Bandar Seri Begawan - The Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Dato Hamdillah bin Hj Abdul Wahab, announced late yesterday evening, the establishment of a Heart of Borneo (HoB) Council and Brunei's own HoB Centre, when he spoke as guest of honour at a special dinner hosted by Jerudong International School.

Held at Li Gong restaurant, the dinner was in honour of Earth Day and served to promote the HoB initiative within the community. On April 21, 2008, His Majesty's Government formally approved the establishment of the Brunei HoB Council, the Brunei HoB Centre and the recruitment of the Centre's CEO, announced the deputy minister, adding that he will fill the position of Chairman of the Council.

The HoB project will kick start the initial operation of the HoB National Council and its implementation agencies, Department of Forestry under the MIPR, as well as Brunei's own HoB Centre, having received significant funding from Brunei Shell Petroleum, HSBC and SCB.

Dato Hamdillah also noted that in the latest visit to Indonesia, one of the issues raised by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam concerned issues of the environment, having also congratulated President Yudhoyono for successfully hosting the Bali Conference on Climate Change in 2007. Having made the official announcement, the deputy minister called on all stakeholders foreign and domestic "to embrace the TINA phenomena which preoccupies the minds of leaders in the government, private sectors and NGO's worldwide", in which he refers to the acronym `There Is No Alternative'... but "to be part of the environmental solution" and not the problem.

"We cannot just rest on our laurels and use up what we have," said the deputy minister. "The Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources and the Prime Minister's Office bear their share of responsibility for ensuring that we properly develop and benefit from all of our natural resources, and that we do so in a sustainable manner."

Dato Hamdillah also pointed out that the d mmitment shown by all the parties involved have made Brunei "the Beacon of the Heart of Borneo".

Dato Hamdillah, in his speech, also praised government and corporate efforts in the fight towards a healthier environment and acknowledged the initiatives taken by JIS students to promote environmental awareness.