Next, before rewarding ourselves with a good nap, we cleaned the facilities for the second time, going over the nooks and crannies making sure everything was shiny and spotless for our guests.
At 2200HRS, we hopped onto the bus to welcome the Singaporeans at the Brunei International Airport. They arrived as late as 2300HRS but somehow we were buzzed with energy, excited to meet our buddies. At the first sight of their arrival, we immediately started jumping up and down, waving our banner. They too had giant smiles on their faces despite having undergone a long journey with multiple transits. We immediately hit it off with our buddies the whole bus ride to ASMDB.
At the ASMDB Rimba Camp, first and foremost, everyone had to gather and carry out Antigen Rapid Tests (ARTs) for the safety of all participants. We continued to do this as part of our routine every single morning later in the programme. Once everyone was confirmed negative of COVID-19, we proceeded to show the Singaporeans our bunks. They were thrilled with the quality and cleanliness of the facilities. They were extremely thankful for the Air Conditioners which they never had the privilege of having in their SAFTI bunks. We helped them unpack and everyone went off to a good night's sleep.
On the second day, our programme officially started!! Stoked and suited in our bright team shirts, we had our first breakfast together. I can finally properly talk to my buddy and see her face more clearly under the bright sky - last night we barely managed to introduce ourselves as everyone was so tired and groggy from the late flight.
Colourfully, we all made our way to the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Defence Academy. They were so kind to have prepared us a LOT of fun games to win with prizes! (Technically everyone would be winning cause there were only 4 teams… and 4 prizes on the table… it was just a matter of how BIG the prizes we would get are so they were truly being kind really). Best yet, they made us do an Amazing Race where we had to run around the whole compound and take group selfies in front of certain checkpoints. Huffing and puffing, most likely breathless, we had fun running around and taking in the beautiful scenery around us.
We probably looked like neon highlighters sprinting up the steep zipline hills but you know what, thanks to that painful climb, my team won the biggest prize!! It was even an honour to set foot on the exact grounds of the Parade Square where OCS cadets are commissioned.
We then showered and prepped up for the long ride across the beautiful Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien bridge, the longest bridge in Southeast Asia.
You are not gonna believe where we had lunch afterwards - The Abode, Temburong. I've always just heard of how classy and fancy the Glamping location was. That impression was definitely confirmed when we were escorted by buggies into the open-spaced cafe. We felt like Guests of Honour or some VIPs!!
We ate delicious local food - truly another reward after that tiring Amazing Race. Thank you Directorate of Administration and Manpower (DAM). We even had our 5 seconds of glamour when we toured around the whole area and posed in their $500-per-night tents/hotel rooms that did not look like the jungle tents we were accustomed to… Fun fact: the whole place runs on solar energy only! Sustainability is awesome.
Next, we brought the whole bus to Utama Mohammad Salleh, Bangar Mosque. Half of us went to pray whilst the rest walked around the colourful buildings of Bangar town. We brought the Singaporeans to taste the famous Cendol Temburong. I saw everyone's cups went empty so that's a relief.
We then went back to Bandar and made stops at the Bukit Patoi Recreational Park and Istana Nurul Iman for some photo-taking sessions. All of us could barely keep our eyes open at this point. We were rewarded AGAIN with an early lights out - but with a warning to build up a lot of energy for tomorrow's action-packed day.
After a couple of cereal bowls, a positive ART and a quick but blasty morning PT, day 3 started with a lengthy trip to Penanjong Camp. Kidding, I would not drop Jia Wei so briefly. Though we kind of did, to Jalan Aman Camp, a military camp situated in Sungai Tilong and operated by the Singapore Armed Forces (Kidding again, sorry Jia Wei). On a more serious note, we were all actually really upset as we were all looking forward to undergo the rest of the programme with Jia Wei. Moreover, Raziq had to proceed without a buddy which was quite sad. Everyone was really worried and kept calling and texting Jia Wei throughout the programme to make sure he was feeling okay. He reassured us that he was getting the best hospitality and was taken care of just fine.
