-spot compound for littering is RM20 and litterbugs can be fined up to RM500. In addition, Abidin said City Hall and the Health Department would also crack down on dirty premises and restaurants by prohibiting them from operating. "City Hall and Health Department officers have already closed several dirty restaurants," he said at a ceremony to recognize Sabah Fisheries Department as a litter-free office here yesterday. The department has also joined the campaign to reduce the usage of plastic bags spearheaded by City Hall. According to Abidin, City Hall has recognized 85 zones as litter-free, including offices, schools, tourist spots, villages, clinics and higher learning institutions. "So far 20 offices have been recognized as litter-free, including Sabah Fisheries Department since the campaign was launched in 2008," said Abidin. He said the main objective of the Anti-Litterbugs Campaign was to make Kota Kinabalu city litter-free. Through this campaign, litter-free zones will be created one by one and it is the hope of City Hall that litter-free zones can be expanded to the whole of Kota Kinabalu. On the campaign to reduce plastic bag usage, Abidin reiterated that City Hall was not out to ban the usage of plastic bags. "The message that we stress on is to dispose of plastic bags properly and to practise the 3R concept – reduce, reuse and recycle," he said. Since the campaign to reduce plastic bag usage was launched on June 7, 2010, a total of 309 participants have signed up for the cause, including Sabah Fisheries Department. Abidin hoped that the department would continue to play its role in instilling good values and love for the environment among its employees. "Areas that are polluted with rubbish are not only an eyesore, they also cause negative impact to the community as well as lead to various diseases due to dirty environments. "In addition, dirty environments also tarnish the image of our city in the eyes of tourists, not to mention that this year is Visit Malaysia Year and Visit Sabah Year," he said. Also present at the event were Sabah Fisheries Department director Datuk Rayner Stuel Galid and City Hall deputy director of operations Joannes Solidau.

PBRS to fly flag at Mt Everest peak Posted: 28 Mar 2014 10:35 AM PDT by Rebecca Chong. Posted on March 29, 2014, Saturday KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) will leave its mark at the highest location in the world, the peak of Mount Everest, when a flag consisting of the flags of PBRS, Barisan Nasional (BN), Sabah and Malaysia is handed to nine-time Everest climber, Sherpe Dorje Khatri. The project, named Everest Project 2014, Flame of Peace, Unity and Tolerance towards World's Highest Peak is organized by PBRS N.15 Api Api, which will be sending eight representatives to be led by Dr Jay Rahman, the division chief of N.15 Api-Api. The eight representatives will be flying off to Kathmandu on April 1 and the flag will be presented to Sherpa, witnessed by a Malaysian ambassador's representative. "It will take about a month for Sherpa to reach the peak for the 10th time, and he will be sending pictures of the flag hoisted at the peak of Mount Everest," Jay explained. He said the project which cost about RM32,000, aimed to promote unity and the spirit of patriotism. "This project also serves as a symbol of the highest achievement, because if PBRS-BN N.15 could bring our mission to the top of the world, any other missions would be possible," he added. Meanwhile, Mohd Shahbudin Abdullah who is one of the committee members of PBRS N15, said the idea of the mission started three years ago, but due to certain circumstances, it could only be realized this year. According to Shahbudin, Sherpe is from Nepal and works as a tour guide for Mount Everest, and he is very happy to become PBRS's representative in bringing the flag to the top of Mount Everest. Sherpe's climb to the peak of Mount Everest will start on April 4.

