Salam Lebaran 1441H / 2020M

KEWUJUDAN PARTI PEMBANGUNAN BANGSA(NDP) DIHASRATKAN UNTUK BERPERANAN SEIRING KEPERLUAN SEBUAH NEGARA MERDEKA

Titah Sempena Sambutan Jubli Emas Kebawah DYMM Menaiki Takhta

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 Di Majlis Istiadat Mengadap Sempena Sambutan Jubli Emas Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam Menaiki Takhta Pada Hari Khamis 14 Muharram 1439 / 5 Oktober 2017 Bertempat Di Istana Nurul Iman

Assalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil ‘Alameen, Wabihiee Nasta’eenu ‘Alaa Umuuriddunya Wadden, Wassalaatu’ Wassalaamu ‘Ala Asyarafil Mursaleen, Sayyidina Muhammaddin, Wa’alaa Aalihee Wasahbihee Ajma’een, Waba’du.

Beta mengucapkan syukur kehadhrat Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala kerana dengan limpah kurnia dan izin-Nya jua, dapatlah kita bersama-sama meraikan Sambutan Jubli Emas Beta menaiki takhta, dalam suasana aman, tenteram dan harmoni.

Hari ini adalah hari paling bersejarah bagi Beta sendiri, dan juga bagi seluruh rakyat dan penduduk di negara ini. Sejarah Beta adalah juga sejarah bangsa dan negara. Kerana siapa Beta selaku raja, tidak boleh putus hubungan dengan bangsa dan negara. Tegasnya, Beta, tetap berkongsi sejarah dengan mereka.

Kerana itulah, perayaan ini menjadi milik bersama di antara Beta selaku raja dan rakyat jelata. Kalau Beta dilihat gembira, maka rakyat juga adalah berhak untuk bergembira. Jika Beta bersyukur, maka rakyat juga patut bersyukur.

Demikian itu hubungan raja dengan rakyat. Tidak ada tembok pemisah di antara mereka. Kewajipan raja berlaku adil kepada rakyat, sementara kewajipan rakyat pula menta’ati raja. Raja berkewajipan untuk mengetahui susah senang rakyat, sementara rakyat pula dituntut untuk bersimpati kepada raja. Inilah namanya kewajipan timbal balik untuk kesejahteraan semua. Raja dan rakyat sama-sama memegang amanah besar ini.

Inilah rukun kehidupan kita di negara ini. Ia telahpun wujud dengan jayanya semenjak dari enam ratus tahun lagi. Marilah kita pelihara ia, dan teruslah memupuknya sehingga zaman berzaman.

Menzahirkan rasa sukacita yang mendalam, Beta dengan tulus ikhlas merakamkan ucapan setinggi-tinggi penghargaan dan terima kasih Beta kepada semua peringkat jawatankuasa yang bertanggungjawab dan bertungkus lumus merancang dan menjayakan sambutan ini.

Penghargaan yang sama juga tidak diabaikan terhadap Kerabat Diraja, Orang-Orang Bergelar, pemimpin-pemimpin masyarakat dan seluruh rakyat, sama ada yang berada di dalam atau di luar negara, di atas sokongan berterusan dan ta’at setia mereka kepada Beta dan Kerajaan. Semoga Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala yang akan memberkati dan melimpahkan rahmat dan hidayat-Nya kepada kita semua. Amin Ya Rabbal ‘Alamin

Sekian, Wabillahit Taufeq Walhidayah, Wassalamu ‘Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

‘CIA document reveals true intention of Malaysia formation’

KOTA KINABALU: A declassified CIA document, entitled “Implications of dispute over Sarawak continental shelf”, has raised questions on the formation of Malaysia and oil and gas reserves belonging to Sabah and Sarawak.

Sarawak activist Zulfaqar Sa’adi told FMT the document had exposed the real story of what happened in 1969 when Sarawak lost its territorial waters and with it, rich natural resources to the federal government.

The five-page document was believed to have been written in the weeks leading up to the day when the Continental Shelf Act 1966 was extended to the Bornean states.

It noted that Kuala Lumpur was seen to be trying to stamp its power in order to exploit resources beyond the three-mile limit.

Zulfaqar pointed out that even though Malaya had achieved independence in 1957, the federal government only found it necessary to enact the Continental Shelf Act in 1966 after the formation of Malaysia and immediately after the secession of Singapore.

“Reading through the CIA document, it makes one wonder whether the Federation of Malaya, acting as the federal government of Malaysia, engineered the political situation from the beginning to ensure it could exploit the rich natural resources of the Bornean territories.”

