"....90.5 peratus daripada keseluruhan eksport negara bagi tempoh berkenaan berjumlah $12.7 bilion, adalah dari Industri Minyak dan Gas, manakala 5.9 peratus pula dari industri metanol. Perangkaan itu menunjukkan bahawa Brunei masih lagi terlalu bergantung kepada industri minyak dan gas...."
Sesungguhnya isu ini telah berulang kali dibangkitkan oleh Kebawah DYMM di dalam titah-titah Baginda yang lepas. Kerisauan ini turut dikongsi oleh warga NDP dan telah dizahirkan menerusi Manifesto NDP dan pelbagai artikel sebelum ini.
Berikut adalah antara langkah-langkah yang telah dan sedang dijalankan oleh beberapa negara yang "senasib" dengan Brunei dalam usaha berterusan mempelbagaikan ekonomi mereka demi menangani ancaman kebergantungan kepada hasil minyak.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
GCC Countries: Summary of Recent Key Structural Reforms in Selected Areas
FINANCIAL SECTOR
Bahrain
Issued the first Islamic government bills to complement the working of the Islamic financial institutions, took steps toward improving prudential regulations for Islamic banking; ratified anti-money laundering legislation in January and October 2001; and enforced Bahrain Stock Exchange rules and regulations.
Kuwait
Adopted a portfolio foreign investment law allowing foreigners to own and trade shares of joint-stock companies listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange, subject to specific limits.
Oman
Expanded repo facilities to the interbank market; implemented a capital market law to restructure the Muscat Securities Market into three separate bodies dealing with regulations, trading and exchange, and depository registration; and adopted a new banking law in 2000. The central bank has reactivated the issuance of certificate of deposits to manage liquidity, and implemented measures to reduce the risk of over lending to individuals and corporations. Oman has taken steps toward full compliance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations on money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism.
Qatar
Removed interest ceilings on local currency deposits in February 2001; strengthened bank supervision, resulting in tightening of non-performing loan criteria; and introduced a new scheme to enhance liquidity management. Under this scheme, commercial banks can deposit their excess liquidity with or borrow from the central bank at rates determined by the central bank, which are fixed on a daily basis.
Saudi Arabia
Allowed foreigners to trade on the stock market through open-ended mutual funds; and approved a new capital markets law to deepen the financial markets and strengthen the stock market. It enforced recommendations issued by the FATF relating to the prevention of money laundering, and adopted legislation to combat money laundering activities in the non-financial sector.
UAE
Established formal stock markets in 2000, and regulatory body for capital markets; enacted a new Securities Law to address volatility and malpractices that plagued security market in 1997 and 1998, and adopted a comprehensive anti-money laundering along with combating the financing of terrorism in January 2002. The central bank is implementing a comprehensive pilot risk-management module for banks.
FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT (FDI)
Bahrain
Eased rules on non-GCC firms to own buildings and lease land; established a one-stop shop to facilitate licensing procedures; permitted foreign ownership to increase from 49 to 100 percent of businesses in all but a few strategic sectors (e.g., oil and aluminum).
Kuwait
Passed a law allowing foreigners to own 100 percent of Kuwaiti companies and corporate taxes were reduced from 55 percent to 25 percent. A Foreign Investment Capital Office was established to process FDI applications.
Oman
Allowed 100 percent foreign ownership of companies in most sectors; reduced income tax disparity between Omani and foreign companies by raising the single rate for the former from 75 percent to 12 percent, and lowering the rates for the latter from 15–50 percent to 5–30 percent; redefined “foreign” company as one with more than 70 percent foreign ownership instead of currently 49 percent; and allowed foreign, non-GCC, firms to own buildings and lease land.
Qatar
Allowed 100 percent foreign ownership in agriculture, industry, health, education and tourism sectors, and streamlined investment approval procedures. The maximum corporate tax was reduced from 35 to 30 percent.
Saudi Arabia
Enacted a new Investment Law and established the associated investment authority (SAGIA) to facilitate foreign direct investment processing, including the establishment of one-stop shop. It also allowed for 100 percent foreign ownership of business in most sectors, including gas, power generation, water desalination, and petrochemicals. The highest corporate income tax on foreign investment was cut from 45 to 30 percent. It has permitted non-Saudis to own real estate for their business or residence, except in the 2 holy cities, and opened up the gas sector for investment by international oil companies.
