Brunei’s Red Crescent Holds Fund Raiser

Bandar Seri Begawan – Like any other Brunei non-government associations, the Brunei Red Crescents Society needs to plan education programs for their members such as equipping its members with knowledge and skills.

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Dato Haji Awang Hussein, said this at the launching of the Flag-Sales Day in conjunction with the World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day yesterday.

Red Crescents will carry out fund-raising activities by selling the flags in the form of stickers.The Brunei-Muara and Belait Districts’ flag sales will begin on June 14, while the Tutong and Temburong Districts’ will start on June 21.

- Brudirect.com News (Revised: June 07, 2002)

3rd Southeast Asia Disaster Management Cooperation Meeting opens at VOCTECH

By Jacky Lim

Participants of the 3rd Southeast Asia Disaster Management Cooperation Meeting, with guest of honour in the centre (with songkok), at SEAMEO VOCTECH yesterday. The meeting ends Feb 22. Pic: Jacky Lim

Brunei Darussalam yesterday hosted the 3rd Southeast Asia Disaster Management Cooperation Meeting for the first time, ever since the country became a member of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in 1997.

The 3rd Southeast Asia Disaster Management Cooperation Meeting was held in SEAMEO VOCTECH and ends on Feb 22. The meeting is organised by the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and in the sultanate, and is hosted by the Brunei Darussalam Red Crescent Society.

"This third meeting in Brunei, is an important step to put idea into action. Participants will share experiences in preparing for and response to disasters, exchange views on various ways and tools in disaster management, and identify areas and activities to work as a regional network," a statement said.

The meeting is attended by 19 participants from nine Red Cross or Red Crescent Societies in the region and representatives of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.

This 3rd Southeast Asia Disaster Management Cooperation Meeting was officially opened yesterday morning by Yusof Amba, Acting Director of RIPAS Hospital. In his welcoming speech, he said, "Member countries of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have been taking turns in hosting the Southeast Asia Disaster Management Cooperation Meeting since 1997. And this year, the Brunei Darussalam Red Crescent Society in particular and the people of Brunei are indeed fortunate and honoured to have this opportunity to host the 3rd such meeting for the first time in the country".

He also said, "The Brunei Darussalam Red Crescent Society was formally accepted as a full member of the 170th International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies since 1997. Since then, the society had benefited immensely in terms of upgrading the knowledge and skills of its members in the preparations and responses to disasters, be it natural or man-made.

"Brunei Darussalam as you know, is one of the most serene and peaceful countries in the South-east Asian region. We are indeed blessed and very fortunate that almost none of the natural disasters that struck other countries such as earthquakes, landslides, floods, typhoons, hurricanes and the likes are ever experienced by our country, apart from occasional incidents, like monsoonal floods in some areas of the country."

He added, "However, we should not be too complacent because disasters can happen at any place and time. If it is not a natural disaster, it can be man-made and can be due to human errors such as air crashes, oilfield blowouts, maritime accidents and the like.

"Thus, an organisation such as the Red Crescent in Brunei Darussalam is a potentially useful resource as a first line of support for example in terms of First Aid and Basic Life Support in times of need; whether it is in helping the Ministry of Health's medical support team during ceremonial functions which involves big crowds or events with the potential for disaster. The close cooperation between the Brunei Darussalam Red Crescent Society and the Ministry of Health has existed for many years in numerous aspects of medical support including all exercises for major disasters planned by the ministry. In this respect, they are indeed indispensable as a supplier of skillfully-trained and dedicated volunteers in times when we need extra pair of hands to support us".

The chief guest also hoped that "the meeting will bring closer cooperation in disaster management and establish a strong regional network for the sharing of experiences and the exchange of information and tools as well as identifying working areas and activities in disaster management".

- Borneo Bulletin via BruDirect.com - Revised: February 21, 2002.

PBSM Perlu Rancang Program Pendidikan Untuk Ahli

KIARONG, 6 Jun. – Persatuan Bulan Sabit Merah Negara Brunei Darussalam diseru agar merancang program pendidikan untuk ahli-ahli supaya menjurus kepada melengkapkan mereka dengan pengetahuan dan kemahiran selaras dengan dasar penubuhan persatuan itu.

