CROCS ON THE PROWL : ATTACK # 2 by Liza Mohd (Taken from Boreno Bulletin in September 11, 2009 )

As the hunt goes on for a missing 41-year-old man from Kuala Belait, believed to have drowned in the Belait River due to a crocodile attack, another croc attack occurred in Tutong District where a four-year-old boy fell victim.
According to police reports, the incident happened at the Tanjong Panjang River while the four-year-old victim, Shahrizan Anak Sumua, along with his father and two siblings were bathing in the river, located across their home.
Reportedly, the crocodile attacked the toddler and dragged him into the river and was nowhere to be seen after that.
The terrifying incident which happened about 4.40pm on Wednesday was witnessed by the mother who was at the river jetty.
Seven divers from the Marine Police and also Navy and Fire and Rescue personnel are conducting the search in Tutong and Belait districts.
The search for the infant in Tutong has started since Wednesday at 8 pm while the hunt for 41-year-old Awg Tuah bin Yahya continues.

POLICE SEEK PUBLIC HELP ON ABANDONED BABY by James Kon. (Taken from Borneo Bulletin in September 11, 2009)

The Royal Brunei Police Force is currently seeking public cooperation in providing any information on an abandoned baby girl that was found at Kg Kupang in Tutong during the wee hours of yesterday morning.
The baby girl, who was believed to have been just three hours old when she was discovered, was found by a woman who was picking mangoes in a garden.
She heard a noise coming from the vicinity, and upon taking a closer look she found the baby laying naked on the ground, with the umbilical cord still attached.
According to the Police, the baby was found at around 6.30am and a police report was lodged an hour later.
Currently, the baby is at the RIPAS Hospital and is reported in healthy condition.
The case has been referred to the Women and Children Abuse Unit of the Royal Brunei Police Force.
Members of the public who have any information on the matter can contact 2232001/7, 993 or the nearest police station.

22 DRIVERS CAUGHT SPEEDING by James Kon (Taken from Borneo Bulletin in September 10, 2009)

During a surprise 30-minute operation, the Royal Brunei Police Force caught a total of 22 drivers for speeding along the Gadong highway while another five for making illegal U-Turns. Around 18 police personnel took part in the operation, which was led by ASP Fathdillah Hj Abdul Hamid.

S'POREAN JAILED 14MTHS FOR BRIBERY by Ignatius Stephen (Taken from Borneo Bulletin in September 10, 2009)

Forty-six-year-old electrical contractor Dong Sui Hung who was in a hurry, will now have to stop over for 14 months here as he will be going nowhere for the time being.
Dong, a Singaporean contractor who has lived in Brunei for more than 40 years, will have to spend 14 months in jail as the price for his impatience.
He was convicted for corruption by Senior Magistrate Faisal Pehin Kifi in the Bandar Seri Begawan Magistrates Court yesterday for offering a $500 bribe.
Dong, manager of Syarikat Kejuruteraan Indah, couldn't wait to collect his $28,870 due to him from the Government Electrical Services Maintenance Unit and constantly pursued an official, Haji Azlan bin Haji Abdul Manaf for his money soon after he put in his claim, DPP Hajah Anifa Rafiza told the court.
The money was due to him for lighting work he did for the ITB building. When there was no sight of the cash Dong checked with the Electrical Department headquarters whether Haji Azalan had really forwarded the claim to them. He was told it was not.
Dong, upon hearing this returned to Haji Azlan and pushed $500 in a white envelope whispering something although Haji Azalan insisted that he had sent the claim over.
Haji Azlan refused to take the money and gave chase to Dong who quickly disappeared through the main door.
Haji Azlan left the money on his desk top and had to hurry off soon after for a meeting. On his return the envelope was still there.
He became worried and consulted a friend who advised him to make a report to the Anti-Corruption Bureau and Dong was subsequently arrested.
In court, Dong denied having offered a bribe.
Defence Counsel Rudy Lee following Dong's conviction applied for bail which the prosecution opposed, pointing out Dong's company did not belong to him and he was a Singaporean with his family living there.

POLICE NABS BIG BULLY WHO STOLE TEDDY BEAR by Azlan Othman (Taken from Borneo Bulletin in September 10, 2009)

Police nabs big bully who stole teddy bear
By Azlan Othman

Sometimes thieves seem to become desperate in their quest to steal whatever they can find. One such thief was greedy enough to have stolen a teddy bear, winter clothing and even a hotel's complimentary toiletries.
The central police station succeeded in apprehending the 33-year-old local thief last Saturday for his involvement in a break-in and theft cases at Kg Mata-Mata and Kg Serdang.
Other stolen items include a 32-inch television set, two mobile phones, a gold ring, car tools, women's accessories and a travelling bag, which were all hidden at nearby bushes.
The CID personal led by Insp Puasa are searching for more suspects who were involved in a series of thefts around Jln Kota Batu.

