Youth Paddy Program Pt. 2 (Program Belia Berpadi Bhg. 2)

The journey continues......

A quick break at Limbang and before nightfall the team moved out of Limbang town. The road was quiet and everybody were happy with their meals they had bought from town. A few of them ate their early dinner in the bus and the others keep the food warm for later.

Arrival at the Ujong Jalan Immigration Post Temburong were welcomed by light rain and set their track to the Youth Center at Bangar. The place is very cozy, nearby to the morning market and small shops for those who love to indulge with fresh air and less traffic at the town area. The Youth Center is also near to the Temburong river which is very convenient for those who love to fish (maybe). The Youth Center acts like a hostel for travelers and here it also have a dining hall for everyone to regroup in the morning.

Youth Center (Pusat Belia)

Masjid Utama Muhammad Salleh, Bangar, Temburong

The next morning, the team was ready to go to Batang Duri Camp, where the Outward Bound Brunei Darussalam (OBBD) is located. Everybody was set and off they goes by 7 o' clock and arrived at the site around 20 minutes later. At the site, the team was welcomed by a group of trainers and listened to the welcoming speech.

After the speech, everybody got into action with various of activities ranging from Trust Fall, Flying Fox to obstacle courses. The team were sited into long huts as their place to sleep for a few nights. The 3rd day has come and they packed their supplies for one of the ultimate challenges of the training course: Jungle Trekking. Camping materials were arranged, foldable tents, water pump with filters and even canned foods.

Jungle Trekking trains the participants the value of teamwork, patience and time management. A few of them needs extra support during the trek because of exhaustion and their backpacks needs to be carried by other team members. That very night they had to camp at Batumpu Tiga camping site, North Northeast of Batang duri and rain was pouring. Fortunately they had set their site earlier or else everybody is soaking wet.

The following morning, everybody moves again to Temburong river which leads to Belalong Research Center by boat and there was the final camping place. There were extra activities to train with such as basic swimming and rescue. The night was very pleasant although there were no electricity at the place so flashlights are needed. After dinnertime, everybody regroups in a circle and speak up their ambition, feedbacks, comments and compliments regarding the trip. Most of them are positive and full of spirit to be heard!

Time passes very quickly  that night and they had a good night sleep to rest. The next morning, the team regroup again and divided into 4 groups. The most exciting activity among all: kayaking on the Temburong river, back to Batang Duri Campsite. At this stage, everybody were very excited, thrilled and maybe scared because of the uneven river currents and water crashing on the rapids. The journey took 1 hour and on arrival, they immediately put the kayak back to its place. Helmets off, backpacks down and everybody rejoiced, ready to go back home.

The second final training  day closed with Solo Night where everybody left out in the jungle, far away from each other around 20 - 30 meters and the trainer packs us a few text papers to read and a blank foolscap paper to write the thoughts on and they said the "letter" will be posted to our homes later on. The end day was exciting, everybody made through the night without any problems and the following day certificates were awarded by the head trainer and thanked everybody for the valuable teamwork spirits and following orders with haste.

They were back to the Youth Center that very afternoon and had their last stay. The next day, early in the morning they were back to Bandar Seri Begawan, again through Limbang and returned back to the Youth Development Center as the place of rendezvous.

 Last of all, not a few, but a lot of lesson learnt from the training at OBBD ad it is ready to be applied for the following course in real time: paddy planting which requires a lot of gut, spirit, and everything else to make the first-timers effective in enhancing their skills further. At the end of the day, everybody flashes back the experience that had been gone through to keep the fire in their hearts burn for their inner spirit for Brunei's Development!

Youth Paddy Program (Program Belia Berpadi)

This program was formed in January 2015 at the Youth Development Center, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Kampong Tanah Jambu, Brunei-Muara, Negara Brunei Darussalam with the collaboration with Agriculture and Agrifood Department, Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism. Such challenges had to be faced by both ministries such as allocation of budgets and participant selection. Full of spirit and hope for the youth, to the younger generation of Brunei!

Selection of participants were not so picky since the spectrum of individuals were broad enough from graduated school students to ex-fire brigades and they wanted to encourage as many participants as possible since youths of Brunei are the future generations that can enhance and boost the economy, not only the oil and gas sector since Brunei requires more renewable resources and better source of income especially at the agriculture section. For the sake of food security, employable citizens for the needs of local industry and maybe in the future: exports.

The Youth Development Center

 At first the initial participant list was long enough to make the institution glad to see the results; 40 people applied via application forms provided by the training center. Nevertheless, time passed, interest among the participants were downed  and by the final day of application and actual interview day, the list were left with 14 people and off they go! To the next level, which trains the participants' skills and teamwork. But first, a brief look at the local paddy field, which the trainees going to be trained hands-on.

A brief visit to the paddy fields, Wasan, Mukim Pengkalan Batu, Brunei-Muara

 Before everything starts. Really, everything, the trainees were sent to Outward Bound Brunei Darussalam at Batang Duri, Temburong District. Here, the fun starts with teamwork skills which really are awesomely useful for everybody. This is the chance to know each other temperaments along the way.

Since the speedboat services from Bandar Seri Begawan to Bangar, Temburong were closed temporarily because of jungle woods blocking the entrance at the arrival site in Bangar, the road  trip starts from the YDC to Kuala Lurah immigration checkpoint before entering Limbang, Sarawak. Along the way before reaching Limbang town, there were flooded villages which was because nightly heavy rainfall since early of the year, forcing the villagers to take immediate actions to save their assets.

Since there are no reception for the local service provider at Limbang, so there are no way for the team to get internet access except for the expensive roaming data using Maxis, Celcom and else. Good thing these roads were not so congested and they had a pleasant journey long the way. A quick stop in the evening at Limbang town for supplies and good food before proceeding to Temburong District.

More stories after the break! So stay tuned.....

Laila Rice Production in Brunei

Oryza sativa, the scientific name of rice and also can be called paddy. In Brunei there are various names of rice variety, ranging from traditional breed to the modern, 21st century variety of rice. Some of the few traditional breeds are Bario, Adan, Pusu, Padi Janggut, Padi Pulut and a few more which maybe forgotten since the practice of modern ways. On the other hand, modern breed such as: Laila (formerly known as BDR1), BDR5 and MRQ (Malaysian Research Quality) is currently under production with variable yields with more differences and shorter maturity periods.

The variety Laila was introduced on August 3rd, 2009 by His Majesty the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah as a benchmark for all farmers towards self-sufficiency of rice production in Negara Brunei Darussalam.

Laila is one of the inbred type of rice plant which can be re-planted after harvest. This type of rice plant is far more different than traditional varieties and said to be more resistant to pest and diseases. This variety is planted in swampy areas which is generally favorable for modern rice.
Characteristics of Laila rice plant:

• Plant height: 95cm – 100cm
• Maturity period: 105 – 110 days
• Maturity class: Early maturity
• Weight (1000 seeds): 26.2g
• Average yield: 5.0 – 6.8 tons/ha
• Shape and size: Long rice

(Source: Monograf Istilah Peribumi Nama-Nama Padi, 2010 (Monograph of Definition of Rice Names, 2010)