Universiti Brunei Darussalam

Flower visitation by orthopterans, particularly by taxa from Southeast Asia, was only recently brought to light in a report on the diversity and network of 41 orthopteran taxa from Southeast Asia visiting flowers of 35 plant taxa. Continued efforts to document flower visitation by orthopterans have led to 104 new incidences of flower visitation by orthopterans, including 17 new orthopteran taxa. A total of 247 incidences of 58 flower-visiting orthopteran taxa visiting 71 genera of flowers are reported here. In accordance with previous studies, the subfamily Phaneropterinae remains the most prominent flower-visiting orthopterans reported in Southeast Asia and is very likely undisputedly floriphilic. Using a dataset from previous years, the phylogenetic signals of flower-visiting orthopterans and the floral traits of the plant taxa visited are also discussed. However, we recommend caution against drawing too much inference at present owing to the unresolved phylogenetic relationships between the taxa involved and the incompleteness of the current dataset. Therefore, this paper primarily offers an updated list of flower-visiting orthopteran taxa and the flowers they visited. For a more comprehensive understanding of the flower-visiting orthopterans in the region and their ecological impacts, continued natural history research is needed.

This chapter addresses the research methods used to investigate household users’ experiences and practices with biogas as an innovative technology. It also explores the social nuances, societal contexts, and local community experiences related to its use. The objective of this study is to examine the everyday use of biogas in home activities and social interactions among users, thereby enhancing its long-term sustainability and promoting its innovation. A qualitative research approach is employed as the primary method for extracting nuanced insights from the social environment. This approach includes interviews, observations, and participation in community events, enabling the author to delve into the subjective experiences, perspectives, and practices of household biogas users.

This study aims to explore the perspectives, attributes and attitudes of stall ( gerai ) owners in obtaining halal certification in Brunei Darussalam. To date, there are no other studies on halal certification for stalls in Brunei. Twenty stall owners were selected from four different markets using purposive sampling. The research was conducted through observation, semi-structured interviews and mobile instant messaging interviews. The data collected were analysed using thematic analysis. The results show that most stall owners do not possess halal certificates due to the tedious and bureaucratic procedures involved, as well as a lack of comprehension of the importance of certification which led them to forgo the application.

The integration of biogas technology into the daily lives of families, particularly within their established routines, is essential for its success. This chapter presents an analysis of how households adapt their patterns to fully incorporate biogas technology into their everyday activities. It also examines the actual experiences of families with this integration and its subsequent impact on their lives. Biogas technology can seamlessly fit into family life when it aligns with the established routines and long-standing habits that family members have cultivated. Changes in the spatial organization of homes and the reallocation of time reflect how users’ perceptions of past realities interact with the introduction of this new household technology. Moreover, the integration process is closely linked to pre-existing consumption behaviors that are culturally ingrained within the home. These findings support the assertion made by consumption scholars that renewable energy practices can extend beyond the religious and cultural frameworks of a society, influencing its utilization on a broader social level. In this chapter, the domestication framework of integration and conversion elucidates how technology becomes extensively woven into the fabric of society.

Financial management is one of the most valuable knowledge areas of university students as they are going to face the real world. In Brunei Darussalam, the financial world has been enriched by the emergence of halal finance since 1993. This chapter examines the level of general and halal financial literacy among university students. The study is descriptive, using data that were collected using a self-administered questionnaire that was distributed online to 285 students via their university’s official email. The findings suggest that respondents are unable to practise sound financial management by failing to budget and record their financial activities. This study also confirms that, except for takaful , the respondents’ awareness of halal financial terms and products is very low. Some suggestions to improve the literacy level are discussed in the conclusion.

When biogas emerges in the market as an alternative source of household energy, potential customers often have access only to basic information and expertise. This limited understanding can hinder their ability to fully grasp how the technology can be employed effectively. In this chapter, we will explore how biogas is appropriated within domestic spaces and how it inspires users to make innovative modifications to their routines and behaviors. Key aspects discussed include the educational attainment of biogas user households, the valuation of construction materials, the dynamics of biogas usage in everyday life, villagers’ exposure to biogas technology, family support for purchasing construction materials, kinship support, and the interplay of gender relations in biogas use. As biogas is recognized in the market as an alternative household technology, the knowledge and information available to potential users are critical to enabling a comprehensive understanding of its application. This chapter delves into the ways biogas is integrated into household life and how it serves as a catalyst for changing habits and customs.

