Air Scouts' wings clipped
By Malai Hassan Othman

A controversy is brewing between the Brunei Scouts Association and the Brunei Air Scouts Movement as they apparently continue to have difficulty to co-exist in harmony.

The Brunei Scouts Association in a letter to the Borneo Bulletin declared that the Brunei Air Scouts Movement under the leadership of Awang Abdul Jalil bin Dato Haji Marsal is illegal. According to PPNBD, it has no intention to open a new separate branch of scouting such as the Brunei or National Air Scouts Movement.

PPNBD said the formation of the Brunei or National Air Scouts Movement was unconstitutional, therefore it is illegal.

It also stated that Awang Abdul Jalil was also no longer considered as a registered member of PPNBD effective 1st May 2003, the date of the expiry of his two-year membership. "An individual is not allowed to participate in any scout activity or to wear PPNBD uniform together with any scout emblem after the expiry date of his scout membership," stated PPNBD.

PPNBD issued the letter to the Bulletin in an attempt to prevent the Bulletin from publishing any news reports about the activities of the Brunei Air Scouts Movement.

Haji Zainuddin bin Haji Jaafar, the secretary general of PPNBD, signed the letter.

Meanwhile, Awang Abdul Jalil insisted it is a legal body and it was the President of PPNBD who approved its formation in 2001.

"How could it be illegal? The President has consented to its formation and has even been supportive of its activities. The Royal Brunei Air Force and the Education Ministry on the other hand has recognised this movement and has been supporting its activities," pointed out Awang Jalil.

He however expressed his disappointment over the legality issue brought up by PPNBD. He also noted with disappointment the move by PPNBD to invalidate his membership in PPNBD and to appoint new office bearers in the Air Scouts Movement.

PPNBD in the same letter it issued to the Bulletin also mentioned the appointment of the new office bearers in the Air Scouts Movement it now called PPNBD Air Scout Branch.

Awang Jalil said he and his colleagues are now contemplating to set up an independent Air Scouts Movement.

"This was actually the advice of the Chief Commissioner of PPNBD to us in his letter last January. So we thought it would be better for us to set up our own that would be separate from PPNBD.

"After all many of the members of the Air Scouts that we have formed with the consent of the PPNBD's President requested me to stay on as their leader," he added.

He said it was actually his wish to withdraw from the association in view of the current difficult situation faced by the members of the Air Scouts Movement.

But, he added, he respected the wishes of the members for him to stay on.

Meanwhile several observers noted that unity in its true sense is really something that some Bruneians running non-government associations seem to have difficulty in appreaciating fully.

Allegations of infighting among senior members in some NGOs who were supposed to lead and not fight with one another is a norm and indeed the root of crises that continue to sap the NGOs energy from making steady progress.

This menace has many times stalled the progress of several associations and placed members in confusion.

Now it seems that the menace is infecting the newly established Brunei or National Air Scout Movement, observers regretted.

Courtesy of Sunday Bulletin