Borneo Bulletin articles from March 2001

Borneo Bulletin archives from March 2001

Borneo: Power grab, failed plot expose fragilility.
March 30, 2001... KOTA KINABALU - On Tuesday, Datuk Chong Kah Kiat was sworn in as Sabah's 12th Chief Minister - or the sixth in seven years - under the state's unique rotation system, or power sharing as is commonly described. But not many were aware of...

Borneo: Now 334 weekly flights to interior.
March 30, 2001... MIRI - Malaysia Airlines' rural air services will be increased to a total of 334 weekly flights effective as of March 25. This is part of the national carrier's continued commitment to provide an affordable and fast transportation...

Brunei: Converts to Islam rise.
March 30, 2001... The number of people converting to Islam in Brunei has seen a steady rise over the past decade. The Islamic Dakwah Centre's statistics show an average of 490 people a year had embraced Islam in Brunei in the last decade. The lowest...

Brunei: HRH Prince Mohamed in Chile.
March 30, 2001... His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Her Royal Highness Pengiran Anak Isteri Pg Anak Hajah Zariah are in Santiago, Republic of Chile to attend the 1st Ministerial Meeting of the Forum of East...

Brunei: Princess at Hijrah celebrations.
March 30, 2001... Primary Students of Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and Taman Asuhan Kanak-Kanak Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah celebrated the New Islamic Year of 1422 Hijrah at their school premises yesterday. The event is one of the annual...

Brunei: Strong banks pillars of growth.
March 30, 2001... An effective macro economic policy and appropriate infrastructure are the pre-requisites of achieving sustainable economic growth, which is the core foundation to form a resilient and stable financial sector. Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji...

Brunei: Retailers offer value-added services to woo back customers.
March 30, 2001... There are encouraging signs that the retail sector is starting to introduce much needed value-added services (VAS) as part of sales packages. The general mood around the shopping centres in the capital, Gadong and Mile One Jalan Tutong,...

Brunei: Have you seen this woman?
March 30, 2001... The Royal Brunei Police Force are seeking the public's assistance in locating a 31-year-old Filipina who was reported missing on January 29, 2001. According to a press release from the Police's Public Relations Office dated March 29,...

Brunei: Police seek witnesses in fatal Seria accident.
March 30, 2001... An accident involving two vehicles, one a saloon car and the other a four-wheel drive occurred last Saturday at about 4:30 pm. The incident occurred at Km 19, Jalan Anduki Seria. The accident resulted in the death of the driver of the...

Brunei: Lumut Post Office opens.
March 30, 2001... The Minister of Communications, Pehin Orang Kaya Amar Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Zakaria officiated the opening of the Lumut Post Office yesterday. The post office started operation on March 5, this year. According to an...

Brunei: Library Association launches website.
March 30, 2001... The Brunei Darussalam Library Association has launched its own website www.pkk nbd.org.bn. The launching of the website was held last night in a Jerudong hotel, was in conjunction with the Association's 15th Anniversary. The Special...

Brunei: New course in UBD.
March 30, 2001... Twenty-three students attended the orientation programme for the inaugural Bachelor of BioMedical Science course. The new students were assembled at the Cafeteria Hall, Staff-Student Centre of UBD for the opening of the orientation...

Brunei: Canadian university committed to UBD.
March 30, 2001... The visit by the Vice President of the University of Windsor, Canada, Neil Gold, the second in the past six months, advances the commitment of the University to making study at Windsor more accessible. During the visit, the Vice...

Brunei: What it should have been.
March 30, 2001... The article "Hijrah babies receive gifts" Borneo Bulletin March 28, 2001, should have read as Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Awang Haji Yahya bin Haji Ibrahim, the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, Brunei...

Brunei: ISB holds music concert.
March 30, 2001... Music is art. The ambience of any particular place will be lightened up by various types of music and our feelings will naturally be affected whenever we listen to it and that is why its creates uniqueness and importance in our life. ...

Brunei: Fined for drug offence.
March 30, 2001... A twenty-one year old local, Mazlan bin Tali, was fined $1,500 or three months in jail on default, after he pleaded guilty in court yesterday for consuming syabu. He was caught committing the offence when Narcotics Control Bureau...

Brunei: Local jailed four years for drugs.
March 30, 2001... A joint operation between the Royal Brunei Police Force and the Narcotics Control Bureau had led to a conviction of a 30-year-old local, Junaidi bin Hj Moksin, under the Misuse and Drugs Act. In court yesterday, Junaidi was sent to four...

