Fadhil Yunus

As the year 2021 looms to a close, it is safe to say that the sporting scene in Brunei Darussalam has been unsurprisingly quiet and inactive for the most part, largely due to the adverse effects and complications brought by the COVID-19 outbreak.

The closure of indoor and outdoor sports facilities and complexes, prohibition of mass gatherings and continued travel restrictions have all contributed to the absence of sporting activities including competitions, workshops and seminars both locally and abroad.

It also hasn’t been plain sailing for the local governing sporting bodies, which saw their plans heavily disrupted amid the cancellation of tournaments.

Nevertheless, there were promising signs at the start of the year, as selected sports were allowed to organise competitions following revised guidelines of de-escalation measures.

As sports facilities were open for training since the second half of last year, organising competitions for both team and individual sports received the green light in March amid an improved COVID-19 situation and reduction of social distancing measures in the country.

As part of the guidelines and with standard operating procedures in place, only a certain number of people were allowed to enter the competition venues.

The 37th National Day Celebration Squash Championship held at the National Squash Centre of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex represented one of the first tournaments this year.

During the competition, Kyran Young claimed the top gong after a straight-set victory over Pengiran Hasnan bin Pengiran Anak Haji Rozanan in the men’s open final.

The former Wycliff College pupil became the second foreign player to win a local tournament after Malaysian junior star Harith Daniel Jefri in the BSRA 1st Suci Challenge Trophy Squash Tournament in 2019.

A week later, the Brunei Darussalam Golf Association (BDGA) – the country’s governing body for golf – organised the maiden Sonax Cup.

Golf produced memorable sporting moments inspired by the rivalry between talents Awangku Md Syakir bin Pengiran Haji Alli and Mohd Aritz Maldini bin Haji Abdul Majid.

The two have constantly battled for the top prizes in the country and it was no surprise that they were billed as genuine title contenders.

However, it was veteran Suhaimi Ibrahim who grabbed the limelight when he navigated his way to win the Sonax Cup at the Pantai Mentiri Golf Club (PMGC) yet again.

Looking at how the year panned out overall, few might argue that the most in-form player in golf is none other than Awangku Md Syakir. The national athlete won the 31st Pantai Mentiri Amateur Open Golf Championship title by eight shots in June, marking his second triumph in three appearances at the Mentiri-based venue.

His national teammate, Mohd Aritz Maldini, had a similar impact after lifting the 21st Pusat Ehsan Charity Golf Tournament in July, subsequently collecting the second of three coveted trophies in the country.

It was a sense of familiarity in local basketball as Easyway Basketball returned to the summit following victories in the 5.11 National Basketball League and the You-C1000 Basketball Cup in May and July.

Having fielded a number of experienced players in the team who have tasted success, TK Tea House romped to glory in the 5.11 Veteran Basketball League in June.

In June, the highly-anticipated Brunei Netball National League 2021 organised by the Brunei Netball Association (BNA) was finally launched following a lengthy wait.

The tournament saw national players separated into the six teams while local coaches put the knowledge they grasped during a workshop late last year to the test.

The Brunei Amateur Swimming Association (BASA) also made efforts to revive the swimming scene with the 28th Brunei Age Group Swimming Championships (Long Course) in April and the 5th Brunei Sprints and Masters (Short Course) Swimming Championships.

A number of new national records were also registered in both tournaments with rising junior star Hayley Wong breaking a longstanding record of 31 years.

The teenage swimming sensation recorded a time of 2:55.10s in the women’s 200-metre breaststroke, thus lowering the time of 2:55.62s previously set by Nuralia binti Abdul Rahim in 1990.

For the Brunei Super League (BSL), the country’s top football league division, a season was also briefly held though it has since been cancelled, and saw the return of football powerhouse DPMM FC for the first time since the early 2000s.

Futsal also returned from a four-year long absence with teams divided into two groups in the newly-revamped Brunei Futsal League (BFL).

Meanwhile, in running, the Brunei Run in conjunction with the United Nations (UN) International Day of Sport for Development and Peace turned out to be a success despite a maximum cap of 250 participants in compliance with national COVID-19 guidelines.

With the country in search of long distance runners to represent the country in the international scene, Khairul Anuar bin Ramli’s reputation exceeds others as one of the leading runners after winning the men’s 10-kilometre category.

Despite being primarily absent in international competitions, the Sultanate was represented in the Tokyo Olympics by national sprinter Mohd Firdaus Ar-Rasyid bin Haji Mohd Idris and swimmer Muhammad Isa bin Ahmad.

For all the promise in the first half of this year, the sporting scene was hit with another setback following the second wave of infections in early August. Despite being familiar with the measures and restrictions having had the same experience in March last year, the suspension of sports activities and events and postponement of upcoming events led to another period of uncertainty as the country battled with the virus.

While the country’s sporting scene remained at a standstill, Bruneians who were based overseas excelled in their disciplines this year.

In October, Brunei swimmer Nur Haziq Ismail swam his way to three national open records in the men’s 400-metre, 800-metre and 1500-metre freestyle events at the TSA-AIMG swim meet at the Assumption University Suvarnabhumi Campus in Bangkok, Thailand.

The national swimmer is currently on a FINA scholarship based in Thanyapura, Phuket.

Elsewhere in Ireland, national fencer Wardatul Izzah binti Haji Ahmad Ramzuna claimed the silver medal in the women’s sabre event at the Irish Open. The country eased restrictions with the re-opening of indoor and outdoor sport facilities in November, though physical competitions are still put on hold.

Earlier this month, national swimmers Muhammad Isa bin Ahmad and Christian Nikles represented the country in the 15th FINA World Swimming Championships (25-metre) at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The pair, accompanied by national coach Wu Na, also finalised their preparations in their training base in Dubai in the build-up to the prestigious world meet.

