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Thursday, 3 February 2011
97 Bruneians Returned Home From Egypt
RELIEF was on the faces of parents and family members of the 97 Bruneians who returned home from Egypt yesterday morning, courtesy of the Brunei government following His Majesty the Sultan and Yang DiPertuan of Brunei Darussalam's order to bring them home for their safety.
The citizens, mostly students, were brought back on a chartered Safi Airways flight from Dubai after being moved there from Egypt for their safety.
Minister of Religious Affairs Pg Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohammad Pg Hj Abdul Rahman said during an interview at the Brunei International Airport that he and the ministry were very happy about the safe return of the 97 Bruneians from Egypt.
The minister, who was present to greet the returning students, said if the situation in Egypt improves, the students would be heading back on February 14.
Anti-government protests in Egypt which began last Tuesday have been getting increasingly violent with unconfirmed reports suggesting that as many as 300 people may have been killed, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said recently.
Asked if the students would continue their studies in Brunei if they could not return to Egypt, the minister replied, "When we come to that juncture we will think of what to do. For now we are praying the situation will improve so it is safe for them to return."
Pg Dato Dr Hj Muhammad said as it was holiday break in Egypt, many students had left Egypt for other countries and some had returned to Brunei.
"For those students who have gone abroad and are safe we are not taking any action to bring them back. However, if protests continue past the 14th we may consider it," he said.
Also present to greet the returning Bruneians at the airport yesterday was the Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng and Second Minister of Finance Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdul Rahman Hj Ibrahim.
A doa selamat was read before the evacuees crossed the immigration checkpoint to be greeted by family members.
Among them was Hidayatul Ajeerah Hj Kamis who said she was excited to see her mother and younger sister, but was saddened at the same time as her father was still in Cairo.
"My father is the third secretary at the embassy there. Although I am excited to see my mother and sister, I am worried about the safety of my dad," said the 22-year-old.
She added, "Nevertheless, I am really grateful that His Majesty quickly approved for the families and students to come back."
Hjh Noraini Hj Asmat was also grateful to His Majesty for making the decision to bring home the Bruneians in Egypt, among them her two sons Muhd Naqib and Muhd Najib Hj Awang.
"I lost contact with them on Friday and I wasn't able to talk to them until they reached Dubai. I was very worried and scared during those six days," she said.
Pg Hj Hairin Pg Hj Ali, from Lambak Kanan said over the last week he and his family only received text messages from his daughter Dk Hjh Noraini who was studying at the University of Kaherah.
"In her messages she said they were all safe. She also updates us on what was happening there and what actions were taken by the embassy," he said.
He added, "As a father, I was worried about my daughter's safety. Words cannot express the gratitude that we feel knowing His Majesty ordered the safe evacuation of our children. Thanks also goes to the relevant ministries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Ministry of Religious Affairs."
SOUNDS of gunshots and explosions coupled with news of thousands of escaped prisoners roaming the streets of Cairo were more than enough to make Bruneian Siti Katizah Hj Rasit, 25, want to flee Egypt and be home.
Siti Katizah, a Ministry of Education scholar, was among the 97 Brunei citizens who arrived in Brunei yesterday, thanks to His Majesty's Government's intervention in taking them home safely days after unprecedented anti-government protests began in Egypt.
"We heard a lot of explosions not very far from where we were staying," she said in an interview with The Brunei Times upon her arrival in Brunei International Airport. "Of course I cried because Brunei is peaceful and we have never experienced this. What scared me the most was that there were 6,000 escaped prisoners during the protests," she said.
It was the first time for the Bruneian students to experience frightening scenes of political chaos.
Nurul Haqedza Hj Idris, 20, also recounted the same experience of hearing explosions rocking Cairo following the outbreak of political protests demanding that President Hosni Mubarak quit after decades in power.
For Nurul Haqedza, it was a school break that turned ugly. She was one of the two Bruneian students studying in Jordan and went to Cairo for their semester break just before the start of the turmoil.
She was shocked when the protests erupted on Tuesday last week, and she became increasingly fearful over the next few days.
"I definitely felt like coming home straight away. We could hear explosions and gunshots from our place, and there were lootings going on as well," she said.
Mohd Saifullah Hj Bolhassan, 24, turned to prayers when fear hit him in Cairo.
"I heard gunshots and was scared, but praying helped ease my fears. I also learnt that the protests did not happen near our place, and that they did not want to hurt us Bruneians and had their own reasons," he said.
By the command of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the students along with family members of Brunei Embassy staff in Cairo were evacuated on Monday on a chartered aircraft that took them to Dubai. They then left Dubai on another chartered aircraft that landed in Brunei yesterday morning.