At Penanjong Camp, we made our first visit of the day to the Training Institute (TI) RBAF, where as usual, we were first welcomed by Lt. Col. Amirul Adly, the Chief Instructor of TI RBAF and briefed about their organisational structure, visions and missions. According to Capt. NorHamizah, the Training Institute is one of the major units of the RBAF, as they are responsible for all the basic military training introduced to recruits and officers, both men and women.
Next, we proceeded with Simulation Training at the Training Simulation Centre, which I can safely say was one of our favorite visits in the programme.They were established under a 'public-private' partnership and are in charge of designing and delivering custom arms as well as testing them, which I personally think is super cool. Here, we practiced shooting the M16A2 in a safer yet realistic environment. The simulation displayed our performance through data such as group size. It was apparent how data like these could help improve shooting accuracy and precision. I was also taught zeroing of the weapon as well which I found very interesting and made me eager to do this again later in the future. What was most exciting was finding out the most natural of us all, is a civilian, Abigail. We even got to cheer on Lt. Col Ho Kwan Kiat and Maj. Lester, it was mesmerizing to see them hit perfect shots. It was like watching their years of experience on display.
Before a hearty lunch hosted by the commandant, we were brought around the institute, observing missiles, grenades, mortar and learning how they were fired. Kiru, who was an artillery officer, helped us understand further how these weapons were operated.
Next, using a truck, they transported us to the live shooting range where we got to fire live bullets.
We were given 5 rounds for each prone position and standing. This was a surreal experience because as soon as those rifles were in our possession, we immediately became responsible for the safety of everyone on that field. Luckily the guidance and lessons to us given by the team at both the training institute as well as ASMDB the past week helped us gain enough confidence and fluency. We then all lined up with our palms up to swear an oath that we do not have any bullets, live or blank, in our possessions. This was relieving knowing that this is the standard practice in our country in order to protect the safety of all. The lunch later on that day was wonderful to say the least, we were served delicious food on a high stage, towering over the spacious view of the shooting range just below and luminous blue skies just above.
To make things even better, we finished off our visit at the institute with a fulfilling karaoke session, a chorus of 'I Want It That Way' by the Backstreet Boys led by Kai Sheng and Catherine.
All satisfied and ready for more, we made our move to our next destination, the School of Infantry, an ever-expanding strategic and tactical platform. We sat in an intimate lecture hall where the Chief of Staff of Training, Maj. Pg Hamzah, introduced us to the Guest of Honor, Lt. Col. Pg Md Sufri, the Chief of Staff of the Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF). Lt. Col. Pg Md Sufri has only been posted there no more than 3 weeks at the time, but has plausible experience in his pockets; from Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to being commanding officer of the Gurkha Reserve Unit, the 27 years of service was more value than any of us in that room could offer. At one point, Haziq asked him, "What motivated you through 27 years? Why did you do it?".
His response was simple. "To give back to the government".
Additionally, we met Capt. (Dr) Syazirah and Lt. Md Zulfahmi, who were SCRBAF Scholars just like us. They gave us helpful advice on coping, camaraderie and making the most of the opportunities given to us as scholars. They encouraged us to become good leaders, and that good leadership stems from good listening. "Know Your Men", they emphasized.
On the ride back to ASMDB Camp, we bonded over charades, a fun game we all (healthily) stressed a little too much on. What do you expect in a bus full of overachievers am I right?
Once we finished dinner, we thought we were DEFINITELY ready to hit the hay, it has been an exhausting day. But before that……….. our first night class! We took a nice walk through the camp to the Intelligence Training Wing. The evening breeze was peaceful, it felt like in a fast-moving programme, time finally slowed down.
At the Intelligence Training Wing, we met the Commanding Officer, Maj. Ali Gray as well as the Chief Instructor, Inche Matthew Hosking. They took us back to school with a quick recap of map reading. Once we have warmed up, he started applying the knowledge onto battlefield scenarios. We practiced for 2 whole hours, observing contour lines, interval shapes, compasses. As we were being dismissed, Inche Matthew revealed to us that they have actually prepared a game of Amazing Race for us. We were so flattered and excited. Unfortunately, we could not carry it out as it started storming outside. Luckily, he let us borrow the maps so we could find the checkpoints the next day. Off to bed we went.