Brunei: Nine charges of thefts.
March 30, 2001... A local, Nordin bin Taha, 24, landed in the dock yesterday, to answer to nine charges of theft, which included stealing a children playhouse sometimes in the middle of last year. He had claimed trial in court before Senior Magistrate Dk...

Brunei: Consumer rights tackled.
March 30, 2001... Consumer rights issues were discussed at the Thursday Club of Universiti Brunei Darussalam for academics and the public. A short introduction about consumer affairs in Brunei was given by. Dyg Hjh Intan, the Acting Director at the Anti...

Brunei: Photo workshop for students during April school holidays.
March 30, 2001... A photography workshop for lower secondary students in the Brunei-Muara district will be organised by the Information department under the Prime Minister's department . The workshop aims to keep students occupied during the school...

Brunei: Charity sale to boost school funds.
March 30, 2001... Sekolah Rendah Mentiri, Brunei II in Jalan Kota Batu will organise a one- day Charity Sale festival and Family day on Sunday, April 1,2001. Various items on sale during the day include food and drink, cloths, kitchen items, daily need...

Brunei: Miri seafood promo.
March 30, 2001... The Melinau Terrace is offering a seafood buffet promotion called "Ocean's Bounty Seafood Buffet" every Friday evening in place. This eat-all-you-can dining offers a veritable feast of seafood specialities; deliciously rich flavours...

Brunei: Darussalam Holdings on Haj pilgrims.
March 30, 2001... Upon the request of the Managing Director of Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd, we hereby publish the full text of his letter in verbatim notwithstanding that we do not agree with the insinuations and accusations levelled at this newspaper and its...

Sports: Another easy win for RBA.
March 30, 2001... Continuing to establish themselves as one of the favourites for the QAF Corporate Badminton League 2001, Royal Brunei Airlines cruised to another comfortable victory beating HSBC 12-5 on Wednesday night at the Royal Brunei Police...

Sports: Netball champions.
March 30, 2001... The Tungku Primary School girls emerged champions at the final of the inter-school netball match when they beat Mata-Mata Primary School 8-4 at the Universiti Brunei Darussalam hosted by the Sengkurong Primary School yesterday. Twelve...

Sports: Johor FC oust defending champions Terengganu.
March 30, 2001... KOTA KINABALU - First, Kelantan JKR made history by becoming the first club side to qualify for the FA Cup quarterfinals by beating three-time winners Kuala Lumpur. And on Wednesday, Johor FC went a step further, ousting defending champions...

Borneo: Bottomline is performance, says CM.
March 29, 2001... KOTA KINABALU - Chief Minister Datuk Chong Kah Kiat said he would ensure that the State Cabinet including the Assistant Ministers work as a team and not disappoint the people of Sabah. "The bottom-line is performance, work and I hope in the...

Borneo: RM700mil for rural Sabah.
March 29, 2001... KOTA KINABALU - The Federal government will spend about RM700 million on development programmes in Sabah's rural areas under the Eighth Malaysia Development Plan (8MP) period. These include building new roads and upgrading of existing...

Borneo: Penang man jailed for syabu offence.
March 29, 2001... LIMBANG - A 32-year-old from Penang, West Malaysia, was sentenced to three years' jail and ordered to be whipped three times by the Magistrate's Court here on Monday after pleading guilty to possession of Methamphetamine drug. Yap Boon...

Borneo: Kuching businessman faces prostitution charges in Limbang.
March 29, 2001... LIMBANG - A 43-year-old businessman, charged with the intention to use 12 foreign women for prostitution, was yesterday allowed by the Magistrate's Court to be released on a RM5,000-bail pending trial. Chong Kim Sin @ Ah Sin of Jalan...

Brunei: Minister outlines new moves to uphold Islam.
March 29, 2001... In an apparent move to polish up its image, which has often come under bad light sadly, the Ministry of Religious Affairs yesterday outlined its new strategy in carrying out its assignments to uphold Islam as the state's religion. Among...

Brunei: $7,000 fine for hoarding smuggled meat.
March 29, 2001... He was selling chicken wings to the public in Kuala Belait at a low price of $5 per kilo. But what the public did not know was that the meat he sold was illegally smuggled from Miri. In court yesterday, Haji Masri bin Hj Landok, aged 34,...

Brunei: B'desh Nat Day in Brunei.
March 29, 2001... The embassy of the People's Republic of Bangladesh marked that country's 30th Independence and National Day last night, with a reception at the Orchid Garden Hotel in Berakas. Representing the government of Brunei at the function was the...

Brunei: Asean offers ideas on boosting IT use.
March 29, 2001... The two-day Asean Conference on Civil Service Matters (ACCSM) concluded yesterday with a list of recommendations aimed at creating a favourable environment to increase the use of IT and e-technology by civil servants. The seminar whose...

