Kuala Belait - The handover of the Mukim and Village Boundary Guide book for Belait District is beneficial for the Belait District Department as it could resolve and unfold several problems particularly on matters relating to the administration and management of Penghulu and Village Leader Institution and also in the interest of villagers and management towards generating development in the district.

This was remarked by the Belait District Officer, Haji Jamain bin Momin as guest of honour at the presentation of the Mukim and Village Boundary Guide book for Belait District to chief and village leaders as well as representatives of relevant government departments.

The district officer in his speech applauded the Survey Department for materialising their efforts and publishing the guidebook.

Highlighting the complexities and challenges, the district officer said the research works carried out by the Survey Department takes into account various aspects such as respective mukim and village historical values, facts, background, physical factors such as geographical areas, population, socio-politics,residents' interest and also sensitivity.

"It is a fact that Belait District has the second largest population in Brunei Darussalam and is the largest district in terms of geographical area, but it is strange that the district has the smallest number of chief and village leaders when compared to other districts in the nation," he added.

From this perspective, the major responsibilities shouldered by the District Department and also Penghulu and village leaders in managing, administering, planning and executing progress and development in the district is evident.

"Therefore the completion of survey, mapping and ascertaining the boundaries is vital. It would give a positive effect, such as providing space for the existence of new mukims or villages and followed with the appointment of new chief or village leaders," said the district officer.

The guidebook would also assist the Belait District Department in managing the district mare efficiently, in line with the-department's strategy to always be responsive towards the community's expectations, he said.

"Following the successful publishing of Mukim and Village Boundary Guide book for Belait District, the district office will immediately proceed to build new notice boards at every determined boundary,"

The drawing of boundaries at every mukim and village will also involve changes of residential addresses and also addresses on their identity cards. Therefore, cooperation from Penghulu and village leaders is vital to avoid complications following the change, the district officer further stated.

The district officer expressed hope for the Survey Department to continue conducting research and studies in line with the development of Belait district; in particular, the emergence of new housing areas, which is currently in progress and others within the planning stage.

The Belait district is the third district to have its boundary guidebook published by the Survey Department, after Temburong and Brunei-Muara district.

Surveyor General, Hj Mohd Jamil Hj Mohd Ali in his welcoming remarks emphasised the valuable use of maps to come to a vital decision and maps previously used for chief and village leaders to identify boundaries of mukims and villages are presently used by academicians, stakeholders and government departments.

The work to draw boundaries involves cooperation from Penghulus and village leaders since 2006. Other developments actively carried out by the Survey Department include identifying unnamed or improperly named roads under the- National Geography Name Committee. The same efforts are also carried out to create names to better identify areas because if it were left undone, it would create confusion among the future generation.

It is also vital for agreed boundaries to be marked with mukim and village labels for the convenience of Penghulus and village leaders to identify such boundaries. The Survey Department with the assistance of the Belait District Department will cooperate to erect signs identifying boundaries between mukims and villages, he added.

The handover ceremony yesterday was organised by the Survey Department, Ministry of Development and the Belait District Department at Dewan Santap Kuala Belait.

The first book to identify the nation's boundaries for mukims and villages was published in 2006 and a new book is published specially for the guideline of mukim and village boundaries in every respective district.

The ceremony yesterday ended with guests heading to Jalan Pandan 5 junction, perpendicular to Jalan Maulana Kuala Belait for the setting up of a village boundary signboard for Kampong Pandan A/Kampong Pandan B by the District Officer. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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