Another sunrise marks another dynamic day ahead. Oh my, this was the most challenging PT of the week. The 'menu' started off with suicide runs - a running drill where we needed to sprint back and forth from the starting line to a set of cones, getting farther each time. By the end of this, Alya, Aisyah and Kai Sheng announced defeat and were begging for sugar (luckily Aisyah always has a pocket of chocolates everywhere). We thought that was already the main dish but imagine the shock on our faces when Inche Herman said "ok now split into groups". There were more obstacles, with weights! After a whole series of squats and lunges later, we all changed into our D2P uniforms and marched together for breakfast.
The bus took us to the other side of Bandar, Kg Muara where the Naval Training Centre was based. We got to interact with Commander Zouhdy in a futuristic meeting room, separated from the Ops room merely by a glass wall. He explained to us his past positions in the RBAF and the operational readiness of the Navy. Who knew Brunei has had 24/7 surveillance since 2021?
Just because they did not have rifles and mortar simulators, does not mean they don't have cool stuff too! We were next escorted to their Full Mission Bridge Simulator where they reenacted a typical operation, sailing through rough seas. We witnessed the impressive quick-thinking and smooth teamwork of the sailors.
Still in the Naval base compound, we got the opportunity to visit the Fleet Commander in his very own Fleet Headquarters. He told us all about the past joint exercises around the world. We even got to find out how The Royal Brunei Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy cooperate closely together through an annual joint exercise, called Exercise Pelican. Being placed together in a room full of curious heads, we thank Capt. Khairil for remaining patient in answering all of our questions. It was an honor to meet the first ever RBN Captain to ever bring the ship to the Philippines in 2013, post Typhoon Haiyan. This even evoked interest in our fellow civilian scholar, Asyraff, to join the Navy with his future Electrical Engineering degree. Time to recruit everyone into the Military!
To our surprise, the next thing we knew we were suddenly boarding a fleet, oh my god. We entered the 'Kapal Diraja Brunei Darussalam' (KDB Darussalam) with a salute to the flag. It felt too good to be true. We got separated into mini groups just to tour around the ship in rotations, from the bridge to the soft-kill weapon systems.
The great hospitality from the RBN continued as we were served a hearty lunch at the Officer's Mess. The next big surprise came when we were all told to huddle up around the TV for a flight safety briefing?! AND to sign consent forms to board an actual helicopter?! best surprise ever! We were each given a set of headphones and an inflatable life vest. And you know what we had to do: have a photoshoot, of course.
The journey lasted us for about 15 minutes, flying over the landmarks of Bandar Seri Begawan, including the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque and the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Bridge. The view from the top gave a sense of perspective that calmed my soul, that made the everyday struggles shrink. No end was in sight; just infinite chains of beauty all over. Through this whole journey I could only think of one thing: How lucky Wayne must be to be able to see this view almost everyday.
To say we had a grand entrance to the Rimba Airbase would be an understatement - it felt really amazing to have our 'Top Gun' moment walking across the helipad. We were then escorted into the briefing room where Haziq and Raziq's eyes lit up; Air Force has always been their dream. Haziq definitely did not hesitate to ask questions. Same goes for Wayne and Kai Sheng: they both are already military pilots so it was a great chance for them to compare the similarities and differences in capabilities between the RBAirF and the RSAF.
Besides that, they had also organised a whole exhibition for their uniforms, badges, parachutes, weaponry and we even got to take home some merchandise. There was also a display of a helicopter outside, along with all the helicopter rescue equipment used during emergency and disaster relief. No duration of time could ever be enough, we were far from wanting to leave.
In Elena's words, "At the end of the day, the day ends. Or so we thought." We had a night class back at ASMBD, led by Maj. Mohd Saifullizan who introduced us to the usage of signals in communication. The class was really interesting and they used short films to give us better visual imagination. By the end of the class, we understood forms of signals and communication signal security which is actually a vital component of military operations.
Are you ready for day 5? Because nothing could have prepared us for this very day.
It started off as a normal day, super speed breakfast, bus ride to Temburong, presentation at Herbarium Brunei Forest Centre and another one at Tropical Biodiversity Centre. We were educated on the local plants and animals available in the Bruneian tropical rainforests, knowledge that would come useful to us later in the jungle.
