Residents concerned over deserted housing complex

Photos show the abandoned terrace houses and the yards which are covered with long grass and trees.

Khai Zem Mat Sani
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE delayed construction of the terrace units along STKRJ Kg Rimba’s Jalan 99 has sparked some concerns from the nearby residents over the area being used by irresponsible parties to conduct immoral activities.

The Brunei Times conducted an inspection around the area, and found there were no signs or barriers indicating that the areas are off-limits from the public.

The area also hosted around 10 building blocks, consisting of five housing units each.

According to the public tip-off, many believed that people use the vacant terrace houses and its area for immoral activities.

A resident, who lives nearby and only wished to be known as Mahmud, recalled a lot of stories about electrical cables and facilities being stolen and vandalised.

“And this is worrying as the area is located just about 10 metres away from my home,” he said, adding that fornication and drug abuse could be another activities done at the area.

He also shared his experience over seeing numerous cars entering the area at night, where they would park at an area, and soon after, their lights were turned off.

He also said that such occurrence seemed “creepy” and disturbing to him.

“Since it’s located in the vicinity of our area and the houses were emptied for a long time, it turns out to be a creepy and disturbing environment.”

An elderly citizen who lived near the area, Hj Matussin Hj Bakar, 80, also mentioned about environmental effects of the deserted houses.

“The area is home to so many people. Every time we go out from this area, we pass through the emptied houses, it becomes our daily view,” he said.

He said that people who visited the area often asked similar questions. “It becomes a topic of conversation either among the residents itself or people who visited their relatives here.”

Hj Matussin also said that there’s a need to put up proper signs and gates to avoid people from trespassing into the area.

“The terrace houses have been abandoned for around 10 years and it’s due to delay in the construction work,” said the Village Chief of Area 1, RPN Rimba Mukim Gadong A.

“The house is not yet completed and it was deserted for around 10 years. There are some part of the houses are almost done and some are just left without roofs,” said Hj Adanan @ Hj Mohamed Taha.

However, neighbourhood watch programme that was implemented in the village, he said, may help the village to increase its security and together in curbing any problem that may occur in the area.

According to an official from the Ministry of Development, the authority has been aware about the problems and will address the issue as soon as possible.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

‘Jerudong market issue difficult’

A view inside the Jerudong Beach market building, where vendors have
been complaining about a lack of ventilation and low sales.

Wail Wardi Wasil
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

The acting Brunei-Muara district officer yesterday admitted that it is difficult to resolve the inconvenient circumstances faced by fruit and vegetable vendors at the Jerudong beach market.

In an interview with The Brunei Times, Mislee Hj Abdul Karim said only the Jerudong market is under their jurisdiction, adding that the area near Jerudong beach is under the Public Works Department (JKR).

This was a response to the grievances expressed by fruit and vegetable vendors from the Jerudong market who were asked to move back to their stalls.

The Brunei-Muara District Office stated that vendors were not allowed to set up stalls outside of the market’s building, including on the side of the road near the beach, from March 10 onwards. But the vendors have been seeing a dramatic decrease in their earnings since they were ordered to move back.

The vendors had moved out of their rented stalls and set up stalls outside the market building due to stiff competition from beach vendors.

Mislee said they’ve conducted surveys and multiple dialogues with the vendors so they are “well informed of the problems they’re facing.”

He said the market vendors should know that they are prohibited from operating their businesses outside their stalls as the regulation was outlined in their contracts.

“All this while, we’ve tolerated them for operating outside their stalls because we understand the threat the beach vendors pose to the market vendors,” he said.

However, he said the district office’s current priority is to maintain the market’s cleanliness, which he said was severely affected when the vendors moved out of their stalls. They are also now requiring beach vendors to move into empty stalls in the market.

“We have no jurisdiction when it comes to the beach vendors, (but) we’ve discussed the matter with the Attorney General’s Chambers, and they told us that we can take action against these vendors using our executive power as the district office,” he said.

Mislee said they are currently conducting multiple joint operations with the relevant agencies to ensure that beach vendors are no longer operational on the beach side.

“During our operations, we give fair warning to the beach vendors, asking them to make use of the stalls that are in the market, as there are still a number of empty stalls,” he said.

He added there were some who were willing to move in even though they are unregistered vendors, but vendors who didn’t cooperate were asked to pack up their wares and leave.

“At the moment, this is just a short-term solution to the problem. As for the long term, we aim to renovate the Jerudong beach market,” said Mislee.

He said the paperwork for the market’s renovation has been completed, but the district office is waiting for a budget to be allocated to the project, adding that they will find a cost-effective way to renovate the market.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Pengusaha kecil di Pantai Tungku risau

Oleh Normazlina M.D

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 27 Mac – Sebilangan pengusaha kecil-kecilan di Pantai Tungku menyuarakan keresahan mereka terhadap kemungkinan tidak dapat menjalankan perniagaan di situ lagi apabila kawasan itu dimajukan.

Satu papan tanda telah dipasang di pantai berkenaan baru-baru ini yang antara lain menyatakan; ‘Pantai Tungku adalah tanah milik persendirian dan akan dimajukan.’

Menurut mereka, pantai berkenaan merupakan salah satu tempat mereka mencari rezeki bagi menambah pendapatan pada setiap hujung minggu dan musim cuti persekolahan/awam.

Sekumpulan pengusaha ATV yang beroperasi di situ turut menyuarakan keresahan mereka dan memberitahu media bahawa Pantai Tungku adalah salah satu tempat yang sesuai bagi pengusaha-pengusaha sewa ATV mencari sumber rezeki mereka.

Sebelum ini, kebanyakan tempat riadah lain seperti Pantai Serasa, Pantai Muara dan Pantai Seri Kenangan telah dikeluarkan notis amaran tidak membenarkan kenderaan ATV berada di tempat berkenaan, sekali gus membuatkan pengusaha ATV hanya mengharapkan Pantai Tungku sebagai lokasi pilihan.

Notis yang dipacakkan di Pantai Tungku.

Salah seorang pengusaha ATV sejak tahun 2014, Awang Mohd Salleh bin Haji Mohd Said berkata, sesetengah pengusaha ATV sudah memulakan perniagaan sewa ATV sejak di Pantai Serasa, namun setelah Pantai Serasa diubahsuai dan keadaan tempat yang terhad, pengusaha ATV kebanyakannya berpindah ke Pantai Tungku.

Pada masa ini terdapat lebih 10 pengusaha ATV aktif mengusahakan perniagaan sewa ATV di Pantai Tungku.

Menurut mereka, Pantai Tungku adalah tempat yang sesuai bagi pengunjung-pengunjung menyewa ATV kerana keadaannya yang luas, mudah dikunjungi dan sedikit mencabar.

Mereka berharap aktiviti di Pantai Tungku seperti ini akan dikekalkan seperti sedia kala bagi menarik pengunjung dan seterusnya dapat membantu pengusaha-pengusaha kecil atau sederhana untuk mencari rezeki.

Jika pantai berkenaan ditutup untuk dimajukan, pengusaha-pengusaha berharap agar pihak berkenaan memberikan notis awal dan mencarikan tempat yang sesuai serta luas bagi pengusaha-pengusaha lain termasuk ATV bagi menarik pengunjung dan orang ramai.

Lagi pula, kenderaan ATV ini tidak sesuai digunakan di jalan raya dan hanya seronok digunakan di tempat-tempat yang luas, jelas salah seorang pengusaha ATV.

Selain itu, pengusaha-pengusaha ATV juga menyatakan perasaan risau kerana memikirkan bayaran balik kepada bank atas pembelian ATV jika Pantai Tungku ditutup.

Dayang Liyana yang merupakan salah seorang pengusaha terkenal dengan penjualan keropok lekor buatan sendiri di Gerai 46 Kulapis di samping menjual barangan makanan lain turut melahirkan harapan agar pihak berkenaan memaklumkan kepada mereka lebih awal jika berlakunya penutupan di Pantai Tungku.

Sebelum ini, Gerai 46 Kulapis pernah menjalankan perniagaan mereka secara kecil-kecilan di Pantai Serasa dan memandangkan pada masa itu, Pantai Serasa diubahsuai dan para peniaga tidak dibenarkan berjaja di kawasan tersebut, mereka berpindah ke Pantai Tungku sejak lima tahun yang lalu, jelasnya lagi.


Sumber - Media Permata

Drugs rehab centre sees rise in self check ins

The Al-Islah Rehabilation Centre located at Kg Kupang, Tutong

Izzati Jalil
BANDAR SEI BEGAWAN

THE number of drug addicts who voluntarily checked into the Al-Islah Rehabilation Centre has tripled over the past four years, data from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) showed.

A total of 32 drug addicts entered rehab themselves last year, up from just nine voluntary admissions in 2012.

According to NCB, a total of 94 Bruneian drug addicts had sought treatment from 2012 to 2015.

Out of the 94 drug addicts who voluntarily entered Al-Islah, 83 were males and 11 were females, with a majority of them of Malay ethnicity.

Statistics also showed that out of the 94 self-admitted drug addicts, 68 per cent of them were unemployed, while eight were self-employed and two were working in the government sector.

Meanwhile, figures from NCB showed that there were 17 students arrested for drug offences last year.

Out of the students, only three of them checked into Al-Islah Rehabilitation Centre.

Acting Assistant Director of the Preventive Drug Education Division Raimawati Hj Badarudin said young people are more prone to drug abuse as a result of peer pressure.

Speaking on the sidelines of NCB’s roadshow at Sultan Saiful Rijal Technical College yesterday, she advised parents to ensure their children remain drug-free by being a part of their lives and set a good example to their children.

“Keeping track of your children helps you protect them. It gives them less chance to get into drugs, so talk to them and be their friend but also set some boundaries,” she said.

It was previously reported that self admitted drug addicts stay at the Al-Islah Rehabilitation Centre from six to 36 months and are only released when the centre’s officers felt they were ready.

Both male and female quarters have their own facilities including a courtyard, a library, a counselling room and a kitchen.

Family members of people with substance abuse problems are allowed visitation rights once a week.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

‘Trade protectionism is not a solution’

(L-R) Jeff Pirie, Senior Partner at Deloitte Singapore, Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi,
Permanent Secretary at MoFAT and Pierre Imhof, FBBA President.

