His Majesty expressed anxiety that not making religious education compulsory, will bring about social ills among children and people

Image (c) Borneo Bulletin

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Muizzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam has once again questioned the reasons for the weakness in the religious education system that still does not make religious schooling compulsory in the country, even though the system has existed for 50 years. His Majesty made the titah during his visit to the Seri Begawan Religious Teachers University College, KUPU SB this morning. His Majesty expressed anxiety that not making religious education compulsory, will bring about social ills among children and people in this country. His Majesty said the country needs the Religious Teachers University College in response to the requirements of time, time which is regarded as one of progress but at the same time His Majesty said an era of destruction involving the morality of mankind regardless of age groups.

Social ills and scourges occur increasingly in the homes, at schools and higher learning institutions and unsurprisingly at other places as well. Drugs,crimes, hooliganism and sex are no longer discreet but fill up the pages of newspapers, magazines and the internet as though parents have admitted defeat and no longer able to play any role. It is in this predicament that we have only one more cure remaining, that is religious education. I fully believe we are still able to cure the social ills that are currently widespread with religious education.This is why I will not budge from underscoring that religious subjects must be made compulsory in the National Education System for the 21st Century rather than being merely squeezed between other controversial subjects. In this regard, I continue to see the importance of religious schools. Why religious schooling has not been made compulsory? For 50 years we have had this liberal system, nonetheless, there have been no changes made rendering this system stagnant although requirements call for changes. I have emphasised for a long time that the system needed to be changed for reasons that by not making religious schooling compulsory means we maintain a gap between religion-literate people on the one hand, and religion illiterates on the other. I wonder why? Is it because we regard that non-compulsory religious schooling to be better than the compulsory? If so, what is our position in terms of knowledge? There have been no efforts to revise this non-compulsory system although 50 years have passed. There is no effort to reassess its positive or negative effects and we have continued to remain silent for the past 50 years. Do we not see any adversity arising from this silence? For 50 years the people have been allowed to choose whether they wish to attend religious school or on the contrary. Those who do so are taught, and those who choose not to attend religious school are left to conduct themselves on their own. Is this the right stand?

News from RTB News, 27th Jan 2010

Perjanjian Tahun 1979 (Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation)

Pada 7hb Januari 1979 bertempat di Lapau Bandar Seri Begawan satu perjanjian telah ditandatangani antara Brunei dengan United Kingdom. Perjanjian tersebut ialah Perjanjian Persahabatan dan Kerjasama di antara kedua-dua buah negara yang dibuat setelah mempertimbangkan:

(a) Brunei telah bersetuju mengambil alih semula secara penuh tanggungjawab antarabangsa sebagai sebuah negara yang berdaulat lagi merdeka;

(b) Kedua-dua pihak berazam hendak meneruskan perhubungan-perhubungan yang lama lagi turun-temurun bagi persahabatan yang rapat dan kerjasama.

Dipetik dari "Kemerdekaan: Latar Belakang, Jangkaan dan Harapan", 2008, p1

Partial Solar Eclipse this Friday 15/01/2010

(Image from Brunei Astronomical Society)

Once again, the world (Asia, Europe & Africa) will experience an Annular Solar Eclipse this Friday 15th January, 2010. Brunei will also witness this phenomenon on that day from 3.45pm to 5.33pm, but partially.

From the website of The Astronomical Society of Brunei Darussalam, www.bruneiastronomy.org :

Site information
Latitude: 4° 54' 48" N
Longitude: 114° 56' 47" E
Height above sea level: 10 metres
Time zone: 8h ahead of UT


Eclipse Type
The eclipse is partial from this location.


Timing Information

A. Beginning of partial phase
Time: 2010 Jan 15 15:45:07 [15:45]*
PA of centre of Moon: 286.2°
Sun's altitude: 35.5°

B. Maximum eclipse
Time: 2010 Jan 15 16:42:22 [16:42]*
Eclipse magnitude: 0.235
Moon:Sun size ratio: 0.912
PA of centre of Moon: 328.5°
Sun's altitude: 22.8°

C. End of partial phase
Time: 2010 Jan 15 17:33:29 [17:33]*
PA of centre of Moon: 11.0°
Sun's altitude: 11.2°
* Suggested official eclipse timings for Brunei Darussalam.

