Brunei Darussalam, Thursday, 14 December 2023 - Five defence scholars from Brunei Darussalam and five from the Republic of Singapore have successfully completed the Brunei-Singapore Defence Scholars Interaction Programme (BSDSIP) 2023 which was held from 11 to 14 December 2023 in Brunei Darussalam.
On 11 December 2023, the participants embarked on a Roundtable Discussion on Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector at the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (SHHBIDSS). The key takeaways from the roundtable discussion were presented in a session on 12 December 2023 attended by Yang Mulia Brigadier General (Retired) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Alirupendi bin Haji Perudin, Permanent Secretary (Defence) of Brunei Darussalam and Mr Chan Heng Kee, Permanent Secretary (Defence) of the Republic of Singapore.
Addressing the participants at the close of the session, both Permanent Secretaries expressed their pleasure with the level of discussion on the apt topic, acknowledged the strong bilateral defence relationship between Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of Singapore and that the defence scholars interaction programme would contribute to maintain this strong ties as the friendship and camaraderie carried on when they take the helm of leadership in the future. The Permanent Secretary (Defence) of the Republic of Singapore and the BSDSIP 2023 participants were later hosted to a high-tea by Brunei Darussalam’s Permanent Secretary of Defence at the Officers’ Mess, Bolkiah Garrison.
Underscoring the high value placed on the interaction programme, the BSDSIP 2023 participants were accorded the opportunity to interact with senior leadership. The highlight of this was the brisk walk on 12 December 2023 hosted by Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Retired) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Defence II which was joined by Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security of the Republic of Singapore, His Excellency Teo Chee Hean and Senior Minister of State for Defence of the Republic of Singapore, His Excellency Zaqy Mohamad.
On 13 December 2023, the BSDSIP 2023 participants had an interactive session with the Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), Yang Mulia Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Muhammad Haszaimi bin Bol Hassan. During the session, the participants were given the opportunity to ask questions and listen to the Commander of RBAF’s perspectives on the aspired leadership values and qualities particularly for young officers as future leaders in defence.
As part of the interaction programme, the BSDSIP 2023 participants visited the Brunei History Centre and the Brunei Maritime Museum. They also visited Bangar Town in the Temburong District and en route were being briefed on the Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Bridge, the longest bridge in Southeast Asia.
The BSDSIP 2023 participants also attended the Commissioning Ceremony of Patrol Vessel Kapal Diraja Brunei KDB AL-FARUQ at the Muara Naval Base and the Special Talk by His Excellency Lawrence Wong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance of the Republic of Singapore at the Prime Minister’s Office Building in the morning and afternoon of 13 December 2023 respectively.
The BSDSIP 2023 is conducted with the main objective of maintaining the momentum of interaction between the defence scholars while further strengthening bilateral defence relations between Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of Singapore.
The interaction between defence scholars has been one of the important features that cement the strong defence relations between the two countries beginning with the inaugural Brunei-Singapore Defence Scholars Development Programme (BSDSDP) in 2007. The BSDSIP is the first of its kind which observed the engagement among defence scholars both from the military and civilian sectors.
BRUNEI-SINGAPORE DEFENCE SCHOLARS INTERACTION PROGRAMME (BSDSIP) 2023 DILAKSANAKAN DENGAN JAYANYA
Brunei Darussalam, Khamis, 14 Disember 2023 - Seramai lima orang peserta biasiswa pertahanan dari Negara Brunei Darussalam dan lima orang peserta biasiswa pertahanan dari Republik Singapura telah dengan jayanya menamatkan Brunei-Singapore Defence Scholars Interaction Programme (BSDSIP) 2023 yang diadakan dari 11 hingga 14 Disember 2023 di Negara Brunei Darussalam.
Pada 11 Disember 2023, para peserta mengadakan Roundtable Discussion mengenai Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector di Institut Pengajian Pertahanan dan Strategik Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (IPPSSHHB). Key takeaways daripada roundtable discussion tersebut telah dibentangkan dalam sesi yang berlangsung pada 12 Disember 2023 yang dihadiri oleh Setiausaha Tetap Pertahanan Negara Brunei Darussalam, Yang Mulia Brigedier Jeneral (Bersara) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Alirupendi bin Haji Perudin, Setiausaha Tetap Pertahanan Negara Brunei Darussalam dan Mr Chan Heng Kee, Setiausaha Tetap (Pertahanan) Republik Singapura.
