Survey Department and Brunei Institution of Geomatics(B.I.G.) Celebrate World GIS Day 2018

Survey Department and Brunei Institution of Geomatics(B.I.G.) Celebrate World GIS Day 2018

Posted on by B.I.G.

18 November 2018, Sunday, Bandar Seri Begawan – Survey Department, Ministry of Development Brunei Darussalam and Brunei Institution of Geomatics (B.I.G.) celebrated the World Geographical Information System (GIS) Day 2018 by hosting various games and activities on Sunday, 18 November 2018 during the Bandarku Ceria at the Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien, Bandar Seri Begawan. 

One of the main roles of B.I.G. is to promote and advance the science and application of geomatics for the advancement of the community as well as to educate and extend the technical and general knowledge in the field of geomatics. The World GIS Day is an important platform to gather professionals in geomatics and those who are interested to know more about the field. Various games and activities were organised whichaims to spread awareness of GIS to the public of all ages.

A public awareness program on the ‘Certified Plan (CP) Online’, a new online service by the Survey Department, was also organised.

14th South East Asia Survey Congress 2017 – Identification of borders, boundaries & house addresses in Brunei 16 August 2017

14th South East Asia Survey Congress 2017 – Identification of borders, boundaries & house addresses in Brunei 16 August 2017

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AMONG the challenges faced by Brunei authorities in identifying borders of mukims and villages is that they overlap at some villages.

The issue was raised by Dayangku Hajah Hasnaliati binti Pengiran Setia Jaya Pengiran Haji Abdul Momin, a representative of the Survey Department, during her presentation on ‘Mukim and Village Borders’ at the 14th Southeast Asia Survey Congress (SEASC) held at The Rizqun International Hotel yesterday.

“Factors such as rapid developments in the country, and changes in the population density, also require the demarcation line to be readdressed,” she said, adding, “The proper and accurate identification of borders is crucial for the administration of mukims, villages and their residents, as well as in the designation of a house or building address and other matters.”

Dayangku Hasnaliati also explained that the Survey Department manages the taskforce committee which identifies boundaries for villages and mukims in Brunei, including borders for municipal areas.

The taskforce is also responsible for addressing issues raised by members of the public with regard to boundaries or perimeters.

She also announced the publication of several guide books that were produced as a result of collaborative efforts with the taskforce committee members, mukim penghulus and village heads.
“A total of six guide books were published from November 2008 until 2012, and the books can be purchased at the Geomatics Information Centre (PMG) on the second floor of the Survey Department,” she said.
Several other topics were raised during the congress, including a talk on house address schemes in Brunei, presented by Hajah Nona Lieza binti Haji Yahya from the Survey Department.
Her presentation dealt with the differences between house address schemes on land and in Kampong Ayer, where the residences may also include the numbers of bridges.
With the theme of ‘Bridging the Gap’, the 14th SEASC 2017 aims to be a platform for the sharing of ideas and best practices in the interests of communities within the region, while adopting and advancing various conformance issues in a meaningful and productive manner for the mutual benefit of all Asean member countries.
14th South East Asia Survey Congress 2017 – Densification of GNSS/GPS Network 16 August 2017

14th South East Asia Survey Congress 2017 – Densification of GNSS/GPS Network 16 August 2017

