Titah KDYMM Sempena Majlis Pembukaan Rasmi MMN ke-13 pada 6 Mac 2017

KDYMM berkenan mengurniakan titah pada Majlis Istiadat Perasmian
Mesyuarat Pertama dari Musim Permesyuaratan ke-13 MMN

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

BETA bersyukur ke hadrat Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala kerana dapat pula bersama-sama di Majlis Istiadat Pembukaan Rasmi bagi Mesyuarat Pertama dari Musim Permesyuaratan Ke-13 Majlis Mesyuarat Negara (MMN) pada hari ini. Beta terlebih dahulu mengucapkan tahniah kepada ahli-ahli di atas pelantikan semula dan juga Ahli-Ahli MMN yang baru dilantik.

Beta juga ingin merakamkan penghargaan dan ucapan terima kasih kepada bekas Ahli-Ahli MMN di atas sumbangan mereka di dalam persidangan - persidangan majlis yang lalu.

Beta berharap dengan pelantikan ahli-ahli baru, akan membawa kesan yang baik dan positif kepada persidangan ini. Beta percaya ahli-ahli akan dapat menanai tanggungjawab yang diamanahkan dengan penuh ikhlas dan jujur serta bersikap terbuka dan bebas dalam memberikan apa jua pandangan.

Dalam persidangan inilah ahli-ahli akan berpeluang untuk membincang atau membahas isu-isu yang dianggap mustahak.

Di antara isu mustahak itu ialah yang berkaitan dengan ekonomi. Kita semua sudah maklum, bahawa keadaan ekonomi dunia terus mengalami ketidaktentuan, walaupun pada akhir-akhir ini harga minyak dunia menunjukkan tanda-tanda positif.

Namun begitu, kita masih saja, perlu terus berwaspada, kerana harga minyak dunia dijangka berada pada paras yang rendah tanpa mungkin dianggarkan tempohnya. Maka kerana itu, kerajaan beta perlu terus giat untuk mempelbagaikan ekonomi negara.

Alhamdulillah, sejak kebelakangan ini, usaha ke arah ini sudah mula menampakkan kesannya, walaupun hasil yang diraih masih memerlukan masa.

Dari segi pelaburan, kita mula mendapati, banyak pelabur-pelabur asing telah memberikan perhatian mereka terhadap potensi negara sebagai destinasi pelaburan yang berdaya maju. Beberapa projek Pelaburan Langsung Asing akan memulakan operasi mereka, sementara ada juga yang sudah di tahap pelaksanaan, sedang beberapa cadangan pelaburan baru lagi masih dalam penelitian.

Perkembangan ini tentunya positif, ia bukan saja dari sudut pengukuhan ekonomi, malahan juga kesan limpahnya akan dapat kita perolehi. Dari peningkatan aktiviti ekonomi akan membawa lebih banyak lagi wujudnya peluang-peluang pekerjaan dan perniagaan untuk warga tempatan.

Namun, dengan perkembangan ini, janganlah pula kita cepat-cepat berpuas hati. Tetapi usaha pembaharuan adalah masih perlu diteruskan, kerana transformasi ekonomi memerlukan perancangan jangka panjang.

Matlamat kita ialah untuk menjadikan negara ini sebagai destinasi perdagangan dan pelaburan yang menarik.

Selaras dengan ini, beta telah pun memperkenankan untuk diwujudkan Zon Perdagangan Bebas (Free Trade Zone). Dengan wujudnya zon ini, akan memudahkan lagi aktiviti pelaburan, terutama dalam sektor pembuatan.

Satu lagi keutamaan kerajaan beta ialah meningkatkan nilai dan prestasi Syarikat- Syarikat Berkaitan Kerajaan (GLCs). Syarikat-syarikat ini, termasuk syarikat-syarikat yang ditubuhkan melalui usaha sama dengan pelabur-pelabur asing, akan mampu untuk menyumbang kepada pertumbuhan ekonomi negara, khasnya di sektor bukan minyak dan gas.

Di samping itu, sektor swasta juga akan terus diberi keutamaan untuk membina keupayaan dalam aktiviti-aktiviti Perusahaan Mikro, Kecil dan Sederhana (MSME). Selaras sebagai usaha menyediakan asas yang kukuh bagi perkembangan MSME ini, beta telah pun memperkenankan penubuhan SME Bank.

Penubuhan bank ini dapatlah diharapkan untuk menyediakan kemudahan pinjaman kewangan yang mudah (accessible financing), bagi mendukung aktiviti-aktiviti perniagaan di negara ini. Bank ini akan beroperasi berdasarkan konsep Syariah (Shariah compliant).

Apapun rancangan, semuanya turut bergantung kepada sumber tenaga manusia. Inilah masalah kita. Di Brunei, sumber tenaga tempatan masih saja bermasalah. Di samping masalah terlalu memilih kerja, juga jadi masalah ialah, sudah dapat kerja di sektor swasta, tetapi tidak kekal lama, hanya sebulan atau seminggu dua sahaja sudah berhenti, balik semula memilih jadi penganggur.

Berkaitan ini, beta telah memperkenankan Apprenticeship satu program untuk diwujudkan khusus bagi graduan-graduan yang masih mencari pekerjaan. Program ini akan dilancarkan pada bulan April 2017 insyaaAllah. Ia akan dikenali Program I-RDY (i-ready), khusus sebagai platform bagi para graduan memasuki alam pekerjaan, sama ada di sektor swasta atau sektor awam.

Menyentuh mengenai keperluan tenaga manusia, penyediaan asas ilmu pengetahuan adalah utama. Maka ke arah ini, pencapaian penuntut-penuntut dari peringkat sekolah rendah sehingga ke peringkat menengah adalah perlu untuk diberikan penekanan.

Maka untuk itu, agensi-agensi berkenaan perlulah merangka perancangan yang actionable dan realistik serta cost-effective, agar semua isu dapat ditangani secara berkesan dalam jangka masa pendek, sederhana dan panjang.

Juga perlu diambil perhatian, bahawa pendidikan masa kini, tidak hanya terhad di bilik-bilik darjah sahaja, tetapi banyak ilmu, maklumat dan kemahiran boleh diperolehi melalui penggunaan teknologi internet, yang boleh diakses dengan mudah dan cepat.

Namun dalam keghairahan memanfaatkan teknologi canggih ini, kita juga dikehendaki supaya jangan lalai dari anasir-anasir yang tidak bertanggungjawab, yang menggunakan teknologi untuk tujuan-tujuan keburukan, termasuk penggunaan media sosial untuk menyebarkan berita-berita palsu dan fitnah. Semua ini boleh mengundang kepada bencana.

Beta berharap, semua pihak perlu turut menyedari dan mengambil perhatian serius Mengenainya.

Akhirnya, beta berharap Persidangan MMN tahun ini akan memberikan lebih tumpuan kepada perkara-perkara strategik untuk mengukuhkan lagi kemajuan sosioekonomi Negara.

Ahli-Ahli Yang Berhormat juga diharapkan dapat mengemukakan pandangan-pandangan dan saranan-saranan bernas tanpa takut-takut atau ragu-ragu untuk kepentingan masyarakat dan negara.

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

Kedudukan Brunei meningkat

Oleh Pg Fairol RMF

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 27 Okt – Laporan Bank Dunia Doing Business 2017 yang dikeluarkan hari ini telah meletakkan Negara Brunei Darussalam sebagai ekonomi paling meningkat untuk tempoh dua tahun berturut-turut dalam usaha untuk memudahkan aktiviti menjalankan perniagaan di negara ini.

Laporan Doing Business 2017 mengukur tahap kecekapan dan pengawalseliaan perniagaan domestik, telah merekodkan lonjakan Negara Brunei Darussalam ke kedudukan ke-72 di kalangan 190 negara-negara di seluruh dunia, dengan peningkatan skor pada enam petunjuk dan skor Distance to Frontier sebanyak 65. 51 daripada 100.

Peningkatan tersebut sekali gus menunjukkan pengurangan jurang di antara Negara Brunei Darussalam dengan negara-negara berprestasi tinggi, kata Menteri Tenaga dan Perindustrian di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (JPM), Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Singamanteri Kolonel (B) Dato Seri Setia (Dr.) Haji Mohd Yasmin bin Haji Umar juga selaku Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pandu Ease of Doing Business.

Bercakap pada satu sidang media di Bangunan JPM hari ini, beliau menjelaskan, laporan terkini menunjukkan Negara Brunei Darussalam masih lagi mengekalkan kedudukannya di tangga ke-4 di rantau ASEAN, di bawah Singapura (tangga ke-2), Malaysia (23) dan Thailand (46) dan diikuti oleh Vietnam (82), Indonesia (91), Filipina (99), Kemboja (121), Myanmar (170) dan Laos (139).

