BRIDEX Jerudong, Tuesday, 5 July 2011 – His Royal Highness Prince General Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and General of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces has officiated the opening of the third Brunei Darussalam International Defence Exhibition (BRIDEX) Conference, at the BRIDEX International Conference Centre, Jerudong. HRH Prince General Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, in his opening address, focused on Future Security and Technological Challenges. He highlighted that BRIDEX does not only present an opportunity to showcase technology but it also brings the region together. HRH Prince General Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah emphasised on multilateral efforts and for countries to work together because the potential for conflict still exists. Also, with the advancement of technology, it is imperative to adopt a realistic and pragmatic approach in order to guarantee sustainability.
With the theme of “Mapping Future Security and Technological Challenges”, the one day international conference, held a day prior to the official opening of the exhibition, was co-organised by Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (SHHBIDSS).
This highly anticipated event examined the future security environment and the technological solutions that can be adopted to keep up with future technological advances. The event brought together conference delegates and distinguished speakers consisting of high level international and government defence and security officials, and leading defence and security experts in the field of military defence, security and related technologies.
The BRIDEX 2011 Conference commenced with the delivery of welcoming remarks by the Deputy Minister of Defence, Dato Paduka Haji Mustappa bin Haji Sirat. He highlighted that the BRIDEX Conference 2011 will be a valuable and informative platform that brings together high level discussions of security. This is in accordance to the conference theme, which has constantly been a topic of multidimensional discussion in all levels, regionally and internationally.
His Excellency Kim Taeyoung, the Senior Research Advisor of the Korean Institute of Defence Analyses and also Former Defence Minister of the Republic of Korea, presented his keynote address which focused on Emerging Technologies and its Role in Future Security Challenges. In his keynote address, he described that the advancements in military technology and expansion of battlespace is shifting the dynamic international security environment. He stressed that there will not only be a need for precise assessments to establish well thought-out policies, but also for international collaboration in response to future dynamic security threats.
In order to address the complex security challenges faced by the region, traditional and non-traditional, the conference reviewed the current security environment and technologies available by means of a series of keynote addresses and panel discussions. The conference is also intended to facilitate networking, engaging communication, exchanging experience and providing ample opportunities to engage in discussions related to technological advancements and industrial developments.
In the first of three sessions, the conference delved into the subject of Traditional Security and Technology. Experts on hand to present their views were Major General P K Chakravorty (Rtd), Visiting Fellow, The Centre for Land Warfare Studies, New Delhi, India; Mr. Michael Codner, Director of Military Sciences Department, Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, UK; and Air Vice-Marshal Richard Moore MBE RAF (Rtd), Director of Network Enabled Solutions for QinetiQ Ltd, UK.
During lunch, Dr Peter Murphy, Senior Visiting Fellow, University of New South Wales, Australia, presented a luncheon address on Soldiering in the 21st Century: The human dimension.
This was then followed by the Second Session which explored New Security and Defence Frontiers. The speakers present were Ambassador Barry Desker, Dean of S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore; Professor Rohan Gunaratna, Head of International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore; Mr. Graham Wright CBE, Director of Strategy and Business Development, Northrop Grumman Intelligence Systems and Cyber Security, UK; and Lieutenant General Prakash Menon, Military Adviser, National Security Council Secretariat, New Delhi, India.
The Third and Final Session probed on the subject of Defence Technology Changes: Opportunities and Challenges. The speakers presenting in this session were Datuk Dr Abdul Ghaffar Ramli, Director General of the Science and Technology Research Institute for Defence (STRIDE), Ministry of Defence, Malaysia; Dr Warren A Chin, Defence Studies Department, King’s College London, UK; and Professor Quek Tong Boon, Chief Defence Scientist, Chief Research and Technology Officer, Ministry of Defence, Singapore. Similar to the previous two sessions, the session ended with a Q & A and a panel discussion segment. The conference finally concluded with a closing ceremony.
As one of the major defence conferences in the region, the conference hopes to contribute in a bigger way to provide input to policy makers, academia, and industry leaders on regional security challenges, its trends and how best to address them. It is also hoped that smaller scale defence conferences will be organized in the next few years that will complement major events such as future BRIDEX Conferences.
BRIDEX Jerudong, Selasa, 5 Julai 2011 – Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Jeneral Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, Menteri Kanan di Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan Jeneral Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei (ABDB) telah merasmikan pembukaan Persidangan Brunei International Defence Exhibition (BRIDEX 2011) yang ke-3 di Pusat Persidangan Antarabangsa BRIDEX, Jerudong.
Duli Yang Teramat Mulia di dalam sabda pembukaan telah menumpukan kepada ‘Keselamatan Masa Hadapan dan Cabaran Teknologi’. DYTM menegaskan bahawa BRIDEX bukan hanya peluang untuk mempamerkan teknologi, tetapi ia juga membawa rantau ini bersama-sama. DYTM menekankan usaha-usaha pelbagai hala dan bagi negara-negara untuk bekerjasama kerana potensi timbulnya konflik masih wujud. Juga, dengan kemajuan teknologi, adalah penting untuk mengambil pendekatan yang realistik dan pragmatik bagi menjamin kemampanan.