Simulation of Partial Solar Eclipse from Brunei Click Here [3.5 MB Video, requires Quicktime]

Local Public Observation (Tentative)
Date: 15 January 2010 (Friday)
Time: 14:30 - 18:00
Location: Yayasan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Shopping Complex, BSB.
Organiser: The Astonomical Society of Brunei Darussalam.

everything about SCP (Skim Persaraan Caruman Tambahan)

The official website for SCP - Supplemental Contributory Pension (hosted on Ministry of Finance's homepage) is
http://www.mof.gov.bn/English/SCP/Pages/default.aspx

You can find some frequently asked questions (FAQs) here.

The newly appointed Board of Directors for SCP are:

1. YB Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Dewa Mejar Jeneral (B) Dato Seri Pahlawan Awang Haji Mohammad bin Haji Daud - Menteri Tenaga (Minister of Energy) di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Selaku Pengerusi

2. YM Awg Haji Mohd Roselan bin Haji Mohd Daud - Setiausaha Tetap Kementerian Kewangan Selaku Timbalan Pengerusi

3. Ahli-Ahli lain Lembaga SCP ini juga terdiri seperti berikut:

(i) YM Dato Paduka Awg Haji Ali bin Apong - Setiausaha Tetap Jabatan Perdana Menteri

(ii) YM Awg Sa Bali bin Abas - Setiausaha Tetap Jabatan Perdana Menteri

(iii) YM Awang Yusof bin Haji Abd Rahman - Timbalan Setiausaha Tetap Kementerian Kewangan

(iv) YM Dy Hajah Suriyah binti Haji Umar - Jurukira Agung, Jabatan Perbendaharaan

(v) YM Awg Haji Ibrahim bin Haji Hassan - Ketua Pengarah Perkhidmatan Awam

(vi) YM Dy Hajah Rosliah binti Haji Hasbollah - Pesuruhjaya Buruh

(vii) Wakil daripada Jabatan Peguam Negara

(viii) YM Pengerusi Persatuan Bank-Bank Brunei Darussalam

(ix) Yang Di-Pertua Dewan Perniagaan Kebangsaan Negara Brunei Darussalam

(x) YM Pengarah Urusan SCP - Ahli ex-officio dan Setiausaha

Titah KDYMM sempena Sambutan Tahun Baru Masehi 2010

Titah Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan Dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam Sempena Menyambut Tahun Baru Masihi 2010

Assalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

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

Kita memasuki tahun baru Masihi 2010 dengan perasaan gembira dan penuh bersyukur.

Demikian juga, jangan lupa untuk bersyukur, kerana negara berjaya melalui liku-liku tahun 2009 dengan penuh cekal, sekalipun sedikit mengalami kejutan, berupa beberapa kejadian yang jarang-jarang berlaku, seperti banjir dan tanah susur dan kemudian menyusuli pula influenza ‘A’ (H1N1).

Ini semua mempunyai hikmah, selaku isyarat, supaya kita sentiasa bijak dan siap siaga menanganinya.

Di antara cara yang bijak itu ialah menyiapkan diri dengan perancangan-perancangan besar, dan tidak mengapa, kalau perancangan-perancangan itu diasaskan kepada senario kes terburuk (worst-case-scenario), kerana dengan cara itu, persediaan kita akan lebih kemas lagi bagi menghadapi cabaran dan keadaan-keadaan mendatang.

Di sebalik ujian-ujian tadi, kita mungkin menyedari, bahawa beberapa pencapaian telah turut kita raih di sepanjang tahun 2009.

Antaranya kita telah dan sedang mengorak langkah bagi meningkatkan pengeluaran padi tempatan sebagai usaha ke arah jaminan keselamatan makanan atau ‘food security’ di negara ini.

Beta gembira, kerana usaha yang digerakkan oleh kerajaan ini, nampak-nampaknya berjaya menyuntik semangat rakyat untuk sama-sama aktif dalam bidang pertanian. Beta ada mendengar, ramai kini yang suka dipanggil petani, mengusahakan tanah-tanah mereka yang dahulunya hanya terbiar. Ini tidak syak lagi, adalah satu perkembangan yang amat menggalakkan bagi negara.