“Kejayaan-kejayaan yang dicapai ini adalah hasil daripada pengenalan proses-proses baru, peraturan dan perubahan sistem bagi memudahkan perniagaan khususnya dalam menyokong perkembangan para pengusaha perusahaan mikro, kecil dan sederhana (PMKS).

Yang Berhormat Pehin Haji Mohd Yasmin berkata kejayaan-kejayaan yang dicapai ini adalah hasil daripada
pengenalan proses-proses baru, peraturan dan perubahan sistem bagi memudahkan perniagaan khususnya
dalam menyokong perkembangan para pengusaha perusahaan mikro, kecil dan sederhana (PMKS).

“Di samping itu, pertambahan penglibatan dan kerjasama secara berterusan daripada peniaga-peniaga tempatan melalui program-program kesedaran dan maklum balas daripada komuniti peniaga juga turut memberikan impak positif dalam meningkatkan keupayaan kerajaan dalam menangani isu-isu on-the-ground,” jelas Yang Berhormat Pehin.

Katanya, menurut laporan tersebut, beberapa petunjuk juga telah menunjukkan penurunan daripada kedudukan sebelumnya dengan mengambil kira usaha pembaharuan yang turut dilaksanakan oleh negara-negara lain yang mana antaranya adalah petunjuk Starting a Business dan Dealing with Construction Permits.

“Ini menandakan Negara Brunei Darussalam perlu terus giat untuk meningkatkan kecekapan, di samping terus mengenalkan inisiatif pembaharuan terhadap dasar-dasar dan peraturan bagi mengurangkan jurang skor DTF Negara Brunei Darussalam.

“Peningkatan ketara dalam kedudukan Doing Business dalam tempoh dua tahun yang lalu adalah mencerminkan terhadap serius pihak kerajaan Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam untuk memudahkan suasana perniagaan, sejajar dengan titah Baginda Sultan semasa Hari Perkhidmatan Awam ke-23 menekankan keperluan bagi Negara Brunei Darussalam untuk menanda-aras prestasi dengan peringkat global.

“Sebahagian besar daripada agenda pembaharuan Negara Brunei Darussalam telah dikemudikan oleh Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah selaku pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pandu Penggerak.

“Setiap kemajuan ke arah ini sentiasa dipantau melalui Jawatankuasa Pandu Ease of Doing Business dipengerusikan oleh Menteri Tenaga dan Perindustrian di Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan diterajui oleh Champion Groups dari jabatan-jabatan dan agensi-agensi di bawah JPM, Kementerian Kewangan, Kementerian Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri, Kementerian Sumber-Sumber Utama dan Pelancongan, Kementerian Pembangunan, Kementerian Hal Ehwal Ugama, Kementerian Kesihatan, Kementerian Perhubungan dan Autoriti Monetori Brunei Darussalam,” jelas Yang Berhormat Pehin.

Dengan ini Negara Brunei Darussalam mencatatkan kenaikan skor DTF sebanyak 5.28 markah iaitu tertinggi di antara ekonomi yang meningkat termasuk negara-negara di rantau ASEAN diikuti dengan Indonesia dengan kenaikan sebanyak 2.95 markah dan Vietnam dengan kenaikan sebanyak 2.72 markah.

Manakala di rantau Asia Pasifik, Negara Brunei Darussalam menduduki kedudukan ke-13, di bawah negara-negara Asia Utara seperti Republik Korea menduduki kedudukan ke-4, Taiwan ke-5, dan Jepun ke-8, dan mendahului beberapa negara “Asian Powerhouse” seperti China berada di kedudukan ke-16, dan India berada di kedudukan ke-23.

Manakala 10 negara menduduki tangga teratas dalam laporan Doing Business 2017, mengikut kedudukan adalah New Zealand, Singapura, Denmark, Hong Kong, Republik Korea, Norway, United Kingdom, Amerika Syarikat, Sweden dan Macedonia.

Laporan Doing Business 2017 tahun ini membawa tema “Equal Opportunity for All”, memberi penekanan akan kesamaanrataan gender (Gender Equality) dalam peraturan perniagaan dan buat kali pertama mengetengahkan isu gender dalam tiga petunjuk iaitu Starting a Business, Registering Porperty dan Enforcing Contracts di mana kajian menunjukkan bahawa peraturan mengehadkan penglibatan wanita dalam bidang ekonomi akan melihat sumbangan wanita lebih rendah di sektor swasta, sama ada menjadi pekerja ataupun usahawan.

Walaupun Brunei mencatatkan penurunan dengan semakan kedudukan, pencapaian negara adalah dikira sangat memberangsangkan dan direkodkan sebagai salah sebuah ekonomi dari hanya 10 ekonomi di dunia telah mencatatkan peningkatan sebanyak tiga atau lebih petunjuk di dalam laporan tersebut.

Petunjuk mencatatkan peningkatan terbesar pada tahun ini ialah mendapatkan kuasa tenaga (Getting Electricity), melonjak sebanyak 55 anak tangga ke kedudukan 21 berbanding tangga ke-76 pada tahun lalu; petunjuk Enforcing Contracts tangga ke-93 daripada 115 dalam laporan 2016, petunjuk Getting Credit di tangga ke-62 daripada 78 dalam laporan 2016, petunjuk Protecting Minority Investors di tangga ke-102 daripada 96 dalam laporan 2016, Trading Across Borders di tangga ke-142 daripada 143 dalam laporan 2016 dan petunjuk Registering Property di tangga ke-134 daripada 135 dalam laporan 2016.

Di sebaliknya kejayaan pada dua tahun lalu, kerajaan telah menyatakan masih banyak pembaikan perlu dilakukan bagi negara mencapai sasaran 20 tangga teratas dalam indeks Doing Business dan juga memastikan persekitaran makmur bagi menyokong Wawasan Negara Brunei Darussalam 2035, menyeru kepada kerjasama yang lebih erat, penglibatan dan komitmen berterusan dari kedua-dua sektor awam dan swasta, bagi menangani isu-isu dihadapi on-the ground dan juga meningkatkan daya saing negara.


Sumber - Media Permata

Lack of visitors see Serasa Beach vendors struggle

A picture showing non-operating stalls at Serasa Beach.

Darren Chin
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

MANY of the 40 stalls at the Serasa Beach Complex are inactive due to the lack of visitors to the beach, despite nearly all the stalls officially having tenants.

A $3.45 million renovation project was completed in March 2014 to provide better facilities, including a permanent building complex, for vendors and visitors to the beach.

Vendors of the stalls said that restrictions brought about by the renovations have put both visitors and vendors off from frequenting Serasa Beach.

Rosmazidah Hj Damit, who has been selling clothing and accessories regularly at her stall at Serasa Beach since the stalls were opened in 2014, said that only around 10 stalls would be open for business on a normal day.

“Lately, the number of visitors to the beach has dropped a lot compared to previous years and I suspect certain restrictions have caused the place to go quiet,” she said.

“For example, if visitors wanted to bring their own barbeque equipment and use it at a place outside the prepared huts, they would be told not to do so and things like these deter people from coming. This ultimately affects us vendors,” she said.

Another vendor who operates a food stall at the beach said some of the aspects of the renovated facilities were not to the liking of local visitors.

“We have heard complaints that the (secondary) parking lot here is too far and the (primary) parking lot next to the stalls does not have enough spaces,” said Khairul Azli Hj Japar.

Khairul Azli said that in the two months before Ramadhan, there would be less than 10 stalls open, even on weekends, due to the lack of visitors.

When contacted by The Brunei Times, an official at the department of parks, recreation and environment said that their records show that currently 38 out of the 40 stalls have tenants.

The official who opted for anonimity for fear of repercussions said that the tenants are all still paying a monthly rent of $15 but do not open their stalls for business, especially during the month of Ramadhan when vendors normally rest.

Meanwhile, Khairul Azli told The Brunei Times that stalls regularly change vendors as tenants not operating their stalls daily would have their tenancy withdrawn.

“We actually have our attendance taken on normal days (before Ramadhan) by the authorities so we were told that if a stall was not operating for a certain number of days in a month, the tenancy of the stalls would be given to a new applicant,” he said.

One vendor who rented out ATVs at Serasa Beach before the renovations said he felt the beach has lost its lustre.

“Serasa Beach used to be a popular destination for locals because it had a fun factor and people could drive all the way in and there were not too many restrictions,” said Abdul Hadi Abdul Sani.

“Bruneians went to Serasa Beach because there were quite a lot of attractions and activities you could do like the ATVs which you can no longer find there,” he said.

