Research looks into educators' competencies
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Thursday, August 28, 2008
THE production of quality human capital needs quality education dispensed by skilled, qualified educators, but such local educators may not all be knowledgeable or passionate about the subjects they teach.
This issue was addressed by Liana Artini Hj Mohd Noor from the Department of Business and Management at Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB), when she presented her research on "The Significance of Specialisation for Vocational and Technical Education (VTE) Educators" during the Human Resource Compendium on Best Practices in Brunei Darussalam.
Liana Artini stated that the competencies of teaching staff can contribute to a more effective, motivated and valuable workforce in VTE, adding that it is necessary for the teaching staff to acquire comprehensive knowledge and hands-on experience in their teaching subjects in order to fully complement the requirements of VTE services to the community, government and the private sector.
She also highlighted that the foundation to sustaining and enhancing the quality of service providers are skilful and competent educators. These educators play a significant role in producing the human capital that is adapted to the globally dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economy.
In her research, Liana Artini investigated local professional teaching staff from a variety of VTE institutions and examined whether their specialist background fit with their teaching area in order to conclude if there was any evidence of teaching subject mismatch.
She had a sample of 71 respondents who have answered interviews and questionnaires regarding the matter.
Of this sample, the feedback revealed that 68.1 per cent of the educators interviewed found that their teaching subjects were relevant to their area of expertise or qualifications.
Meanwhile, 25 per cent said that it was "somewhat relevant" and the rest declared that what they taught did not relate to their qualifications.
From the pool of educators interviewed, it was also discovered that 31 individuals expected to take on the teaching profession.
The other 40 individuals "resorted" to teaching as a result of other influencing factors, with the most common reason being that the individual was bonded to service with the government.
However, from her research, it was found that there was "very little" evidence to support teaching subject mismatch among teaching staff in the VTE institutions surveyed.
Liana Aritini suggested that the study be expanded to include more institutions and a broader sample.
She also expressed her hope that the study would raise awareness to the existence and concerns brought about teaching subject mismatch.
One of the audience members later suggested that students should be given courses that have been "tailored" to the demands of the organisations. "We must realise that the community is our stakeholder," said a representative from Universiti Brunei Darussalam.(ODM1)
The Brunei Times
Thursday, August 28, 2008
His Majesty tours Iskandar Development Region
His Majesty tours Iskandar Development Region
Royal visit: His Majesty (3rd L) being briefed on the Iskandar Development Region by CEO of the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA), Dato Ikmal Hijaz (4th L) as Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (2nd R) looks on in Johor yesterday. Picture: Infofoto
IZAM SAID YA'AKUB
JOHOR, MALAYSIA
Thursday, August 28, 2008
THE involvement of Brunei Darussalam in the Iskandar Development Region could very well be realised after the development corridor in Johor received a royal visit by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.
His Majesty had a closer look at the Iskandar Development Region during an indepth briefing by Chief Executive Officer of the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA), Dato Ikmal Hijaz Hashim. During the briefing the Chief Executive Officer highlighted that a delegation from the Brunei Investment Agency had earlier visited the area in March 2008.
The Iskandar Malaysia Project comprises five zones within the multi-billion dollar mega project. Each of the zone plays a vital role in establishing the five existing pillars of the project. They are electrical and electronics, petro-chemical and oleo-chemical, food and agro processing, logistics and related services, with the last pillar being the tourism.
There are four other clusters which will be implemented, Health Services, which comprises a Medical Park and Medical City; Education Services, which will feature universities and industry centric research and development clusters, whilst courses will also feature a wide variety; Financial services which will see an extension of Malaysia's role in Islamic Financing and the region's premier Islamic Financial Hub; Creative Industries, with a 1,000 acre park dedicated to an extensive digital content industry, the creative entertainment hub will look to open new and available opportunities for multimedia graduates.
Earlier, the Prime Minister of Malaysia and also joint Chairman of the Iskandar Malaysia project, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that "the Sultan has indicated his desire to consider whatever investment opportunities that are available in the region. And his visit to the area also enables him to observe the development that has taken place in Iskandar Malaysia."
His Majesty took a hands on approach with viewing the region, piloting a helicopter alongside HRH Tunku Ibrahim Ismail, the Tunku Mahkota of Johor. After landing in the Iskandar Malaysia region, His Majesty and the Tunku Mahkota of Johor met the Malaysia Prime Minister and a delegation from IRDA, who took His Majesty on a brief tour of the projects.
