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    Competition unearths best Al-Quran readers

    Daniel Lim

    A ceremony was held to award the winners of the National Al-Quran Reading Competition at the Mohammad Jamalul Alam Mosque in Belait District yesterday.

    The Imarah Division of the Mosque Affairs Department, together with the Mohammad Jamalul Alam Mosque Takmir Committee, organised the event as part of the 38th National Day celebration and to foster a deeper love for Al-Quran recitation.

    Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs Haji Abdul Rajid bin Haji Mohd Salleh was the guest of honour.

    The two-day event saw the participation of 31 male and female readers from mosque, surau, and religious halls nationwide, all above the ages of 40.

    Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Abdul Manaf emerged the victor in the male category, followed by Haji Sudirman bin Haji Metussin and Haji Junaidi bin Haji Sabtu; while the female category saw Hajah Norzirwatul Fadillah binti Hajah Puteh clinching the top spot, followed by Husna binti Basuri and Hajah Amidah binti Ghafar.

    Mohammad Jamalul Alam Mosque Head Imam Akup bin Haji Lamat said, “The event serves to instil a love for and understanding of Al-Quran, and allows participants to hone their skills in reciting verses of Al-Quran properly, in line the Sultanate’s vision of being a Zikir nation.”

    Jury panel chairman Haji Haslan bin Haji Shahbudin explained that the judges assessed participants based on four criteria: melody (25 per cent), Tajweed (35 per cent), Fasahah (20 per cent), and voice at 20 per cent.”

    Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs Haji Abdul Rajid bin Haji Mohd Salleh (C) with invited guests at the event. PHOTOS: DANIEL LIM
    ABOVE & BELOW: Photos show Haji Abdul Rajid awarding prizes to the first place winners

    Benzema breaks French record but limps off ahead of Clasico

    PALMA (AFP) – Karim Benzema became the highest French goalscorer in history on Monday after his double gave Real Madrid a 3-0 win over Mallorca, sending them 10 points clear at the top of La Liga.

    But the Frenchman had to go off late on with what looked like an injury in his lower left leg, giving Madrid a serious headache before Sunday’s Clasico against Barcelona.

    Vinicius Junior, who opened the scoring, and Rodrygo also suffered problems in the second half.

    “We will look at it in the next few days,” said Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti.

    “They don’t seem like very serious things. Rodrygo was a knock, Mendy has felt something in his adductor and Karim, after a jump, didn’t feel good. We’ll see if they can recover for Sunday.”

    Benzema’s absence for the game at the Santiago Bernabeu would come as a serious blow to Madrid, after the striker continued his scintillating recent run with two more goals at Son Moix.

    After scoring a hat-trick to help Madrid defeat Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 in the Champions League last week, the 34-year-old’s penalty against Mallorca took his career tally to 412 goals, putting him one above Thierry Henry in the all-time list of French scorers.

    Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema jumps to head home his side’s third goal. PHOTO: AP

    Benzema then made it 413 for him and three for Madrid with a superb header late on, only to limp off in obvious discomfort.

    Madrid’s considerable advantage over Sevilla at the top of La Liga means the Clasico this weekend will not carry the significance of previous meetings, even if Barca’s recent surge has had some wondering if a comeback is still possible.

    Yet there will be no doubt Barcelona would love to rubberstamp their progress under Xavi with a victory at the home of their fiercest rivals while a win for Madrid would serve as further confirmation of their dominance this season.

    “We have the advantage and it’s good at this point in the season,” said Ancelotti. “We have to think about winning on Sunday, that’s all.”

    Mallorca had the better of the chances in the opening period, the first of them falling to Vedat Muriqi, who shot wide at the back post after a superb cross from Brian Olivan.

    Vinicius Junior was Madrid’s biggest threat and he was unfortunate to pick up a yellow card for his reaction to a high challenge from Mallorca’s Pablo Maffeo, who was lucky not to be sent off.

    The altercation riled the home crowd too and Mallorca benefitted, their best chance coming
    soon after.

    Dani Rodriguez clipped a delightful ball over the top for Angel Rodriguez to run onto and the ball fell loose for Maffeo to carry just in front of the penalty spot. Maffeo had only Thibaut Courtois to beat but his scuffed finish hit the post.

