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Nation all set for auspicious National Day celebrations
 
 

Participants and performers of the Brunei Darussalam's 21st National Day Celebration are all set and ready for the auspicious event after the final rehearsal for the occasion was held Monday at the Taman Sir Muda Omar Ali Saifuddien. Present at the rehearsal was the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Dato Doctor Awang Haji Hussin.

   
 
 

The ceremonial event will be telecast live by Radio and Television Brunei. Mass Maghrib and Isyak prayers and doa kesyukuran for the National Day will be held at all mosques and suraus throughout the country this evening. This year's celebration carries the theme of "Bersepadu Memperkasa Mandiri Bangsa" or "Together in Strengthening National Self-Reliance".
 
 

National Day 2005 theme encourages self-reliance
 
 
 

In a profile, the theme of Brunei Darussalam's 21st National Day this year, "Bersepadu Memperkasa Mandiri Bangsa," advocates people to denounce the tendency to depend on others. Instead, they should stand on their own feet and be self-reliant; be high-spirited and diligent towards making efforts; and to dispense with seeking either support from others or special privileges as they go about facing life's challenges.

 
 

The theme's profile also emphasizes that the mindset that is the platform for the 21st National Day theme must bear a relation to and serve continuously from the theme of the previous National Day, "Patriotisme Teras Keteguhan Negara" or "Patriotism, The Core Of The Nation's Strength".

 

The theme must be strengthened and further consolidated to the level of national esprit de corps or national pride and solidarity. This should be done in concert and integration at every level of life, in particular in the education field at educational institutions. Youths must be made synonymous with the spirit and outlook of self-reliance, so that they can reap the benefits of their own sweat and toils in working the farms and padi fields, and against storms and waves of the oceans.

 
 

With the spirit of self-reliance as their beacons, they can master the ICT and will not continuously have to depend on foreign consultants. Coupled with the spirit of self-reliance, patriotism will become more solid and more resilient to the challenges of life, and give birth to a nation that can well withstand the tests of time.

  
 

MIPR holds annual Service Awards 2004
 
 

The Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources Monday held a Service Awards 2004 presentation for its officers and staff as well as a 1426 Hijrah celebration and presentation of certificates of appreciation to the Champion of the National Quality Control Circle Convention in Berakas. The Awards presentation which is held annually by the Ministry, is in appreciation and recognition of the

  

 
 

staff's quality performance, efficiency, and discipline throughout the years of their service.

 
 

 

The Minister of Industry and Primary Resources Pehin Dato Awang Haji Abdul Rahman who was the chief guest, presented the awards for 2004 to twenty-two officers and staff of the Ministry.Prior to the awards presentation, a religious talk on lessons from the Hijrah and Work Ethics in the Civil Service, was delivered by religious officers from the Islamic Dakwah Centre.

  
 

ISD, Immigration and Police join forces to combat crime
 
 

Around one hundred and twenty personnel of the Brunei Police District, the Immigration Department and the Department of Internal Security Monday night joined forces in an operation code-named, OPERASI BENTERAS BERSEPADU. The operation around the capital was aimed to combat crimes and strengthen security in the country, especially during the National Day anniversary celebration.

  
 

The focus of the operation was more than 60 rented dwellings around Mukim Sungai Kedayan and Kampung Kianggeh.

  
 

Press conference deals with issues at the heart of on-going cement
price saga
 
 

manufacturer in the sultanate, clarifies its position in addressing the issue of the cost of cement and the recent price increase. The response came after the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources through the Department of the Brunei Industrial Development Body decided to re-allow the importation of cement into Brunei Darussalam.

 
 

In its press conference Monday the company said that the price increase will have to stay as it is. The Managing Director of Butra Heidelberg Cement Sendirian Berhad, Mr. Jean Claude Jamar, explained that the reason for the increase in cement prices are not only due to the rising freight charges and higher raw material cost but also for its survival; hence leaving them no choice but to pass the price increases to the end users.

 
 

He cited the cost of the clinker, the key ingredient, at 70% of the company's total production cost, saying that the clinker price had increased to 2.2 times since 2001.
Regarding the competition with the imported cement, the company's Director Mr. Rubyanto A. Hamidjojo expressed confidence that in terms of quality, credibility, sufficiency and environmentally friendly conditions, Brunei cement is still capable of taking the lead. After the 'surprise' announcement of the price increase of cement, many contractors in Brunei expressed great dissatisfaction and prompting a protest meeting, as they perceived the price hike as totally unreasonable and unacceptable. The Managing Director in today's briefing clarified to the public that it was due to necessities. The choice was either to stop the plant in December or continue production, for which the price increase was much needed.