He also recalled the words of Malaysia’s first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman who openly said he wanted Sabah and Sarawak, and at the time, Brunei, to be in the new country because the territories were resource-rich, having stated earlier “it would be good financially, they have oil”.

Based on his research, Zulfaqar said the Malayan government at the time made use of the British desperation to keep its obligations to the Bornean states and safeguard its interests in Singapore to force a merger that would include all three territories.

“I am not saying it was deliberate, but without Singapore in the picture, Malaya was free to exploit Sabah and Sarawak resources.

“Singapore would have objected vehemently to any attempt by Malaya to extend the Continental Shelf Act to the three territories.

“So after Singapore seceded, the federal government put its plan into action almost immediately.”

Nevertheless, Zulfaqar told FMT that the most poignant aspect of the document was the fact that Sarawak leaders at the time knew that Malaya’s attempt was against the agreement.

The Sarawak government, at the time under a caretaker government after Kuala Lumpur ousted Stephen Kalong Ningkan, stood firm against the attempt to extend the Act to Sabah and Sarawak.

However, Kuala Lumpur told Sarawak that it would be a democratic and wise decision to accept because Sabah had assented to it.

“The federal government also used the same excuse when they approached the Sabah government later, saying that Sabah should accept because Sarawak had already agreed to it,” he said.

The CIA document revealed that using the Malaysia Agreement, acting state attorney-general Jemuri Serjan outlined the rights of Sarawak on territorial waters, which was decreed in 1954 through an Order In Council and further established by the Oil Mining Ordinance 1958.

“He argued that Article 1 of the Malaysia Constitution, which at that time was based on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (amended in 1976), provides the definition of the territory of Sarawak and that includes the continental shelf.

“This is new information because until today we never knew that the Sarawak government was already aware and even employed this entire legal instrument when they dealt with the federal government,” he said.

The document also noted that the Sarawak government could actually stand against Kuala Lumpur on the Continental Shelf Act 1966 and against the exploitation of the “Emergency” power to take over Sarawak’s territorial waters.

Instead, he said the Sarawak government accepted the Kuala Lumpur proposition in return for minor concessions, which a few years later was sealed through the Petroleum Development Act 1976, giving a cash payment, named “5% royalty”, to the state.

“In the end, Kuala Lumpur was able to establish its authority over the exploitation of resources beyond the three-mile limit and shamefully exploited its ‘Emergency’ powers and the weak ‘caretaker’ government of Sarawak to achieve its objective,” he said.

Zulfaqar, however, believed that with new information and declassified documents suddenly surfacing everywhere now, there was renewed enthusiasm to revisit the history of the formation of Malaysia and to make things right again.

“I am hoping that our Sarawak lawyers, who went to London recently, will uncover more information that could give us a clearer picture of the formation of Malaysia and thus help safeguard Sarawak’s rights,” he concluded.


Sumber - Free Malaysia Today

Sambutan Jubli Emas Kebawah DYMM Menaiki Takhta

Titah Kebawah DYMM sempena Hari Keputeraan yang ke 71 Tahun pada 15 Julai 2017

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 Hari Keputeraan yang ke 71 Tahun pada hari Sabtu, 21 Syawal 1438 / 15 Julai 2017.

Assalamu'alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem

Alhamdulillah  Rabbil 'Alameen, Wabihiee Nasta'eenu 'Alaa Umuuriddunya Wadden, Wassalaatu' Wassalaamu 'Ala Asyarafil Mursaleen, Sayyidina Muhammaddin, Wa'alaa Aalihee Wasahbihee Ajma'een, Waba'du.

Alhamdulillah, Beta bersyukur kehadrat Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala kerana dapat pula merayakan hari keputeraan Beta pada tahun ini dalam suasana aman dan sejahtera.

Mula-mula ingin Beta merakamkan ucapan penghargaan dan terima kasih kepada para tetamu khas Beta yang sudi hadir, dan juga kepada semua pihak yang telah menyembahkan perutusan ucap selamat kepada Beta dan keluarga bersempena dengan perayaan ini.

Tiada nikmat yang sangat bernilai yang telah dan sedang dinikmati oleh Brunei Darussalam, melainkan nikmat aman, bersatu padu serta makmur. Oleh itu, semua pihak hendaklah berazam sambil memohon kepada Allah, supaya nikmat ini dikekalkan dan terus subur.

