Brunei Go Team recently participated in the Second ‘Four Seas Cup’ Hong Kong International University Student WeiQi Competition in Hong Kong.
The competition, held from July 9 to 13 at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) saw the participation of Sia Kao Xiang, Zhao Zhengbo, and Lee Jin Quan, led by Chin Sin Voon.
Participating countries and regions were China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Taipei, Hong Kong and Macau.
“This was the team’s first time participating, and the matches served as a stepping stone towards improvement,” it said in a statement. – James Kon
Brunei Go Team in a group photo. PHOTO: BRUNEI DARUSSALAM GO ASSOCIATION
Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Primary School organised the Surah Lazim Memorisation Competition on Thursday in conjunction with Ilal Hijrah 1446 celebration with the participation of 15 students from Year 1 to Year 5.
Islamic Studies Department Acting Head of Islamic Religious Knowledge (IRK) Ernalisa @ Hanisah ‘Aqilah binti Haji Shaheed was present.
The competition, aimed to support the Islamic education curriculum for Al-Quran and Amali Agama subjects, is part of the annual religious calendar held by the school in commemorating
Ilal Hijrah. It also aimed to encourage students to read Al-Quran daily to produce a generation of students that eagerly seeks knowledge from the holy book. – Rokiah Mahmud
Islamic Studies Department Acting Head of Islamic Religious Knowledge Ernalisa @ Hanisah ‘Aqilah binti Haji Shaheed at the event. PHOTO: SALWATI HAJI YAHYAA participant during the competition. PHOTO: SALWATI HAJI YAHYA
Two DPMM FC‘s home games in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) on July 27 and September 13 have been rescheduled to be played at Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore instead of Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium.
According to the SPL, due to unforeseen circumstances from national events, Radio Television Brunei is unable to broadcast DPMM FC’s matches against Young Lions in July and Balestier Khalsa in September. – James Kon
I would like to respond to the letter, ‘We need to keep our native tongue alive’, published in the Opinion page on July 24, 2024. I believe the author really hit the nail in the head when he or she said local words are slowly going out of vogue.
As a parent, with a strong local identity, I have been having a very hard time trying to get my six children to embrace Bahasa Melayu Brunei (Brunei Malay language). Whenever I ‘accidentally’ uttered a Brunei Malay word, they would look at me as if I was speaking in a foreign language.
Growing up, my grandparents would sing me various local nursery rhymes, such as Oh Kanak-Kanak. These songs are unique to our culture, but at the rate that we’re going, I fear that they would disappear along with our native tongue. We need to do our part in making sure they don’t go extinct.
In the globalised world we live in, youngsters are more exposed than ever to entertainment materials of the West. Our job is not to deny them the window to the world; our job is to help them appreciate our heritage. Perhaps we can start with local nursery rhymes?
The director, principal, and teachers of Sinaran Pelangi School visited Springhill Farm recently to deepen their understanding of innovative farming techniques and environmental stewardship.
The delegation was introduced to aquaponics, rainwater harvesting, and sustainable farming practices, showcasing the future of agriculture, merging technology with environmental consciousness to produce food efficiently and sustainably.
Springhill Farm co-founder Chern Loo led the delegation on a hike around the farm, allowing the educators to witness the practical applications of the farming techniques and understand their benefits in a real-world setting.
The visit to the farm marks a significant step for Sinaran Pelangi School in promoting environmental education and sustainable practices among its students and staff.
It underscores the school’s commitment to fostering a generation that values and practices sustainability in their daily lives. – James Kon
The Sinaran Pelangi School delegation in a group photo with Springhill Farm co-founder Chern Loo. PHOTO: JAMES KON
The Under-19 (U-19) National Football Team returned home after participating in the ASEAN U-19 Boys’ Championship 2024 in Surabaya, Indonesia.
Football Association of Brunei Darussalam Deputy President Haji Mahrub bin Haji Murni while welcoming the arrival of the national team expressed the hope that the players will continue to train hard to improve their achievements in the future.
“Even though our team lost all the matches, we saw the performance of the players improve from one match to another. We are confident that persistence in continuing the exercises will help strengthen our team in the future,” he said at the Brunei Darussalam International Airport yesterday.
“All the players gave their best game and the experience will definitely be taken into account for players to pick themselves up and carve out success one day,” he added.
The national team was placed in Group ‘C’ along with Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. The national team lost to Malaysia with a score of 0-11, before losing to the Thai team 0-6 and Singapore 0-2. – Azlan Othman
A new trend is sweeping through the fitness community, with enthusiasts increasingly travelling to participate in functional fitness competitions.
These events offer a chance to push both mental and physical boundaries, with the REDLINE Fitness Games emerging as Malaysia’s premier event in this burgeoning scene.
As a notable fitness race for gym-goers and fitness enthusiasts, the fitness event was launched in 2023 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and has quickly gained popularity in the local fitness community, with plans for regional expansion across Southeast Asia this year and beyond.
The highly prestigious competition, held over two days, attracted numerous participants, including a notable contingent from Brunei, mixing with an international field.