Leo Kasim
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

BRUNEI should steer away from trade protectionism and create an environment that will allow local companies to grow and be more competitive as the region moves towards economic integration, a senior government official said yesterday.

Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MoFAT), said small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will benefit from improved quality of goods and services.

“I don’t think trade protectionism is a solution. Our market is small and can become saturated quickly. What we should do is create an environment where our companies can become strong, competitive, adopt new technology and are able to export their products,” he said during an event on the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) hosted by the French-Brunei Business Association (FBBA).

Dato Lim said opening up regional markets will bring opportunities to Bruneian SMEs.

“The AEC is a great opportunity, provided that businesses are able to be competitive, reduce their costs and utilise e-commerce,” he said.

He said SMEs need to “beef up its market reach” and stay updated on developments in their respective industries.

He added Brunei should also look into the service sector to help the economy “grow beyond what it is at the moment”.

As ASEAN moves to the next phase of development, Dato Lim said the AEC needs to ensure inclusive growth for SMEs which account for 90 per cent of companies in the region.

He said this will allow SMEs to enter bigger markets, citing that Brunei has its own initiative through the recently established Darussalam Enterprise.

In his presentation, Jeff Pirie, senior partner of audit, consulting, tax, and advisory services firm Deloitte Singapore, said the AEC promises significant opportunities for Bruneian businesses “but it will not come easily and will not come if you are passive”.

He said local businesses need to first build their capability and competitiveness to seize regional opportunities.

FBBA President Pierre Imhof said the event is part of the association’s efforts to build awareness on regional developments such as the AEC.

Also present during the event was French Ambassador to Brunei Loan Forgeron.

The event was attended by over 100 people from both the public and private sector.

The AEC envisions a single market and production base, a highly competitive economic region, equitable economic development and integration in the global economy by 2015.

But ASEAN’s economic leaders have acknowledged a post-2015 agenda as the region continues to deal with challenges such as non-tariff measures.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Gov’t to seek other ways in funding mosque construction

The religious affairs minister said the government will seek other funding means to construct new mosques.

Nabilah Haris
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE Ministry of Religious Affairs will work towards different means of funding the building of mosques rather than rely on the government budget, said its minister.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Hj Awg Badaruddin Pengarah Dato Paduka Hj Awg Othman said his ministry has to accept the reality that his ministry was not allocated a budget to build mosques.

He said the ministry would look into using the money collected through the Mosque Building Fund or funds from the Brunei Islamic Religious Concil (MUIB) as using state coffers is currently not viable.

“Of course in terms of Hukum Syara’ (Islamic law), a government led by a Muslim leader is not exempted from his obligations in building a mosque, especially within Islamic teachings.

“However, the Mosque Building Fund has been set up and is aimed at giving members of the public the opportunity to invest in the Hereafter, but that does not mean the government is let off from carrying out its responsibility,” added the minister

YB Pehin Dato Ustaz Hj Awg Badaruddin went on to note that the first meeting of the 12th LegCo session had been discussed not only by LegCo members but also the public, a sign of healthy public discussions.

“I find this to be an appropriate reaction regarding our current affairs and we should take it as a sign of health in the affairs of the people in shaping positive public thoughts towards the affairs of the country,” he said.

“Our topic discussions were more about frugal and budget-conscious spending. Surely, they need to understand this in its true perspective,” said YB Pehin Dato Hj Awg Badaruddin.

Ending his closing remarks, he called for more confidence in the people and the country given the great history the nation holds while having faith that Allah SWT will bless the good deeds that are done in His name.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Tekad basmi kemiskinan

Menteri Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan, Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja
Mejar Jeneral (B) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof

Oleh Imelda Groves HA & Syahmi Hassan

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 16 Mac – Kementerian Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan akan meningkatkan pemantauan penerima Bantuan Kebajikan Bulanan (BKB) seterusnya mengenal pasti garis panduan pemberian bantuan kebangsaan dengan menggunakan kadar kos minima keperluan asas.

Menteri Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan berkata, garis panduan itu akan diguna pakai sebagai sukat-sukat bagi pemberian apa jua bantuan dan penyejajaran dasar serta prosedur yang diguna pakai bagi agensi seperti Majlis Ugama Islam Brunei (MUIB) Kementerian Pendidikan, Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (Yayasan), Kementerian Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri dan Kementerian Kesihatan.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Mejar Jeneral (B) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof seterusnya menjelaskan, program bantuan kebangsaan baru akan dirangka menggunakan garis panduan yang dipersetujui itu dengan mengadakan dua program bantuan berasingan iaitu program bantuan bagi mereka yang benar-benar tidak dapat bekerja atau mencari pekerjaan seperti orang kurang upaya, uzur, tua dan mereka yang berisiko terjerumus kepada kemiskinan, seperti penjaga kepada orang-orang kurang upaya dan lain-lain.

Kedua ialah program insentif pekerjaan yang memberi fokus kepada golongan yang tidak mempunyai pendapatan yang mencukupi untuk menyara kehidupan harian dan persekolahan anak-anak, melalui pemberian insentif agar mereka akan dapat terus bekerja, tambah Yang Berhormat Pehin lagi semasa Majlis Mesyuarat Negara yang bersidang buat hari kesembilan, hari ini.

Yang Berhormat Pehin menekankan perkara ini ketika menjelaskan pembaharuan-pembaharuan yang dirancang oleh Majlis Kebangsaan Isu-isu Sosial yang dipengerusikan Kementerian Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan, untuk meningkatkan keberkesanan tindakan bagi mengatasi dan membantu warga yang mudah atau terdedah risiko-risiko kemiskinan atau masalah sosial untuk keluar daripada kepompong kesusahan dan juga kemiskinan.

Menjawab persoalan yang dibangkitkan oleh Yang Berhormat Datin Paduka Hajah Salbiah binti Haji Sulaiman, Yang Berhormat Pehin berkata, pihak kementerian juga akan memberikan fokus kepada 100 orang penerima BKB.

Menurutnya, permasalahan mereka akan diambil tindakan secara bersepadu oleh semua jawatankuasa khas untuk dikeluarkan daripada kepompong kemiskinan dengan kaedah-kaedah yang sesuai.

Selain itu, pihak kementerian turut merancang mengadakan sumber kewangan yang lebih berdaya tahan untuk membiayai program-program bantuan melalui pelan tindakan yang berkaitan ke arah menangani isu kemiskinan dalam beberapa buah jawatankuasa khas diterajui oleh kementeriannya.

“Misalnya jawatankuasa khas isu kemiskinan dan jawatankuasa khas institusi keluarga dan isu wanita hendaklah dipastikan tindakan-tindakan yang dinyatakan dalam pelan tersebut akan dikemaskinikan lagi ke arah memastikan keberkesanan pelaksanaannya.”

Katanya lagi, dalam membantu mereka yang kurang bernasib baik, program yang diungkayahkan pada tahun-tahun sebelumnya juga diteruskan pada tahun ini dan seterusnya dengan hala tuju program ini ke arah meningkatkan penyertaan para belia terutamanya kumpulan sasaran program.

Dalam pada itu, Yang Berhormat Pehin menekankan bahawa kementeriannya juga menghadapi cabaran dalam memastikan sejauh mana bantuan kebajikan akan dapat diberikan secara lebih berdaya tahan memandangkan terdapatnya peningkatan jumlah penerima bantuan dari semasa ke semasa.

Daripada beberapa permuzakarahan dengan pelbagai pihak, cabaran utama yang dikenal pasti dalam menangani isu kemiskinan serta cabaran dalam mengungkayahkan apa saja program-program pembasmian kemiskinan ialah mentaliti masyarakat yang masih bergantung sepenuhnya kepada bantuan kerajaan.

“Sehubungan dengan ini juga, koala mengalu-alukan pandangan dan pemikiran dari ahli-ahli Yang Berhormat mengenai kaedah yang lebih berkesan bagi mengubah mentaliti khususnya penerima-penerima BKB atau bantuan kebajikan bulanan ini.”

Yang Berhormat Pehin turut melahirkan harapan, dengan adanya garis panduan dalam program baru bantuan kebangsaan ini nanti akan lebih fokus untuk membantu golongan atau kumpulan yang benar-benar perlu dibantu dari segi kewangan dan juga akan diberikan latihan dan program kemahiran dan pekerjaan.

“Diharapkan jua program seumpama ini akan mengurangkan budaya terlalu suka bergantung kepada kerajaan di kalangan masyarakat, sekali gus menggalakkan budaya berdikari,” tambahnya lagi.


Sumber - Media Permata

Menteri jelas perkiraan bantuan zakat

Oleh Syahmi Hassan & Imelda Groves HA

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 16 Mac – Mengikut perkiraan Jabatan Perancang Kemajuan Ekonomi (JPKE), Haddul Kifayah iaitu had minima perbelanjaan bagi keperluan asasi seseorang adalah sebanyak $253 sebulan bagi seorang.

Menteri Hal Ehwal Ugama, Yang Berhormat Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman (gambar) berkata, had berkenaan masih terpakai sampai sekarang bagi Majlis Ugama Islam Brunei (MUIB).

“Jika pendapatan bulanan seseorang berjumlah $1,000 dengan anggota keluarganya seramai lima orang termasuk dirinya, maka $1,000 itu dibahagi kepada lima, jumlahnya adalah $200, maka ia di bawah daripada $253, orang itu dan keluarganya adalah tergolong dalam kategori miskin.

“Manakala fakir ialah orang yang tidak mempunyai apa-apa kecukupan pada hariannya pada satu hari untuk belanjanya yang tidak mempunyai barang untuk dijualnya bagi mencukupkan keperluannya, ertinya fakir.

“Had minima itu perlu difahamkan, ia digunakan bagi perkiraan menentukan kadar agihan zakat kepada fakir dan miskin. Ia diguna pakai pada masa ini dengan penerima-penerima daripada kalangan asnaf fakir dan miskin berserta tanggungannya menerima pemberian selama 12 bulan, 24, 36, ataupun 60 bulan, setahun, dua tahun, tiga tahun dan lima tahun.

