HIS Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office made a working visit to several national project locations in the Tutong District yesterday. Amongst them were the Phase 5 site of the National Housing Project in Bukit Beruang, Fire Station and the Telisai-Lumut Highway.

The visit was part of the effort to ensure projects under the 10th National Development Plan (RKN10) run effectively and smoothly. His Royal Highness is also the Chairman of the 10th National Development Plan (NDP).

At the Phase 5 National Housing Scheme project site in Bukit Beruang, His Royal Highness was accompanied by the Minister of Development, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Hj Suyoi bin Hj Osman, where His Royal Highness was greeted by the Permanent Secretary (Administration and Finance) at the Ministry of Development, Awg Hj Muhammad Lutfi bin Hj Abdullah and received a briefing from the Director of Housing Development Department, Awg Hj Mohd Zakaria bin Hj Serudin.

The Bukit Beruang National Housing Scheme Phase 5 is an $85 million project and the construction started on January 4, 2012 and is expected to be completed in November 2014.

The Phase 5 project is being built on a 75-hectare land with allocation of a total of 758 houses, comprising 364 cluster houses and 394 terrace houses.

The project expands the existing national housing area in Bukit Beruang and there is another ongoing housing project in the area under the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) where construction of 1,500 houses on 127ha of green field land in Bukit Beruang for the National Housing Scheme of Brunei Darussalam is also near full completion.

The national housing projects in Bukit Beruang will accommodate the ever increasing number of applicants for the national housing schemes from the eligible landless citizens of Brunei Darussalam.

His Royal Highness also visited the Fire Station project site at Bukit Beruang National Housing area, where His Royal Highness was greeted by the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Dato Paduka Dr Hj Affendy bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Hj Abidin and also received a briefing presented by the Director of Fire and Rescue Department, Awang Hj Yahya bin Hj Abdul Rahman, in relation with the project development that costs $5.7 million.

His Royal Highness also visited another national project, which is the Telisai-Lumut Highway, where His Royal Highness was greeted upon arrival by the Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, Dato Paduka Awang Hj Ali bin Hj Apong as the Chairman of the Brunei Economic Development Board.

At the project site, His Royal Highness was given a briefing that was presented by the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office and the Chief Executive Officer at the Brunei Economic Development Board, Dr Hj Abdul Manaf bin Hj Metussin.

The Telisai-Lumut Highway is a $138 million project that will improve the connectivity between Bandar Seri Begawan and the Belait District to reduce traffic congestion along the existing Lumut-Telisai roads especially during peak hours thereby reduce travelling time, improve road safety and provide dual carriageway connectivity between the Brunei-Muara, Tutong and Belait Districts.

The highway itself is an 18.6km-long carriageway linking Telisai to Lumut, starting at Telisai, about 59 km from Bandar Seri Begawan, on Jalan Tutong-Seria and traverse westward through the woods at about 3km south of the preset main road and merges with the Lumut bypass road in Kg Lumut.

The project also includes a 3.2km single carriageway road that connects the dual carriageway road to Jalan Tutong-Seria via Sg Paku Link Road and construction of five bridges including a 600m bridge, the longest land bridge in Brunei Darussalam.

Meanwhile, His Royal Highness also made a working visit to Pusat Tingkatan Enam Tutong (PTET). Upon arrival His Royal Highness was greeted by the Permanent Secretary (Higher Education) at the Ministry of Education, Dr Haji Junaidi bin Haji Abdul Rahman; the Deputy Principal (Administration), Alexander bin Badang; and the Deputy Principal (Academic) Hajah Junaidah binti Haji Abdul Rahman.

The $23 million complex is fitted with three administration blocks, three science labs, art room, computer lab, two lecture halls, student welfare room, conference room, multipurpose hall, canteen and other classrooms. Currently, there are 64 teaching staff members and 437 students.

His Royal Highness toured around the facility and was briefed on the activities provided to the students.

The visit was concluded with the presentation of pesambah to His Royal Highness by Awang Mira Eddry Fazreen bin Abdul Rahman and Dayang Hajah Nabihah Izzati binti Haji Osman, students of the school.

Also present during the visit was the Deputy Minister of Education, Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Yusoff bin Haji Ismail. - Borneo Bulletin (25 May 2014)