New DHI office inaugurated in Brunei

On 19 September 2013, we inaugurated our new branch office in Brunei Darussalam. The office was incorporated in August 2013, but has only recently moved into a permanent office facility at Kampong Serusop, Berakas which includes office and laboratory facilities. With the new Brunei office, we now have permanent registered offices in four Southeast Asian countries (Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei) with representative offices in Thailand and Indonesia.

The opening ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Chairman of Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB), Dato Paduka Haji Ali bin Haji Apong. Also present were Vincent Cheong, CEO of BEDB; Daniel Leong, Assistant CEO of BEDB; as well as officers and staff members of BEDB. Their presence reflected the close working relationship we have developed with BEDB over the course of several projects.

According to DHI Brunei Country Manager – Josh Van Berkel, and DHI Executive Vice-President – Tom Foster, our role in Brunei Darussalam will be to support the country’s move towards environmental sustainability. We will do this by applying our expertise in water environment both from a policy implementation and environmental management view point.

In the coming years, we will work closely with Zhejiang Hengyi on their major Pulau Muara Besar (PMB) refinery project to make sure that the dredging and reclamation works meet the strict environmental standards specified for the project. In particular, we will ensure that there are no impacts to the existing port facilities, aquaculture facilities and the various sensitive habitat receptors found around the island. Activities will include:

• a complete feedback environmental management programme for the dredging and reclamation works
• a wetlands relocation programme in the main onshore reclamation area to conserve
  several sensitive organisms such as pitcher plants

Josh also highlighted that while we are initially focussed on the major PMB project, we will also pursue other marine and terrestrial water environment projects in the country as well as look into research and development opportunities.

 
Brunei Country Manager Josh Van Berkel (third from left) and Executive Vice-President Tom Foster (second from right).