RTB News - Tuesday,10th January 2006

NEWS:- Tuesday, 10th January 2006

Compensational package amounting to $15.7 million allocates to livestock farmers

His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince; Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office has disclosed that a compensational package amounting to 15. 7 million dollars has been allocated to livestock farmers. His Royal Highness made the disclosure at the second meeting of the National Committee on Bird Flu Pandemic, Monday. The meeting began with doa selamat led by the Minister of Religious Affairs, Pehin Dato Seri Utama Dr. Ustaz Haji Awang Mohamad Zain.

Among the agenda in the meeting was discussion on the outcome of the first meeting of the committee, held on the 25th of November last year. His Royal Highness said the first meeting discussed at length preparations that need to be made, among them, the provision of vaccination to some 20 percent of the population, especially those in high risk.

They include poultry farmers, farm workers, staff of the Agriculture Department and the Ministry of Health as well as of other agencies who are most exposed to poultry and birds. The stockpiling of the Avian Flu vaccination, Tamiflu, was also discussed, and for the vaccination to be given to all rakyat and people of Brunei Darussalam.

The first meeting also discussed when the Avian Flu crisis can be declared, in collaboration with WHO, because usually every case is reported directly to the organisation. His Royal Highness said the meeting also stressed on the need to raise public awareness extensively through education and the media about the bird flu and the influenza pandemic. His Royal Highness further said that in the religious aspect, it was agreed at the first meeting for special prayers to be held at mosques to seek protection and to prevent adverse happenings, and for Friday sermons to talk on the Bird Flu and the Influenza Pandemic. Other issues discussed included compensation to poultry farmers, bans on any public gathering and closures of schools, and if necessary, the closure of borders and other related matters.

At the second meeting Monday, the committee discussed the status of preparations by ministries towards preventing and controlling the Bird Flu from occurring in the country. It also discussed the Plan of Action on handling the influenza pandemic. The meeting also heard the latest development in the Human Avian Influenza. The Plan of Action among others covers measures in providing effective protection and treatment towards reducing risks among health workers.

The Agriculture Department will continue to enhance measures to prevent and control the disease. Continued monitoring of the disease will also be maintained. To date, some 17 countries have been hit by the disease. Together, they have reported a total of nearly 3 thousand 800 cases.

Meanwhile, although Brunei Darussalam is free from the “Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza” or HPAI infection, its priority is focused on raising the state of readiness by putting in place detection and preventive measures to safeguard human as well as animal health. His Majesty’s government is taking measures to prevent the disease spreading into the country and has also drawn up a preparedness plan for any eventuality due to HPAI.

As such, a standard operating procedure on how to handle a real avian influenza outbreak was held at the Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah Hospital in Tutong recently. The hospital has been dedicated as the centre of quarantine and treatment of influenza patients. There are two isolation wards at the hospital, designed according to the international and World Health Organisation, WHO standard.

Brunei Haj pilgrims join some 2.5 million Muslims in mass gathering of Wukuf

Brunei Darussalam’s Haj pilgrims, Monday joined some 2.5 million Muslims from around the world in the mass religious gathering of Wukuf or stationing in the central rite of Haj pilgrimage at Mount Arafat, the annual pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca. The rite of wukuf, or standing before sunset on Arafat is the high point of the hajj and without which it would be considered incomplete.

Tracing a journey made by the Prophet Mohammed more than 1,400 years ago, pilgrims gather for an emotional assembly in Arafat, a small plain some 250 metres above sea level surrounded by mountains on all sides. They pray for mercy and forgiveness at the scene of the Prophet’s last sermon. Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for all devout, able-bodied Muslims with the means for the journey.

ACB publishes workbooks and guidebooks on corruption-prevention

The inclusion of anti-graft as one of the educational subjects in the national curriculum demonstrates the strong commitment and ‘political will’ of His Majesty’s Government to rid the country of corruption. The Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau said that in order to achieve the objective, teachers of primary and secondary schools play a vital role.

Apart from the publication of workbooks and guidebooks for teachers on corruption-prevention, she said other efforts are also taken that involve all four districts in the country. These include training and workshops to give a better understanding on anti-graft.

Datin Paduka Hajah Intan was speaking at the presentation of books on the subject to principals and teachers of government and non-government schools, Monday. Besides teaching theories to the students, the Anti-Corruption Bureau is introducing an interactive system for primary one youngster to learn the practical aspects of the subject on computer.

The bureau is also taking other approaches to make the pupils to understand the lessons. One of them is teaching songs on anti-graft that suit their age group, with themes such as honesty, sincerity and trustworthiness. The songs have been compiled in a book and compact disc form and will be distributed to the schools.

BRUTEX charged for failure to pay salaries of their workers

The Bandar Seri Begawan Magistrate’s Court has preferred an additional 74 charges under the Labour Act against BRUTEX Manufacturing Company Sendirian Berhad, Ho Kim Kwee, Pehin Dato Seri Paduka Haji Awang Hussein, Hajah Zakiah binti Pehin Orang Kaya Di-Gadong Seri Diraja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Yusof and How Chai Long.

It brought the total number of charges against them to 200. The next mention date for the case is the 6th of February 2006. BRUTEX and its directors are charged under the Act for failure to pay the salaries of their workers. It is believed that there are 513 workers who did not receive their salaries of between 6 and 7 months when the company went into liquidation on the 27th of September 2005.

Another five produced to court over restaurant attack

In a separate case, another five men have been produced before the Magistrate’s Court following a police investigation into an incident which occurred at Restoran Al-Hilal in Jalan Sultan in the capital on the 5th of this month. The court decided to order the five men, all Bruneians, to be held in remand until Thursday, the 12th of this month.

Earlier, three men were also held in remand for further investigation into the case. Another four were released on bail. The police force is asking members of the public who had witnessed the incident to come forward to help in their investigation, or to contact the Bandar Seri Begawan Police Station through the number 2242334 or hotline 993.

Fire victims receive financial aid

Ten personnel of the police force who lost their belongings in a fire in November last year have received financial aid from a local bank. A cheque worth ten thousand dollars was handed over by TAIB’s Finance Chief Officer, Awang Haji Jaludin bin Mohd. Ali to the Commissioner of Police, Pehin Dato Paduka Seri Zainuddin.

The victims were made homeless when fire razed their barrack in Kampung Limau Manis in the Brunei Muara District two months ago. They have been relocated to the police housing in Jalan Tutong.

END OF NEWS

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