| Abdul Hakiim Yakof |
THE Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) will continue to ensure rapid growth of output from agriculture, livestock, fisheries, forestry, as well as tourism.
This was stated by YB Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, in his closing remarks on the 11th day of the 13th Legislative Council (LegCo) session at the LegCo building in Jalan Dewan Majlis yesterday.
In his speech, the minister highlighted His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s titah at the opening of this year’s Legislative Council session which called for fresh initiatives to strengthen the country’s economy.
“The decline in oil and gas output coupled with a fall in world oil prices in recent years has made a significant impact on the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Because of this, His Majesty has reminded us all to keep working hard to diversify the country’s economy. The economic growth of our country, which has long depended on revenue from oil and gas, should be balanced by ensuring output growth in sectors, especially outside oil and gas,” he said.
On this note, the minister said that his ministry’s objective is to increase contribution of agriculture, fisheries and forestry from one per cent of the GDP in 2015 to four to five per cent by 2020.
File photo shows transplanter machines planting paddy. YB Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism said in his closing remarks on the 11th day of the 13th Legislative Council session that the ministry will continue to ensure rapid growth of output in the field of agriculture, livestock, fisheries, forestry as well as tourism. – AZROL AZMI
Highlighting the efforts in reducing the dependence on government spending, especially through public-private partnership (PPP), the minister stated that the ministry is very confident that two sectors – high-technology agriculture and fisheries – will help the country increase its GDP in the next few years.
“It is hoped that these sectors will be able to generate more job opportunities in the country which is facing a high rate of unemployment.”
Touching on the tourism sector, the minister stated that the ministry constantly receives suggestions from various parties for their respective mukims and villages to be developed into tourist attractions, citing as examples Ayer Panas in Mukim Sukang, the waterfalls of Kampong Labi, the Kampong Kuala Balai area and the Anduki Recreational Park.
He also said that the ministry will continue to include destinations and products as well as activities of the mukim and village consultative councils into suitable tourism packages by taking into account tourism products and activities in nearby areas.
The minister added that in the ministry’s perseverance in assisting the advancement of mukims and villages, the ministry cannot neglect the existing main destinations such as Bandar Seri Begawan and Kampong Ayer as well as the Temburong District.
“The quality of these destinations should be constantly preserved, maintained, and strengthened so that visitors will never lose interest in visiting these places,” he added.
The minister also mentioned that the ministry will continue to develop several new destinations that are thought to have huge potential to be included in tourism packages such as beaches and recreational parks.
“To ensure success and lower the burden on the government, the ministry will continue to work on privatising public facilities at the parks,” he added.
Meanwhile, Minister of Development YB Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Bahrin bin Abdullah in his closing speech stated that suggestions raised during the LegCo session require detailed analysis to consider the bigger picture.
“We need to consider the context and reality of the situation in our country and our surroundings as a starting point,” he said, adding that “this is the method that the Ministry of Development uses in determining the projects’ priority.”
The Minister of Religious Affairs YB Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman in his closing speech expressed his gratitude to the Legislative Council members who raised important religious matters during the session.
He said that the matters raised were sincere attempts of the LegCo members in assisting the government in improving the quality of religious services including religious education and Islamic propagation to ensure that member of the public are not confused and influenced by religious information in social media that are not in line with the religious understanding and practices in the country as well as streamlining mosque building plans and promoting youths to work for the advancement of mosques.
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