Nat'l service scheme receives supportfor its continuance

BRUNEI's inaugural national service scheme, Program Khidmat Bakti Negara (PKBN) has received strong parents' support and approval for it to continue, said Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports said yesterday.

"Throughout the first and second pilot projects, Alhamdullilah, there were no complaints or grievances from parents but rather they gave their support and encouraged their children to answer the challenge of PKBN," Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Hj Hazair Hj Abdullah said in his remarks at the launching of the programme's third and final pilot stage yesterday.

"Parents who have witnessed the results of the PKBN pilot project, in the change and transformation of their children, voiced support for the PKBN to be continued and to become a permanent national youth development programme," he said.

They understood that the PKBN was "more than (just) a summer camp", but rather a programme with a "clear objective and its own identity" that aimed to foster youth who were disciplined and loyal to the king, abide by principles and teachings of Islam and Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB), and were always ready to serve the community, the population and the country."

YB Pehin Dato Hj Hazair said that more than 400 applications were received for the third pilot of the PKBN, of which 325 were deemed eligible to take part. However, only 200 participants have been taken this time, the largest intake since the PKBN started with its first pilot in December last year. A total of 78 and 97 PKBN trainees took part in the first and second pilots, respectively. "What can be clearly seen from the participation in this third pilot project is the strong response, encouragement and support from the community, particularly from parents, for their children to participate in PKBN," he said.

Parents of the latest batch of 200 PKBN trainees watched their sons and daughters take the programme's oath yesterday during the launching of the third pilot project, which was also witnessed by senior ministry officials, Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Major General Dato Paduka Seri Hj Aminuddin Ihsan Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Hj Abidin, Royal Brunei Police Force Commissioner Pehin Orang Kaya Pendikar Alam CP Dato Paduka Seri Hj Hasrin Dato Paduka Hj Sabtu and other senior officials.

As a taste of things to come, the parents and the trainees looked on as participants from the initial pilot intakes performed tausyeh, gymnastics and march past.

"To make a change within one's self requires sacrifice, resilience, commitment and determination," said YB Pehin Dato Hj Hazair. "Because of this, I wish to remind the trainees that the first and second weeks will be tough and challenging for them to familiarise themselves with the PKBN training, because they have just come out of the comfort zone of the home and their friends out there."

However, he assured the participants that any apprehension would pass as time went on during the training. "InsyAllah, by the third week, the trainees would begin to acclimatise themselves and enjoy the challenge of PKBN and would not feel the three months have passed," the minister said.

"To conclude, let me again congratulate all the trainees chosen to participate in this project, and I hope that this project will... produce all-rounded and big-hearted youth who will become valuable national assets and hopes."

The Brunei Times