KUALA LUMPUR, Monday, 22 April 2019 – The 9th Command and Staff Course (CSC9) Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) commenced the Overseas Study Tour (OST) programmes to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.The OST programmes led by the Head of Delegation, Lieutenant Colonel (U) Pg Hj Mohammed Hasreen bin Pg Haji Ali Hassan, were attended by CSC participants consisting of 16 RBAF officers, one RBPF officer and 13 International Officers. Accompanying the delegation are the Directing Staff and the Administrative Officer of the Defence Academy Command and Staff College. The CSC delegation was welcomed by the Brunei Darussalam Defense Adviser in Malaysia, Lieutenant Colonel (U) Haji Hishamuddin bin Haji Abidin.
The OST programmes will take place for 6 days (3 days in Kuala Lumpur and 3 days in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia) to several Malaysian government and military agencies including the Prime Minister’s Office; Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Climate Change and Environment; Malaysian Armed Forces Staff College; Institute of Strategic and International Studies; Sepangar Naval Base, Royal Malaysian Navy; Kundansang Memorial; and 5th Infantry Brigade.
The OST programmes are a series of activities similar to the Local Study Tour (LST) programmes which have taken place previously in Brunei. The aims for this LST and OST programmes are:
1. Provide students with the first hand experience to visit the key ministries/statutory bodies and achieve an enhanced understanding of both Brunei and Malaysian policies, strategies and initiatives at the strategic and operational levels.
2. Examine the prospects for Stability, Security and Prosperity within Brunei and Malaysia, including the wider region.
3. For students to analyse the geostrategic factors that regulate and affect regional inter-state relations from the perspective of Brunei and Malaysia.
4. For students to evaluate the security perspective of Brunei and Malaysia and the factors which shaped it, including religious, cultural and socio-economic. Evaluate how this perspective influences the response by the nation to current regional security issues.
