| Danial Norjidi |
THE Information Muzakarah Programme (PMP) facilitates mukim and village residents to convey their views or issues faced while receiving answers from relevant agencies as well as to show the care of the government, said Acting Director of Information Mawardi bin Haji Mohammad.
He made these comments, chairing the PMP for Mukim Telisai organised by the Information Department at the Kampong Bukit Beruang Community Hall yesterday.
According to a press release, the director explained that PMP aims to respond to the titah of 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 during the House Key Presentation Ceremony for Lambak Kanan Peringkat 1 on February 15, 1992.
The director explained that PMP, formerly known as Majlis Perjumpaan Muhibah Penerangan, was reintroduced after the issue was raised during the first meeting of the 11th session of the Legislative Council (LegCo) in 2015 by a LegCo member.
“In line with the functions and responsibilities of the Information Department as the tongue, eyes and ears of the government, through the PMP information such as current issues and government policies can be clarified and shared, and feedback that requires attention and action by relevant government agencies can be received,” he said.
He added that through this, good relationship between the government and the mukim and village community will be established.
He expressed hope that any comments and explanations from the relevant agencies regarding government plans would be well received by the mukim and village residents.
Meanwhile, LegCo member and Penghulu of Mukim Telisai Yang Berhormat Haji Ramli bin Haji Lahit said that the dialogue session was aimed at listening to the explanations to questions and issues of the villages and mukim, and hoped to share information, particularly regarding strategic planning and new initiatives that may be implemented in the mukim.
He said that much of the information shared was very beneficial to the planning of the mukim and villages. He noted the example of the new garbage disposal site that recently began being used to replace the garbage disposal site at Kampong Telamba.
The dialogue also focussed on common issues, rather than individual interests.
It is also unnecessary to point fingers or blame any parties. It is best to have a prudent but transparent discussion, full of friendliness and gentleness so that issues can be solved based on priorities, he said.
Yang Berhormat Haji Ramli hoped that the dialogue would share issues related to the improvement of services of relevant departments and help the mukim. It will also help achieve national Vision 2035 and assist in clarifying any related matters of the mukim’s residents.
Panel members of the dialogue programme included senior officers from government ministries and departments. Also present were village heads under the Mukim Telisai, senior officers, officers and staff from various government agencies and residents of Mukim Telisai.
The programme held four to five times a year nationwide from 2016, specifically in two mukims in the Brunei-Muara District, and one mukim in the Tutong District, Belait District and Temburong District, where in the Temburong district it will be held once in two years.
To date, two PMPs have been carried out where for the Brunei-Muara District it was held in Mukim Pengkalan Batu while for the Belait District it was held in Mukim Bukit Sawat.
The press release stated that PMP hopes to strengthen the friendly ties between the government, particularly the Information Department, and mukim residents.
The Information Department also conducts other programmes such as the Personal Contact Programme which is intended to enhance bilateral ties between the government and the people, and an awareness programme called Awasi Anak Kitani which focusses on parents, giving tips to them about preventing their children from drug abuse.