(c) Copyright

I read about Intellectual Property this morning and discovered the existence of Copyright Law in Brunei. Some notable excerpts from this Emergency (Copyright) Order 1999 I would like to share:

• The owner is the person who creates the work
• Using an image on a website, handout or powerpoint presentation need permission
• A written permission must be obtained on each and every occasion and must be very explicit about what you want to do
• Downloading an image from a website for personal non-commercial study and only to make a single printout need not have permission
• Duration of copyright = Life of the author + 50 years [applies to ALL works EXCEPT typographical arrangement of published edition: 25 years]

Handout of this powerpoint presentation is available for download at: BEDB's i- centre

snippets

From the Miri Daily News, 12th June 2008:
New directive on limiting selected Shell station to sell only 2,500L diesel and 3,500L of Ron 97 petrol, effective from 9th June 2008. That is equivalent to filling about 184 petrol engine cars and 131 diesel engine cars daily.

From the United Daily News, 16th June 2008:
According to the United Daily News today (pD10), the approved filling station for foreign-registered vehicles sells only 2,000 litres of RON97 petrol and 850 litres of diesel. That is equivalent to 106 petrol-engine cars (B$10 each purchase for 18.86L) and 43 diesel-engine cars (B$6 for 19.35L). There are a lot of foreigners who caught up in the shortage of fuel.

From the United Daily News, 13th June 2008:
There are 15,791 people applying for the National Housing Scheme as of February 2008. The scheme is to enhance the standard of living and improving the quality of life of the people. The Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam has allocated 11 new development sites to accommodate the growing list of applicants. Since the commencement of this National Housing Scheme in 1980s, a total of 8,058 citizens have been granted houses and 1,694 people granted plot of land. The current developments are Lambak Kanan, Rimba, Menteri, Meragang, Bukit Beruang (Tutong District), Kpg Pandan (Belait District), Sungai Liang / Lumut (Belait District), Lorong Tengah Tiga (Seria, Belait District) and Rataie (Temburong District).

World Environment Day 5 June 2008

World Environment Day, commemorated each year on 5 June, is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.

The World Environment Day slogan for 2008 is Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy. Recognising that climate change is becoming the defining issue of our era, UNEP is asking countries, companies and communities to focus on greenhouse gas emissions and how to reduce them. The World Environment Day will highlight resources and initiatives that promote low carbon economies and life-styles, such as improved energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, forest conservation and eco-friendly consumption.

Extracted from http://www.unep.org/WED/2008/English/

Pirated disc-sniffing dog dies

It was sad to hear a pirated disc-sniffing dog in Malaysia has died last Sunday. The dog has been trained to detect the polycarbonate and other chemicals used in the manufacturing the pirated discs. Reproducing the story from AFP Malaysia:

Irish Labradors Manny (left) and Paddy during the unveiling of the world's first anti-piracy K9 unit in Putrajaya, Malaysia in early March. Manny has been found dead in the undisclosed location where it was kept, a report has said (AFP/Files/Tengku Bahar)

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - A dog trained to sniff out pirated discs, from a Malaysian unit which criminals have made threats against, has been found dead in the undisclosed location where it was kept, a report said on Sunday.

The New Straits Times said that Manny, a one-year-old golden Labrador which arrived in Malaysia in February, died about a week ago and that authorities were trying to determine the cause of death.

"We have sent Manny's body to University Putra Malaysia for a post-mortem," said Roslan Mahayuddin, the enforcement director of the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry.

"He had not started work yet so I doubt that there was anyone who wanted to harm him,"
Roslan said, according to the newspaper.

Manny and another dog Paddy were the latest additions to the world's first anti-piracy canine unit.

The first dogs in the unit, another pair of Labradors named Lucky and Flo, made headlines last year after uncovering huge stashes of pirated CDs, doing serious damage to the lucrative illegal industry.

During a five-month stint during which they sniffed out 1.6 million CDs, leading counterfeiters placed bounties on their heads.

Paddy and Manny, donated by the US-based Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), began work in April after spending some time getting used to the climate.

The MPAA had reportedly spent 74,500 ringgit (23,280 dollars) to buy the dogs from Northern Ireland. The dogs are trained to freeze or sit down when they detect polycarbonate and other chemicals used in manufacturing optical discs.