Brunei: Navy donates items to a very special student.
March 29, 2001... A 13-year-old physically challenged student yesterday received specially designed chairs and tables as well as stationery from the Royal Brunei Navy. The items were presented at a ceremony at the boy's school in Serasa by Pehin Datu...

Brunei: Thai army commander arrives to boost ties.
March 29, 2001... A six-member delegation from the Royal Thai Army headed by the Commander-in-Chief, General Surayud Chulanont, arrived in the Sultanate yesterday for a two-day working visit. On hand to greet the delegation at the Brunei International...

Brunei: 2nd mobile provider gets licence.
March 29, 2001... The government has approved a second mobile provider to operate in the country, said the Minister of Telecommunications, Pehin Orang Kaya Amar Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Zakaria. The second provider was not identified by name and...

Brunei: Talk on maritime convention.
March 29, 2001... The Ministry of Communications launched a talk on Implementation of the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) convention on 'Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW). The Permanent Secretary,...

Brunei: Teacher's house broken into.
March 29, 2001... A teacher lost cash and valuable items worth $3,914.90 during a break-in in his house in Kampung Kenua in the Temburong district on Saturday afternoon. According to the victim, the break-in occurred between 3.30pm and 7 pm when the...

Brunei: UBD holds Hijrah Forum.
March 29, 2001... Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) held a forum yesterday in conjunction with the 1422 Hijrah celebration at its Central Lecture Theatre. The topic focused on Hijrah in the context of this year's National's day theme "Maju Bangsaku...

Brunei: Tourist Information Centre for Brunei.
March 29, 2001... In line with Visit Brunei Year 2001, an area in the same building with the Post Office in the capital has been allocated for a Tourist Information Centre. The centre is believed to be able to provide information for tourist in regards to...

Brunei: Playground vandalised.
March 29, 2001... The mini playground (picture) located at Jln 40-6 Kg. Perpindahan Lambak Kanan has been left unattended for quite sometime. The grass has yet to be cut, and there are unruly bushes growing all around. The equipment was found to be badly...

Brunei: Birthday boy donates to KACA.
March 29, 2001... Nine year old birthday boy, AK Muhammad Nazim Pg Hj Abd Rahman yesterday presented a donation to the children with special needs. The presentation was held at KACA. AK Muhammad Nazim with his siblings and parents came with a number of...

Brunei: Certificate presentation.
March 29, 2001... A certificate presentation ceremony for the programme Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD)-Public Works Department (PWD) Continuing Development Programme was held on Tuesday evening. Certificates were presented to a total of 44 recipients...

Brunei: Most beaches need face-lifts.
March 29, 2001... The nation's many beaches need more face-lifts, suggested some of the tourist operators in Brunei. Members of the public have lamented that the once crowded beaches of Brunei were neglected by complacency, while some others were left to shred...

Brunei: Thai national fined for overstaying.
March 29, 2001... A Thai National, Manoon Jaidee aged 25-years-old was fined $600 in default six weeks imprisonment for remaining in Brunei after the expiry of his pass by Belait Magistrate Radin Safiee Radin Mas Basiuni. Immigration prosecuting officer...

Brunei: Appeal dismissed.
March 29, 2001... Judge Steven Chong dismissed Wednesday an appeal against a sentence of three years in jail made by a 32 year-old man on drug consumption, on a basis that the appeal was groundless. Shamsul Sharin bin Abu Bakar, aged 32, was convicted...

Sports: Brunei set for Premier Two action.
March 29, 2001... Brunei, through their footballing body BAFA, have confirmed their participation in this year's Malaysian League Premier Two competition. After many months of speculation in which the general feeling was leaning towards the supposed...

Sports: Mountain bike and road races.
March 29, 2001... The Brunei Darussalam Bicycle Federation will organise the monthly points races for mountain bike and road race on March 30 and April 1 respectively. The mountain bike race on Friday, March 30 will be held at the Recreation Park Bukit...

Sports: Charity golf meet at RBGCC.
March 29, 2001... The DYTM Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Golf Challenge Cup tournament will be held Sunday April 8 at the Royal Brunei Golf and Country Club, Jerudong with all interested golfers in Brunei invited to take part. The tournament is...

Borneo: Chong sworn-in as Sabah Chief Minister.
March 28, 2001... KOTA KINABALU - Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president Datuk Chong Kah Kiat took his oath of office as Sabah's new Chief Minister before the Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Sakaran Dandai at Istana Negeri here yesterday. High Court Judge...