MAN FINED $700 FOR OBSCENCE VCDs by Sahrol Daud (Taken fromSeptember 10, 2009)

A local man was fined $700 or two months' imprisonment in default by the Bandar Seri Begawan Magistrate's Court yesterday after he was found guilty of having in possession obscene articles.
The defendant, Lim Chun Yong, 30, was convicted of possessing four pieces of VCD titled 'Love Sex & Eating the Bones' and two pieces of VCD titled 'Cruel Intentions 3', which contained explicit scenes of sexual acts for the purpose of sale.
The defendant, who was represented by Fathan, Rudi Lee, Annie Kon & Associates, possessed the obscene articles on July 28, 2004 at a shop, Chong Hock, at No A1, A2, A3 and A4 Chong Hock Music Centre in Kiulap.
It is an offence under section 292 (3) (a) of the Penal Code Chapter 22 that carries a fine not less than $500 and not more than $5,000 and to imprisonment which may extend to two years and in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, a fine of not less than $1,000 and not more than $30,000 and imprisonment which may extend to five years.
The defendant was convicted after four witnesses were brought to court to testify by the Prosecuting Officer Ratno Eddy Sophian.

AIR ASIA LAUNCHES BSB TO KK DIRECT bu James Kon (Taken from Borneo Bulletin in September 10, 2009

AirAsia's maiden flight from Kota Kinabalu to Bandar Seri Begawan touched down yesterday afternoon with a big load of passengers, to mark a new direct route introduced by the low-cost Malaysian airlines to boost its East Malaysia connectivity.
The new service will be the airline's 6th international service from Kota Kinabalu and 2nd international service from Brunei (besides flights to Kuala Lumpur).
The daily AirAsia schedule for KK to BSB and vice-versa is taking off from Kota Kinabalu at 4.20pm and arriving at Bandar Seri Begawan at 5pm and then take-off from Bandar Seri Begawan at 5.25pm and touch-down in Kota Kinabalu at 6.05pm.
Yesterday's first AirAsia flight from Bandar Seri Begawan to Kota Kinabalu received more than a hundred passengers.
According to an AirAsia press statement, the daily flight from Kota Kinabalu and Brunei, is open for sale for the booking period from July 3-12, 2009 for the travel period from Sept 9, 2009 to April 30, 2010.
In conjunction with the launch, AirAsia will be offering an all-in-fare from RM29 one way. This offer is made exclusively online via www.airasia.com
Kota Kinabalu is AirAsia's second and biggest hub after Kuala Lumpur, serving nine domestic routes that include Penang, Johor Bahru, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Sibu, Miri, Labuan, Tawau, Sandakan, while the international sectors are Macau, Shenzhen, Clark, Jakarta and Singapore.
The flight for the new sector that commenced yesterday, will cater to the emergent demands from East Malaysia. This new service will not only stimulate travel and enhance connectivity but also tap the existing market from Brunei and feed the traffic to AirAsia's vast route network in the region and beyond, including routes serviced by AirAsia's long-haul affiliate, AirAsia X.
Arriving on flight AK 6212, one of the passengers Mr Joseph Law who is visiting his relative, said, "We had a smooth and safe flight into Brunei Darussalam. There was no problem on the flight."
Another passenger Mr Loi with his family of eight who are in Brunei for five days to visit his sister said, "We had a smooth and safe flight, the plane is very new and was on schedule. We had no problems."
Asked if he would use AirAsia again, he replied, "Yes, it's very convenient and affordable now. We can visit my sister and her husband more frequently with AirAsia."

SULTAN PRESENTS PRIZES TO WINNERS by Azaraimy HH...Taken from Borneo Bulletin in September 7, 2009

