Insolvency law introduced, puts stress on rehabilitation

Koo Jin Shen
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE Ministry of Finance (MoF) has announced that the Insolvency Order 2016, a new legislation covering insolvency in the country, is now in effect.

“The Ministry of Finance is pleased to announce that His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam has consented for the introduction of the Insolvency Order 2016 which is effective on March 1, 2016,” the ministry said yesterday.

The MoF said the Insolvency Order is a new law which incorporates the winding up provisions relating to corporate insolvency under Chapter 39 of the Companies Act.

It also includes new provisions which had been adopted from the United Kingdom and Singapore, according to information posted on the government’s Ease of Doing Business portal www.business.gov.bn.

“It is intended to create a shift in the insolvency culture, with a greater emphasis placed on company rescue and rehabilitation, and protection for all creditors and debtors,” according to the website.

Among the new features of the order are provisions on company voluntary arrangements which allow a company to propose a possible loan restructuring and/or corporate reorganisation to its creditors. To complement this new provision in winding up of a company, a new list of preferential payments will be paid in priority to all unsecured debts.

The new order also includes provisions for the introduction of insolvency practitioners.

The insolvency practitioner acts as a liquidator, provisional liquidator, judicial manager or receiver. He/she can be a nominee or supervisor, where a voluntary arrangement in relation to the company is proposed or approved, according to the new order.

The new order notes that important issues of suitable qualifications, technical knowledge and skills, standards of competence and other related areas are central to the proper functioning of an insolvency regime and the finance minister may designate a recognised professional body to regulate the practice of insolvency practitioners.

More information on the insolvency order can be obtained through www.business.gov.bn or the MoF website www.mof.gov.bn. Printed copies of the Insolvency Order are available for sale at the government’s printing department. It can also be downloaded from www.agc.gov.bn.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Selayun vendors concerned at number of foreign sellers

Vendors at Pasar Tani Selayun, popularly known by locals as Pasar Borong Selayun, have expressed
their dissatisfaction at the number of non-locals who are illegally operating stalls at the market.

Wail Wardi Wasil
BRUNEI-MUARA

LOCAL vendors at the Pasar Tani Selayun have expressed grievances over the rising number of foreigners working as illegal vendors at the marketplace.

Siti Aida Abdullah, a local vegetable vendor, told The Brunei Times that the majority of vendors operating in the market are non-locals.

“Just by observation, (I estimate that) 70 per cent of stall operators in the market are non-locals and that means that only the remaining 30 per cent are locals,” she said.

The 56-year-old added: “These non-locals are not disruptive individuals (but) I feel that they are taking business opportunities away from locals.”

Nur Ni’mah Qistina Abdullah Saban who has been selling vegetables at the market for nine years said all of the non-local vendors are working under different employment passes as most of them are domestic workers and farm care-takers.

According to her, there have been numerous operations conducted by the Labour Department and the Immigration and National Registration Department (JIPK) on a monthly basis.

Under JIPK’s regulations, foreign workers are only allowed to do work that is according to what is written in their employment passes.

“For some reason, the non-local stall operators always seem to know when there will be an operation about to be conducted (so) they hide away during the operation and return once government officials have left the market,” said the 38-year-old.

She added that the non-local vendors tend to return to their stalls and resume their operations even when they have been detained during operations conducted by the government authorities.

Meanwhile another Pasar Tani Selayun vendor, Hilmi Salleh, noted  that foreign workers themselves should not take the overall blame.

She stressed that it is the employer’s responsibility to be well informed and to adhere to the labour laws that exist in the country.

She said that if the employers of the non-local vendors are unwilling to sell their produce at the market, then the least they could do is to hire locals to sell their produce for them, as to avoid breaking labour laws.


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

KDYMM: Buat bersungguh-sungguh

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 28 Feb – Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam bertitah mengingatkan bahawa penggubalan Akta Kanun Hukuman Jenayah Syariah (CPC) bukan perkara yang main-main tetapi harus dibuat semata-mata kerana Allah, bukan untuk glamor.

Penggubalannya juga mesti dibuat dengan bersungguh-sungguh untuk mengelak tanggapan Akta Kanun Hukuman Jenayah Syariah sebagai tidak berharga di mata mekanisma undang-undang yang ada.

Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia bertitah demikian ketika berkenan berangkat ke Mesyuarat Khas Majlis Ugama Islam Brunei (MUIB) di Bangunan Dewan Majlis, Jalan Dewan Majlis, di sini.

Turut mengiringi keberangkatan Baginda ialah Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, Menteri Kanan di Jabatan Perdana Menteri.

Dalam mesyuarat berkenaan, Baginda ingin mengetahui status semasa CPC Syariah, berapa banyak fasa pembangunan yang ada dan berapa banyak yang telah pun dilaksanakan.

Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia ketika berkenan bertitah dalam keberangkatan ke Mesyuarat
Khas Majlis Ugama Islam Brunei (MUIB), di Bangunan Dewan Majlis, Jalan Dewan Majlis.

“Fasa pertama, Akta Kanun Hukuman Jenayah Syariah telah pun dikuatkuasakan pada 1 Mei 2014. Kemudian untuk fasa kedua dapat dilaksanakan, kita mesti pula menunggu 12 bulan lagi dari tarikh CPC atau Perintah Kanun Peraturan Jenayah Syariah diwartakan.

“Sekarang masa sudah pun berlalu dua tahun, namun CPC Syariah belum juga diwartakan. Bahkan setakat itu, drafnya pun belum lagi disemak. Bererti, jika ia siap dan diwartakan pada tahun 2016 ini, maka kita akan menunggu pula setahun lagi, iaitu pada tahun 2017 barulah fasa kedua ini dapat dilaksanakan.

“Sementara bagi fasa ketiga pula akan menunggu lagi sehingga ke tahun 2018. Sudahlah tempoh menunggu bagi setiap masa untuk dapat dilaksanakan terlalu panjang, iaitu selama 12 bulan, ditambah lagi membawa lebih lambat ialah penyemakan draf CPC Syariah tidak dibuat dengan sepatutnya. Jadi sampai bilakah lagi Akta Kanun Hukuman Jenayah Syar’iah itu akan dapat dilaksanakan sepenuhnya,” tegas baginda.

Baginda turut mempersoalkan mengapakah para penyemak draf tidak dapat menyemaknya dengan segera, adakah betul tidak dapat menyemaknya dengan segera atau sengaja tidak mahu menyemaknya.

“Sekali lagi beta bertanya, mana menteri dan mana peguam negara? Tidakkah mereka mahu menyubuk-nyubuk di mana kerja itu dibuat oleh pegawai dan kakitangan mereka,” tegas Baginda.

Baginda bertitah menegaskan bahawa kerja kerana Allah tidak boleh tidak, mestilah dibuat dengan bersungguh-sungguh.

Titah Baginda lagi, pelan strategik Kementerian Hal Ehwal Ugama meliputi objektif misi dan visi kementerian. Semua itu akan memperkasa formaliti dan amalan Islam sebagai satu cara hidup yang lengkap untuk mencapai Negara Zikir; menyokong dan memulihara formaliti Islam serta untuk membangunkan Islam melalui dasar-dasar dan pentadbiran yang berkesan dan dinamik untuk pembangunan dan kemakmuran negara berdasarkan Undang-undang Syariah, perlembagaan negara, undang-undang dan falsafah Melayu Islam Beraja.

“Bercakap tentang undang-undang, di hadapan kita sekarang ialah CPC Syariah,” titah Baginda.

Mesyuarat dimulakan dengan bacaan Surah Al-Fatihah dan doa selamat yang dipimpin oleh Mufti Kerajaan, Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr.) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned diikuti dengan sembah alu-aluan oleh Menteri Hal Ehwal Ugama, Yang Berhormat Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, selaku Yang Di-Pertua MUIB.

Turut hadir ialah Ketua Adat Istiadat Negara, Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz; Yang Di-Pertua Majlis Mesyuarat Negara, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Lela Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Rahman bin Dato Setia Haji Mohamed Taib; dan Timbalan Menteri Hal Ehwal Ugama selaku Timbalan Yang Di-Pertua MUIB, Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud.

Selepas mesyuarat itu, Baginda berkenan berangkat melawat Kementerian Hal Ehwal Ugama, di mana Baginda berkenan melawat Bahagian Kutipan dan Agihan Zakat di bawah Jabatan MUIB, Jabatan Urusan Haji, Dasar, Perancangan dan Bahagian Penyelidikan, Bahagian Kemajuan Syi’ar Islam dan Bahagian Teknologi Maklumat.

Baginda berkenan meneruskan lawatan ke Pusat Dakwah Islamiah di mana Baginda melawat Unit Penerbitan Tafsir Darussalam, Bahagian Pembangunan Dakwah, Bahagian Pembangunan Muallaf dan Dewan Pameran Pusat Dakwah Islamiah.


Sumber - Media Permata



HM questions delay in Syariah law enforcement


Rasidah HAB and Rachel Thien
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, yesterday ordered authorities to explain the two-year delay in the phased enforcement of Syariah Penal Code Order.

The monarch said the Syariah law has remained “stagnant” without any progress after being actively pursued for a brief period following the launch of the Order in 2014.

Delivering his titah during a meeting with the Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB) at the Legislative Council (LegCo) building, His Majesty questioned how many of the Syariah law provisions have been enforced.

“How long has passed since it was launched and gazetted until now? It has already been two years but it is still at the stage where only general offences are dealt with.

“What about the other phases? When will they be implemented? I expect the ministry concerned might respond by saying that the Syariah Penal Code could not be fully enforced at this stage because the CPC (Syariah Courts Criminal Procedure Code) has not been finalised,” the Sultan added.

The CPC outlines the rules for conducting criminal proceedings, from the investigation to prosecution.

His Majesty said authorities might respond by saying they are still waiting for the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) to finalise the vetting of the draft documents.

“My next question is when will the draft law be sent to the AGC? Their response might be that it was already sent in 2014,” His Majesty said.