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IN A move to densify the nation’s GNSS/GPS Network, the Geodetic Section of the Survey Department, Ministry of Development conducted a simulation for a Field Reconnaissance Project at several key locations around the Sultanate.
The final list comprised 15 out of 19 proposed sites for the project using Primary Order Network which covers an area within 25 kilometres – two areas were delayed due to technical difficulties while the remaining two were ruled-out due to not meeting the quality criteria.
This was highlighted by Abdul Khaliq bin Haji Bujang from the Brunei Survey Department during a parallel session on Surveying and Mapping held in conjunction with the on-going 14th Southeast Asia Survey Congress 2017 at The Rizqun International Hotel, Gadong yesterday.
The survey was conducted by a project team led by the Geodetic Section of the Survey Department with testing procedures conducted using equipment based on the started regulations of geomatics (Work Instruction Geodetic 2016).
The field reconnaissance project used levelling mount and GPS antenna secured to a stainless steel pin which is anchored within the top pillar which is generally simple and easy to construct almost in every terrain.
Results show that the most important factors for the successful survey focussed on collaboration to develop and improve the task standards in accordance with international standards applied consistently. According to Abdul Khaliq, the task design and implementation was “well-planned” using technological, spatial data computational and surveying viewpoints as well as consistent reviews and updates that were also factors to the success.
Abdul Khaliq bin Haji Bujang from the Geodetic Section, Survey Department
sharing data collected from the recent survey.
However, in establishing operating and maintaining the good and reliable network that can serve to meet all the objectives, there are several challenges and limitations that have to be properly taken into considerations.
“The reliability of the GNSS/GPS network will strongly depend on good and realiable communication. It also requires professional working culture and also good support from dedicated and professional team in order to maintain the whole system, to process the collected data and analyse the obtain results for various applications and interest.
“Most lands covered are private lots (land parcel), therefore thorough investigation should be conducted to build a permanent monument for a primary network,” he explained.
The network systems have become an important tool for surveying where users can obtain accurate date either from control surveying, cadastral surveying, topographic surveying, engineering surveying, mine surveying and even hydrographic surveying.
The consideration and approval for the project has been made. Abdul Khaliq believes that the network will help for better accuracy and precision, and increase in revenues.
Article & Photo Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
14th South East Asia Survey Congress 2017 – Brunei Climate Change 16 August 2017

14th South East Asia Survey Congress 2017 – Brunei Climate Change 16 August 2017

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CLIMATE change due to global warming has impacted countries globally and Brunei Darussalam is no exception.
According to data collected by the Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department, the Sultanate is getting wetter and warmer.
On average, Brunei’s maximum tempera-ture is going up by +0.3 degrees Celsius with mean temperature increasing by 0.6 degrees Celsius while the annual rainfall is showing a rising trend, with the mean rainfall increasing to 37.2mm.
The data recorded at the BIA Observational Station was revealed by Harnina Morani from the Meteorological Department in her presentation on Brunei’s climate during a parallel session of the 14th Southeast Asia Survey Congress (SEASC) 2017, held at The Rizqun International Hotel recently.
Showing charts and graphs of the increase in rainfall, Harnina Morani explained that the “recent trend shows significant increase in rainfall from January to April and slight increase from June to August. The months of January to April are getting wetter in recent years.
“The annual total rainfall is showing an increasing trend. There is a significant increase from 2006 to 2011 and the recent trend shows a mean rainfall of 37.2mm,” she said.
Meanwhile, she highlighted that Brunei was affected by strong El Nino years – 1982-1983, 1997-1998 and 2015-2016, while 2009-2010 was a moderate El Nino year. The maximum temperature tends to peak during El Nino years.
Harnina Morani from the Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department
during her presentation
“Monthly maximum temperature has shown a slightly increasing trend during recent years (2013-2016), particularly from August to January. Monthly variation from the highest and lowest maximum temperature is about two degrees Celsius.”
Harnina Morani revealed that from 1978 to 2016, Brunei’s maximum temperature is warming by +0.3 degrees Celsius on average. The mean temperature from 1981 to 2013 shows that Brunei’s temperature is warming up by 0.6 degrees Celsius.
“This (data) shows that climate change is having an impact on Brunei as well,” she added.
Harnina Morani highlighted that in 2016 Brunei witnessed a weird weather pattern because of the El Nino phenomenon. The year saw the lowest ever rainfall recorded in the Sultanate at 1,900mm compared to the country’s annual rainfall of 3,000mm.
The monsoon season in the country has also seen a shift, she said. The northeast monsoon started at the end of December while the inter monsoon began in middle April and southwest monsoon started in late July until November.
“These calculations are based on data from a single station which represents Brunei,” she said, adding that “there is a need for more stations to give a better representation of Brunei Darussalam”.
Article & Photo Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
14th South East Asia Survey Congress 2017 – Closing Ceremony 17 August 2017