Before passing the immigration checkpoint, Nurul Haqedza hailed: "I am very happy and feel lucky to be back home."
The students were all generous in their gratitude to His Majesty for bringing them back home safely and quickly. Many expatriates in Egypt were at a loss as to how they could flee the country in turmoil as flight schedules were disrupted and even those who had bookings could not get an assurance that they could get on a plane out of Cairo.
Siti Katizah said she wanted to thank His Majesty for bringing all the Bruneians back together safely.
"His Majesty really brought us out of Cairo as soon as possible, and I am also thankful to the officers in Egypt for taking a lot of efforts in taking care of us there," she said.
Mohd Saifullah said: "I am so grateful to His Majesty for his concern over us and bringing us home to Brunei. The whole process in sending us back was really fast, and I am excited to see my family."
Student Mohd Adham Hashim, 21, said he was excited and pleased to be reunited with his family members. "I want to thank His Majesty for giving us the opportunity to come back as soon as possible."
The Brunei Embassy staff were quick to gather Brunei citizens in Cairo. The students were relocated and were then prohibited from the leaving the premises.
Siti Katizah said from Tuesday to Saturday, the students were being put on curfew at their residences, and were asked not to leave the premises.
Their daily food needs were taken care of as the embassy, she said, had food sent to their doorsteps.
It was, however, not enough for someone like Nurul Haqedza who had difficulty sleeping during those few nights when fear kept her awake until the wee hours of the morning.
Mohd Saifullah said he was ecstatic to be home but he was also worried about his studies.
"Our university is supposed to start the semester mid February, although it is currently closed," he said.
Mohd Adham said that he intended to return to Cairo to continue his studies, once protests were over.
Source: The Brunei Times
And here are some latest video of the situation in Egypt
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
It's The Year Of The Rabbit
I would like to wish Happy Chinese New Year to all the chinese readers out there! Gong Xi Fa Cai!!!
Crisis In Egypt
ALL 97 Bruneians who evacuated Cairo, Egypt on Monday are slated to arrive at Brunei International Airport at 7am today.
His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam earlier ordered the safe evacuation of Bruneian students who were studying in Cairo.
In a press statement released yesterday at 5pm, the Office of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam said by His Majesty's command, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MoFAT) and the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) were to take "all possible urgent matters", including the use of a special charter aircraft to bring home the students who were in Cairo.
This was to ensure the safety and comfort of Bruneians, specifically students undertaking studies at various institutions of higher education in Cairo, it added.
Egypt has seen unprecedented anti-government protests demanding that President Hosni Mubarak leave office after nearly 30 years in power.
The 97 Bruneians were scheduled to depart Dubai at 11pm last night on a chartered aircraft, the MoFAT said in a press release.
A source at the Brunei Embassy in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates told The Brunei Times in a telephone interview that the 97 Bruneians included students, Unissa officials and family members of staff at the embassy in Cairo.
The source added that they left Cairo to Dubai on Monday night, on another chartered aircraft.
The statement from Office of His Majesty said MoFAT and MoRA have also been further commanded to make announcements on the latest developments from time to time, to ensure that the public in the country, particularly the families of the students involved, were kept informed on the situation.
The Bruneians were earlier relocated to the Brunei Embassy in Cairo on Sunday and spent the night there.
Source: The Brunei Times
And here two latest clip about the situation in Egypt...
Sony unveils Cyber-shot DSC-HX100V and DSC-HX9V
Sony today unveiled two new 16.2-megapixel Cyber-shot® digital still cameras that offer Full HD video shooting capability at the touch of a dedicated movie button. Recording video at 60 progressive frames per second (1920x1080 60p), both cameras can capture fast-moving action with exceptional smoothness and clarity.
The DSC-HX100V and DSC-HX9V Cyber-shot cameras are the company’s first compact digital still cameras to include a 27mm Carl Zeiss® Vario-Sonar T* lens with 30x optical zoom and a 24mm Sony® G lens with 16x optical zoom (respectively) combined with full HD (1920 x 1080/60p) video capability.
Another Cyber-shot camera first, the 16.2-megapixel “Exmor R” back-illuminated CMOS sensor inside both cameras supports a brand-new Intelligent Sweep Panorama™ HR (High Resolution) mode. Just press the shutter button and sweep the camera, and it captures up to 42.9 megapixel panoramic images with crisp 10480x4096 resolution. Images can be viewed on the cameras’ 3-inch 921,000-dot Xtra Fine LCD™ display with wide viewing angle.