The Sultan went on to say that if this was the case, it is most regrettable because two years have passed and yet the CPC has not been completed.

“How thick is the draft? The AGC might tell us there are many other legal documents that need to be urgently dealt with too. The vetting of the CPC will only be able to be finalised in June 2016, after it has stalled for two years,” the monarch said.

His Majesty said this is an “unacceptable excuse”.

“It is as if people will be under the impression that the Syariah Penal Code is worthless as a law mechanism. Where is the Minister of Religious Affairs? And where is the Attorney General? Why have they not come forward to remedy this unsatisfactory situation?” the Sultan questioned.

The first phase of the Syariah Penal Code was enforced on May 1, 2014. His Majesty added that before the second phase can be implemented, the country has to wait for another 12 months after the CPC can be gazetted.

“Now two years have gone by, but the CPC is not gazetted yet and the vetting process has not even started. This means that after it is gazetted in 2016, we have to wait another year, until 2017 before the second phase can be implemented.”

He said it will be 2018 by the time the third phase of the Syariah law can be enforced.

“So when will the penal code be ready to be fully implemented? Is it true to say that the officers responsible in vetting the draft legislation could not do so as a matter of urgency? Is it just a matter of vetting or did they intentionally refuse to vet?” His Majesty questioned.

The monarch asked why had the religious affairs minister and attorney general failed to keep tabs on how the work was being done by their officers.

“May I remind all that we did not formulate the law out of whims and fancies but we do it solely for the sake of Allah, not in pursuit of glamour. Working for Allah must be done earnestly,” His Majesty said.

Religious education

His Majesty also raised concerns on the direction and future of Arabic education in the country.

Arabic schools are established to bring forth those who are competent in religious knowledge, with the objective of eventually getting Islamic scholars or ulama. With this in mind, Arabic schools must prioritise religious subjects such as Arabic language, fiqh, tauhid, Quran, hadith and tafsir, he said.

He added that this must be done without ignoring the importance of subjects such as Malay language, English language and Mathematics.

Everything went well since the inception, but Arabic schools introduced the science stream from the 1980s, making it compulsory to take Physics, Biology, Chemistry and Additional Mathematics – subjects that are available in mainstream schools under the Ministry of Education, he said.

This meant that students who took the science subjects are required to reduce the number of religious subjects so that it will not be too burdensome, and thus science subjects came to gain more prominence than religious subjects, he continued.

Science stream classes at Arabic Schools currently only offer classes up to O-levels. After completing their O-levels, the students would have to transfer to mainstream schools if they wish to pursue the sciences.

“At that point, they are no longer considered students of Arabic schools and they completely stop studying religious subjects after their O-levels,” he said.

The monarch said there is a need to review the impact of introducing the sciences in Arabic schools when it was implemented in the 1980s.

“Unfortunately, no such research has been done, we do not know the implications whether good and bad of introducing Science stream classes back in the 1980s,” he said.

The Arabic religious education system is experiencing major changes with the implementation of the National Education System for the 21st Century (SPN21).

Under the education system, Arabic school students will be able to master both religious and Science stream subjects. Year 11 students at Arabic secondary schools will have to sit for two major examinations, including the O-levels for their mainstream subjects and the Brunei Islamic Studies Certificate (SPUB) for their religious curriculum.

In Year Nine, the students will be divided into three streams based on their results: 1) fast track Science stream for students who obtained excellent results; 2) normal track Science stream for students who obtained ‘very good’ results; and 3) Arabic stream for students who obtained ‘good’ results and below.

The Sultan said the grading of the three streams reflects that the Arabic stream is of third class level, not on par with the other two categories.

They are also required to study all subjects for their SPUB and O-level examinations simultaneously, possibly doubling the number of subjects that need to be taken in mainstream schools, he added.

“Wouldn’t such a system make it burdensome for Arabic school students and difficult for teachers to teach and complete the syllabus with that many subjects?”

He added that this can cause students to choose the Science stream over the Arabic stream.

The monarch said it is generally known that religious education subjects are more difficult and taxing compared to the other subjects, a factor that can push students away from Arabic classes in favour of the sciences.

“All these need to be deliberated on as thoroughly as possible to save and popularise religious subjects so that they will be seen as a good choice, more attractive and more appealing than non-religious subjects, not a means to open an opportunity for them to get away or escape from.

“This is a matter of much concern to me – the future direction of Arabic schools. Are their roles fading into irrelevancy or diverting towards another direction. All these call for a thorough reassessment to turn back to its original course. Let it not be changed,” he added.

Islamic propagation

The monarch said da’wah (dissemination of Islamic teachings) in the country is still weak and needs to be strengthened amid uncertain times and social ills affecting the country.

Among the issues raised were the number of propagators at the Islamic Da’wah Centre and whether they were properly trained.

“In addition to having many propagators, we want the da’wah delivered to be effective. Effective da’wah is successful da’wah,” he said.

His Majesty pointed out that one important medium of the da’wah is through the mimbar. The mimbar is a pulpit where the imam delivers the sermon in mosques.

“It is vital to deliver effective messages in the sermons. That is why all aspects must be taken into account, starting from preparation, content, writing, policy guidelines and lastly, the individual who will deliver the sermon,” he said.

His Majesty said it is important to practise discretion in deciding the content of the sermon, adding that the content must be appropriate.

He gave an example of an incident where SEA Games become the topic of a sermon. “The khatib (sermon readers) called upon congregants and Muslims to flock to the stadium to witness the events that would take place. We might say that sports is not something Islamically impermissible, but for a khatib to persuade and herd people to the stadium, in my opinion, is something that needs to be given thorough deliberation.

“Have we exhausted all topics and there is no other more important issue other than the SEA Games? This is what discretion is in the choice of topic along with the need to adhere to policy guidelines on sermons,” he added.

The Sultan said khatibs need guidelines on the correct way of delivering the sermon.

“Some readers are too tense and some were repetitive in their presentation. Is this what is expected of them by the Mosque Affairs Department? Where are the mosque affairs officers? Have they not come across incidents like these,” he asked.

Official visits and functions

His Majesty went on to say that it is not necessary for both the Minister of Religious Affairs and his deputy to make visits together as one should stay at the ministry and attend to pressing matters, such as the need to formulate policies for schools and the Islamic Da’wah Centre.

“The minister and his deputy minister should not simply enjoy making visits upon visits, for instance to schools, mosques and elsewhere. In doing so, both of them pay a visit to the same place and enjoy media coverage,” His Majesty said.

The monarch also said there is no need for all senior government officials to attend official functions that were held either in the day or at night.

“It is alright to make a visit and hold a function, but if the events are becoming too many and frequent, what about office work and worse, if too many attend them – the minister, his deputy minister and a horde of other officers! Is it not more reasonable for one of them to make the visit while the other stays behind?

“Is it not true that there are a lot of more pressing matters that need to be dealt with and given serious thought in the office?

He said other pressing matters include formulating policies for schools, Islamic Da’wah Centre, mosques, zakat (tithes), following up on the development of new converts, maintenance and upkeep of Muslim cemeteries and burial grounds, as well as halal certification.

Following the meeting, His Majesty visited the Ministry of Religious Affairs, which houses several units under the Islamic Religious Council before making a stop at the Islamic Da’wah Centre.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

US gov’t vows to uphold freedom of navigation

CALIFORNIA
Thursday, February 18, 2016 

THE United States will continue to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows in a clear signal to uphold freedom of navigation in the resource-rich South China Sea amid reports of Beijing deploying missiles to one of the disputed islands.

President Barack Obama yesterday said they will support the right of all countries to do the same by helping allies and partners to strengthen their maritime capabilities.

“Freedom of navigation must be upheld and lawful commerce should not be impeded. I reiterated that the US will continue to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows,” he said in a press conference at the Special US-ASEAN Leaders Summit in Sunnylands, Rancho Mirage.

ASEAN nations Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, but Beijing is asserting ownership over a vast majority of the contested area.

Over the two-day summit, Obama said the leaders discussed how disputes between claimants must be resolved peacefully through legal means, such as the upcoming arbitration ruling under the UN Convention of the Law of the Seas which parties are obligated to respect and abide by.

The talks also focused on the need for tangible steps in the South China Sea to lower tensions, including a halt to further reclamation, new construction and militarisation of disputed areas.

“With regard to security, the US and ASEAN are reaffirming our strong commitment to a regional order where international rule and norms – and the rights of all nations, large and small – are upheld,” said Obama.

He told reporters that America’s foreign policy rebalance to the Asia Pacific, including Southeast Asia, will continue to be a priority in his presidency.

“When ASEAN speaks with a clear, unified voice, it can help advance security, opportunity and human dignity not only for the more than 600 million people across ASEAN, but for people across the Asia Pacific and around the world,” said the US president.

A joint statement issued by the leaders at their special summit reaffirmed a firm adherence to a rules-based regional and international order that upholds and protects the rights and privileges of all states.

The leaders also shared commitment to peaceful resolution of disputes, including full respect for legal and diplomatic processes, without resorting to the threat or use of force in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law.

Additionally, they pledged to promote cooperation to address common challenges in the maritime domain.

The statement also included their shared commitment to maintain peace, security and stability in the region, ensuring maritime security and safety, including the rights of freedom of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the sea.

US and ASEAN leaders said they would also protect unimpeded lawful maritime commerce as well as non-militarisation and self-restraint in the conduct of activities.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

US tells TPP members to improve labour standards

Rabiatul Kamit
Sunnylands, USA

THE United States yesterday warned Brunei and other Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) members of failing to implement improved labour and environmental standards as this will lead to restrictions in receiving full benefits of the free trade deal.

Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said countries have to meet the baseline for labour rights and environmental protection to access lifted tariffs and open markets.

“There’s a powerful incentive to countries in the TPP to meet those standards, because if they don’t, they won’t receive all benefits… That is what’s in it for everybody in the TPP that meet their end of the deal,” he told reporters in Sunnylands, Rancho Mirage.

Under the labour chapter of the trade agreement, Brunei must undertake reforms to protect labour rights which include introducing a minimum wage.