Paddy, a black labrador, had been found badly abused by an animal shelter before he was trained.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080608/tc_afp/malaysiacrimecounterfeitanimal_080608075138

Fuel price hike

from Lianhe Zaobao, 5th June 2008, p1

The current 41% increment in fuel price for Malaysia is a hot issue now, as it does not only affect Malaysian motorists, but also the imports of commodity and other stuff into Brunei. Pictures I saw on the paper are public demonstration and protest, anger, stocking up foodstuff, and also the comparison of the fuel prices:

Petrol
Brunei = B$0.53/L; Malaysia = RM2.70/L (B$1.14/L)

Diesel
Brunei = B$0.31/L; Malaysia = RM2.58/L (B$1.09/L)

Price per litre of petrol in Malaysian Ringgit (RM):
Turkey = 8.58
Norway = 8.48
United Kingdom = 7.23
Hong Kong = .37
Singapore = 5.32
Brazil = 5.00
Canada = 4.31
India = 4.22
Thailand = 4.07
Pakistan = 3.39
United States = 3.35
Russia = 3.20
Malaysia = 2.70
China = 2.37
Brunei = 1.25
Saudi Arabia = 0.38
Venezuela = 0.16


The BB yesterday published an article entitled "Why Malaysians have to pay more for fuel" by BERNAMA states that Malaysian PM Abdullah's explanation on the cutting back on fuel subsidies:
"...is the way to go so as to put its hard-earned taxpayers money into more productive uses like improving educational, health and infrastructure facilities for the benefit of more people rather than allowing it to be guzzled away mostly by motorists."

-----------

The directive announced in October 2007, stating that for vehicles not registered in Brunei, the maximum amount for Premium 97 fuel is $10 per day and for diesel is $6 per day is still effective.

However there is no proper system to determine whether a foreign-registered vehicle does top up the fuel once a day or he buys from other stations as well.
------------

A new directive from Energy Division of the Prime Minister's Office:
Effective from 1 August 2008, commercial vehicles and vessels will have to use fleet cards to purchase diesel and gasoline.

RTB reported that commercial customers are now required to apply for the fleet card issued by authorities and produce the card when purchasing the fuel.

According to the rules, fuel purchased for commercial vehicles should directly go to the vehicle's fuel tank.

While commercial vessels, including ships and boats, the fuel is to be filled into the permanent fuel tank or portable fuel tank which are up to international standards at commercial BSM bunkering facilities or facilities approved by BSM.

For all industrial purposes, RTB reported, no more than 400 litres should be placed into a portable fuel tank, which should meet international standards and additionally, buyers must also produce a Bruneian yellow identification card.

The fleet card system was introduced to help collect data on fuel sales in the country.

----------

Prices of Gasoline in ASEAN:
Singapore = B$ 2.16/L
Myanmar = B$ 1.62/L
Philippines = B$ 1.59/L
Thailand = B$ 1.59/L
Cambodia = B$ 1.54/L
Laos = B$ 1.40/L
Vietnam = B$ 1.25/L
Malaysia = B$ 1.16/L
Indonesia = B$ 0.87/L
Brunei = B$ 0.53/L

Prices of Diesel in ASEAN:
Myanmar = B$ 1.69/L
Singapore = B$ 1.61/L
Thailand = B$ 1.54/L
Philippines = B$ 1.30/L
Cambodia = B$ 1.26/L
Vietnam = B$ 1.18/L
Laos = B$ 1.15/L
Malaysia = B$ 1.10/L
Indonesia = B$0.79/L
Brunei = B$ 0.31/L

(Source: Press Release from Petroleum Unit)

Diplomatic missions

There are five different types of diplomatic missions of Brunei abroad:

1) A High Commissioner is a senior diplomat (ranking as an ambassador) in charge of the diplomatic mission of a Commonwealth government to another. High commissions of Brunei are set up in Australia, Bangladesh, Britain, Canada, India, Malaysia, Pakistan and Singapore.


2) An Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary is a diplomatic official accredited to a non-Commonwealth sovereign or government, or to an international organisation, to serve as the official representative of his or her own country. Embassies of Brunei are set up in Belgium, Cambodia, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Laos, Myanmar, Oman, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, and Vietnam.

A chargé d’affaires is a diplomat who take the place of an ambassador when the ambassador is absent. It is also refer to a diplomat below the rank of an ambassador who heads a diplomatic mission in a minor country. The offices of chargé d’affaires can be found in Bahrain, Morocco, and Qatar.

3) Brunei Darussalam also have a Permanent Representative to Geneva, Switzerland; and a Permanent Representative to United Nations, New York.

4) A Consulate General is an office for the purpose of supporting and protecting its citizens traveling or residing in another state. They are in Hong Kong (People's Republic of China), Malaysia (Sarawak), Malaysia (Sabah), and Saudi Arabia (Jeddah).

