Can Brunei move away from Covid-19 pandemic?

The answer is with us, the people of Brunei.

The first wave of the pandemic stormed the Sultanate in March 2020.

We were not that ready then to battle the raging virus. Daily caseloads of Covid-19 in the country rose, putting our health care system under pressure. Our education system and social economy too were impacted by the pandemic.

We immediately went on high gear to stabilize the critical situation. We put the country under semi lockdown. We imposed restrictions on people's movement, interactions, gathering in public places, temporarily closed mosques and other places of worship, schools, malls, marketplaces, shops, and offices in efforts to put the spread of the virus under control.

We decisively took action to ease the pressure on our health care system by setting up quickly isolation centers to care for those infected in categories 1, 2, and 3.

It was a hard battle but with people strongly behind the government efforts, we amazingly were able to prove our resilience and emerge from the shock of the first wave Covid pandemic.

Lives return to almost normal for almost over a year after months of vigorously battling the pandemic with the 'Covid Zero approach'

Then came August 2021, Covid-19 cases spiked at their highest in 15 months: 42 new cases to bring up the total confirmed cases to 406.

This time we were ready.

Brunei again immediately went into semi lockdown and began her fight to bring the Covid pandemic under control. Within over three months, Brunei managed to tame the spread of the virus at the same time launched a massive vaccination drive to achieve herd immunity in the Sultanate.

We did it once and we did it twice. No reason now that we could not this time around.

Brunei shall emerge stronger from the shock of the second wave Covid-19 pandemic that hit the nation over three months ago, in sya Allah.

On the path of living with Covid

On this auspicious day (Friday), Brunei with her highly vaccinated population begins its journey on the path out of the pandemic.

The nation is now moving forward, albeit in phases to adapt and live with the Covid-19 virus that will be around forever like SARS, H1N1, and other influenza-like
illnesses.   

As of yesterday, over 90 percent of the population have a single dose vaccination while over 70 percent have double dose vaccination.

Only 21 new cases were recorded yesterday with active cases going down to 444 out of which only five cases in category 5.

With the reopening of businesses and places, the loosening of restrictions for dining establishments, workplaces, and entertainment venues, Covid-19 cases - driven by over-excitement, complacency, and carelessness - are expected to spike in the coming days and months.  

Unless we behave well, contained our excitement, strictly follow the MOH Covid SOP and follow the lead by the government in living with the Covid-19, then we will not be far from reaching the endemic stage. In sya Allah.

COMPLACENCY, COVIDIOTS CAN RUIN OUR EFFORTS TO RECOVER

NOV 10, 2021: Businesses and places are reopening come Friday 19 November 2021. We are reopening them because of the economy and not because it is safe now.

Like others, our economy too is not shielded from the Covid pandemic's economic consequences.

We need to move quickly to recover from the serious economic downturn caused by the pandemic.

We need to quickly adapt to living with covid that will stay with us forever like HN1N1 and many other influenza-like illnesses.

We expect very minimal numbers of daily active cases during this first phase of 'Operasi Pulih' (Operation Recovery). Probably below 100 a day or less.

MOH will of course closely monitor the situation. It will be closely watching particularly the number of cases in categories 3, 4, and 5.

If it sees a sign that active cases in those categories are shooting up and will overwhelm our health system in no time if necessary measures are not taken immediately, then we will be back to square one; the whole nation's semi lockdown.

But this situation can be avoided if we continue to follow the MOH COVID PANDEMIC SOP when out and about in our daily life during the recovery period besides being fully vaccinated.

Complacency plus covidiots are the biggest threat to our health and safety during this recovery period.

Complacency leads to carelessness, covidiots couldn't be bothered, and reckless. Both spell disaster if not addressed, regulated, and managed effectively.

So during this recovery period, we need to focus more on managing these threats. We need to be extra vigilant against these two factors that can ruin our efforts to regain normalcy which we have lost during the pandemic. MHO

Moving on with Covid

SEPT 30,2010: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was impressed with Brunei's recently released Economic Blueprint. IMF said Brunei should continue to build on efforts to diversify the economy, further attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and enhance human capital and improve private employment.

IMF projected the country’s GDP at two percent this year and 2.6 percent next year.

It's quite a promising projection. I hope we could realize it considering these challenging times. I hope the authorities make public on how they are going to achieve it so as to instill confidence in this depressing time that the nation will survive and thrive.

We are aware of how serious are the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on Brunei's efficiencies and effectiveness. The pandemic badly impacted the productivity and production capabilities of the country - across the board, in all sectors - at an individual level, family, community, the society as a whole.

So it would be refreshing and motivating to see, for example, the Legislative Council, convening 'online' on way forward, more public debates on living with Covid-19, and so on and so forth. The narratives now should be more on the way forward. What do you say?