Di samping itu, sudah terdapat juga dari kalangan anak tempatan yang sedang giat melaksanakan pelbagai usaha dalam industri pemakanan dan malah sudah ada yang mampu tampil menyertai ekspo-ekspo serantau dan antarabangsa untuk mempromosikan barangan keluaran mereka.

Semua ini adalah jalan-jalan kepada kemakmuran dan kesejahteraan.

Mengenai kesejahteraan ini, mulai esok, 1 Januari 2010, kita akan menguatkuasakan Skim Persaraan Caruman Tambahan atau SCP bagi kedua-dua sektor awam dan swasta, khususnya bagi mereka di bawah Skim Tabung Amanah Pekerja atau TAP, yang juga ada kaitannya dengan pertambahan umur persaraan kepada 60 tahun.

Kerajaan beta adalah komited bagi menjalankan sebarang kajian terhadap apa jua dasar, demi kesejahteraan rakyat dan penduduk.

Dalam hubungan ini, beta percaya masih ada ruang untuk meneliti dan memperkenalkan skim-skim penabungan alternatif atau tambahan bagi menampung keperluan-keperluan asas, pada misalnya keperluan perumahan.

Dalam usaha-usaha pembangunan, semua ini adalah turut menjadi perhatian.

Kerana itu beta mengalu-alukan langkah-langkah pembaikan yang telah dan sedang diambil sejauh ini bagi mempercepatkan dan mempermudahkan lagi semua urusan orang ramai, termasuk yang berkaitan dengan urusan-urusan memulakan perniagaan.

Dengan adanya pembaikan-pembaikan seperti ini, tidak mustahil kedudukan negara dalam senarai ‘Ease of Doing Business’ boleh meningkat lagi.

Menurut International Financial Corporation, World Bank, bagi tahun 2010, negara kita berada dalam kedudukan yang ke-96 dari sejumlah 183 negara yang dinilai.

Jika negara memenuhi etika perkhidmatannya yang telus tanpa pilih kasih dan rasuah, maka insya-Allah, apa jua yang dirancang dan diusahakan akan berjalan dengan lancar dan berkat.

Inilah integriti yang perlu ada Perkhidmatan Awam, tanpa integriti ini, sesebuah negara boleh runtuh, atau paling tidak, akan kehilangan daya membangunnya.

Dalam kesempatan ini, beta ingin juga menyebut mengenai perkembangan serantau dan antarabangsa. Di sudut ini, kita juga tidak boleh lari melainkan mesti sama-sama menghadapi pelbagai cabaran atau dugaan.

Yang paling penting bagi kita ialah membina sikap untuk terus berbaik-baik dengan semua negara sahabat di dunia.

Prinsip ini kita pegang, selaras dengan ajaran agama kita sendiri, yang menghendaki umatnya supaya saling berkenalan dengan semua bangsa dan kaum di dunia.

Namun perkenalan itu hendaklah diikat oleh prasyarat ‘hormat-menghormati’. Dalam erti kata, kita menghormati sahabat dan sahabat menghormati kita.

Ini diterjemahkan melalui pelbagai tindak-tanduk, termasuk perkataan, tulisan dan seumpamanya.

Apa-apa jua yang boleh menyinggung perasaan sahabat, semua itu dapat saja dianggap sebagai tidak memenuhi prasyarat tersebut.

Akhir sekali, beta sukacita merakamkan ucapan setinggi-tinggi penghargaan dan terima kasih kepada semua peringkat pegawai dan kakitangan Perkhidmatan Awam, pasukan-pasukan keselamatan dan juga kepada mereka yang berkhidmat di sektor swasta di atas segala usaha mereka melaksanakan tanggungjawab masing-masing.

Di kesempatan ini juga, beta dan keluarga beta tidak lupa mengucapkan Selamat Tahun Baru Masihi 2010 kepada seluruh rakyat dan penduduk, dan mengajak mereka untuk sama-sama berdoa semoga Allah Subhanahu Wataala melimpahkan rahmat dan pemeliharaan-Nya kepada kita dan negara.

Sekian, Wabillahit Taufiq Walhidayah, Wassalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

(Source: Press Room of Information Department)

*********

Inti sari Titah

* Memasuki Tahun Baru Masihi 2010 dengan perasaan gembira dan penuh bersyukur negara berjaya melalui liku-liku tahun 2009 dengan penuh cekal.

