Kedudukan Brunei meningkat dari tangga 155 pada 2009, ke 142 pada 2010 dalam ranking Press Freedom Index, menurut Reporters Without Borders.
--> Brunei country profile
...Since 1962 the sultan has ruled by decree. In a rare move towards political reform an appointed parliament was revived in 2004. The constitution provides for an expanded house with up to 15 elected MPs. However, no date has been set for elections.
...In September 2004 the sultan reopened Brunei's parliament, 20 years after it was suspended. Observers said it was a tentative step towards giving some political power to the country's citizens.
...Brunei's media are neither diverse nor free. The private press is either owned or controlled by the royal family, or exercises self-censorship on political and religious matters.
Media rights body Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says news outlets carry "virtually no criticism of the government". A press law provides prison terms of up to three years for reporting "false news". Brunei came 142nd out of 178 countries in the 2010 RSF Press Freedom Index.
--> 2010 Human Rights Report: Brunei Darussalam
Brunei Darussalam is a sultanate ruled by the same family for more than 600 years, and it has a population of approximately 428,000. Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah governed under emergency powers that place few limits on his power. The Legislative Council, made up of appointed, indirectly elected, and ex-officio members, with a limited role in recommending and approving legislation, met during the year. Security forces reported to the sultan.
The following human rights problems were reported: inability of citizens to change their government; limits on freedom of speech, press, assembly, and association; restrictions on religious freedom; discrimination against women; trafficking in persons; restricted labor rights; and exploitation of foreign workers.
Freedom of Speech and Press
...Under the emergency powers, the government significantly restricted freedom of speech and of the press. Members of the Legislative Council are allowed to "speak their opinions freely," but they are prohibited from using language or exhibiting behavior deemed "irresponsible, derogatory, scandalous, or injurious."
...The act provides for prosecution of newspaper publishers, proprietors, or editors who publish anything allegedly having a seditious intent. Publication may be suspended for up to one year, and publishers, printers, or editors can be prohibited from publishing, writing, or editing any other newspaper. Printing equipment can also be seized. Persons convicted under the act face fines of up to BN$5,000 (approximately $3,500) and jail terms of up to three years.
...The law requires local newspapers to obtain operating licenses and prior government approval of foreign editorial staff, journalists, and printers. The law also gives the government the right to bar distribution of foreign publications and requires distributors of foreign publications to obtain a government permit. The law allows the government to close a newspaper without giving prior notice or showing cause. Journalists deemed to have published or written "false and malicious" reports may be subjected to fines or prison sentences.
Freedom of Assembly
Under the emergency powers, the government significantly restricted the right to assemble. According to the Societies Order, public gatherings of 10 or more persons require a government permit, and police have the authority to stop an unofficial assembly of five or more persons deemed likely to cause a disturbance of the peace.
Freedom of Association
...The law requires formal groups, including religious, social, or cultural, to register with the Registrar of Societies and provide regular reports on membership and finances.
...The National Development Party maintained that government restrictions limited the party's growth.
Elections and Political Participation
Political authority and control rested entirely with the sultan. A 29-person legislative council (LegCo), which has no independent power and was composed primarily of appointed members, provides a forum for public discussion of proposed government programs as well as administrative deficiencies. It convenes once a year. Council members may be disqualified from service on the basis of various offenses, including disloyalty to the sultan.
Persons 18 years of age and above may vote by secret ballot in village consultative council elections, which are based on a traditional system of village chiefs. Candidates must be Muslim, be approved by the government, and be citizens or permanent residents for more than 15 years. The councils communicate constituent wishes through a variety of channels, including periodic meetings chaired by the minister of home affairs. The government also meets with mukim (collections of villages) representatives to allow for airing of local grievances and concerns.
The Brunei National Development Party was the country's only registered political party. The party pledged to support the sultan and the government. Although the party criticized administrative deficiencies, its few activities received limited publicity, and it was hindered by membership restrictions.
Official Corruption and Government Transparency
...Government officials were not subject to financial disclosure reports.
...The law provides for public access to government information. During the year the LegCo approved, and the government published, a summary of the budget for the fiscal year. However, the government continued to restrict and classify as confidential some information on the financial dealings of the government and the royal family. The law provides that no court can compel any person to give evidence relating to unpublished government records unless the relevant ministry's permanent secretary gives consent.
--> Freedom in the World - Brunei (2011)
The sultanate experienced little political change in 2010, with the Legislative Council continuing to perform an active oversight role within its significantly limited purview. Continuing a positive trend for women’s rights from 2009, Brunei’s first female cabinet minister was appointed to a five-year term.
...Plans for the 45-person legislature with 15 directly elected slots remained on the table, but no elections were scheduled.
...In December 2009, at the Bali Democracy Forum, the sultan argued that his continued grip on power was necessary to prevent globalization from negatively affecting social cohesion. In May 2010, the sultan instituted a significant cabinet reshuffle, and while many of the same individuals remained, the change signified a small step toward improving governance. The appointments, which notably included the first female minister, will last five years.
...Brunei is not an electoral democracy. The sultan wields broad powers under a long-standing state of emergency, and no direct legislative elections have been held since 1962.
...The reform efforts of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah have been largely superficial and are designed to attract foreign investment. The unicameral Legislative Council has no political standing independent of the sultan. However, the council’s mounting oversight activity and queries aimed at the government reflect a growing demand for accountability and responsible spending.
...Genuine political activity remains extremely limited. In 2007, the Registrar of Societies disbanded the People’s Awareness Party (PAKAR) and forced the president of the Brunei National Solidarity Party (PPKB) to resign. The PPKB was then deregistered without explanation in 2008, leaving the National Development Party (NDP) as Brunei’s sole remaining political party.
...Brunei was ranked 38 out of 178 countries surveyed in Transparency International’s 2010 Corruption Perceptions Index.
...Journalists in Brunei face considerable restrictions. Legislation enacted in 2001 allows officials to close newspapers without cause and to fine and jail journalists for articles deemed “false and malicious.”
...Emergency laws continue to restrict freedom of assembly. Most nongovernmental organizations are professional or business groups, and under the 2005 Societies Order, all must register and name their members. No more than 10 people can associate for a purpose without registering, and all meeting minutes must be submitted to the Registrar of Societies. Registration can be refused for any reason. In late 2008, the government disbanded 55 associations for not complying with regulations. Brunei’s three, largely inactive, trade unions, which must also register, are all in the oil sector and represent only about 15,000 workers. Strikes are illegal, and collective bargaining is not recognized.
No comments:
Post a Comment