MENTERI Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri, Yang Berhormat, Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka
Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Othman

“Berdasarkan dengan perkiraan ini, maka bermakna penerima-penerima itu sudah cukup untuk perbelanjaan asasinya,” jelas Yang Berhormat Pehin lagi.

Yang Berhormat Pehin menjelaskan demikian sebagai menjawab pertanyaan Yang Berhormat Haji Sulaiman bin Haji Ahad, semasa sesi soal jawab persidangan Majlis Mesyuarat Negara hari ini.

Yang Berhormat Haji Sulaiman yang juga Ketua Kampung Belingus, Mukim Bangar, Daerah Temburong, bertanya mengenai perkembangan pengagihan zakat kepada golongan asnaf fakir dan miskin.

Menteri Hal Ehwal Ugama seterusnya menjelaskan bahawa sebahagian mereka yang memerlukan perumahan pun juga telah disewakan rumah yang bayarannya antara $350 hingga $500 sebulan. Hal ini menepati tujuan syarak yang mewajibkan zakat itu dibayar, dikutip, dikumpul dan diagih-agihkan kepada yang berhak supaya mereka yang berhak itu dan kalangan fakir miskin tidak perlu keluar meminta-minta dan mengemis.

Mengenai program-program bantuan kepada golongan miskin, Yang Berhormat Pehin berkata, selama ini memang program-program sedemikian seperti bantuan modal berniaga, bantuan mesin jahit umpamanya untuk mengambil upah menjahit, bantuan peralatan seperti pukat dan perahu bermotor untuk menangkap ikan dan usaha pengangkutan perahu tambang.

Ia bagi memungkinkan para asnaf zakat pada akhirnya tidak lagi bergantung kepada agihan zakat.

Di samping itu ada juga bantuan bayaran yuran sekolah atau bayaran belajar di pusat-pusat pengajian tinggi bagi asnaf yang bukan rakyat iaitu penduduk tetap. Kesemua itu adalah dalam usaha untuk mengupayakan mereka untuk berdikari pada akhirnya.


Sumber - Media Permata

Punca kemiskinan dikenal pasti

Oleh Yusrin Junaidi

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 16 Mac – Satu jawatankuasa kecil yang ditubuhkan di bawah Majlis Kebangsaan Isu-Isu Sosial telah mengenal pasti beberapa punca kemiskinan, antaranya kelulusan pendidikan rendah yang menyebabkan gaji diterima rendah dan jumlah tanggungan ramai yang menyebabkan gaji diterima tidak mencukupi.

Menteri Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan berkata, usaha untuk mengatasi isu-isu ini adalah memang kompleks dan memerlukan strategi yang komprehensif dan meluas, yang menurutnya, Majlis Kebangsaan Isu-Isu Sosial dan jawatankuasa khas mengatasi kemiskinan memahami akan keperluan untuk melaksanakan strategi yang meluas termasuk daripada aspek pendidikan, latihan, kesedaran dan sebagainya.

Oleh itu, ujar Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Mejar Jeneral (B) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, satu pelan tindakan telah diluluskan yang menggariskan beberapa usaha yang perlu dilaksanakan, iaitu pendidikan, kesihatan, pekerjaan, latihan, perumahan, keusahawanan, kewangan dan dasar-dasar perundangan.

Mengulas lanjut mengenai perkara ini pada sesi petang hari kesembilan Mesyuarat Pertama bagi Musim Permesyuaratan ke-12 Majlis Mesyuarat Negara, hari ini, Yang Berhormat Pehin berkata, sebagai misalan, satu langkah yang penting perlu dilaksanakan segera, adalah untuk meningkatkan kepentingan pendidikan dan mendapatkan kelulusan setingginya dan juga kesedaran mengenai isu bijak berbelanja.

Tambahnya lagi, antara perkembangan terkini yang dilaksanakan melalui jawatankuasa khas berkenaan adalah, mengadakan taklimat celik kewangan bagi penerima-penerima bantuan kebajikan bulanan yang mesti dihadiri sebelum menerima bantuan kebajikan bulanan daripada JAPEM.

Taklimat ini adalah dilaksanakan dengan kerjasama Autoriti Monetori Brunei Darussalam, Tabung Amanah Pekerja, Agensi Pekerjaan Tempatan dan Pembangunan Tenaga Kerja, di bawah Kementerian Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri, pusat perbankan dan Kewangan Pengurusan Islam.

Kedua, ujarnya lagi, meneliti semula pelan tindakan membasmi kemiskinan dengan bekerjasama unit penggerak, Jabatan Perdana Menteri. Di samping itu, pelbagai pihak berkenaan seperti Kementerian Pendidikan, Kementerian Kewangan dan agensi-agensi lain yang berkenaan juga sedang giat melaksanakan program-program yang bertujuan mengatasi isu kemiskinan.

Kejayaan program ini, katanya, mencapai matlamat ke arah membasmi kemiskinan akan hanya dilihat dalam jangka masa yang panjang.


Sumber - Media Permata

Mesin padi belum sesuai digunakan

Oleh Normazlina M.D

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 15 Mac – Mesin-mesin penanaman padi telah pun diperkenalkan di ladang-ladang padi di Daerah Temburong sejak tahun 2009.

Bagaimanapun, ujian-ujian kesesuaian yang dilaksanakan mendapati bahawa keseluruhan penanaman padi di Daerah Temburong belum lagi sesuai untuk menggunakan mesin kerana kawasan-kawasan tersebut mempunyai jenis tanah gambut (thick soil) dan ditambah lagi keadaan dan struktur tanah yang belum stabil yang tidak mempunyai sistem perairan dan saluran air yang teratur.

Maka penggunaan mesin adalah terhad, jelas Menteri Sumber-sumber Utama dan Pelancongan, Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Haji Ali bin Haji Apong semasa mengulas persoalan yang disuarakan oleh Yang Berhormat Haji Sulaiman bin Haji Ahad pada permesyuaratan hari kelapan Majlis Mesyuarat Negara, hari ini.

Yang Berhormat Dato Haji Ali menambah, hanya Ladang Padi Selapon, Daerah Temburong yang dapat menggunakan mesin traktor yang telah mula digunakan pada akhir tahun 2015.

“Ini kerana ladang ini mempunyai tanah yang sesuai dengan menggunakan mesin dan ini diikuti dengan mesin penanaman juga sesuai digunakan,” ujarnya.

Manakala itu, mesin-mesin lain seperti mesin pengirik dan mesin pengering padi telah pun diperkenalkan kepada peladang-peladang padi di Daerah Temburong tetapi hanya sebilangan peladang padi sahaja yang mampu memilikinya, yang mana mesin-mesin ini telah disenaraikan dalam Skim Insentif Pertanian dan Agrimakanan, di mana peladang-peladang ini boleh membelinya secara subsidi.

Beliau seterusnya menggalakkan para peladang padi yang berkeinginan memiliki mesin-mesin yang berkesesuaian dengan penanaman padi ini bolehlah membuat permohonan dan berhubung terus ke Unit Perkembangan Pertanian di Daerah Temburong.


Sumber - Media Permata

Housing Focus Group to help tackle lengthy housing application process

Rabiatul Kamit
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

NATIONAL Housing Scheme (RPN) applicants in Brunei-Muara are still facing lengthy delays in receiving a house, prompting the government to form a Housing Focus Group to tackle the problem.

Development Minister Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Hj Bahrin Abdullah told the 12th Legislative Council (LegCo) session yesterday the current waiting period is approximately 12 years for people who applied for state-subsidised housing in the sultanate's most populous district.

He admitted the long wait was a setback for the Ministry of Development (MoD) in its nationwide target to grant applicants housing within a five-year period by 2021.

“The issue we need to take into consideration is the suitability of current methods in terms of implementing RPN, whether we will continue with our present approach and face sustainability issues or reconsider a more sustainable approach,” he said.

YB Dato Hj Bahrin explained the new approach could involve making the eligibility conditions stricter to ensure only deserving applicants receive the coveted housing.

“If we implement (such mea-sure), I think this will be subject to what is later obtained from the (review undertaken by the) Housing Focus Group. I think we may be able to manage the administration of granting land more quickly,” he said.

He said the group was recently set up with the approval of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.

The focus group involves relevant ministries and departments that have the collectively task of addressing the “complex housing issue” and related matters in a holistic and comprehensive manner.

They are also expected to come up with appropriate recommendations, including future house design and construction quality, in a bid to further strengthen and develop RPN.

“The major challenge for RPN is sustainability due to the very high rate of subsidy, the inability of recipients to pay off increasing arrears and limited land resources to continue RPN as low-density (housing),” said the minister.

He also noted there were low-income individuals in need of housing, but they are not eligible under the current scheme.

During the session, several proposals were put forward by LegCo members to review the eligibility criteria to allow the growing number of permanent residents as well as landowners, who lack the resources to build a house, to apply for RPN.

While all landowners including those who inherited land are disqualified from the scheme, it was highlighted some of them were unable to build a house as they are underprivileged.

“On the other hand, there were also those who are high-income earners, and should be able to afford housing in the open market, but (instead) are enjoying the highly-subsidised housing,” remarked YB Dato Hj Bahrin.

He said the Housing Focus Group will examine the issue of inequality within the eligibility criteria and develop satisfactory measures to resolve the problem.

To date, over 24,000 government-subsidised houses have been given to applicants across the country. A total of 27,000 houses have been built with another 2,000 units slated for completion within two years.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Nearly $40 million worth of building taxes still unpaid

Leo Kasim
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

PROPERTY owners owe about $38.7 million worth of building taxes to three municipal departments in the 2015/2016 financial year, the Minister of Home Affairs said yesterday.

At the 12th Legislative Council meeting, YB Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Awg Abu Bakar Hj Apong said as of January 31, only $6.3 million out of the total $45.08 million in arrears have been collected for the outgoing fiscal year.

He said this in his reply to LegCo Member Yang Berhormat Awang Hj Gapor@Hj Mohd Daud Karim’s question on unpaid building taxes. The charges are usually issued in January with the amount depending on factors such as the location of the building.

Building owners in Kuala Belait and Seria owe $2.75 million, while those in Tutong still need to pay $22,408.

