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Bandar
Seri
Begawan
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As
the
recent
adverse
weather
conditions
triggered
flashfloods
and
landslides
leading
to
monetary
losses
and
to a
certain
extent
affecting
the
economic
activities,
Brunei's
Heart
of
Borneo
(HOB)
initiative,
which
enters
its
second
anniversary
today,
is
getting
even
more
challenging.
The
recent
floods
had
caused
chaos,
brought
down
power
lines
and
left
thousands
without
electricity.
Motorists
were
stranded
and
many
people
fled
their
homes.
The
Forestry
Department
said
yesterday
that
it
is
time
to
bring
all
stakeholders
together
to
tackle
this
pro
environment
national
agenda
under
the
branding
of
Brunei
HoB
initiative
as
its
main
objective
is
to
achieve
an
integrated
'sustainable
development'
emphasising
on
mainstreaming
the
environmental
considerations
into
the
country's
social
and
economic
development
plan.
This
was
highlighted
in
the
department's
update,
marking
the
second
anniversary
of
the
Heart
of
Borneo
(HoB)
Declaration,
which
was
signed
on
Feb
12,
2007.
The
declaration
was
signed
by
the
responsible
ministers
from
three
member
states
—
Brunei
Danissalam,
Indonesia
and
Malaysia
at
Bali,
Indonesia
on
February
12,
2007.
The
HoB
initiative
is a
voluntary
trans-boundary
cooperation
of
the
three
countries
combining
the
stakeholders'
interest,
based
on
local
wisdom,
acknowledgement
of
and
respect
for
laws,
regulations
and
policies
in
the
respective
countries
and
taking
into
consideration
relevant
multilateral
environmental
agreements,
as
well
as
existing
regional
and
bilateral
agreements/arrangements.
The
three
countries
are
willing
to
cooperate
based
on
sustainable
development
principles
through
research
and
development
(R&D),
sustainable
use,
protection,
education
and
training,
fundraising,
as
well
as
other
activities
that
are
relevant
to
trans-boundary
management,
conservation
and
development
within
the
areas
of
the
HoB.
The
main
driving
thrust
of
Brunei
HoB
initiative
is
the
strong
leadership
and
active
commitment
of
His
Majesty's
government,
which
shows
good
governance
of
Brunei
Darussalam.
Additionally,
more
than
half
of
the
total
land
area
(58
per
cent)
has
been
designated
and
earmarked
as
Brunei's
HoB,
reflecting
the
strong
commitment.
Within
two
years,
Brunei
Darussalam
has
achieved
a
remarkable
progressive
achievement
in
response
to
the
realisation
of
the
HoB
Declaration
such
as
hosting
the
1"
Trilateral
Meeting
in
2007;
Formulation
of
Project
Implementation
Framework
(PIF)
in
2007;
the
Establishment
of
HoB
National
Council
in
2008
and
HoB
Centre
(expected
to
be
finalised
this
year).
The
Institutional
Arrangement
for
Implementation
is
now
set
in
place
including
firstly,
the
establishment
of
the
HoB
National
Council.
The
key
responsibilities
of
the
Council
are
to
formulate
policy
guidance
and
provide
directives
to
the
implementing
body
—the
HoB
Centre.
The
executive
members
of
the
council
comprise
the
Deputy
Minister
of
Industry
and
Primary
Resources
(the
incumbent
chairman),
Permanent
Secretaries;
Prime
Minister's
Office;
Ministry
of
Foreign
Affairs
and
Trade;
Ministry
of
Development
Ministry
of
Finance:
Vice
Chancellor,
IJBD;
Deputy
Permanent
Secretary
at
the
Ministry
of
Industry
and
Primary
Resources
and
Director
of
Forestry
(Secretariat).
The
kick-off
and
second
meeting
of
the
HoB
National
Council
were
held
on
June
19,
2008
and
November
19,
2008
respectively.
Second
is
the
establishment
of
Hob
Centre.
The
independent
H oB
Centre,
in
which
its
office
will
be
located
at
the
Brunei-Muara
District,
will
be
responsible
to
coordinate
all
projects
to
be
implemented
under
the
purview
of
the
HoB
National
Council,
as
well
as
fund-raising.
Third
is
the
establishment
of
HoB
National
Focal
Point.
The
Forestry
Department
-
the
secretariat
to
the
HoB
National
Council
- is
the
national
focal
point
and
the
permanent
representative
for
the
trilateral
meetings.
The
institutional
arrangement
will
strengthen
the
national
networks
and
Private
Public
Partnership
(PPP)
as
the
Brunei
HoB
project
continues
to
receive
good
response
from
the
private
sector
such
as
Brunei
Shell
Petroleum
Sdn
Bhd,
Hong
Kong
and
Shanghai
Banking
Corporation
Limited
(HSBC),
Standard
Chartered
Bank,
BLNG,
Citi
Bank,
Petrokon,
Brunei
Sawmillers
Association
(BSA)
and
not
to
forget
foreign
diplomats
in
Brunei
Darussalam.
More
importantly,
on
October
31,
2008,
His
Royal
Highness
Prince
Charles
and
His
Royal
Highness
Prince
Hj
Al-Muhtadee
Billah,
the
Crown
Prince
consented
to
plant
the
1000th
and
1001"
seedlings
of `Agathis
bomeensis'
in
Badas
Forest
Reserve
in
conjunction
with
the
one
million
trees
project
to
support
the
fledging
sub-regional
HoB
initiative.
The
royal
leadership
in
the
environmental
project
marks
a
significant
milestone
for
Brunei
Darussalam
by
maintaining
the
Brunei
HoB
impetus
and
sustainability.
he planting of the 1000th and 1001"
seedlings also earmarked Their Royal
Highnesses' significant investment
in carbon stocking through the
on-going reforestation project, and
at the same time promoting the
community outreach programme in the Sultanate.
Thus, the Brunei HoB project is becoming more and more visible to the community in the country.
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