    Iran says several arrested in nuclear facility sabotage plot

    TEHRAN, IRAN (AP) – Iranian state television reported on Monday that the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard arrested members of a “network” working for Israel that planned to sabotage Iran’s major underground nuclear facility at Fordo.

    The TV claimed that the “Zionist regime” – a Tehran reference meaning Israel – has for years been trying to hit Fordo, a top nuclear facility in the country, but without success. The report did not say how many suspects were arrested, what their nationalities were or when and where the arrests supposedly took place. There was no immediate comment from Israel.

    Iran has recently stopped the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from accessing its surveillance camera footage and has resumed enrichment of uranium at Fordo as Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers fell apart and talks of returning to the deal paused. Iran however, has said it would keep the surveillance footage and hand it over to the IAEA if and when it’s granted sanctions relief.

    The TV report said that those arrested approached employees at Fordo’s IR-6 section, where it is believed that centrifuges for spinning uranium are developed, paying them in cash or cryptocurrency, and instructing them how to connect with an Israeli agent, who was acting as a manager of a company based in Hong Kong.

    Once “cooperation” between an unspecified number of Fordo staffers and the agents began, the entire communication was monitored by the Revolutionary Guard, which provides security at Iran’s nuclear facilities.

    A truck carrying uranium hexafluoride gas leaves the Ahmadi Roshan uranium enrichment facility in Natanz, Iran to the centrifuges at the Fordo nuclear facility. PHOTO: AP

    Call for unity in face of global crises

    Azlan Othman

    Commonwealth nations must stand together in the face of multiple global crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and ongoing insecurity.

    This was said by Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland in her annual message for Commonwealth Day 2022 celebrated on Monday.

    “In an uncertain world, with multilateralism under strain, the Commonwealth shines as a beacon of hope and promise, inspiring confidence in the benefits of international cooperation and collective action,” she said.

    “We celebrate the diversity that enriches us, and the similarities that enable us to work together. Our points of unity make the Commonwealth unique in our world. Drawing from the deep wells of our unique history, they enable us to face the challenges of the 21st Century with clarity, unity and purpose.”

    The theme for this year’s Commonwealth Day centred around the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting – ‘Delivering a Common Future’ – which highlights how the 54 member countries in the Commonwealth family are ‘innovating, connecting and transforming’ to help achieve goals such as fighting climate change, promoting good governance and boosting trade.

    Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson after the Commonwealth Service on Commonwealth Day. PHOTO: AP

    This year’s Commonwealth Day also marks the start of the Commonwealth’s celebrations for Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – commemorating her 70 years of service and commitment to the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

    To celebrate Her Majesty’s historic milestone, a special focus was placed on the role that public service plays in the lives of people and communities across the Commonwealth.

    In a message, Her Majesty The Queen said, “In this year of my Platinum Jubilee, it has given me pleasure to renew the promise I made in 1947, that my life will always be devoted in service. Today, it is rewarding to observe a modem, vibrant and connected Commonwealth that combines a wealth of history and tradition with the great social, cultural, and technological advances of our time. That the Commonwealth stands ever taller is a credit to all who have been involved.

    “On this special day for our family – in a year that will include the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and the Commonwealth Games – I hope we can deepen our resolve to support and serve one another, and endeavour to ensure the Commonwealth remains an influential force for good in our world for many generations to come.”

    Every year, people in Commonwealth countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Americas, the Pacific and Europe observe the day with a range of activities, including faith and civic gatherings, flag raising ceremonies and cultural events.

    In London, where the Commonwealth Secretariat headquarters are based, the Secretary-General joined 1,500 international guests for a multicultural, multi-faith service at Westminster Abbey.

    Harnessing the power of youth

    Azlan Othman

    The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) is tapping into the power of the youth to tell stories from the field about biodiversity, its values, and the many ways to safeguard it.

    Through its newest programme, the Young ASEAN Storytellers (YAS), the ACB is calling all ASEAN youth to showcase their skills and talents in storytelling as an essential part of the bid to highlight what life in harmony with nature would look like.

    According to a press statement, 20 budding content creators and storytellers from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam will get first-hand experience in impactful storytelling for biodiversity conservation.

    “We at the ACB believe that this generation is the torchbearer of our region’s future. We see that the youth of today are more driven to contribute to saving our planet, most especially in conserving the region’s rich natural and cultural heritage, and we are proud to be amplifying their voices through this programme,” said ACB Executive Director Theresa Mundita Lim.