The US negotiated a separate side deal with Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam, requiring the three governments to implement specific legislative and regulatory reforms as well as increase enforcement capacity as outlined in their respective consistency plans.

TPP members must also allow mechanisms for the creation of a workers’ union, procedures for collective bargaining and strikes as well as prohibit discrimination.

While the sultanate has yet to enact minimum wage laws, the government enables workers to anonymously report violations of labour laws that include follow-up and documentation procedures, another condition laid out in Brunei’s consistency plan.

Last week, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Dato Paduka Hj Erywan Pehin Dato Pekerma Jaya Hj Mohd Yusof had said Brunei will revise several pieces of legislation, including minimum wage, labour and transparency laws before the sultanate ratifies the TPP.

Rhodes believed the TPP empowers members across the Asia Pacific region to not only improve and enhance trade relations, but also uphold labour and environmental standards.

“Over time, we think that can improve the standards in those countries and the region as whole, because there will be a benefit that comes to countries who are elevating their standards and improving their performances in these areas,” he said.

The core international standards on labour rights, which all TPP members must demonstrate, are in line with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) regulations.

At the plenary session of the Special US-ASEAN Leaders Summit, US President Barack Obama reiterated that Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam have committed to high labour and environmental standards in joining the TPP.

He previously said the TPP will help countries deal with issues involving forced labour, child labour and discrimination against women, by using internationally recognised labour laws.

“We know from our own history that when workers are able to come together and speak with one voice, it helps to boost wages which improves working conditions and raises living standards. This progress ripples out and benefits all workers,” he said last November.

As one of the hallmarks of the TPP, Obama said hundreds of millions of workers will now be covered by higher, enforceable labour standards.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

HM tells MoHA to tackle overdue building taxes

Ak Md Khairuddin Pg Harun and Waqiuddin Rajak
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

HIS MAJESTY Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, yesterday called for a more efficient and effective system to tackle overdue building taxes.

During His Majesty’s titah at the Ministry of Home Affairs Headquarters, the monarch urged the ministry to create an effective management system for the collection of taxes and proper enforcement of the law to address those who fail to pay.

“From my personal observation, many cases of building taxes payable by dignitaries and VIPs are still outstanding but the authorities only managed to issue and collect a significant amount of revenue from ordinary people only,” said His Majesty.

The Sultan noted that shortcomings have been identified hindering authorities over tax collection processes but emphasised that reviews over the building tax rate should be focused on making municipal areas among the main contributors to economic activities in the country.

“Hence, related issues with failure of the tax collectors should be properly addressed by the Ministry of Home Affairs by creating an effective and efficient management system for the collection,” he said.

“Enforcement needs to be tightened and emphasised to the officers responsible.

“These include the controlling officers, and most importantly, there should be a law to prosecute those who fail to (pay the tax),” he added.

His Majesty also urged MoHA to review the proposal by consulting and coordinating with the stakeholders in the government.

These are the Department of Energy and Industries of the Prime Minister Office, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Development.

Chairperson of the Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Board Pg Dato Paduka Hj Abd Rahman Pg Seri Indera Pg Hj Ismail told The Brunei Times that the problems with tax collections were partly due to the vendors asking to pay in installments, with some refusing to pay without valid reasons. “We usually issue charges to them but there are some that still do not pay even after we sent them summons,” he said.

The building tax, he explained, is payment imposed on building owners within Bandar Seri Begawan. The tax is collected to improve services of other departments under the Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Board and also for maintenance of the capital.

The tax, he said, is imposed on property owners annually and charges would usually be issued in January. The tax per building is not fixed, said the chairperson, as it may differ from one building to another, depending on factors such as the location of the building.

"At the moment, we are looking at various ways on how to manage and collect the tax, but certainly we would need cooperation from other parties too,” he added.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Usaha tangani rasuah dipergiat

Oleh Rafidah Jumat & Sim Y.H

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 4 Feb – Jabatan Peguam Negara dengan kerjasama Biro Mencegah Rasuah dan Jabatan Perdana Menteri, dalam menangani rasuah, telah menggubal Perintah Pencegahan Rasuah (Pindaan), 2015 yang berkuat kuasa pada 22 September 2015, dengan tujuan untuk meningkatkan integriti dan kejujuran dalam kalangan pegawai-pegawai awam.

Rasuah boleh berlaku dalam pelbagai bentuk termasuk penyogokan, pemerasan, pengaruh, penipuan dan penggelapan wang, termasuk dalam bentuk penyalahgunaan kuasa.

Bab 12A baru akan menjadikannya suatu kesalahan bagi pegawai awam menggunakan dana awam untuk tujuan peribadi, memberikan layanan keutamaan yang tidak wajar, menyalahgunakan maklumat yang diperoleh semasa menjalankan kewajipannya atau berkelakuan dengan cara yang akan menyebabkan kepentingan peribadinya bercanggahan dengan kewajipan awamnya.

Bab 12B pula memperkenalkan kesalahan salah laku dengan sengaja atau lalai melaksanakan kewajipan yang membawa kepada penyalahgunaan amanah awam terhadap pemegang jawatan.

Peguam Negara, Yang Berhormat Datin Seri Paduka Hajah Hayati binti POKSDSP Haji Mohd Salleh berkata kesalahan-kesalahan di bawah bab itu boleh dilakukan tanpa menerima suapan atau manfaat kewangan.

Menurut beliau, seorang pegawai awam boleh didapati bersalah atas kesalahan itu jika dia terlibat dalam penyalahgunaan kuasa atau budi-bicara, penyalahgunaan tugas rasmi atau kegagalan mengisytiharkan sebarang percanggahan kepentingan.

Yang Berhormat Datin menekankan perkara ini semasa menyampaikan ucapan pada Majlis Pembukaan Tahun Undang-Undang 2016, yang berlangsung di Mahkamah Tinggi, Bandar Seri Begawan, hari ini.

Beliau seterusnya berkata, dalam menjalankan pembaharuan untuk mempelbagaikan ekonomi, Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam telah memperkenankan bagi penubuhan jawatankuasa yang bertanggungjawab melaksanakan pembaharuan bagi menjadikan negara ini lebih menarik bagi pelabur-pelabur asing.

“Untuk mewujudkan keyakinan pelabur, kita bukan sahaja perlu mempunyai persekitaran politik dan ekonomi yang baik, malah penting untuk mempunyai infrastruktur undang-undang yang berkesan dan bebas untuk melindungi hak pelabur.

“Kita juga mesti mempunyai undang-undang yang memupuk persekitaran pro-perniagaan dan pro-pelabur, dan antaranya Perintah Ketidaksolvenan, 2016; draf Perintah Transaksi Bercagar, 2016; Aturan-aturan dari Aturan-aturan Mahkamah Besar (Pindaan), 2015; draf Perintah Keselamatan Kebakaran, 2015 dan draf Perintah Akta Lesen Perniagaan (Pindaan) 2015,” katanya.

Mengenai integriti, ujarnya, satu lagi pertimbangan penting yang mempengaruhi keputusan pelabur dalam memilih destinasi pelaburan adalah tahap rasuah di sesebuah negara.

Kajian telah menunjukkan rasuah mempunyai kesan negatif kepada tahap pelaburan, pertumbuhan ekonomi dan memberi kesan kepada pertumbuhan PKS. Banyak kajian juga menunjukkan bahawa negara-negara dengan tahap rendah rasuah menarik lebih FDI per kapita.

Yang Berhormat Datin dalam ucapannya turut memuji pelbagai usaha yang dibuat oleh Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (AMBD) dan agensi-agensi lain dalam memerangi penggubahan wang haram, pembiayaan keganasan dan jenayah kewangan yang semakin bertambah. Menurut beliau, pihaknya juga telah membantu kementerian-kementerian dan jabatan-jabatan kerajaan dalam rundingan panjang bagi Perjanjian Perkongsian Trans-Pasifik (TTP) yang dibuat pada 5 Oktober 2015, terutamanya dalam memastikan perjanjian itu mengikut kehendak pihaknya dan tidak bercanggah dengan dasar negara, kedaulatan dan perlembagaan Brunei.

Yang Berhormat Datin yang turut mengalu-alukan penubuhan mahkamah komersial, telah berkongsi tiga ciri penting komposisi Mahkamah Komersial iaitu pandangan antarabangsa, kemahiran dan pengetahuan komersil dan simpati timbang tara.

Dengan aliran perdagangan dan pelaburan merentas sempadan di Asia, TPP dan lain, diharap akan dapat mempergiatkan semula perdagangan dan pelaburan, tambahnya.


Sumber - Media Permata

Need for better legal norms to lure FDIs

Darren Chin
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE president of the Brunei Law Society has called for further improvements to be made to procedures and regulations in Brunei for foreign direct investors to be confident enough to invest their resources in the country.

Rozaiman Abdul Rahman questioned whether the current legal system would be able to adequately provide foreign direct investors access to justice in case of any disputes.

Rozaiman, a barrister who also holds a Masters in Business Administration, was delivering a talk at a seminar ‘Facilitating and Promoting Foreign Direct Investment: Legal Options and Overcoming Challenges’ at Universiti Brunei Darussalam yesterday.

“If we want Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) coming in, it would not just be foreign money flowing in but expatriates would be coming here to work and manage these investments as well,” he said. “As a foreigner, how easily can that person get legal help and assistance in Brunei?” he questioned. He stated that the absence of judicial reviews in Brunei could pose a problem for potential investors as it takes away the system of checks-and-balances to the nation’s judiciary and called for alternative solutions to protect foreign investors in Brunei.

“When the Trans-Pacific Partnership is implemented, the investors would be more vulnerable as our markets will be open to challenges from the other signatory countries –and we have the smallest market of all the signatories by far,” he said.

“Grey areas in the law at a micro level in our country would not inspire confidence among investors at home or from abroad,” he said.

Judicial reviews are a challenge to the way in which a decision has been made through the courts, rather than the rights and wrongs of the conclusions reached.