The BSB Municipal Department also holds the largest number of accounts at 2,314 while KB/Seria holds 668 accounts and Tutong has 11 accounts.

YB Pehin Dato (Dr) Hj Awg Abu Bakar said there are 253 accounts in the BSB Municipal which make up a total of $5.64 million in unpaid taxes.

“Owners in BSB have agreed to make payments in instalments. Currently, the payments have amounted to $1.22 million which is 18.1 per cent of the total,” he said.

As part of ongoing efforts to reclaim the arrears, the minister said from October 2015 to February 2016, a total of 121 cases of unpaid taxes under the BSB Municipal have been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Chambers to get letters of demand which make a legal claim for payment from building owners.

The minister said the BSB Municipal has managed to collect $8.5 million in taxes since the establishment of a body dedicated to collecting building taxes in October 17, 2015 up to February 29,2016.

He said this is a $3.91 million increase in payments from the previous year.

YB Pehin Dato (Dr) Hj Awg Abu Bakar said the Municipal Department has been able to increase its collection of property taxes in 2015 and the financial year 2015/2016. But he didn’t dislose specific figures.

Acccording to the minister, a reminder is initially issued to property owners who have not yet paid their taxes. This is followed by a final reminder if the amount is still unpaid along with payment notices circulated through mass media. The final course of action is to forward cases to the AGC to issue a letter of demand in order to claim payment.

In a visit to the home affairs ministry last month, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam urged for a more efficient and effective system to resolve overdue building taxes.

At that time, the monarch said the building tax rate should be framed in such a way that would make the municipal area among the main contributors to the country’s economy.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

MoRA, AGC finalising Syariah Courts Criminal Procedure Code

Khai Zem Mat Sani
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE minister of religious affairs said the Syariah Courts Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) has been completed, but final changes are still being made to ensure fair and just enforcement of the Islamic criminal law.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Hj Awg Badaruddin Pengarah Dato Paduka Hj Awg Othman said the ministry and Attorney’s General Chambers are currently “active” in finalising the CPC, which outlines procedures for law enforcers to carry out investigation and prosecution.

“It’s already completed, but there are some chapters that need to be reviewed many times by the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) and the ministry,” the minister said, adding that the ministry is striving to finish the Code before June this year.

“We need to have an in-depth study of the Islamic criminal law and its implementation. The study is not about whether we are enforcing it or not, but on how to make the law as fair as possible and carried out according to Islamic law requirements,” he said.

The minister was speaking to The Brunei Times on the sidelines of the 12th Legislative Council session yesterday.

He went on to say that the government agencies responsible in drafting the CPC have lately held meetings every day.

“InsyaAllah, by the end of this month, the CPC will be in the hands of the Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB) and we will have discussions on the CPC in April or May,” said YB Pehin Dato Ustaz Hj Awg Badaruddin.

He said the CPC will be presen-ted to His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, in June for approval.

The Sultan last month questioned the Ministry of Religious Affairs and AGC over the long wait in completing the CPC.

During the LegCo sitting, the minister said the number of crimes prosecuted under Syariah law has decreased by three per cent with 247 cases reported in the current 2015/2016 fiscal year compared to 255 cases in the previous financial year.

Brunei enforced the first phase of the Syariah Penal Code Order in April 2014, while the second phase will be implemented 12 months after the CPC has been gazetted.

The third and final phase, which includes the death penalty, is set to come into action two years after the Syariah Courts CPC has been gazetted.

The minister said before enforcing the second phase of Syariah law, the country will have law enforcers who are professionally trained to conduct the investigation as well as mete out punishments such as amputation of limbs.

He added that enforcement of the Syariah law will not be under the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ budget. “The budget will be required from time to time from the Ministry of Finance. Of course, budget is important in implementing the law such as training and course.”

YB Pehin Dato Ustaz Hj Awg Badaruddin said the ministry will conduct training courses with countries that have successfully implemented the Syariah law.

“There’s a need to get consultants and so on to get a better understanding and apply them.

“To achieve this, we will send some government officials to learn about the law, we will invite people to Brunei to train the officials on how to conduct the sentence, hold staff exchanges and visits between countries,” he added.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

KENYATAAN RASMI PARTI PEMBANGUNAN BANGSA (NDP)

PENILAIAN KPI PEMBANGUNAN YANG PATUH SYARIAH

SELARAS DENGAN OBJEKTIF NEGARA ZIKIR

• Urustadbir patuh syariah
• Keadilan dan ihsan dalam semua aspek pembangunan: politik, ekonomi dan sosial
• Konsultasi dan perundingan
• Pendekatan Delivery

1. PRESIDEN DAN AHLI-AHLI MAJLIS TERTINGGI (MT) PARTI PEMBANGUNAN BANGSA (NDP) dengan rendah hati sukacita menyembahkan setinggi-tinggi menjunjung kasih dan menjunjung tinggi atas titah yang dikurniakan oleh baginda di Istiadat Pembukaan Rasmi Mesyuarat Pertama dari Musim Permesyuaratan Kedua Belas Majlis Mesyuarat Negara (MMN) pada 5 Mac 2016

2. Ahli-Ahli MT NDP dalam mesyuarat kali ke-3 untuk tahun 2016 pada 12 Mac 2016 yang lalu juga turut merakamkan setinggi harapan agar Ahli-Ahli MMN akan sentiasa akur dengan apa yang tersirat dalam titah baginda yang sewajarnya dijadikan azimat kepada semua yang terlibat dalam memikirkan dan dalam menjalankan amanah memelihara kepentingan agama, bangsa dan negara

3. Seperti yang dititahkan NDP juga turut berharap agar Ahli-Ahli Majlis Mesyuarat terus istiqamah dalam melipatgandakan usaha memeduli permasalahan rakyat dan penduduk negara ini ‘tanpa diskriminasi dan pilih kasih'

4. NDP juga berharap dalam melaksanakan amanah dan tanggungjawab memeduli maslahah negara dan rakyat, Ahli-Ahli MMN akan terus komited menanai keadilan dan ihsan yang merupakan ciri-ciri pemerintahan baginda sultan

5. Seperti yang dihasratkan oleh baginda sultan, tidak kira mereka ini bermastautin di kawasan bandar mahupun di kawasan-kawasan luar bandar, sama ada mereka dari golongan borjuis atau merhaen semua mesti dikelinga atas semangat keadilan dan ihsan yang berlandaskan ketaqwaan kepada Allah SWT dan bukannya atas dasar kepentingan sendiri, sifat pilih kasih dan diskriminasi

6. NDP juga menjunjung titah baginda sultan yang telah mengingatkan supaya apa jua permasalahan perlu ditangani dengan baik dan sempurna dengan jalan berunding. Harapan baginda ialah semoga usaha-usaha sedemikian akan menghasilkan buah yang baik dan ranum untuk semua

7. NDP juga turut meningatkan akan titah yang telah menekankan apa pun saranan-saranan mahupun buah fikiran hendaklah dibuat bukan atas kepentingan diri sendiri atau hanya mendengar dari satu pihak sahaja tanpa membuat kajian mendalam mengenainya

8. Seterusnya Ahli-Ahli MMN juga diharapkan akan terus mengambil perhatian akan nasihat KDYMM tentang perlunya setiap perancangan dan inisiatif mengambil pendekatan delivery atau delivery approach untuk mencapai hasil yang dihasratkan serta perlunya Ahli-Ahli MMN mengambil langkah-langkah mitigasi dan membuat persediaan sewajarnya sebelum didatangi oleh sebarang persoalan

9. NDP berpandangan titah tersebut dapatlah dirumuskan kepada 4 perkara pokok yang perlu diperhatikan dan jadi panduan dalam proses membuat keputusan besar melalui pelantar MMN yang menyangkut kepentingan bangsa dan bangsa, Iaitu:

i. Keadilan dan ihsan dalam memeduli permasalahan rakyat
ii. Segala permasalahan perlu diselesaikan dengan sempurna melalui perundingan
iii. Perlunya pendekatan delivery dalam membuat perancangan
iv. Memberikan perhatian kepada langkah-langkah strategik seperti langkah mitigasi dan persediaan awal sebagai langkah persiapan sebelum didatangi oleh sebarang persoalan

10. Selain itu NDP juga berkongsi pandangan dengan Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Imam Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Hamid bin Bakal yang telah mengarisbawahkan bahawa titah baginda selari dengan rangsangan Al-Quran terutama sekali dalam hal:

i. Dorongan kepada kegiatan perdagangan dan urus niaga

ii. Strategi menangani dan mendepani cabaran-cabaran ekonomi dan suasana kehidupan rakyat

iii. Kemestian bermesyuarat dan perundingan dalam proses membuat keputusan yang menyangkut kepentingan rakyat

iv. Urustadbir (governance) mengikut pentunjuk Allah dan perancangan yang patuh syariah

v. Kebijaksanaan dalam menilai keutamaan khususnya dalam menentukan peruntukkan jumlah bajet atau pengurangannya yang seharusnya turut mengambil kira kesesuaiannya selain mengambil kira keutamaan dan kepentingan jumlah bajet tersebut diperuntukkan atau dikurangkan

11. Seperti yang ditekankan oleh YB Pehin Datu Imam bahawa dalam Islam, tiada garis pemisah antara spiritual dan material, kerana apa sahaja yang dilakukan sebagai patuh kepada perintah Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala merupakan amal yang menjadi ibadat

12. Dari pemahaman NDP dalam konteks pembangunan bangsa dan negara pendekatan Islam yang sebenar-benarnya mestilah diamalkan bukan disempitkan dan dibelakangkan. Ini selaras dengan tuntutan sebagai sebuah ‘Negara Zikir' dan selaras dengan objektif untuk membangun dan memelihara negara sebagai sebuah negara ‘BALDATUN THAYYIBATU WA RABBUN GHAFFUR' dalam maknanya yang luas

13. Untuk itu NDP berharap MMN akan dapat memberikan komitmen yang lebih tinggi kepada pandangan tersebut dengan menginsafi bahawa ibadah itu hanyalah kepada Allah SWT. Ini bermakna dalam membangun bangsa dan negara, semua aspek-aspek yang perlu dibangunkan untuk pembangunan itu perlulah diniatkan untuk beribadah kepada Allah SWT dan untuk itu semua usaha pembagunan perlulah bertepatan dengan syariat Islam