Strong demand for higher royalty Posted: 28 Mar 2014 10:34 AM PDT by Murib Morpi. Posted on March 29, 2014, Saturday PENAMPANG: The youth wings of three Kadazandusun-based Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties have banded together in pursuit of their common goal to lobby for an immediate review of the State oil royalty. While opposition leaders have been extremely vocal in demanding for the increase, especially in the run-up to the last general election where they included the issue as the main agenda in their manifesto, the BN component parties in the State have always been more subtle and cautious in their approach. That ended yesterday when youth executive committees from Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (UPKO) and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) issued a strong statement demanding for the current five per cent royalty to be immediately increased to 20 per cent. "We believe that, together, Sabah and Sarawak could have a louder voice in the matter. We need to start somewhere and it so happened that the three of us are good friends. So, why not we start the ball rolling," said PBS Youth chief Datuk Jake Nointin, when asked about the sudden change of tone in their call. Speaking in a joint press conference with UPKO Youth chief Arthur Sen and PBRS youth chief Arthur Kurup, he said they made the call in support of a recent demand for the same review by the Chief Minister of Sarawak, adding that the three Youth movements decided to come together as one voice to further strengthen the calls that have long been made by their respective parties. Reading out a joint statement issued during the press conference, he said the call for higher royalty was justified given that Sabah and Sarawak were very much lagging behind in terms of development and in need of much bigger allocations to improve their basic infrastructure. "The scenario has changed over the last 50 years, where we Sabah and Sarawak are now the biggest oil producer in Malaysia that significantly contribute towards the country's development. "At the same time, infrastructure development in these two massive states is not on par with that in Peninsular Malaysia. As such, it is appropriate for us to be given more than the five per cent we are getting now for developing our states, in line with the spirit of solidarity and understanding that the partners of Malaysia have practised all this while," he said. He said in order for the royalty to be increased, related laws must first be amended, but this may take a lengthy process and negotiations with the parties concerned. In this regards, he said the group suggested for a temporary solution to be adopted, by having the five per cent royalty given to the Federal Government redirected to the state government, in addition to the five per cent already paid to Sabah. "This will increase the royalty received by the State to 10 per cent and this can be done without amending the Petroleum Act. This will immediately give Sabah additional funds for its development," explained Sen. The group also demanded for more key positions in the oil and gas industry, particularly for positions on the board of directors of Petronas to be given to Sabahans and Sarawakians. On a separate issue, they also called for a Parliamentary Select Committee to be set up to assess the implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the 18/20 Points Memorandum. Among the issues the committee should look into, they said, included the Borneonisation of the civil services in Sabah and Sarawak and the allocation of seats for each member of the Federation of Malaysia in parliament. "We suggest the committee members be appointed from among the government and opposition parliamentarians from Sabah and Sarawak as well as from Peninsular Malaysia. Their findings shall be presented in the parliament together with recommendations in regards to seat allocation, in line with the spirit of the Cobbold Report. "Currently, the seat for Sabah and Sarawak combined represents less than 25 per cent of the Parliament, and this is not in line with the Malaysia Agreement and the Federal Constitution, which stated that the seat proportion for Sabah and Sarawak must be similar but not less than the initial quota allocated. "During the first Parliament sitting the proportion was about 35 per cent for Sabah and Sarawak and this is what we are calling for. This is one of our strongest claims because it is supported with legal and historical documents. We are not making this up, we are only asking what is rightfully ours," said Kurup. The group also demanded for the federal government to include 'Sabah Native' and 'Sarawak Native' for all ethnic categorization in its official forms, instead of just using 'Malay', 'Chinese', 'Indian' and 'Others'.

Fire destroys quarters Posted: 28 Mar 2014 10:32 AM PDT LAHAD DATU: A row of seven units of quarters in Jalan Dam here was destroyed in early morning fire yesterday. District Fire and Rescue Department chief Mohd Apandi Mahmood said his department received a distress call at 3.21am and rushed six firemen in two fire engines to the scene. "We arrived at the scene four minutes later and managed to control the blaze from spreading to other premises about 40 minutes later. "The operation to put out the fire ended at 6.14am," he said, adding that no casualties were reported. Mohd Apandi said the cause of fire and the losses were still under investigation. He thanked the villagers and members of public who assisted in putting out the fire. We encourage commenting on our stories to give readers a chance to express their opinions; please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. While the comments here reflect the views of the readers, they are not necessarily that of Borneo Post Online. Borneo Post Online reserves the right not to publish or to remove comments that are offensive or volatile. Please read the Commenting Rules.

You are subscribed to email updates from BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Energy club projects prize presentation BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Brunei - New 2 Borneo

---

• Energy club projects prize presentation
• First phase of syariah implementation to punish 55 general offences beginning April 22 2014
• Monarch ends three-day state visit to Myanmar
• Are you afraid of the dark? Earth Hour 2014 to be held on March 29
• PKBN inculcates discipline, identity of trainees
• His majesty holds bilateral meeting with myanmar president

