The Patron of the Brunei Darussalam Road Safety Council, Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna, officially launched the Blueprint Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 Brunei Darussalam.

Upon arrival at the Rizqun International Hotel, Her Royal Highness was greeted by Minister of Communications, Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awg Haji Abdullah bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, who is also Advisor to the Brunei Darussalam Road Safety Council, and other senior officers from the ministry.

The event, organised by the council under the ministry, is in line with the Decade of Action for Road Safety recommended by the UN and WHO, a global initiative that outlines all the steps needed to be taken by every member country to upgrade the level of road safety.

Initiating the event was a surah al-fatihah recital led by Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Setia Raja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Hj Awang Suhaili, followed by a welcoming address from the Acting Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications, Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohamad Yusof, who is also Chairman of the Brunei Darussalam Road Safety Council.

This was followed by a sabda delivered by HRH Princess Hajah Masna and the officiating of the launch. The blueprint, themed "Psycho-techno & Integrated Approach towards Road Traffic Injury Accident Reduction on Brunei Roads" contains several programmes and activities that will be implemented along with other relevant agencies in the next decade beginning this month.

It serves to invite all relevant agencies, from both the government and private sectors, to prepare a guideline towards the main purpose of achieving its objectives and for all involved to join forces in running the action plan for the next 10 years. It also serves as an annual reference related to the action plan's implementation.

Her Royal Highness also toured the two-day Road Safety Exhibition, which is participated by several agencies, themed "Journey towards Safer Mobility and Safety on the Road", at the lobby area of The Mall in Gadong.

Among those in attendance yesterday were the Police Commissioner in his capacity as Chairman II of the Brunei Darussalam Road Safety Council, Pehin Orang Kaya Pendikar Alam Dato Paduka Haji Hasrin, deputy permanent secretaries, as well as senior government officers and representatives from the private sector. - Borneo Bulletin (27th May 2011)