Dalam bidang pertumbuhan ekonomi, Beta gembira menyaksikan pelbagai usaha telah dan sedang dilaksanakan ke arah itu. Dua pendekatan utama sedang di fokus bagi memastikan bahawa pertumbuhan adalah benar-benar berlaku. Pendekatan pertama ialah meningkatkan Pelaburan Langsung Asing (FDI) dan kedua, menyokong serta menggalakkan pengusaha-pengusaha kecil dan sederhana untuk mampu menembusi pasaran-pasaran serantau dan antarabangsa. Dan untuk ini Beta mahu, supaya sektor awam dan swasta sama-sama berganding bahu mempertingkat daya inovasi dan kreativiti masing-masing, sehingga mampu menghasilkan produk atau perkhidmatan berkualiti.

Dalam konteks ini, pihak Berkuasa Maritim dan Pelabuhan adalah diharapkan untuk membentuk persekitaran kondusif bagi kemajuan perkapalan dan logistik sebagai usaha memenuhi keperluan import / export.

Selain itu, satu usahasama atau 'joint-venture' juga sudah dijalin antara Darussalam Assets dengan sebuah syarikat luar negara bagi mengendalikan secara profesional Pelabuhan Muara. Ini juga diyakini dapat menyumbang kepada pertumbuhan ekonomi.

Di akhir-akhir ini kita wajar berbangga, dengan bertambahnya para belia tempatan yang berani muncul menceburi bidang-bidang perniagaan dan perusahaan. Bukan setakat menceburi sahaja, malah berupaya menawarkan produk-produk mereka melalui pelbagai kemudahan atau platform terkini, disamping tidak ketinggalan memanfaatkan kemudahan bangku-bangku jualan yang disediakan oleh Kerajaan.

Ini tidak syak lagi adalah satu perkembangan memberangsangkan.

Perkembangan lain, Kerajaan Beta juga, kini sedang melipatgandakan usaha untuk melengkapkan para belia dengan kemahiran-kemahiran yang bersesuaian. Ini berlaku melalui beberapa program tertentu, disamping, Unit Tenaga Manusia, Jabatan Perdana Menteri dengan kerjasama Kementerian Pendidikan, juga secara khusus, telah mengenalkan kursus berasaskan Rangka Kemahiran Industri atau Industry Competency Framework (ICF).

Bagi maksud ini, Beta telah pun memperkenankan satu inisiatif tambahan, Penubuhan Pusat Pembangunan Kapasiti (PPK), yang akan menawarkan latihan-latihan kepada anak-anak tempatan bagi melayakkan mereka menjawat pelbagai pekerjaan di sektor swasta termasuk syarikat-syarikat Pelaburan Langsung Asing.

Kita adalah menyedari, bahawa pertumbuhan ekonomi atau Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK) masih dalam keadaan 'perlahan'. Oleh itu, sangat penting bagi Kementerian-Kementerian dan Jabatan-Jabatan Kerajaan mensasarkan usaha-usaha mereka ke arah mempercepatkan pertumbuhan keluaran syarikat-syarikat di bawah jagaan masing-masing, sama ada syarikat-syarikat itu milik swasta atau kerajaan, terutamanya syarikat-syarikat dari sektor bukan minyak dan gas.

Peningkatan produktiviti dijangka mampu untuk memperbaiki daya saing keluaran syarikat-syarikat, dan sekali gus membolehkan mereka menembusi pasaran export. Meneroka pasaran export oleh pengusaha-pengusaha tempatan boleh menyumbang kepada pertumbuhan KDNK dan memperbaiki kedudukan fiskal kerajaan.

Satu lagi perkembangan dan pencapaian membanggakan, ialah dalam bidang pengajian tinggi. Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) telah menempah rekod mengekalkan kedudukannya dalam ranking universiti Asian atau 'Asian QS University Rankings'.

Perlu diingat, bidang pengajian juga adalah satu pelaburan sepanjang hayat. Ia juga berstatus lambang dan suluh kehidupan. Sebab itu pendidikan tidak boleh layu atau lemah, tetapi untuk selamanya, ia perlu segar dan cemerlang.

Namun kecemerlangan itu di sini, masih saja tertakluk kepada kemampuan kita mengadakan pendidikan seimbang, ukhrawi dan duniawi. Lebih-lebih lagi sekarang, dunia sudah terbuka luas kepada budaya 'bercampur-campur', budaya baik dan budaya buruk, di mana pendidikan ukhrawi sahaja yang mampu untuk membezakan antara dua budaya ini untuk kita membuat pilihan. Kerana itu pendidikan Islam sangatlah perlu untuk lebih mantap dan menyerlah.