Energy club projects prize presentation Posted: 28 Mar 2014 10:48 AM PDT Bandar Seri Begawan: A prize presentation for the Energy Club Project Competition was held yesterday at Bridex Exhibition Hall, Jerudong, ©BRUDIRECT.COM reported. 10 secondary schools took part in the competition. The champion was the HassanalBolkiah Arabic Boys Secondary School Energy Club with their project "Towards a Greener Energy". CikguHjhSaidahbintiHj Ismail, advisor if the school's Energy Club, said their project was to help promote solar energy to help farmers reduce costs in paddy fields. Other than that, she also said that paddy husks and straws can be used for Biomass Energy, where they will then be developed into Biomass Briquettes that can replace charcoals. This will be a replacement for a greener energy environment. One of the committee members for Energy Week 2014, AwangAsrulSany Haji Mohammad Ali, said that the Energy Week is a platform for students to showcase their innovative projects. The participants will start by formulating their projects, implementing them and presenting to a panel of judges. The champions won $1,500 sponsored by the Social Petroleum Engineering. Coming in second place was the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha Secondary School, Tutong with "Hydroponic Farming" and Berakas Secondary School came next with "Hydrogen Fuel Cell". All the other participants received consolation prizes of $250 each. The Energy Exhibition, form March 24 to 29, will be a platform for Energy Club students to present their results and findings.

First phase of syariah implementation to punish 55 general offences beginning April 22 2014 Posted: 28 Mar 2014 10:47 AM PDT Bandar Seri Begawan: Fifty five general offences under will be covered under Part IV Chapter IV that are punishable only by fine or imprisonment as explained by panel members during a briefing on Syariah Penal Code Order 2013 that will come to full force on April 22 2014, ©BRUDIRECT.COM reported. The offences included: Under Section 94 (5), a man (Muslim or non-Muslim) who impregnates a Muslim woman out of wedlock will be fined no more than BND$8,000 or imprisoned for no more than two years, or both. Under Section 94 (1), for the offence of 'Muhshan', an individual will face a fine of no more than BND$8,000 or imprisoned for no more than two years, or both. For the offence of 'Ghairu Muhshan', the punishment is a fine not exceeding BND$4,000 or imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both. The complete list of General Offences Under Part IV Chapter IV: - Section 192, Punishment for committing 'ghasab', - Section 194, Failure to perform Friday prayer, - Section 195, Disrespecting the month of Ramadhan, - Section 196, Khalwat (close proximity between the opposite sex, or same sex, in area secluded from the public, that can lead to sexual activity), - Section 197, indecent behavior, - Section 198, man posing as woman or vice-versa (cross dressing), - Section 199, instigating married man or married woman to divorce or neglect their duties and responsibility to each other, - Section 200, preventing Muslim married couple from cohabiting or living together, - Section 201, enticing or tempting female Muslim to leave matrimonial home, - Section 202, enticing or tempting female Muslim to leave custody of her parents or guardian, - Section 203, unmarried female Muslim who leaves custody of parents or guardian, - Section 204, give away or surrender of Muslim (this – Section requires further clarification), - Section 205, acting as procurer (this – Section requires clarification), - Section 206, False claim (this – Section requires clarification), - Section 207, Doctrine, dogma or practices contrary to Hukum Syara', - Section 208, Practising black magic and other nonsensical occultism, - Section 209, Propagation of religion other than Islamic faith itself, - Section 210, Persuading Muslims to change religion or abandon their beliefs, - Section 211, Persuading person have no religion to become believer of religion other than Islam, - Section 212, Exposing beliefs and practices of religion other than religion of Islam to Muslim child, or child whose parents have no religion, who is under eighteen years. The briefing was paneled by Hj Afif Daraina Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Hj Badaruddin, Legal Advisor of Attorney General's Chambers; Ustaz Awg Hj Saharuddin Hj Petra, Head of Family Counseling Service Division, Syariah Affairs Department; Hardiyatie Kahar, Islamic Legal Unit Officer and Dr Awg Hj Japar Hj Mat Dain @ Maidin, Head Istinbat Officer at the State Mufti Office. Present at the briefing were Minister of Communications, Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Abdullah Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar; Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications, Abd Mutalib Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Hj Md Yusof as well as heads of department under the ministry. Around four hundred people attended the two-day briefing that was held at the Ministry of Communications.

