The BIMP-EAGA Business Council (BEBC) of Brunei Darussalam hosted and organised the BIMP-EAGA Business to Business Forum for the international BEBC delegations representing over 50 members from Palawan and Mindanao (Philippines) as well as Labuan and Sabah (Malaysia) at the Darussalam Enterprise head office in Berakas.
The event was attended by the guest of honour, Mr Daniel Leong, Acting CEO of the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) and Darussalam Enterprise (DARe) and was received by the event’s host, the Chairman of the BIMP-EAGA Business Council of Brunei, Pengiran Haji Haris bin Penghiran Haji Duraman.
In attendance to support the event was the Malaysia High Commissioner, His Excellency Dato’ Raja Reza Raja Zaib Shah, the Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines, Her Excellency Marian Jocelyn R. Tirol-Ignacio, the Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, His Excellency Abel Guterres and the Chargé d’Affaires Ad Interim of the Republic of Indonesia, Mr Irwan Iding.
The objective of the forum is to promote and strengthen business to business cooperation between Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines (BIMP). Additionally, the forum allows opportunities of collaboration with other partner countries that support the mutual development of the BIMP East ASEAN growth area. The forum was held through a series of presentations that was conducted by numerous country speaker representatives that included Mr Firdaus Kadir, Manager of FDI Action and Support Centre from BEDB and Nadiah Azmanshah, Manager for Market Access from DARe representing Brunei Darussalam while Indonesia was represented by Said Erwan, Country Director of BEBC Indonesia. At the same time, Philippines was represented by Mr Cipriano Barroma, the country director of BEBC Palawan and Ms Ridzna Lauddin from the Bangsa Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) while Mr Wong Thart Sin, Country Director of BEBC Sabah; Mr Azhar Othman, Country Director of BEBC Labuan represented Malaysia. Mr Nasir Latif, CEO of Transasia Development Corporation representing Timor-Leste.
The forum produced exciting and informative exchanges between the presenters and attendees. The guest of honour, heads of missions and speakers were presented with tokens of appreciations followed by refreshments and a tour of food products produced by the Philippines delegation.
In the evening, BEBC Brunei Darussalam held a special open house gathering for the international BEBC delegation at the residence of the BEBC Brunei country director, Haji Alimen Jaafar. Other special guest attendees included the Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, His Excellency Abel Guterres and spouse, Madam Ana Guterres as well as BEBC Business council advisors Dato Paduka Murni Mohamed and Mr Thomas Koh. The host took every opportunity to promote traditional Hari Raya culture, music and food in Brunei Darussalam