Following his visit to the Iskandar Malaysia development, His Majesty attended a luncheon hosted in his honour by Sultan Iskandar of Johor at Istana Bukit Serene in Johor Baharu.The Brunei Times
Royal visit: His Majesty (3rd L) being briefed on the Iskandar Development Region by CEO of the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA), Dato Ikmal Hijaz (4th L) as Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (2nd R) looks on in Johor yesterday. Picture: Infofoto
IZAM SAID YA'AKUB
JOHOR, MALAYSIA
Thursday, August 28, 2008
THE involvement of Brunei Darussalam in the Iskandar Development Region could very well be realised after the development corridor in Johor received a royal visit by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.
His Majesty had a closer look at the Iskandar Development Region during an indepth briefing by Chief Executive Officer of the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA), Dato Ikmal Hijaz Hashim. During the briefing the Chief Executive Officer highlighted that a delegation from the Brunei Investment Agency had earlier visited the area in March 2008.
The Iskandar Malaysia Project comprises five zones within the multi-billion dollar mega project. Each of the zone plays a vital role in establishing the five existing pillars of the project. They are electrical and electronics, petro-chemical and oleo-chemical, food and agro processing, logistics and related services, with the last pillar being the tourism.
There are four other clusters which will be implemented, Health Services, which comprises a Medical Park and Medical City; Education Services, which will feature universities and industry centric research and development clusters, whilst courses will also feature a wide variety; Financial services which will see an extension of Malaysia's role in Islamic Financing and the region's premier Islamic Financial Hub; Creative Industries, with a 1,000 acre park dedicated to an extensive digital content industry, the creative entertainment hub will look to open new and available opportunities for multimedia graduates.
Earlier, the Prime Minister of Malaysia and also joint Chairman of the Iskandar Malaysia project, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that "the Sultan has indicated his desire to consider whatever investment opportunities that are available in the region. And his visit to the area also enables him to observe the development that has taken place in Iskandar Malaysia."
His Majesty took a hands on approach with viewing the region, piloting a helicopter alongside HRH Tunku Ibrahim Ismail, the Tunku Mahkota of Johor. After landing in the Iskandar Malaysia region, His Majesty and the Tunku Mahkota of Johor met the Malaysia Prime Minister and a delegation from IRDA, who took His Majesty on a brief tour of the projects.
Following his visit to the Iskandar Malaysia development, His Majesty attended a luncheon hosted in his honour by Sultan Iskandar of Johor at Istana Bukit Serene in Johor Baharu.The Brunei Times
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
'Use research to draw up policies'
'Use research to draw up policies'
Forum: Participants at the Seameo Voctech forum, which looks at the best practices in institutional research. Picture: Courtesy of Seameo Voctech
Qistina Rangga
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
WITH more than half the wealth of the world's most advanced industrial societies derived from knowledge capital, there is a renewed emphasis in Southeast Asia to develop knowledge-based societies.
However, to do so, a nation's policies and practices should be based on research and not merely on intuition.
This was said by deputy director (Professional) cum research manager at the Seameo Voctech, Dr Paryono in his welcoming remarks at the half-day forum on "Institutional Research: Sharing Best Practices".
"Much data and information around us could be analysed, interpreted and informed to policymakers and practitioners," he said. "It can only be accomplished by rigorous research activities, knowledge management and information sharing." He argued that without research and development, the people of Brunei "will be just users, not innovators or creators".
Dr Paryono learned during previous meetings with other Seameo Voctech members that in Southeast Asia, there is a lack of research activities, management and sharing. "Much of the research findings cannot be accessed by others due to limited networking and limited shared database," he said.
The forum was thus aimed to initiate and nurture institutional research among representatives from various schools and colleges and the Ministry of Education. It was also attended by 19 representatives from the 10 Seameo Voctech member countries.
Dr Paryono said that Seameo Voctech is in the process of compiling research information in online database that can be accessed by anyone.
At the forum, two local lecturers Dr Gilbert Fung Chai Wing of the Universiti Brunei Darussalam and Dr Hj Supry Hj Awg Ladi of the Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB) shared their respective institute's best practices, particularly in the conduct of institutional research.
One of the presentations by Dr Hj Supry was about ITB's research initiatives through its research and development (R&D) activities such as the first Brunei International Conference on Engineering and Technology and CIPTA award competition.
These activities, through the establishment of R&D Unit in the Department of Civil Engineering in 2001, help promote research skills in their students. The institute also focuses on marketable activities, as noted by the forum's moderator, Punang Amaripuja. "In the case of the CIPTA award, new products, processes or technologies are created, which attract local and international companies," he said.
The Brunei Times
Forum: Participants at the Seameo Voctech forum, which looks at the best practices in institutional research. Picture: Courtesy of Seameo Voctech
Qistina Rangga
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
WITH more than half the wealth of the world's most advanced industrial societies derived from knowledge capital, there is a renewed emphasis in Southeast Asia to develop knowledge-based societies.