Monarch ends three-day state visit to Myanmar Posted: 27 Mar 2014 11:36 AM PDT Nay Pi Taw, Republic of The Union of Myanmar: His Majesty the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and the Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday afternoon left The Republic of The Union of Myanmar after concluding a three-day State Visit to the country,  ©BRUDIRECT.COM reported. Prior leaving for Nay Pyi Taw International Airport, a Doa Selamat was recited by Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Dr Ustaz Hj Awg Abd Aziz Juned, the State Mufti. Before boarding the royal aircraft, His Majesty consented to walk past a static guard. Present at the airport to bid farewell to the monarch were U Wunna Maung Lwin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of The Republic of The Union of Myanmar; Dr Aung Kyaw Myat, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology of The Republic of Myanmar (as Minister-in-Attendance); Daw Yin Yin Myint, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of The Republic of The Union of Myanmar to Brunei Darussalam; as well as other senior officials from the Government of The Republic of The Union of Myanmar. Also present were Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Pahlawan Colonel (Rtd) Dato Paduka Hj Abdu'r Rahmani Dato Paduka Hj Basir, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Brunei Darussalam to The Republic of The Union of Myanmar. Some one thousand students waved the flags of both countries around the Nay Pyi Taw International Airport.

Are you afraid of the dark? Earth Hour 2014 to be held on March 29 Posted: 26 Mar 2014 05:05 PM PDT Bandar Seri Begawan: The Sultanate will once again participate in the fifth global World Wide Fund for Nature's 'Earth Hour' movement which will be held on Saturday, March 29,  ©BRUDIRECT.COM reported. Five landmarks have been selected to signify the country's support for energy conservation. The places are Kg Ayer Cultural and Tourism Gallery, Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Mosque, Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium. Brunei Earth Hour Ambassador, Sheikh Jammaluddin Sheikh Mohammad announced that the official iconic landmark for Brunei Earth Hour 2014 is the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. He encourages members of the public to join and support the event. "The Night of Inspiration" will kick start the Earth Hour at Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Mosque, whereby a mass Isya' Prayer, recitation Surah Al-Fatihah and one-minute moment of silence in memory of the crew and passengers of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 will be performed there. 2014 marks the rebranding of Earth Hour to Earth Hour Blue where the change seeks to highlight activities which include observing a one minute moment of silence for the crew and passengers of MH370. Sheikh Jamaluddin will then present a speech followed by a countdown to lights off. Several activities will be held before the lights are turned back on. Activities will include a Fun Run from the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium to Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, facilitated by Amtrix Enterprise; and a night walk in the Sultanate's capital led by Minister of Development, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Suyoi Hj Osman. The Earth Hour's team will show videos from 2010 to 2013 and also Instagram, YouTube and Google Map activities for the public to participate in by visiting www.earthhour.org.bn "Earth Hour has always been more than just about lights off, it's about people from all walks of life coming together throughout the year to show what they can do protect the planet," said Andy Ridley, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of the global Earth Hour movement. In a first of its kind, the Marvel superhero "Spider Man" will be named the first superhero ambassador for Earth Hour, aimed at inspiring everyone everywhere to become good role models for others and in turn, become superhero themselves in their imaginations. Earth Hour has grown to involve people from all walks of life across seven thousand cities and towns in one hundred and fifty four countries. The one-world initiative has garnered large support in the country, including government agencies such as the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Unit, Energy Department at the Prime Minister's Office; Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation (JASTRE), Tourism Development Department, Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Services, the Science, Technology and Environment Partnership Center, Heart of Borneo, Orchid Garden Hotel, BHC Magazine and Matrix Enterprise as well as the Rizal Group.

