His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam has consented to send messages of congratulations to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand and to His Excellency Thaksin Shinawatra, the Prime Minister, on the occasion of the 78th birthday anniversary of the Thai Monarch.
 

In the message, His Majesty expressed his satisfaction with the warm and friendly relations and deep understanding between Brunei Darussalam and Thailand at the bilateral level and in ASEAN. His Majesty hoped that this be maintained and enhanced in the future for the good of the two countries and people. His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam also hoped that His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej would remain in good health and happy and for the people of Thailand to enjoy continued progress and prosperity.

In a similar congratulatory message to His Excellency Thaksin Shinawatra, His Majesty congratulated the Thai Premier and the Government and People of Thailand on the occasion of the 78th birthday anniversary of their Monarch. His Majesty also expressed his satisfaction with the warm and friendly relations that had long been established between the two countries. His Majesty wished that this be maintained and enhanced in the future for mutual benefit of the two countries and peoples. His Majesty also wished His Excellency Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, lasting good health and happiness and for the prosperity of the people of Thailand.

His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, meanwhile sent a message of congratulations to His Excellency Dr. Kantathi Suphamongkhon, Thailand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of the birthday of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. In his message, His Royal Highness expressed appreciation on the excellent relations between the two countries and looked forward to continuing work together and to enhancing relations as bilateral and regional partners.

Family culture or usrah, when applied in government agencies and educational institutions, can highly motivate its senior officers and staffs. This is because the culture creates a sense of respect and tolerance of each other. At schools, the culture can be adopted as a teaching approach in guiding pupils and students. The method using usrah is most appropriate because teachers must possess a sense of loving and caring, a high degree of patience and never get bored of their job. This was underlined Sunday by the Deputy Minister of Education at the Family Day Celebration of the Islamic Education Department.
 

Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Doctor Haji Mohammad said that as an agency responsible in conducting religious studies, the Islamic Education Department must explore and study other effective strategies that can be adapted into its programs. This is necessary in ensuring that religious studies can be widely propagated among members of the community through the practice of muzakarah or discussion within the spirit of family culture. The highlight of the gathering was the presentation of the Family Meritorious Awards to four people.
 

At a separate gathering in the afternoon, the Deputy Minister of Education stressed the importance of quality education programs for the benefit of all. He called for relevant school activities, such as in academic and extra curriculum, to focus not only on quantity but also quality or the impact of its benefit to students and community.

Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Doctor Haji Mohammad made the remarks at certificates presentation ceremony for Primary Six pupils of the Nusa Laila Puteri School and Nusa Jaya School. The Education Deputy Minister further said both aspects of quantity and quality should be preserved to help the nation in instilling the Concept of Malay Islamic Monarchy Philosophy.

He hoped the objectives behind the MIB Concept would be fully understood and that students would absorb the principles. The MIB mission is deemed essential in bringing up today’s young children by teaching them good social manners, polite behaviour and a firm belief in religion apart from enriching them with quality academic knowledge. It is the nation’s hope that the schools would produce excellent students it can be proud of in various professions. More than 200 pupils of the Nusa Laila Puteri School and the Nusa Jaya School passed the exam, with over 200 of them including 24 pupils achieving 5A’s in the Primary School Assessment or PSR Examination this year.

The Islamic Religious Council Act stipulates that converts should be placed under the care of the council for three months to enable them to learn and absorb the new faith. During the period, their financial needs are also taken care of by the body. The Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs highlighted the requirements and privileges for converts under the act at a prize presentation ceremony for converts who won the recital of Quranic and Lazim Verses, and the Nasyid National Competition.
 

According to Pehin Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin, there is no regulation that converts remain as a group of people who hold on to that status for a long period. Their status changed when they are no longer regarded as converts. However in the aspect of management, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has set a period of ten years for a convert to be eligible to receive privileges such as financial aid from the tithe collection fund.
 

Awang Moksin bin Karim and Dayang Nurul Ayunie binti Abdullah, both from the Temburong District, were crowned champions in the Quran Reading Category. The Sana’ul Iman Team, also from the Temburong District, emerged as top winner in the Nasyid Competition. Meanwhile, Awang Haji Muhammad Hidayatullah bin Abdullah Ang from the Brunei Muara District won the Memorising of Lazim Verses, with Dayang Noraini binti Muhammad Abas from the Tutong District being the woman champion. The competition was held inconjunction with the 20th Anniversary of the Islamic Dakwah Centre.