“When foreign investors come to Brunei, they expect to be protected by the law but without judicial reviews, there has to be at least other ways to assure them that Brunei has the social, economical, political and religious stability for their investments to thrive in,” he said.

“The authorities need to find alternatives to establish a framework for a system of checks-and-balances and have a practical approach to how we can complement these FDIs,” he said.

He stated that the legal system must inspire confidence among investors and the lack of it would present an incalculable risk that might cause potential foreign investors to shy away.

“For FDIs to work, it is important for all processes and regulations in Brunei to be transparent and consistent, not changing every time there is a change of personnel within the organisations of the authorities,” he said. “The law and the government policies must not be at loggerheads with each other and there should be a way that people can challenge the legality of it through the proper channels in the judiciary,” he said, referring to a judicial review.

He also stated that judicial reviews are meant as an avenue to ensure that each function of the authorities is not acting above the limits of their powers and not as a tool to challenge the authorities.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Ecuador buat bayaran AS$1 bilion

QUITO, 10 Jan (AFP) – Ecuador akan membuat bayaran berjumlah AS$1 bilion kepada syarikat minyak Amerika Occidental Petroleum pada April, sejajar dengan satu keputusan daripada panel penimbang tara Bank Dunia, kata Presiden Rafael Correa semalam.

Pusat Antarabangsa untuk Penyelesaian Perbalahan Pelaburan (ICSID) pada mulanya mengarah Ecuador supaya membayar syarikat, dikenali sebagai Oxy, AS$1.77 bilion serta faedah dalam keputusan pada tahun 2012.

Correa dalam taklimat media mingguan berkata kerajaannya berjaya berunding untuk mengurangkan jumlah wang berkenaan, pertama kepada $1.4 bilion, seterusnya lebih rendah lagi. “Anugerah berjumlah AS$1.4 bilion. Kami akan membayar kira-kira AS$980 juta. Pengurangan adalah AS$420 juta,” kata beliau.

Occidental, juga dikenali sebagai Oxy, berkata Ecuador mencabul satu perjanjian pelaburan dua hala dengan Amerika Syarikat. Correa pada mulanya berusaha mendapatkan keputusan dibatalkan, berkata kerajaan mempunyai hak untuk membatalkan kontrak disebabkan Oxy menjual 40 peratus saham dalam syarikat itu kepada firma Kanada Encana pada 2000 tanpa kebenarannya.

Correa berkata dalam ucapannya di radio bahawa ‘secara jujur’ Ecuador membuat bayaran awal berjumlah AS$100 juta dolar pada bulan lalu, dan menetap jadual bayaran untuk menamatkan bayaran baki pada April. “Kami menandatangani satu perjanjian dengan Oxy semalam dan kami telah menyelesai masalah dalam cara yang baik,” kata beliau.

Syarikat minyak itu menyaman Ecuador sebanyak AS$3.37 bilion pada Mei 2006, hari selepas negara Amerika Selatan mengumumkan pembatalan satu kontrak yang memberinya hak untuk mengeluarkan 100,000 tong minyak sehari dari lembangan Amazon, kira-kira 20 peratus daripada keluaran Ecuador.

Bayaran sebanyak satu billion dolar itu menambah masalah belanjawan yang menghadapi Ecuador, anggota paling kecil kartel minyak OPEC, di tengah kemerosotan minyak mentah dan penurunan nilai mata wang.


Sumber - Media Permata


Petikan Ucapan Dasar Presiden NDP di Kongres Agung Tahunan Ke-10 2015:

...Sebagai iktibar, dalam kes-kes sebelum ini, beberapa buah negara telah menjadi mangsa tuntutan pampasan yang melebihi 1 bilion dolar, melalui instrumen Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) yang diperalatkan oleh syarikat gergasi antarabangsa. Justeru banyak pihak yang berpendapat bahawa penerimaan ISDS itu tidak ubah seperti menggadai kedaulatan negara.

Oleh itu, sekali lagi saya menyeru supaya kerajaan bersikap berhati-hati dan menghalusi perkara ini agar Brunei tidak terperangkap dalam situasi yang memudaratkan.

Petikan daripada laman Naked Capitalism:

[T]he ISDS tribunal in the previously mentioned Occidental v. Ecuador case, brought under the U.S.-Ecuador BIT, ordered Ecuador’s government to pay $2.3 billion to the U.S. oil corporation – one of the largest-ever investor-state awards. The penalty imposed by the tribunal on Ecuador’s taxpayers was equivalent to the amount Ecuador spends on healthcare each year for over seven million Ecuadorians – almost half the population. The tribunal decided on the massive penalty after acknowledging that Occidental had broken the law, that the response of the Ecuadorian government (forfeiture of the firm’s investment) was lawful, and that Occidental indeed should have expected that response. But the tribunal then concocted a new obligation for the government (one not specified by the BIT itself) to respond proportionally to Occidental’s legal breach and, upon deeming themselves the arbiters of proportionality, determined that Ecuador had violated the novel investor-state obligation.

To calculate damages, the tribunal majority estimated the amount of future profits that Occidental would have received from full exploitation of the oil reserves it had forfeited due to its legal breach, including profits from not-yet-discovered reserves. The tribunal majority then substantially increased the penalty imposed on Ecuador by ordering the government to pay compound interest. It has become increasingly common for investor-state tribunals to order governments to pay compound rather than simple interest, often requiring that the interest be retroactively compounded from the moment of the challenged action or policy to the date of the tribunal’s decision, and prospectively until the date of payment.136 In the Occidental v. Ecuador case, these interest requirements alone cost the Ecuadorian government more than $500 million.

Rasuah: 3,062 kes disiasat, 344 individu didakwa

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 8 Dis – Sejak penubuhan Biro Mencegah Rasuah (BMR) pada tahun 1982, sebanyak 3,062 kes telah disiasat yang merangkumi kesalahan rasuah; seperti dalam memberi dan menerima rasuah, pecah amanah, menghadapkan tuntutan palsu, penipuan, dan layanan seksual.

Daripada jumlah kes tersebut, 344 individu dan dua buah syarikat telah dihadapkan ke mahkamah dengan 247 individu dan dua syarikat disabitkan kesalahan di mahkamah dan dijatuhi hukuman penjara serta denda.

Statistik ini dikongsikan dalam kenyataan yang dikeluarkan oleh BMR, hari ini, sempena Hari Anti Rasuah Antarabangsa 2015.

Menurut kenyataan itu lagi, selain daripada jumlah kes yang disabitkan di mahkamah, seramai 210 orang pegawai dan kakitangan perkhidmatan awam, telah diambil tindakan tatatertib kerana melanggar pelbagai kesalahan hasil daripada penyiasatan oleh BMR.

Tindakan tatatertib yang diambil adalah seperti ditamatkan perkhidmatan, penggantungan kerja, penurunan pangkat, pengurangan bonus tahunan, dan penurunan penilaian prestasi mereka.

Jenis kesalahan yang dilakukan oleh pegawai dan kakitangan awam termasuklah menyalahgunakan kedudukan mereka untuk kepentingan peribadi, pertentangan kepentingan kerana pilih kasih dalam urusan rasmi mereka sebagai pegawai kerajaan.

Menurut kenyataan itu lagi, Hari Anti Rasuah Antarabangsa disambut pada 9 Disember setiap tahun untuk memperingati tarikh deklarasi Konvensyen Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu Menentang Rasuah (UNCAC).

Tarikh ini adalah sangat bermakna yang mana ia menandakan pencapaian bagi negara-negara ahli dalam pelaksanaan undang-undang antarabangsa pertama menentang rasuah.

Dengan penerimaan UNCAC sebagai undang-undang global memerangi rasuah, sebanyak 178 buah negara termasuk Negara Brunei Darussalam telah menjadi ahli kepada konvensyen tersebut.

Kenyataan itu berkata, antara objektif memperingati Hari Anti Rasuah Antarabangsa ini adalah untuk meningkatkan kesedaran mengenai gejala rasuah dan peranan konvensyen ini dalam menentang dan mencegah rasuah.

Tahun ini, Program Pembangunan Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu (UNDP) dan Pejabat Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu mengenai Dadah dan Jenayah (UNODC) telah menetapkan bahawa tema tahun ini adalah ‘Memutuskan Rantaian Rasuah’ (Break the Corruption Chain).

Kempen bersama antarabangsa bagi tahun 2015 memfokuskan bagaimana rasuah boleh melemahkan demokrasi dan kedaulatan undang-undang, membawa kepada pencabulan hak asasi manusia, menjejaskan pasaran, penghakisan kualiti kehidupan dan membolehkan jenayah terancang, pengganasan dan lain-lain ancaman keselamatan untuk berkembang.

Dalam hal ini, kerajaan, sektor swasta, badan bukan kerajaan, media dan orang awam memainkan peranan penting dalam menentang rasuah dan perlu bersatu untuk ‘Memutuskan Rantaian Rasuah.’

Menurut UNODC, setiap tahun sejumlah AS$1 trillion telah dibayar untuk kegiatan rasuah manakala kira-kira AS$2.6 trillion telah dicuri melalui kegiatan rasuah – satu jumlah yang sama dengan lebih 5 peratus daripada Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (GDP) global.

Sebagai tambahan, UNDP menganggarkan bahawa jumlah dana yang hilang akibat rasuah adalah 10 kali ganda jumlah bantuan pembangunan.

Rasuah bukan sahaja mencuri wang daripada di mana ia diperlukan, malahan ia membawa kepada tadbir urus yang lemah, dengan sendirinya mendorong kepada rangkaian jenayah terancang dan menggalakkan jenayah merentasi sempadan seperti penyeludupan manusia, senjata dan penyeludupan migran dan pemalsuan wang.

Rasuah memberi kesan kepada semua di mana ia melemahkan pertumbuhan ekonomi, pembangunan sosial dan menyumbang kepada ketidakstabilan kerajaan.

