Sdra Mahmud Morshidi Othman, NDP Deputy President (seated in the middle) pays a courtesy call to H. E Ambassador Virginia H. Benavidez. Haji Matzin Salleh, the Head of NDP Bureau of Agriculture and Agro Base Industry seated at the right.

Brunei 's active role in peace keeping mission in southern Philippines was highly praised by Her Excellency Ms. Virginia H. Benavidez, the Philippines Ambassador to Brunei .

“Brunei peace keeping contingent has been playing very active role in helping to implement the provisions of the ceasefire agreement between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front”, stated the Philippines Ambassador.

“We are very pleased with the active participation of the Brunei peace keeping contingent in helping to monitor the peace process now ongoing in the southern Philippines. The Brunei team has not only played the peace keeping role very well but has gone beyond the mission as such that the locals there just love to have the Bruneians around”, said Ambassador Virginia Benavidez.

She mentioned these during a meeting with sdra Mahmud Morshidi Othman, the Deputy President of the National Development Party (NDP) who was at her office this morning at Jalan Tutong for a courtesy call.

The Deputy President was accompanied by Awang Haji Matzin Salleh, the Head of NDP's Bureau of Agriculture and Agro Base Industry and Malai Hassan Othman, the Head of International Relations and Security.

The NDP's delegates made the courtesy call in effort to foster understanding between foreign missions and NDP as the fast growing and largest political party in the country. NDP is also hopeful that such initiative could contribute towards stronger bilateral ties between the Philippines and Brunei especially between peoples of the two nations that share wonderful historical links.

“NDP would like to play active role in helping to build stronger bilateral ties between our two countries. For example in the peace process between the government and the MILF, NDP would be glad to help in promoting greater understanding of the ongoing peace process in the southern Philippines among the people of Brunei. We could contribute by hosting a talk or a seminar here in Brunei on the ongoing peace process so that our people would have better understanding of the issue”, explained sdra Morshidi.

NDP delegates and the ambassador at the meeting that lasted over an hour also exchange views on other matters that could contribute towards increasing bilateral relations such as in the area of agricultural cooperation.

Her Excellency Ms. Virginia Benavidez meanwhile said the formation of NDP is an interesting development in the political scene in Brunei . She said she views NDP as a good political platform that could enhance further collaboration between the people and the government in building the nation.

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