His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday consented to attend the Nuzul Al-Quran Celebration National Level, held annually by the country during the month of Ramadhan to commemorate the revelation of the Holy Quran.
During this year's celebration, His Majesty officiated the launching of Mushaf Brunei Darussalam and its translation from the 1st Jilid, that is verses 1-3, as well as presenting prizes to the winners of the Memorising and Understanding of Quranic Verses Competition (MAMBIMS Category) held last Thursday night.
The celebration took place at the International Convention Centre, Berakas.
The monarch was greeted on arrival by Pehin Jawatan Luar Pekerma Raja Dato Seri Utama Dr Ustaz Haji Awang Md Zain bin Haji Serudin, Minister of Religious Affairs, who is also the Chairman of the High Working Committee for the Celebration of Islamic events for 1430 Hijrah.
The celebration began with the recital of al-fatihah led by Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abd Aziz bin Juned, the State Mufti.
The event continued with welcoming remarks by Pehin Dato Seri Utama Dr Ustaz Haji Awang Md Zain.
Later, His Majesty delivered the titah and officially launched Mushaf Brunei Darussalam and its translation, followed with the mass recital of Allah Akhbar for three times.
The event was followed with the a special religious lecture delivered by Pengiran Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Another highlight of the event was the announcement of winners of national level competition for the Memorisation and Understanding of Quranic Verses 1430 Hijrah by the Chairman of Judges, Hj Abdul Rajid bin Hj Md. Salleh.
The champions of the competitions for national level in each category and MABIMS also recited from the holy book at the event.
For the national level, the winners are:
Category A (For Under 10 years old): Champion: Awg Mohamed Jaffnie bin Mohamed Shalahudeen (He received $1,500 cash, accompanying prizes and a certificate); Second: Dyg Nur' Alia Syazwani binti Haji Maidin ($1,000 cash, accompanying prizes and a certificate); Third: Awg Muhammad Aiman Hakim bin Zulkiflee ($750 cash, accompanying prizes and a certificate).
Category B (For 10 to 15 years old): Champion: Dyg Nurhamizah binti Jasni ($2,000 cash, accompanying prizes and a certificate); Second: Dyg Lina Musfirah binti Hj Abd Wahab ($1,500, accompanying prizes and a certificate); Third: Awg Ahmad Rusydi bin Haji Mohd Salleh ($1,200 cash, accompanying prizes and a certificate).
For the first two categories prizes were sponsored by Brunei Shell Petroleum Sdn Bhd and Brunei Shell Marketing Company Sdn Bhd.
Category C (Memorising verse 1-13 open to all ages): Champion: Dyg Aqilah binti Haji Ayop ($2,800 cash, Umrah package, accompanying prizes and a certificate); Second: Awh Muhammad Abu Hurairah bin Ariffin ($2,000 cash, accompanying prizes and a certificate); Third: Dyg Siti Noor Aniza binti Yusof ($1,500 cash, accompanying prizes and a certificate).
Prizes were sponsored by Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam Berhad.
Category D (Memorising Verses 1-28 open to all age group): Champion: Ak Khairul Ikhwan bin Pg Alit ($4,500 TAIB Deposit Certificate, Umrah package, accompanying prizes and a certificate); Second: Awg Muhd Khairul Anuar bin Hj Ahmad ($3,500 TAIB Deposit Certificate, accompanying prizes and a certificate); Third: Awg Mohammad Fikri bin Haji Sharbini ($2,500 TAIB Deposit Certificate, accompanying prizes and a certificate).
The deposit certificates were sponsored by Tabung Amanah Islam Brunei.
In MABIMS category, the winner was Encik Abdul Hadi Mat Sidi from Malaysia. He received $7,000 cash, accompanying prizes and a certificate.
The second place went to Awg Jusairi bin Asbol from Brunei Darussalam. She received $5,000 cash, accompanying prizes and a certificate. Third place went to Neneng Juju Jubaidah from the Republic of Indonasia. She received $4,000 cash, accompanying prizes and a certificate.
This year's Nuzul Al-Quran celebration carried the theme "Kedewasan Bernegara Dengan Zikir" or "Developing the Nation with Zikir".
This year, the celebration was organised by the Ministry of Religious Affairs with the Marine Department and Ministry of Communications.

THAI JAILED FOR BRIBERY ATTEMPT by IlhamRizal..Taken from Borneo Bulletin in September 7, 2009

The Bandar Magistrate's Court Saturday imposed a two-month jail sentence on a Thai national who pleaded guilty to recently attempting to bribe two policemen.
The court heard that on August 24, 2009, Champee Kruakaew had offered to give the enforcement officials $70 as inducement not to take action against him for driving without a valid licence.
The offence took place at Jalan Batang Duri in Kg Selangan, Temburong.

VICE SUSPECT CAUGHT AGAIN IN LUMUT by LIZA MOHD. Taken from Borneo Bulletion in September 7, 2009

A Thai woman who was deported from Brunei on a prostitution charge in the Belait District was re-arrested at the same location by the Belait Immigration Law Enforcement Section on Saturday evening.
When immigration enforcement officials carried out an inspection at Kamong Sungai Bakong Selatan, Lumut, the Thai woman was found staying with a male partner.
According to reports from the Immigration Department, the woman had been deported and was prohibited from entering the country for engaging in the immoral activity in July this year.
When checking her passport, the immigration personnel found that the suspect had re-entered the country illegally on a visitor's pass last month with a new passport.
The case is still under investigation and the suspect could be charged under Chapter 17, Immigration Act, Section 36 for unlawful return after removal.
Meanwhile, her male partner who was allegedly co-habiting with her was also issued with a special pass to assist the investigation.
Sixteen officers from the Belait Immigration Enforcement Section led by the Assistant Director carried out the operation codenamed 'Ops Bungkas 145/2009' targeting areas in Kampong Lumut, Kampong Mumong, Jalan Jaya Negara and Jalan Pemancha Pekan Kuala Belait.
In a separate inspection along Jalan Jaya Negara, an Indonesian couple found allegedly living together in a rented room failed to produce any valid document to verify their status.
Both suspects were issued with a special pass and will be brought to the Religious Enforcement Department for investigation and action.
During the inspection which started at 10 pm and ended three hours later, a Thai national was arrested, while seven other Thai, Indonesian and Filipino nationals were issued with special passes, requiring their presence at the department for investigation.