However, to do so, a nation's policies and practices should be based on research and not merely on intuition.
This was said by deputy director (Professional) cum research manager at the Seameo Voctech, Dr Paryono in his welcoming remarks at the half-day forum on "Institutional Research: Sharing Best Practices".
"Much data and information around us could be analysed, interpreted and informed to policymakers and practitioners," he said. "It can only be accomplished by rigorous research activities, knowledge management and information sharing." He argued that without research and development, the people of Brunei "will be just users, not innovators or creators".
Dr Paryono learned during previous meetings with other Seameo Voctech members that in Southeast Asia, there is a lack of research activities, management and sharing. "Much of the research findings cannot be accessed by others due to limited networking and limited shared database," he said.
The forum was thus aimed to initiate and nurture institutional research among representatives from various schools and colleges and the Ministry of Education. It was also attended by 19 representatives from the 10 Seameo Voctech member countries.
Dr Paryono said that Seameo Voctech is in the process of compiling research information in online database that can be accessed by anyone.
At the forum, two local lecturers Dr Gilbert Fung Chai Wing of the Universiti Brunei Darussalam and Dr Hj Supry Hj Awg Ladi of the Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB) shared their respective institute's best practices, particularly in the conduct of institutional research.
One of the presentations by Dr Hj Supry was about ITB's research initiatives through its research and development (R&D) activities such as the first Brunei International Conference on Engineering and Technology and CIPTA award competition.
These activities, through the establishment of R&D Unit in the Department of Civil Engineering in 2001, help promote research skills in their students. The institute also focuses on marketable activities, as noted by the forum's moderator, Punang Amaripuja. "In the case of the CIPTA award, new products, processes or technologies are created, which attract local and international companies," he said.
The Brunei Times
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Do we still need WTO aids?
Do we still need WTO aids?
JAHANGIR BIN ALAM
DHAKA
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
THE World Trade Organisation (WTO) came into being in Marakkesh on January 1, 1995 following the successful completion of eight years of prolonged negotiations from 1986 to 1994 as a sequel to Uruguay Round of negotiations. The organisation's current membership strength is 153 as on July 23, 2008.
This rule based multilateral institution, which is a successor to the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade (Gatt) was created in line with the WTO agreements, negotiated, signed and ratified by majority of the UN member countries with a view to helping the producers of various goods and services in pursuit of their respective trade and commerce under a uniform set of rules. It may be noted that Gatt was created in 1947 with a view to reducing tariffs, removing trade barriers and facilitate trade in goods through multilateral negotiations. However, the WTO Agreement encompasses trade in services in addition to trade in goods.
The broad functions of the organisation are: to administer and monitor WTO agreements, act as a forum for trade negotiations, resolve trade related disputes, monitor trade policies of member countries and to cooperate with other international organisations.
The objectives of the organisation as stated in the preamble of the WTO Agreement are: raising standards of living; ensuring full employment; achieving sustainable development; protecting environment and ensuring that developing countries, especially the least developed ones (LDCs) their due share in the growth of international trade.
However, with the passage of time the organisation's emphasis has gradually slipped from concentrating on its avowed objectives of seeing itself primarily as "an organisation for trade liberalisation" and declaring that "the system's overriding purpose is to help trade flow as freely as possible".
This is perhaps the prime reason of prevailing tensions surrounding the mandate and activities of the organisation. The developing countries and NGOs would like to see that it puts added emphasis on achieving public interest goals, while others, for instance - private companies, both localised and multinationals and some industrialised countries favour faster removal of barriers to free trade to enable them to reap benefits out of it at a faster pace.
On the face of it one may find WTO to be stronger and a more democratic institution in comparison with other international organisations like—the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as it follows the practice of one member one vote and consensus based decision making.
Other positive aspects of the organisation that one would come across are: its special emphasis on sustainable trade related developmental aspects of its members; creation of increased number of committees and undertaking additional programmes towards providing technical; policy and financial assistance to its LDC members; ensuring transparency through prevention of green room negotiations and effective use of web-page; enhancement of its monitoring capacity through publication of World Trade Report and Trade Policy Review; increase in the volume of trade of its members; removal of tariff, non-tariff and para-tariff barriers to the maximum possible extent; widening the scope of trade governance from trade in goods to trade in services, intellectual property rights and investment.
Formulation of new enforceable rules and evolving newer mechanisms to handle matters relating to dispute settlement; bringing trade in agriculture and textiles under its umbrella and inclusion of development policies in the WTO agenda could be seen as no less achievements. However, people have started questioning the nature of democratic practices that the organisation has been pursuing lately.
