| Rokiah Mahmud |
DEVELOPMENT plans need to be implemented with the whole-of-nation approach, Minister of Development Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gafar said while stressing that the Ministry of Development (MoD) needs to focus on providing a development modality.
Investors and developers should have easy access to information related to types of development that are allowed, premium fees being imposed, period in obtaining permission of lease, permission for planning, permission of development and so on, he said.
The minister made these comments at the opening ceremony of World Town Planning Day celebration at Betabur Hall of the MoD yesterday.
He said 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 in a titah on His Majesty’s 71st birthday stressed on the need for the public and private sector to work hand in hand to enhance and empower innovation and creativity which will enable to produce quality services and products.
Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suhaimi also pointed out that in achieving Brunei Vision 2035, it is paramount for the government to focus on sectors that can contribute to the increase of gross domestic product (GDP) indirectly.
“Area planning will focus on sectors meant to open more economic opportunities and expand business through local and foreign investments, downstream economies as well as economic clusters,” he said.
The minister added that development plans need to be implemented with whole-of-nation approach.
“I understand that the ministry has received several applications and suggestions to lease government land either from local or foreign investors either for commercial, mixed development or related.
“I also understand that the Department of Town and Country Planning has set land sites and at the same time is identifying potential land sites to be developed for the National Housing Scheme and for the schemes which include Sibonghutan and Tanah Jambu areas for business, corner shops, resort or mixed development,” Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suhaimi said.
The Department of Town and Country Planning needs to find suitable methods that can be used by considering good practices used in other developing countries such as land leasing methods for a certain period through open-bidding or any appropriate methods that could be implemented in the country.
The minister also suggested the setting up of a task force comprising departments under the ministry and relevant agencies including government-linked companies (GLCs) towards providing a mechanism, modus operandi or standard operating procedure.
This includes the transparent mechanism of land release involving government lands.
On this matter, he added, the private sector needs to come up front on the development plan progress without depending only on the government.
“The public private partnership (PPP), request for proposal, expression of interest (EOI) and private finance initiative (PFI) need to be practised immediately,” he said.