Menteri Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Digadong Seri Lela Dato Seri Paduka (Dr.) Haji Awang Hussain berkata, sebagai salah sebuah pertubuhan NGO yang tertua di negara ini kewibawaannya semakin kukuh dan digalati dengan adanya perancangan program-program pendidikan yang terarah.

“Program pendidikan merupakan ‘part and parcel’ sesebuah persatuan yang mengusahakan kepentingan terbaik ‘the best interest’ ahli-ahlinya,” jelas Yang Berhormat semasa merasmikan Hari Bendera 2002 persatuan itu di sini.

Yang Berhormat seterusnya menyeru semua pihak dalam persatuan itu supaya sama-sama melibatkan diri dengan pihak kerajaan dalam menangani isu-isu kebajikan dan kesejahteraan di kalangan mereka yang memerlukan seperti orang-orang kurang upaya dan golongan warga tua.

Menyentuh mengenai mutu program pendidikan Pertolongan Cemas (First Aid), Yang Berhormat menyarankan agar ia dipertingkatkan dan diberikan secara menyeluruh kepada semua ahli bagi membolehkan mereka membantu orang ramai pada bila-bila masa diperlukan.

Di samping itu, Yang Berhormat menggesa supaya persatuan itu meningkatkan kegiatan kerja-kerja amal dan kebajikan di seluruh negara dan sama-sama menangani gejala-gejala sosial dalam masyarakat khususnya golongan remaja dengan menganjurkan program-program pendidikan yang menjurus kepada disiplin diri.

Majlis Perasmian Hari Bendera 2002 yang berlangsung di Ibu Pejabat Persatuan Bulan Sabit Merah di sini telah dimulakan dengan ucapan alu-aluan oleh Pengerusi Majlis, Haji Abdul Alim bin Haji Othman.

Jualan bendera yang merupakan projek tahunan persatuan itu telah bermula pada 14 Jun lepas. Projek seumpama itu dapat memupuk semangat sukarela di kalangan ahli Persatuan Bulan Sabit Merah sama ada di negara ini, serantau mahupun di peringkat antarabangsa.

Seperti lazimnya upacara menaikkan bendera persatuan telah dilangsungkan di majlis tersebut.

MENTERI Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Digadong Seri Lela Dato Seri Paduka (Dr.) Haji Awang Hussain menyerahkan tabung kepada salah seorang anggota Persatuan Bulan Sabit Merah Negara Brunei Darussalam


--Pelita Brunei – Jun 2002

Brunei Red Crescent in action during water village fires

Volunteers from the Brunei Darussalam Red Crescent were among the first on the scene when two separate fires broke out in two water villages as revellers took part in the closing ceremonies of a royal birthday celebration on Monday 19 August. No deaths or major injuries were reported in the two fires which broke out within six hours of each other, but at at least 45 homes were destroyed in the fires.Staffed entirely by volunteers, the Brunei Red Crescent has been accepting donations in kind for the residents of the two villages. "We do not want to receive perishable foodstuffs, nor gifts of money," says Ismail Kassim, Secretary-General of the Brunei Darussalam Red Crescent Society. People who lost their possessions in the fire can come and receive assistance at the relief centre opened in the Red Crescent's headquarters and training centre in Bandar Seri Bagawan, Brunei's capital. "Our main responsibility is to help our local communities when disasters strike," says Ismail Kassam. "The response from the public has been very encouraging." In one of the burned villages, Kompung Lorong Sikuna 'B', a primary school and a government guesthouse were among the houses which burned down. Fortunately, the two hundred primary school children whose school was burned down in the fires will be able to go back to school as alternative arrangements were made by the Ministry of Education.Water taxis were used to ferry residents of the burning villages and the few personal possessions they could salvage from the fire. Brunei's capital has some 24 water villages – picturesque and well-maintained houses on stilts – close to the city centre on the north-east coast of Borneo.

(26 August 2002: By Omar Valdimarsson in Bangkok)