Kopi Talk with Malai Hassan Othman: Mengimbas perjalanan sewaktu giat dalam pertubuhan...

Kopi Talk with Malai Hassan Othman: Mengimbas perjalanan sewaktu giat dalam pertubuhan...

Mengimbas perjalanan sewaktu giat dalam pertubuhan politik

Wildlife at my backyard

Compilation of wildlife photos taken from my backyard. 

Kementerian Pembangunan Prihati Masalah Pembayaran Tertunda

Respon Kementerian Pembangunan

Nyaman jua hati melihat Kementerian Pembangunan segera menjawab aduan awam tentang isu pembayaran tertunda oleh pihak berkuasa. 

Tindakan cepat itu menggambarkan sikap prihatin kementerian tentang kemaslahatan vendor dalam industri pembangunan terutama yang melibatkan pengusaha tempatan. 

Kitani berharap SAMS KIULAP yang membuat aduan tersebut melalui 'Opinion Page' Borneo Bulletin Rabu 4 Disember 2019 baru lalu akan akhirnya mendapat jalan penyelesaian berhubung masalah yang telah berlarutan sejak beberapa tahun yang lalu. 

Dari pemerhatian saya dan melalui respon warganet isu pembayaran tertunda melibatkan institusi kerajaan ini masih lagi menjadi isu yang menyakitkan kepala dan hati pihak pengusaha bukan sahaja dalam industri pembangunan tetapi juga dikalangan vendor dalam industri-industri yang lain. 

Antara respon warganet yang
turut kecewa

Tidak disangkalkan pihak kerajaan melalui Kementerian Kewangan sejak 2002 telah mengambil langkah dalam memperbaikai sistem pembayaran kepada pembekal dan kontraktor yang berurusan dengan kementerian-kementerian dan jabatan-jabatan serta agensi-agensi kerajaan. Antaranya dengan memperkenalkan sistem TAFIS (Treasury Accounting and Financial Information System). 

Sejak ianya diperkenalkan masalah pembayaran tertunda berkurangan dan sepatutnya tidak lagi menjadi isu setelah lebih 15 tahun ianya digunapakai. 

Persoalannya dimanakah salah silapnya sehingga masalah pembayaran bertunda masih lagi menjadi isu?

       

MIMBAR SERU BELIA CEBURI BIDANG PERTANIAN

TERUJA jua rasanya apabila mendengar khutbah Jumaat kelmarin bercakap tentang perlunya para belia menceburkan diri dalam bidang pertanian.

Mimbar-mimbar masjid seluruh negara menyuarakan perkara ini dalam konteks; langkah kerajaan untuk mengurangkan pengganguran yang semakin meningkat dikalangan belia; langkah negara untuk mempelbagai sumber ekonomi yang masih bergantung kepada hasil minyak dan gas dan; langkah kearah mengurangkan kebergantungan negara kepada impot makanan untuk memenuhi keperluan rakyat dan penduduk di negara ini.

Dalam masa sama khutbah Jumaat yang disediakan oleh penguasa ugama juga memperkukuh hujah dengan mengariskan beberapa firman dan hadis akan penting dan mulianya usaha bercucuk tanam dan berladang sebagai satu ibadah yang diredai.

Alhamdullilah mudah-mudahan banyak yang hadir yang ‘alert’ inda telayap mata terutama belia-belia, teruja dengan mesej dari mimbar tersebut.

Kan hal nya isu pertanian dan penglibatan belia ani bukan satu perkara baru.

Kurang lebih 20 tahun lalu, kerajaan melalui Kementerian Industri dan Sumber-Sumber Utama telah pun memperkenalkan Program Peladang Muda.

Ladang yang luas dibuka dan dimajukan di Kampong Jerudong. Ramai anak-anak muda ketika itu yang menyahut cabaran dengan menceburkan diri dalam bidang ternakan ayam. Jabatan Pertanian ketika itu ‘all out’ menyalurkan bantuan. Pusat penyembelihan Mulaut dimajukan dan menyediakan perkhidmatan yang kompetitif kepada peladang-peladang muda.

Malangnya program yang melibatkan belia-belia atu inda dapat bertahan dengan sepak terajang politik dalam arena pertanian yang dikerumuni oleh kaum aristokrat, borjuis dan kapitalis yang melihat peluang keemasan dalam agenda negara kearah sara diri dalam penghasilan ayam dan telur ayam.

  

Harap-harap langkah kerajaan terbaru ani akan lebih berjaya. Apa yang membimbangkan mindset dan priority elit-elit pentadbir dalam memberikan bantuan kepada pelaku-pelaku di arena pertanian bersandarkan R.O.I, KPI, KDNK dan sukat-sukat lain yang boleh mengambarkan keuntungan kerajaan.🤞