Brunei's sustainable conservation of forest attributes to the success of preserving 78 percent of its forest from extinction. The Permenant Secretary at the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, Awang Haji Mohamad Hamid bin Haji Mohamad Jaafar, laid the emphasis when he officiated at the launch of "World Forestry Day 2005".

The event took place at the Bukit Patoi Recreation Park in the Temburong District. Subsequently, the guest of honour also officially declared open the park and presented the prize to the winner of a logo competition marking this year's world forestry day. World forestry day is an annual affair aimed at instilling awareness on the public to care and not to exploit the country's forest for development purposes.

It is the Brunei Economic Development Board's strategy to kick-start the country's economic diversification and to create at least 6,000 new permanent jobs by 2008. This was part of a review of the Brunei Darussalam's APEC progress compiled by the Assistant Professor of the Graduate Institute of Translation and Interpretation at the National Taiwan Norman University and independent expert, Dr Tze-Wei Chen. The report, entitled "IAP Peer Review Report of Brunei Darussalam", covers thirteen specific issue areas relating to the realisation of APEC's goals. The IAP or Individual Action Plan, Peer Review Report of Brunei Darussalam is a review of the implementation of the country's Individual Action Plan to achieve APEC's free trade and investment goals. Dr Chen reported that Brunei Darussalam appears to be moving towards her goal of "free and open trade" and is eliminating all tariffs. Currently 79-percent of the country's import tariff lines no longer have tariffs imposed on them and the average applied tariff rate to the rest of the lines is lower than 2-percent. Brunei's strategy for further economic diversification includes accessing and attracting investment to develop downstream and manufacturing industries and the development of foreign direct investment clusters with growth potential. The four priority areas identified by the government in this strategy cover business services, financial services, hospitality and tourism, and transportation services. In the report, Dr Chen concluded that Brunei's progress in the tariff issue of 2004 IAP as quite successful. Seven APEC Member Economies are having their Individual Action Plans reviewed at the current round of APEC meetings in Korea. The review of Brunei Darussalam's IAP took place in Seoul earlier this month.

In the sports news tonight, and onto the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy 2005 championship - where Vietnam and Thailand advance to the semi finals in Group "A". Thailand defeated Indonesia 2-1 tonight to qualify to the semi finals and Vietnam trounced Malaysia
also 2-1.

Vietnam led the first half when they managed to score in the 34th minute through Tran Duc Duong. In the second half, Vietnam still trying to control the game by strengthening its strategy but Malaysia also did well despite Vietnam's attack. Several attacks by Malaysia put pressure on Vietnam and eventually Malaysia managed to score an equalizer in the 62nd minute through Syamshahril bin Gulam. Vietnam secured its position for the semi-finals when Tran Duc Duong once again scored in the 86th minutes.

In another match, Thailand has qualified to the semi-final when it defeated Indonesia by two goals to one. Indonesia took the lead by scoring the first goal in the 22nd minute through Ahmad Zaelani. However three minutes later Thailand equalised through the team captain, Kittipol Papunga.

Preecha Chaokla scored the winning goal for Thailand in the 19th minute of the second half and securing its position for the semi final. The semi final matches on Wednesday will see Thailand meet Laos while Myanmar will play against Vietnam.

In the Malaysian Premier League, Brunei Darussalam collected one point after a two-all draw against Kedah in an away match at the Darul Aman Stadium in Alor Star Kedah.

In the first half, Kedah made their opening score in the very 1st minute through Gabriel Mendez and two minutes later, Kedah scored its second goal through Akmal Rizal.

The Brunei team showed more determination in the second half and made their first goal in the 23rd minute through Rosmini Haji Kahar. Brunei equalised the score in the 32nd minute through their import player, Ferid Idrizovic. It was the 7th and last game for the wasps in the first round of the Malaysian Premier League 2005. In the second round's first game, Brunei will play against Pulau Pinang NTFA on home ground on the 27th of this month.