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www.borneobulletin.com.bnTHE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER IN BRUNEI DARUSSALAM, SABAH AND SARAWAK
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MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 2020
VOL.25 | NO.029
LIFESTYLE
13
Netting an income with crab casting
FEATURES
20
Stardom for Brunei’s gemstones
WORLD
25
Heavy rain hammers South Korea,
six dead
HOME
4
10pc of population tested for
SARSCoV2 virus
Number of cases
Number of deaths
Recovered cases
Brunei Darussalam
COVID-19 STATISTICS
As of 2 August 2020
141
3
138
A Korban ceremony was held at Suri Seri Begawan Raja Pengiran Anak Damit Mosque in conjunc-
tion with Hari Raya Aidiladha celebration yesterday. Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya
Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong distributed the meat to un-
derprivileged individuals and orphans. TEXT & PHOTO: LYNA MOHAMAD
(Full report on Page 3)
UNDERPRIVILEGED RECEIVE
KORBAN MEAT
The roof of Apak-Apak Longhouse, Mukim
Sukand was partially torn off by strong
winds, also damaging rafters and the
exposed rooms on July 30.
No one was injured in the incident.
There was no immediate urgency to
relocate the victims.
Four families are living in Apak-Apak
Longhouse, located in a remote area of
MukimSukang, about two hours away from
Kampong Sungai Liang.
Several government agencies have
stepped up to assist the victims. Sungai
Liang Fire Station personnel used 17
waterproof canvas sheets to cover sections
of the roof as a temporary measure against
natural elements pending the Belait District
Ofice’s assessment into the extent of the
damage and cost of repairs.
Continue to Page 3
Longhouse
roof torn off by
strong wind
Boosting social welfare payments, Southeast
Asian nations should prioritise higher health
spending, United Nations (UN) Economic
and Social Commission for Asia and the
Paciic Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah
Alisjahbana said.
This was highlighted in the new UN
Secretary-General’s policy brief:
The Impact
of COVID19 on Southeast Asia
released on
July 30.
The UN report examines how COVID19 has
affected 11 countries in Southeast Asia and
proposes action-oriented recommendations
onmitigating immediate impacts and planning
Brunei healthcare receives high
score in UN COVID-19 report
Azlan Othman
pathways out of the crisis. In its preparedness
dashboard of Southeast Asian countries for
COVID19 report, Brunei Darussalamwith high
development index (HDI) of 0.841 received
a high score in health systems in ASEAN,
especially in the provision of nurses and
midwifery, and in second tier for physicians
and hospital beds.
The report also said digital technology has
also proved to be a critical tool in response
to the pandemic. However, the beneits it
offer are beyond the reach of the 55 per
cent of Southeast Asia’s population who
remain ofline. A regionally coordinated and
scaled up effort is needed to put in place
next-generation infrastructure networks and
ensure universal digital connectivity, the ‘brief’
highlighted. In the report, the sultanate’s
connectivity scored high especially in mobile
phone subscription and in second tier for ixed
broadband subscription.
The report also said the current low oil and
gas prices offer an opportunity to impose
carbon pricing mechanisms and eliminate
wasteful fossil fuel subsidies. By phasing out
fossil fuel subsidies, countries could inance
most or all of their current stimulus packages.
Such measures would create massive iscal
space and boost low carbon alternatives such
as renewable energy and energy eficiency.
Continue to Page 3
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (AP) — The premier
of Australia’s hard-hit Victoria state has
declared a disaster among sweeping new
coronavirus restrictions across Melbourne and
elsewhere from yesterday night.
An evening curfew will be implemented
across Melbourne from 8pm to 5am. Premier
Daniel Andrews said the state of disaster
proclamation gave police greater power.
He said 671 new coronavirus cases had
been detected since Saturday, including seven
deaths. It comes among a steadily increasing
toll in both deaths and infections over the past
six weeks in Victoria.
“If we don’t make these changes, we’re not
going to get through this,” Andrews said.
Continue to Page 2
A group of police and soldiers patrol the Docklands area of Melbourne after the announcement
of new restrictions to curb the spread of COVID19. PHOTO: AFP
Oz state declares
disaster, curfew
Rokiah Mahmud