Sometime ago, His Majesty said in a titah that "Time is ripe for a second university".

I think it's about time we worked towards achieving this vision.

The current UBD can't accommodate the rising number of applicants each year.

Our population is reaching the 400,000 mark and we need more institutions of higher learning in order to advance the education in our country.

I suggest the new university be built somewhere in Mukim Liang, especially to cater for the educational needs of the students in both Tutong and Belait districts.

The vicinity of Lumut and Sungai Liang is an ideal area as it will complement and promote the developments in the area.

A university in Belait district will also spur development in the oil-town of Belait which is regarded as progressing more slowly than Tutong and Brunei-Muara and will be welcomed by the people of Belait.

We are lucky to have a wise ruler who has far-sighted visions for our country.

As grateful and loyal citizens, we should work towards achieving this vision.

Let us name this university, Universiti Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah as a tribute to our beloved Sultan!

Daulat Kebawah Duli Tuan Patik!

- Budiman

First of all, I'd like to say Assalamu'alaikum to Nor in Gadong (Weekend Bulletin 23rd July 2005).

Secondly, I'd like to ask her if she has ever heard of the 5 Rukuns Islam, please let me elaborate:

1) Mengucap Dua Kalimah, 2) Sembahyang Lima Waktu, 3) Berpuasa di Bulan Ramadhan, 4) Membayar Zakat Fitrah, and 5) Naik Haji ke Mekkah.

As Muslims, I believe that we have always been taught these compulsary five subjects, and if you have no idea about this, please do not blame the relevant authorities as it is not their duty to ensure that you were taught well regarding the Islam religion when young.

Otherwise, you may register as a student at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, I believe its never too late when it comes to religion.

Wassalam.
- Dk. Iman,
- Kg. Selayun

There were some (not all) lecturers at UBD who do an average job and some very poor jobs. This applies to the locals as well as expatriate lecturers.

Some may say that this is very normal; there would be good, average and poor apples in any typical barrel.

However, I would like to highlight the poor and ineffective lecturer evaluation system there.

At the end of a semester, lecturers do hand out evaluation forms to the students.

However, it is the same lecturer who collects them back! What happens to these forms?

Would the same lecturer analyse them? Do the HODs see these forms and act on them?

I ask this because I see the same lecturers returning even after the lecturer has got a poor review from his class.

Several times, I have seen a two-page advertisement in the newspaper requesting for lecturers at UBD.

Has UBD not managed to fill these posts?

- Disappointed Ex-Student, BSB

Referring to the news item 'No scholarship for students with criminal record' published in the Borneo Bulletin on Thursday, 12th July 2005.

Here, I would like to express my disappointment when I read this article.

One question, why can't we give a chance to those with criminal record to further their studies? I don't see anything wrong here.

Why are students asking for scholarships? Isn't it because they want to further their studies. And at the same time, they want to have a better future.

Simple! And we don't give them a chance just because they have had criminal records?

I have no criminal records, nor my friends. I am a 20 yr old girl and I have never committed any crime.

I sincerely feel if a person who has a criminal record asks for a scholarship, that means, he/she really wants to study and change his/her future.

If we don't give them a chance, what will their future be?

A criminal will not be a criminal forever.

They are also human beings who may want a better future.

They may want to lead clean lives.

Never look down on them.

Please have heart and be fair to everyone. Students with criminal records should be guided to the right path.

I believe we should think twice before one makes any decision on education or employment.

- Pemerhati

For several months now, the grass in the cemetery in Kg Danau has been left uncut and ignored.

As I visit this place very often, I notice this is not a one-off incident as some sections have grass over foot high!

Even when the person in charge decide to "do his duty", often it is a small part of the cemetery that gets mowed. The long grass has made it difficult for visitors to walk in.

The whole place is even infested with mosquitoes.

Forgive me if I'm wrong but, isn't this the responsibility of the ketua kampung?

I hope action can be taken on this to see that it is maintained well at all times.

- Danau boy

Strange parking habits irk motorists

I'm aware of the situation of traffic congestion near the new shopping complex in Gadong.

Parking can take a while here and I want to know whether shops at a certain building here have the authority to reserve parking just outside their shops?

They put chairs with signs stating that this parking space is for their customers only. Often, nobody ever parks there, and a lot of valuable car park space is wasted.

Can someone enlighten me whether this is actually legal?

- MM

Many congratulations to RTB on your 30th anniversary.

Beside our national carrier, the RTB logo is the next best known logo outside Brunei.

Your courage to apologise to your audience at time of professional errors is one quality, I personally admire.

- Loyal Audience

At the beginning of July a five year old Australian child was attacked by dogs on a beach in Tutong in front of her family.

She was badly bitten and if it had not been for the intervention of her parents, she would have been more seriously injured. Even as the father was picking up the child, the dogs were still biting. As it is she sustained many bites to the face and head and had a huge chunk of flesh bitten from her arm. Her legs were also bitten.

All I know is that she spent many hours in surgery at RIPAS hospital and has since had another operation on her face. This is a very scary thing to have happened and will leave many emotional scars in the whole family as well as physical scars on the child.

When will this country do something to control discarded pets gone wild - roaming around, disease ridden and starving?

These dogs attack because they are hungry and followed their instincts. We cannot blame them for behaving this way, it's nature.

I realise that Muslims are not supposed to touch dogs, but there are many of us here who can. Surely some sort of centre could be set up to deal with these poor creatures.

There are many expats who would volunteer to care for these animals I'm sure, if the facility existed. Please, please do something to deal with this problem before a child dies.

It was a very close call indeed at the beginning of this month and how many incidents will it take before these animals get proper care?

- Anne

Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude to our professional yet mindful nursing staff of the medical intensive care unit.

But, unfortunately, I can't say that of all staff.

I couldn't believe when I heard one member of staff saying that being pregnant was not a good excuse for not taking patients down for an x-ray.

She really strongly emphasised it.

The beds were heavy as I have seen other members of staff trying to move them.

In the end, I found the pregnant staff transporting the patient down.

Why not choose someone who was physically stronger?

I am sure there were others who were more cabable of handling this task, effortlessly?

Surely, everyone knows it is not advisable for pregnant women to carry out heavy duties.

I was really saddened to have witnessed such a thing. Please be a bit more considerate.

- Surprised Visitors

I am concerned for my cousin in A/Level studies at a well-known college in Brunei.

He has just visited me overseas and says that he is struggling because he doesn't understand half of what the teacher is try to express.

His parents are in the UK and he doesn't want to worry them. However any parent will worry if there is no experienced teacher in their child's A/Level class. I hope someone takes notice of this situation.

- School Comes First

Can anyone tell me how the national housing scheme allocation is carried out?

What are we supposed to do while waiting? May I suggest that the office system in KB be more transparent in allocating their "queue numbers?"

- In Need