14. NDP menginsafi bahawa dari perspektif barat seperti Teori Marxis contohnya hanyalah tertumpu kepada konsep kebendaan. Seperti juga teori kapitalis yang menafikan peranan agama dalam konsep pembangunan bertentangan dengan teori Pembangunan Islam yang meletakkan manusia di tengah tengah fokus proses pembangunan

15. NDP juga mengambil maklum tentang keberkesanan kaedah Key Performance Indicators atau juga dikenali dengan singkatan KPI dalam membantu organisasi menentukan dan mengukur kemajuan dalam mencapai tujuan sesebuah organisasi dan memahami bahawa KPI adalah bahan pengukuran kuantitatif yang mencerminkan faktor-faktor penentu keberhasilan sesebuah organisasi itu

16. Apa yang merisaukan kaedah KPI konvensional ini mungkin hanya dapat mengukur pencapain prestasi dari aspek kepentingan pencapaian fisikal, teknikal dan material serta untung rugi sesuatu perancangan atau program pembangunan

17. Sehubungan dengan itu NDP menyarankan agar MMN dapat memikirkan dan mengusahakan cara bagaaimana kaedah KPI konvensional yang lazim digunapakai sebagai kayu ukur pencapaian sesuatu perancangan dan program pembangunan dapat diselaraskan dengan penialaian prestasi yang mengunakan piwaian Al-Quran dan Sunnah

18. Dalam kata lain langkah penyelarasan KPI konvensional dengan kaedah KPI yang patuh syariah ini akan memudahkan penilaiaan sejauh mana keperluan Maqasid Syariah dapat dipenuhi. Semua sedia maklum Maqasid Syariah mengandungi lima komponen seperti berikut dapat dipenuhi:

i. Memelihara Agama

ii. Memelihara Nyawa

iii. Memelihara Akal

iv. Memelihara Keturunan dan

v. Memelihara Harta

19. NDP juga meinginsafi bahawa dalam pembangunan yang berasaskan Maqasid Syariah kepentingan awam merupakan agenda nasional dari itu tidak wujud perbezaan antara kepentingan negara, kepentingan kerajaan dan kepentingan rakyat

20. NDP juga meningati bahawa pembangunan yang berasaskan syariat Islam menganjurkan konsep bekerja dan mencari kekayaan semuanya merupakan ibadah serta sebarang keputusan yang akan diambil mestilah patuh kepada konsep ‘tidak merbahaya dan tidak membahayakan (memudaratkan) (La Dharar Wa La Dhirar)

21. NDP yakin melalui langkah ini hasrat untuk menjadikan Brunei sebagai Negara Zikir dan negara yang maju serta ‘Thayibatun Wa Rabbun Ghaffur' akan tercapai apabila penialain prestasi dapat di sukat mengikut kayu ukur yang berasaskan syariah Islam untuk mengetahui sama ada semua aspek pembangunan telah dapat mencapai tuntutan Maqasid Syariah

22. InsyaAllah dengan langkah ini NDP yakin motto negara “BERKHIDMAT MENGIKUT PETUNJUK” tidak tinggal motto yang mati di panji panji negara dan semangat bernegara dan berbangsa atas konsep ‘Negara Zikir' tidak tinggal sebagai satu retorik sahaja

23. NDP juga yakin melalui kaedah ini Negara Brunei tidak akan mudah tersasar dari landasan yang betul dan akan dapat membangun dan maju serta menjadi role model sebagai sebuah negara Islam yang berjaya membangun atas landasan Islam yang merupakan ugama yang syumul dan cara hidup yang memberikan jaminan kearah keamanan, kestabilan, kejayaan dan kecemerlangan. InsyaAllah

Sumber - Laman Aspirasi

‘15 per cent of Temburong residents receive monetary assistance’

Khai Zem Mat Sani 
TEMBURONG 

ABOUT 15 per cent of the Temburong population is currently receiving monetary assistance from the government said the penghulu for mukim Bangar yesterday.

Hj Abdul Rahman Merusin told The Brunei Times that nearly 1,500 out of 10,000 people in the district are underprivileged people who are in need of help.

“The percentage is based on the ratio of people who receive assistance in every village in the district. This is also based on reports shared by village heads and penghulus,” he said.

“More than 20 single mothers and 60 senior citizens receive old age pension allowance in Mukim Bangar. Some of the single mothers and senior citizen are also receiving other monetary assistance from the Department of Community Development (JAPEM) or the Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB).”

Hj Abdul Rahman noted that Mukim Bangar comprises four villages, Kg Menengah, Kg Belingus, Kg Batang Tuau and Kg Puni dan Hujung Jalan.

“For single mothers, even though they receive monthly monetary assistance, some claim the assistance is not enough as their children and grandchildren are dependant on them,” said the penghulu.

He also said about the application process for the monetary assistance from the authority.

“Families in Temburong who are struggling financially should come forward and discuss their problems with their village heads so that they can help them,” said the penghulu.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Brunei, US eye defence partnership

Rabiatul Kamit
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

BRUNEI and the United States are eyeing a state partnership programme (SPP) that would link the sultanate’s military with the American National Guard in a move to boost security cooperation.

Major General Mark Dillon, commander of the US Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), said Brunei expressed interest in joining the programme as both sides seek closer engagement towards addressing security challenges in line with Washington’s rebalance in Asia.

“We’re working on trying to facilitate that as partnerships are vitally important to us,” he said in a recent briefing at the PACAF Headquarters in Pearl Harbour, Hawaii.

It is unclear how soon Brunei will be involved in the SPP, but the commander said ASEAN member states Malaysia and Laos were also keen to participate.

Over 70 partnerships have been developed worldwide including Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

“PACAF are very interested in bolstering our defence ties with the militaries of ASEAN nations. We would like to see our relationship with ASEAN continue to grow,” said Major Dillon.

Highlighting ASEAN’s strategic importance to American and PACAF interests, he said the 10-nation bloc is central to US foreign policy as member states play a critical role in establishing a rules-based order in the region.

The commander pointed out the SPP, managed by the National Guard, is one of the US Department of Defense’s initiatives to strengthen joint security cooperation globally.

On its website, the National Guard said the SPP “builds enduring personal and institutional relationships through consistent engagement, offering an expandable engagement approach including senior leader visits and co-deployments”.

Under the programme, guard members work with partner militaries to strengthen shared defences through capacity building activities. Typical SPP activities range from disaster preparedness and crisis management to aviation logistics, maintenance and safety as well as defence reform and military modernisation.

Dillon estimated that PACAF takes part in about 200 partner engagements annually. “Those range from small subject matter (and) expert exchanges involving a handful of airmen up to large-scale exercises of between 10,000 to 20,000 airmen from different countries.”


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Rising income inequality in Asia worrying: IMF chief

Sohel Parvez
New Delhi

ASIA’s economy has grown by about 6.0 per cent a year over the last 25 years but the rising income inequality has raised concerns about inclusive growth.

To distribute the dividends of increased prosperity, experts at a high-level conference in New Delhi on Saturday emphasised efforts to ensure access for the poor to education, health and finance.

“Asia has done a lot, and yet, there is still a lot to do,” said Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, at the launch of a three-day conference: “Advancing Asia: Investing for the Future”.

The IMF and the Indian government hosted the conference at Taj Palace in the Indian capital, attended by senior officials, corporate executives, academics and civil society representatives from more than 30 Asian countries.

Narendra Modi, prime minister of India, delivered the keynote speech in the opening session, where an initiative to establish the South Asia Regional Training and Technical Assistance Centre or SARTTAC was unveiled.

India along with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the IMF have agreed to set up the centre, which will help enhance skills and the capacity of public sector officials.

In her speech, Lagarde lauded Asia’s economic progress and advancement in various areas including poverty reduction and improvement in the living standards.

Asia is the world’s most dynamic region and today accounts for 40 per cent of the global economy, she said.

Over the next four years, even with slightly declining momentum, it stands to deliver nearly two-thirds of global growth.

Despite the progress, income inequality has crept up in 15 of the 22 Asian economies, Lagarde said, referring to a recent IMF working paper.

Asia remains home to two-thirds of the world’s poor, many of whom live in India. In most of the region, women and youth are still greatly underrepresented in the labour market.

However, these concerns can be opportunities, Lagarde said.

“What if income inequality could be reversed, poverty further reduced, and women and young people economically empowered? What if growth could be made more inclusive and sustainable? What if Asia’s 4.4 billion people could each realise their full potential?”

“We can imagine the possibilities. The question is how to realise them,” she said, while suggesting for broadening access to services like health and finance, and targeting social spending on the neediest.

Lagarde also stressed empowering women by enhancing girls’ access to high-quality education and dismantling legal and logistical barriers to economic participation.

With more than 800 million people in Asia lacking access to water, sanitation and electricity, inclusive growth means more investment in infrastructure – and making that investment more efficient. The IMF MD also suggested greater trade integration for more sustained growth, especially for India and other countries in South Asia.

“Multilateral trade liberalisation has the potential to be globally welfare-enhancing. If, however, progress at that level remains slow, comprehensive regional trade agreements can help to lower tariff and non-tariff barriers and incorporate new areas like services.”

Lagarde also called for policymakers of the region to respond to the challenges the global economy faces.

She recommended supportive monetary policy and growth-friendly fiscal measures to safeguard financial stability, and above all, structural reforms to boost competitiveness, growth and jobs.

Successfully dealing with these kinds of structural issues will not only support Asia’s near- and medium-term prospects but also secure the foundations on which to unlock the region's exciting future potential, Lagarde added.

In his speech, Indian Premier Modi said his dream is of a Transformed India.

“I lay this dream alongside our common dream of an Advanced Asia – an Asia where more than half of the global population can live with happiness and fulfilment.”

“Our joint heritage and mutual respect, our common goals and similar policies, can and must create sustainable growth and shared prosperity.”

He said many knowledgeable people have said the 21st century is, and will be, the Asian century.

Asia, where three out of every five people in the world live, is distinct in many ways, according to the Indian prime minister.