Dengan tema “Mapping Future Security and Technological Challenges”, persidangan antarabangsa satu hari ini, yang diadakan sehari sebelum pembukaan rasmi pameran itu, dianjurkan bersama oleh Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Institut Pertahanan dan Kajian Strategik (SHHBIDSS). Acara yang dinanti-nantikan telah mengkaji persekitaran keselamatan masa depan dan penyelesaian teknologi yang boleh digunakan untuk bersaing dengan kemajuan teknologi masa depan. Acara ini dibawa bersama-sama delegasi persidangan dan penceramah terkenal yang terdiri daripada tinggi peringkat antarabangsa dan kerajaan pertahanan dan pegawai keselamatan, dan pertahanan terkemuka dan pakar keselamatan dalam bidang pertahanan ketenteraan, keselamatan dan teknologi berkaitan.
Persidangan BRIDEX 2011 bermula dengan penyampaian ucapan alu-aluan oleh Timbalan Menteri Pertahanan, Dato Paduka Haji Mustappa bin Haji Sirat. Beliau menegaskan bahawa Persidangan BRIDEX 2011 akan menjadi platform yang bernilai dan maklumat yang membawa bersama-sama perbincangan tahap tinggi keselamatan. Ini adalah selaras dengan tema persidangan itu, yang sentiasa menjadi topik perbincangan multidimensi di semua peringkat serantau dan antarabangsa.
Tuan Yang Terutama Kim Taeyoung, Penasihat Penyelidikan Kanan Institut Korea Analisis Pertahanan dan juga Bekas Menteri Pertahanan Republik Korea, membentangkan ucaptama yang memberi tumpuan kepada Teknologi Baru dan Peranan dalam Cabaran Masa Depan Keselamatan. Dalam ucaptamanya, beliau menyifatkan bahawa kemajuan dalam teknologi ketenteraan dan pengembangan battlespace adalah peralihan persekitaran keselamatan antarabangsa yang dinamik. Beliau menegaskan bahawa bukan sahaja akan keperluan untuk penilaian yang tepat untuk mewujudkan dan pemikiran-dasar, tetapi juga bagi kerjasama antarabangsa sebagai tindak balas terhadap ancaman keselamatan masa hadapan yang dinamik.
Dalam usaha untuk menangani cabaran keselamatan kompleks yang dihadapi di rantau ini, mahupun tradisional dan bukan tradisional, persidangan itu mengkaji keadaan keselamatan semasa dan teknologi yang sedia ada melalui satu siri alamat tama dan perbincangan panel. Persidangan itu juga bertujuan untuk memudahkan rangkaian (networking), penglibatan berkomunikasi, bertukar-tukar pengalaman dan menyediakan peluang untuk melibatkan diri dalam perbincangan yang berkaitan dengan kemajuan teknologi dan perkembangan industri.
Didalam sesi pertama daripada tiga sesi, persidangan itu mengulas tentang subjek Keselamatan Tradisional dan Teknologi. Hadir untuk membincangkan topik khusus mengenai perkara ini ialah Mejar Jeneral PK Chakravorty (B), Visiting Fellow, The Centre for Land Warfare Studies, New Delhi, India; Encik Michael Codner, Director of Military Sciences Department, Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, UK; dan Air Vice-Marshal Richard Moore MBE RAF (Rtd), Director of Network Enabled Solutions for QinetiQ Ltd, UK.
Ketika majlis makan tengahari pula, Dr Peter Murphy dari Universiti New South Wales, Australia, telah menyampaikan ucapannya yang berhubungkait dengan isu ketenteraan pada abad ke-21. Selesai sahaja majlis makan tengahari, perbincangan sesi kedua pun dimulakan. Ianya membincangkan tentang peninjauan keselamatan dan batas-batas pertahanan yang terkini. Penceramah-penceramah bagi pada sesi kedua petang itu adalah Ambassador Barry Desker dan Profesor Rohan Gunaratna dari S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapura; Mr. Graham Wright CBE dari Northrop Grumman Intelligence Systems and Cyber Security, United Kingdom dan Leftenan Jeneral Prakash Menon dari National Security Council Secretariat, New Delhi, India.
Sesi ketiga dan terakhir persidangan tersebut telah membincangkan mengenai ‘Perubahan Teknologi Pertahanan : Peluang dan Cabaran.’ Penceramah-penceramah bagi sesi tersebut ialah Datuk Dr Abdul Ghaffar Ramli dari Science and Technology Research Institute for Defence, Kementerian Pertahanan, Malaysia; Dr Warren A Chin dari King’s College, London dan Professor Quek Tong Boon dari Kementerian Pertahanan, Singapura. Setiap sesi dalam persidangan tersebut telah diakhiri dengan sesi soal jawab dan segmen perbincangan ahli-ahli panel.
Sebagai salah satu persidangan pertahanan utama di rantau ini, persidangan itu berharap akan dapat menyumbang dengan cara yang lebih besar untuk menyediakan input kepada penggubal dasar, ahli akademik, dan pemimpin industri tentang cabaran keselamatan serantau, trend dan cara terbaik untuk mengatasinya. Ia juga berharap persidangan pertahanan berkala kecil akan diadakan dalam beberapa tahun akan datang yang akan melengkapi acara-acara utama seperti Persidangan BRIDEX masa depan.