Borneo Bulletin articles from December 2000

Borneo Bulletin archives from December 2000

Borneo: Planning devt in Sabah highlands.
December 28, 2000... KOTA KINABALU - Chief Minister Datuk Osu Haji Sukam said the State Cabinet Committee was set up to monitor development of highlands in Sabah. There was a need for a proper body to regulate highland developments mostly located in the...

Borneo: Open house will promote unity: Sakaran.
December 28, 2000... KOTA KINABALU - Head of State Tun Haji Sakaran Dandai reminded the people of all races to safeguard and maintain the peace and prosperity they are enjoying. In his Hari Raya Aidil Fitri message, Tun Sakaran said the government had in...

Borneo: Lucrative jobs if they want it: Taib.
December 28, 2000... KUCHING - Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abdul Taib Mahmud said Sarawak is capable of providing fast-paced job opportunities for its younger generation should more of them be keen in pursuing a career in the field of information technology or...

Borneo: Proboscis Monkey joins Zoological Park in Bintulu.
December 28, 2000... MIRI - A male Proboscis Monkey or better known locally as Orang Belanda has been added to the list of attractions at Sarawak's first Zoological and Botanical Park in Bintulu. The extremely rare and protected specie of monkey, weighing...

Borneo: Lanjak Entimau Wildlife sanctuary ready in February.
December 28, 2000... MIRI - The construction of Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary Centre at Nanga Bloh in Ulu Katibas is scheduled for completion in February next year. Costing RM1.7 million, the biology centre comprises an administration block, a biology...

Brunei: Royal congratulatory messages to Nepal.
December 28, 2000... His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam has consented to send congratulatory messages to His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev of the Kingdom of Nepal and Girja Prasad Koirala, the Prime Minister for Nepal, on...

Brunei: Takbir Raya recital at Jame' Asr.
December 28, 2000... Muslims in Brunei began celebrating Hari Raya last night after sunset. In mosques everywhere the occasion was marked with the "takbir Raya" recital, in praise of God for helping adherents achieve "victory" over the hardships of the fasting...

Brunei: Police seek witnesses of fatal Belait accident.
December 28, 2000... The Royal Brunei Police Force are seeking help from members of the public who may have witnessed the Boxing Night accident at Km 7 of the Seria-Belait by-pass in which two people died. The mishap involved two cars, reportedly killing the...

Brunei: Body of man found in Muara.
December 28, 2000... The body of a foreigner who went missing on Monday and was feared drowned was found yesterday morning at the beach behind the Warrant Officers' Mess building of the Royal Brunei Navy in Muara, RTB reported yesterday. The body of Franciso...

Brunei: DST explains Easi problem.
December 28, 2000... Bulletin has received a number of complaints regarding DST Sdn Bhd's Easi - a prepaid service designed for users who want to monitor their mobile phone expenditure with the convenience of not having to pay access fee and monthly bills. ...

Brunei: Boat operators reminded of safety during Raya.
December 28, 2000... While Bruneians are busy celebrating Hari Raya, several agencies have reminded the public of the importance of safety during the festivities, RTB reported yesterday. Boat operators are reminded to take steps to ensure safety along...

Borneo: Truckers, buses told to give way.
December 27, 2000... MIRI - Drivers of heavy vehicles like trucks, trailers and buses can help safety by allowing smaller vehicles to overtake when the exodus of people travelling home for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Christmas and New Year holidays begins this...

Borneo: 10,000 gun owners to re-register from Jan 2.
December 27, 2000... MIRI - An estimated 10,000 gun owners in the Miri district will have to re-register their gun permit ownership with the District Office here starting January 2 next year. Issuance of new gun permits had been frozen since March 7, 2000 due...

Borneo: Police told to be fair when discharging duty.
December 27, 2000... KOTA KINABALU - Police personnel were told to heed the advice of Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad to be professional when discharging their duties. Sabah police management chief Datuk Illyas Ibrahim said no matter...

CEO of bank slims for charity.
December 27, 2000... If you have spent hundreds of dollars on diet programmes, then you should take a cue from Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation's CEO, Mr. Warner Manning. In just 2 months, he lost 9.9 kg (21.8 lbs) and managed to raise funds for a...

Sabah tourism comeback.
December 27, 2000... Travel brochures, often than not, described Sabah as "Borneo's Paradise" and an enchanting mosaic of cultural diversity. Lying under the typhoon belt in the north-eastern tier of Borneo Island, its reputation if further enhanced with its...

