BAAA Annual Gala Dinner

Brunei-Australia alumni group plans events

Hadi DP Mahmud

BRUNEI-MUARA

01-Jul-07

EXCITED chatter, smiles and laughs to the accompaniment of ambient music was the order of the day as some 100 members, families and friends of the Brunei-Australia Alumni Association (BAAA) gathered for the gala dinner last evening.

BAAA president Dato Paduka Idris Abas, one of Brunei’s leading architects, took the opportunity to urge the non-BAAA members in the audience to join the organisation, formed in 2002.

“I am sure that you keep in touch with your former classmates or schoolmates or colleagues from your days in Australia. Together, many networks of contact and friendship that you have forged form the strong people-to-people ‘glue’,” said Dato Paduka Idris in his opening remarks.

“It is this critical social bond that adds real substance to the relationship between our people and other countries,” he said.

Last week, BAAA held its Annual General Meeting and elected a new line-up of members for the alumni’s Executive Committee. Among its new committee members include Australian High Commissioner Dr Ruth Adler, who was also present last night. The committee announced that last night’s function was the kick-off to a series of other planned events, including seminars, open forums and education fairs.

The BAAA will be working closely with the Australian High Commission to organise these events. “We will continue to encourage, participate and promote educational, intellectual and cultural activities among members and the local community, establish links and exchange programmes with other university alumni associations,” he said.

The Brunei Times