14th South East Asia Survey Congress 2017 – Closing Ceremony 17 August 2017

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THE 14th Southeast Asia Survey Congress (SEASC) 2017 ended yesterday morning with a closing ceremony attended by Haji Muhammad Lutfi bin Abdullah, Permanent Secretary (Administration and Finance) at the Ministry of Development.
Pengiran Haji Matusin bin Pengiran Haji Matasan, the Director of 14th SEASC 2017 in a speech expressed his appreciation to the organising committee, participants, volunteers and the local media as well as other stakeholders for the success of the congress.
Pengiran Haji Matusin revealed that 20 papers were delivered by speakers from Brunei Darussalam in this year’s congress.
Pengiran Haji Matusin, who is also the President of Brunei Institute of Geomatics, said, “We hope that the congress had lived up to its theme – Bridging the Gap – physically and spiritually. Realistically, we would have narrowed the gap in terms of our understanding of the various issues facing us. On the regional front, the realisation of Asean Free Trade Agreement certainly should spur us to conclude as many Mutual Recognition Agreements as possible.”
Handing over of the Southeast Asia Survey Congress flag
by Haji Ali Bakar bin Haji Kasim, Surveyor General to Peter Barratt
Handing over of the Southeast Asia Survey Congress flag
by Haji Ali Bakar bin Haji Kasim, Surveyor General to Peter Barratt
Pengiran Haji Matusin bin Pengiran Haji Matasan,
President of Brunei Institution of Geomatics making a speech.
On the domestic front, as Bruneians and as geomaticians, he said, “We hope to continuously contribute towards nation building, in particular to realise Vision 2035.”
The highlight of the ceremony saw Haji Ali Bakar bin Haji Kasim, Surveyor General who is also the congress chairman handing over the SEASC flag to the next host, Darwin of Australia, which was received by Peter Barratt. The event was witnessed by the guest of honour.
The handing over of the flag symbolised the end of the 14th SEASC 2017 and beginning of preparations for 15th SEASC in 2019.
Over the three days of the 14th SEASC 2017, over 300 participants from Brunei and overseas attended the event with over 70 papers delivered for deliberation.
Article & Photos Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
14th South East Asia Survey Congress 2017 – New Techniques for Moon Sighting 16 August 2017

14th South East Asia Survey Congress 2017 – New Techniques for Moon Sighting 16 August 2017

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TWO working papers on the use of modern technology for the sighting of crescent moon (Hilal) were presented during the Falak Syar’ie parallel session at The Rizqun International Hotel, Gadong yesterday.
The parallel session was part of the 14th Southeast Asia Survey Congress (SEASC) 2017 organised by the Ministry of Development’s Survey Department, in collaboration with the Brunei Institution of Geomatics (BIG), under the auspices of the Asean Federation of Land and Geomatics Survey (AFLAG).
In his presentation on ‘Imaging Method for Crescent Moon Sighting with the Charge Couple Device (CCD)’, Haji Julaihi bin Haji Lamat, from the Brunei Institute of Geomatics, introduced the CCD as a technology that was born in 1969 at the AT&T Bell Labs, and has since undergone vast improvements with modern software.
“Today, knowledge has advanced, because not only can the crescent moon be sighted accurately, with the help of a telescope and the image capture method, but processed records of the moon sighting can be reviewed without the need for eye witnesses,” he said.
The start of Ramadhan, Syawal, and Zulhijjah are normally determined through the Ruqyah method of sighting the crescent moon with the naked eye after sunset. When the new crescent is sighted, it will mark the beginning of a new month in the Islamic calendar.
Haji Julaihi bin Haji Lamat, from the Brunei Institute of Geomatics, during his presentation on ‘Imaging Method for Crescent Moon Sighting with Charge Couple Device (CCD)’.