Dalam usaha memutuskan rantaian rasuah, adalah penting untuk kita sedari bahawa pencegahan dan menentang rasuah memerlukan pendekatan menyeluruh dimana melibatkan akauntabiliti dan ketelusan serta penyertaan daripada pelbagai lapisan masyarakat.

Peranan kerajaan, sektor swasta, pertubuhan masyarakat awam, media dan orang ramai adalah digesa untuk bekerjasama dalam membendung gejala rasuah. Pihak yang berkepentingan adalah digesa untuk bekerjasama dalam usaha memerangi dan mencegah rasuah.


Sumber - Media Permata

Perangi rasuah secara menyeluruh

Oleh Imelda Groves HA

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 1 Dis – Undang-undang dan penguatkuasaan secara berkesan di samping dengan pencegahan dan pendidikan amat penting ke arah usaha memerangi gejala rasuah.

Timbalan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Dato Paduka Haji Hamdan bin Haji Abu Bakar menegaskan, undang-undang bagi kesalahan rasuah harus diteliti dari semasa ke semasa bagi memastikan ia kekal relevan dan boleh diguna pakai.

Menurut beliau, usaha mencegah dan memerangi rasuah memerlukan tindakan strategik dan holistik antara pihak-pihak berkaitan. Kejayaannya secara berkesan bergantung kepada tindakan bersepadu semua pihak meliputi sektor awam dan sektor swasta serta kerjasama dan komitmen semua organisasi, institusi belia dan masyarakat.

Katanya, inilah kunci utama ke arah merealisasikan hasrat negara untuk melakar masa depan yang tidak bertolak ansur terhadap jenayah rasuah.

Dato Paduka Haji Hamdan menyatakan perkara ini ketika berucap di Majlis Perasmian Mesyuarat Negara Anggota Asia Tenggara Memerangi Rasuah (SEA-PAC) kali ke-11 anjuran Biro Mencegah Rasuah (BMR) yang berlangsung di sebuah hotel terkemuka di Gadong, hari ini.

Beliau seterusnya menyentuh mengenai Laporan World Bank Group, bertajuk ‘The Cost of Corruption,’ yang mana pada tahun 2013 dianggarkan bahawa jumlah rasuah yang dibayar dalam negara membangun dan negara-negara maju berjumlah AS$1 trilion atau 3 peratus daripada Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK) global.

Katanya, itulah jumlah besar wang rasuah, mengambil pelbagai bentuk rasuah bukan sahaja antara sektor swasta tetapi juga yang diterima oleh ahli rasuah sektor awam.

“Saya percaya bahawa tidak ada perbezaan dibuat dengan rasuah kecil atau besar, memerangi rasuah hendaklah dibuat secara menyeluruh. Oleh itu, mengambil undang-undang dan penguatkuasaan yang berkesan dilengkapi dengan pencegahan serta pendidikan adalah penting dalam memerangi dan mencegah jenayah ini,” ujarnya lagi.

Terdahulu Setiausaha Tetap (Undang-undang dan Kesejahteraan), di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Juanda bin Haji A. Rashid yang juga selaku Pengarah Biro Mencegah Rasuah dalam ucapannya menjelaskan hampir seperlima penduduk dunia berumur antara 15 dan 24 tahun generasi muda berpotensi untuk menghalang gejala rasuah selaku rakyat pada hari ini dan selaku pemimpin pada hari esok.

Di majlis tersebut diadakan perbincangan oleh dua orang ahli panel, terdiri daripada Ketua Pegawai Integriti Petroleum Nasional Berhad Malaysia dan Penolong Pengarah Hubungan Masyarakat Suruhanjaya Bebas Terhadap Rasuah Hongkong, Republik Rakyat China.

Kedua-dua ahli panel antaranya membincangkan pentingnya pendidikan moral pada peringkat awal usia serta langkah pencegahan rasuah dalam kalangan belia-belia.

Mesyuarat yang diadakan selama tiga hari itu dipengerusikan oleh Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Juanda dan akan membincangkan beberapa perkara yang berhubung kait dengan strategi dan amalan-amalan terbaik dalam langkah pencegahan rasuah menerusi pendidikan dan penglibatan belia.

SEA-PAC ini dilaksanakan berdasarkan Artikel 48 Undang-undang Penguatkuasaan Kerjasama Konvensyen Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu Menentang Rasuah (UNCAC).

Artikel tersebut menyatakan bahawa, ‘pihak negeri hendaklah bekerjasama rapat dengan satu sama lain, selaras dengan sistem undang-undang dan pentadbiran negeri masing-masing untuk meningkatkan keberkesanan tindakan penguatkuasaan undang-undang untuk memerangi kesalahan di bawah konvensyen itu.

Mesyuarat tersebut menyediakan satu platform untuk ahli-ahli SEA-PAC berkongsi dan mempelajari amalan terbaik yang diguna pakai oleh agensi-agensi anti rasuah dan meneroka cara-cara terbaru dan inovatif dalam menyemai budaya hidup berintegriti dan moral yang tinggi dalam kalangan belia serta masyarakat untuk mencegah mereka daripada jatuh ke dalam ancaman rasuah.

Negara Brunei Darussalam telah menandatangani Memorandum Persefahaman (MoU) mengenai Kerjasama Pencegahan Rasuah dan Pembasmian dengan agensi-agensi anti rasuah dari Malaysia, Singapura dan Indonesia pada 15 Disember 2004.

Hari ini, MOU tersebut telah diperluaskan kepada agensi pencegahan rasuah dari 10 buah negara ASEAN.

SEA-PAC telah ditubuhkan dengan objektif untuk mewujudkan dan mengukuhkan kerjasama terhadap rasuah dalam kalangan agensi anti rasuah dan untuk meningkatkan kapasiti dan pembangunan institusi dalam kalangan agensi anti rasuah dalam mencegah dan memerangi rasuah.


Sumber - Media Permata

‘Petty or grand corruption is perilous’

Quratul-Ain Bandial
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

NO DISTINCTION should be made between petty or grand corruption as both are serious crimes that can lead to malfunctioning state institutions, said the deputy minister at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Speaking at a regional anti-corruption meeting held in the capital yesterday, Dato Paduka Hj Ham-dan Hj Abu Bakar said corruption is a global problem that undermines social and economic development.

Citing a World Bank report, the deputy minister said the estimated amount of bribes paid globally totalled US$1 trillion in 2013, equal to three per cent of global GDP. “This is a huge amount of corrupt money, taking the many forms of bribes not only between private sectors, but also that being received by corrupt members of the public sector.”

Brunei is currently hosting the 11th Southeast Asia Parties Against Corruption (SEA-PAC) Meeting.

Themed “Educating Against Corruption: Fostering a Culture of Integrity”, the three-day meeting is being held at the Rizqun International Hotel.

Dato Hj Hamdan said in keeping with the theme, Brunei introduced “Corruption Prevention Education” (CPE) into the national curriculum in 2006, a module which teaches ethics to students from primary school to the university level.

“I hope today’s seminar will provide an insight into the need in realising the importance of promoting integrity through education as one of the strategies in the prevention of corruption,” he said.

“Community engagement and participation through education… must be taken as an essential opportunity in building a society that opposes corruption.”

The deputy minister added that Brunei must periodically review its corruption laws to ensure they are applicable and relevant.

Following the opening ceremony, a panel discussion on “educating against corruption” was held, featuring speakers from Hong Kong and Malaysia.

A total of 29 delegates from 10 ASEAN anti-corruption agencies are attending the meeting, traditionally focused on cooperation in investigating corruption.

Permanent Secretary (Law and Welfare) cum Director of Anti-Corruption Bureau Dato Paduka Hj Muhammad Juanda Hj A Rashid said in recent years, SEA-PAC’s role has expanded to preventative education, fighting money laundering, tracing illicit financial flows and recovering stolen assets.

SEA-PAC was created in 2004 when Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore decided to form a group of like-minded agencies committed to fighting corruption. Since then the grouping has grown to include 10 regional anti-corruption agencies.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Kenyataan Presiden NDP mengenai Pindaan Akta Rasuah

Kenyataan Media Presiden Parti Pembangunan Bangsa (NDP)

Mengenai Pindaan Akta Rasuah (Pindaan 2015)

1. Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam telah memperkenankan Perintah Akta Pencegahan Rasuah (Pindaan) 2015 yang berkuatkuasa pada 8 Zulhijjah 1436H bersamaan 22 September 2015M.

2. Tujuan utama pindaan ini adalah untuk menangani kebimbangan Kebawah DYMM melalui titah Baginda semasa lawatan kerja ke Ibu Pejabat Polis Diraja Brunei, Gadong pada 31 Mac 2015 berkenaan dengan ‘rasuah dalam bentuk penyalahgunaan kuasa untuk kepentingan peribadi’.

3. NDP turut membangkitkan isu ini di dalam Ucapan Dasar Presiden NDP semasa Kongres Agung Tahunan pada 31 Ogos 2015 baru-baru ini, sebagai tanda sokongan ke atas titah Baginda itu.

4. Pindaan ini membenarkan bagi tindakan undang-undang diambil terhadap pegawai-pegawai atau kakitangan kerajaan yang tidak menjalankan fungsi mereka pada aras taraf etika yang tinggi, dan jika kegagalan mereka disabitkan sebagai salah laku dalam perkhidmatan awam.

5. NDP menyambut baik keprihatinan dan kerjasama kedua pihak, Biro Mencegah Rasuah dan Pejabat Peguam Negara dalam usaha mengatasi unsur rasuah dalam perkhidmatan awam. Tindakan proaktif pihak berkenaan yang pantas, tegas, tepat dan menyeluruh, serta menepati aspirasi rakyat itu harus diberi pujian dan dicontohi agensi-agensi lain.

6. Dengan setulusnya NDP mengalungkan ucapan tahniah kepada Biro Pencegah Rasuah dan Pejabat Peguam Negara di atas usaha tersebut.