Abdul Hadi said many of the vendors previously stationed at Serasa Beach have moved to Tungku Beach as they felt it would be tough to carry out their businesses following the completion of the renovation works.

“In my case, ATV use was banned outright at Serasa Beach which was why I moved to Tungku Beach,” he said.

“I think a lot of the people also stopped going to Serasa Beach and came to Tungku Beach because they were looking for activities and attractions such as the flying fox and ATVs,” he said.

Sumber - The Brunei Times

Gadong wet market woes

Amy (R), a vendor at Gadong wet market, entertaining her customers at her vegetables stall.
Traders at the market have raised concerns over the market’s hygiene

Rosera Mohd
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

VEGETABLE vendors have expressed concerns over the poor hygiene at the Gadong wet market, saying that the market is infested with rats.

One of the vendors, Norasikin Abdullah, said she had been complaining about the market’s cleanliness to the authorities but hygiene has yet to improve.

“They tried to get rid of the rodents for the whole building once, but that was more than a year ago, the rats are back again,” she said, adding that the rat infestation has been causing inconvenience to the vendors and affects food safety.

“One of the rats ate the tofu I was selling, and I had to throw the whole bucket away because they might be poisonous but who will pay for my losses?” said Norasikin, who has been operating her vegetable business at the market’s first floor since the late 1980s.

She went on to say that the rodents are usually persistent and would eat everything, from pumpkins to squids.

When approached by The Brunei Times yesterday, an officer at the Municipal Department acknowledged the rat infestation problem at the Gadong wet market.

Suhif Hj Abd Rahman, who is in charge of the Gadong wet market, said the department is waiting to hire a new contractor to deal with the rat infestation issue.

“The previous contractor, TermiCam, was in charge of addressing the rat infestation problem, but their term of contract has ended so we are waiting for a new contractor now,” he said.

When asked, Suhif said he was not certain when TermiCam’s contract ended or when the new contractor will be appointed as such contracts are usually dealt by the department’s Maintenance Unit and Technical Services.

He went on to say that Rafi Construction Sdn Bhd has been contracted for cleaning services at the Gadong wet and night markets.

Mohd Arzu Hossin, project manager of Rafi Construction, said the company’s workers clean the Gadong wet market every hour daily.

“Every hour the workers clean the market, wash and sweep the floor, clean the rubbish and use heavy equipment (usually at night) to keep these areas hygienic,” said Mohd Arzu, adding that the company has been cleaning the market for almost three years.

“Fifty workers are deployed to work at markets in Gadong every day with half of them working during the day while the other half at night,” he added.

When asked about the rats at the wet market, he said his company is not tasked by the Municipal Department to handle the rats, but his workers would “manually catch” the rodents whenever they encountered them.

Another vendor who only wished to be known as Amy said the rat infestation meant that vendors can no longer leave their fruits and vegetables at the market.

“Because of these rats, we can’t leave our vegetables here, we have to pack everything up and set up again the next day,” said the 49-year-old.

This is a nuisance as most of the vendors at the market are quite old and working by themselves without any helpers, said Amy, who has been selling at the wet market for about 20 years.

“We have to carry our goods up the stairs back and forth and it takes more than two hours to set up the booth, so it’s quite a burden and not ideal for us at our age,” added the single mother.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

JANGAN BIARKAN TAMU DAN PASAR SERIA JADI ASET YANG TERABAI

11 APRIL 2016: Beberapa ahli-ahli Majlis Eksekutif Ranting (MER) Parti Pembangunan Bangsa (NDP) Perumahan Rakyat Jati Lorong 3 Seria dibawah pimpinan Sdra Haji Tengah bin Metamit pada hari Jumaat 8 April kemarin telah membuat lawatan kerja ke Tamu Hujung Minggu dan Pasar Seria bagi tujuan meninjau dan meneliti kemaslahatan petani-petani, para usahawan tani dan pengunjung-pengunjung dikawasan tersebut.

Presiden NDP sdra Malai Hassan Othman, Timbalan Presiden sdra Pg Haji Zainal Pg Talip, Naib Presiden NDP Belait sdra Haji Metali bin Haj Ibrahim, Setiausaha Agung NDP sdri Hajjah Saemah Kepli, Ketua Himpunan Wanita NDP sdri Hajjah Kartini Manap dan beberapa ahli-ahli Majlis Tertinggi NDP Belait serta anggota JASA yang lain juga turut diundang untuk menyertai lawatan kerja tersebut. 

Di sesi lawatan tersebut beberapa pandangan dan cadangan telah dapat dikumpulkan dari pengusaha-pengusaha kecil dan juga orang ramai yang sempat ditemubual di sesi lawatan kerja tersebut. 

Berikut sesi lawatan kerja tersebut NDP telah mengambil ketetapan seperti berikut:

  

1. NDP mengambil maklum dan menyokong apa jua usaha dan langkah Kerajaan kearah membangun dan memajukan Pengusaha Kecil dan Sederhana (PKS) khususnya anak-anak tempatan yang berkecimpung dalam sektor pertanian dan perikanan

2. NDP juga mengambil maklum apa jua usaha dan langkah yang sedang dan akan terus diungkayahkan adalah semata-mata untuk mencapai matlamat memperkasa keupayaan dan dayasaing PKS tempatan yang sekaligus setentunya akan dapat menyumbang kearah memperkukuh ekonomi negara dan meningkatkan kadar pertumbuhan Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK) di sektor bukan minyak dan gas.

3. Dalam hal ini NDP mengambil ingat akan titah Tahun Baru Masehi 2016 KDYMM seperti petikan berikut:

“Di sini, kita perlu turut melihat prestasi ekonomi kita sendiri, di mana beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini, kadar pertumbuhan Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK) adalah agak perlahan yang memerlukan kita menggandakan usaha untuk meningkatkan keluaran dalam negara, terutama yang di luar sektor minyak dan gas.

Di antara yang di luar sektor minyak dan gas itu, ialah seperti sektor pertanian atau perikanan, sektor pembuatan, sektor perkhidmatan termasuk perkhidmatan kewangan, pengangkutan, logistik, telekomunikasi, perdagangan, pelancongan dan lain-lain”

4. Sehubungan dengan itu NDP juga mengalu-alukan dan menyokong penuh titah Baginda itu yang juga memperkenankan langkah reformasi ekonomi yang diharap dapat mencapai matlamat mengembang dan mempelbagaikan ekonomi negara.

5. Dalam konteks ini dan bagi mencapai matlamat memenuhi keperluan perusahaan tempatan yang berskala kecil dan sederhana itu, Baginda antara lain telah memperkenankan penubuhan Pusat Perusahaan Kecil dan Sederhana (PPKS), yang akan mengambilalih pelbagai peranan, yang dulunya dilaksanakan oleh beberapa agensi kerajaan.

6. NDP juga mengambil maklum tentang perancangan-perancangan yang telah disusun oleh pihak-pihak berkenaan khususnya Kementerian Sumber-Sumber Utama dan Pelancongan (KSUP) serta Menteri Tenaga dan Industri di Pejabat Perdana Menteri kearah meningkatkan prestasi ekonomi negara serta kearah meningkatkan keluaran dalam negara sektor bukan minyak dan gas khususnya dibidang pertanian dan perikanan.

7. Sehubugan dengan itu NDP berharap Pusat Perusahaan Kecil dan Sederhana (PPKS) yang baru ditubuhkan akan tidak terlepas pandang keatas kemaslahatan petani-petani dan para usahawan tani yang sudah lama bergiat dalam perusahaan pertanian dalam keghairahan PPKS membantu dan memudahcara kemajuan PKS yang diluar bidang pertanian bak kata pepatah “kera di hutan disusukan anak di rumah mati kelaparan.”

8. Dari itu NDP mencadangkan agar PPKS dapat meninjau keadaan petani-petani dan para usahawan tani tempatan seluruh negara terutama mereka yang bergiat di Daerah Belait setiap hujung minggu yang jelas kurang diberikan perhatian serious dalam usaha memudahcara perniagaan hasil-hasil tanaman petani-petani dalam dan luar daerah.

9. PPKS juga disarankan agar dapat berkerjasama dengan Jabatan Pertanian dan Jabatan Bandaran dalam menyelaraskan misi dan visi kedua-dua Jabatan ini kearah mencapai satu wawasan iaitu kearah memajukan dan mengembangkan perusahaan kecil dan sederhana terutama dibidang pertanian seperti yang dihasratkan oleh KDYMM dan Kerajaan.