 

In defining a successful sighting, there is still a difference of opinion among religious scholars, because the Hadith or traditions of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) particularly emphasise eyewitness testimony or the application of knowledge.
“Knowledge can be defined as knowing the position of the crescent moon through astronomical calculations, in addition to use of modern technology such as imaging or video recording,” said Haji Julaihi, adding that previous experiences have shown that CCD assistance on telescope is more effective in the early sighting of the crescent moon after sunset.
Records show that the crescent moon for 29th of Ramadhan, 1425 Hijrah, corresponding to November 13, 2004, was sighted at 19 hours and 13 minutes, while 1st of Syaaban, 1437 Hijrah on May 7, 2016, was sighted much earlier at 14 hours and 57 minutes after sunset with a light illumination of 0.6 per cent.
Meanwhile, Hazarry bin Haji Ali Ahmad from the Astronomical Society of Brunei Darussalam in his presentation, ‘New Moon Imaging Technique Using Digital Cameras in Brunei Darussalam’, said that new moon data can be difficult to obtain, owing to certain factors such as astronomy, meteorology and psychology.
“Therefore, moon sighting in the present age will often employ astronomical instruments such as a telescope equipped with a DSLR digital camera, when the light is at a minimum,” he said.
Article & Photos Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

New techniques for moon sighting explained

Minister of Development Opens 14th South East Asia Survey Congress 2017

Minister of Development Opens 14th South East Asia Survey Congress 2017

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Brunei to capitalise on geospatial technology: Minister

AS A member of United Nations Global Geospatial Information Manage-ment (UNGGIM), International Federation of Land Surveying (FIG) and Asean Federation of Land Surveying and Geomatics (AFLAG), Brunei Darussalam through the Survey Department, Ministry of Development will continuously support the initiatives to sustain and enhance national, regional and global socio-economic development by capitalising on geospatial technology.

Brunei Darussalam’s continuous commitment in working with inter-national organisations on Land Surveying and Geomatics was lauded by Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Bahrin bin Abdullah, Minister of Development in his keynote address as the guest of honour at the opening ceremony of the 14th Southeast Asia Survey Congress 2017 yesterday.

It was hosted by the Survey Department in collaboration with Brunei Institution of Geomatics (BIG) and AFLAG.

On the local front, the minister said the Ministry of Development through the Survey Department had also launched its own Survey Geoportal where members of the public can have online access on the geospatial information of Brunei Darussalam.

“The use of geospatial data and technology enables a lot of government programmes, services and economic activities to run more efficiently. The technology enables the integration of disparate information from many sources to support decision-making across broad sectors of the country,” he added.

Last year, the minister said the Ministry of Development through the Land Department also launched the Land Application and Registration Information System (LARIS).

The system enables applicants to apply for government approvals of any land transaction online. The plan is to further integrate LARIS with other systems of government departments and agencies in the future so as to expedite the approval process as part of the country’s Ease of Doing Business efforts, he said.

Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Bahrin bin Abdullah, Minister of Development
speaking at the opening of SEASC 2017

 

Minister of Development briefed at an exhibition booth

 

With the numerous initiatives in place, the minister said these are just the beginning of Brunei’s effort in carefully embracing geospatial technologies to address Brunei’s developmental needs and as an element to facilitate the realisation of Brunei’s National Vision 2035.
Touching on the use of technologies in geospatial earlier in his address, the minister highlighted is among the most important and exciting emergent technologies of today and the applications offer the potential to reward its users both in the private sector and in the government.
“The increasing availability of Geographic Information Systems and Internet Mapping with high resolution images is promoting both private and public sectors to start embracing and applying this technology in their planning, development and business strategies as well as in areas as diverse as disaster management, environ-mental and urban planning, security provision, risk assessment, utilities management, telecommunications, transportation and education,” he said.
The minister also noted that members of the public are increasingly purchasing and utilising place-based GIS generated products without necessarily having to be familiar with the technical aspects of the technology.
“The use of GPS or Internet-based maps to locate a particular place of interest using smartphones is just one of the examples of this trend. Such ease of access at relatively affordable prices makes the adoption of these technologies by consumers an increasingly compelling proposition, offering greater prospect for greater commercialisation in the future. This in turn will potentially fuel further innovation and new applications of the technologies and provide expansion room for the industry to enter into new market segments and an upward trajectory of growth,” he said.
Article & Photos Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
14th South East Asia Survey Congress 2017 – Strata Titles in Brunei 16 August 2017