Drawing inspiration from globally recognised events like HYROX, the fitness event features 12 unique workout stations, each presenting its own set of challenges focused on various muscle groups.
Catering to participants of all fitness levels, each routine tests a combination of cardio, strength, endurance, power, balance, agility, and coordination.
Set against the backdrop of an expansive exhibition hall, the event owes its vision to founder Callum Meehan, a regular podium finisher in Spartan events. Now in its second year, the fitness event saw around 3,000 participants register across various categories.
PHOTO: ENVATOThe writer (far right) and his team at the event. PHOTO: FADHIL YUNUS
These included the men’s and women’s singles competitive, team mixed relay, team men’s relay, team women’s relay, women’s doubles, men’s doubles, mixed doubles, men’s and women’s open, and singles beginners.
Each category adjusts the weights, repetitions, and distances required for routines like the farmer’s carry and mule. Advanced categories demand heavier weights and more repetitions, while the open categories feature lighter weights and fewer repetitions.
Before the event kicks off, competitors receive a wave time, indicating their start time. As anticipation builds, participants gather under the red-themed arch, ready to begin their race.
Referred to as Redliners by the organisers, participants receive a briefing from the head judge just minutes before their start. Once the vital information is read out, months of training come down to the moment of truth.
The first workout is a 500-metre (m) run through a series of straights and corners, followed by a set number of calories on the rowing machine. Each participant aims to complete the rowing with the fastest time to gain an advantage.
Next, they face 20 repetitions of dead ball burpees, a gruelling routine involving a full burpee followed by throwing a dead ball over a bar set at a specific height.
This is followed by the pendulum shot, combining balance, coordination, strength, and agility.
Participants squat on a Bosu ball – a semi-circular bouncy ball – and throw a wall ball onto a wall sideways.
Cardiovascular endurance is further tested on the bike equipment, focusing on lower body strength. Participants then perform squats and lunges while carrying a sandbag on their shoulders before moving to the battle rope whips station.
The farmer’s carry requires competitors to carry heavy dumbbells, locking their muscles to reach the end of the line. Agility is then tested in the agility chamber, where participants tap lighted cones 40 times before tackling the SkiErg.
After mastering the SkiErg, participants face the ule, where they carry two different weights while performing shuttle runs. Finally, they must push and pull a sled back and forth twice, focusing on power and functional strength.
As the gruelling race reaches its climax, participants cross the finish line, earning a uniquely decorated medal in the form of a mini kettlebell, identical to the REDLINE logo.
The fitness event not only tests physical prowess but also fosters a sense of community among fitness enthusiasts. The competition’s blend of rigorous challenges and supportive atmosphere makes it a standout event in the functional fitness landscape.
With each passing year, the fitness event continues to grow in popularity, drawing participants eager to test their limits and celebrate their achievements. The event’s success underscores the growing trend of functional fitness competitions, providing a platform for individuals to showcase their strength, endurance, and resilience. – Fadhil Yunus
Photos show Kindergarten 2 students from St George’s School participating in activities at the Angkasa Oud Agarwood Factory in Kampong Tanjong Maya, Tutong District.
During the visit, students learnt the production of perfumes, traditional medicines, consumable items made from oud wood and made their own natural bath bombs.
PHOTO: ST GEORGE’S SCHOOLPHOTO: ST GEORGE’S SCHOOLPHOTO: ST GEORGE’S SCHOOL
In the last two years, the authorities have been mandating all government projects to obtain concrete from certified plants.
It is a good move from the authorities in ensuring rules and regulations are in place.
However, it has posed a challenge for suppliers and contractors. This is on top of licensing and land issues. For a long while now, the majority of suppliers have not been given proper certification due to the ongoing land lease issues. With the new rule, it has created a supply bottleneck, keeping contractors from doing their job. When delays happen, the blame inevitably falls on the contractors.
Ultimately, our goal is to support development in the country. As such, I would like to call on the authorities to resolve the ongoing issues, maybe even simplify the process, to allow the construction industry to thrive.
Standard Chartered Securities (B) Bhd (SCSB) announced that its clients can now perform investment risk profiling online through the bank’s mobile app or online banking.
SCSB said the profiling establishes the Client Investment Profile, which is the first step for clients before investing with them.
“By completing the profiling, clients will be able to uncover their risk rating which helps determine their risk appetite hence matching their rating profile with suitable products carrying the same risk rating or lower,” said SCSB.
The process was previously performed physically with the need to fill and sign paper forms.
“With this capability available online now, clients can perform their profiling any time at their convenience and have accessed to past records. Non-investor clients can also perform this profiling if they are interested to uncover their risk appetite and rating.”
SCSB CEO Brenda Low, who is also the head of Wealth and Retail Banking at Standard Chartered Bank Brunei said, “We are delighted to enable this process digitally for our client’s convenience as well as opening this up to non-investors who may be curious on starting their investment journey with SCSB.
“With continuous awareness and education, we aim to empower our clients with a wealth of resources and capabilities for our clients to take charge of their aspirations and take advantage of opportunities to grow and preserve their wealth.”