Biogas technology in households encompasses both cultural and technical realities that require thoughtful perspectives for understanding its sustainable appropriation. However, socio-technical theories that explain the acceptance of biogas at local, regional, and national levels have received limited attention. To address this gap, this chapter argues that collective norms, cultural practices, the roles of social institutions, shared expectations, and the broader institutional context—such as climate change—are equally instrumental in the development of biogas technology. Here, the sustainability of biogas technology is conceptualized as a co-production process between cultural dynamics and technological knowledge. In a broader context, there exists a climate change mitigation strategy that facilitates the widespread adoption of biogas at regional and local levels.

Halal (lawful) human resource development (HRD) is crucial in meeting the growing demands of halal industries worldwide. Brunei Darussalam, one of the leading halal producers, has initiated several HRD programmes to improve the industry’s workforce. While the programmes are essential, some persistent gaps and challenges must be addressed. This chapter aims to identify and address these gaps and challenges through an extensive literature review culminating in recommendations to improve the HRD process. The halal industry in Brunei is expanding exponentially, ensuring job creation and the growth of production, and providing new opportunities within the market, all of which clearly benefit the people of Brunei. Although the initiatives from the government are commendable, gaps have emerged most notably in employee training, knowledge and skills acquisition, among others. The rapid pace at which the industry is expanding calls for a well-rounded and fully functional HRD system.

The halal industry has witnessed significant growth and development in recent years in countries such as Brunei Darussalam, Japan and Malaysia due in large part to the vast potential market of Muslims and the increasing demand for halal products globally. Despite this growth, the industry continues to face various challenges, particularly in the areas of quality assurance, certification and standardisation. This book aims to provide a critical review of the past, present and future challenges of the halal industry in Asia and offer recommendations to overcome these challenges.

The domestication of biogas technology involves the dynamic interplay of socio-cultural resources and social skills from various stakeholders, including users, the target community, the government, and constructors. Biogas technology, originally designed to assist with household tasks, has evolved into a social artifact as its functionality is reinterpreted and culturally adapted. This process transforms the technology from a mere tool into a medium through which social and cultural practices are expressed. The study highlights that adopting biogas technology is closely tied to existing energy consumption habits within households. As families incorporate biogas into their routines, they are required to adjust their consumption patterns to reflect pre-existing social practices. This process of adaptation illustrates the complexity of technological transition, where the shift to biogas as the primary cooking technology is often marked by instability. Households must negotiate between new technological practices and ingrained cultural behaviors, making the initial period of biogas adoption a time of fluctuating usage and gradual adjustment. This phenomenon underscores that the successful adoption of new technology involves more than its technical features; it requires a harmonization of the technology with cultural and social norms. Biogas technology, therefore, is not only an energy solution but also a medium through which households negotiate and adapt their consumption practices, reflecting broader cultural and social dynamics.

This chapter highlights the domestication theory to illustrate how biogas technology is integrated into the everyday lives of household users. This theory suggests that before implementing biogas technology in residential settings, individuals must possess specific knowledge, skills, and technical expertise, along with various tactics to find its appropriate “domain” within the household. Consequently, this chapter aims to help readers understand the socio-cultural nuances essential for making this technology acceptable to families. The discussion begins with the social construction of technology (SCOT) perspective, which posits that technology can drive significant social transformations and plays a dominant role in facilitating societal advancement. Through this lens, this study emphasizes the importance of considering the viewpoints of actors or users, who significantly influence how technology is designed based on their social values. The chapter explores the four steps of domestication: appropriation, objectification, incorporation, and conversion, detailing how each stage contributes to the successful integration of biogas technology in households.

Halal advertising, which is based on principles sourced from the Qur’an and Sunna, has the potential to curb advertising malpractices and counter unethical advertising internationally. The growth of the Muslim market has driven the overwhelming demand for halal products and services which signals the need for a business ecosystem in which halal advertising would play a crucial role. Against this background, this chapter explores the extent to which Brunei Darussalam’s Code of Practice for Advertising adheres to halal principles. The study attempts to uncover halal advertising from the perspective of Muslim consumers in Brunei and its influence on their purchase intention. The analysis suggests that the Code of Practice adheres to all six elements of halal advertising with a strict regulatory process in place. It further reports that Muslim consumers perceive halal advertisements as portraying honesty, simplicity and a humane use of appropriate language with no elements of sexism and racism, in which honesty and the avoidance of sexism were ranked as the two most important elements. Despite this, only the element of language significantly influences purchasing intention. This implies the superiority of verbal stimuli (such as captions) and the language used in advertisements. Findings from the study provide valuable insights for advertisers to understand and appreciate the centrality of Islam and develop advertising packages to attract and serve Muslim consumers.