Borneo: Robber who stripped couple jailed 3 years.
March 28, 2001... MIRI - A 20-year-old youth who pleaded guilty to robbing a couple and stripping them two years ago, was jailed for three years yesterday. Sessions Judge Abdul Rahman Sebli ordered Jong Yew Sin's sentence to begin from the date of his arrest...

Borneo: Limbang bank workers stage peaceful protest.
March 28, 2001... LIMBANG - More than 50 union members from five financial institutions here yesterday morning held a peaceful one-hour protest in support of the statewide demonstration of the Sarawak Bank Employees' Union (SBEU). A spokesman for the...

Brunei: Asean shapes up for e-government.
March 28, 2001... Riding on the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) wave that is sweeping the region, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is embarking on a move to introduce electronic government (e-government) in their respective...

Brunei: Supplier of illegal meat arrested.
March 28, 2001... A man was arrested in Kuala Belait on Monday night for allegedly dealing in the supply of contraband chicken meat. The 37-year-old local from Kg Mumong was believed to have been involved in the sale and distribution of meat that were...

Brunei: Jerudong Park eyes family fun.
March 28, 2001... Numerous events have been lined up to attract more families and children to the world-renowned Jerudong Park. Jerudong Park yesterday announced plans to become a world-class family entertainment centre where people from all walks of life,...

Brunei: Brunei-Muara warned of major water disruption.
March 28, 2001... Get ready! The supply of water to many major residential areas as well as commercial areas in Brunei-Muara District will be disrupted for about six hours on Thursday, March 29 from 8 in the morning. This was announced with regrets by the...

Brunei: Lambak Kanan's water problem.
March 28, 2001... Several residents in Lambak Kanan are complaining of low water pressure, a problem they claimed has been going on for about three weeks. One of the residents alleged that no effort has been made by the "water section of the Public Works...

Brunei: Telecom Business Centre launched.
March 28, 2001... In an effort to get closer to its customers in providing convenient telecommunications services, the Telecommu-nications Department has set up a new Telecom Business Centre located at its Headquarters, Old Airport Berakas. The Telecom...

Brunei: Hijrah babies receive gifts.
March 28, 2001... Eight 1422 Hijrah babies received gifts from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, as well as gifts by TAIB, IDBB, and IBB yesterday afternoon. Pehin Jawatan Luar Pekerma Raja Dato Seri Utama Dr. Ustaz Haji Awang Mod Zain bin Serudin,...

Brunei: Halaqah introduces Ostrich meat.
March 28, 2001... Halaqah Foodland will participate in the Maal Hijrah 1422 Bazaar that will take place at the Jerudong Park Garden from March 29 to April 1, between 4pm to 9.30pm. Among others, the company will put on display their main product of Lamb,...

Brunei: Ministry of Education to hold Hijrah ceremony.
March 28, 2001... In conjunction with the commemoration of the Muslim new year, 1422 Hijrah, Majlis Kebangsaan Pengiktirafan Kelulusan with the Special Eduaction Unit of the Ministry of Education will be having a ceremony to welcome the new year 1422. The...

Brunei: Visit by University of Windsor VP.
March 28, 2001... The Vice President Academic, Dr Neil Gold from the University of Windsor is scheduled to visit Brunei today. Dr Gold will be accompanied by Mr Dani Zaretsky, International Representative, who visited Brunei in October, last year, in order...

Brunei: TB under control in Brunei.
March 28, 2001... The deadly tuberculosis disease that continues to kill two million people globally and makes eight million others sick every year is under control in Brunei., the Acting Minister of Health Pehin Dato Haji Awang Aziz said. TB was once a...

Brunei: `Green city sans skyscrapers'.
March 28, 2001... A top Philippine television reporter and her crew are shooting Brunei's top tourist spots for her international award-winning TV Magazine Che Che Lazaro Presents in conjunction with Visit Brunei Year 2001. The show is scheduled to be...

Brunei: Local denies running karaoke.
March 28, 2001... A 51-year-old Chinese local, Han Eng Guan, claimed trial in court yesterday to two charges of running a karaoke without license and possession of liquors two years ago. He denied running a karaoke business without a license on February...

Brunei: Guarantor sued for someone else's debt.
March 28, 2001... A civil suit was filed against a car guarantor, after the third party, to whom he sold his car to, failed continue paying arrears amounting to $10,488.092. The defendant, Rosmalee bin Abu Bakar, paid $981 in arrears occurred on June and...