Dalam amalan antarabangsa, kita akan terus memupuk dan mempertingkatkan kerjasama dengan negara-negara sahabat, sama ada melalui hubungan biasa mahupun melalui keahlian kita dalam pertumbuhan-pertumbuhan serantau dan antarabangsa.

Dalam era yang tidak menentu ini, persahabatan antara negara-negara di dunia adalah perlu wujud dan berkekalan. Kerana jika tidak, inilah punca keamanan boleh tergugat, di mana kita selaku negara dan orang Islam, sepatutnya lebih memahami perkara ini, berdasarkan, ugama Islam sendiri telah menganjurkan hidup berbaik-baik dengan siapa saja, dan khusus bagi sesama Islam pula, kita telah pun diajar untuk tidak memutuskan tali silatur rahim.

Akhirnya, Beta dengan tulus ikhlas merakamkan setinggi-tinggi penghargaan dan ucapan terima kasih kepada seluruh lapisan rakyat dan penduduk, warga Perkhidmatan Awam, Pasukan-Pasukan Keselamatan serta mereka yang  berkhidmat di sektor swasta, termasuk mereka yang bertugas di luar negara di atas sumbangan dan sokongan mereka kepada Kerajaan Beta.

Penghargaan yang setinggi-tingginya juga disampaikan kepada seluruh Ahli Jawatankuasa Perayaan di kedua peringkat kebangsaan dan daerah, atas segala khidmat mereka menjayakan Perayaan ini.

Beta berdo'a semoga kita semua serta Negara Brunei Darussalam akan senantiasa kekal aman dan makmur, dikurniakan rahmat dan perlindungan oleh Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala. Amin.

Sekian, Wabillahit Taufeq Walhidayah,  Wassalamu 'Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

The silent claimant in the South China Sea

Brunei is often overlooked in South China Sea dispute. But Brunei has a plan.

by Oliver Ward

As the South China Sea dispute brings Southeast Asia to crisis point, one silent, often overlooked claimant is turning the situation to its advantage. The small nation of Brunei Darussalam is rarely mentioned among the biggest payers of the dispute. But, it holds a valid claim to 200 square nautical miles of the region.

Brunei prefers to whisper while other nations shout

Brunei’s claims originated in 1984, when it established an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEC) of 200 nautical miles over its continental shelf. Parts of the same region are also claimed by Malaysia, China, Taiwan and Vietnam and it includes Bombay Castle, Louisa Reef and Owen Shoal.

In 2003, Brunei protested China’s research in its waters and in 2009, Malaysia and Brunei came to an agreement over the collaboration in the exploration and exploitation for hydrocarbons in the territory. But, while other nations asserted their claims in loud international gestures, Brunei took a much quieter approach.

After this agreement, Brunei has done very little to assert its claim over the territory. They occasionally stop Vietnamese fishing boats in the sea tracts, but, there have been almost no incidents of instability or contestation in the region. Brunei does not even maintain a military presence in the disputed territory.

Why does Brunei occupy the role of a silent claimant?

Brunei does not need to shout and posture up. The reason is mutual dependence. Brunei needs China far too much to risk angering them over territorial claims. Oil resources account for 60% of Brunei’s GDP and 95% of exports. Tumbling oil prices have left Brunei searching to diversify its economy. It needs China to help it do this.

Between 2003 and 2013, exports to China increased from US$34 million to US$1.7 billion. This was due to projects like the Guangxi Beibu Gulf International Port Group Co. helped develop and manage Brunei’s major port and the establishment of the Guangxi-Brunei economic corridor. The economic corridor has led to over US$500 million in joint investment projects between Brunei and China.  The opening of the Chinese market for Brunei allows them to diversify their economy by exporting biotech and halal products to China.

On the other side, China also needs Brunei. The Chinese rely on Brunei’s oil. Chinese firm, Zhejiang Hengyi Group, has plans to construct a refinery in Brunei by 2019. The refinery will have the capacity to produce 148,000 barrels of oil a day when it is fully operational.

The region is more valuable as a method of securing trade and investment

The mutual dependency means Brunei have little need to make noise. Beijing is unlikely to bring a military presence to Brunei’s waters and the territory is far more valuable to Brunei as leverage, to promote investment and trade into the country than as a geographical territory.

