RIMBA, Monday 20 November 2006 - A presentation ceremony of Brunei Darussalam flag to the Head of Contingent of the SAREX MALBRU Exercise 07/2006, Lt Colonel (U) Wardi bin Hj Abd Latif who will be leading 45 personnel from the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) was held at the Royal Brunei Air Force Rimba Air Base this morning. The flag was presented by the Acting Commander of RBAirF, Lt Colonel (U) Hj Muhammad Rashid bin Asut.

SAREX MALBRU is a Search and Rescue joint exercise between the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) and the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAirF) which is conducted annually since year 2000. This year's exercise is being hosted by the Labuan Air Base, Royal Malaysian Air Force.

The objectives of the exercise are:

- To enhance the cooperation and confidence building through
communication in Search and Rescue operations.

- To enhance a robust planning, coordination, and implementation process in the Search and Rescue operations.

- To identify and introduce initiatives in improving the inter-operability and readiness capability for both parties in the Search and Rescue operations.

- To strengthen the long established relationship between Royal Brunei Air Force and Royal Malaysian Air Force.

Apart from these objectives, the SAREX MALBRU 7/2006 will be introducing an IT communication system to assist in exchanging informations with the Royal Malaysian Air Force in terms of exchanging graphic and text datas of Search plan, Weather Forecast, activity Log etc through a computer-aided network of both forces' Search and Rescue Rescue Centre Network while at the same time assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of the RBAirF Air Traffic Control and its facilities.

The exercise will be carried out within 5 nautical miles offshore of the Brunei Darussalam and Malaysian borders. The main Search and Rescue Centre for this exercise is allocated at the Royal Malaysian Air Force base in Labuan and will be collaborating with the Royal Brunei Air Force Search and Rescue Centre in Rimba, Brunei.