Indonesia looks set to retain trophy

THE 9th Brunei International Skill at Arms Meet (Bisam) officially ends today with title holders Indonesia looking set to retain the championship trophy previously won in 2005.

The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) produced fine displays of marksmanship throughout the Sultanate's premier regional shooting competition and left the competition trailing by a considerable margin, courtesy of its sharpshooters who managed to bag first place in eight out of 11 matches that have taken place so far.

The Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) team "B" was the best performing team out of the three representatives for the Sultanate, bagging first place in two matches and the second spot in five matches (including stage two of the Pistol Match).

RBAF team "A" managed to finish top of the table in stage one of the Pistol Match and bagged second and third place in five matches. The Royal Brunei Police Force, however, has not finished in the top three in any of the matches as yet and will be hoping to do so in today's final of the Rifle Falling Plate Solidarity Competition.

Pvt Sugiono of Indonesia, LCPL Rosmandi of RBAF team "B" and SLD Herman of RBAF team "A" finished first, second and third respectively in the individual category of the Pistol Match, while Pvt Trisnarmanto and Sgt Saeful Bahri of Indonesia and WO2 Ibrahim of RBAF team "B" bagged first, second and third spot respectively in the individual category of the Rifle Match.

The winners will be receiving their prizes in the presence of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the Minister of Defence and Supreme Commander of the RBAF, who is expected to attend today's closing ceremony.

This year's Bisam was officially opened by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, and General of the RBAF, on October 29. His Royal Highness participated in a novelty pistol shoot event during the opening ceremony, where his Team Alpha won.

Bisam, held every three years, first started in 1985. Seven countries participated in this year's competition, namely Cambodia, Australia, United Kingdom, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.

The contingent composition were as follows:

British Armed Forces: 22

Indonesian National Armed Forces: 32

Royal Cambodian Armed Forces: 9

Australian Defence Forces: 13

Singapore Armed Forces: 22

Malaysian Armed Forces: 22

An amendment made to this year's Bisam is a "slightly-leaner" composition of each participating team, said 9th Bisam co-chairman Colonel Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Mohd Tawih Abdullah, adding that, however, it will not in any way "affect the spirit of the competition for all participants to produce their finest efforts".

The Royal Jordanian Armed Forces (RJAF) sent two of its personnel as observers to this year's meet. A member of the Jordanian contingent, Major Mousa Al-Nasrat, said that the RJAF was invited by the RBAF Commander to participate this year but was unable to attend the 9th Bisam coordination meeting last August and hence could not join.

Major Mousa Al-Nasrat said that the Jordanian military has a shooting meet of its own but that Bisam is different in many ways in terms of weapons used, range and distance of targets.

Colonel Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Mohd Tawih Abdullah has expressed his aspiration for future Bisams to be participated by all Asean nations and in turn make it one of the biggest events of this kind in the region.