Muhammad Isa made back-to-back history after setting two new national short course records with times of 1:04.09s in the men’s 100-metre breaststroke and 29.32s in the men’s 50-metre breaststroke.

Laura Daily

THE WASHINGTON POST – There’s something about the holidays that gets me thinking about home security. Maybe it’s reading on Nextdoor about rampant neighbourhood porch piracy, or maybe it’s a recent stovetop mishap setting off the smoke detector. Even more troubling, maybe it’s the occasional power outage that disconnects me from the security call center, because my home phones, which use Internet, are dead. Am I as protected as I could – and should – be?

In the early 80s, installing a home security system meant drilling holes into window and door frames, screwing in sensors and running wires through walls to a central keypad, all powered by a large battery tucked away in a basement or closet. If you went all in, maybe you had a hard-wired smoke detector, too. That was pretty much the norm for homeowners, including me (my security system dates to 1999), until high-speed Internet, ultrafast wireless and smart home technology became the norm.

Goodbye wires, forgetting to arm your home or fretting if the electricity fails. Hello self-adhesive sensors, high-definition infrared cameras, app-based remote arming and touch-screen panels.

“The past 10 years or so have been amazing for home security,” said Senior Director of Product Development and Engineering Tim Rader at ADT, one of the leading suppliers of home security, with more than six million residential and commercial customers. “The pivot from wired to wireless allowed companies to install sensors in places we couldn’t get to before.

Then, fast-forward to next-gen systems, with smart home technology that can immediately identify if a window has been broken or in what room a fire has started.”

Wireless technology has also paved the way for homeowner-installed systems, said Chief Customer Experience Officer Doug Woodard with SimpliSafe, which launched DIY home security products in 2006.

“People are increasingly comfortable with installing and connecting home technology. Now they have an accessible and affordable way to customise and install their own security system with no long-term contract,” he said.

Whether you’re thinking about installing a new home security system or just want to upgrade your setup, there are some factors to consider. Even the most basic of online searches will return dozens of comprehensive reviews of home security systems, which is a good place to start.

Forensic alarm science and security expert in Tenafly, New Jersey, Jeffrey Zwirn said a properly designed system can save your life, but one size does not fit all. Start by asking yourself some questions. What are you trying to protect and/or guard against? Are you worried about break-ins, fires, carbon monoxide poisoning or a burst pipe flooding your basement? How important is customisation? Do you own or rent your home? Renters or those planning to move in a few years may want the flexibility of a DIY system, so they can take it with them when they move.

If you opt for professional installation, contact multiple companies willing to survey your home in person. “A pro can assess the home and the people who live there,” Zwirn said. You might also want coverage beyond the basics. For instance, if you don’t hear well, you may need multiple loud sirens. Or your home may need smoke detectors inside and outside each sleeping area. “This is one purchase where you may want to leave it to the professionals,” he said.

Zwirn said to beware of products or components that may not be up to national standards and codes. He suggested to get the make and model of everything being installed, then cross-check that each is UL compliant – meaning it is certified by UL, a global safety certification company – by searching for the product at productiq.ulprospector.com/en.

Rader said other initial queries should include: How long has the company been in business? Will the products work together? Who will do the installation: the company or a third-party subcontractor? Zwirn recommended dealing directly with a company instead of with an authorised dealer who may just be an intermediary. Expect to pay between USD1,500 and USD2,500 for a professionally installed system, Zwirn said.

For homes with systems that are more than 15 years old, you may want to consider upgrading. Contact your security provider for a free reassessment. According to Rader, you may only need to replace a few elements. Some wireless sensors can even be integrated into wired systems. The biggest change will probably be getting an upgraded keypad or touch-screen control panel. Although new panels typically use WiFi, they have a built-in battery-powered cellular module (a glorified micro cellphone) and battery backup, which should last at least 24 hours. In the case of a power or Internet outage, your system can still communicate with the security’s monitoring centre.

You may also want to consider add-ons such as temperature sensors, water sensors or glass-break sensors. If nothing else, during the assessment, have the technician test your fire alarm. This is the one component you can’t self-test, and it should be checked annually,
Zwirn said.

Those who want to save money while having flexibility may prefer the DIY option. Systems such as SimpliSafe, Ring, Blue by ADT and Abode Home Security typically offer peel-and-stick window and door sensors. These, plus additional components, such as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, glass-break detectors, outdoor cameras and sirens, all wirelessly communicate over radio frequencies with a base station that plugs into an electrical outlet.

You can choose the kind of sensors you want and where to place them. Setup is easy using the keypad or a smartphone. An average DIY package costs about USD200 to USD600, with additional costs for more sensors, cameras and monitoring. One consideration when selecting the DIY option is whether you have a smartphone, because some systems require an app for setup and monitoring. If you don’t own a smartphone, you should probably stick with a professionally installed system.

No matter the security system, perhaps the most important factor is the call centre – your emergency lifeline. When an alarm triggers, specialists contact first responders using direct lines of communication, not by using 911. In the past, call centres were secured facilities monitored 24/7, so someone was always there when needed. According to Zwirn, with the coronavirus pandemic, numerous operations allowed employees to work from home, and although many are now restaffed in person, some continue to use remote monitors.

“During an emergency, the alarm company is your partner,” Zwirn said. You don’t want someone working remotely who steps away from the monitor to let the dog out or who loses connection. Whether the security company owns and operates the call center or contracts with a third party, it should give you a guarantee in writing that its call center employees are not working from home. And although some DIY systems allow for self-monitoring, it’s not advisable.

Whether you are starting from scratch or upgrading your system, the bottom line is to know what you are getting. “You don’t want a false sense of security,” Zwirn said. “With an alarm system, you don’t have the luxury of a second chance.”