    Lim also underscored the importance of the youth’s role in connecting with others, given their knack for using innovative online platforms and their wide reach.

    The statement adds, “These platforms and tools can cross boundaries and connect communities across the region to find solutions to the multiple environmental challenges we collectively face.”

    ASEAN youth aged 18 to 35 who are eager to explore, passionate about nature, and are good storytellers are encouraged to be part of YAS.

    Stories created through photography, writing, art, filmmaking, or other forms of creative storytelling and conveying ideas are welcome in this new programme, it was shared.

    “Exciting opportunities await the young aspirants,” said the statement. “Aside from the grant that they will be receiving to produce their stories, they will undergo a series of learning sessions with biodiversity and storytelling experts, as they embark on an immersive trip to the region’s ‘creme of the crop’ protected areas–the ASEAN Heritage Parks.”

    ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHPs) are protected areas of high conservation importance, preserving in total a complete spectrum of representative ecosystems of the ASEAN region.

    These areas are established to generate greater awareness, pride, appreciation, enjoyment and conservation of ASEAN’s rich natural heritage, through a regional network of representative protected areas, and to generate greater collaboration among the ASEAN member states in preserving their shared natural heritage.

    The AHPs that YAS will be visiting in each ASEAN member state include: Tasek Merimbun Heritage Park in Brunei Darussalam; Virachey National Park in Cambodia; Gunung Leuser National Park in Indonesia; Nam Ha National Protected Area in Laos; Taman Negara National Park in Malaysia; Inle Lake Wildlife Sanctuary in Myanmar; Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park in the Philippines; Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve in Singapore; Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park, Khao Sok National Park or Ao Phang Nga-Mu Ko Surin-Mu Ko Similan National Park in Thailand; and at Hoang Lien National Park in Vietnam.

    The statement said that the YAS will then create compelling biodiversity stories that will be shared across media platforms. Applications are open until March 31 and results will be released in May.

    The YAS programme is supported by the European Union (EU), through the Biodiversity Conservation and Management of Protected Areas in ASEAN (BCAMP) Project; and the ASEAN-Germany Cooperation in Biodiversity through the Second Phase of the Institutional Strengthening of the Biodiversity Sector in the ASEAN (ISB II) Project and the Small Grants Programme (SGP).

    The ASEAN Youth Biodiversity Programme website provides additional information on the YAS programme, where it explains the reasoning behind the focus on storytelling. “Nature is disappearing. Fast. According to the IPBES Global Assessment on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (2019), the rate of biodiversity loss and species extinctions are accelerating, gravely impacting people around the world.”

    The website adds, however, that “this story does not need to have a sad ending. We can still reverse the trend, stop unsustainable exploitation of species, restore ecosystems, shift away from fossil fuels and change the way we produce, process, transport, consume, and dispose food and commodities”.

    “We need ‘transformative change’, a fundamental, system-wide reorganisation across technological, economic and social factors, including paradigms, goals and values.”

    It also highlights that nature is an irreplaceable source of life and inspiration. “Pages after pages of statistics showing nature in decline will not be enough to persuade all of society to achieve transformative change. We need stories to inspire and catalyse action to protect our natural and cultural heritage. There is power in a good story—to build understanding, to move people to action, and to be remembered.

    “Youth of today are powerful storytellers and changemakers with important stories to tell. Through a variety of platforms and mediums, young people have the power to connect, influence, and inspire”.

    Ukraine’s capital under fire; NATO nation leaders to visit

    KYIV, UKRAINE (AP) – Russia’s offensive in Ukraine edged closer to central Kyiv yesterday, with a series of strikes hitting a residential neighbourhood as the leaders of three NATO member countries planned a visit to Ukraine’s embattled capital.

    Shortly before dawn, large explosions thundered across Kyiv from what Ukrainian authorities said was artillery strikes. The shelling ignited a huge fire and a frantic rescue effort in a 15-storey apartment building. At least one person was killed and others remain trapped inside.

    Shockwaves from an explosion also damaged the entry to a downtown subway station that has been used as a bomb shelter. City authorities tweeted an image of the blown-out facade, saying trains would no longer stop at the station.

    As Russia stepped up its assault of Kyiv, the leaders of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia planned to travel to Ukraine’s capital on a European Union (EU) mission to show support for the country.