Then, we started our introduction to jungle survival session hosted by ASMDB. They displayed a (jungle version) buffet of wild fruits and vegetables. They even let us try (and enjoy) these, from wild oranges to deer meat. Aisyah especially, LOVED the deer meat. In fact, she went through the rest of the afternoon with a handful of grilled slices, snacking on them like sour candy. Not to forget natural medicine, the different leaves and flowers available to be used as ointments, to treat allergies and what not.
We were then introduced to the military survival kit, a small tin with enough equipments to help you survive in the wild. It consisted of a sewing kit, black tape, a compass, rope, fire starters and many many more. I wish I got to take it home but they have given us enough.
Lastly they showed us the different type of shelters and traps. They built the shelters so beautifully they looked way too comfortable! We were then granted our 'last meal': some juicy Ayamku chicken… and camouflage face paint which we had to put on within seconds.
Now onto the main event….. Litad.. None of us has heard of it before, none of us knew where it was, how deep the jungle could be, how far. The answer to that last one is very far actually. We had to take the truck through a very bumpy trail, what we thought was going to be a quick ride lasted for an hour if not more. Fortunately for us, this meant nap time.
Arriving at the base camp, we unloaded our packs from the transport truck, nervous for the unknown. We started our staycation by gathering sticks for our tents. Each of us got to use the machete, as taught by ASMDB. I am glad we did this as I believe it will help me a lot later in Officer Cadet School. Once we have gathered enough, we returned to our assigned bases; the males separate from the females. We then proceeded to set up our tents, which thankfully went smoothly as I remember having done this before in my Outward Bound Brunei Darussalam (OBBD) Camp and I was even more confident as we were taught almost the same thing once again just a few hours ago.
We collected our MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) rations and went straight to cooking. The rations came in a bag, inclusive of drinks, heaters, biscuits and cutlery. This was plenty of stock for only one person so we all got to take home the leftovers as souvenirs. Not to mention how surprisingly delicious the food was.
As I was finishing my black pepper chicken, I hear water droplets hitting the dried leaves covering the ground. But that's okay, a little drizzle never hurt right? Except it wasn't just a drizzle. It was a storm. Those little droplets of rain got thicker and thicker, until I realized my stove was sitting in a puddle of water that weren't there before. We quickly realized what was going on. Though unfortunately, the rain was much quicker. As fast as we tried to save the campsite, moving our belongings under shelter, much of it was still past saving. Our tents were all drenched, and so were most of the rations. Conveniently, we were issued raincoats which definitely came in handy.
By 9pm, the Inches decided that us girls move into the chaperones' tent. They had a larger tent with stretcher beds so at least we could sleep above the water level. However there were understandably only few beds, insufficient for our volume. Even the boys had to move out, turned out Richmon had gotten an allergic reaction so he had to take some pills. Then Aisyah developed rashes. It felt like everything was going downhill.
Alya and I had to squeeze our bodies in one bed for a good hour. After that hour, it was getting so cold I could not possibly sleep. Boots drenches, socks drenched, shirt and hair dripping wet. I remember freezing that whole night and not being able to do anything about it. For a good few hours while the others were sleeping, I remember it being just…. cold… quiet. I decided to take a walk outside to distract myself and as I exited the tent, I caught the Inches and even the ASMDB officers moving everything to higher shelter. They were disassembling the tents, collecting the flooded canvases. My heart was so full. While everyone was knocked out asleep, they were working tirelessly to keep us safe.
The storm kept on getting heavier and heavier and the jungle started flooding. Our raincoats were just as soaked as our ground covers at that point. They let me help out for a bit until they announced that we are evacuating as soon as the sun rises. The only problem was: the sun rises in 6 hours. Hence, we spent the next 6 hours in the truck, where it was at least dry.
After a long night, we finally saw daylight. Day 6 finally arrived. At this point the water already reached the thighs. Oh and there were crocodiles. We left the area immediately and transferred into our bus. Bet you weren't prepared for that either right? Though as bad as it sounds, I actually had a good experience. This night taught me teamwork, sacrifice and remaining calm in times of pressure. Moreover, despite everything being underwater by the end of it, we are still immensely grateful for the facilities and equipments prepared for us by ASMDB in Litad. We had a surau, a toilet, and even a meeting tent. It was more than we could ever ask for and we will forever be indebted, for their time and resources.