“These new H Series cameras are a great addition to the already explosive high zoom market, loaded with cutting-edge innovations by Sony to shoot stills and video,” said Kelly Davis, director of the digital imaging group at Sony Electronics. “With these unique Sony technologies, including GPS, 3D, AVCHD™ video as well as increased zoom, Sony is offering consumers the best of both worlds.”
Pricing and Availability
The cameras and a range of accessories will be available in April online at Sonystyle.com, at Sony Style® retail stores (www.Sonystyle.com/retail) and at authorized dealers nationwide. Presales will begin in February. The DSC-HX100V and DSC-HX9V cameras will be available in black and will cost about $450 and $350, respectively.
Features:
- Cyber-shot™ HX100V with 30x optical zoom; HX9V with 16x
- Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation with Active Mode for significantly reduced handshake, even while walking
- One-touch Full HD video
- 16.2 effective megapixel Exmor R™ CMOS Sensor
- 3.0” 921,000-dot XtraFine LCD with wide viewing angle
- DSLR-class high-speed Autofocus
- GPS/Compass
- 3D Sweep Panorama, 3D Still Image and Sweep Multi Angle
- Intelligent Sweep Panorama HR mode captures super-size scenes
Tuesday, 1 February 2011
Liverpool FC Fans Reaction To Torres Transfer To Chelsea
Even Hitler got angry with Torres going to Chelsea...
Close-Ups of Spider-Man On-Set
On Location News has brought online some great close-up photos of Spider-Man on the Los Angeles set.
Unrest At Egypt
EVACUATING Bruneian students from Egypt remains the top priority of the Brunei Embassy in Cairo which has been rocked by unprecedented anti-government protests.
Bruneian students in Egypt are waiting for a chance to return home via a contingency plan that is being discussed between the Brunei Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MoFAT).
The students who have been relocated to the embassy in Cairo on Sunday said yesterday they were waiting for their flight home in light of escalating tensions in Egypt, The Brunei Times learned yesterday in a telephone interview.
Nurul Muizzatul Ain Hj Idris, 22, an Arabic Language student at Cairo University, said the embassy called for a meeting on Sunday around lunch time, and asked if students wanted to come back to Brunei.
"Our families are worried so we have to come back. My friends at my university have gone back to their countries, and I also want to be home with my family," she said.
The third year student, who has been living in Cairo for the past four months, said there are 101 students, families and officers who have been relocated to the embassy's office in Zamalek.
"We all slept alright last night, and the embassy has been supplying us with enough food," she said.
Nurul Muizzatul Ain also said there are more than 30 Bruneian students in neighbouring Jordan, but they need not return to Brunei because it was "safe" there.
Asked how she felt about the situation, Nurul Muizzatul Ain said, "I am worried about the protests because we do not have this in Brunei."
She has been in close contact with her family and grandmother here since the protests broke out.
It was Sunday an embassy staff called Nurul Muizzatul to tell her they would be picking her up and relocating her.
"We (students) were asked to pack our important documents and clothing, and that the embassy car would pick us up," she said.
The students are not allowed to leave the embassy's premises. They are all praises for the staff for taking good care of their needs.
Earlier in the afternoon, a source at the MoFAT said there was "no change" in the situation, and that all Bruneians there were located at the embassy.
If the situation worsened and endangered the lives of Bruneians, the source said they already had a contingency plan in place.
"We must have contingency plans in case of wars, and we have this at all our embassies in the world, just like other countries. This is to safeguard the safety of our citizens," she said.
"We are assigned to look after our citizens abroad, and we have to make sure they are safe and secure," the source added.
State broadcaster Radio Televisyen Brunei (RTB) reported yesterday that the embassy in Cairo was working closely with MoFAT to send home Bruneians.
Reports said the situation in Tahrir Square yesterday morning was "calm", but efforts to evacuate Bruneians have been made as the main priority to ensure their safety, said Latifah Zaini, the Embassy's Interim Charge D'Affaires, in an interview with RTB last night.
A news report from Reuters said protesters intensified their campaign yesterday to force Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak to quit, due to frustration over repression and the lack of democracy under Mubarak's rule boiled over.
More than 100 people were killed in clashes with security forces in scenes that overturned Egypt's standing as a stable country, promising emerging market and attractive tourist destination, the report added.
In another report, AP yesterday said a coalition of opposition groups called for a million people to take to Cairo's streets today.
It added the coalition of groups said it wants the march from Tahrir, or Liberation Square, to force Mubarak to step down by Friday.
Meanwhile, MoFAT yesterday advised the public to refrain from travelling to Egypt at the moment in the light of the increasing violence in the country.
And here are some of the latest footage from Eygpt posted by various youtubers...
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