South East Asia is noted for its rich terrestrial and aquatic biodiversities. It is estimated that 5,000 seed plants are found in Brunei Darussalam alone as compared to 8,019 species for Peninsular Malaysia and 10,000 to 12,000 for the whole of Borneo. The Vice Chancellor of Universiti Brunei Darussalam stated this at the official opening of the Third National Congress on Biology. Dato Paduka Doctor Haji Ismail also said that in terms of proportion, Brunei Darussalam hosts at least 40 percent of seed plants found in Borneo and yet Brunei is small in size in comparison with neighbouring Sabah, Sarawak and Kalimantan. Its aquatic biodiversity is equally rich as well, with almost 100 freshwater fishes recorded in lake, rivers and tributaries, and a few of these are endemic species.
 

The Brunei Darussalam Biology Association or PBioBD was officially registered in September 2000. Its aim is to promote contemporary and recent scientific development on biology and its applications, to facilitate exchange of information in biology and its applications through scientific meetings, exhibitions and publications. The one-day congress is being attended by professionals, associates as well as primary, secondary and tertiary students.

Speaking at the closing of the International Seminar on Sociology and Anthropology in Borneo, the Vice Chancellor of UBD said that in the near future, the University’s Sociology and Anthropology Unit will be upgraded to become a department. He also holds out the prospects of offering programs and courses to other students who want to know more about the subject. Dato Dr. Haji Ismail also hoped that the conference has generated a momentum for further cooperation in teaching and research in the form of joint projects and through staff and student exchanges.

Universiti Brunei Darussalam is well-placed to become a Centre of Anthropological Research and Teaching Centre in Borneo, in which last year, it introduced a new undergraduate program. The seminar concluded with a presentation of certificates to the participants.

Brunei Darussalam have finally won gold in the SEA Games in the Philippines through the Triple Lawn Bowling for men.
 

The only gold medal for Brunei was won by the country’s trio - Pengiran Md. Salleh Chuchu Pengiran Haji Tuah, Haji Naim Brahim and Lokman Haji Md. Salleh. They defeated the Malaysian trio, 16-9 in the final.

Terengganu led in the second half after the first half ended in a scoreless draw. Brunei DPMM FC managed to level the score 1-1 through import player, Rosario Antonio Lombardi Rossi four minutes before the game ended.

The Ministry of Development and departments under it, Sunday held a walkathon at the Bukit Shahbandar Forest Recreation Park. The event began with an aerobic exercise and among those taking part was the Minister of Development, Pehin Dato Paduka Haji Awang Abdullah, his Deputy, Dato Paduka Doctor Haji Mat Suny as well as Permanent Secretaries at the ministry.
 

The event was held to mark the World Town Planning Day 2005. Its other aim is to raise awareness on the importance of health and fitness as well as to foster closer relationship among the ministry’s officers and staff and their families. The walkathon was organised by the Town and Country Planning Department.

Brunei Darussalam aspires to create an advanced information society in which everyone is able to access, gain, share and exploit knowledge in order to maximise their potentials and improve their quality of life. This particularly is important as a prerequisite to transform Brunei Darussalam into a knowledge economy supported by modern communications infrastructure. The Deputy Minister of Communications underlined this ahead of the Microsoft Government Leaders Forum - Asia to be held in New Delhi. Dato Paduka Haji Yusof bin Haji Abdul Hamid is leading a delegation comprising senior officials from the Brunei Darussalam Information Technology, BIT Council to attend the day-day forum in the Indian capital starting today.
 

The Microsoft Government Leaders Forum - Asia will provide a dynamic discussion platform for government leaders from the Asia-Pacific Region. Wide-ranging perspectives will be exchanged on a variety of challenging and complex issues, revolving around the central theme of “Leading in a Connected World”. This is the ninth year that Microsoft has been engaged in hosting an event dedicated to the public sector. Brunei Darussalam’s delegation this year will have the opportunity to meet the founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, and other senior Microsoft executives, and more importantly, the opportunity to pitch Brunei Darussalam as a continued location for attractive investment to Microsoft as well as to the other attending government and corporate leaders from 15 countries in the Asia-Pacific.