One could observe lack of transparency and accountability in the decision making process, as at times it takes place through informal meetings. Also there are significant failures of the organisation such as - its lack of human resources and limitations in effective monitoring and enforcement of regulations and decisions, especially in respects of dispute settlements involving its powerful members; failure to involve NGOs as integral part of world trade governance.
Other major failures of WTO that a dispassionate observer would come across are: It inability to fully liberalise trade in agriculture and to some extent - textiles; partial and unbalanced implementation of services agreement like - failure to ensure free movement of labour; increasing the burden on developing countries through fixation of rather limited transition periods in respect of Trips, Trims and Gats; failure in effective implementation of rules relating to providing special and differential treatment for example Swiss formula in Nama agreement to deserving members; absence of clear policy regarding protection of environment and labour rights and last but not the least overloading the WTO agenda by turning it into a forum for discussion rather than a place for resolving critical issues.
Currently, an increasing number of voices are being raised to the effect that free trade should not be an end in itself; rather, it should be a tool for achieving equitable and sustainable development that would help create a better world.
Now a days there are criticisms galore that WTO is dominated by the rich and the mighty and that it functions in a secretive manner to serve the causes of the rich in the garb of trade liberalisation. Failure of the latest Doha Round ministerial negotiations held in Geneva from July 21 - 29, 2008 could be cited as an example to the effect.
However, in spite of the shortcomings and limitations, there is no denying that there has been a significant increase in the volume of world trade as an aftermath of the creation of WTO. The increase could be much more had organisation followed its avowed path both in letter and spirit.
Jahangir Bin Alam is Former Secretary, Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bangladesh
The Brunei Times
JAHANGIR BIN ALAM
DHAKA
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
THE World Trade Organisation (WTO) came into being in Marakkesh on January 1, 1995 following the successful completion of eight years of prolonged negotiations from 1986 to 1994 as a sequel to Uruguay Round of negotiations. The organisation's current membership strength is 153 as on July 23, 2008.
This rule based multilateral institution, which is a successor to the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade (Gatt) was created in line with the WTO agreements, negotiated, signed and ratified by majority of the UN member countries with a view to helping the producers of various goods and services in pursuit of their respective trade and commerce under a uniform set of rules. It may be noted that Gatt was created in 1947 with a view to reducing tariffs, removing trade barriers and facilitate trade in goods through multilateral negotiations. However, the WTO Agreement encompasses trade in services in addition to trade in goods.
The broad functions of the organisation are: to administer and monitor WTO agreements, act as a forum for trade negotiations, resolve trade related disputes, monitor trade policies of member countries and to cooperate with other international organisations.
The objectives of the organisation as stated in the preamble of the WTO Agreement are: raising standards of living; ensuring full employment; achieving sustainable development; protecting environment and ensuring that developing countries, especially the least developed ones (LDCs) their due share in the growth of international trade.
However, with the passage of time the organisation's emphasis has gradually slipped from concentrating on its avowed objectives of seeing itself primarily as "an organisation for trade liberalisation" and declaring that "the system's overriding purpose is to help trade flow as freely as possible".
This is perhaps the prime reason of prevailing tensions surrounding the mandate and activities of the organisation. The developing countries and NGOs would like to see that it puts added emphasis on achieving public interest goals, while others, for instance - private companies, both localised and multinationals and some industrialised countries favour faster removal of barriers to free trade to enable them to reap benefits out of it at a faster pace.
On the face of it one may find WTO to be stronger and a more democratic institution in comparison with other international organisations like—the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as it follows the practice of one member one vote and consensus based decision making.
Other positive aspects of the organisation that one would come across are: its special emphasis on sustainable trade related developmental aspects of its members; creation of increased number of committees and undertaking additional programmes towards providing technical; policy and financial assistance to its LDC members; ensuring transparency through prevention of green room negotiations and effective use of web-page; enhancement of its monitoring capacity through publication of World Trade Report and Trade Policy Review; increase in the volume of trade of its members; removal of tariff, non-tariff and para-tariff barriers to the maximum possible extent; widening the scope of trade governance from trade in goods to trade in services, intellectual property rights and investment.
Formulation of new enforceable rules and evolving newer mechanisms to handle matters relating to dispute settlement; bringing trade in agriculture and textiles under its umbrella and inclusion of development policies in the WTO agenda could be seen as no less achievements. However, people have started questioning the nature of democratic practices that the organisation has been pursuing lately.
One could observe lack of transparency and accountability in the decision making process, as at times it takes place through informal meetings. Also there are significant failures of the organisation such as - its lack of human resources and limitations in effective monitoring and enforcement of regulations and decisions, especially in respects of dispute settlements involving its powerful members; failure to involve NGOs as integral part of world trade governance.