10. Melalui langkah ini NDP yakin usaha kearah memajukan sektor pertanian akan lebih mudah dicapai.

11. Hasil kunjungan di Tamu dan Pasar Seria, NDP mendapati petani-petani dan usahawan-usahawan tani tempatan terpaksa berhadapn dengan senario kawalan dari dua pihak iaitu pihak Jabatan Pertanian yang bertanggungjawab keatas kemaslahatan petani dan hasil-hasil tani dan pihak Jabatan Bandaran yang menyediakan dan mengawal prasarana pasaran dan kegiatan urusniaga usahawan tani.

12. NDP mendapati petani-petani dan para usahawan tani yang bergiat di Daerah Belait, contohnya, tidak disediakan kemudahan dan kawasan tamu hujung minggu yang kekal, sempurna dan selamat dengan kemudahan yang selesa untuk mereka mengiatkan usaha mereka.

13. Hakikatnya mereka sering di pindah-pindah mengikut citarasa Jabatan Bandaran tanpa dibawah berunding dan sekarang ditempatkan di kawasan-kawasan letak kerita kawasan pasar Seria dan Pasar Baru Kuala Belait.

14. Mereka juga terpaksa mengangkut paying-payung besar, kemah-kemah dan meja-meja jualan selain barangan hasil tani yang akan dipasarkan.

15. Dalam masa sama NDP juga terkilan dengan keadaan Pasar Seria yang telah dibina lebih 20 tahun lalu tetapi hingga kini sunyi senyap tidak ramai penghuni kecuali pengusaha besar Pasar Raya dan beberapa bangku dan ruang yang disikan oleh beberapa pengusaha tempatan yang umpama hidup segan mati tak mahu.

16. NDP juga mendapati tahap kebersihan dan keselamatan di Pasar Seria dan kawasan persekitarannya kurang diberikan perhatian yang sewajarnya.

17. NDP berpandangan ianya satu pebanziran harta kerajaan sedangkan kemudahan yang ada didalam bangunan Pasar Seria sebenarnya dapat dimajukan untuk dijadikan tamu hujung minggu seperti kemudahan yang disediakan di tamu Daerah Tutong.

18. NDP melihat langkah ini tidak Begitu memerlukan perbelanjaan yang terlalu besar cukup dengan dorongan kesungguhan politik, anjakan paradigma, berfikir luar kotak, imganisai dan kreativiti pihak-pihak berkuasa yang berkenaan.

19. NDP juga berpandangan usaha perlu tumpukan kearah mewujudkan dasar dan sistem tamu yang liberal dan mesra-pasaran dengan membina prasarana yang lengkap dan sempurna seperti yang diungakayhkan oleh negara jiran sebelah yang sangat popular dikalangan pengunjung-pengunjung dari Belait.

20. Dalam masa sama NDP mencadangkan agar pihak-pihak berkenaan mengubah sikap dan membuka minda dengan membawa berunding semua ‘stake holders' dan mengambil kira semua aspek secara adil bukan sahaja untuk kepentingan pihak berkuasa tetapi juga untuk kepentingan pengusaha-pengusaha yang terlibat secara langsung dalam melaksanakan sebarang perancangan.

21. NDP kesal dengan sikap segolongan pegawai pentadbir dan penguatkuasa yang masih bersikap autokratik dan tidak mesra PKS. NDP bimbang jika sikap ini terus diasuh hasrat KDYMM untuk melaksanakan reformasi ekonomi negara mungkin akan tidak tercapai.

22. Dengan mengambil ingat apa yang pernah disentuh oleh KDYMM Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam Sempena Hari Keputeraan Baginda Yang Ke-69 Tahun pada 15 Ogos 2015 pada mana Baginda menekankan bahawa;

“…Brunei mesti dengan segera melakukan penghijrahan minda: Dari suka menunggu-nunggu dan berpeluk tubuh kepada rajin bekerja. Dari banyak bergantung harap, kepada lebih membanyakkan usaha, dan dari kurang berdikari, kepada lebih berdikari. Inilah sumber kekuatan kita...”

NDP dengan ini menyeru pihak-pihak berkenaan agar terus menanai titah ini melalui usaha masing-masing iaitu dengan menyediakan dan memudahkan suasana perniagaan dan perusahaan yang mengalakkan pertumbuhan dan produktiviti bukan yang menyulitkan melalui perlaksanaan peraturan yang terlalu mementingkan untung rugi jabatan, birokratik, menekan dan menyusahkan.

Sumber - Laman Aspirasi

PEMBANGUNAN PANTAI TUNGKU JANGAN KUBURKAN SEMANGAT BERDIKARI BANGSA

KENYATAAN RASMI PARTI PEMBANGUNAN BANGSA (NDP)

MUKADIMAH

Badan Perhubungan NDP Brunei-Muara dibawah pimpinan Naib Presiden Haji Mohiddin DPP Haji Othman telah menganjurkan lawatan kerja ke Pantai Tungku berikutan aduan dan sungutan dari pengusaha pengusaha yang bimbang akan kemungkinan mereka tidak lagi dibenarkan berniaga di kawasan tersebut. Ini kerana kawasan tersebut akan dimajukan oleh Brunei Investment Agency selaku pemilek kawasan tersebut.

TYT Presiden NDP, sdra Malai Hassan Othman juga diundang bersama untuk menyertai lawatan kerja pada hari Ahad 27 Mac 2016 itu. Juga turut serta Setiausaha Agung NDP sdri Hajah Seamah Kefli, Ketua Himpunan Wanita Puan Hajah Kartini, PSUA sdra Mohamad Abdullah Peter, Penolong Ketua Perhubungan NDP Brunei-Muara merangkap Setiausaha Politik Presiden sdra Ahmad Timpus, Ketua Biro Kemajuan Pengusaha Kecil dan Sederhana Dr Hajah Raiyah dan beberapa ahli-ahli Majlis Tertinggi dan JASA yang lain.

Berikutan lawatan kerja tersebut NDP telah mengeluarkan kenyataan rasmi tentang pendirian dan pandangan parti berhubung perkara tersebut seperti berikut:


1- PARTI PEMBANGUNAN BANGSA (NDP) sangat mengalu-alukan dan menyokong penuh sebarang rancangan untuk memajukan dan mencantikan lagi Pantai Tungku yang sudah terkenal dengan keindahanya dikalangan pengunjung pengunjung tempatan dan luar negara sebagai sebuah kawasan riadah dan tempat bersantai-santai dihujung hujung minggu

2- NDP juga menyokong penuh sebarang usaha kearah memajukan kawasan kawasan peranginan dan riadah termasuklah usaha untuk menswastakan pengurusan kawasan kawasan yang akan dikenalpasti sebagai kawasan yang boleh dimajukan selaras dengan perancangan kemajuan sektor pelancongan di negara ini

3- Dalam hal ini adalah menjadi dasar dan pegangan NDP agar pihak yang berwajib sentiasa mengambil kira faktor alam sekitar secara serius dalam sebarang usaha untuk memajukan atau membangunkan negara, di mana kajian secara objektif dan telus perlu diadakan sebelum sebarang projek pembangunan atau projek mega dimulakan, agar kesejahteraan rakyat Kebawah DYMM dan generasi akan datang, serta alam sekitar tidak akan terjejas dan lebih terjamin

4- Namun demikian dalam hal memajukan dan membangun semula Pantai Tungku, NDP juga berharap dan menyeru agar pemilek dan pihak yang berkuasa atas kawasan tersebut serta pihak kerajaan sendiri dapat melaksanakan sebarang rancangan kemajuan Pantai Tungku dengan mempastikan ianya mendatangkan kebaikan dan manfa'at kepada semua pihak termasuklah kepada pengusaha pengusaha kecil yang sudah bertahun-tahun menjadikan kawasan tersebut sebagai sumber rezeki mereka bukan sebaliknya

5- NDP bimbang sejarah akan berulang dalam mana inisiatif pihak kerajaan beberapa tahun yang lalu untuk mengubahsuai Pantai Serasa turut memutuskan mata pencarian beberapa pengusaha pengusaha kecil yang mencari makan dikawasan tersebut tetapi tidak pula mematahkan semangat mereka yang terjejas untuk terus berusaha untuk menyara hidup di kawasan riadah yang lain. Ramai dari kalangan mereka yang terjejas telah berpindah ke Pantai Tungku

6- Setelah lebih dua tahun berlalu mereka sekali lagi berhadapan dengan kemungkinan akan dipapat lagi mata pencarian mereka apabila kawasan Pantai Tungku yang merupakan milek Brunei Investent Agency (BIA) akan dimajukan. Wallahu wa'alam sama ada ia akan dimajukan sebagai kemudahan riadah yang eklusif atau sebaliknya belum dapat dipastikan

7- Apa yang pasti lebih 100 pengusaha pengusaha sekarang tidur tak lena makan tak kenyang memikirkan masa hadapan mereka