5) Non Resident diplomatic missions. e.g. New Zealand, Nordic Countries


Letters of Credentials given to an ambassador or high commissioners by his chief of state are delivered to the chief of state of his host country in a formal credentials ceremony. He will not be formally recognised by the host country until this official ceremony has taken place.

some translation...
High Commissioner = Pesuruhjaya Tinggi
High Commision = Suruhanjaya Tinggi
Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary = Duta Besar Istimewa dan Mutlak
Embassy = Kedutaan
chargé d’affaires = Kuasausaha Sementara
Letter of Credentials = Surat Tauliah Perwakilan or Watikah Pelantikan
Non-resident = tidak menetap

Address to High Commissioners, Ambassadors or Permanent Representative:
His Excellency (or Her Excellency) = Tuan Yang Terutama (atau Puan Yang Terutama)

References:
www.wikipedia.org
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Pelita Brunei
www.ediplomat.com/nd/glossary.htm

image credit: http://www.secondhomeplanner.com/international-friendship-club-negros-island-flags-world.jpg

Citizenship of Brunei Darussalam

Citizenship has been an interesting topic to me ever since I know the word citizenship. There are a lot of people who eager to become a citizen of Brunei Darussalam. Chapter 15 of Brunei Nationality Act states clearly how Brunei's citizenship can be acquired. Quoting the summary from a local blogger PaPa Law (http://papalaw.blogspot.com):

There are three ways of being a subject of His Majesty: by operation of law, by registration and by naturalisation.

The following categories of persons are subjects of His Majesty by operation of law i.e. automatically:

(a)he is born in Brunei Darussalam and who is commonly accepted as belonging to one of the following indigenous groups of the Malay race, namely, Belait, Bisayah, Brunei, Dusun, Kedayan, Murut or Tutong or if he was born outside Brunei Darussalam and his father is, at the time of birth , a subject of His Majesty by operation of law. In the latter case, the birth must usually be registered with a Brunei consulate within 6 months;

(b) he is born in Brunei Darussalam and his father and mother were both born in Brunei Darussalam and are members of any of the groups of people specified namely Bukitans, Dayaks (sea), Dayaks (land), Kalabits, Kayans, Kenyahs (including Sabups and Sipengs), Kajangs (including Sekapans, Kejamans, Lahanans, Punans, Tanjongs and Kanowits), Lugats, Lisums, Melanaus, Penans, Sians,Tagals, Tabuns and Ukits

(c) any person born outside Brunei Darussalam —
(i) whose father was, at the time of birth of such person, a person born in Brunei Darussalam and was a person commonly, accepted as belonging to one of the indigenous groups of the Malay race, or
(ii) whose father and mother were both born in Brunei Darussalam and were members of any of the groups specified above;

(d) any person born in Brunei Darussalam whose father was, at the time of his birth, a subject of His Majesty; and any person outside Brunei Darussalam whose father was, at the time of birth of such person, a subject of His Majesty and was employed outside Brunei Darussalam if the birth of such person was registered at a Brunei Consulate or in Brunei Darussalam within 6 months of its occurrence;

(e) any person born outside Brunei Darussalam whose father was at the time of birth of such person a subject of His Majesty by registration or by naturalisation , if the birth was registered at a Brunei Darussalam Consulate or in Brunei Darussalam within 6 months of its occurrence.

A person is eligible to apply to be a citizen by registration as follows:

(a) He is above 18, born in Brunei and has within the period of 15 years immediately preceding the date of his application for registration resided in this country for periods amounting in the aggregate to not less than 12 years; and has resided here throughout the 2 years immediately preceding the date of his application. He will also need to pass an examination by a Language Board on his proficiency of the Malay language.

(b) She is a non citizen woman married to a citizen (no language proficiency requirement)

(c) A child under 18 years if a parent is a citizen. "Parent" here includes his mother or an adopted parent.

In any other case a person may apply for citizenship by naturalisation (in Malay penuangan) if he has within the period of 25 years immediately preceding the date of his application resided in Brunei for periods amounting in the aggregate to not less than 20 years and has resided here throughout the 2 years immediately preceding the date of his application. The language proficiency requirement also applies. Incidentally, unless this requirement is waived by His Majesty, the period does not include a period during which a person is allowed to remain temporarily here under the authority of any Immigration pass or permit issued. For example, in the case of a contract officer who has been in this country for the purpose of employment , the employment period is excluded.

Food wastage

It was sad to hear from the news the world is now facing soaring food prices and food shortage. What's even worst when I saw there are wastage of food in the hospital. Although I have no idea what the caterer will eventually do to the food, I just feel sorry for those who are starving at this moment. At the same time, I read about a news report on the Zao Bao 2nd June 2008, p01 of zb NOW that Singapore has three NGOs who actually strive to full the stomach of the starved. They are Transcient Workers Count Too, and Food from the Heart and Food4Life. This is one of them:

(Food4life, www.food4life.sg)


The other one is http://www.twc2.org.sg/site/

How I wish we have this kind of NGO in Brunei Darussalam.