“Asian families tend naturally to save more than people in other parts of the world. Thus, they invest for the future,” he said, while referring to the theme of the conference.

Social stability built on strong family values is another feature of Asia’s development.

Asians tend to leave things behind for the next generation, he said, adding that economists have commended on the saving ethic of Asian countries.

For instance, Asians tend to save to buy a house, rather than borrow to buy a house, he said.

Modi also touched upon the issue of reform of global institutions.

Reforms of global institutions have to be an ongoing process and must reflect the changes in the global economy and the rising share of emerging economies.

“Even now, the IMF quotas do not reflect the global economic realities. Change in quotas is not an issue of increasing the power of certain countries. It is an issue of fairness and legitimacy. The belief that quotas can be changed, is essential for the fairness of the system.”

For poor nations to respect the legitimacy of such institutions, they must be able to aspire and to hope, he said, adding that he was happy that the IMF has decided to finalise the next round of quota changes by October 2017.

At another session, Melinda Gates of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation said empowering women is the smart thing to do.

She also advised on investing in the health sector as one dollar of investment in health gives returns of US$9.

Establishment of SARTTAC

The centre, which will be based in the Indian capital, will provide training to government and public sector employees.

It will enhance their skills and improve the quality of their policy inputs. It will also provide technical assistance to governments and public institutions,” said Modi.

“This will be the first centre that fully integrates training and technical assistance and is a model for our future capacity development work,” Lagarde said.

It is expected to become the focal point for planning, coordinating and implementing the IMF’s capacity development activities in the region on a wide range of areas, including macroeconomic and fiscal management, monetary operations, financial sector regulation and supervision and macroeconomic statistics.

The centre will also help address the existing training needs and respond to the demands for IMF training in India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

“It is the beginning of a good initiative. We will be the beneficiaries of the centre,” said Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman, who was present at the programme.

The centre will offer courses and seminars for policymakers and other government agencies from the six countries, according to the IMF.

It will build upon the IMF’s experience with capacity development by drawing on the experiences of the IMF’s Regional Technical Assistance Centres and Regional Training Centres, which have a proven track record of delivering technical assistance on economic institution building.

Funding will come from contributions by regional member countries and development partners.

The Australian Agency for International Development, the Republic of Korea and India pledged financial support for the centre, it added.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

$564 juta untuk pertahanan

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 9 Mac – Belanjawan Kementerian Pertahanan bagi tahun kewangan 2016-2017 berjumlah $564,650,540 dengan tumpuan memastikan kedaulatan dan keselamatan yang dinikmati selama ini akan kekal terjamin melalui pengurusan pertahanan yang dinamik dengan mengambil kira pelbagai elemen dan langkah-langkah utama seperti perkembangan sains dan teknologi, mengurangkan dokumentasi, perkongsian sumber yang ada, mencekapkan proses Kementerian Pertahanan dan Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei serta mengukuhkan keupayaan pertahanan selari dengan perkembangan semasa.

Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan Menteri Kewangan II, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim ketika membentangkan mukadimah Kementerian Pertahanan pada sesi petang Mesyuarat Pertama bagi Musim Permesyuaratan ke-12 Majlis Mesyuarat Negara yang berlangsung hari ini menjelaskan, tumpuan kedua ialah meningkatkan keupayaan ketenteraan yang meliputi alat kelengkapan ketenteraan, mobiliti dan pengangkutan, institusi-institusi latihan yang masih diteruskan dan diambil perhatian bagi memastikan di tahap yang tinggi.

Menurut beliau, Kementerian Pertahanan juga akan mengambil peranan penting ke arah usaha mencapai Wawasan Negara 2035 iaitu membentuk satu strategi keselamatan yang robust untuk memelihara kestabilan dan kedaulatan negara.

Secara ringkas, katanya peruntukan Kementerian Pertahanan bagi gaji kakitangan ialah sebanyak $330,626,780 iaitu penurunan sebanyak 1.6 peratus berbanding tahun kewangan lalu.

Perbelanjaan berulang-ulang diperuntukkan sebanyak $139,433,520 iaitu penurunan sebanyak 17.7 peratus manakala perbelanjaan khas disediakan sebanyak $94,590,240 bagi membiayai 12 projek baru berjumlah $24,208,000 dan 19 projek pengambilan semula berjumlah $70,382,240 yang termasuk peruntukan bagi projek peningkatan keupayaan Kementerian Pertahanan yang sebelum ini diletakkan di bawah Kementerian Kewangan.

Yang Berhormat Pehin menambah kata, fokus Kementerian Pertahanan seterusnya ialah Dokumen Kertas Putih Pertahanan 2011 dan Perancangan Strategik Pertahanan 2012 serta Hala Tuju Dasar yang digariskan bagi strategik keselamatan negara terus menjadi panduan dalam perancangan perkembangan Kementerian Pertahanan dan (ABDB) bagi melaksanakan dengan berkesan misi pertahanan, iaitu bagi mempertahankan kedaulatan, keutuhan wilayah dan mendukung perlembagaan dan Falsafah Melayu Islam Beraja.

“Fokus keempat ialah langkah-langkah diplomasi pertahanan telah meningkatkan sumbangan negara dalam keselamatan serantau dan dunia seterusnya mewujudkan persekitaran keselamatan yang kondusif bagi memastikan keamanan akan terus terjamin,” kata beliau.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Haji Abdul Rahman berkata, ini termasuk penglibatan negara secara aktif dalam inisiatif-inisiatif membina keyakinan, kerjasama pertahanan serta misi-misi pengaman dan bantuan kemanusiaan yang dipikul oleh negara ini.

Pembinaan kapasiti dan pembangunan keupayaan akan dijuruskan kepada pelaksanaan berkesan empat keutamaan operasional bagi misi pertahanan iaitu meningkatkan diplomasi pertahanan, memastikan tahap kesediaan dan siap siaga yang tinggi, mengukuhkan hubungan dengan agensi keselamatan tempatan dan meningkatkan perlindungan kepentingan-kepentingan dalam lingkungan wilayah negara.


Sumber - Media Permata

Lebih 10,000 masih menganggur

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 9 Mac – Sehingga bulan Januari 2016, bilangan pencari kerja dalam kalangan penduduk tempatan (rakyat dan penduduk tetap) berumur 18 hingga 59 tahun, ialah seramai 10,714 orang.

Jabatan Perancangan dan Kemajuan Ekonomi (JPKE) dalam satu kenyataan di sini hari ini berkata, petunjuk pasaran tenaga kerja bagi Januari 2016 mendapati bilangan pencarum baru yang berdaftar di Tabung Amanah Pekerja (TAP) ialah seramai 558 orang, terdiri daripada 108 orang yang bekerja di sektor kerajaan dan 450 orang di sektor swasta.

Secara keseluruhan, jumlah pencarum yang baru berdaftar di TAP dari bulan Januari 2015 hingga Januari 2016 ialah seramai 7,358 orang.

Seramai 414 orang baru mendaftar sebagai pencari kerja di Agensi Pekerjaan Tempatan dan Pembangunan Tenaga Kerja (APTK), Kementerian Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri.

Menurut JPKE, Pihak kerajaan telah melaksanakan beberapa inisiatif bagi meningkatkan penyertaan anak-anak tempatan dalam pasaran kerja di negara ini khususnya di sektor swasta, melalui dua pendekatan.

Pendekatan tersebut ialah meningkatkan tahap pengetahuan dan kemahiran anak tempatan lepasan peringkat ‘O’ dan ‘A’ dengan memberikan biasiswa atau latihan seperti Skim Biasiswa Khas, Skim Biasiswa Pendidikan Teknikal dan Vokasional di Institusi Pengajian Swasta Dalam Negeri (BPTV), Skim Biasiswa Pendidikan Teknikal dan Vokasional bagi Program Energy Industry Competency Framework (BPTV-EICF),dan Skim Latihan dan Pekerjaan (SLP).

Serta memberikan lebih banyak peluang-peluang pekerjaan kepada anak tempatan melalui pengurangan kuota pengambilan pekerja asing yang berkemahiran rendah

Sebarang pertanyaan mengenai Perangkaan Pencari Kerja Tempatan ini bolehlah menghubungi talian 2230250 atau 2233344 atau melayari laman web www.depd.gov.bn.


Sumber - Media Permata

Bajet $5.6B

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 8 Mac – Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (JPM) dan Menteri Kewangan II, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim, hari ini, telah membentangkan cadangan Belanjawan Negara bagi Tahun Kewangan 2016/2017 berjumlah $5,600,000,000 atau $5.6 bilion bagi mendukung empat fokus utama iaitu memudah cara perniagaan, meningkatkan produktiviti negara, membina kapasiti dan modul insan, serta memelihara kesejahteraan awam.

Anggaran ini mengambil kira akan keupayaan kewangan kerajaan berdasarkan unjuran hasil pendapatan kerajaan bagi tahun kewangan berkenaan, dan keperluan bagi kerajaan untuk membiayai keperluan-keperluan perbelanjaan operasi, serta mendukung pelaksanaan projek-projek yang selaras dengan fokus perbelanjaan yang ditetapkan.

Yang Berhormat Pehin berkata, pada hakikatnya, jumlah perbelanjaan yang dicadangkan ini adalah lebih tinggi berbanding Anggaran Hasil Kerajaan bagi Tahun Kewangan 2016/2017 yang berjumlah $1,764,930,000 berdasarkan prospek ekonomi global dan negara, terutamanya pasaran minyak global yang tidak menentu pada masa ini.

Ini bermakna kedudukan fiskal kerajaan dijangka akan terus mengalami defisit belanjawan, oleh yang demikian, setiap kementerian dan agensi kerajaan diperingatkan untuk memberikan kerjasama penuh dan menyejajarkan usaha pada mengawal perbelanjaan kerajaan berasaskan keutamaan atau priority spending.

Langkah ini, jelas beliau, juga bertujuan untuk membantu pihak kerajaan mengawal keperluan pengeluaran dari dana-dana rizab yang diwujudkan agar ia berdaya tahan dalam mendokong pembangunan negara ini.