8- NDP turut bimbang kemungkinan usaha untuk memajukan Pantai Tungku akan turut menguburkan semangat berdikari, bekarih, bejarih, belurih anak bangsa yang telah terbukti tidak kenal penat lelah untuk mencari rezeki sendiri tanpa mengharapkan bantuan kerajaan untuk hidup

9- NDP juga bimbang jika permasalahan mereka ini tidak diberikan perhatian sewajarnya akan melahirkan kekecewaan dikalangan mereka dan sekali gus boleh menjejaskan keyakinan mereka dan keluarga mereka kepada pihak kerajaan serta boleh menjejaskan kredibiliti usaha kerajaan untuk memudahkan pertumbuhan pengusaha pengusaha kecil dan sederhana yang sedang diuar-uarkan

10- Untuk itu dikesempatan ini NDP mengingatkan pihak pihak berkuasa dan yang berkepentingan agar mengambil ingat akan titah Kebawah Duli yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan dan yang Dipertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam di majlis Pembukaan Rasmi Majlis Mesyuarat Negara (MMN) baru baru ini tentang pentingnya mengambil kira dan kaedah menyelesaikan permasalahan rakyat yang dipetik seperti berikut:

“Pendek kata, apa jua perancangan dan inisiatif adalah perlu untuk mengambil pendekatan delivery atau delivery approach untuk mencapai hasil yang dihasratkan.

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

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

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

11- Dalam hubungan ini NDP menyarankan pihak pihak berkenaan agar mengambil sikap terbuka dan pandangan yang jauh iaitu dengan mengambil kira pengusaha pengusaha kecil yang sudah bertapak di Pantai Tungku dan semangat mereka atas konsep Bekarih, Bejarih dan Belurih untuk berusaha sendiri tanpa mengharapkan bantuan kerajaan sebagai satu aset penting dalam rancangan untuk memajukan kawasan kawasan riadah dan pantai pantai peranginan bukannya satu liabiliti yang hendak dihapuskan dan dikubur di Pantai Tungku yang baru demi kepentingan beberapa pihak sahaja

12- NDP juga berpandangan bahawa pengusaha pengusaha kecil tersebut merupakan satu aset kepada rancangan kemajauan sektor pelancogan negara yang wajar dikembangmajukan

13- Untuk itu pihak pihak berkenaan perlu berlapang dada dan dengan minda terbuka untuk membantu dan memudahkan mereka meneruskan perusahaan mereka masing masing dalam masa sama memajukan dan membangun Pantai Tungku sebagai kawasan peranginan dan riadah yang mesra alam sekitar, selamat dan bertaraf antarabangsa

14- Sebagai sebuah negara Melayu Islam Beraja dan Negara Zikir, NDP juga sukacita mengingatkan akan pentingnya setiap perancangan kemajuan dilandaskan atas konsep keadilan dan ihsan yang merupakan ciri ciri pemerintahan KDYMM

15- Dalam konteks ini NDP meyarankan agar pihak pihak berkenaan berpegang dan mengambil iktibar titah nasihat KDYMM semasa merasmikan perlantikan barisan Menteri kabinet yang baru pada Oktober 2015 yang lalu:

“Allah mengurniakan nikmat, sementara kita berkewajipan mensyukurinya. Syukur itulah pemangkin segala nikmat dan keberkatan. Tanpa syukur, nikmat akan hakis, tidak dapat bertahan lama.

Bagaimanakah caranya bersyukur itu? Di samping mengucapkannya dengan lidah, kita juga dituntut untuk bersyukur melalui ‘urustadbir' di dalam kehidupan. Kerana itulah kita memerlukan kerajaan, dan dalam kerajaan itu pula terdapat jentera yang terdiri daripada para pemimpin dan pegawai-pegawai serta kakitangan di bawah mereka.

Di tangan merekalah, terutama para pemimpin, kewajipan untuk membawa negara ini menjalani amalan bersyukur, iaitu melalui pimpinan dan urustadbir mereka dalam kerajaan.

Salah satu dari ciri bersyukur itu ialah dengan melaksanakan keadilan. Kerana keadilan adalah segala-galanya. Tanpa keadilan, semua kebajikan akan jauh atau menarik diri daripada kita.

Oleh itu, satu peringatan perlu disebut di sini, bahawa sesiapa jua yang dilantik atau dipilih menjadi pemimpin, mereka itu adalah berkewajipan untuk menjalankan keadilan. Tempat tumpahnya keadilan ialah keatas rakyat, bukan kepada diri sendiri. Adapun untuk kepentingan diri sendiri, itu bukanlah keadilan tetapi kezaliman.

Sebab itulah kadang-kadang, bersedia mendengar suara orang di bawah, atau menerima idea-idea yang baik, atau keluhan atau rintihan mereka dapat dianggap sebagai ciri melaksanakan keadilan”.

16- Semoga pandangan dan saranan NDP ini dapat diberikan perhatian oleh pihak pihak berkenaan demi kepentingan bangsa dan negara dan selaras dengan tanggungjawab semua untuk memelihara negara sebagai sebuah negara yang aman makmur lagi sejahtera serta sentiasa mendapat perlindungan Allah.


Sumber - Laman Aspirasi

El Nino hits vegetable farms

Md Said Tundak, Village Head of Kg Bebuloh said El Nino may affect the next padi planting season.

Wail Wardi Wasil
BRUNEI-MUARA

VEGETABLE farmers in the sultanate are affected by the El Nino climate phenomenon, with their crops fast wilting in the current dry weather, decreasing their harvest.

In an interview with The Brunei Times, most of the vegetable farmers lamented over the fact that their decreased productivity has also caused a decrease in their monthly income.

Nur Ni’mah Qistina Abdullah Saban, 38, who operates a vegetable farm along with her family for more than 10 years, said that the heat has caused the soil on their farm to dry up and crack.

Even with the occasional instances of rain, she said, it is not enough to compensate for the dry weather.

“This may be one of the worst dry spells that we have experienced (and) the retention pool in our farm dried up last month and we have to depend on pipe water to water our crops,” she said.

Meanwhile, Lamun Perayam, who sells her crops at Pasar Tani Selayun, said the vegetables that have survived the heat and are good for harvest do not meet satisfactory quality in terms of appearances, leading to consumers avoiding purchase.

She said that leafy vegetables are most affected by the current weather pattern. These include crops such as selasih and cangkuk Manis.

Despite the poor quality of crops during this (season), Lamun said farmers are still able to grow and sell their crops, so she must still remain competitive and is not able to raise her prices.

“Before the dry season, I would earn an average of more than $100 a day, but now, I only earn between $20 and $70. However, this can still sustain me and my family,” said the 70-year-old.

Similarly, another vegetable farmer, Hilmi Salleh said prior to the dry season, she was able to sell 90 per cent of her crops. Now, she could barely sell 60 per cent of her harvest. “The dry weather has affected the quality of our crops and customers usually will opt for the best looking vegetables. As a result, we have resorted to lowering our prices.”

Hilmi, who helps out in operating vegetable farms owned by her parent-in-laws, said that one of their farms in Bukit Agok, Tutong, is suffering as the retention pool which they use to water the crops has dried up. “We have to control our planting now (because) we don’t have enough water (and) sometimes we resort to asking other farmers in the area for water from their retention pools,” added the 34-year-old.

Padi farmers on the other hand, are not yet affected by the El-Nino climate phenomenon as the water for irrigation from the Imang Dam is still reliable.

Md Said Tundak, the village head of Kg Bebuloh cum chairman of the Kg Bebuloh padi fields and Mat Noor Maaruf, the village head of Kg Wasan cum chairman of the Kg Batang Perhentian padi fields, said they have harvested the padi from this year’s first planting season. “However, if this dry weather persists until May or June, which is typically when we start our second padi planting season (then) we might have to postpone the planting season. This may disrupt the flow of our padi production,” said Mat Noor.

Md Said said that the heat is detrimental to padi production due to its affects towards the padi farmers, adding that the heat has caused a number of farmers to spend less time on the field.

It was previously reported that according to the Meteorological Department, strong El-Nino conditions are expected to persist over the Pacific Ocean before gradually weakening in June.


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

‘Jerudong market issue difficult’

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

Wail Wardi Wasil
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Pengusaha kecil di Pantai Tungku risau

Oleh Normazlina M.D

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

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

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

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

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

Notis yang dipacakkan di Pantai Tungku.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Sumber - Media Permata

‘Trade protectionism is not a solution’

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

Leo Kasim
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Sumber - The Brunei Times

‘Tamu Kianggeh at its cleanest since HM surprise visit’

Wail Wardi Wasil
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

TAMU Kianggeh vendors said the open-air market is at its cleanest since His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, made a surprise visit a week ago.