We finally reached ASMDB camp, where we all did not hesitate to wash up and at the same time clean the packs and kits to be returned. It was a Friday so the boys had to leave for their Friday prayers. The rest of us staying at the camp simply finished up with the cleaning and with the extra time we had, we napped. Following the Friday prayers, we departed to the Gurkha Reserve Unit (GRU) in Sungai Akar. I was particularly keen for this visit as I knew we were going to meet their canines, which we later did. Of course first and foremost, a briefing and welcoming remarks by the Commandant, Lt. Col. Muhd Suradzin and the deputy commandant, Maj. Krishna Bahadur.
The Gurkha officers then escorted us to a giant field, we knew immediately we were going to fall in love. They sat us down and entertained us with a wonderful dog show. The canines were so talented and well-trained. We watched them follow specific commands and perform amazing tricks, such as jumping through a ring of fire and detecting explosives. It was a great show and we could not have been more impressed.
We then toured around the kernels, where the cutest dogs and puppies were held. The kernels were so well maintained and the residents looked so happy. We even got to check out the veterinary clinic and meet the vet himself.
Next came an event we were all heavy-hearted about, checking out of the ASMDB camp. The camp, along with its officers and staff has become home to us. They have shown us the best of kindness and guidance, from teaching us how to put on our boots to teaching us how to catch wild animals. No words can ever be enough to express our gratitude for their help throughout this past week. I hope one day, as established military officers, we can make them proud and perhaps give back. We waved our goodbyes as we entered the bus, leaving the gates for the final time.
Our accommodation for the rest of the week? Radisson Hotel. Imagine the contrast our bodies felt as we transitioned to a fluffy hotel bed from a jungle ground sheet just the night before. Unfortunately we did not get to fully savor this two-star bedding.
That evening, for the first time in a long time, we all hung up our uniforms and switched them out for some glamour. The girls in our dresses and lipstick, and the boys all sharp in their button-ups and hair gel. Off to the Brunei River Cruise we went. That evening, we got to enjoy delicious local cuisine and spent the rest of the cruise singing our hearts out.
Subsequently, the chaperons and esteemed guests spent the night mingling over quality food and a blissful view.
Time moves fast when you are having fun, this was proven when the cruise ended and we had to return to our hotel for closing ceremony preparations. We knew what we were getting ourselves into, so we walked to Coffee Bean, touring Bandar at the same time. Liessa had interesting stories to tell the Singaporeans of the different national treasures found along our walk. We got our coffees and returned to the hotel. We spent all night preparing, and I mean all night.
Again I emphasize that time really did move fast at this point. We woke up one day and it was suddenly time to officially close off our Brunei phase. I felt like it was just yesterday that we were all introducing each others' names at the airport and exchanging our Instagram (and TikTok…) handles.
Gathered around for breakfast, we all were excited to go through our final rehearsal of the event. In just a few more minutes, it was showtime. Guests were already starting to show up.
Finally, guests arrived one by one. All around us, we could just see familiar faces. Overwhelming waves of emotion hit me as I remember just what a significant role each person in the room has served for us this past week. Thankful for their presence in this meaningful day of ours, we felt even more motivated to present them with a wonderful farewell ceremony. When the Guests of Honors (Mr. Chan Heng Kee and Mr. Haji Adi Ihram bin Dato Paduka Haji Mahmud) arrived, I realised this was it: the moment we were all waiting for.
All of us worked together as a team to create a smooth-sailing event and we tried our hardest to show our utmost gratitude for all these people involved to give us a memorable week. Wayne and Alya were on the sidelines as emcees whilst the rest of us scholars presented in front of everyone a vivid glimpse of how each day of the week went by for us and how it has certainly impacted us - academically, physically and emotionally. On the other hand, Liessa and Haziq made sure to keep everyone and everything in check.
At the end of the ceremony, we were all gifted a certificate by the guests of honor. It's great to have something that can make us look back to this day. To top it all off, we had a whole group picture with all the personnel.
We said our final goodbyes; we knew we would not be seeing each other for a long time. It was an emotional moment.
