James Kon
Minister of Home Affairs Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ahmaddin bin Haji Abdul Rahman paid a courtesy call on Singapore’s Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam during his working visit to Singapore from September 5-7.
The working visit aimed to further strengthen bilateral relationship and cooperation of both ministries established long time ago.
On the first day of his visit, Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ahmaddin witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Brunei Darussalam Fire and Rescue Department (FRD) and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
Signing on behalf of Brunei’s FRD was its Acting Director Lim Hock Guan while SCDF was represented by its Commissioner Eric Yap Wee Teck.
The MoU aimed to facilitate the sharing of expertise and knowledge in developing search and rescue capabilities in urban areas and disaster management by conducting training and bilateral joint venture projects between the FRD and SCDF.
It also served to improve the ability of FRD personnel in controlling, preventing and extinguishing fires while strengthening the capabilities and abilities of the FRD using technology in carrying out tasks.
Before the MoU, both agencies forged close cooperation including in the participation of FRD cadet officers in SCDF courses such as Rota Commander Course, Section Commander Course, Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), Structural Fire Fighting (SFF), Hazardous Material (HAZMAT), Fire Safety (FS) and Fire Investigation (FI) to increase experience and exposure in the field of operations and rescue as well as expertise in disaster management.
This is a testament to the special and close relationship fostered between the two agencies.
The minister also visited the Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA) and SCDF to take a closer look at the administration as well as SCDF and ICA programmes and examined the available leadership training methods provided for officers in both agencies including officers at the ministry level.
The visit also explored the development of infrastructure and capabilities and the availability of technology used by ICA and SCDF with best practices in dealing with challenges and issues that have been faced by both agencies to be used as a guide, reference and foundation in the preparation policies, structures and effective and productive implementation procedures.
Joining the delegation were Permanent Secretary (Safety and Welfare) at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) Salminan bin Haji Burut and senior officers from MoHA.