Vendors told The Brunei Times yesterday that the tamu is in peak condition as Municipal Department officials visited the market almost every day to ensure hygiene is practised.

One of the vendors, Einon Hj Tuah, said the whole market was cleaned after His Majesty’s visit to the market.

Previously, she said the cleaning of the market would be conducted once or sometimes twice a month.

During a visit to the Ministry of Home Affairs last week, the monarch had expressed dissatisfaction with the hygiene at Tamu Kianggeh, describing it as messy and an eyesore.

Another vendor, Jamil Hj Tamin, said the Municipal Department previously sent notices to vendors if they were about to clean the market.

During those days, he said vendors would close up shop and pack up their wares to make it easier for cleaners to clear the filth.

“However, there were many instances when we opened our stalls the next day, only to find out that not every part of the market was cleaned, except the front area,” he said.

He said if the Municipal Department has better communication with the vendors, they would be more than willing to cooperate in ensuring cleanliness and management of stall spaces.

“About five years ago, there would be cleaning campaigns conducted by the Municipal Department every week on Mondays, vendors would also take part in the campaign,” said the 41-year-old.

Jamil said if the authorities could reintroduce the weekly cleaning campaign, the cleanliness of the market would be easily maintained.

The Municipal Department has also sorted out the vendors’ stalls in one area of the market, which is the parking area across the Brunei Malay Teachers Association (PGGMB) building in the capital.

Jinut Hj Timbang, one of the vendors who operates in the area, said Municipal Department officials approached them on Saturday and supervised the rearrangements of the stalls.

Previously, the vendors’ stalls would be scattered around the parking area, often creating traffic congestion for car owners using the parking lot.

They are are located only on one side of the parking lot, where there is a bridge connecting the space to Tamu Kianggeh.

“If it is for our own good, then we will happily do it, I’m sure there will be no future problems if the Municipal Department just communicate with us more often,” she said.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

SMEs need quick access to funds

Leo Kasim
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

LOCAL small and medium enterprises (SMEs) need an ecosystem which gives them quicker access to finance and will allow them to scale their operations.

According to Haslina Taib, APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) member for Brunei, local SMEs often have difficulty getting funds on time or are constrained by the lack of market opportunities within local borders.

She said SMEs in regional countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines are often funded privately by venture capitalists (VCs) or angel investors resulting in less administrative burden.

But in Brunei, most funding come from the government. SMEs have to go through a more complex administration of funds.

“So there needs to be a policy or process that allows private sector to get a license to operate funding in Brunei,” she told The Brunei Times.

Haslina, who is also co-chair of the ABAC SME working group, said it is important for government process to be simpler to attract more VCs and angel investors into the country.

She said the private investors could be given licences to run their investment operations while the government monitors their business dealings.

Such a system will limit SMEs expectations of getting government funding and give them quick access to much needed funds.

“At this stage, we need them (VCs and angel investors) more than they need us,” she said.

Haslina said the system should be based on an open market where the investors provide not just financing but also business links.

For their part, SMEs would promote their products and services to win investors over.

Alternative financing needs to function in an environment where it is not overburdened by regulation, she said, adding that SMEs would also need to have the idea of being financed by alternative means “embedded” in them.

Hafimi Abdul Haadi, another ABAC member, said SMEs often do not have business models that fit the criteria of conventional financing methods provided by banks.

“When you innovate, you can only see results only when you’ve done it. So most SMEs come up with a business model that does not really equate to what is going to happen in the future,” she said.

She said this makes alternative financing from VCs important to SMEs which are developing their products. In 2014, ABAC reported the total unmet need for credit by SMEs globally is about US$2.1 trillion ($2.91 trillion) to US$2.5 trillion.

In its report entitled “APEC Framework for Innovative SMME Financing Mechanisms”, ABAC said East Asia faces a credit gap in the range of US$900 billion to US$1.1 trillion while South Asia sees a gap of up to US$370 billion.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

HM demands answers from MoHA on tamu

Waqiuddin Rajak
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE Ministry of Home Affairs was placed in the hot seat yesterday when His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, demanded answers over the inaction of officials in tackling problems.

Delivering his titah during a visit to the ministry’s headquarters yesterday, the monarch said the maintenance of markets has worsened because it continues to be neglected.

His Majesty said he witnessed Tamu Kianggeh vendors selling their goods all over the market without considering hygiene and comfort during his visit there last Sunday.

Describing the conditions of the market as messy and an eyesore, the Sultan added that he had difficulties navigating the tamu because the stalls were disorganised and some occupied a larger space than others, including selling their products on the stairs.

“This is an unpleasant sight. I also saw garbage and stones scattered around, while there is a vendor selling kuih apam balik (local delicacy) outside of a building nearby,” he said.

“Where are the municipal authorities? Did they not see this situation?

“If so, why was it left without being addressed?” he continued.

The monarch went on to say that the long abandoned building near the market showed that the authorities had given the green light to construct the building without careful assessment as it was not necessary and suitable to be built in the area.

Some of the vendors, he said, had also complained of foreigners loitering at the cemetery behind the tamu on Fridays and Sundays.

“According to the vendors there, this is unpleasant to them, there were efforts to forbid (the foreign workers) but it was unsuccessful,” he said.

“The vendors had to report to authorities including the police and the Municipal Department, but the situation did not change, and it became worse,” he added.

The monarch expressed concerns as the vendors had also told him that the foreigners may disturb them as they were drunk.

“So my question is, where is the discretion of the authorities in this? Where are measures to preserve the sanctity of the cemetery? Where are our efforts to ensure peace and safety?” he said.

“Do we not see drunk people at the cemetery as threatening? Would it not be possible that apart from them being intoxicated, they may also plan something that can endanger the country?” he added.

The monarch noted no changes had been made, an indication that the issue was not resolved.

“If it is addressed, at least we will see changes for the better, but the situation at the tamu seems to be getting worse,” he said.

He added that if the authorities were not told or instructed to take action, changes would not be made.

“So here I would like to once again ask, where are the municipal authorities and the others?” he added.

The Sultan said the same can be applied to the Jerudong wet market as it is now only left with fishmongers as fruits and vegetable vendors had long abandoned their stalls in the building.

These vendors had brought their goods to the corridors of the building, making it difficult for people to pass by as it is now filled with temporary stalls for vendors to sell their goods.

His Majesty said the reason they had abandoned their designated stalls because it was dark, hidden and not enough clean air, making it difficult for them to attract customers.

The building, His Majesty said, is now abandoned, neglected and dirty.

“This continues to persist, where are the authorities? Why has it not been visited?

“How long has this been going on? What are we waiting for?” he said.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Keberangkatan Kebawah DYMM ke Tamu Kianggeh suntik semangat para penjaja

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Ahad, 7 Februari. - 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 berkenan berangkat melawat Tamu Kianggeh di ibu negara awal pagi tadi.

Keberangkatan Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia telah disambut dengan rasa penuh kegembiraan oleh para penjaja dan pengunjung di tamu tersebut.

Keprihatinan baginda terhadap kesejahteraan rakyat dan penduduk di negara ini jelas kelihatan melalui keberangkatan baginda meninjau dengan lebih dekat keadaan dan aktiviti di Tamu Kianggeh yang sememangnya sibuk terutama pada hujung minggu.

Semasa lawatan tersebut baginda berkenan bercemar duli dan berinteraksi bersama para penjaja sambil meninjau aktiviti harian mereka, jelas menggambarkan betapa eratnya hubungan antara raja dan rakyatnya.

Meskipun dalam keadaan hujan, baginda tetap meneruskan lawatan dan orang ramai tidak melepaskan peluang untuk menjunjung kasih serta bersalaman dengan baginda.

Tamu Kianggeh merupakan tempat yang mudah bagi memperoleh barangan keperluan harian dengan harga yang berpatutan termasuk juadah dan buah-buahan tempatan, ikan, sayur-sayuran, bunga-bungaan dan kraf tangan, di samping menjadi salah satu tempat tarikan pelancong asing ke negara ini.

Sejarah kewujudan Tamu Kianggeh bermula pada awal 1960-an dulunya merupakan tempat padian wanita menjual pelbagai hasil produk mereka dengan menggunakan bot yang juga dikenali sebagai padian.

Beroperasi seawal pagi dan berakhir pada lewat petang setiap hari yang mana kebanyakan para penjaja di sini terdiri daripada kaum wanita atau warga emas tempatan. Tamu Kianggeh merupakan pasar terbuka terletak di tepi Sungai Kianggeh di tengah-tengah ibu negara.