China is using a tactic of chequebook diplomacy to avoid another tribunal at all costs. They intend to solve the competing claims in bilateral negotiations, which will mean big investment projects and high-value trade deals. Brunei already has oil reserves of 1.5 billion barrels and an agreement with Malaysia to exploit the 15 trillion cubic feet of natural gas beneath the sea bed. Therefore, the territory in the South China Sea is not as valuable as the deals with China it can secure in exchange for keeping quiet.

As Brunei heads towards its Wawasan Brunei 2035 economy overhaul, it needs investment in areas outside oil. The nation knows screaming its claim from the rooftops will get it nowhere with so many big players in the arena. But, whispering its claim in China’s ear will hopefully reap the rewards.


Sumber - ASEAN Today

Sambutan Ulang Tahun Hari Keputeraan Kebawah DYMM ke-71 Tahun

Brunei needs to fill gaps in cybersecurity defences

Azlan Othman

BRUNEI has gaps in its cybersecurity defences and much work is needed to boost its capacity to deploy proper strategies, capabilities and programmes, according to a report by UN telecommunications agency International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Though the country is making some progress, a lot remains to be accomplished with regard to legal, technical and organisational institutions, educational and research capabilities, and cooperation in information-sharing networks to develop a near-perfect approach to cybersecurity, the report hinted.

“Wealth breeds cybercrime, but it does not automatically generate cybersecurity, so governments need to make sure they are prepared,” it added.

Brunei Darussalam is ranked 53rd globally out of 193 nations in ITU’s latest Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) that measures the commitment of nations to cybersecurity.

The Sultanate is in fifth place in Asean after Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, and 12th in the Asia Pacific in the GCI 2017 released this week.

Brunei is ranked 53rd on the index with a score of 0.524, levelling with Bangladesh, and has been listed in the ‘maturing stage’ category (GCI score between the 50th and 89th percentile), which refers to 77 countries that have developed complex commitments to cybersecurity and engage in cybersecurity programmes and initiatives.

Singapore has topped the GCI 2017, followed by United States and Malaysia. Other countries in the Top 10 include Oman, Estonia, Mauritius, Australia, Georgia, France, and Canada.

The Sultanate scored high in cybercriminal legislation and training, government and national computer emergency response team (CERT), computer incidence response team (CIRT) and computer security incidence response team (CSIRT), child online protection, professional training and courses as well as education programmes, bilateral and multilateral agreements and international cooperation.

It has received an overall medium score in legal, technical and organisational measures, public awareness campaign, capacity building as well as public-private partnerships.

But the country fared lower in cybersecurity legislation, standards for organisation and profession, standardisation bodies, cybersecurity good practice and research and development (R&D) programme. The report suggested that more work needed to be done in these areas.

Twenty one countries are referred to ‘leading stage’ (GCI score in the 90th percentile) that demonstrates high commitment in all five pillars of the ITU Global Cybersecurity Agenda, namely legal, technical, organisational, capacity building and international cooperation.

‘Initiating stage’ refers to the 96 countries (GCI score less than the 50th percentile) that have started to make commitments in cybersecurity.

The GCI-2017, the second in an index series published by ITU, measured the commitment of ITU’s 193 member states to cybersecurity.

The report said about 38 per cent of countries has a published cybersecurity strategy and an additional 12 per cent of governments are in the process of developing one.

The agency said more effort is needed in this critical area, particularly since it conveys that governments consider digital risks high priority.

“Cybersecurity is an ecosystem where laws, organisations, skills, cooperation and technical implementation need to be in harmony to be most effective,” stated the report, adding that cybersecurity is “becoming more and more relevant in the minds of countries’ decision makers”.

The GCI 2017 measured countries’ commitment to cybersecurity and helps them identify areas for improvement. Through the information collected, GCI 2017 aims to illustrate the practices in use so that ITU member states can identify gaps and implement selected activities suitable to their national environment – with the added benefits of helping to harmonise practices and fostering a global culture of cybersecurity.

“At ITU, we are committed to making the Internet more secure, safer and trustworthy, for the benefit of all,” said Houlin Zhao, ITU Secretary-General.

“While the impact generated by cyber-attacks, such as those carried out as recently as June 27, 2017, may not be eliminated completely, prevention and mitigation measures to reduce the risks posed by cyber-related threats can and should always be put in place. The GCI reaffirms ITU’s commitment to build confidence and security in the use of ICTs.”

In addition to showing the overall cybersecurity commitment of ITU’s 193 member states, the index also shows the improvement and strengthening of all GCI indicators, which are defined by the five pillars of the ITU Global Cybersecurity Agenda.