Although our Brunei phase was considered over, bonding time should never stop. We had especially planned a lovely R&R day to spend more time with our Singaporean buddies and show them the beauty of our birthplace. We rented out a whole VIP room at Julok, Beribi. Some of them actually did play the pool… whilst the rest and I… we continued our unfinished business from last night: the karaoke machine! It was so fun to live in the moment and just vibe to our favourite songs together. It was a sight to see Wayne and Kai Sheng unleash their inner Eminem, or the Disney duet Kiru and Haziq shared, and last but not least… Mr Red stole our spotlight with his rendition of 'Sekuntum Mawar Merah Sebuah Puisi' by Alleycats.
Just as our vocal cords were only starting to fire up, we had to cut our session short to ride our bus (or should I say our motorboat) to Kunyit 7 lodge in Kampong Ayer. It's a small Airbnb which can also cater for large crowds who want to rent the place for a few hours and have a High Tea set-up of local Bruneian delicacies. The food was super delicious, the view was immaculate and full of serenity, and the owners were especially so welcoming! They offered for us to stay a bit longer but we had more places on our bucket list to check off such as…
The Gadong Night Market!! Before that, we introduced them to the beauty of the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. And then as expected from a night market, it was livelier at night. We walked through the stalls with our buddies and make them try more food. We made everyone try out 'Tongkeng' which sounded unappealing if we explain it in english (i.e. chicken's butt) but surprisingly, everyone loved it! Liz liked the 'Keropok Lekor' and Elena regretted not buying a jumbo-sized cup of the ABC.
Happy with our purchases, we all sat around in a circle next to the swimming pool back at Radisson Hotel to eat everything together. I guess we were TOO happy with what we bought cause it was definitely more than we can chew!! Stomachs too full, Abigail, Liz, Alya and I escaped (from the responsibility of finishing the food…) to the pool and just soaked our feet in it.. Or so Alya and I thought… Though we did not play the pool at Julok this afternoon, we did want to try out this pool. So, without thinking, we dived into the water right then and there. When else would we get to swim before checking out tomorrow?
Eventually, we reached the final day in Brunei. After the most delicious final breakfast at the hotel, we brought everyone to see how festive our Sunday mornings are through 'Bandarku Ceria'. It was truly an experience they've never done before: going around the city with rickshaw bikes whilst thrift shopping and seeing the happy faces of people gathered all around. We had the time of our lives taking turns to paddle and (as we should not have) raced together until our bikes broke down but that's exactly why Engineering scholarships are awarded to some of our men right? Plus, Like kids in the bodies of 20 year olds, we relived our childhoods by blowing bubbles and flying kites.
Thirsty from giggling around too much, we all bought gongcha and then went inside the souvenir shop upstairs. Out of all the things they sell, it's hilarious how we all just collectively agreed to buy matching shorts that had these beautiful batik patterns (but I swear we look cute trying them out together).
We then hurried off to catch yet another speedboat ride (extended version) around Bandar. The Singaporeans were surprised to hear about the legend of Jong Batu and were truly captivated by the beauty of Kampong Ayer.
Finally… with a heavy heart… it was time to pack, check out of the hotel and zoom to the airport. We had everyone's favourite at the airport: Jollibee. We then waved and hugged our families goodbye. Alya, a bit tighter, because she did badly in SDP so she doesn't deserve a return ticket to Brunei (Kidding, she has school immediately after BSDSDP ends). Nevertheless, so many memories were made throughout this 1 week in Brunei. However, we were even more excited to see what the Singapore phase has to offer!! On to the next.
As a conclusion, I would like to once again express my gratitude to all those have been involved in organising the Brunei phase of the 12th BSDSDP and in helping run the programme smoothly. From the guests of honours, the medics, the officers, instructors, chaperones and photographers. In every visit, we have presented plaques to each department but I would like to assure that your contributions meant much more than a plaque can say. Us scholars all hope we get to grow up and become successful military officers you can all be proud of. Thank you for every second.
Prepared by,
Dk Fathiyah Amanina binti Pg Roslan @ Dk Hanan Syafiqah
SCRBAF Scholarship recipient 2021
Arranged by,
Aiman Abdullah Tee
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