Apa yang jelas, keberangkatan baginda bercemar duli ke Tamu Kianggeh akan menjadi ristaan serta dapat menyuntik semangat para penjaja tempatan untuk lebih bergiat aktif menjalankan perniagaan mereka.


Sumber - Pelita Brunei

Pusat sokongan ditubuh

Oleh Abdul Rahim Haji Ismail

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 19 Jan – Kerajaan, melalui Lembaga Kemajuan Ekonomi Brunei (BEDB) bakal menubuhkan Pusat Sokongan Perniagaan pada April 2016 yang akan memainkan peranan penting sebagai pusat utama bagi mendukung semua keperluan perniagaan, baik bagi pengusaha tempatan mahupun bagi pelabur langsung asing di negara ini.

Pusat tersebut, yang dijangka ditempatkan di Bangunan Reka Bentuk dan Teknologi, Taman Teknologi Anggerek Desa, akan menempatkan agensi-agensi berkepentingan bagi memudah cara urusan perniagaan di negara ini dan sebagai pemudah yang akan membantu perkembangan perniagaan tempatan serta menggalakkan lebih ramai lagi anak tempatan menceburi dunia perniagaan.

Ini diumumkan oleh Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan Menteri Kewangan Kedua, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim ketika merasmikan Hari Terbuka Perusahaan 2016 yang berlangsung Bangunan Reka Bentuk dan Teknologi, Taman Teknologi Anggerek Desa, hari ini.

Hadir sama ialah Menteri Tenaga dan Perindustrian di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (JPM), Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Singamanteri Kolonel (B) Dato Seri Setia (Dr.) Haji Mohammad Yasmin bin Haji Umar, setiausaha-setiausaha tetap dan para pegawai kanan yang lain.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Haji Abdul Rahman berkata, kejatuhan harga minyak yang merudum sejak Jun 2014 daripada paras tertinggi AS$122 setong kepada di bawah paras AS$30 setong pada Januari 2016 telah menjejaskan hasil pendapatan semua negara pengeluar.

Brunei juga tidak terkecuali dengan kejatuhan harga minyak itu, yang mana pendapatan kerajaan telah menurun kira-kira 70 peratus daripada hasil yang diterima pada Tahun Kewangan 2012/2013 dengan defisit pada Tahun Kewangan 2014/2015 mencecah $213 juta manakala defisit Tahun Kewangan 2015/2016 sehingga Disember 2015 telah melebihi $1.6 bilion dan dijangka meningkat lebih $2.3 bilion pada akhir Tahun Kewangan 2015/2016.

“Oleh itu, langkah berhemah dan berjimat cermat perlu kita usahakan secara terus menerus bagi mengurangkan perbelanjaan kerajaan supaya defisit belanjawan ini akan terurus dan kewangan negara akan terus berdaya tahan.

“Ke arah itu, orang ramai perlu menerima hakikat sebenar yang kemampuan kerajaan untuk menampung perbelanjaan seperti dulu akan terbatas, perlu berasaskan keutamaan, keperluan, dan kemampuan serta kesan signifikannya dalam menjana aktiviti perekonomian dan peluang pekerjaan kepada anak tempatan,” kata beliau.

Menurutnya lagi, kejatuhan harga minyak dan gas global telah memaksa negara mempelbagaikan ekonomi khususnya di luar sektor minyak dan gas dan strategi seperti menarik pelabur asing dan usaha memperkukuhkan perusahaan kecil dan sederhana tempatan perlu dipergiat dan dilaksanakan secara berterusan.

Menyentuh mengenai peningkatan jumlah syarikat yang mendaftar pada 2015, sebanyak 568 buah syarikat berbanding 474 sepanjang 2014, beliau berkata perkara itu merupakan agenda utama yang menjadi fokus utama kerajaan terutama selepas Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam melantik Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, Menteri Kanan di Jabatan Perdana Menteri selaku Peneraju dan Pengerusi PENGGERAK.

Beliau menegaskan, melalui kepentingan Ease Of Doing Business secara proaktif dan konsisten, telah memantau secara berterusan prestasi, menetapkan sasaran yang bercita-cita tinggi dan mempengerusikan Mesyuarat Stocktake dengan pelbagai kementerian untuk mengkaji dan menilai pelan-pelan tindakan berasaskan data yang dikemas kini, sekali gus menggambarkan keprihatinan dan komitmen DYTM Pengiran Muda Mahkota yang menginginkan jentera kerajaan terus maju ke depan dengan pantas dan segera supaya hasrat kerajaan untuk menjadikan iklim perniagaan di negara ini lebih kondusif.

Berkaitan dengan persepsi antarabangsa dan bagi memastikan semua pengusaha mengetahui proses dan undang-undang yang berkaitan dengan perniagaan, pihak kerajaan telah mewujudkan laman sesawang di mana sebuah portal rujukan boleh diakses oleh pihak yang berkepentingan.

Kewujudan laman sesawang itu juga merupakan respons kepada pihak pengusaha untuk mengadakan sebuah pusat rujukan bagi perniagaan.

Selepas menyampaikan ucapannya, Yang Berhormat Pehin dengan diiringi oleh Menteri Tenaga dan Perindustrian di JPM turut melawat Pameran Hari Terbuka Perusahaan 2016 di Lobi Bangunan Reka Bentuk dan Teknologi.


Sumber - Media Permata

OVOP products yet to make their mark overseas

Waqiuddin Rajak
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

NONE of the products introduced under the One Village, One Product (OVOP) initiative have gained recognition overseas, with many hurdles remaining.

OVOP Project Officer Ahmad Fazil Zakaria (pic) told The Brunei Times that eight new products were introduced last year - six of them by village consultative councils (MPKs) in Tutong and two by MPKs in Temburong.

Most of the new products were introduced by Kg Lamunin in Tutong, with its Kuih Sapit, Kuih Lidah and cultural product “Gambus” (traditional music band) services being the highlight, aside from its newly registered tourism product Bintudoh resort along with Kg Kiudang’s homestay.

MPKs in Temburong established products with Kg Labu Estate introducing its Keropok Keladi (taro chips) and Kg Piasau-Piasau its Keropok Labu (pumpkin chips).

With the eight new products, Ahmad Fazil said there are now a total of 162 products registered under the OVOP initiative.

However, he also noted that these products were made by only around 62 of the 179 MPKs established in the sultanate.

“It’s understood that most of these MPKs are still trying their best to find out which products can be elevated as their representative product, their OVOP,” he said.

“It’s not easy because there are factors that need to be considered, including the MPKs’ capability to produce them and finding entrepreneurs to collect them from producers and consistently market them as the villages’ representative products,” he added.

He noted that production consistency is amongst the major factors for villages to be able to conduct large-scale marketing of their products, not just locally but also internationally.

“OVOP is a concept that first began in Japan, but other countries around the region followed suit, including ASEAN countries, and sometimes we also visit them whenever there are programmes and study how they conduct their OVOP-related initiatives,” he said.

“One of the things we noticed was that most of them made use of heavy machinery to consistently make the products. While that might help, we also have to consider the uniqueness of the product, including its taste, if we were to use machinery,” he added.

He gave an example of Keropok Udang (prawn crackers), where for better production and taste, the raw crackers need to be dried under the sun.

“But by doing that, we would also have to take into consideration the weather, which could be a problem if we were to consistently produce them and market them.

“But if we were to use an oven to dry them, the heat wouldn’t be the same as from sunlight, which may also have fluctuating temperatures and perhaps other nutrients, so the quality may also differ from how it was supposed to be when it’s handmade,” he said.

In terms of raw materials, Ahmad Fazil also said that OVOP entrepreneurs may need to find a steady source, especially those who planned to make handicrafts as a village’s representative product.

In other countries, he said, some of the villages had imported resources to sustain their OVOP efforts, including rattan to make all sorts of related handicrafts.

“But alternatively, they could also find new materials that could replace the natural resources without affecting the quality. For instance, Kg Mandaram has its handicrafts made out of fibre strips.

“And these handicrafts, whenever there are VIP visitors coming from overseas for a meeting, their goodie bags will consist of these bags filled with other OVOP products, and the feedback is often positive, as they will come back to seek more of these goods,” he added.

Ahmad Fazil said the government is currently looking at plans to improve the development of the OVOP initiative in the sultanate, including finding venues or channels to promote the products that have the potential to be exported.

“Currently, the OVOP (initiative) may not be enough to help sustain the country’s economy, as it’s still considered small. But we’re doing our best to heed the call to diversify the economy and make its people less dependent on the government.

