Borneo Bulletin Opinions

Borneo Bulletin Opinion

PWD will assist in Sg Bera road case

We thank Residents, Kg Sg Bera, Seria for your concerns as appeared in the Opinion Column of Borneo Bulletin dated November 9, 2005.

The Public Works Department (PWD), through its Kuala Belait Office SKB, is responsible for maintaining and upgrading all roads under its control.

In addition, PWD is also extending its services to assist other authorities from time to time on the respective roads that they maintain.

Although, Sg Bera road is not under PWD's control, the same service is extended through our ongoing consultations with the relevant authorities.

PWD had assisted in the resurfacing works, using crusher run, a few years ago.

Further to this, discussions were also made on plans to further improve the road in the future.

In the meantime, PWD will continue to assist other authorities in maintaining the said road and other roads of similar situations.

- Acting Director of Building Services
- Public Works Department
- Brunei Darussalam

Why not electrical engineering?

I am a student who is in lower six form at a college in the capital. Next year I will be sitting for my A Level exams and will also be required to choose a university course.

I am interested to take up engineering and I know a course being offered by UBD that in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

This is a joined programmed course by UBD and a university in the UK. I have a few friends who have successfully obtained their degrees through this programme. However, one thing that scares me the most is that many of my engineer friends have told me to go for Civil Engineering instead.

According to them there are less prospects and benefits here for those doing other courses.

Many of my friends have obtained the chartered status in electrical engineering through the Institution of Electrical Engineering Brunei Branch.

However, most were left disappointed upon knowing that their charteredships are not recognised. Apparently they only recognise charteredship in civil engineering here.

If this situation is so, it is without doubt a real put off for student like mewho wish to pursue a tough course like Electrical Engineering.

I only have a year to make up my mind after I seek clarification from the authorities.

- 6th Former

Employment means putting in a lot of hard work

I read with interest news on the Forum about local employment. I worked in a company that employed both locals and foreigners and would like to share my experiences.

It is too easy for locals to compare salary and qualification with foreigners especially on the allowances.

Our company practised a simple approach, in that all employees get the same allowances on travel and housing, either local or foreigners.

But then, you must be wondering why we still need foreigners in our office, as the locals should be queuing up to join the company.

Half true. There is also a policy to replace the foreigner workers with locals so locals were prioritised during employment.

Then comes another half of the truth. Some of these locals will start to complain, as they are paid the same, why should they work harder?

So, even after employing and paying these workers, foreigners (or more hardworking locals) had to be employed to do their work.

As a local (I used to work overseas too), I support localisation, but for sure, the locals will need to fight for employment and better rewards instead of sitting and waiting.

After all, employment means working in exchange for a salary from an organisation, not just to collect a pay.

- Local Worker

Grateful for wireless network

I would like to express my grateful thanks to the Director of ICTC and his dedicated staff at UBD who managed to solve the problem of the wireless Internet access at FBEPS.

Internet is really important for students.

Now, the students are already able to use the wireless network service again.

- Awg. Ch. Agung Yuniardi

Of sweet drinks and diabetes

Of sweet soft drinks and the nation's diabetes problem

Soft drinks with a high sugar content has unfortunately become our regular and habitual method to quench thirst and rehydrate our bodies.

Can the health authorities introduce controls on the maximum amount of sugar used in soft drinks manufacturers/importers.

This will contribute to the nation's effort to reduce the rate of this disease amongst its people. Some of our neighbouring countries have done so.

- Worried Over Sugar

About local employees and salary scales

I am referring to the article published on 19 Nov 2005 on the subject of foreigners getting higher pay than locals.

It's simple why foreigners usually get higher pay than the locals, firstly we must understand the theory of "Opportunity Cost" before making such childish assumptions.

Who would want to leave their beloved country to work in a foreign land?

For a local company or MNC to ensure that their operations are effectively running, they need expert personnel to help run the operations as well as train the locals so that one day we are able to succeed such important position in future.

I believed there are many locals in Brunei who have succeeded in assuming higher positions in many big corporations.

If locals are competent enough, do you think the companies would want to spend loads of money to attract foreigners to work in Brunei?

Do you think any sensible businessman would w ant to blow up their overheads?

I urge this writer to think maturely and stop blaming the government for not assisting.

The writer should be independent and courageous enough to stand on his own two feet and prove one's worth instead of being complacent.

The best way for us to improve as a country is to learn from any professional and excel in our job.

After all, this is not their homeland and they will leave Brunei sooner or later.

- Red IC Local, BSB

Strange habits at school

I would like to say something regarding some strange habits at school.

It does not seem fair by other students, when only prefects are allowed to bring their mobile phones to school.

If the prefects or teachers find somebody has brought a mobile phone to school, it would be taken and not be given back ever.

Meanwhile some teachers use their mobiles in the class sometimes during lessons - is that a good example for the students?

In regards to hair, some students are asked to cut their hair like 60's hairstyles if their hair reached their collar.

If they did not, their parents were immediately called up no matter how busy they are.

- Confused

Still waiting for housing

I have been trying very hard for a number of years to get government quarters in Kuala Belait.

The response from the Housing Unit, Ministry of Education has always been no vacancy or no house available.

I have tried the Housing Unit from the District Office, and the same verdict applies.

My point is that, there are a number of government officers married to other organisation employees, occupying these houses.

Since those companies too provide quarters for their employees, it would be an ideal solution if these officers stay with their spouses in the given quarters and not the other way round.

Further more those companies are paying their employees housing allowances, if the employees choose not to occupy the company quarters.

If the Housing Sections in the government could screen the applications from all such cases before allocating them the houses.

I feel that some actions should be taken in order to avoid disappointments and at the same time be fair to us who really need our living quarters.

- House Hunter

Call to develop manpower

I refer to the article "Best PSR Results In 20 Years" (BB, Nov 19).

According to the article, Ministry of Education has affirmed that the level of difficulty of exam papers of the public examinations (PSR and PMB) has been consistent over the years, hence reached the conclusion that the results shown over the years are encouraging.

It is imperative for us to uphold a certain level of difficulty in the exam papers as it will set as a challenge for the students to overcome.

Glad, it may be, for the parents, teachers and Ministry of Education to see a better result but then, are students really improving in all aspects throughout the years?

Are these results really something that is worth triumphing over for?

You have got to know that the most of the textbooks have been revised and textbooks nowadays are much more simplified and easier compared to the textbooks we used 5 years ago or even 10 years ago!

I was back in Brunei last holiday and I went through the current science textbook, and I can't find much information.

My younger sister who is currently studying in primary 5 doesn't even know how to label the parts of the flowers!

We all know that Brunei is especially concerned with our Mathematics and English abilities, because GCE O level results show a very different view from that of PSR and PMB.

Can you ensure the level of difficulty of the papers will prepare them for the ever challenging society today in the world.

The most expensive resource we have today is manpower. And if we do not do something to develop on that aspect, then there is a serious problem here.

- Concerned Local