    “The aim of the visit is to express the European Union’s unequivocal support for Ukraine and its freedom and independence,” Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said in a tweet.

    Police inspect the site of a Russian bombing attack in Kyiv, Ukraine. PHOTO: AP

    He will be joined by Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who is Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister for security and the leader of the conservative ruling party.

    Russian and Ukrainian negotiators also planned to hold a second day of talks as Russia’s offensive in Ukraine entered its 21st day.

    When Russia launched the war nearly three weeks ago, fear of an imminent invasion gripped the Ukrainian capital, and residents slept in subway stations or crammed onto trains to flee. But as the Russian offensive bogged down, Kyiv saw a relative lull.

    Fighting has intensified on the city’s outskirts in recent days, and sporadic air raid sirens ring out around the capital.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is seeking to extend martial law until April 24 and to require men ages 18 to 60 to stay in the country to fight. Zelenskyy submitted the extension in a bill to Parliament, which is expected to vote on it this week.

    In Washington, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that while the Biden administration supports Ukraine’s participation in the talks with Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin would have to show signs of de-escalating in order to demonstrate good faith.

    United States national security advisor Jake Sullivan warned China against helping Russia during a meeting in Rome with a senior Chinese diplomat.

    Webinars educate public about cybersecurity

    Brunei Computer Emergency Response Team (BruCERT) is offering public webinars to educate the residents of Brunei Darussalam about the latest cyber threats and safe online practices.

    Over 600 participants have attended BruCERT’s series of webinars since they began last November.

    The next webinar, titled ‘Blockchain 101’, will be held on March 25 at 2.30pm via Zoom.

    Attendees will learn about the emerging technology behind trending innovations such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and NFTs, and will gain a better insight into why blockchain technology is trending worldwide.

    The webinar will cover a high-level introduction to blockchain technology and its benefits in terms of security, which may be applied in various industries and use cases. Webinar attendees will also be eligible to win a lucky draw prize.

    To attend, register online at https://bit.ly/blockchainwebinar101.

    The public can also watch recordings of previous webinars on BruCERT’s YouTube channel.

    Dubai’s state-owned water, power utility plans public offer

    DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (AP) – Dubai’s state-owned utility announced yesterday it will list a sliver of its worth on the emirate’s stock exchange, hoping to ride a recent wave of initial public offerings (IPOs) in the Arab states while avoiding the stumbles of past IPOs.

    The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s offering involves 3.25 billion shares that will be placed on the Dubai Financial Market exchange, which the utility put at 6.5 per cent over its overall worth.

    It’s part of a wider plan announced last November by Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, the son of Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to list 10 state industries on the stock market to boost its profile and raise new capital for the skyscraper-lined emirate.

    Yet it comes amid increased volatility in markets worldwide given Russia’s war on Ukraine. Meanwhile, past IPOs of major players in Dubai’s economy have seen investors lose money and the companies ultimately go private again.

    “We’ve seen a very enthusiastic response from all over the world,” the utility’s Chief Financial Officer Thomas Varghese told journalists. “There are some misevents in Europe but by and large we don’t see it affecting adversely our programme.”

    The utility, known by the acronym DEWA, held a glitzy announcement yesterday at a luxury hotel announcing the IPO. Officials would not allow journalists to film the announcement.

    In a prospectus for investors, DEWA said it finished 2021 with a profit of USD1.7 billion. It had profits of USD1.8 billion in 2019, though they dipped in 2020 during the pandemic and its lockdowns to USD1.4 billion. It paid dividends to Dubai government of USD1.2 billion, USD408 million and USD544 million in 2019, 2020 and 2021, respectively.

    A boat rides past giant skyscrapers at the Marina waterfront seen from Palm Jumeirah island in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. PHOTO: AP

    The company plans to pay dividends twice a year to investors, with a minimum of USD1.6 billion paid yearly over the next five years.

    Dubai is home to 3.5 million people and has seen a surge of interest as the sheikhdom weathered the pandemic and kept its vital tourism and real estate markets afloat. And DEWA remains one of the government services nearly every resident interacts with while living here as the sole provider of electricity and water.

    A renewed wave of IPOs has struck across the Arab states, likely fuelled by the listing of the Saudi Arabian Oil Co, or Saudi Aramco. Even long-haul carrier Emirates, the jewel of state-linked industries known informally as Dubai Inc, has been discussed as a possible IPO target.