“Hopefully, we will be able to develop the OVOPs to be more consistent in the future and see products receive international recognition one day,” he said.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Brunei to focus on potential growth and industries to promote FDIs

Rachel Thien and Leo Kasim
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE new Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Downstream Industry Committee can take advantage of regional trade agreements to export Brunei-made products and attract more investors, said chairman of the Brunei Darussalam International Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

Shazali Sulaiman said Brunei can promote the manufacturing and export of halal foodstuffs, pharmaceutical and beauty products.

“These can be exported outside Brunei to take advantage of the ASEAN Economic Community 2015, Trans-Pacific Partnership and other regional free trade agreements,” he told The Brunei Times.

The chairman was reacting to His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, The Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s announcement on the establishment of the committee in his New Year’s Eve titah.

Shazali said the establishment of the committee will allow Brunei to focus on the areas of potential growth and industries that can promote FDIs.

He went on to say that the Bio-Innovation Corridor can be further developed to attract FDIs, which will help expand the industry base and create employment for locals. The Bio-Innovation Corridor, according to its website, was established to promote the development of food and bio-industries and establish an internationally renowned halal-themed industry park as part of Brunei’s economic diversification strategies.

Speaking on the new Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Centre that was also announced by the Sultan, Shazali said it will play a critical role in nurturing entrepreneurs provided that collaboration is in place between the public and private sectors.

“There must be regular dialogues and discussions held with the private sector so that the centre can cater to the needs of SMEs, which is why a formal public-private partnership must be seen to be in place,” he said.

He said the private sector can play a key role by providing input on practical problems, challenges and issues.

“Policy decisions will be based on practical factors from the ground and this is where associations such as the Chambers of Commerce can play an important part in,” he said, adding that such work will only help in achieving strategies and objectives set out in the Vision 2035.

Meanwhile, Legislative Council (LegCo) member Yang Berhormat Pehin Kapitan Lela Diraja Dato Paduka Goh King Chin said His Majesty’s titah was a “wake-up call” for the country to take SMEs and FDIs seriously.

He said the One Village, One Product OVOP initiatives play an important role in SME growth, and that the new SME Centre should consider their needs.

However, he questioned the success of the implementation of OVOP in villages and they need help to thrive.

“Some of the things I think must be looked into is that some of the residents in OVOP are selling their products on a small-scale level at their houses or a rented venue. Some are also facing difficulties in getting financing from the banks,” he said.

The LegCo member, who is also a prominent businessman, said while the quality of OVOP products is good, their packaging is poor in general.

He added some of the residents are also unsure of how to export their products, and this is where they need help.

To attract more FDIs into Brunei, he said guidelines on investing need to be made clear and transparent to all foreign investors, including areas such as land leasing to start a business here.

YB Pehin Dato Goh also called for the expediting of approval processes for FDIs.

LegCo representative of Belait district Zone 1 YB Hj Mohd Shafiee Ahmad said he fully supports His Majesty’s titah on the formation of the SME centre.

“We do not know who will be running it, but His Majesty said he would like to see ministries working together. We hope this centre will be able to produce marketable SMEs,” he said.

YB Hj Mohd Shafiee said those who are involved in the OVOP are important, and need support from the government and other sectors of society. “Most of the OVOP do not have enough funding, and many have problems in marketing their products,” he said.

He called on the public and pri-vate sectors to help promote the OVOP initiatives until they are successful.

“I personally hope the SME centre will be able to help the OVOP, and if it is possible, for all OVOP from the four districts to be managed there so they can be marketed locally and for export,” he said.

Speaking on FDI, YB Hj Mohd Shafiee too said the process of approving investors to operate here must be expedited. “If the process takes too long, investors will not be willing to invest,” he said.

He said guidelines on investing in Brunei must be made transparent and clear, so investors can adjust and plan their business.

“The private sector plays an important role in developing any country. So FDIs and the private sector must be given more consideration and not make it difficult for them to carry out businesses,” he said.

Dato Paduka Hj Idris Hj Abas, chief executive and principal architect of Arkitek Idris also welcomed the setting up of SME centre as almost 99 per cent of businesses in Brunei are SMEs.

“(This) centre should exist to support and give guidance to the development of SMEs, especially on the financial scheme assistance.”


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Setbacks threaten to disrupt Kg Senukoh’s OVOP efforts

Waqiuddin Rajak
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

TEMBURONG’S Kampung Senukoh once owned a tapioca plantation, offered a tourism package with homestay and sold handicrafts, but they are now nowhere to be found.

The village had launched the products and services as part of its One Village, One Product initiative (OVOP) in 2008, but it was later found that none of them could be sustained.

In an interview, Yusof Hj Maidin said the village initially found a suitable place for a tapioca plantation and the government had agreed to help construct a pathway to reach the designated area in the village.

“So we sowed the seeds and the tapioca grew and were big in size, but the constant problem we faced was getting our tapioca trampled and eaten by wild boars since it was near the forest,” said the village chief who was appointed in 2013.

Yusof said the village consultative council tried to chase away the wild boars many times, but to no avail because the forest was also their home.

“After many attempts, we had to give up because we do not have much in our budget, we asked the government to help but not much could be done.

“At the time, we planned to get machines to process the tapioca into crisps, good thing that didn’t fall through because we won’t be able to use it,” he added.

Tourism package

The village also introduced a tourism package dubbed the ‘Senukoh: A Mesmerising Traditional Lifestyle, making use of Kg Senukoh’s rich culture and nature as a product.

Based on the Kg Senukoh’s Village Consultative Council (MPK) website, the project was launched in January 2008 with two packages – a day trip and overnight trip with homestay included.

Yusof said the project began to fade last year, as most of the MPK youths tasked to take charge of the initiative either had to continue their studies or had other commitments.

“Moreover, the huts built for the people to rest and enjoy the traditional attractions we had to offer were also damaged due to wear and tear as they were made out of wood,” he said.

“We also received some requests from tourists, but looking at its status now, it may not be safe for them to come. A large budget would be needed if we were to fix it,” he said, adding that an overhaul will be needed.

He had asked the government to help, but was told that the area was not “gazetted” and that it was an “administrative” problem for the Ministry of Home Affairs.

“Moreover, the pathway for people to cross the river, which was previously clear, is now being blocked with bushes and the traditional games are also in bad condition.

“So an overhaul is really needed if we want to improve that place. If there is a budget, it can be done, but currently we do not have any,” he added.

Handicrafts and homestay

The handicrafts and homestay projects also had to be stopped because of insufficient manpower.

The village chief said most of the handicrafts and homestay were previously owned and managed by senior citizens.

Yusof said the people who had previously managed the handicrafts were too old to be able to sustain the handicraft businesses.

It was also difficult to find youth who were willing to manage the business full-time, as they had studies or work commitments.

He said the owner of the homestay, had passed away and the children had other commitments, thus the homestay project was scraped off from the village’s OVOP list.

Noodles

Kg Senukoh is now left with only its dried and fresh noodles, but its village head said the village is also having problems trying to keep the business afloat by selling the noodles.

Yusof said the dried and wet noodles are the village’s lifeline in sustaining its OVOP initiative

“We currently depend on a reservations-based system, we would only produce the noodles if there are bookings and usually, the Serikandi Group of Companies (Serikandi) and Royal Brunei Catering (RBC) are the ones that make their reservations with us,” said head of Kg Senukoh.

He said 1kg of noodles cost around $1.50, but the companies would only order about 10kgs, which he said would be just enough to cover their expenses.

The income gained from selling the noodles was not fixed, those who were involved in making the noodles - including single mothers - could only earn about $30.

They have previously sold their noodles to restaurants in Temburong, but the eateries have since stopped ordering the noodles.

Yusof said the restaurants may have found suppliers from neighbouring countries as they may be cheaper because of the currency exchange.

“The government, however, has tried to help us find a place where we could market our products, but so far it has been difficult as major supermarkets now make their own noodles.

“Right now, we are doing our best to preserve what we have left. We tried making the noodles more attractive and unique, and we are hoping that things could go in our favour once the bridge connecting us to the capital is completed,” he added.

Temburong representative to Legislative Council Yang Berhormat Hj Sulaiman Hj Ahmad said he supports Kg Senukoh’s efforts to develop its OVOP initiatives, and was aware of their struggles.

YB Hj Sulaiman said grassroots leaders had set good targets, but they are difficult to meet as most MPK members are volunteers who have other commitments.

He said the government, especially through the Temburong District Office, could help the MPK members who are keen on improving their OVOP initiatives.

“The help given would not necessarily be in the form of money, it could also be provision of materials to help repair the huts for Senukoh’s tourism project, proper ones that could last for about four to five years,” he said.

“Other than that, the Temburong District Office could also help organise visits to other countries so they could learn how to manage their projects,” he added.


Sumber - The Brunei Times