14th South East Asia Survey Congress 2017 – Strata Titles in Brunei 16 August 2017

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FOREIGNERS can own land in Brunei Darussalam through a strata title which will allow them hold property for up to 99 years.

This was revealed by Bilkis Sa’ar binti Haji Kabri from the Land Department during a presentation on ‘Strata Title Management’ on Tuesday at the Songket Ballroom, The Rizqun International Hotel, Gadong.

The presentation was one of the several parallel sessions held in conjunction with the 14th Southeast Asia Survey Congress (SEASC) 2017, organised by the Survey Department, Ministry of Development in collaboration with the Brunei Institution of Geomatics (BIG), under the auspices of the Asean Federation of Land Surveying and Geomatics Survey (AFLAG).

The Land Department official said that according to the land code in Brunei, only Bruneians can own land in Brunei Darussalam. “Therefore, to be fair to foreigners, especially those who plan to live in Brunei for decades, we are giving them the opportunity to own property in Brunei.

“Normally, they will stay in Brunei for long, sometimes 20 to 30 years. They can be strata title owners for a maximum of 99 years,” she explained during the question-and-answer session.

Earlier, she mentioned the benefits of strata title ownership that include secured property ownership; outright ownership of strata titles by permanent residents and foreigners; wide-scale stimulation of the property market in Brunei; and generation of growth for property-related businesses.

 

Bilkis Sa’ar binti Haji Kabri from the Land Department
during her presentation on ‘Strata Title Management’.

 

Explaining the application process for strata title in the Sultanate, she said that firstly, after applying, applicants have to wait for a letter of confirmation from the Land Department. This letter will contain the terms and conditions of the land which may be used for strata titles.
In the second stage, the applicant must appoint a licenced surveyor to submit a breakdown of the building section and also a recognised valuer to determine the unit’s entitlement.
Later, the division of the building should be submitted to the Survey Department and in the fourth stage, the certification of strata plan will be issued by the Land Department.
Once it has been verified, the strata plan will be returned to the Survey Department to certify the strata title diagram.
The last stage of the process is the registration of strata units by the Land Department.
Article & Photo Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
14th South East Asia Survey Congress 2017 – Monitoring & Management of Brunei’s Forests 16 August 2017

14th South East Asia Survey Congress 2017 – Monitoring & Management of Brunei’s Forests 16 August 2017

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WITH forest fire and bush fire outbreaks showing an increasing trend over the years, there is an urgent need to use Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) for better monitoring and management of Brunei’s forests.
Dr Shafi Noor Islam, Assistant Professor of Geography, Development and Environmental Studies Department under Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) also called for an integrated interdisciplinary management approach to control forest fires in the country.
In his presentation on ‘Detecting Forest and Bush Fires Risk Area of Brunei Darussalam: Case Analysis on Brunei-Muara and Belait Districts’ during a parallel session of the 14th Southeast Asia Survey Congress (SEASC) 2017 yesterday at the Rizqun International Hotel, he iterated the need to provide proper guidelines for rehabilitation of borrow pits, while also highlighting the need to monitor projects undertaken by contractors.
On the land survey issues, he hoped that there will be better integrated mapping and monitoring of hotspots.
Quoting from the statistics of the Fire and Rescue Department, he said Brunei recorded 382 forest fire and 193 bush fire outbreaks in the first three months of 2016.
Dr Shafi Noor Islam, Assistant Professor of Geography, Development and Environmental Studies Department under Universiti Brunei Darussalam, delivering his presentation
Brunei-Muara District recorded the highest number of bush and forest fires totalling 238 during this period. Belait District recorded 199 cases (117 forest and 82 bush fires). This was followed by Tutong District with 133 outbreaks. Temburong reported only five outbreaks.
Anthropogenic and natural factors are the primary causes of forest and bush fires in the country, Dr Shafi said.
Forest fires, he said, would lead to loss of valuable natural resources, loss of wildlife habitat as well as biodiversity.
It can also cause runoffs leading to flooding. In addition, forest fires add to global warming and health problems.
Article & Photos Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
14th South East Asia Survey Congress 2017 – 15 August 2017