39 MOTORIST BOOKED AT ROADBLOCK by James Kon.Taken from Boreno Bulletin in September 7, 2009

A total of 39 drivers were caught by the Royal Brunei Police Force for various traffic offences in the latest surprise roadblock on Saturday night at a road leading to Kg Lambak Kanan.
The operation led by Acting Superintendent Mohd Hadini bin Hj Othman, the Head of Traffic Enforcement Division, involved around 43 personnel.
The operation held from 10pm until 11.45pm, managed to unearth 20 summon cases that included driving without valid driving licence and driving with expired road tax. While 19 drivers were slapped with compound fines for various traffic offences like modified plate licence and so on.
Some of vehicles in the summons cases were also escorted by police back to the station.
Acting Superintendent Mohd Hadini said, "The roadblock was aimed at enforcing the traffic rules and regulations as well as to raise awareness and educate members of the public on road safety, especially in the month of Ramadhan."
"As a crime prevention measure, we also did random searches on vehicles," he added.

POLICE SEEK PUBLIC HELP ON MISSING MAN. Taken from Borneo Bulletin in September 3, 2009

Muhammad Aiman Fikri bin Abdullah Kilau @ Kapal Anak Kilau (pic) has been reported missing from his home at No 15A Simpang 97 Jalan Teraja since July 26, 2009.
The Royal Brunei Police Force have urged members of the public with any information concerning the disappearance of the missing man to contact 2683035, 2683037, the police hotline at 993 or to approach the nearest police station.

BSP DONATES TO CHILDREN OF STAFF WHO PASSED AWAY By Liza Mohd. Taken from Borneo Bulletin inSeptember 3, 2009

The month of Ramadhan provides Muslims with chances to reap blessings and rewards. And it is during the fasting month that Muslims perform the most charitable act as rewards for good deeds are multiplied during the blessed month.
To alleviate the burden of orphans during Ramadhan, Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sdn Bhd (BSP) has extended assistance to family members of staff who passed away while in service.
Forty-five orphaned children received Hari Raya hampers and cash vouchers yesterday morning during a presentation ceremony at Seria Oil and Gas Discovery Centre (OGDC).
On hand to present the donations was the BSP Deputy Managing Director, Awg Haji Zainal Abidin bin Haji Mohd Ali.
At the event, the BSP Deputy Managing Director also presented a mock key to a new van to Imam Haji Mohd Alias bin Abu Bakar of Kampong Pandan Mosque in Kuala Belait to be used as a hearse.
The ceremony concluded with the recital of a doa selamat.
BSP has also scheduled religious talks and hosted the breaking of fast at various mosques in Belait throughout the month of Ramadhan to promote goodwill and foster closer ties among staff and community members.

IMMIGRATION DEPT CONFIRMS NOORDIN TOP'S LIE by Waleed PD Mahdini. Taken from Borneo Bulletion in September 3, 2009

Immigration Dept confirms Noordin Top's lie
By Waleed PD MahdiniThe Department of Immigration and National Registration issued a press statement yesterday confirming that the region's most wanted terror-bombing suspect, Noordin Mohd Top, is not a citizen of Brunei Darussalam.
The statement was also issued in response to the Borneo Bulletin article dated September 1, entitled "No record of Noordin Top becoming Brunei citizen" in which it was reported that Noordin Top had introduced himself as Muhammad Mustopa from Brunei Darussalam when he married Novi Lutfiati, a 19-year-old Indonesian woman.
"There are no records at all of Noordin Top, or any of his known aliases such as Muhammad Mustopa, entering into and to the extent of staying in this country, which makes it absolutely impossible for him to claim being a Brunei citizen," the statement from the department read.
The Department of Immigration and National Registration also stated that "to become a citizen of Brunei Darussalam, such person would have to fulfil certain requirements and conditions under the Brunei Nationality Act, Chapter 15. One of the requirements in the Act for a foreigner to be eligible to apply for Brunei citizenship, is that such person must reside in Brunei Darussalam and possess a Brunei permanent resident status for a specific period of time".
In addition, the process of marriage between a Bruneian and a foreigner must also fulfil certain requirements imposed by the department and other relevant authorities, the statement read.