7. Tempoh hampir enam bulan yang diambil untuk menggubal dan meminda akta rasuah yang berkenaan adalah suatu tempoh yang wajar. Dalam hubungan ini, NDP mencadangkan supaya mana-mana agensi yang dalam proses melaksanakan sesuatu langkah, lebih-lebih lagi yang menyangkut isu yang dititahkan oleh Kebawah DYMM, supaya membuat pemakluman kepada awam dari masa ke semasa.

8. Melalui pendekatan ini: (1) rakyat akan sentiasa memperolehi maklumat terkini mengenai tindakan susulan yang sedang diambil; (2) rakyat benar-benar merasakan bahawa apa jua yang dititahkan oleh Kebawah DYMM atau yang diharapkan oleh mereka mendapat perhatian pihak berkenaan; (3) agensi yang bertanggungjawab akan lebih prihatin dan mengambil tindakan susulan yang sewajarnya demi kepentingan rakyat; dan (4) rakyat sentiasa mendapat maklumat yang sahih dari kerajaan dan dengan ini mereka terhindar dari bergantung kepada berita yang tidak tepat yang boleh menjejaskan imej dan kewibawaaan pihak berkuasa.

9. Rakyat yang bermaklumat dengan sendirinya akan merangsang percambahan pemikiran dan pandangan yang kritis. Dan ini boleh menjadi sumber alternatif kepada pihak berkenaan dalam penggubalan sesuatu dasar dan peraturan. Stakeholders yang demikian akan menjamin keberkesanan sebarang perlaksanaan dasar dan peraturan justeru akses kepada maklumat dan kebebasan rakyat untuk bersuara hendaklah dijamin sebaiknya.

10. NDP amat teruja dan menjunjung kasih di atas titah perintah Kebawah DYMM tersebut kerana, pewartaan dan penguatkuasaan undang-undang ini adalah memenuhi sebahagian daripada saranan di dalam Manifesto NDP 2006-2016 sejak sembilan tahun lalu. Antara mekanisme untuk membendung gejala rasuah yang dicadangkan NDP di dalam Manifesto tersebut, ialah supaya pihak berkenaan:

- menstruktur semula badan hisbah dan pemantauan yang bertanggungjawab terus Kehadapan Majlis Kebawah DYMM sebagai Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan dan Perdana Menteri, supaya lebih efisien dan efektif, sebagai kaedah membantu Kerajaan Baginda di dalam amalan urus tadbir yang baik dan telus, membendung gejala rasuah, penyelewengan dan salah guna kuasa;

- mempertingkatkan dan memperkembangkan pengurusan pembangunan ekonomi negara untuk memastikan tiada berleluasanya amalan negatif seperti penipuan, monopoli, rasuah, kronisme dan nepotisme kerana amalan-amalan ini jika tidak dibendung secara berkesan, boleh menghancurkan negara justeru amalan-amalan tersebut bertentangan sama sekali dengan kehendak Syariat Islam;

- mewujudkan suasana yang kondusif kepada pelabur seperti undang-undang dan peraturan yang menarik pelabur, jaminan keselamatan modal, peluang perniagaan yang terbuka, pendemokrasian dalam ekonomi, dasar cukai yang menarik, bebas rasuah, anti-monopoli dan kronisme sifar;

11. Selain itu, NDP juga telah mencadangkan beberapa langkah kehadapan berkaitan dengan isu perundangan, integriti dan tahap penyampaian di sektor awam dan GLC di dalam Manifesto NDP 2006-2016 tersebut. Antara lain NDP mencadangkan supaya pihak kerajaan:

- menubuhkan Jawatankuasa Tetap (Kehakiman dan Undang-undang) di dalam Majlis Mesyuarat Negara yang bertindak memantau sistem kehakiman dan keadilan di Negara Brunei Darussalam, serta memantau penerapan kesaksamaan di dalam keadilan dan kesaksamaan di bawah undang-undang, dan pengukuhan serta pelaksanaan peraturan undang-undang (rule of law) dengan penuh ketelusan yang berteraskan sistem keadilan Islam.

- memastikan yang Perkhidmatan Awam bertindak sebagai sebuah institusi yang dianggotai oleh para pegawai dan kakitangan Kerajaan Kebawah DYMM yang berkecuali, bersih, cekap, amanah, memiliki integriti dan hemah yang tinggi, mengutamakan meritokrasi dan tidak melakukan sesuatu perkara yang bertentangan dengan Syariat Islam dan undang-undang negara;

- mempertingkatkan keupayaan perkhidmatan awam melalui inovasi dan latihan bagi mewujudkan sistem penyampaian (delivery system) yang benar-benar cekap demi pembangunan;

- menubuhkan Tribunal Perkhidmatan Awam yang mempunyai kuasa melampaui mana-mana kuasa Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam yang sedia ada bagi mengadili kes-kes pelanggaran tatatertib yang dilakukan oleh kakitangan Perkhidmatan Awam seperti membelakangkan tugas-tugas awam, tidak bertanggungjawab, cuai, mencemarkan nama baik Perkhidmatan Awam, tidak jujur, kurang cekap, ingkar perintah dan seumpamannya. Hukuman yang sewajarnya hendaklah dikenakan terhadap mereka yang didapati sabit melakukan kesalahan, mengikut Akta Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam yang berkuatkuasa. Sementara itu bagi kes-kes yang menyebabkan kerugian dalam bentuk kewangan (monetary loss) kepada pengadu awam, maka Tribunal ini bolehlah menentukan kuantum ganti rugi yang munasabah yang perlu dibayar oleh Kerajaan Kebawah DYMM dan atau pihak yang sabit menyebabkan kerugian kepada mana-mana pihak yang sabit aduan kerugiannya dalam kes-kes yang diputuskan oleh Tribunal tersebut;

12. Adalah menjadi harapan NDP supaya akta yang dipinda ini menepati tuntutan Islam secara umumnya dan selari dengan Kanun Jenayah Syariah secara khususnya. Kita berharap agar usaha ini menjadi instrument terpenting dalam usaha untuk membendung jenayah rasuah dan penyalahgunaan kuasa. Bersama kita menjunjung titah menuju Brunei Korupsi Sifar.

13. Rakyat seluruhnya hendaklah diberi kesedaran bahawa, segala bentuk rasuah adalah ditegah dengan jelas oleh Islam, antaranya menerusi dalil-dalil berikut:

- Dan janganlah kamu makan (atau mengambil) harta (orang-orang lain) di antara kamu dengan jalan yang salah, dan jangan pula kamu menghulurkan harta kamu (memberi rasuah) kepada hakim-hakim kerana hendak memakan (atau mengambil) sebahagian dari harta manusia dengan (berbuat) dosa, padahal kamu mengetahui (salahnya). (Surah al-Baqarah: 188)

- Rasulullah saw telah melaknat pemberi rasuah dan penerima rasuah. (Hadith riwayat Imam at-Tirmizi)

14. Disebabkan oleh persepsi dan tanggapan yang salah, amalan rasuah mungkin sahaja dianggap sebagai sesuatu perkara yang biasa dan tidak menghairankan. Malah, sebahagian menerimanya sebagai ‘just a cost of doing business.’ Pendapat sedemikian selain bertentangan dengan syariat, juga amat merbahaya kepada kerajaan dan negara secara amnya.

15. Walau bagaimanapun dalam konteks yang lain, terdapat pandangan bahawa masalah rasuah juga ada korelasinya dengan isu ketidakcukupan pendapatan dan gaji. Dalam usaha membanteras gejala rasuah, kerajaan hendaklah juga mengambil kira isu ketidakseimbangan pendapatan berbanding kos sara hidup yang semakin meningkat. Oleh itu NDP merayu agar pihak berkenaan mengambil perhatian terhadap masalah ketidakseimbangan ini.

16. Sebagai langkah awal pencegahan, pihak berkuasa dipohon agar memastikan mereka yang terlibat dalam bahagian penguatkuasaan, terutamanya yang berpendapatan rendah, mendapat gaji dan imbuhan yang berpatutan.

17. Dalam masa yang sama NDP berpandangan agar penjawat di sektor awam di setiap peringkat hendaklah secara berterusan diberikan kursus kesedaran yang memberi penekanan sewajarnya terhadap soal integriti, amanah, tanggungjawab, kecekapan dan prestasi, di samping konsep halal-haram.

18. Untuk membentuk persepsi masyarakat bahawa rasuah itu sebagai jenayah besar, maka ianya perlu ditangani bukan sahaja dengan sistem perundangan, tetapi secara lebih komprehensif, menerusi tarbiyyah dan pendidikan sejak peringkat sekolah lagi.

19. Seperti yang dihasratkan oleh Kebawah DYMM melalui objektif pindaan tersebut, NDP turut menggesa setiap agensi kerajaan supaya benar-benar berpegang kepada taraf etika yang tinggi. Bagi NDP, taraf etika yang tinggi ini seharusnya juga merangkumi elemen prestasi dan kecekapan sistem penyampaian dan bukan hanya terhad kepada persoalan rasuah sahaja. Ini amat relevan kerana didapati sebahagian besar agensi menunjukkan prestasi dan tahap penyampaian yang rendah. Akibat daripada kelemahan tersebut, rakyat ternafi hak mereka untuk mendapat faedah kemakmuran negara yang sepatutnya mereka nikmati.

20. Dengan segala rendah hati, dalam konteks yang lebih jauh, NDP melihat isu rasuah dan penyalahgunaan kuasa yang diketengahkan oleh Kebawah DYMM ini serta isu-isu besar yang lainnya adalah saling berkait dengan survivabiliti Negara Bangsa. Ke arah penyelesaiannya, NDP berpandangan, rakyat selaku stakeholder terbesar di negara ini, perlu diberikan ruang seluas-luasnya untuk berpartisipasi di dalam proses pembuatan keputusan di peringkat negara dan perlaksanaannya. Justeru kerajaan sewajarnya memperkukuhkan integriti dan legitimasi Majlis Mesyuarat Negara dengan menaikkan tarafnya kepada sebuah institusi parlimen yang representatif dan diwakili oleh ahli-ahli yang dipilih oleh rakyat. Wallahu a’lam.