Other major failures of WTO that a dispassionate observer would come across are: It inability to fully liberalise trade in agriculture and to some extent - textiles; partial and unbalanced implementation of services agreement like - failure to ensure free movement of labour; increasing the burden on developing countries through fixation of rather limited transition periods in respect of Trips, Trims and Gats; failure in effective implementation of rules relating to providing special and differential treatment for example Swiss formula in Nama agreement to deserving members; absence of clear policy regarding protection of environment and labour rights and last but not the least overloading the WTO agenda by turning it into a forum for discussion rather than a place for resolving critical issues.
Currently, an increasing number of voices are being raised to the effect that free trade should not be an end in itself; rather, it should be a tool for achieving equitable and sustainable development that would help create a better world.
Now a days there are criticisms galore that WTO is dominated by the rich and the mighty and that it functions in a secretive manner to serve the causes of the rich in the garb of trade liberalisation. Failure of the latest Doha Round ministerial negotiations held in Geneva from July 21 - 29, 2008 could be cited as an example to the effect.
However, in spite of the shortcomings and limitations, there is no denying that there has been a significant increase in the volume of world trade as an aftermath of the creation of WTO. The increase could be much more had organisation followed its avowed path both in letter and spirit.
Jahangir Bin Alam is Former Secretary, Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bangladesh
The Brunei Times
Monday, August 25, 2008
Asean, India set to seal trade deal
Asean, India set to seal trade deal
From the ground up: An Indonesian labourer works at a construction site in Jakarta, on Friday. Asean ministers will finalise this week a trade deal with India. Picture: EPASINGAPORE
Monday, August 25, 2008
ASEAN is set this week to finalise a free trade agreement with India and hold talks with Australia and New Zealand, signalling the importance of regional pacts amid fading hopes for a global trading regime.
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) economic ministers, meeting in Singapore from today to Friday, are expected to put the final touches on an Asean-India trade in goods pact agreed on by senior officials earlier this month.
The deal covering billions of dollars is expected to be signed during the Asean-India Summit in December, officials have said.
Asean economic ministers will also hold talks with their counterparts from Australia and New Zealand in an effort to have a trade agreement ready for signing by December, a Southeast Asian diplomatic source said.
Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said recently Canberra hoped to conclude the talks with the 10-member Asean in Singapore, but the source said this might not be possible because certain issues still have to be resolved.
But the source added the issues, one of them concerning the rights of New Zealand's indigenous peoples, were minor. He was confident a deal will be reached in time for the Asean Summit in Bangkok in December.
Asean has agreed to gradually tear down barriers to trade in goods and services with China and South Korea and has signed a wide-ranging economic partnership deal with Japan, which also covers investments.
Forging the trade links with India and the two Pacific nations will complete the bloc's ties with all its key Asia-Pacific trading partners, and could be a catalyst for a region-wide free-trade zone, officials said.
Asean has a combined population of about 550 million people. It is a diverse group which ranges from high-tech Singapore to poverty-stricken Myanmar, and the world's most populous Muslim nation, Indonesia.
Asean is already a free-trade area with 90 per cent of goods traded having tariffs between zero and five per cent.
This week the ministers are expected to discuss the impact of high oil and food prices and the escalating global economic slowdown on their economies.
But officials said the overriding focus would be on efforts to achieve a single market and manufacturing base by 2015 to raise Asean's profile in the face of competition from China and India.
"To stay in the game, Asean must become a strong integrated region," Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said.
He warned that, individually, Asean states are "only tiny blips on the radar screens of investors".
Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Pangestu said Asean is likely to focus more on implementing and strengthening its free-trade agreements (FTAs) than on planning for a massive 16-nation pact including its key regional trading partners and covering about half of the global population.
But she agreed the FTAs could evolve in the future.
"What we are seeing is that Asean is at the focal point of all these trade agreements," Pangestu told AFP, noting that all the Asean deals with individual countries are similar in structure.
"Eventually, when you consolidate the FTAs, it is possible that you could end up with something like that (an Asia-wide FTA)."
Regional FTAs could gain fresh momentum after the latest attempt to end a seven-year deadlock in the so-called Doha Round of global trade talks broke down in July because of a dispute between India and the United States over agricultural tariffs.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB), in a recent study on Asian regionalism, said "substantial gains could be realised from consolidating the many FTAs into a single, region-wide one" and from adopting practices to guide future regional and sub-regional FTAs.
But while Asia is forging ahead with trade linkages, the region has a major task in integrating its financial markets which are now larger, deeper and more sophisticated than they were a decade ago, it said.
The region also has to make sure the benefits of economic progress reach a larger number of people, especially the poor, the Manila-based ADB said.