Brunei: Indonesian jailed for using fake passport.
March 28, 2001... It took a 30-year-old Indonesian man, Darwis bin Ababu, 600,000 rupiahs and a photograph to buy a fake passport. In court yesterday, he was sent to two months in jail for misrepresenting himself as someone else in the passport. ...

Brunei: Woman fined for abetting alcohol sale.
March 28, 2001... A 29-year-old woman, Masnah binte Tuah, charged of abetting two men to sell 10 bottles of Andy Player Special Whisky during His Majesty's birthday celebration was fined $500 or a month in jail by Chief Magistrate Hairolarni bin Abd Majid. ...

Brunei: Smuggler jailed for failing to pay fine.
March 28, 2001... A Malaysian father of five, Talap bin Buntak, aged 35, was fined $500 in court yesterday, after he was caught smuggling vegetables from Limbang, Malaysia. He was sent to prison for one month when he could not pay the fine. He was...

Brunei: BSCL donates to KACA.
March 28, 2001... The nation's much-loved special children foundation (KACA) has received another addition to their collection of toys yesterday when the British School Community Link, BSCL donated some new toys and educational equipment to the centre. ...

Brunei: A life time experience - Disney.
March 28, 2001... Thirty million families from around the world enjoy the Disney live family entertainment, and audiences around the world share the magic and dreams that only live performances can create. Certainly we do not want to miss a show like this. ...

Sports: FAM `yes' to Brunei's request.
March 28, 2001... KOTA KINABALU - Brunei, it seems, will play in this year's M-League after all. The 1999 Malaysia Cup champions entry was made possible after the FA of Malaysia (FAM) agreed to a second request for revision of Brunei's Premier Two...

Sports: Sabah in second round.
March 28, 2001... KOTA KINABALU - Sabah qualified for the second round of the FA Cup soccer tournament when they edged Pahang 2-1 in aggregate at the Penampang Stadium last evening. But the homesters needed a golden goal to see them through, for they were...

Borneo: PPB petition for SNAP to surrender Limbang.
March 27, 2001... MIRI - As Sarawak is gearing up to hold its State election anytime now till November this year, the Parti Pesaka Bumiputra (PPB) Limbang division has made known their demand that Sarawak National Party (SNAP) should surrender the Limbang seat...

Borneo: Shuttle service to open up Mulu Park: Taib.
March 27, 2001... KUCHING - Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abdul Taib Mahmud said the government together with private investors as well as foreign technical support company are working together to boost the tourism development of Sarawak's Mulu Caves in Miri....

Borneo: SEA Games torch arrives in Lawas.
March 27, 2001... The border town of Merapok in Lawas was enveloped in colourful atmosphere when the different ethnic group here dressed in their outfits to welcome the arrival of the 21st. SEA Games torch and games' mascot "The Squirrel" for the Sarawak leg...

Brunei: Call to screen foreign workers.
March 27, 2001... Some members of the public are demanding assurances from the government and foreign recruitment agencies that criminal records of foreign workers be thoroughly screened before they are brought into the country. The call by a few...

Brunei: Sultan joins people in New Year gathering.
March 27, 2001... His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday joined hundreds of his citizens to observe the new Islamic Year of 1422 Hijrah at the Jame Asr' Hassanil Bolkiah mosque in Kiarong. Accompanying His Majesty were...

Brunei: Seven couples welcome Islamic new year babies.
March 27, 2001... The new Islamic year or Hijrah brought luck to seven couples, RTB reported last night. They celebrated the Islamic new year with the births of their babies. The seven babies were born between the Maghrib prayer time on Sunday until 6pm...

Brunei: Driver injured in accident at Kg Tanah Jambu.
March 27, 2001... Two vehicles, one of them driven by a local and the other driven by a foreign worker, were involved in an accident yesterday afternoon along Km 14 Jalan Muara. A police constable who was at the accident scene said that the mishap...

Brunei: Teenagers battle bush fire in Lambak Kanan.
March 27, 2001... About 30 youths, aged under 18 years old, put out what was described as a "bush fire" at Simpang 169 of a housing area at Lambak Kanan yesterday afternoon. For 15 minutes, the teenagers threw pails of water and shovelled sand into the...

Brunei: When there's a will...
March 27, 2001... Medan Mesra, Jalan Gaya recently played host to a very special event. The Society of the Blind Sabah held a gathering for its members. The gathering was aimed at proving that the blind were not a handicap to society and could garner their...

Brunei: Bruneians join Limbang hash run.
March 27, 2001... More than seventy members from the Brunei Darussalam Hardcore Hash Home Harriers and Limbang Hash club Saturday took part in a healthy hash run at Bukit Malau some 23 kilometres from the Limbang town. The run, the first for this year,...