BERAKAS, Thursday 1 December 2016 – Officers from the Ministry of Defence and Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) participated in the ASEAN Regional Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercise 2016 (ARDEX-16) that concluded today in a closing ceremony at the International Convention Centre (ICC).
The three-day exercise, which saw the involvement of over 150 local and international participants, was jointly organised by Brunei Darussalam through the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) and ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre).
ARDEX is a large-scale simulation exercise that aims to test the regional mechanism and enhance interoperability in dealing with disasters as well as provide an opportunity to practice, evaluate and review the ASEAN Standby Arrangements and Standard Operating Procedures (SASOP).
As a region prone to natural disasters, both disaster preparedness and disaster response has provided the opportunity for countries, communities, militaries and non-governmental organisations to come together. In particular, regional militaries have over the years seen a more enhanced role in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations given its capability in providing quick responses, especially in the initial stages of disaster relief as well as search and rescue operations.
An important contribution of the ASEAN defence sectoral towards the wider efforts in sharpening disaster preparedness and responses is the Chapter VI of SASOP on Facilitation and Utilisation of Military Assets and Capacities that has been submitted to the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM), which was also tested during ARDEX-16.
Present at the closing ceremony was the Deputy Permanent Secretary of Home Affairs, Haji Idris bin Haji Mohd Ali. Also present were Executive Director of AHA Centre, Said Faisal; Heads of Departments under the Ministry of Home Affairs and senior government officials.
PEGAWAI-PEGAWAI DARI MINDEF DAN ABDB SERTAI ARDEX-16
BERAKAS, Khamis 1 Disember 2016 – Pegawai-pegawai dari Kementerian Pertahanan dan Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei (ABDB) telah mengikuti Latihan Simulasi Tindak Balas Bencana ASEAN (ARDEX-16) yang berakhir dengan Majlis Penutup di Pusat Persidangan Antarabangsa (ICC).
Latihan tiga hari tersebut, yang disertai oleh lebih dari 150 peserta dalam dan luar negara, merupakan anjuran bersama Negara Brunei Darussalam melalui Pusat Pengurusan Bencana Kebangsaan (NDMC) dan Pusat Penyelarasan ASEAN bagi Bantuan Kemanusiaan Mengenai Pengurusan Bencana (AHA Centre).
Latihan simulasi respon bencana serantau tersebut bertujuan untuk menguji cuba mekanisme dan tindakan bersepadu ASEAN dalam menangani bencanaserta mempraktikkan, menilai dan menyemak semula Prosedur Operasi dan Piawaian Pengurusan Persediaan (SASOP).
Sebagai sebuah rantau yang terdedah kepada risiko bencana alam yang tinggi, persiapan menghadapi bencana dan tindak balas bencana merupakan aspek-aspek kerjasama yang berkepentingan di kalangan negara-negara, masyarakat, tentera dan pertubuhan bukan kerajaan. Khususnya, sejak beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini, peranan tentera-tentera serantau dalam Humanitarian Assisstance and Disaster Relief (HADR) semakin meningkat berdasarkan kapabiliti dalam memberikan maklum balas yang cepat, terutamanya pada peringkat awal bantuan bencana serta dalam operasi mencari dan menyelamat.
Di antara sumbangan penting sektor pertahanan kepada usaha-usaha untuk menghalusi tindak balas bencana secara keseluruhannya ialah melalui Chapter VI of SASOP on Facilitation and Utilisation of Military Assets and Capacities yang telah dikemukakan kepada ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM). Bab tersebut turut diuji semasa ARDEX-16.
Majlis penutup telah disempurnakan oleh Awang Haji Idris bin Haji Mohd Ali, Timbalan Setiausaha Tetap, Kementerian Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri. Turut hadir ialah Said Faisal, Pengarah Eksekutif AHA Centre; Ketua-Ketua Jabatan di bawah Kementerian Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri dan pegawai-pegawai kanan kerajaan.