One stop IT shop in Brunei.
December 27, 2000... Challenger Superstore (B) Sdn Bhd, the largest IT store in the Sultanate, goes by the concept to have everything, ranging from the latest personal computers, laptops, software, application software and accessories, under one roof. ...

Mondeo with a new look.
December 27, 2000... Anyone who was a close follower of anything Mondeo in the past can't fail to see the much needed improvement -especially in the looks department - achieved by Ford designers in the culmination of the new Mondeo. With modern lines and...

Brunei: Swift action against secret religious cult.
December 27, 2000... Acting swiftly to curb clandestine religious cult activities in Brunei, the authorities have detained three alleged "king-pins" including a 57-year-old retired senior police officer and two others for questioning. The arrest of the...

Brunei: Another victim of road rage.
December 27, 2000... Compounding the ever-rising traffic offences in the country is the emerging trend of road rage that seems to terrorise some of the motorists. Most of the culprits according to informed sources are those who flaunt flashy cars with...

Brunei: Festive operation by police.
December 27, 2000... The Royal Brunei Police Force is said to be planning a major road operation in the days leading up to Hari-Raya aimed at catching law-breaking motorists. Among those targeted are motorists without a driving licence, vehicles with expired...

Brunei: Hotels moan post-Apec slowdown.
December 27, 2000... It seems that hotels in Brunei are still struggling despite the "temporary boom" provided by last month's Apec Summit. Since 1997, the hotel business has been declining. And the low occupancy rate, recorded in 1998 and 1999, has continued...

Brunei: Royal messages to Japan.
December 27, 2000... His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam has sent congratulatory messages to Emperor Akihito of Japan and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, on the occasion of the Japanese emperor's birthday. In his message,...

Brunei: Orphans receive pre-Raya gifts.
December 27, 2000... In celebrating the Hari Raya season, the orphans, the less fortunate and needy are never forgotten. The presentation of donations to 26 orphans in Penanjong Garisson was held yesterday at the Surau of Penanjong Garisson. The cash and...

Brunei: Ministry holds Khatamal Quran.
December 27, 2000... Minister of Religious Affairs, Pehin Dato Dr Ustaz Haji Awg Mohd Zain bin Haji Serudin, joined his ministry's staff at an iftaar feast breaking the fast yesterday at the ministry in Berakas. Earlier, the minister was the chief guest at...

Brunei: Gift of a new home.
December 27, 2000... For the past 16 dreadful years, Dyg Nafsah bte Draman, together with her five beloved sons, have stayed in an appalling fisherman's hut at the end of Jalan Pangkalan Pinang of Kampong Penanjong in the Tutong district. However all this...

Brunei: Hari Raya Open House.
December 27, 2000... The High Commissioner of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Muhammad Mumtaz Hussain will be arranging an 'Eidul-Fitre Open House' at his residence at 125 Kg Kiulap, BSB 1518 from 5pm to 8pm on the day of Eidul-Fitre. In a press release...

Brunei: Time to remember the needy.
December 27, 2000... Only four days more and Muslims in the country will be able to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri after one month of fasting. Every year, orphans as well as needy children receive a windfall during the festive season as they become the focus...

Brunei: British Council holiday programme.
December 27, 2000... Give them the right tools and a healthy dose of care and attention, and children aged 4 or 14 can realise their dreams and ambitions. Be it a doctor, architect or simply a writer. themselves at an early age, children can use this as a...

Brunei: Vandals strike again.
December 27, 2000... Vandals have struck again, vandalising cars during the month of Ramadhan. When people are praying at the mosque, these vandals are busy scratching, denting and defacing cars parked at the mosque. The mosque most frequently hit was the...

Brunei: New programmes for deaf.
December 27, 2000... KUCHING - Training programmes for the hearing-impaired in the state will be expanded once its new building is ready next year, its chairman Titus Chuo said yesterday. He said the Sarawak Society for the Deaf will conduct the car wash and...

Brunei: Palm oil drops.
December 27, 2000... KUCHING - Sarawak's most important primary commodity, palm oil has recorded a drop of RM101 million or 19 per cent in the state's total export receipts of RM25,275 million in the Jan-Oct period this year. The State's Statistics...

Brunei: Farah's fantasy.
December 27, 2000... A local beautician, Farah Abdullah was runner up in the Sari Ayu 'Asean Trend Colour 2001' competition, held in Hilton Hotel, Jakarta on Nov 19. Contestant came from all over Asia, including the Philippines and Thailand. Most of the...

Brunei: Cafe with a jungle flavour.
December 27, 2000... SINGAPORE - If you've had enough of theme restaurants offering over-the-top kitsch and not much else, take a trip down to S'pore's Rainforest Cafe to revive your jaded soul. It's a wild place to shop and eat! The first 2-storey flagship...