"Governments need to connect the poor to the thriving regional economy by eliminating labour market barriers, investing in workers' capabilities, and building infrastructure to connect disadvantaged regions with economic centres," said the agency, which aims to reduce poverty.
The region was on the right track, however, the ADB said.
"We are witnessing the beginnings of a strong, prosperous, outward-looking Asian economic community, regionally integrated yet connected with global markets, and with responsibility and influence to match its economic weight," the ADB said.AFP
From the ground up: An Indonesian labourer works at a construction site in Jakarta, on Friday. Asean ministers will finalise this week a trade deal with India. Picture: EPASINGAPORE
Monday, August 25, 2008
ASEAN is set this week to finalise a free trade agreement with India and hold talks with Australia and New Zealand, signalling the importance of regional pacts amid fading hopes for a global trading regime.
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) economic ministers, meeting in Singapore from today to Friday, are expected to put the final touches on an Asean-India trade in goods pact agreed on by senior officials earlier this month.
The deal covering billions of dollars is expected to be signed during the Asean-India Summit in December, officials have said.
Asean economic ministers will also hold talks with their counterparts from Australia and New Zealand in an effort to have a trade agreement ready for signing by December, a Southeast Asian diplomatic source said.
Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said recently Canberra hoped to conclude the talks with the 10-member Asean in Singapore, but the source said this might not be possible because certain issues still have to be resolved.
But the source added the issues, one of them concerning the rights of New Zealand's indigenous peoples, were minor. He was confident a deal will be reached in time for the Asean Summit in Bangkok in December.
Asean has agreed to gradually tear down barriers to trade in goods and services with China and South Korea and has signed a wide-ranging economic partnership deal with Japan, which also covers investments.
Forging the trade links with India and the two Pacific nations will complete the bloc's ties with all its key Asia-Pacific trading partners, and could be a catalyst for a region-wide free-trade zone, officials said.
Asean has a combined population of about 550 million people. It is a diverse group which ranges from high-tech Singapore to poverty-stricken Myanmar, and the world's most populous Muslim nation, Indonesia.
Asean is already a free-trade area with 90 per cent of goods traded having tariffs between zero and five per cent.
This week the ministers are expected to discuss the impact of high oil and food prices and the escalating global economic slowdown on their economies.
But officials said the overriding focus would be on efforts to achieve a single market and manufacturing base by 2015 to raise Asean's profile in the face of competition from China and India.
"To stay in the game, Asean must become a strong integrated region," Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said.
He warned that, individually, Asean states are "only tiny blips on the radar screens of investors".
Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Pangestu said Asean is likely to focus more on implementing and strengthening its free-trade agreements (FTAs) than on planning for a massive 16-nation pact including its key regional trading partners and covering about half of the global population.
But she agreed the FTAs could evolve in the future.
"What we are seeing is that Asean is at the focal point of all these trade agreements," Pangestu told AFP, noting that all the Asean deals with individual countries are similar in structure.
"Eventually, when you consolidate the FTAs, it is possible that you could end up with something like that (an Asia-wide FTA)."
Regional FTAs could gain fresh momentum after the latest attempt to end a seven-year deadlock in the so-called Doha Round of global trade talks broke down in July because of a dispute between India and the United States over agricultural tariffs.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB), in a recent study on Asian regionalism, said "substantial gains could be realised from consolidating the many FTAs into a single, region-wide one" and from adopting practices to guide future regional and sub-regional FTAs.
But while Asia is forging ahead with trade linkages, the region has a major task in integrating its financial markets which are now larger, deeper and more sophisticated than they were a decade ago, it said.
The region also has to make sure the benefits of economic progress reach a larger number of people, especially the poor, the Manila-based ADB said.
"Governments need to connect the poor to the thriving regional economy by eliminating labour market barriers, investing in workers' capabilities, and building infrastructure to connect disadvantaged regions with economic centres," said the agency, which aims to reduce poverty.
The region was on the right track, however, the ADB said.
"We are witnessing the beginnings of a strong, prosperous, outward-looking Asian economic community, regionally integrated yet connected with global markets, and with responsibility and influence to match its economic weight," the ADB said.AFP
Get ready to say hello to 'made in Brunei' mobile
Get ready to say hello to 'made in Brunei' mobile
Ubaidillah Masli
BRUNEI-MUARA
Monday, August 25, 2008
EXPECT to see mobile phones which bear the label "made in Brunei Darussalam" in the market within the near future as Dina Brunei held the launching of the mobile phone manufacturing industry. By January 2009, a factory to introduce and assemble GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) mobile phones in the Sultanate will become fully operational.
As a result of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Dina Brunei and Christel Technologies Singapore, a new company, Business Time Technologies Sdn Bhd had been formed to handle the production of these locally-made cell phones. The MoU was signed yesterday during the ceremony, which was held at the theatre of the Empire Hotel and Country Club.
