| Azlan Othman |
LEGISLATIVE Council (LegCo) members have been urged to work as a team and make the council a platform for nation building.
“I am convinced that the Legislative Council members support the titah 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 delivered during the opening of the 14th Legislative Council session last Monday which called for strengthening the economy, maintaining peace and prosperity, resolving social issues including cleanliness, promoting youths to develop the nation, instilling the spirit of unity and realising the national vision to make the country progressive.”
This was stated by the Special Adviser to His Majesty and Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) YB Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Diraja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Isa bin Pehin Datu Perdana Manteri Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Ibrahim yesterday in his motion of thanks to the monarch’s titah.
He also urged members of the LegCo to take heed of His Majesty’s titah and carry out responsibilities entrusted upon them in the best way possible to take the nation forward.
The minister noted that the titah is full of content and displayed a farsighted vision for the nation. It highlighted among others the need for the country to be self-sufficient in rice production. “Agriculture needs to be developed,” he said.
On His Majesty’s view on the role of Bruneians in the oil and gas industry, YB Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Diraja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Isa said Bruneians are still far behind from what we hoped for.
“His Majesty urged the locals to take opportunities to be trained and able to hold not only the post as managing director but also other higher posts. The monarch wants this issue to be studied as His Majesty believes that if others can gain experience, so do the locals. The monarch also highlighted the need to find what has gone wrong and correct it.
“Regarding development, His Majesty said things will not run smoothly if regulations are not enforced effectively.
“The monarch also reiterated the need to free the nation from filth and rubbish. Fines imposed on perpetrators are deterrents, but they did not actually deter them from dumping rubbish indiscriminately in public places and did not bring fear to them.
“His Majesty also questioned whether the Tobacco Act is effective enough and whether there are still loopholes. The monarch urged the authorities concerned to review the act so that people would not make fun out of such Act due to the weakness in enforcing it. Laws will only be respected if they are enforced strictly.
YB Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Diraja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Isa also reiterated the need for LegCo members to express their views without fear, for the sake of the nation.