PKBN inculcates discipline, identity of trainees Posted: 26 Mar 2014 10:24 AM PDT Bandar Seri Begawan: The National Service Programme (PKBN) aims to continuously raise the confidence, discipline and identity of youths as the foremost youth development programme that symbolises the glory and identity of the country, described His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince in a sabda during the Passing out Parade of the Second Intake of PKBN, yesterday,  ©BRUDIRECT.COM reported. In the "sabda", the Crown Prince expressed confidence that trainees following PKBN would turn out to be national assets that are productive and who have the potential to contribute to economic development, social unity and national peace. His Royal Highness also hoped that the PKBN programme is constantly upgraded and expanded so as to guarantee and enhance its effectiveness in churning out trainees who possess a noble and resilient character such that they cannot be swayed or dragged into causing detriment to the nation. The Passing out Parade was held at the PKBN Training Camp at the Sports Village in Berakas. His Royal Highness was greeted on arrival at the Parade Square of the PKBN Training Camp by the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Hazair Hj Abdullah; the Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Datin Paduka Hjh Adina Othman; the Acting Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), Brigadier General Dato Seri Pahlawan Hj Yussof Hj Abd Rahman; the Commissioner of Police, Dato Seri Pahlawan Awg Bahrin Md Noor; and the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Dato Paduka Awg Hj Md Hamid Hj Md Jaafar. Shortly on arrival His Royal Highness consented to receive the Royal Salute and inspect the first, second, third and fourth guard divisions of the PKBN Passing out Parade. The three-month-long programme which commenced in December last year, involved two hundred and forty five trainees comprising one hundred and forty nine male and ninety six female participants. The Second Intake of PKBN is the programme's largest recruitment to date, in comparison to the three pilot projects and the First Intake. Throughout the three months, trainees underwent some forty training curricula. PKBN, which is meant for youths aged sixteen to twenty years, is filled with various activities designed to develop mental, physical and spiritual strength and endurance. The thirteen weeks of training that the youths had undergone provided experiences and lessons that are extremely valuable in building self-confidence and that could prepare their minds so as to be better able to overcome challenges in life. In the sabda, the Deputy Sultan stressed that by being equipped with a positive transformation in personal outlook, and with the determination and willpower to continue reinforcing the institutions of family and society, the youths would be better prepared to contribute their services in productive ways to nation-building to the best of their abilities. At the PKBN passing out parade, six trainees received awards as the best in various fields.  His Royal Highness consented to present the awards. The overall best male trainee was Awg Md Nazri Hj Saman while Dyg Asma Zamriah @ Nur Diyana Hj Ariffin was the best female trainee. The best in drill were Awg Md Zulkarnain Hj Abd Rahim and Dayang Nurhaziqah Najwa Mahirah Harun. Ak Md Syahiiruddin Pg Hj Tengah and Dyg Sofiyah Syairah Hj Saifulizam had received awards for being the best in physical trainings. The 'Doa Selamat' was then recited by the PKBN head of religious unit, Awg Hj Abd Afiq Zainuddin. In the sport village training camp, His Royal Highness consented to tour an exhibition featuring photographs of His Majesty the Sultan and His Royal Highness during a visit to the PKBN Training Camp and training activities of the PKBN participants. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince then consented to attend a luncheon with the PKBN trainees, officers, instructors and teachers. The Programme is conducted by sixty eight supervisors and instructors from several Government Agencies and volunteer professionals. Before leaving the Training Camp, His Royal Highness consented to sign the Commemorative Parchment of the PKBN and converse with the trainees, parents and trainee guardians. During the training, the trainees were not just assigned to challenging activities but were also stationed to do community work. These had important objectives such to mould them in creating individualism within themselves and to create awareness of welfare within the society. The trainees were also exposed to entrepreneurship activities to create self-confidence, self-reliance and hardworking attitude in order for them to achieve excellence in life. Instilling good values in accordance with Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) concept in the PKBN curriculum such as strong beliefs and faith, discipline, righteousness, responsibility, teamwork and tolerance will mould a strong will to overcome negative elements. With a solid nationalistic foundation, the youths can also be able to help in stemming social illness, especially among the youths.

His majesty holds bilateral meeting with myanmar president Posted: 25 Mar 2014 05:31 PM PDT Nay Pi Taw, Republic of The Union of Myanmar: His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, yesterday consented to attend the official Welcoming Ceremony in honour of His Majesty's State Visit to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and a Meeting with the President of the Republic of The Union of Myanmar, held at the Presidential Palace,  ©BRUDIRECT.COM reported. Upon arrival, His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam was welcomed by His Excellency U Thein Sein, The President of The Republic of The Union of Myanmar. His Majesty then consented to proceed to the special dais to receive the Royal Guard of Honour as the National Anthem of Brunei Darussalam and the National Anthem of the Republic of Union of Myanmar were played. His Majesty then consented to inspect the Royal Guard of Honour. His Majesty was later introduced to the State Dignitaries of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. And similarly, His Excellency the President of The Republic of The Union of Myanmar was introduced to the Brunei Darussalam's delegation. After the ceremony, His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and His Excellency President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar proceeded to the main building of Presidential Palace for the bilateral meeting. Upon arrival at the Presidential Palace, His Majesty consented to sign the guest book before proceeding to the Credential Hall. At the Credential Hall, His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam was welcomed by His Excellency President of The Republic of the Union of Myanmar. During the meeting, His Majesty and His Excellency discussed bilateral issues of mutual interest as well as international and regional matters. Accompanying His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam to the ceremonies and meeting were the Second Minister of Finance at the Prime Minister's Office, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim; the Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng; and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Brunei Darussalam to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, His Excellency Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Pahlawan (Rtd) Colonel Dato Paduka Hj Abdu'r Rahmani bin Dato Paduka Hj Basir.

You are subscribed to email updates from BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Brunei To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610