    However, the prospectus also outlines the risks faced by Dubai, something always glossed over by its image-conscious rulers. Already, the region has been on edge after years of attacks following the United States’ (US) unilateral withdrawal from Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers. Abu Dhabi also recently came under attacks from Houthi rebels.

    “There can be no assurance that extremists groups will not initiate extremist or other violent activity in the UAE, or that the UAE will not be impacted by any escalation of regional armed conflict,” the prospectus reads.

    It also noted that Dubai for now has limited water reserves and all of its crucial desalination plants are in Jebel Ali port, the busiest port of call for the US Navy outside of America.

    Dubai also has seen troubled IPOs of even prominent state-backed enterprises. DP World, the massive port operator, listed with major fanfare in 2007 only to go back private in 2020. A troubled amusement park project known as Dubai Parks and Resorts also went private that year. Real estate firm DAMAC Properties, whose billionaire founder has close ties to former President Donald Trump and operates a Trump golf course in Dubai, also went private in 2021.

    Asked about the other IPO failures, DEWA CEO Saeed Mohammed al-Tayer said the utility’s fundamentals and capacity made it a valuable firm.

    “We have a strong infrastructure for the next coming five years,” he said.

    Smith’s birdie blitz clinches weather-hit Players win

    MIAMI (AFP) – Australia’s Cameron Smith charged to victory at the PGA Tour’s weather-disrupted Players Championship on Monday, carding a closing six-under-par 66 to win by one shot.

    The 28-year-old Queenslander roared into contention on a congested final day at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida with five birdies in his opening six holes.

    It was Smith’s second victory of 2022 following victory at the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii in January, and was made even sweeter by the presence of his mother Sharon and sister Mel to witness the victory.

    Smith said he had not seen his family for more than two years until recently due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.

    “It’s really cool to have them here,” Smith said, his voice cracking with emotion. “My main priority was just to hang out with them.

    Cameron Smith holds the trophy. PHOTO: AP

    “Golf was second for these few weeks, so it’s nice to see them and nice to get a win for them.”

    Smith’s final round 66 left him on 13 under 265, one ahead of India’s Anirban Lahiri, who shot a closing 69. England’s Paul Casey was third on 11 under while Kevin Kisner was fourth on 10 under.

    Weather disruption that wiped out swathes of play on Thursday and Friday meant the final round was only completed early Monday, with Smith two adrift of Lahiri, the 54-hole leader on nine under.

    Smith’s final round got off to a flying start, with a 38-foot birdie putt on the first to move to within one of the lead. Another birdie on the second gave him a share of the lead, before he took sole possession of the top of the leaderboard with a third straight birdie on the third.

    He went two clear with his fourth birdie on the fourth.

    Another birdie putt from 10 feet on the sixth hole preserved his two-shot advantage before three straight bogeys on the seventh, eighth and ninth holes allowed England’s Paul Casey and Keegan Bradley to join him at the top of the leaderboard.

    But Smith then responded with a sensational start to the back nine which mirrored the start of his round, making four straight birdies on the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th to regain a two-shot lead.

    There was a wobble on the par-five 16th when his tee-shot flew into the trees flanking the left hand edge of the fairway. But he recovered brilliantly to make par. Then on the iconic par-three 17th, Smith bravely blasted a nine iron to four feet for a birdie which left him three shots clear heading to the 18th.

    Yet there threatened to be a plot twist at the last, when another wayward tee shot left him in the rough amongst the trees.

    An attempt to chip safely onto the fairway ended in disaster when the Australian’s ball rolled into the water forcing him to drop.

    But once again Smith’s iron play came to the rescue.

    He stroked a fourth shot to four feet, leaving him with a straightforward bogey putt to limit the damage.

    Lahiri meanwhile, who had closed to within one of the lead after a birdie of his own on the 17th, then failed to chip in from 41 feet on the last to leave Smith alone at the top of the leaderboard and celebrating a USD3.6 million payday.

    A passion for performing

    Lyna Mohammad

    When COVID-19 first hit Brunei Darussalam, local artiste Pengiran Adek Faizal was performing live acoustic gigs in the bustling city of Miri, Sarawak.

    Pengiran Adek Faizal, who goes by his artistic name PAF 811, does acoustic solo and duo performances.