Sumber - Borneo Bulletin

Life after foreign labour: Why Brunei needs to get to work

Brunei’s economic growth has been one of Southeast Asia’s biggest success stories. Skilled foreign labour has driven this boom.

By John Pennington, edited by Francesca Ross

The clock is ticking for Brunei Darussalam. Gas and oil exports will not sustain their wealth forever. The economy has to be pushed to diversify or it will remain in a downward spiral.

Brunei’s GDP growth rate fell by 3.6% as of January 2017 thanks to dips in economic output in all areas. The government needs to focus on recovery but is concerned by the potential of foreign workers to disrupt this and heavily regulates their labour. As much as 40% of the workforce is recruited from overseas. Penalties for foreign workers who outstay their visas or commit crimes are severe.

Foreign workers take on low-skilled, low-paid work in the private sector, including retail and service jobs. Construction is the biggest sector employing migrants. The majority of foreign recruits come from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand. Meanwhile, many Bruneians take on well-paid work in the public sector.

Brunei values its foreign labour force even if it is trying to regulate it

The Brunei administration does seem to understand that foreign workers will be required to keep the country moving. It does not want to force them out entirely or scare them away. Recent developments are helping companies employ people more carefully, but also more efficiently.

The Ministry of Home Affairs announced plans to speed up the processing period for obtaining working credentials. “Under this new policy process, the application will be shortened from 41 working days to nine and it will reduce the processing procedures to seven from the previous 12.” Haji Idris bin Haji Ali, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry, said.

The security deposits that employers must pay to take on foreign workers have been reduced by the authorities. Employers recruiting workers from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam now pay 25% less than they did, from US$ 900 to US$ 700. Companies have extra flexibility when paying.

The country also recognises the importance of commuting workers. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib recently confirmed that the amount of checks commuters from Sabah and Sarawak have to go through on a regular basis was being reviewed.

Diversification of the economy is essential for Brunei’s future

The problem for Brunei is not in the number of foreign workers it employs. This is a symptom. The cause is economic stagnation.

Brunei is the third-largest producer of oil in Southeast Asia and the third-biggest producer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) among ASEAN nations. The country’s economy is not exclusively reliant on gas and oil-related products, but they account for 95% of exports and are vital for growth.

Oil reserves are projected to run out by 2038 and the government has worked hard to diversify the economy. Projects have been put in place to develop opportunities in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and banking, but progress has not been easy.

Brunei’s economy took a hit when global oil prices dropped and production slowed. A shrinking economy replaced a slow-growing one. The government must now get the nation moving in the right direction again. They could do so by freezing public sector wages, cutting fuel subsidies and abandoning some major public projects, said the International Monetary Fund.

The government wants more locals to take on jobs

New reforms to employment rules intended to create local growth mean companies are expected to employ locals wherever possible. Work permits for foreign workers are only issued for short periods of time and must be continually renewed.

The problem, say entrepreneurs, is that Brunei citizens are unwilling to take on low-paid, unskilled work. This is a knock-on effect of companies opting to employ foreign workers.

“We fully support locals but it is difficult to get them to come in.” said one restaurant owner. “Out of 100 local applicants, only a few will take up jobs and in the end, we would be lucky if one or two stay.” he added.

Diversification is essential, but it will take time

Brunei’s geographic and political circumstances mean it cannot diversify its economy like some of its fellow ASEAN nations. Little can be grown in a rainforest and it will never compete with the likes of Malaysia and Thailand as a holiday destination.

Lengthy contracts to supply Asian countries with LNG are helpful and plans to drill for more reserves should be carefully and strategically managed. Diversification in the long term is essential when oil reserves will not last forever.

Wawasan Brunei 2035, the vision for a drastic overhaul of Brunei’s economy and society was supposed to tackle these issues and give young people new skills. Initial education reform targets were hit and the next stage, designed specifically to reduce Brunei’s reliance on foreign workers in the oil industry, is due to finish this year.

Does Brunei have its short-term and long-term goals mixed up?

Growth in Brunei has stagnated and higher levels of local employment would go some way to kickstarting new opportunities. Overseas workers bleed money from the economy by sending their wages back home. If this money could be kept locally then it would foster new business and the wider economy.

The question of why so many foreign workers are needed could be turned on its head: Why are Bruneians not yet ready to take on this work and boost the economy? Does the Wawasan Brunei 2035 need a reboot?

Brunei must ensure they have the right people for the job, regardless of whether they are local or not, while they have the luxury of plentiful oil reserves. Rigidly policing immigration is unlikely to be the right answer in the short term.


Sumber - ASEAN Today