Signing on behalf of Dina Brunei was its president, Azlan Yussuf, who stated that the factory would commence production with the introduction of its first line of PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) mobile phones as well as "everyday" handphones.
Azlan highlighted that the new industry was in line with the nation's aim of diversifying its economy and reducing its dependency on oil and gas. He expressed the hope that the manufacturing of mobile phones would place Brunei on the map as an industrial and commercial hub.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Augustine Yap, was on hand to sign the MoU on behalf of Christel Technologies Singapore. He also delivered a speech where he outlined that the cooperation of the two companies was a "clear reflection" of Dina Brunei's initiative to penetrate the global stage.
Yap said that the cooperation between Christel Technologies and Dina Brunei "fitted well". Since the Singaporean company had the necessary ICT knowledge and expertise while Dina Brunei had the "strong financial capacity", Yap expressed his belief that together, they would be able to combine their resources to "deliver the best product" to the market.
He also said that the world mobile phone industry was growing and quoted a 2006 survey which forecast an expected compound annual growth of 14 per cent. He added that in 2011, worldwide mobile phone shipment will reach a total of 1.46 billion sets.
"It is the desire of this new company to capitalise on this growing market demand," he said.
Yap also announced that once the factory becomes operational, a research and development department would be established to create new innovative products designed by local engineers. In this light, the CEO mentioned that the industry would open up a host of job opportunities, ranging from logistics to engineers.
He added that the products would be exported, targeting "high-end markets" such as oil-importing countries.
Carrying the brand, D-Time, 1,000 limited edition models of these phones would be released by the end of next month to give the customers a taste of what the company has to offer in the future. A teaser trailer was also played to give the audience of Dina group members a brief glimpse of the new product. The president of Dina Global, Hasri Md Nor, was present to launch the trailer as the guest of honour at the event.
The Brunei Times
Ubaidillah Masli
BRUNEI-MUARA
Monday, August 25, 2008
EXPECT to see mobile phones which bear the label "made in Brunei Darussalam" in the market within the near future as Dina Brunei held the launching of the mobile phone manufacturing industry. By January 2009, a factory to introduce and assemble GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) mobile phones in the Sultanate will become fully operational.
As a result of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Dina Brunei and Christel Technologies Singapore, a new company, Business Time Technologies Sdn Bhd had been formed to handle the production of these locally-made cell phones. The MoU was signed yesterday during the ceremony, which was held at the theatre of the Empire Hotel and Country Club.
Signing on behalf of Dina Brunei was its president, Azlan Yussuf, who stated that the factory would commence production with the introduction of its first line of PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) mobile phones as well as "everyday" handphones.
Azlan highlighted that the new industry was in line with the nation's aim of diversifying its economy and reducing its dependency on oil and gas. He expressed the hope that the manufacturing of mobile phones would place Brunei on the map as an industrial and commercial hub.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Augustine Yap, was on hand to sign the MoU on behalf of Christel Technologies Singapore. He also delivered a speech where he outlined that the cooperation of the two companies was a "clear reflection" of Dina Brunei's initiative to penetrate the global stage.
Yap said that the cooperation between Christel Technologies and Dina Brunei "fitted well". Since the Singaporean company had the necessary ICT knowledge and expertise while Dina Brunei had the "strong financial capacity", Yap expressed his belief that together, they would be able to combine their resources to "deliver the best product" to the market.
He also said that the world mobile phone industry was growing and quoted a 2006 survey which forecast an expected compound annual growth of 14 per cent. He added that in 2011, worldwide mobile phone shipment will reach a total of 1.46 billion sets.
"It is the desire of this new company to capitalise on this growing market demand," he said.
Yap also announced that once the factory becomes operational, a research and development department would be established to create new innovative products designed by local engineers. In this light, the CEO mentioned that the industry would open up a host of job opportunities, ranging from logistics to engineers.
He added that the products would be exported, targeting "high-end markets" such as oil-importing countries.
Carrying the brand, D-Time, 1,000 limited edition models of these phones would be released by the end of next month to give the customers a taste of what the company has to offer in the future. A teaser trailer was also played to give the audience of Dina group members a brief glimpse of the new product. The president of Dina Global, Hasri Md Nor, was present to launch the trailer as the guest of honour at the event.
The Brunei Times
Get ready to say hello to 'made in Brunei' mobile
Get ready to say hello to 'made in Brunei' mobile
UBAIDILLAH MASLI
BRUNEI-MUARA
Monday, August 25, 2008
EXPECT to see mobile phones which bear the label "made in Brunei Darussalam" in the market within the near future as Dina Brunei held the launching of the mobile phone manufacturing industry. By January 2009, a factory to introduce and assemble GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) mobile phones in the Sultanate will become fully operational.