Mahmud Morshidi Othman
Presiden
Markas Pusat, Parti Pembangunan Bangsa (NDP)
Limbaruh Hijau, Jerudong
Brunei Darussalam.
Tarikh: 6 Oktober 2015/23 Zulhijjah 1436

AGC: New corruption laws to tackle public office power abuse

Quratul-Ain Bandial
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN


THE Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) yesterday announced the introduction of new corruption laws to address abuse of power and misconduct in public office.

The new laws will allow legal action to be taken against civil servants who fail to carry out their duties to a “high ethical standard”, said the AGC in a statement issued yesterday.

Following extensive discussions between the AGC and the Anti-Corruption Bureau, several amendments have been made to the Prevention of Corruption Act.

New offences have been included in the legislation, criminalising the use of public funds for private purposes; giving undue preferential treatment; misuse of information acquired during the course of duty; and allowing private interests to come into conflict with public duties.

The legislation also states that any public officer who seeks to interfere or influence the “appointment, promotion, suspension, demotion or dismissal” of any other public official, can be prosecuted under the new laws.

Similarly, any civil servant who demonstrates “willful misconduct or neglect of duty” to a degree which amounts to abuse of public trust, is considered guilty of an offence.

The punishment for all the new corruption offences is seven years’ jail and a $30,000 fine.

The AGC added that offences can be committed without the receipt of gratification or monetary benefit.

The legal definition of “public body” has also been changed in the legislation, to include government-linked companies and statutory bodies, such as the Brunei Economic Development Board, Brunei Shell Joint Ventures, Royal Brunei airlines, among others.

The new laws came after His Majesty, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, lambasted police for corrupt practices last March.

“The main purpose of the amendment is to address the concern of His Majesty… during a working visit (paid to the) Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) Headquarters… in respect of corruption in the form of abuse of powers for personal interest,” said the AGC.

During the visit, His Majesty cited several cases of police corruption, including the case of a high-ranking police officer accused of accepting a luxury car from a convicted criminal in exchange for helping him cross the border illegally.

In a fiery address to police officers, the monarch accused RBPF personnel of “elements of lawlessness” such as involvement in gambling, drinking and smuggling banned goods, as well taking bribes to “look the other way”.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Brunei aims to go smoke-free by 2016

Rabiatul Kamit
BRUNEI-MUARA

THE government is mulling over expanding its restrictions on smoking in public places as it seeks to make all public places smoke-free by 2016.

A Ministry of Health official yesterday said authorities were in the process of increasing the number of smoke-free areas in a move to reduce tobacco use as part of the country’s efforts to tackle the rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Dr Norhayati Hj Kassim, head of Health Promotion Centre, disclosed that they were targeting locations “where the public will visit or congregate”, but added that finer details were still being discussed.

Under the Tobacco Order 2005, she explained there were currently 28 categories of specified buildings that have been identified as smoke-free such as indoor workplaces, government premises, restaurants and public transport.

Smoking is also banned on sidewalks near business premises and within a six-metre radius from any smoke-free building as well as public staircases, hospitals and clinics.

To raise the effectiveness of anti-smoking efforts, the law was amended in 2012 to include a greater number of smoke-free areas. However, Dr Norhayati said they were looking to add more places to the smoking ban to protect the public from the dangers of tobacco.

If convicted, any person found guilty of flouting the smoking ban could be punished with a fine of up to $1,000 under Prohibition of Smoking in the Tobacco Order 2005.

She said the National Tobacco Control Committee was unanimous on the various anti-smoking efforts that have been implemented, reiterating their commitment to reducing tobacco use particularly among the youth.

“We have achieved quite a lot. In ASEAN, we’re one of the countries that have advanced in terms of actions recommended as per the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control,” she noted.

In addition to the expansion of smoke-free places, the government has also increased tobacco taxes from 62 to 83 per cent of the actual price as well as enlarged the pictorial health warnings on cigarette packaging to 75 per cent of the surface area.

More smoking cessation services have also been provided with 17 clinics available at health centres, National Dental Centre and a district hospital.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Pelbagai reaksi diberikan

Oleh Mohamad Asyramisyanie

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 15 Mei – Para peniaga dan orang ramai memberikan pelbagai reaksi terhadap peraturan baru Jabatan Bandaran Bandar Seri Begawan, yang melarang premis-premis perniagaan seperti kedai-kedai runcit dan kedai makan beroperasi selepas jam 12 tengah malam.

Beberapa orang peniaga dan orang ramai yang ditemui hari ini, menyahut baik arahan baru berkenaan, bagaimanapun, sebahagian yang lain menyeru supaya mempertimbangkan langkah lagi membolehkan mereka berniaga selepas 12 tengah malam.

Pengurus Perusahaan NASA, Awang Mohd Rafi Mohd Tahir berkata, tiga buah cawangan pasar mini NASA kini beroperasi sehingga 11 malam dan tidak terjejas ekoran arahan yang baru ini.

“Jika dilihat di kawasan Jalan Mulaut ini keadaan akan bertambah lengang selepas jam 10 malam dan itu membuatkan pengurusan kami bersetuju untuk tutup lebih awal namun saya percaya banyak tempat lain akan terjejas kerana kepadatan penduduk dan waktu pekerjaan yang berbeza bagi mereka yang mempunyai syif kerja malam,” ujarnya.

Meskipun bersetuju dengan arahan ini, beliau percaya pasti ada cara untuk membantu pengusaha yang sememangnya berniaga sehingga lewat malam kerana mata pencarian segelintir pengusaha akan tiba lewat malam seperti di kawasan ibu negara.

Perkara itu disetujui Penyelia restoran TK Tea House Cawangan Gadong, Dayang Norhasanah Muslim yang menekankan bahawa kedai makan mereka hanya akan mulai ramai selepas pukul 10 malam terutama apabila adanya siaran langsung bola sepak atau sukan tertentu ditayangkan.

“Bukan setiap hari kami dipenuhi pelanggan dan ada kalanya tidak ada langsung dan perkara ini merunsingkan kami kerana kami mempunyai komitmen untuk membayar sewa dan gaji pekerja,” ujarnya.

Katanya, beliau menyahut baik usaha positif arahan baru itu, namun begitu beliau mencadangkan supaya ada cara lain untuk peniaga terus berniaga selepas jam 12 tengah malam kerana bagi mereka pelanggan terdiri daripada pekerja yang bertugas pada waktu malam dan pengunjung tetap.

”Jika perlu, kami memohon kepada pihak bandaran untuk meneliti semula apakah usaha yang wajar dan cuba melihat apa alternatif supaya peniaga akan terus berniaga seperti sebelum ini meskipun terpaksa membayar waktu perniagaan kepada pihak berkenaan bagi memastikan pelanggan diberikan keutamaan,” ujarnya.

Jabatan Bandaran Bandar Seri Begawan dalam Surat Pemberitahuan bertarikh 14 Mei 2015 yang keluarkan kepada premis-premis perniagaan menyatakan, dengan peraturan baru itu maka kebenaran berniaga selepas jam 12 malam yang diberikan kepada beberapa buah kedai termasuk kedai makan sebelum ini adalah dibatalkan.

Surat Pemberitahuan tersebut yang disiarkan melalui laman sesawang sosial Jabatan berkenaan, kelmarin turut menegaskan, jika didapati kedai-kedai dan kedai makan yang masih beroperasi melebihi jam 12 malam, tindakan-tindakan tertentu akan diambil seperti mengeluarkan notis/surat penggantungan mahupun pembatalan Lesen Perniagaan.

Pengerusi Lembaga Bandaran Bandar Seri Begawan, Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Rahman bin Pengiran Setia Indera Pengiran Haji Ismail dipetik oleh sebuah akhbar tempatan sebagai berkata, larangan tersebut turut termasuk gerai-gerak Nasi Katok dan akan diperluaskan ke seluruh negara tidak lama lagi.

Seorang pengusaha tempatan yang hanya dikenali sebagai Haji Zainal ketika ditemui turut menyahut baik arahan ini.

Namun, katanya, beliau mendengar banyak keluhan dan rintihan daripada pengusaha yang terlibat dengan operasi perniagaan selepas 12 tengah malam.

Beliau enggan mengulas banyak mengenai perkara ini kerana baginya perniagaan perlu diteruskan meskipun terpaksa akur dengan arahan, namun beliau juga menyatakan supaya langkah yang perlu harus dibuat pihak berkuasa untuk memastikan kebajikan peniaga terjamin.

Haji Zainal menekankan bahawa, setiap jam tambahan dalam perniagaan merupakan sumber rezeki dan pasti akan memberikan kelebihan kepada peniaga dan perniagaan, dan jika disingkatkan ia secara tidak langsung akan mengehadkan pendapatan mereka yang terikat dengan komitmen kos.

“Secara dasarnya, ia adalah satu langkah yang positif namun perlu dilihat kepada kawasan tertentu kerana kita mempunyai warga kerja kerajaan dan swasta yang bertugas di sebelah malam dan mereka ini perlu ada tempat makan dan membeli keperluan pada waktu malam sehingga ke awal pagi,” ujarnya lagi dengan tegas.


Sumber - Media Permata

Titah Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Pada Mesyuarat Khas MUIB Di Istana Nurul Iman

Alhamdulillah, Beta ingin merespon sedikit dalam menangani perkara besar seperti Perlaksanaan Kanun Hukuman Jenayah Syariah 2013. Semua orang mestilah bersikap bijaksana, khasnya agensi-agensi yang  berkaitan dengannya. Jika tidak kita mungkin sahaja dilihat sebagai tidak cekap mengendalikan atau telah melakukan banyak kesilapan dan kekurangan.

Perkara ini nampak ialah ketika pemberigaan berlaku. Perkara-perkara tidak disebut oleh Akta tetapi ianya timbul sampai melarat-larat. Contohnya tentang pakaian. Macam-macam perkara yang timbul mengenai orang menutup aurat dan tidak menutup aurat dan macam-macam lagi.