* Kerajaan berjaya menyuntik semangat rakyat sama-sama aktif dalam bidang pertanian.

* Kerajaan komited jalankan kajian terhadap apa jua dasar demi kesejahteraan rakyat dan penduduk.

* Menurut Bank Dunia, negara berada di kedudukan 96 dari 183 negara yang dinilai.

* Perkhidmatan telus tanpa pilih kasih dan rasuah.

* Kita menghormati sahabat dan sahabat juga menghormati kita.

(from Pelita Brunei, Tahun 55, Bil. 5, 2nd January 2010)

-------------------------------------

From Kamus Komprehensif Bahasa Melayu, Penerbit Fajar Bakti Sdn Bhd (2005), Integriti = kejujuran dan ketulusan (misalnya pada majikan, syarikat, organisasi dan sebagainya).

From Oxford English dictionary (1997), integrity is the quality of being honest and morally upright.

Titah of His Majesty in conjunction with New Year 2010 (by RTB - English)

Photo (c) Infofoto 2009

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mui'zzaddien Wadaullah, the Sultan And Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam in the titah pointed that we all enter the new year 2010 with the feeling of joy and full of gratefulness. Thus, one must be grateful, as the country has successfully glided through the year 2009 with perseverance, occasionally faced with shock, faced with rare incidents such as floods and landslides and also Influenza A H1N1. All these are natural causes, a sign, so that we are ever ready and wise in tackling them. Among the wise ways is to equip ourselves with major action plans, that include the basis of the worse case scenario. That way, the readiness will be more orderly in the future. The monarch was speaking earlier tonight in a titah broadcast by Radio and Television Brunei to the nation in conjunction with the New Year 2009.

His Majesty in the titah said The country has recorded several achievements along the year 2009. As an effort towards securing the food security of the country, the country has taken and is taking necessary steps in raising the local padi production. His Majesty is happy because with the government's move, it can be seen that it has successfully injected encouragement to the rakyat, together actively in the plantation field. His Majesty has heard that, nowadays many people who like to be called farmers, are attending to their land like never before. No doubt, it is the development that makes the country proud. Besides that, locals are also carrying out efforts in food industries and some can be seen participating in the regional and international expos to promote their food products. All these lead to peace and prosperity.

His Majesty in the titah said that as of 1st of January 2010, the country is introducing the the Supplemental Contributory Pension, SCP Scheme, for both public and private sectors explicitly for those under the Employee Trust Fund or TAP, and also for those inrelation to the raising of pension age of 60 years. His Majesty said the government is committed to carrying out any studies on any policy, for the peace of the rakyat and residents. In this regard, His Majesty believes that there is room for observing and introducing alternative saving schemes or other means of meeting the basic needs, such as housing needs.

In the development efforts, all these ought to be given attention. His Majesty welcomes improvement steps that have and is currently being taken to expedite and further facilitate all public concerns, including those related to starting business. With these steps, it is not impossible for the country's condition in the list of 'ease of doing business' can improve further. According to the International Financial Corporation, World Bank 2010, Brunei Darussalam is in the 96th position out 183 countries assessed. If a country fulfills its service ethics with transparency without favouritism and corruption, Allah willing, whatever that have been planned and carried out will proceed smoothly and be blessed. This is the integrity that civil service must have. Without integrity, a country will fall, or at least will lose the development capability.

On the regional and international development, His Majesty in his titah reminded the people in the country to be together in facing challenges or tests. According to His Majesty, the most important thing for the country is to develop an attitude to continuously be on good terms with all friendly nations in the world. This principle is to be upheld, in line with the religious teachings that require the ummah to know all races and tribes in the world. However, His Majesty said the acquaintances should be tied with a pre-conditional mutual respect, in other words, we respect our friends and vice versa. This is interpreted through various ways, including words, writings, and the like. Anything that can offend a friend, can be considered as not fulfilling the pre-conditions. Finally, His Majesty expressed his highest appreciation and thanks to the Civil Service officers and staff at all levels, Security Forces as well those serving with the private sector, for all their efforts in executing their respective responsibility. In this opportunity, His Majesty and His Majesty's family wish all the citizens and residents of the country A Happy New Year 2010, and call on them to pray together to Allah the Almighty for his blessings and protection for the people and nation.

extracted from RTB News website, 1st January 2010