Some 120 participants from several organizations as well as BIBD’s CSR committee members were at the event. The participating organizations were BIBD, Takaful BIBD, Takaful IBB, HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), Tabung Amanah Islam Brunei (TAIB), Tabung Amanah Pekerja (TAP), Yayasan SHHB, Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT), JAPEM and DST.

The tournament kicked off with an official opening by BIBD’s Chief Financial Officer Hajah Noraini binti Haji Sulaiman.

Among the aims of the annual BIBD Invitational Charity Netball Tournament was for BIBD to foster close relationships with other organizations through sports and at the same time encourage women to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Additionally, the tournament hoped to build teamwork among peers both internally and externally.

The tournament saw teams showing their competitiveness, skills and team spirit.

The event ended with a prize presentation by the guest of honor Acting Director of Social Services at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports Datin Hjh Shireen Bte Hj Mustapha to the top three winning teams.

In conjunction with this event, BIBD also presented mock cheques with total donations of B$6,942.00 to three charity organizations including SMARTER, Learning Ladders Society and KACA who each received $2,314.00.

The donations were collected from the tournament’s registration fees as well as proceeds from charity events organized by BIBD in 2009. For every dollar raised from the public during the charity events were matched by the bank.

“We reached our target just one week past our target date of Oct 31,” Mr David Taylor, the Executive Principal of International School Brunei, told reporters yesterday.

“So we are delighted, and it was definitely enhanced by the fact that BIBD topped up the balance to bring us to that target on time.”

A total of 17,770 trees had been acquired through BIBD for this project since July 22 this year. And to help the school reach its target of 50,000 trees, BIBD decided to acquire another 8,270 trees.

“It wasn’t only the donation from BIBD that counted, but it was also the fact that they involved customers,” Mr Taylor said after receiving the mock cheque on behalf of ISB from BIBD’s Head of Product Management and Marketing Solutions Dona Johan. “They got customers aware of the fact that conservation and trees are important.

“Also, what is important for us a; educationists is that it’s not just the tree planting and conservation, but its also (about) getting the message out to the community.

“So it’s a multifaceted project it that sense, and we reached our target b3 planting 49,999 trees. We’re saving one tree for a special occasion,” the Executive Principal said, hinting that the final tree might be planted to commemorate the 2010 New Year celebrations.

The Badas 50,000 Trees Project is at initiative of ISB under its Million Tree; Project. Carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Primar3 Resources, the project involves the replanting of trees at the Badas Fores Reserve in Seria.

The project also supports the Heart o1 Borneo initiative, which had set the target of planting 50,000 Agathis Bornensis tree by October 31, 2009.

-Article extracted from Borneo Bulletin, with thanks

BIBD CSR also wish to apologise for any inconvenience that have caused during the ceremony.

Thank you for your support in this Green project!

18th October 2009 - Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam Berhad (BIBD) through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives exceeded its target of collecting funds from the public to plant 4,000 saplings for International School Brunei’s (ISB) Million Trees Project.

According to a press release from BIBD, as many as 5,500 trees were contributed by the public where the bank pledged to match up to 4,000 trees. In total, BIBD successfully raised BND 47,500 for the project.

A ceremony to plant 9,500 Agathis Bornensis saplinggs was held yesterday at the Badas Forest Reserve in Seria.

The guest of honour at the event was Pengiran Anak Khairul Khalil bin Pengiran Syed Haji Jaafari who planted the 30,000th tree in the 50,000 Trees Project.

Also in attendance were the Chairman of BIBD, Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdullah bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar; Director of BIBD, Hj Bahrin Abdullah; and Acting Managing Director of BIBD, Mr Javed Ahmad.

BIBD invited the public, particularly the tree buyers, to attend the planting ceremony. Around 150 people including the public and bank staff were provided transportation from BIBD headquarters to the Badas Forest Reserve in Seria, which was sponsored by Bengkel Kereta Berakas.

BIBD started its campaign at end of July as the facilitator for the public to buy trees. The bank reached its target of 4,000 trees at the end of September.

The bank also gave away special badges that said “Proud Owner of A Tree” for people who bought trees through BIBD. Students from various schools, corporate clients comprising Serikandi Group of Companies and Brunei Association of Hotels also played a major role in supporting the bank’s initiatives in raising funds for the Badas Trees Project.

