Rokiah Mahmud
A talk organised by the Research and Documentation Division of the Brunei History Centre (PSB) recently highlighted two local youths, sharing their experiences and contributions to the community.
Themed Sejarah Asas Kejayaan dan Kecemerlangan, the talk served as a platform for the community, especially youth, to learn about their roles and responsibilities and become the main pillar in determining the country’s progress and direction.
It is also in line with one of the goals of Brunei Vision 2035, to have a sustainable economy with high income per capita with the use of knowledge and technology as a foundation to strengthen and develop the private sector, apart from maintaining the role of the government in facilitating the country’s economy.
The two speakers were Founder and Manager of Al-Huffaz Management Haji Mohammad Loqman Al-Hakim bin Haji Hamdan and Chief Executive Officer of Battle Pro Marketing and Management Services as well as Manager of Balurih Travel Sdn Bhd Haji Syed Mohd Yassin bin Haji Syed Anayatullah Shah.
Haji Mohammad Loqman said that before starting a business, one needs to know what type of business that they want to set up. They also need a strong mind-set and determination.
“It is not easy to set up a business. Even to manage a business requires knowledge. One needs to continuously learn so that they will be able to manage the businesss,” he said.
“Once you earn a profit, you need to manage it properly. One of the reasons why many businesses fail is due to mismanagement,” he added.
Since the establishment of Al-Huffaz Management in 2016, Haji Loqman has been invited to schools to lecture on Islamic finance and goal settings. He has also been invited to deliver talks for several agencies and events including Brunei Rice Bowl Startup Awards 2018 and
TEDxGadong.
Started with 11 staff to teach Al-Quran in 2016, today he has about 200 teachers offering home-to-home Al-Quran classes to more than 2,000 students nationwide.
Al-Huffaz Management has also won several awards, including in 2017, the Entrepreneurs programme under the Perbadanan Tabung Amanah Islam Brunei (Perbadanan TAIB) as well as the Excellent Project for Youth in conjunction with the 12th National Youth Day celebration.
In 2019, the company inked a memorandum of understanding with a company in Singapore to expand their services in the lion city.
As an entrepreneur, Haji Mohammad Loqman has provided employment opportunities for youth to teach Al-Quran and also for those who have retired under the Ar-Razaq Funeral Management, a sub company under Al-Huffaz Management.
Meanwhile, Haji Syed Mohd Yassin shared how he started a business after graduating from Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD). “Before graduating from UBD, I ventured in a family business to acquire knowledge, experience and to learn how to run a project,” he said.
“In 2010, my father was given a project, a collaboration with the State Mufti’s Office, and the project was considered a national event as it involved many agencies to organise an exhibition.
“At that time, there were not many locals in the event management business and many also did not believe that we were able to manage, run and succeed in this project. Almost 95 per cent of the volunteers for the exhibition project were derived of young people, sixth form centre students and Form 5 students. They worked with us to ensure the smooth running of the project.
“Alhamdulillah we managed to meet the demand and expectations,” he said, adding it sparked his interest to set up his own business.
“Of course in setting up a business, you will face many obstacles and challenges. One needs to be strong and determined and not give up easily. Make investment in gaining knowledge about marketing and business. You will find your directions in running a company and make improvements,” he advised.
Haji Syed Mohd Yassin was a recipient of the Excellent Youth Award at the 13th National Youth Day celebration. Among his other recognitions and awards include the Brunei Book of records in 2019 for his success in organising 22 events since 2016-2018, as well as the ASEAN Youth Social Entrepreneurship Association (AYSEA) Award in Manila back in 2017.
