| Azlan Othman |
A MEMBER of the Legislative Council (LegCo), YB Siti Rozaieriyanty binti Dato Seri Laila Jasa Haji Abdul Rahman, spelt out a few ways to boost Brunei’s economy including promoting local products to Asean member countries for a start, adding that agencies involved in this area should render their support by developing and mentoring entrepreneurs and incentivise them by providing them government assistance.
Brunei can implement these efforts and realise the desired outcomes by working with its trade missions with different agencies, including in Asean.
YB Siti Rozaieriyanty said this yesterday while expressing a motion of thanks to 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 14th Legislative Council session last Monday.
On attaining self-sufficiency in staple foods, in particular rice, as highlighted by His Majesty, YB Siti Rozaieriyanty stated that the agriculture industry could be developed with guidance from the government, especially to the youths who are interested in venturing into agriculture.
Local vocational institutions such as Institute of Brunei Technical Education in Wasan have played their part in producing graduates in the agriculture field and in encouraging youth to venture into the fields of agriculture, fishery and forestry.
Speaking on His Majesty’s titah on the role of Bruneians in the oil and gas industry, YB Siti Rozaieriyanty said that talented locals should be developed further in selected professions under certain sectors required by the nation as a measure to produce experts in industries other than oil and gas.
She also suggested for the holding of discussions with LegCo members at the ministry level on the nation’s annual budget as a mechanism to monitor the status and key performance indicators (KPI) target before the ministries put forward their budgets.
On the area of Acts and laws, YB Siti Rozaieriyanty cited an example of a neighbouring country where if a member of Parliament or minister plans to introduce an Act or amend a law, the Act must first be reviewed and discussed at the sectional level at different stages before it is forwarded to a higher level.
“As a Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) nation, we are encouraged to hold consultations to find solutions, (such as) with members of the LegCo, or engage with stakeholders and grassroots leaders, NGOs or private sector (stakeholders) before (such laws or Acts are) approved,” she said.
“This is to ensure that the Acts are fair and benefit all parties especially the public, and to help reduce repeated amendments to such Acts as well as to avoid undesirable outcomes from happening such as unclear dissemination (of information) to the public.”
YB Iswandy bin Ahmad meanwhile stressed the need to encourage youth to help in building the economy through voluntary bodies, companies, and other means.
“The ministries should also adopt an entrepreneurial attitude and not just rely solely on corporate bodies or the private sector to drive the nation’s business engine. For instance, based on the Department of Economic Planning and Development’s (JPKE) 2016 statistics for Brunei Darussalam, the government sector contributed 18.3 per cent in GDP growth, with the oil and gas sector contributing 51.8 per cent and the private sector adding 29.8 per cent,” he said.
“It is high time for every ministry to help in enhancing revenue for the nation, and if the initiatives to do so are not yet in place, we must plan the appropriate strategies, and if these steps already exist, we must review their effectiveness (in generating income for the nation).”
On food security, YB Iswandy said Brunei’s focus should not just be on “youth development” but more on “youth in development”. He also queried whether it is already adequate for students who have been sent overseas to undergo agriculture courses or whether the i-Ready programme launched last year has been successful in channeling undergraduates towards the agriculture sector.
On the issue of the small number of locals holding top management positions in the country, he urged the authorities concerned to work to open up career pathways for locals in any industry. “Are we doubting the capabilities of the locals? We must make them capable to work in any field,” said YB Iswandy.
On cleanliness, YB Iswandy said this is a habit that must be embraced at an early age.
“Many years ago, cleaning campaigns were carried out at schools on a weekly basis. But there are parents who would not allow their children to take part in the cleanups and even blamed the teachers for asking their children to clean their classrooms,” he said. “These are basic life skills and I urge for the support from all parties concerned to revive the spirit of cleaning up at schools to educate students on the importance of civic-mindedness and caring about the cleanliness of their environment.”
Another Legislative Council member, YB Khairunnisa binti Haji Ash’ari, said the desire to implement steps to boost agriculture production is crucial. “But we must take note of the climate change that may arise. Of late, the floods situation is worsening and it is one of the signs of climate change that may affect the country’s agriculture and fishery output,” she noted.
On locals holding higher posts, YB Khairunnisa said exposure to taxing assignments or responsibilities at an early age is crucial to instil leadership qualities among locals, adding that the private sector must do its part in developing the local workforce to ensure that they progress and improve.
YB Khairunnisa also highlighted the need for open discussions between the government and society.
“If projects don’t run smoothly as expected, it brings losses to the government (and wastes time and effort). National development cannot be achieved without public involvement. Hence the policy review process must involve other stakeholders besides government representatives.”