14th South East Asia Survey Congress 2017 – 15 August 2017

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Local, International Geomatics Professionals gather for SEASC 2017
OVER 300 local and international participants are attending the 14th Southeast Asia Survey Congress 2017 (SEASC 2017), hosted by the Survey Department in collaboration with the Brunei Institution of Geomatics (BIG) and the Asean Federation of Land Surveying and Geomatics (AFLAG).
The three-day congress was officially opened by Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Bahrin bin Abdullah, Minister of Development at The Rizqun International Hotel yesterday.
The meetings are attended by local government officers, students and participants from Australia, Britain, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and Japan, all who will join deliberations of over 70 papers which will be presented in the parallel sessions during the congress.
In his welcoming remarks, Haji Ali Bakar bin Haji Kasim, Surveyor General at the Survey Department, said, “In the 14th Southeast Asia Survey Congress 2017, we try to harmonise the surveying profession with other related professions and work together closely in the construction industry to enhance our social, physical and economic development. It is imperative for all levels of professions to share geospatial information in order to expedite national development.”
Haji Ali Bakar, who is also the chairperson of the event, added, “SEASC brings together the international surveying and spatial professionals community to share innovative science and technology solutions with policymakers and stakeholders. I am pleased to see that some papers prepared by the speakers are related to SEASC’s objectives and relevant to our profession and will be very beneficial to all.”
Altogether, 72 working papers will be presented by local and overseas speakers comprising four papers presented in the two plenary sessions, and 68 papers presented in the parallel sessions.
Haji Ali Bakar bin Haji Kasim, Surveyor General at the Survey Department
The papers will touch on topics such as Surveying and Mapping, Land Administration, Disaster Management, and Geospatial Intelligence, among others. Meanwhile, Surveyor (Sr) Mohammad Azmi bin Mohd Zain, President of AFLAG, in his address congratulated Brunei Darussalam as the country will be celebrating the Golden Jubilee of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Ascension to the Throne in October this year.
He highlighted that the Southeast Asia Survey Congress is a flagship event held once every two years, with the previous congress being held in Singapore in 2015.
“We have identified and adopted the theme of enhancing the synergies with focus initiatives, promoting the aims and objectives of Asean. This means AFLAG is bringing together Asean surveyors and geomatics professionals and sharing knowledge of technologies which can be embraced and add value to our profession – improving on traditional standard practices – for the advancement of mankind and the community in Asean,” he said.
The theme for this year’s congress ‘Bridging the Gap’, defines AFLAG and Asean’s common aspiration and vision of creating an even more closely-knit regional community, with the expressed aim of forging ever closer cooperation in land surveying and geomatics.
SEASC 2017 aims to be a platform for the sharing of ideas and best practices in surveying and geomatics, helping to adopt and advance common standards, as well as address the various conformance issues within the industry in a meaningful and productive manner for the mutual good and benefit of all member countries.
Also present at yesterday’s ceremony were Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gafar, Deputy Minister of Development; Pengiran Haji Matusin bin Pengiran Haji Matasan, the President of Brunei Institution of Geomatics; and other senior officials from the ministry.