The global halal market is rapidly expanding, providing opportunities for countries to diversify their economies and sustain their well-being. Brunei Darussalam has recognised the potential of the halal industry in achieving a future that is not dependent on oil and gas and aligning with its national development strategy, Wawasan Brunei 2035 (Brunei Vision 2035). In this context, Brunei’s halal industry must develop further and innovate in order to optimise its potential. This study employs a qualitative research design and environmental scanning techniques to identify the internal and external factors influencing the halal business ecosystem in Brunei. The findings are analysed using a SWOT matrix analysis to determine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of incorporating the halal industry with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The study reveals that the halal industry can contribute significantly to a number of SDGs: no poverty; zero hunger; decent work and economic growth; and sustainable consumption and production. The findings provide future scholars, policymakers and researchers with a valuable resource for making well-informed decisions regarding halal industry development in Brunei. Overall, the study highlights the importance of leveraging the halal industry to achieve sustainable economic growth while advancing the SDGs.

The halal industry is growing rapidly and the regulations associated with halal have never been more relevant. Many countries have proactively engaged with the opportunities of developing halal industry sectors for commercial benefit and economic diversification. Today, halal regulations are not only associated with food; other types of products and services, such as cosmetics, medicines, logistics and tourism are being explored. With the growth and expansion of the halal industry and the increased consumption of its products, societies need to be properly educated on the question of halal , whether for personal gain or for career development in the industry. Whatever was the reason, the importance of establishing halal education cannot be denied. Through a comparative analysis, this paper discusses three major concerns: studies on halal knowledge and its effects on halal product utilisation; studies on halal education and efforts made to educate society in this regard; and an examination of the institutions, centres or departments at universities in Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia and Japan and their attempts to build halal education and therefore shape the workforce.

Halal food is the major component of the growing halal market. Brunei Darussalam is among the numerous countries seeking to exploit the halal industry to diversify the economy and create employment, and has made significant attempts to develop the halal food sector. This chapter explores the halal food ecosystem in Brunei by describing its current state, the challenges it faces and recommendations for halal industry stakeholders. This chapter addresses four major challenges: 1) dependency on imports of food and raw meat products; 2) fraudulent products and practices; 3) appeasing demands from a new generation of halal consumers; and 4) an underdeveloped halal logistics industry. The arguments presented here are relevant for the local halal industry’s development as well as future research on related topics.

The production of halal pharmaceuticals in Muslim countries is a growing industry with high market demand. Muslim consumer spending on pharmaceuticals was USD108 billion in 2022 and is forecast to reach USD142 billion in 2027. Due to the growing demand for halal pharmaceuticals, business leaders have begun to respond to the call for halal integrity in medicines and related products in which all ingredients should be permissible to use and consume and be alcohol-free. This chapter examines the use of a traceability system to ensure the halal integrity of pharmaceuticals. A traceability system enables the identification of product ingredients’ halal status along the production chain and can also act as a communication tool to ensure that information related to halal products is available along the supply chain and eventually to consumers. The chapter gives an overview of the development of the use of traceability systems in the pharmaceutical supply chain, including the use of state-of-the-art technology, through case studies of Malaysia, Japan and Brunei Darussalam.

The issue of food security came to prominence in Brunei Darussalam when supply chains were paralysed for some time due to constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Retail shortages were further exacerbated by panic buying behaviour exhibited by consumers; the effects were severe with a reported shortage of poultry and livestock towards the end of 2020. Alongside this was the issue of smuggled meat not recognised by the leading religious authority, Majlis Ugama Islam Brunei (Brunei Islamic Religious Council), and brought into the country without a halal import permit. Taken together, these issues intensified the need to ensure the goal of achieving halal and good, clean and wholesome ( tayyiban ) food security for Brunei. There is now an emerging trend to incorporate tayyiban into all stages of halal production and assurance. Halal and tayyiban food security is not only about accessibility and availability of food but also about ensuring that the entire supply chain from farm to table conforms to best halal standards and practices. Incorporating sustainable practices in the halal supply chain provides an opportunity to improve the many aspects of halal production, thus contributing towards a more sustainable and secure food future. This chapter aims to evaluate the meaning of food security in Islam and the concepts of halal and tayyiban . It also provides an overview of the potential benefits of incorporating halal and tayyiban into the food security framework of Brunei and some of the attendant policy implications.