As a result of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Dina Brunei and Christel Technologies Singapore, a new company, Business Time Technologies Sdn Bhd had been formed to handle the production of these locally-made cell phones. The MoU was signed yesterday during the ceremony, which was held at the theatre of the Empire Hotel and Country Club.
Signing on behalf of Dina Brunei was its president, Azlan Yussuf, who stated that the factory would commence production with the introduction of its first line of PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) mobile phones as well as "everyday" handphones.
Azlan highlighted that the new industry was in line with the nation's aim of diversifying its economy and reducing its dependency on oil and gas. He expressed the hope that the manufacturing of mobile phones would place Brunei on the map as an industrial and commercial hub.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Augustine Yap, was on hand to sign the MoU on behalf of Christel Technologies Singapore. He also delivered a speech where he outlined that the cooperation of the two companies was a "clear reflection" of Dina Brunei's initiative to penetrate the global stage.
Yap said that the cooperation between Christel Technologies and Dina Brunei "fitted well". Since the Singaporean company had the necessary ICT knowledge and expertise while Dina Brunei had the "strong financial capacity", Yap expressed his belief that together, they would be able to combine their resources to "deliver the best product" to the market.
He also said that the world mobile phone industry was growing and quoted a 2006 survey which forecast an expected compound annual growth of 14 per cent. He added that in 2011, worldwide mobile phone shipment will reach a total of 1.46 billion sets.
"It is the desire of this new company to capitalise on this growing market demand," he said.
Yap also announced that once the factory becomes operational, a research and development department would be established to create new innovative products designed by local engineers. In this light, the CEO mentioned that the industry would open up a host of job opportunities, ranging from logistics to engineers.
He added that the products would be exported, targeting "high-end markets" such as oil-importing countries.
Carrying the brand, D-Time, 1,000 limited edition models of these phones would be released by the end of next month to give the customers a taste of what the company has to offer in the future. A teaser trailer was also played to give the audience of Dina group members a brief glimpse of the new product. The president of Dina Global, Hasri Md Nor, was present to launch the trailer as the guest of honour at the event.
The Brunei Times
UBAIDILLAH MASLI
BRUNEI-MUARA
Monday, August 25, 2008
EXPECT to see mobile phones which bear the label "made in Brunei Darussalam" in the market within the near future as Dina Brunei held the launching of the mobile phone manufacturing industry. By January 2009, a factory to introduce and assemble GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) mobile phones in the Sultanate will become fully operational.
As a result of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Dina Brunei and Christel Technologies Singapore, a new company, Business Time Technologies Sdn Bhd had been formed to handle the production of these locally-made cell phones. The MoU was signed yesterday during the ceremony, which was held at the theatre of the Empire Hotel and Country Club.
Signing on behalf of Dina Brunei was its president, Azlan Yussuf, who stated that the factory would commence production with the introduction of its first line of PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) mobile phones as well as "everyday" handphones.
Azlan highlighted that the new industry was in line with the nation's aim of diversifying its economy and reducing its dependency on oil and gas. He expressed the hope that the manufacturing of mobile phones would place Brunei on the map as an industrial and commercial hub.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Augustine Yap, was on hand to sign the MoU on behalf of Christel Technologies Singapore. He also delivered a speech where he outlined that the cooperation of the two companies was a "clear reflection" of Dina Brunei's initiative to penetrate the global stage.
Yap said that the cooperation between Christel Technologies and Dina Brunei "fitted well". Since the Singaporean company had the necessary ICT knowledge and expertise while Dina Brunei had the "strong financial capacity", Yap expressed his belief that together, they would be able to combine their resources to "deliver the best product" to the market.
He also said that the world mobile phone industry was growing and quoted a 2006 survey which forecast an expected compound annual growth of 14 per cent. He added that in 2011, worldwide mobile phone shipment will reach a total of 1.46 billion sets.
"It is the desire of this new company to capitalise on this growing market demand," he said.
Yap also announced that once the factory becomes operational, a research and development department would be established to create new innovative products designed by local engineers. In this light, the CEO mentioned that the industry would open up a host of job opportunities, ranging from logistics to engineers.
He added that the products would be exported, targeting "high-end markets" such as oil-importing countries.
Carrying the brand, D-Time, 1,000 limited edition models of these phones would be released by the end of next month to give the customers a taste of what the company has to offer in the future. A teaser trailer was also played to give the audience of Dina group members a brief glimpse of the new product. The president of Dina Global, Hasri Md Nor, was present to launch the trailer as the guest of honour at the event.
The Brunei Times
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