Asia's dwindling band of royal families

Agence France-Presse
First Posted 18:52:00 05/29/2008

HONG KONG -- The demise of Nepal's 240-year-old monarchy reduces the number of royal families in Asia with official roles to little more than a handful.

Following is a summary of royals who remain:

BHUTAN: Bhutan formally ended an absolute monarchy in April with the direct election of a parliament under a new constitution that relegates the king to a largely ceremonial role.

That path began in 2001 when former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck handed over day-to-day government tasks to a council of ministers, finally stepping down in late 2006 in favor of his son, the Oxford-educated King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.

Since then, they have travelled the country promoting democracy to a public that revered the monarchy and was skeptical about direct elections.

BRUNEI: Brunei is a Malay Muslim absolute monarchy ruled by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, who last year celebrated 40 years on the throne. He is prime minister, defense minister, finance minister and head of Islam.

Western diplomats have said he is a hard-working ruler in touch with the people.

CAMBODIA: Cambodia remains a constitutional monarchy and its current king, Norodom Sihamoni, maintains a quiet ceremonial reign.

The classically trained ballet dancer and ambassador to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization spent most of his life in Paris before his father Norodom Sihanouk abdicated in 2004.

In his retirement, Sihanouk remains the moral anchor for the country and a frequent commentator on its political upheavals.

JAPAN: Japan's imperial family, believed to be the oldest dynasty in the world, enjoys warm public affection. With no political role to play, public duties are focused on community visits and meeting foreign dignitaries.

However, conservatives and many politicians still show significant respect to the royal family, who were deified until Japan's defeat in World War II.

Traditionalists believe the imperial family has descended from a male line dating back more than 2,600 years, while historians agree the lineage dates back from at least the sixth century AD.

MALAYSIA: Malaysia has had an elected monarchy since winning independence from Britain in 1957. In a unique arrangement, the kingship rotates among the rulers of the nine Malaysian states still headed by royalty.

The king commands great respect from Malaysians, especially the majority ethnic Malays, who maintain a loyalty to rulers whose lineage can be traced back to Malay sultanates from the 15th century.

His duties are largely ceremonial, but the current king -- Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin -- has got involved in some high-profile political tussles which analysts say is a symptom of the coalition government's weakness.

The king is the symbolic head of Islam and nominal chief of the military. Acting upon cabinet advice, he signs bills into law and appoints ministers, judges and ambassadors.

THAILAND: Eighty-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej has few legal powers but enjoys great loyalty from his subjects, who treat him with an almost religious devotion.

He is the world's longest-reigning monarch with 61 years on the throne, and is seen as a steadying presence in an often unstable country, outlasting about 20 Thai prime ministers, 16 constitutions and at least as many coups.

Despite carving out a position of strict neutrality in politics, the king has occasionally intervened, ordering one prime minister to leave the country in 1973 and publicly criticizing lawmakers for failing to maintain stability.

King Bhumibol is also protected by some of the world's strictest laws on lese majeste -- any disrespect of the royal family can be punished by up to 15 years in prison.

TONGA: King Siaosi Tupou V was proclaimed king of the semi-feudal Pacific nation on September 11, 2006 following the death of his father. Tonga is a constitutional monarchy and criticism of the monarch is held to be contrary to local culture and etiquette.

(extracted from:

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20080529-139576/Asias-dwindling-band-of-royal-families
)

Places where smoking is prohibited

Wonder where are the places where the Tobacco Order 2005 are enforced? Here they are:

• Government premises
• Office premises
• Any educational institution or higher educational institution
• Nursery
• Queue of 2 or more persons in a public place
• Public museum or public art gallery
• Public library
• Public lift or toilet
• Hospitals, medical clinics and nursing homes
• Hall, ballroom or function room
• Areas used for any assembly activity
• Public transport terminal
• Air-conditioned area in the terminal buildings of the Brunei International Airport
• Entertainment centres
• Indoor roller skating rinks
• Factory
• Eating place including any washroom within the boundaries thereof
• Shop
• Internet cafe
• Shopping complex
• Indoor sports area or sports stadium
• Building or public place which is used for religious purposes
• Any petrol station
• Restaurant, bowling alley, billaird saloon, arcade games room, gymnasium, fitness centre, library, reading room, theatre or cinema, in any private club
• Any enclosed premises of a bank accessible to the public for carrying out banking transactions
• Enclosed corridor, lobby, stairwell, washroom or other common area
• Enclosed common area of any private residential premises or building
• Lobby of a hotel

For further information, please contact Tobacco Control Unit, Ministry of Health, Brunei Darussalam, Tel: (673) 2382652 or 2381640 Ext 7841 / 7700