$22 million allocated for poverty alleviation

$22 million allocated for poverty alleviation


History seminar: Pehin Orang Kaya Setia Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Ahmad Hj Jumat speaking at the seminar. Picture: BT/Saifulizam
BRUNEI-MUARA

Sunday, January 11, 2009

IN 2007 alone, a total of 21,608 or 5.54 per cent of Brunei's total population received financial aid from the Community Development Department of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and the Islamic Religious Council. With a total budget allocation of $22.6 million per year, the fund is intended for the group of people classified under the relative poverty line.

This was noted in a key address by the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Orang Kaya Setia Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Ahmad Hj Jumat, at the opening ceremony of the two-day regional seminar themed 'History in the country's development' co-organised by the Sultan Hj Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation and Brunei History Association (Pesebar) at Universiti Brunei Darussalam.

The future generation must play an important role in improving the quality of citizen awareness to an esteemed level. History can be used as a yardstick for the progress of a nation.

"For us to reap the benefits, we have to start appreciating history," he said.

"History is the best teacher in life for its major role in determining the greatness of a civilisation, race and nation," he said.

Through history, a generation would be able to know and appreciate their roots and distinguish right from wrong. The understanding of the progression of a country, especially in this unpredictable era, is imperative.

The minister hoped that the discussions from the seminar would help educate people on the importance of history in the development of a nation.

"We need to accept the fact that we are now in an environment filled with challenges, problems and competitions that must be conquered, managed and handled, he said.

"The future is impossible to predict. Change is the only thing that is constant." He added that Bruneians should not be afraid and must be prepared to take on future changes.

One of the government's main agenda in maintaining nation-building and to protect the country's competitiveness in the future was by investing in its human capital.

"Human capital is the only significant national asset, hence never compare human capital to other non-renewable resource."

To move forward in the global educational landscapes, Pehin Dato Dr Hj Ahmad mentioned that currently 30 per cent of Brunei's total population possess tertiary qualification compared to the current 9.58 per cent or 35,444 individuals with a university degree. Developed nations such as Singapore has a tertiary-educated population of around 35 per cent, United States and Australia averaging around 60 per cent, and United Kingdom with 52 per cent.

According to the minister, the seminar was held in accordance with the National Day Silver Jubilee celebration. Since the country's independence, its citizens in the Sultanate have enjoyed a good standard of living due to the sacrifices of our former leaders.

He said that in the next 25 years, Bruneians will have to ask themselves what they can do to contribute to the country rather than what the country can do for them.

The event also saw the launching of a book titled Tunggak, authored by Dato Paduka Dr Hj Abdul Latif Hj Ibrahim and a followed by a lecture titled " Physical development in history" by Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdullah Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar, the Minister of Development.

The seminar featured 16 working papers from local and international presenters. A total of 10 working papers will be presented today. (RSH1)

The Brunei Times