Menyebut mengenai perbelanjaan kerajaan, kira-kira 70 peratus daripadanya merupakan perbelanjaan yang tidak fleksibel. Sebagai contoh, peruntukan yang diperlukan bagi membiayai Gaji Kakitangan Perkhidmatan Awam telahpun mencapai kira-kira 30 peratus daripada keseluruhan peruntukan.

Dengan hasil pendapatan kerajaan yang jauh menurun, keupayaan kerajaan untuk membiayai perbelanjaan lain sudah setentunya akan terhad, ini bermakna ruang fiskal (fiscal space) untuk melaksanakan Perbelanjaan Kapital dan Kemajuan yang diperlukan bagi projek-projek pembangunan juga akan terbatas, kerana sejumlah besar perbelanjaan tersebut telah diperuntukkan bagi menampung tanggungan-tanggungan operasi yang tidak fleksibel ini.

Oleh itu, tekan beliau, kerajaan perlu tegas dalam mengawal tahap perbelanjaannya bagi maksud mengurangkan pembaziran sumber kewangan dan tenaga.

Ini antara lainnya termasuklah dengan menjimatkan penggunaan tenaga elektrik di bangunan-bangunan kerajaan dan awam termasuk ‘street lighting’ dengan sasaran penjimatan sehingga 30 peratus; mengurangkan perbelanjaan-perbelanjaan operasi dan pemeliharaan aset yang kurang berkeutamaan; meneliti perkhidmatan yang boleh ‘dioutsource’ kepada pihak swasta sebagai langkah menggalakkan Public-Private Partnership dan lain-lain.

Begitu juga agensi-agensi kerajaan juga diarah untuk mengukuhkan pengurusan kutipan hasil masing-masing terutama bagi tunggakan perkhidmatan kerajaan daripada sektor swasta dan orang ramai yang mana pada masa ini adalah berjumlah kira-kira $390 juta.

Berkaitan penggunaan tenaga elektrik, beliau menyeru orang ramai dan pihak swasta di negara ini agar sama-sama turut mengambil langkah-langkah penjimatan dalam penggunaan tenaga elektrik bagi membantu mengurangkan beban subsidi yang perlu ditanggung oleh kerajaan.

Di samping keperluan berhemah dan berjimat cermat, ujar Yang Berhormat Pehin lagi. pihak kerajaan juga perlu untuk melaksanakan perubahan cara berbelanja dan dalam membuat perancangan perbelanjaan.

Menurutnya, langkah ini adalah perlu untuk memastikan dalam jangka masa sederhana dan panjang, kerajaan akan mempunyai struktur sumber kewangan yang berdaya tahan dan mengawal sebarang bentuk pembaziran.

Bagi mencapai hasrat kerajaan telah melaksanakan reformasi dalam kaedah penyediaan belanjawan, yang mana mulai Tahun Kewangan 2016/2017 ini, penyediaan belanjawan kerajaan telah dibuat berasaskan kepada ‘Programme and Performance Budgeting‘ (PPB) bagi menggantikan kaedah ‘input based budgeting’ yang telah sekian lama diguna pakai.

Beliau menjelaskan, langkah melaksanakan reformasi ini tepat pada masanya, yang mana melalui kaedah ini, fokus perbelanjaan kementerian dan jabatan akan dipertimbangkan berdasarkan ‘outcome’ berpandukan kepada program atau core functions kementerian dan jabatan masing-masing.

Menyentuh mengenai tema belanjawan, Yang Berhormat Pehin berkata, bagi tahun kewangan ini dirancang berdasarkan tema ‘Mengukuhkan Iklim Perekonomian bagi Mendokong Pembangunan Berterusan’ dengan matlamat untuk mencapai Kemapanan Fiskal dan mendukung dasar mempelbagaikan sumber ekonomi negara.

Yang Berhormat Pehin berkata, tema ini memberikan mesej yang cukup jelas akan penekanan kerajaan kepada memudah cara aktiviti perniagaan dan pelaburan negara, dengan didokong oleh modal insan yang berpengetahuan dan berkemahiran tinggi; peningkatan produktiviti negara; dan kesejahteraan awam.

Kesemua ini, tambahnya lagi, merupakan faktor-faktor penting dalam menyumbang dan mendokong pembangunan negara secara berterusan.

“Seyogia, semua kementerian dan agensi kerajaan akan memberikan penekanan dan tumpuan perbelanjaan kepada menyediakan prasarana perniagaan dan pelaburan yang lebih kondusif; memudah cara aktiviti perniagaan; meningkatkan produktiviti sektor awam; dan sebagainya.”


Sumber - Media Permata

KDYMM: Beri perhatian bagaimana memperkasa ekonomi

Titah Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan Dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam sempena Majlis Pembukaan Rasmi Mesyuarat Pertama dari Musim Permesyuaratan ke-dua belas Majlis Mesyuarat Negara 2016

Assalamu'alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil'alameen, Wabihee Nasta'eenu 'Alaa Umuriddunyaa Waddeen, Wassalaatu Wassalaamu 'Alaa Asyrafil Mursaleen, Sayyidina Muhammadin, Wa'alaa Aalihee Wasahbihee Ajma'een, Waba'du

BETA bersyukur ke hadrat Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala kerana dengan izin-Nya jua, dapatlah kita berkumpul sekali lagi di Istiadat Pembukaan Rasmi bagi Mesyuarat Pertama dari Musim Permesyuaratan Ke-12 Majlis Mesyuarat Negara (MMN) 2016 pada hari ini.

Beta gembira mengikuti perkembangan persidangan sejauh ini yang telah memainkan peranannya dengan baik. Beta ingin mengulangi lagi betapa pentingnya perbincangan memfokus perkara-perkara strategi yang membawa impak kepada negara. Sesuai dengan namanya Permesyuaratan MMN.

Janganlah semua isu hanya dibincangkan dan dibahas tanpa adanya susulan pelaksanaan. Kita juga perlu melihat apa yang sudah dicapai. Jika belum bermakna kita masih memerlukan tindakan pembaikan. Pendek kata, apa jua perancangan dan inisiatif adalah perlu untuk mengambil pendekatan delivery atau delivery approach untuk mencapai hasil yang dihasratkan.

Untuk itu, sangat perlu bagi ahli-ahli mempunyai pandangan yang jauh dan cepat ke hadapan. Mereka perlu mengambil langkah-langkah mitigasi dan membuat persediaan sewajarnya sebelum didatangi oleh sebarang persoalan.

Beta juga sukacita ingin mendengar saranan-saranan atau buah fikiran Ahli-Ahli Yang Berhormat Yang Dilantik mengenai cara-cara mengurangkan kebergantungan kepada sumber minyak dan gas.

Begitu juga bagaimana negara dapat menjana pendapatan dan kerajaan menjadi rakan kongsi dalam meningkatkan pertumbuhan ekonomi negara dan rakyat.

Saranan-saranan mahupun buah fikiran dan soalan-soalan hendaklah dibuat bukan atas kepentingan diri sendiri atau hanya mendengar dari satu pihak sahaja tanpa membuat kajian mendalam mengenainya.

Jika ini berlaku ia boleh saja menjadi perkara yang kurang signifikan dan tidak strategik untuk dibawa ke dewan ini.

Perhatian perlu diberikan bagaimana memperkasa ekonomi oleh kerajaan sendiri termasuk bagi sektor swasta. Pada setakat ini dasar kerajaan ialah memperkasa sektor swasta. Kerajaan telah mengambil langkah-langkah konkrit untuk membantu memperbaiki persekitaran perniagaan. Ini termasuk infrastruktur, perundangan yang pro-bisnes.

Misalnya pendaftaran syarikat perniagaan sekarang sudah boleh dibuat secara online dalam tempoh hanya satu hari sahaja. Dan sementara lesen perniagaan tidak diperlukan lagi bagi sebahagian jenis perniagaan.

Juga dengan adanya pusat perusahaan kecil dan sederhana adalah diharapkan perusahaanperusahaan tempatan yang berskala kecil dan sederhana akan dapat berkembang maju sehingga ke peringkat antarabangasa.

Sudah tiba masanya kita mengubah strategi perusahaan daripada hanya semata-mata mencapai sara diri atau self-sufficient kepada berasaskan eksport. Kita sudah ada rangkaian-rangkaian pemangkin serantau dan antarabangsa seperti BIMP-EAGA, ASEAN, APEC dan baru-baru ini TPP bagi membantu menjana pertumbuhan ekonomi.

Apa yang tinggal ialah usaha-usaha mantap ke arah kejayaan, kita perlu cekap merebut peluang-peluang yang ada, kerana itu beta menyeru supaya para pengusaha tempatan dapat berdaya saing untuk meraih kejayaan melalui peluang-peluang yang sedia ada, bukan sahaja bagi merebut peluang-peluang yang ada dalam negara malah lebih jauh peluangpeluang serantau dan antarabangsa.

Alhamdulillah Pelaburan Langsung Asing (FDI) telah mula beroperasi di negara ini dan terdapat beberapa lagi pelaburan baharu yang masih dalam penelitian.

Oleh itu, usaha-usaha untuk memudah cara aktiviti perekonomian negara perlulah terus dipertingkat dan diperkemaskan.

Pada hemat beta, kita masih boleh dan mampu untuk melakukan yang terbaik dengan syarat kita tidak mengambil sikap mudah berpuas hati dengan pencapaian-pencapaian yang ada.

Di bidang kewangan sungguhpun negara masih mampu menyediakan sejumlah peruntukan bagi pembangunan negara dan operasi kerajaan, namun kita mesti mengambil sikap berhemah dalam berbelanja dengan cara lebih melihat kepada keperluan dan keutamaan.

Akhir kalam beta menyeru kepada Ahli-Ahli Majlis-Mesyuarat supaya dapat meneruskan serta melipatgandakan usaha masing-masing dalam memeduli permasalahan rakyat dan penduduk negara ini, sama ada mereka yang bermastautin di kawasan bandar mahupun di kawasan-kawasan luar bandar.

Apa jua permasalahan itu perlu ditangani dengan baik dan sempurna dengan jalan berunding. Semoga usaha-usaha yang kita buat akan menghasilkan buah yang baik dan ranum untuk semua.