    Pre-COVID, he initially commuted to the city but as the demand for his performances increased and he attracted his own circle of fans, he began to stay there. However, when the city was hit with the second wave of the pandemic with rising cases and businesses were shuttered, he returned home.

    Times have been hard with the pandemic. The local artiste has had to adapt by trading the stage with the kitchen and selling food in Brunei. This has not deterred his spirit to make ends meet for his daily living as well as savings.

    Sharing his experience in the entertainment industry, Pengiran Adek Faizal said that his performances are dependent on the budget – with a higher budget he is able to bring in more members for duo or trio performances.

    For performances in Brunei, the members would usually be his former bandmates with the selection random depending on their schedule.

    Pengiran Adek Faizal, who goes by his artistic name PAF 811, performing

    During his time in Miri, he would do busking sessions to generate an additional income when times were hard.

    “I had Edmon Junior and Wan Daniel as partners for busking. All of us are bassists and our schedules would usually be similar (albeit performing with different bands),” he said.

    “Busking was a very unique experience for us since bassists do not usually take centre stage. We started from the bottom, from awkward showmanship to very confident performers. We draw our confidence from the crowd and it became our drive to continue more. From busking, we went from nobodies to very influential performers in Sarawak.”

    It was during busking at Container City that they attracted interest from Sarawak Tourism, who asked them to perform at one of Sarawak’s biggest event – Sejiwa Senada, which was a stepping stone, especially for Pengiran Adek Faizal as a Bruneian on foreign soil.

    Undeniably challenges were there, but standing alone in another country is not a reason not to perform and Pengiran Adek Faizal believes that if there is a will, there is a way.

    “I draw my energy from the behaviour of other people,” he said. “They may not have the talent but they are very confident in throwing their voice and that became my drive to move further. And also, after various interactions with the audience, I became confident and grateful for being able to entertain.”

    “After a year busking, I performed as an acoustic singer, and it feels good to be able to entertain people to release them from their problems or a rough day they went through.”
    From performing, Pengiran Adek Faizal then took the bold move of organising an event in Miri – the Borneo Acoustic Got Talent – under his company MudaMoody Acoustic Entertainment and to his relief, the event was successful, thanks to the sponsors.

    His journey in the entertainment industry also saw him participate in a competition where he was the only one who performed acoustic, while other competitors used karaoke.

    “Being bold to compete came from the years of playing in a live band and performing solo. Confidence was gained from those experiences. The other reasons were to trying something new and overcoming my fear.”

    Another milestone was being chosen as an ambassador for Cort Guitars. During his busking journey, he attracted the attention of the owner of The Guitar Music Store in Kuala Lumpur through his videos posted on social media. He was told that his passion in music and continuously moving with no break time is what attracted the owner and after several interactions with them, he was given the opportunity and signed as the ambassador for Cort Guitars.

    Having built memories with musicians in Miri, Pengiran Adek Faizal also wrote a song entitled Diari Melodi and had the song broadcast on TVS, a TV station in Sarawak. He made it through the selection after they viewed the Diari Melodi music video shot and produced by Omar Mediaworks.

    With the pandemic having hit many industries hard, when asked how he has managed to generate income, Pengiran Adek Faizal said, “Now back in Brunei, during the day I sell fried Kway Teow and burgers under my Warung Pak Tam, while at night, I would be performing at a café in Lumut, Zara Brew. The owner has provided space for me to perform acoustic during weekdays and trio band during weekends.”

    Sharing his thoughts on the local music industry, he said that talents are increasing but support is yet to be found.

    “The mindset has always been music cannot generate income but, to me, it is better to pursue something what you enjoy doing that can generate income. I would like to see in future that support will be given by authorities to polish the talents in Brunei.”

    Imparting some advice, Pengiran Adek Faizal said, “Don’t be complacent and don’t give up easily. Especially to our local youth and job hunters, don’t just rely on being offered jobs but think of something that you know you are good at and turn it into your advantage. That is the purpose of life. Struggle is real but at the end of the day you will bear fruit of your hard work and persistence.”

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    Borneo Bulletin is the leading English daily in the country. It was first published by Brunei Press. Today, Borneo Bulletin has become the foremost source of information on local and foreign affairs, and the region’s business news.

    © 2013 Borneo Bulletin Online - The Independent Newspaper in Brunei Darussalam, Sabah and Sarawak