Berucap kepada para peserta pada penutupan sesi, kedua-dua Setiausaha Tetap menyatakan rasa berpuas hati dengan tahap perbincangan mengenai kesesuaian topik yang dipilih, mengambil maklum mengenai hubungan pertahanan dua-hala yang kukuh antara Negara Brunei Darussalam dan Republik Singapura, dan program interaksi diantara para peserta biasiswa ini turut menyumbang kepada pengekalan hubungan persahabatan dan kemesraan yang kukuh sabagai persiapan mereka untuk mengambil alih tampuk kepimpinan di masa hadapan. Setiausaha Tetap (Pertahanan) Republik Singapura dan peserta BSDSIP 2023 kemudiannya dihoskan Minum Petang oleh Setiausaha Tetap Pertahanan Negara Brunei Darussalam di Mes Pegawai, Bolkiah Garison.
Menilai tahap yang diletakkan pada program interaksi tersebut, peserta BSDSIP 2023 diberi peluang untuk berinteraksi dengan pihak kepimpinan terkanan. Acara kemuncaknya adalah sesi riadah brisk walk pada 12 Disember 2023 yang dihoskan oleh Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Mejar Jeneral (Bersara) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Menteri di Pejabat Perdana Menteri dan Menteri Pertahanan II yang telah disertai oleh Menteri Kanan dan Menteri Penyelaras bagi Keselamatan Negara, Republik Singapura, Tuan Yang Terutama Teo Chee Hean dan Menteri Negara Kanan, Kementerian Pertahanan, Republik Singapura, Tuan Yang Terutama Zaqy Mohamad.
Pada 13 Disember 2023, peserta BSDSIP 2023 juga berpeluang menghadiri sesi interaktif bersama Pemerintah Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei (ABDB), Yang Mulia Mejar Jeneral Dato Paduka Seri Haji Muhammad Haszaimi bin Bol Hassan. Semasa sesi berkenaan, para peserta telah diberi peluang untuk mengutarakan pertanyaan dan mendengar perspektif Pemerintah ABDB mengenai nilai dan kualiti kepimpinan yang diaspirasikan khususnya bagi para pegawai muda selaku bakal pemimpin pertahanan untuk masa hadapan.
Sebagai sebahagian daripada program interaksi, para peserta BSDSIP 2023 telah mengadakan lawatan ke Pusat Sejarah Brunei dan Muzium Maritim Brunei Darussalam. Mereka juga melawat Bandar Bangar di Daerah Temburong dan diberikan taklimat mengenai Jambatan Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien, jambatan terpanjang di Asia Tenggara semasa didalam perjalanan.
Para peserta BSDSIP 2023 turut menghadiri Upacara Pentauliahan Kapal Peronda Kapal Diraja Brunei AL-FARUQ di Pangkalan Tentera Laut Muara dan Ceramah Khas oleh Tuan Yang Terutama Lawrence Wong, Timbalan Perdana Menteri dan Menteri Kewangan Republik Singapura di Bangunan Pejabat Perdana Menteri, masing-masing pada pagi dan petang 13 Disember 2023.
BSDSIP 2023 dilaksanakan dengan objektif utama untuk mengekalkan momentum interaksi diantara para peserta biasiswa di samping mengukuhkan lagi hubungan pertahanan dua-hala diantara Negara Brunei Darussalam dan Republik Singapura.
Interaksi diantara para peserta biasiswa telah menjadi salah satu diantara ciri-ciri penting untuk memperkuatkan lagi hubungan pertahanan dua-hala yang sedia erat, dimulakan dengan Brunei-Singapore Defence Scholars Development Programme (BSDSDP) yang diadakan sejak tahun 2007. BSDSDP ini merupakan program yang pertama sekali ditubuhkan untuk memantau penglibatan-penglibatan antara para peserta biasiswa pertahanan dari sektor awam dan tentera.