According to Hjh Nurul Akmar Hj Md Jaafar, the head of BIBD CSR, “The main objective of the bank’s commitment in the Badas Trees Project and its pledge to match up to 4,000 trees was to encourage bank employees and the public to support conservation.”

She added that the efforts are in line with the teaching of Islam, which encourages people to plant trees. When done intentionally for the sake of Allah, the action will be considered and rewarded as acts of worship.

Hjh Nurul Akmar further praised the efforts by individuals and institutions for their generous contributions towards the success of the project.

She hopes that more people will come forward to conserve the environment for the benefit of today’s generation and the generations to come.

The Badas 50,000 Trees Project is an initiative of the International School Brunei’s Million Trees Project in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources to replant trees at the Badas Forest Reserve in Seria.

The project is also in support of the Heart of Borneo initiative, where the target is to plant 50,000 Agathis Bornensis trees by October 31.

- News extracted from Borneo Bulletin by Aziz Idris

The group of students, who call themselves the Environmentally Friendly Club (EFC), has been involved in running several projects on environment conservation, including recycling campaigns and alternative packaging.

Two days ago, The club contributed $890 to Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) in support of the drive to restore the trees in Badas which were lost a decade ago to forest fires.

“The Million Trees Project under BIBD is one of our latest project we are involved in right now and has been a great success,” said Dk Farah Amirah Pg Hj Redzuan, one of the club members.

She said that from August 17 to September 9, the club has been going around the school asking for contributions and set up a booth in front of the library as a main collection point where students and teachers could contribute to save the environment. “Although the initial target was to collect $1,000, the club has collected a total of $890 within three weeks, which is a good start.”

Dk Farah expressed her concerns towards the forests in Brunei which led to the club’s aspiration to initiate the project.

“Brunei may have a lot of trees, but at the same time we should also be aware of the trees that have been lost by forest fires over the past decade. This can cause an impact in our survival.”

She added: “The average person produces 9,000kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) per annum. The average rainforest tree absorbs 20kg of CO2 per annum, so we need 450 trees in order to convert CO2 into oxygen for us to breathe in everyday. That’s 450 trees per head!”

“Hopefully, the club will continue to pursue such projects. The experiences throughout the whole drive have certainly contributed to the realisation of the need to save the environment,” said Dk Farah.

“On behalf of the club, we would like to thank BIBD for giving us the opportunity to play a role in the project, to our teachers for their support and encouragement and to members of the club for the efforts they put in to the whole drive.”

The restoration of the forests, known as the Badas 50,000 Trees Project, is an initiative by ISB’s Million Trees Project in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry & Primary Resources to replant trees at the Badas Forest Reserve, Kuala Belait. The project is also in support of the Heart of Borneo initiative, where the target is to plant 50,000 Agathis Bornensis trees by October 31, 2009.

In cooperation with International School Brunei’s Million Trees Project, BIBD is pledging to raise funds for the Badas Trees Project.

“BIBD is committed in raising awareness on the impact of climate change among Bruneians, and through this project, we welcome interested contributors to donate for the tree-planting cause,” said BIBD’s Corporate Social Responsibilities Treasury Rafiuddin Ghazali.

He added: “The cost of planting one tree at Badas is at $5, and our target is to plant 4,000 trees for this project. So far we have managed to garner a collection worth of 1,400 trees right now, and we look forward to the planting ceremony in October in Badas once we reach our mark.”

Maktab Duli became the first school in Brunei to be involved in the project under BIBD.

- Article extracted from Mr Hierophyte, with thanks

Assalamualaikum

On behalf of the management, we would like to announce that we have reached 4,000 trees in the Badas Trees Project Fund and BIBD will match these trees!

Insya’Allah, the tree planting ceremony will be held on Sunday, 18 th October 2009.

Registration is extended open now until 7 th October 2009 to Monday, 12th October 2009, or as soon as we reach 120 people.
(whichever comes first).

Transportation will be provided but limited to 120 seats only!

To take part in the planting ceremony, please call 223 8181 (Call Centre) or email us at CSR@BIBD.COM.BN