Introduction Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally. This study aims to examine the demographic variables and effects of different treatment modalities and treatment delays on overall and relative survival rates of breast cancer patients in Brunei Darussalam. Methods This retrospective study analysed data from the Brunei Darussalam Cancer Registry on breast cancer cases diagnosed and treated between 2013 and 2022. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics to characterise the study population, Kaplan-Meier estimates to compare survival curves of different groups, Log rank tests to determine significant differences in survival rates among groups, and Cox Proportional Hazard (PH) models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and identify predictors of survival outcomes. Overall survival (OS) and relative survival (RS) rates were calculated. Results Out of the 431 women treated for breast cancer, the majority were diagnosed at the regional stage (45.7%), with 39.0% at the localised stage. Over half (55.4%) of the diagnoses occurred in women aged 40 to 59, while about a quarter (25.5%) were in the 60–69 age group. Surgery was the most common first-line treatment modality (55.9%), with a median time to treatment of 37 days, followed by chemotherapy (30.6%). More than half of the patients (62.9%) were treated within 60 days of diagnosis. Treatment varied by age and cancer stage, with younger patients more likely to undergo surgery and older patients more likely to receive chemotherapy or hormonal therapy. Survival rates were high for patients receiving only surgery (5-year RS: 98.7%, OS: 92.3%), and significant survival differences were found for cancer stage and treatment delay, with a HR of 2.5 for delays over 60 days. Multivariate analysis showed that patients with distant stage cancer had a significantly higher risk of death (HR = 15.3) compared to localised stage. Conclusion This study highlights the impact of treatment modalities and delays on breast cancer survival in Brunei Darussalam, emphasising the need for timely treatment to improve survival rates. Our findings suggest that ensuring breast cancer treatment initiation within two months post-diagnosis may enhance patient outcomes, supporting potential policy targets for timely access to care.

Wild orangutans (Pongo spp.) are captured and moved (wild-to-wild translocated) primarily to prevent crop foraging or out of concern for orangutans’ survival in fragmented habitat. Little is known about wild-to-wild translocation frequency, circumstances, and possible species conservation and individual welfare outcomes. We investigated orangutan wild-to-wild translocations in Indonesia from 2005 to 2022 using primarily data from public sources and consultation with practitioners. At least 988 wild orangutans were captured for translocation during the study period, including many reproductively valuable resident females and adult males removed from unprotected fragmented forests and forest patches. Data on health condition (n = 808) indicated 81.7% were reported as healthy at time of capture. Information on post-capture disposition (n = 268) showed that only 23% were translocated immediately. Mean estimated killing combined with reported translocation removals was calculated to affect 3.3% of orangutans in Kalimantan, and 11.6% in Sumatra, both higher than the threshold of mortality from human actions expected to drive populations to extinction. Negative impacts are likely compounded where multiple individuals are translocated from the same area, and for the Tapanuli orangutan (P. tapanuliensis), which has the smallest population and range of all orangutan species. Data on reasons for capture (n = 743) indicated most translocations (69%) were conducted to address crop foraging and orangutan presence in or around croplands and plantations. Forest cover analysis around 104 orangutan capture sites with high resolution spatial information indicated that deforestation levels in the year preceding capture were not significantly associated with likelihood of captures for translocation. To improve conservation outcomes, wild-to-wild translocations should be used only in exceptional circumstances. Most orangutans should instead be monitored and protected in situ by addressing conflicts and maintaining the forests, including forest fragments, they are using. When translocation is necessary, post-release survival and potential conservation impacts must be monitored.

Urbanization significantly changes landscapes, making urban areas highly susceptible to invasive plant species. This study examines Brunei Darussalam, where rapid urban development and rich biodiversity present unique challenges by systematically surveying invasive plant species in urban Brunei. The research identified two invasive plant species easily recognized by the public, such as Acacia mangium and Dillenia suffruticosa. The findings reveal that Acacia mangium has a widespread impact, outcompeting native flora and disrupting habitat structures due to its rapid growth and adaptability. Although Dillenia suffruticosa is culturally significant and ecologically important, it also exhibits invasive tendencies that could threaten local biodiversity. The study highlights the urgent need for targeted management strategies to control these species and safeguard native ecosystems. Effective management is crucial to preserve ecological balance and biodiversity amidst ongoing urban expansion. This research provides essential insights into the dynamics of urban invasions and informs future conservation efforts and urban planning in Brunei Darussalam. It contributes significantly to understanding and addressing the challenges of invasive plant species in rapidly developing urban environments.