Brunei: Vincci's world of shoes.
December 27, 2000... There has always a bond between women and shoes and it is not unusual to find someone who claims to have at least ten pairs of shoes in her wardrobe. The opening of the Vincci store at Shakirin Complex in Kiulap is indeed good news for...

Brunei: Night safari, a getaway.
December 27, 2000... The drama and mystery of the tropical jungle comes alive after dusk, at the world's first and only Night Safari. Set amidst the expansive dense forest of Singapore, Night Safari truly offers a getaway from the hustle of cosmopolitan life. ...

Brunei: SAARC bus grinds to halt.
December 27, 2000... When it was set up a decade and a half ago, the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) seemed a good idea. South Asia has, within its folds, some of the poorest people in the world and its development indicators are low...

Brunei: Tale of kopi.
December 27, 2000... For Westerners coffee is three hundred years old, but in the East it is much older. Homer, and many Arabian legends told the story of a mysterious black and bitter beverage with powers of stimulation. In 1000 BC Avicenna administered coffee...

Brunei: Popular 'Flashdance' destroyed in JP fire.
December 27, 2000... Speedy action by the Fire Services late last night prevented serious damage being caused to the nation's showpiece theme park, the Jerudong Park Playground. There were no casualties.The cause of the fire and the estimated damage are...

Brunei: X-Factor here In January.
December 27, 2000... Malaysia's snazzy young pop group the X-Factor is coming here to Brunei to perform during this Hari Raya season at the Asma Hotel in Jerudong. The X-Factor comprising Syed Affendi (Fendi) from Pahang, Irwan Shah (Shah) from Kuala Lumpur,...

Brunei: Year end specials at Nobel Design.
December 27, 2000... Nobel Design (Brunei) Sdn Bhd is currently having a Year End Specials in conjunction with the coming festivities. They are offering great discounts on furniture, including limited pieces at special prices. There are also discounts on interior...

Brunei: Christmas promotions.
December 27, 2000... This Christmas several hotels are offering festive promotions to brighten up the season. Sheraton Hotel is organising a Year 2000's Festive Program this Christmas Eve, Sunday December 24. The hotel welcomes patrons to a buffet dinner at...

Brunei: Legend behind an old grave.
December 27, 2000... Villagers of Kg Kelugos in Mukim Keriam, Tutong were hit by the news that an old grave would be dug out and transferred to a new site in the public graveyard. The old grave has a legend behind it. The grave was also known as the cat's...

Brunei: All geared towards excellent customer service.
December 27, 2000... Hock Tire Company is a one-stop tyre and auto centre for all motoring needs, selling multi-brand selection of tyres and wheel rims, together with a full range of car accessories. And over the Hari Raya festive season, the store is offering up...

Brunei: 'Flashover' dampens twin festive cheer.
December 27, 2000... The ongoing festive mood in the capital was dampened last morning by what has been described as a 'flashover' which caused an electricity brown-out disrupting power supplies to several key areas . According to an official source at the...

Brunei: Jame'Asr does its bit for orphans.
December 27, 2000... About 150 orphans from the Mukim Gadong received donations from the Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah yesterday. The orphans came from Kampong Kiulap, Kiarong, Beribi, Tungku, Perpindahan Mata-Mata and Perpindahan Rimba. The orphans received...

Brunei: National Bibliography.
December 27, 2000... The Bibliography of Brunei Darussalam is now on sale at counters in the Brunei Museum Building and Malay Technology Museum. The Brunei Museum Department has published bibliographies of Brunei Darussalam for 1967-1991, 1992, 1996 and 1997....

Brunei: Burglaries and thefts keep police busy.
December 27, 2000... Two burglaries and three theft cases were reported in the country during the last few days. In the first incident, a 29-inch television, a VCD player, video tape player and a projector kept in the living room and inside a cupboard were...

Brunei: Things got worse for molest man.
December 27, 2000... A local man, sentenced to five years and two months in jail and five whips of the cane after being convicted for extortion, theft, molest and insulting the modesty of a 21-year-old girl, had his jail sentence reduced to 20 months after the...

Brunei: Thief & cop beater jailed and caned.
December 27, 2000... A convicted thief and cop beater was sentenced to one year in jail and four strokes of the rotan by Chief Magistrate Hairolarni bin Abd Majid yesterday. Shahrin bin Hj Latif, 27, was sentenced to two months jail and two strokes of the...