Padahal didalam akta tidak ada menyebut tentang pakaian. Yang disebut ialah perbuatan tidak sopan. Mengapa dibiarkan orang meracau-racau tentang pakaian? Mengapa dilayan orang membahaskan pakaian sehingga keluar tajuk? Apa perlunya ditimbulkan hukum pakaian di sini? dan apa relevannya pemberigaan menyebut menutup aurat belum diwajibkan? mengapa ia pula yang timbul?

Tidakkah lebih wajar kalau diterangkan bahawa soal pakaian itu akan dinilai dibawah perbuatan tidak sopan. Bukan ia dijawap dengan memberi hukum menutup aurat atau tidak tutup aurat. Bukankah lebih baik jika pihak pemberigaan memberikan gambaran dengan satu perbandingan, seseorang merayau-rayau ditengah Bandar dengan memakai seluar katak dan seorang lagi memakai baju kurung tanpa tudung kepala, diantara dua keadaan ini manakah yang layak dianggap sebagai tidak sopan?

Barangkali dengan jawapan cara ini, orang boleh faham dan tidak akan mengungkit-ungkit lagi perkara pakaian itu.

Perkara lain, media telah menyiarkan bahawa Kerajaan Brunei telah mengharamkan orang-orang bukan Islam dari menggunakan 19 perkataan :- Masjid, Azan,  Baitullah, Al-Quran, Fatwa, Firman, Hadith,  Haji, Hukum, Hukum Syarak, Illahi, Kaabah, Kalimah Syahadat, Kiblat, Imam, Mufti, Mukmin, Solat dan Wali.

Hukuman jika sabit kesalahan terhadap perkara-perkara ini akan didenda sehingga empat ribu atau satu tahun penjara. Kita hendak tahu adakah betul ini? Adakah betul menjadi kesalahan orang bukan Islam menyebut Masjid, Azan, Fatwa, Mufti, Imam, Ka’abah?

Salahkan orang-orang bukan Islam berkata, Saya Hendak melawat Masjid Omar Ali atau Saya hendak berjumpa dengan Mufti. Salahkah ini? Jika mengikut siaran media tadi memang salah dan jika sabit kesalahan boleh dihukum denda atau penjara. Diminta menteri ugama nanti menjelaskan.

Jika sekiranya apa yang disiarkan oleh media itu betul, mana pembetulannya dari pihak kita? Mana Kementerian Ugama? Mana Majlis Ugama Islam? Mana Unit Perundangan Islam? dan Mana Jawatankuasa Pemberigaan?

Kalau kita kata siaran media itu salah, apa yang betulnya? Mesti diberitahu yang betul itu supaya tidak menjadi kekeliruan. Orang jika keliru boleh menyebabkan bermacam-macam tindak balas seperti marah atau tidak puas hati atau takut atau benci. Adakah ini akan dibiarkan begitu sahaja tanpa ditangani.

Kita sepatutnya bertindak cepat. Apa-apa yang salah mesti dibetulkan. Banyak cara untuk membetulkan itu seperti membuat kenyataan didalam media sendiri, dan juga melalui siaran-siaran radio dan televisyen. Terangkan dengan sebaik-baiknya sehingga orang faham, bukan menjawap dengan menunggu majlis beriga diadakan.

Kalau dua minggu lagi majlis beriga akan diadakan, kita mesti menunggu juga dua minggu. ini tidak betul dan malah tidak memadai, Jawapan diberikan hanya dalam majlis beriga sahaja kerana beberapa orang saja yang ada didalam majlis beriga itu. Jadi yang betulnya, ada sahaja kesilapan atau kekurangan atau kekeliruan yang ditonjolkan oleh media. Pihak berkenaan kita mestilah cepat cepat meresponnya.

Dan untuk itu, sepatutnya kita mesti ada pasukan pemantau. duduki dan bincangkan mana mana hasil pemantauan itu, jangan ia dimalamkan lama-lama. Ini kita tidak, dibiarkan lama labui-labui. Kalau ada jawapan pun seperti melepas batuk ditangga sahaja.

Tidak sungguh-sungguh, tidak padat dan  kemas. Itu pun cuma melalui Akhbar sahaja. Mana penampilan dalam media elektronik, radio dan tv. Jangan alang-alang kalau media menyiarkan salah. Tunjukkan yang betul dan jika perlu perlekehkan media yang selalu membuat salah itu, baru mereka lain kali akan lebih berhati-hati. Ini peranan psikologi perlu turut dimainkan.

Wabillahi Taufiq Walhidayah, Wassalamualaikum Warahmatullahi  Wabarakatuh.

NDP PERKUKUH SOKONGAN KEPADA KDYMM SULTAN ATAS PERLAKSANAAN UNDANG-UNDANG SYARIAH

LIMBARUH HIJAU 1 MEI 2014: HARAPAN Parti Pembangunan Bangsa (NDP) agar umat Islam di negara ini diberikan hak mereka untuk diadili sepenuhnya secara saksama mengikut Al-Quran dan As-Sunnah akhirnya menjadi kenyataan.

Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaullah, Sulltan dan Yang DiPertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam kelmarin menitahkan pengisytiharan Perintah Kanun Hukuman Jenayah Syariah 2013 di satu majlis yang bersejarah di Pusat Persidangan Antarabangsa Brunei.

Detik bersejarah tersebut merupakan satu pencapaian besar dan kemenangan bagi negara dalam mengembalikan kedaulatan negara yang tercemar gara-gara penjajah menyasar sistem keadilan Islam dengan memperkenalkan sistem keadilan mereka sebagai satu keutamaan dalam kehidupan rakyat dan penduduk jajahannya.

Justeru, NDP sebagai sebuah pertubuhan politik yang berasaskan Islam dalam perjuangan menegakkan keadilan dalam semua bidang kehidupan tumpang gembira dengan pencapaian tersebut. Dalam hal ini, kejayaan negara merupakan kejayaan NDP juga yang telah memulakan langkah di persada politik negara pada 2005 dengan seruan agar negara;

“Mewujudkan pendemokrasian keadilan di Negara Brunei Darussalam di mana rakyat Kebawah DYMM serta penduduk Negara Brunei Darussalam yang beragama Islam diberikan hak mereka untuk diadili sepenuhnya secara saksama mengikut Al-Quran dan As-Sunnah Nabi Muhammad SAW atau Syariat Islam di dalam semua aspek perundangan, termasuk sivil, jenayah dan lain-lain, melalui kaedah berperingkat-peringkat (tadarruj)”.

“Menjamin kebebasan kehakiman dan pelaksanaan keadilan, serta berpegang kepada prinsip: Kesilapan membebaskan pesalah adalah lebih baik dari menghukum orang yang tidak bersalah dan bagaimana hendak membebaskan yang dituduh dan bukannya bagaimana hendak menghukum yang dituduh” (RUJ: MANIFESTO PARTI PEMBANGUNAN BANGSA 2006-2016).

“Kita bersyukur kehadrat Allah (SWT) atas limpah kurniaNya memberikan kekuatan, taufik dan hidayah kepada baginda Sultan dan rakyat sehingga terlaksana Perintah Kanun Jenayah Syariah 2013”, ujar Presiden NDP Sdra Haji Mahmud Morshidi Othman.

“NDP akan terus memberikan sokongan yang padu dan tidak berbelah bahagi kepada baginda Sultan dan Kerajaan dalam mempastikan sistem keadilan Islam akan terus berkembang dan bertambah mantap dalam memelihara keselamatan, keharmonian dan kesejahteraan negara dan bangsa”.

“Dengan ini, NDP akan menentang sekeras-kerasnya sebarang campurtangan mana-mana pihak, dari dalam mahu pun dari luar, dalam urusan negara”, tegas sdra Morshidi.

Beliau juga menegaskan sokongan NDP terhadap titah baginda Sultan terutama dalam bidang perlaksanaan Perintah Kanun Jenayah Syariah ini.

Baginda, kata sdra Morshidi, telah menekankan bahawa kewajipan kita semua dihadapkan Allah dalam perkara perundangan, sudahpun kita sempurnakan. Tinggal sahaja lagi peranan masing-masing, terutama agensi-agensi yang berkaitan, hendaklah melaksanakannya dengan penuh tanggungiawab, amanah dan berhemah. Ingatlah, fokus kita hanyalah kepada Allah jua untuk mencari redha-Nya semata-mata bukan melihat kekiri atau kekanan untuk mencari-cari siapa yang suka atau tidak, titah baginda.

“Harapan NDP agar semua pihak yang berkenaan akan menjadikan nasihat baginda ini sebagai azimat dalam melaksanakan tugas dan tanggungjawab nanti. Kejayaan atau kegagalan melaksana hukum Allah itu setentunya terletak atas bahu mereka yang memikul tanggungjawab yang berat dan mencabar ini, ujarnya lagi.

“Selaras dengan harapan baguinda Sultan, izinkan saya mengulangi saranan NDP yang termaktub dalam Manifesto NDP 2006-2016 iaitu agar kerajaan mempertimbangkan penubuhan satu Jawatankuasa Tetap (Kehakiman dan Undang-undang) di dalam Majlis Mesyuarat Negara.

Jawatankuasa Khas ini, katanya akan bertindak memantau sistem kehakiman dan keadilan di Negara Brunei Darussalam, serta memantau penerapan kesaksamaan  di dalam keadilan dan kesaksamaan di bawah undang-undang, dan pengukuhan serta pelaksanaan peraturan undang-undang  (rule of law) dengan penuh ketelusan yang berteraskan sistem keadilan Islam.

“Kita juga berharap agar akan ada usaha menubuhkan sebuah panel guaman untuk memberi nasihat guaman dan membantu ahli-ahli dan orang awam yang menghadapi masalah perundangan”.

Dengan izin Allah, NDP akan terus mengamat-amati secara berterusan serta mengetengahkan sebarang pandangan dan idea-idea dari masa ke semasa untuk membantu mempastikan perjalanan sistem dan roh keadilan menepati kehendak keadilan Islam, yang mutlak dan sejagat.


Sumber - Laman Aspirasi NDP