Pesta Convo UBD was launched on September 20th officiated by HRH the Crown Prince. The FBEPS Poverty Project Team was honoured to be invited to showcase our community contribution and during the launch, the team gave a brief presentation to the Crown Prince an overview of the project. To me, the team has reached another milestone for our efforts during the duration of the project itself.

The poverty project, which was an accidental charity project, was initially a research work for a team of seven undergraduates to find the underlying causes of poverty in Brunei Darussalam. Having visited 100 homes of the less fortunate, we were taken aback by their dire state and pledged to help them in any way we could. Alhamdulillah, with strong determination and good will, we have managed to collaborate with private institutions that was willing to financially assist us with the good cause. Our team of seven grew into a team of 80 individual volunteers and together we have managed to ease the burden of 60 families around Brunei Muara & Tutong. All these were done within a span of 5 weeks.

The FBEPS Poverty Project

HRH Crown Prince taking a closer look at the FBEPS Poverty Project community contribution

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Maaf zahir dan batin.

Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations conference which was jointly hosted by Harvard University and the Singapore Management University ended a couple of weeks ago which was held in Singapore. Firstly, I would like to thank UBD for sponsoring me to this insightful conference that has broaden up my knowledge on various aspects during the week long conference.

Divided into five different panels ranging from International law to Environmental Security to Entrepreneurship, I was given the panel for new agenda for Asian Environmental Security. During the panel discussion session, we've attended and discussed various issues in relation to the topic mentioned. Usually, invited speakers would give a brief presentation beforehand before discussions could begin.

On the other hand, the afternoon session were mostly filled with free-to-choose seminar topics that you might be interested in. However, for each seminar session, it could accommodate only 35 out of the 200 delegates and altogether there were 11 seminar sessions being held at the same time. At one time of the day, the seminars were being held at the Singapore Management University's lecture rooms and that made me feel as if I was attending lectures again back at home. On other days, the seminars were being held across my bedroom at Suntec City. Also, I would again like to thank UBD for sponsoring me that wonderful (luxurious) accommodation which is only two minutes across the street to the everyday venue!

As the conference was being held during the fasting month of Ramadhan, it wasn't much of an eating trip for me as the only time I'll be dining out is for sungkai. We did manage to catch ramadhan bazaars and experience the Hari Raya preparation in Singapore which was mostly segregated around Geylang Serai and Arab Street. So basically it was conference during the day, and FUN NIGHT OUT during the night exploring Singapore with international friends coming from all over the globe. Not to forget that this trip was also a reunion for most of us from the previous APEC Voices of the Future 2009! Friends from Peru, Korea, Singapore etc reunited again once more! Overall, this trip was superbly excellent!

The HPAIR organizing committee (All Harvard students)

Japan, Peru, Brunei, Singapore

A section of the crowd during the opening ceremony

This was taken during a visiting trip to marina barrage

Singapore flyer!

The most talked about Marina Bay Sands! It's beautiful at night!

The typical formal dinner that we are obliged to attend to. The food isn't good at all, honestly I didn't even eat them! (A full course meal starting from starters to dessert)

Merlion!

Stunning lights of the Esplanade and Singapore flyer

Marina Bay Sands at night! I wonder how much is their electricity bill for that mega lighting

THE BEST PIZZA SO FAR! ONE SLICE IS HUGE ENOUGH FOR MY SUNGKAI EVERYDAY!!!

Trust me, it's so damn good!

But, we still prefer going for Asian food at Little India! Prata, Briyani, Murtabak and Sup Tulang Merah!

Although this site was long abandoned, the great moments I've had through the semester break is still fresh in my mind. Attended the short attachment programme under BIA that runs for 3 weeks and that went about nerve wrecking on the first day and ended with a much higher self confidence in myself towards the end of the three weeks.

The first thing that ran through my mind when I applied for this programme was the usual internship routine i.e. photocopying and typing down memos. Unfortunately, BIA doesn't offer those typical routine but as a matter of fact we were down to analyzing different economies from different countries on the first day itself. Nobody was prepared for that battle. Nevertheless, all 13 of us have proven to them that we are capable of working under pressure even on last minute assignments given which was due in a few hours. Hence, by far, working with the remaining 12 interns have been a memorable one and three weeks is just to short, it would be great for it were to be for three months instead!

BIA interns!

During one of those moments when we are being left unattended without any assignments