Brunei: Mystery death of hospital employee.
December 27, 2000... A senior attendent at RIPAS hospital was found dead in his house in Selayun a few days ago according to informed sources. It was learnt that Hj Azamain Hj Lagim in his 30s was found dead in his house with several wounds on his chest. ...

Brunei: Remembering the needy.
December 27, 2000... With only a few days before Muslims all round the world celebrate Eid Al-Fitr locally known as Hari Raya, lest we forget about the poor and the needy. Islam, under its five main pillars obligates its followers to give alms to the poor so...

Borneo: End in sight to Tawau squatters.
December 27, 2000... KOTA KINABALU - Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Osu Haji Sukam said the State Government will provide a total of 2,000 units of houses in Tawau by the middle of next year to resolve the squatter problems that have been plaguing the district for...

Borneo: Illegal loggers hands off Kinabalu Park.
December 27, 2000... KOTA KINABALU - The state government will not tolerate illegal logging or unauthorised felling of trees as well as other activities detrimental to the eco system of Kinabalu Park which was recently declared a World Heritage Site, writes Arman...

Borneo: Tawau police round up 29 in midnight raid.
December 27, 2000... KOTA KINABALU - Tawau police rounded up 29 foreign women aged between 19 and 30 during an anti-vice raid on five entertainment outlets over the weekend. The foreigners who comprised 27 Indonesians and two Filipino women were remanded. ...

Brunei: Fire destroys house in Lambak Kiri.
December 27, 2000... In an early evening blaze yesterday, a double-storeyed house at Kampong Lambak Kiri, Jalan Pasir Berakas was almost destroyed. Though only four children from the age of six to 15 were present at the house when the fire broke out,...

Brunei: Speedy labour permits assured.
December 27, 2000... Brunei is to implement speedy labour permits cutting short the usual mountains of red tape to jump start the Sultanate's flagging economy. The Brunei Commissioner of Labour Haji Ahmad A. Rahman told the Bulletin that essential industries...

Brunei: His Majesty calls on King Fahd while performing umrah.
December 27, 2000... His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam while on umrah called on His Majesty King Fahd ibni 'Abdul 'Aziz Al-Saud, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. His Majesty made the call on December 22 after His Majesty...

Brunei: Busy weekend for firemen.
December 27, 2000... Fire Services at Berakas received a number of calls regarding fire reports over the weekends. Among others, a 2-storey house at Kampong Lambak, Jalan Pasir Berakas was badly damaged by fire, considered the worst for the last twenty-four...

Borneo: A ceiling on prices for CNY.
December 27, 2000... KOTA KINABALU - The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry is conducting a feasibility study to impose ceiling prices on nine controlled items for the coming Chinese New Year (CNY) festivity in January next year. The items include...

Borneo: Drive safely, Ling urges.
December 27, 2000... KOTA KINABALU - Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ling Liong Sik advised the people going home for Christmas and Hari Raya celebrations to drive carefully and to abide by the road regulations to avoid any mishap. Dr Ling said road users...

Borneo: Sarawak allocated six smart schools.
December 27, 2000... MIRI - Sarawak has been allocated six out of the 86 pilot smart school projects proposed for implementation throughout the country. The schools that have been selected for the new concept are Sekolah Menengah Sains Kuching, Sekolah...

Borneo: Be extra careful.
December 27, 2000... KUCHING - It is the festive season and people must take extra steps to avoid falling victim to petty crimes especially when carrying out transactions at banks. At banks, they must be suspicious of people wearing helmets, said Kuching City...

Brunei: Festive check on the roads.
December 27, 2000... A late night joint operation by the country's law enforcers was launched on Sunday to ensure order on the streets during the current festive season. The objective was also to deal with criminal elements. Officers of the Royal Brunei...

Brunei: Crash spoils X'mas cheer.
December 27, 2000... For three people Christmas morning began with a bang. And that left them rather dazed and bewildered because that certainly was not the way to start off Christmas or, for that matter, Hari Raya, which too is just round the corner. ...

Brunei: Umrah pilgrims up in arms.
December 27, 2000... More local pilgrims have expressed disappointment over several travel agents who have allegedly failed to deliver the promised services during the "umrah" or mini haj and almost left some of them in the lurch. "Some of us have been badly...

Brunei: Investors shun shaky region.
December 27, 2000... The BIMP-EAGA or Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines East Asean Growth Area is understood to be facing a confidence crisis. The inter-governmental informal group is said be facing a bleak future with news that investors and some...

Brunei: Closing of Ramadhan night prayers and activities.
December 27, 2000... The religious activities and prayers at mosques throughout the country during the month of Ramadhan came to a close last night with the main attention focused on the two national mosques. At the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in the capital,...