Sekian, Wabillahit Taufik Walhidayah, Wassalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

LegCo Speaker hints at more budget cuts

Izzati Jalil and Waqiuddin Rajak
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE Legislative Council (LegCo) Speaker expects parliament members to take “bold steps” in government spending amid weak global oil prices and a $2 billion budget deficit.

Speaking to reporters, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Lela Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdul Rahman Dato Setia Hj Mohamed Taib hinted at more budget cuts, saying that the country cannot continue to spend without earning.

Asked whether Brunei can expect budget cuts for the 2016/2017 financial year, the Speaker said, “It is quite obvious isn’t it? You have to spend on what you can earn.  You have to cut your shirt according to the cloth you have.”

“Last year we spent a lot of money on education. This year I don’t really know what the emphasis would be. I would have thought that there will be some bold steps here,” he said on the sidelines of the opening of the 12th LegCo session yesterday.

It was previously projected that the Brunei government would run into a $2.28 billion deficit in the 2015/2016 fiscal year.

The government has already hit over $1.6 billion in deficit as of December 2015, Second Finance Minister Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdul Rahman Hj Ibrahim had said in January this year. The proposed government budget for 2016/2017 financial year is expected to be unveiled early next week. The LegCo Speaker further said national strategies to tackle the current economic problems need to be focused during this year’s proceedings.

Meanwhile, Minister of Communications Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Hj Mustappa Hj Sirat said mobility is important to the economy as it would open up an “economic space” for the people, employment opportunities and marketability of products in the country.

“It is also the source for our economic dynamism, and mobility of the people itself is the basis to Brunei’s economic resilience and competitiveness,” he said in an interview.

He said the Ministry of Communications’ role is to ensure the smooth movement of people, goods and services, which requires improvements in public transportation.

“The same also goes to the fields of information and communications technology (ICT) and the post office, that the communication between people to people could be closer. The main emphasis here would be connectivity, reliability and mobility,” he continued.

The minister also stressed the importance of government policies becoming more “pro-business”, moving from being regulatory to facilitative, to bolster economic growth. “We should also be creative and consider the Brunei market and how it could be expanded from the non-oil and gas sectors,” he added.

Reacting to His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s titah, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports said Brunei must move forward and work together in times of economic slowdown.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Hj Awang Halbi Hj Mohd Yusof said a “team effort” is needed to inject life into Brunei’s economy.

LegCo member Yang Berhormat Hj Mohd Shafiee Ahmad, who is also the village head for Lumut 1, said he agreed with His Majesty’s titah in shouldering responsibilities accordingly. “We feel the pinch as a result of our economy slowdown at the moment,” he said, adding that there is a need to work together to support the government on how to increase the country’s revenues.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

HM calls for empowerment of private sector in titah

Waqiuddin Rajak
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, reiterated his call to bolster the private sector in achieving economic growth.

In his titah at the opening of the 12th Legislative Council (LegCo) session yesterday, the Sultan said LegCo members should direct their attention to strengthening the economy.

“I would like to hear ideas or recommendations from LegCo members on how to reduce overdependence on oil and gas resources.

“How can Brunei generate revenues and how can the government become a partner in boosting economic growth for the benefit of our people,” His Majesty added.

The monarch said opinions, recommendations or any questions raised during the LegCo proceedings should not be out of personal interest or formed after listening to one side only without proper research.

“Should this happen, it would diminish in significance and would no longer be of strategic importance to be brought up to the Legislative Council.

“Issues that were brought up should not just be discussed and debated without taking any follow-up action,” he added.

Speaking on national finances, His Majesty said the country can still afford to fund development programmes and government operations, but the government must prioritise and be prudent in spending.

The Sultan went on to say that it is the government’s policy to strengthen the private sector, where steps have been taken to improve the business environment, including the setting up of a pro-business legal infrastructure.

“For example, registration for businesses can now be done online, taking just a day, while business licences are not needed for certain businesses,” he added.

His Majesty said the setting up of the Small Medium Enterprise (SME) Centre would help companies penetrate into the international market. “It is time for us to change our business strategy, from being self-sufficient to one that is export-oriented,” he said.

“We already have national and internationl networking bodies including BIMP-EAGA, ASEAN, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and recently, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to help generate economic growth, what remains is solid efforts towards success,” he continued.

The Sultan also spoke of the need to seize any available opportunities, urging local entrepreneurs to be competitive not just in the country, but also tap into the international market.

“Alhamdulillah, foreign direct investments (FDIs) are now operational in the country, where potential new investments are still under consideration, indicating the need for the country to revise and improve its facilitation of economic activities,” he said.

“In my opinion, we still can and are able to give our best, on the condition that we are not complacent with our pre-existing achievements,” he added.

The monarch also said LegCo members need to study what has been achieved, and take corrective measures if objectives were not met.

“In short, any planning and initiative done should be done in a ‘delivery’ approach to reach the desired goal.

“For that, it is imperative for members to have foresight and to quickly move forward; they need to take steps and be duly prepared in anticipation of any setbacks,” he added.

His Majesty then urged LegCo members to multiply their efforts in addressing issues facing residents in urban and rural areas.

“Any problems should be handled well through consultation. Hopefully our efforts would bear fruit,” he said.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Brunei’s rice target still a long way off

Waqiuddin Rajak and Wail Wardi Wasil
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

BRUNEI still has a long way to go and many improvements to make before achieving its target of 60 per cent self-sufficiency in rice production, which was supposed to be met last year.

While the Department of Agrifood and Agriculture recorded a 44 per cent rise last year in rice production, better irrigation and more supplies of fertilisers are still needed to improve output.

Soil conditions

Lieutenant Colonel (Rtd) Hj Mohd Sahlan Hj Hidup, chairperson of Koperasi Setia Kawan (KOSEKA), said padi planting itself may face challenges as most of the soil in Brunei is acidic and not very suitable for mass plantation of padi.

In order to resolve this, he said the government or any related bodies may need to distribute a lot of lime-based fertiliser to farmers, which would help reduce the acidity levels of the land, making it suitable for padi plantations.

The process of making the land suitable would be a long one, however, looking at the amount of fertiliser that needs to be applied, said Hj Mohammad Hj Shamsu, a padi entrepreneur who is also a member of the Mukim Padi Planting project in Wasan in Brunei-Muara District.

For land that had never been cultivated with lime-based fertiliser, he said, it may take a long time, looking at how long it took to make Wasan suitable for padi plantation after years of administering fertiliser.

The suitability of the soil at Wasan, he said, contributed to the rise in the country’s rice production for 2015, and the area now only needs a small amount of lime-based fertiliser, but more nutrients need to be added to the fertiliser and other fertilisers need to be used to foster good growth of their padi.

Need for adequate fertilisation

Hj Mohammad said the types of fertiliser needed to enable padi to grow well in Wasan are the NPK 15-15-15 variety, where every 15 per cent of the fertiliser contains a combination of three types of elements - Nitrogen-Phosphate-Potassium - and also the NPK 12-12-17 TE variety.

The first type of fertiliser, he said, is applied to ensure the fertile growth of padi in the plots, and the other fertiliser is to support the padi hormones for better grains when it is time for harvesting.

He said the good growth and production in Brunei has allowed him to increase his yield from 2.5 metric tonnes of padi per plot to three tonnes, but he added that more fertilisers are still needed to further ensure good yields from padi farms in Wasan.

While the government provided subsidies for the fertilisers, Hj Mohammad said padi farmers in Wasan at times face difficulties in obtaining adequate amounts of fertilisers to be administered to their padi plantations.

Lieutenant Colonel (Rtd) Hj Mohd Sahlan of KOSEKA said that for NPK 15-15-15, the full price is $50 per gunny sack, while the NPK 12-12-17 TE is priced at $60.

The government, he said, provides a 50 per cent subsidy on the prices of each.

While the fertilisers may not be enough, Hj Mohammad said some farmers may resort to getting fertilisers by themselves, especially the NPK15-15-15, which they could obtain for $50 by importing it from China.

This, he said, is needed as the fertilisers had proven to allow their padi to flourish, and the NPK 12-12-17 will then be used especially to ensure that the padi would produce better grains when it comes to the harvesting period.

Need for better irrigation

Hj Mohammad and Lieutenant Colonel (Rtd) Hj Mohd Sahlan both highlighted the need for adequate supply of water to replenish the padi farms, ensuring their growth.

In providing the supply, however, Hj Mohammad said the mukims and KOSEKA may have to take turns in opening up their supply channels to allow water to reach the padi due to the limited capacity of the Imang Dam in Mukim Pengkalan Batu.

However, he said if every farmer in Wasan is able to get the water supply and plant at the same time, the rate of padi production may rise sharply, but doing so would depend on the government and how they think would be the best way to address the problem.

Meanwhile, to address the irrigation problems of padi farms, specifically in Brunei-Muara district, a couple of projects were proposed by the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood, including expanding the capacity of the Imang Dam.

The Imang Dam is used to supply water for irrigation to all plantations in Wasan, Bebuloh, Panchor Murai, Batong, Junjongan and Limau Manis farm plantations.

The proposed project would increase the dam’s capacity by 10 per cent from its current capacity of 8 million cubic metres of water to 8.8 million cubic metres.

The project would also entail improvements of the water pump at the dam’s pumping station that supplies to the holding tank.

The holding tank near the dam distributes water for irrigation to all padi plantations in Brunei-Muara district.

The Acting Assistant Director of Agriculture at the DAA, Saidin Namit, said recently that the water pump is the main problem when it comes to the irrigation of the padi plantations. He said it is unable to replenish the water in the holding tank fast enough to maintain a high pressure to ensure that the water supply reaches all padi plantations.

Saidin added that the department has finalised all the paperwork for the proposed project, but its implementation will depend on this year’s budget allocation, which will be addressed at the Legislative Council meeting.

The target of 60 per cent self-sufficiency in rice was first set in 2009 by the then Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources and was supposed to be reached by 2015.

Former Minister of Industry and Primary Resources Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar announced at last year’s Legislative Council meeting that Brunei would not reach the 60 per cent target as planned.

Since the failure to reach the target, there hasn’t been any clear-cut new target set for Brunei in its bid to be self-sufficient in rice, and a report last year had stated that the country was only four per cent self-sufficient.


Sumber - The Brunei Times