UAE
The Emirate of Dubai launched several new free zones intended to establish the emirate as a global center for trade in gold bullion, research and development of technology, and financial activities. Dubai also relaxed restrictions for foreign investment in specific real estate projects.
STATE ENTERPRISE REFORM AND PRIVATIZATION
Bahrain
Privatized the Public Slaughter House and the capital’s waste collection and incineration. Other privatizations are under way, including the public transport company (bus), and tourism facilities. The telecommunications and postal services sectors are being liberalized.
Kuwait
The privatization law, approved by the Finance Committee of the National Assembly, establishes a comprehensive framework for large-scale privatization, identifies areas and modes of privatization, and sets up a pricing mechanism and safeguards against job losses. The government plans to offer for sale to the private sector most of the 62 public sector entities still under its control.
Oman
The power sector is at the forefront of privatization efforts, with three power plants currently under construction by foreign investors under a build-own-operate basis. Existing government power plants are being restructured for their future privatization. Oman has also recently privatized the management of airport services. Other services to be privatized in the near future include water distribution, waste water network, postal services, and telecommunications. The government also plans to gradually sell its participation in the few remaining non-oil public companies listed in the local stock market.
Qatar
Partially privatized the Telecommunications Company at end-1998. It has corporatized the electricity and water sector, and the government has sold most of its power generation plants to Qatar Electricity and Water Company, which is majority-owned by the local private sector. Construction is under way of the first independent power and water plant, which is majority-owned by a foreign developer. Qatar has also sold 60 percent of the government’s stake in a recently created company—spun off from Qatar Petroleum—to take over the local distribution of gasoline.
Saudi Arabia
Announced in June 2002 a new privatization strategy under which autonomization of management would be followed by deregulation (corporatization) and ultimately private ownership. Twenty sectors are presently identified for privatization, including telecommunications, electricity, industrial parks, postal services, water, railroad, education, and air transportation. Saudi Arabia has recently privatized 30 percent of the Saudi Telecommunications Company. Eight regional electricity companies have been merged into the Saudi Electricity Company, and a regulatory authority was established to set tariff rates and regulate market access to new entrants.
UAE
The Emirate of Abu Dhabi has embraced utility privatization, embarking on new power projects through joint ventures with foreign investors, and selling of some existing assets.
LABOR MARKET REFORM
Bahrain
Recently developed a new National Employment Strategy that includes providing fiscal subsidies for training nationals in the private sector, and financial aid for the unemployed. It also introduced measures to improve general education standards, and vocational and technical training programs, and increased employment quota of Bahrainis in small and medium size companies while abolishing “free visa” system to expatriate labor force.
Kuwait
The Manpower and Government Restructuring Program (MGRP) was established in July 2001 to implement the labor law, provide unemployment benefits to unemployed Kuwaiti nationals, and provide training and facilitate employment of Kuwaiti nationals in the privates sector. In September 2002, the government approved quotas for the proportion of Kuwaitis that private companies must employ; companies that fail to meet this target would be subject to a fine and sanctions such as exclusion from bidding for government contracts.
Oman
Introduced measures to improve vocational and technical training programs, and set a uniform minimum wage for Omanis at RO 100 (plus RO 20 as transportation allowance) instead of the previous two-tiered (skilled/unskilled) minimum wage.
Qatar
Formally ended the policy of automatic employment for Qatari graduates. It now assists jobseekers by maintaining information on job openings and by counseling and training. A department has been established in the ministry of civil service with responsibility for this function.
Saudi Arabia
Created the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) – with financial participation of the private sector – to provide training of Saudi labor force in skills required by the private sector, and development of a database for matching and placement of Saudi workers in the private sector.
UAE
Established the National Human Resource Development and Employment Authority to help improve skills of the U.A.E nationals looking for a job; and a national labor market database was established to facilitate job search by nationals.
Sumber - http://unfccc.int/files/adaptation/adverse_effects_and_response_measures_art_48/application/pdf/200311_ed_imf.pdf
No comments:
Post a Comment