Brunei: Filipino drowns at Christmas outing.
December 27, 2000... It turned out to be a sad Christmas yesterday at Pantai Berakas. About a dozen friends, working at one of the hotels in Jerudong, went to Pantai Berakas to celebrate Christmas Day. Later, two of his friends saw Franciso Pangilinan drown...

Brunei: Business chamber's Raya wish.
December 27, 2000... While many Muslim families are now in a euphoric mood, waiting to celebrate Hari Raya, the business people in the country are still gloomy over the current state of the Bruneian economy. The current economic situation at the macro level is...

Brunei: Donations for orphans.
December 27, 2000... The Commissioner of Police, Dato Paduka Seri Hj Yaakub was the chief guest, at a ceremony yesterday, to present donations to needy people. He presented cash donations to 41 orphans of police families. The donations were given by the Welfare...

Brunei: Play it safe during Raya.
December 27, 2000... Thinking of playing with firecrackers during this festive season? You'd better think twice. The Royal Brunei Police Force, through the Head of Public Relations, stated yesterday that in Section 17 (1) of Brunei Law, those caught playing...

Brunei: Indon Embassy open house.
December 27, 2000... The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia is inviting the Indonesian community in Brunei to perform the Eid (Hari Raya) prayers on its premises at Simpang 528, Jalan Muara on the first day of Syawal, 7:30am. The Ambassador of Indonesia and...

Brunei: New Boyz to enthral Brunei fans.
December 27, 2000... Malaysia's hottest teenage sensation group, "New Boyz" has responded to the numerous Hari Raya cards from their fans in Brunei. They will be arriving in Brunei in January for the Hari Raya Aidil Fitri fans' outing. The Hari Raya treat...

Brunei: Brunei charts new course (YEAR IN REVIEW - Part One).
December 27, 2000... The much awaited year 2000 was greeted world-wide in such a grand manner with almost every nation around the globe holding extravagant celebrations marking the new millennium. The tiny sultanate Brunei Darussalam on the other hand...

Brunei: Events and rulings that shape a nation (YEAR IN REVIEW - Part One).
December 27, 2000... * His Majesty flew to Scotland to receive an award from the Royal College of Surgeons. The award is gold medal in recognition that every surgeon in the oil-rich country is a member of the College. * Her Royal Highness Pg Anak Isteri Pg...

Borneo: Spare a thought for the soldiers, says CM.
December 27, 2000... KOTA KINABALU - Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Osu Haji Sukam urged Muslims celebrating Hari Raya Aidil Fitri to give kind thoughts to the unfortunate such as security personnel who have to be away from their families while defending the country....

Borneo: Osu warns money lenders who rip off the people.
December 27, 2000... KOTA KINABALU - Chief Minister Datuk Osu Haji Sukam has issued a warning that the State Government would not hesitate to revoke the licences of money lending operators who are found imposing high interest rates or breaching the conditions of...

Brunei: New judges appointed.
December 27, 2000... Three senior judicial officials have been appointed and transferred with the consent of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam. The Prime Minister's Office yesterday issued an official statement which said, "By...

Brunei: Promotions for sungkai runaway hit.
December 27, 2000... With the Ramadhan fasting month coming to a close today the fierce battle that raged among Brunei's growing number of restaurants and hotels have come to an end. But they have all however promised to resume their gastronomic war again next...

Brunei: Watch what you eat.
December 27, 2000... Ketupat, nasi himpit, nasi biriyani the names immediately bring memories of Hari Raya. But one should not forget to remember the health aspect when it comes to consuming them. Dyg Hjh Masni from the Health Ministry, in an interview with...

Brunei: Hari Raya tomorrow.
December 27, 2000... Muslims in the country will be celebrating Hari Raya Aidil Fitri on Thursday, December 28. The announcement was made known through the television and radio last night by the Chief Kadhi of Brunei Darussalam, Pehin Dato Ustaz Haji Salim...

Brunei: Orphans fund receives donations.
December 27, 2000... The presentation of donations to Dana Pengiran Muda Mahkota Al-Muhtadee Billah for Orphans was held at Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Headquaters, Jalan Kumbang Pasang, yesterday. There were five contributors. The first...

Brunei: Bruneian women on schedule to reach Kilimanjaro summit.
December 27, 2000... Brunei's Mt Kilimanjaro women expedition team has reported that they have left Vienna in Austria and were on their way to Amsterdam and then Tanzania. Team leader, Dayang Norhayati Abu Bakar, and teammates Faridah Japang, Jenny Tan, Nona...