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THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER IN BRUNEI DARUSSALAM, SABAH AND SARAWAK B$1.00 | RM3.50 THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020 VOL.24 | NO.220
LIFESTYLE 18
Finding success in creative
carpentry
FEATURES 26
A platform for Islamic art education
WORLD 29
Afghan bomber hits medical facility
near Bagram Air Base
BUSINESS 12
Province at China virus’ centre lets
some companies reopen
HOME 8
Striking balanced budget is key
Five more COVID 19 cases were conirmed,
said Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji
Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar, bringing the total
to 11 cases in Brunei Darussalam.
The ive presumptive cases mentioned
at the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) press con-
ference on Tuesday have been conirmed
for COVID 19 and they are currently being
treated at the National Isolation Centre in
Tutong District.
At a press conference yesterday, the
Minister of Health said that the six other
conirmed cases are currently in a stable
condition without any fever or the need of a
breathing support.
Case 2 is a 61-year-old local man who is a
friend of Case 1 and was travelling together to
attend a Tabligh (religious event) gathering in
Kuala Lumpur and returned home, and Case 3
is the 30-year-old son of Case 2 who also at-
tended the gathering with his father.
The other three cases are the 46-year-old
wife of Case 1 and their two children aged
Following the viral message that has
been circulating across social media on
the closure of Sungai Tujoh Immigration
Control Post, the Immigration and National
Registration Department (INRD) has
released an oficial statement debunking
the fake news.
The Sungai Tujoh Control Post and others
across the nation are still operating as usual.
The INRD advises the public to not
disseminate any false information, and to
not speculate on information that are not
authenticated by oficial sources. Failure to
do so is an offence under Section 34, Chapter
148 of the Public Order Act.
Under the act, any individual or group
discovered to fake information, whether
verbally, in writing or in any other way;
with the intent of spreading falsehood or
to make false statements that may cause
fear among the public is susceptible to
The Ministry of Finance and Economy
(MoFE) has advised the public not to en-
gage in irrational panic purchasing and
hoarding of household essentials, food
items, face masks and hand sanitisers fol-
lowing the COVID 19 cases.
Speaking at a press conference yester-
day, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Ofice
and Minister of Finance and Economy II
Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin
Liew bin Abdullah advised members of the
public to be considerate to other consum-
ers who are truly in need.
This includes caregivers and frontlines
so as to enable them to acquire the re-
quired items, added the minister.
He pointed out that the stock of rice
with the Treasury Department is suficient
to meet the requirement, hence the pub-
lic is advised not to purchase rice in large
quantities more than their usual needs.
No closure of border
checkpoints
Daniel Lim
a ine of BND3,000, or up to three years
of imprisonment.
Members of the public who wish to get
more information can contact the INRD
through 2382431 or 2381107 during ofice
hours, or email at .
Of icers conduct checks at the Sungai Tujoh Control Post yesterday. PHOTO: DANIEL LIM
COVID-19 cases
in Brunei rise to 11
Do not engage
in panic buying,
MoFE tells public
The proposed budget for Financial Year
2020/2021 is BND5.86 billion. The estimated
government revenue for the Financial Year
2020/2021 is projected to be BND4.05 billion,
in which revenues from the Oil and Gas Sec-
tor are estimated at BND2.91 billion, while the
Non-Oil andGas Sector is estimated at BND1.14
billion. Therefore, the national budget for the
Lyna Mohamad
Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji
Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar during the press
conference. PHOTO: RAHWANI ZAHARI
12 and ive who have no records of travel
within the 14 days. One of the children does
not show any infection symptoms while the
other has been experiencing coughing since
March 10.
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Lyna Mohamad
Continue to Page 3
BND5.86 billion budget proposed
for 2020-2021 financial year
Azlan Othman Financial Year 2020/2021 is expected to expe-
rience a deicit of about BND1.81 billion.
This was stated by Minister at the Prime
Minister’s Ofice and Minister of Finance and
Economy II Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia
Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdul-
lah in budget deliberation for Financial Year
2020/2021 at the third day of the 16th Legisla-
tive Council session yesterday.
Continue to Page 3