Almost ten million dollars from the tithe collections will be distributed to 16,534 poor people from 3,856 families in conjunction with the upcoming Hari Raya Aidil Fitri festivity in the country.  Every family head will receive thirteen hundred dollars and their defendants will get 380 dollars.

The distribution of the zakat totalling 9,830,440 dollars will be made through banks for those who have bank accounts while those without bank accounts will receive the zakat through the Brunei Islamic Religious Council.  The distribution was decided by the Zakat Committee in their meeting last week.  The committee also decided to continue giving out the zakat to poor families in the form of monthly payment for a period of one year. The committee will also hand out similar contribution to 3,106 converts also in conjunction with the coming Hari Raya.  Every convert family will receive three hundred dollars and their defendants will get 220 dollars.  Appointed amils will distribute the zakat to them directly.

A five member delegation from the Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia made a courtesy call on the Minister of Religious Affairs, Monday.  Pehin Dato Seri Utama Doctor Ustaz Haji Awang Mohammad Zain received the Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia, Dato Doctor Abdullah bin Mohamad Zin and delegation at his office at Jalan Menteri Besar.  The Malaysian Minister presented an invitation letter to the Minister of Religious Affairs to the 12th Non-Formal Annual Meeting of Religious Ministers of Brunei Darussalam, the Republic of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Republic of Singapore, MABIMS.  The meeting will take place on the 30th of next month in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.

Also present at the function were the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, Pehin Dato Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin, the Permanent Secretary, Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Rahman and the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Dato Paduka Haji Ishaaq.

During the visit, the Malaysian delegation heard a briefing on the organisational structure and roles of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and departments under it.  It was delivered by a Senior Education Officer at the ministry, Awang Haji Abu Bakar.  The delegation will leave the country today.

The Minister of Health, Pehin Dato Paduka Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman has presented donations to twenty orphans in the Tutong District.  The orphans belonged to a number of staff of the Pengiran Muda Mahkota Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah Hospital and personnel of the Department of Health Services in the district who had passed away. 

Also present was the Deputy Minister of Health, Pehin Dato Paduka Haji Hazair as well senior officers of the ministry.  The donations would help to lessen the burdens of the orphans in the district, especially in celebrating the upcoming Hari Raya festivity.

Meanwhile, the Training and Rehabilitation Centre for the Special Children at Pusat Ehsan of Bengkurong, Monday received a donation from the Public Service Department. The one thousand dollar donation was presented by the Director General of Public Service, Dato Paduka Haji Saifun bin Haji Awang Besar.  

It was received by the Deputy Permanent Secretary at Prime Minister’s Office as one of the Trustee Committees of the Pusat Ehsan.  The presentation of the donation was witnessed by a senior official of the Public Service and the Executive Committee of Pusat Ehsan and Special Children of the centre.  The donation came from proceeds raised through a walkathon organised by the Public Service Department in May this year. 

Brunei Police District has arrested several local men and a woman aged between 19 to 42 years in connection with several house break-ins and theft cases.  According to Officer Commanding of Brunei Police District, Acting Senior Superintendent Pengiran Haji Rakit bin Pengiran Haji Osman, from the arrest and investigation being carried out, the police has recovered several goods and part of it is still under investigation.

Some of the stolen goods include laptops, jewelleries VCD/DVD player, video Camcoder, Playstation 2 and car audio system.  He added that some of them were already have criminal records and unemployed.  Following the arrests, the police believed that it will help them in solving several cases of house break-ins and thefts cases which were reported at police stations in Brunei Muara District.

Meanwhile, the Bandar Seri Begawan Magistrate’s Court has slapped a fine of 30 thousand dollars or in default six months in jail against a local company for violating the country’s Immigration Act.  The court found Syarikat Truebridge Callender Beach (B) Sendirian Berhad guilty of employing an Immigration offender.  The court gave the company a period of one month to pay the fine.

The Acting Director of Technical Education, Ministry of Education appealed for all good incorporate companies in coming forward to be involved in Apprenticeship Training Scheme, if they have not yet done so, including on Professional Cookery and Services and Motor Vehicles Mechanics.  Awang Jamal bin Haji Kahar made the call at the Signing Ceremony of the Apprenticeship Training Agreement for National Trade Certificate Level 2 in Refrigeration and Air-conditioning, Monday.  He also called for the involvement of parents and guardian in bringing the Apprenticeship Training Schemes to the greater heights so that the country can be proud of it as an excellent form of skill training and eventually a career for the young people. 

The signing of the Apprenticeship Training Agreement signifies the commencement of and commitment to training by the seventh intake apprentices for the one and a half years full-time Brunei Darussalam Technical and Vocational Education Council National Certificate Level 2 in Refrigeration and Air-conditioning.  The signing was between five refrigeration and air-conditioning companies and eight apprentices.  Present to witness the ceremony was the Commissioner of Labour, Awang Haji Omar bin Haji Abdul Rahman.