DAY 1
📖 Reading time: 13 minutes
📊 Word count: 2,759 words
27TH FEB 2024
(The meeting started at 9:45 AM)
Yang Mulia Jurutulis
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful The First Session of the 20th Meeting of the Legislative Council session today, Tuesday, 17 Shaaban 1445 corresponding to 27 February 2024, began with a prayer for safety.
PRAYER FOR SAFETY
The prayer for safety was read by Yang Dimuliakan Begawan Pehin Khatib Dato Paduka Haji Awang Suhaili bin Haji Metali Al-Hafiz (Imam of Jame’ ‘Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque).
Yang Berhormat Yang Di-Pertua
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Thank you very much, we are grateful to Allah the Almighty for by His grace and permission, we could gather here this morning in the First Session of the 20th Meeting of the Legislative Council. Blessings and peace be upon our Great Messenger Muhammad, his family, companions, and his followers who are faithful and loyal until the end of time.
The session held this morning is significantly marked by Official Opening Ceremony of the First Session of the 20th Legislative Council Meeting, which will be officiated by Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam.
While we express our gratitude to Allah the Almighty for His abundant grace and permission, we are given the opportunity to participate in our nation's legislative session in an atmosphere of peace, harmony, and prosperity.
Your Honourable Members. On this occasion, allow me to firstly welcome the presence of the new Yang Mulia Dr. Dayang Hajah Huraini binti Pehin Orang Kaya Setia Jaya Dato Paduka Haji Hurairah as the Clerk of the State Legislative Council. At the same time, I would also like to record the highest appreciation and thanks to the former Clerk of the State Legislative Council, Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Jaya Dato Paduka Haji Judin bin Haji Asar, for his service, effort, and thoughts contributed during his tenure. Your Honourable Members, there are several matters that we need to resolve before us. Therefore, I suggest that it would be beneficial for us to resolve these matters entirely.
Yang Mulia Jurutulis
Item II - Reviewing and Validating the Minutes of the First Conference from the 19th Legislative Season of the State Legislative Council, which lasted for 18 days starting from March 2nd to March 28th, 2023, held at the Council Conference Hall, Jalan Dewan Majlis, Bandar Seri Begawan, Negara Brunei Darussalam.
Yang Berhormat Yang Di-Pertua
Your Honourable Members. Before us now, are the Minutes of the First Conference from the 19th Legislative Season of the State Legislative Council which lasted for 18 days. These Minutes have been distributed to all Your Honourable Members for thorough review. Nevertheless, I would like to give the opportunity to Your Honourable Members if any of you wish to give opinions or views on the minutes before us, you are welcome to do so.
It appears there are no Your Honourable Members wishing to make any statements or opinions regarding the Minutes that we have reviewed. Therefore, I conclude that the contents of the Minutes from the First Conference of the Nineteenth Legislative Season, which lasted for 18 days, are accurate and without amendments, and thus, I approve these minutes.
Your Honourable Members, shortly, the official opening ceremony of the First Meeting from the 20th Legislative Season of the State Legislative Council that we are attending will be commenced by Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertua Negara Brunei Darussalam. To allow this ceremony to await and welcome His Majesty's arrival to this meeting, I adjourn this State Legislative Council Meeting for the time being.
(THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED)
ROYAL ADDRESS
HIS MAJESTY HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS SULTAN HAJI HASSANAL BOLKIAH MU'IZZADDIN WADDAULAH, SON OF THE LATE SULTAN HAJI OMAR 'ALI SAIFUDDIEN SA'ADUL KHAIRI WADDIEN, SULTAN DAN YANG DI-PERTUAN OF THE NATION OF BRUNEI DARUSSALAM, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONY OF THE FIRST MEETING OF THE TWENTIETH SESSION OF THE FEBRUARY 2024 HELD AT BANGUNAN DEWAN MAJLIS, JALAN DEWAN MAJLIS, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, NEGARA BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
All praise be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. Peace and blessings be upon our leader, the messengers, Muhammad, and upon his family and all of his companions.
We are grateful to Almighty Allah subhanahu wa ta'alah for allowing us to convene once again today in the First Meeting from the 20th Legislative Session of the State Legislative Council. The State Legislative Council is a forum for expressing constructive opinions and ideas by the members. It is hoped to remain relevant for discussing strategic matters beneficial for the people and the country.
I hope that Your Honourable Members will always be sensitive to follow developments not only domestically but also regionally and internationally. This can provide Your Honourable Members with different perspectives and new ideas that can inject progress in essential areas required. Specifically, I also want Your Honourable Members appointed to continue contemplating engagement with relevant stakeholders from the government sector, private sector, associations, and more importantly, the residents represented by each one of you.
I believe this mutual consultation will ensure the inclusiveness of all parties and further enhance public confidence and help support My Government's policy-making. Towards this, I advise the related parties in the government to continue leveraging the experience and knowledge of Your Honourable Members, especially involving participation in any committees or task forces tasked.
Your Honourable Members appointed are also advised to initiate initiatives towards assisting My Government in generating job opportunities, enhancing economic sectors, and developing human resource capacities, including among local entrepreneurs and other specific groups. I understand through the ASEAN #3 Macro Economic Research Office (AMRO) report that the country's economy is forecasted to strengthen to 2.4% in 2024 driven by the non-oil and gas sector through promotional activities in agriculture, food, finance, transportation, tourism sectors, and expansion activities in the downstream oil and gas sector.
I have also been informed that several efforts to diversify the economy have been implemented, but it is still not enough to balance the government's fiscal deficit position. However, the fact remains that we can no longer rely solely on the oil and gas sector due to several factors beyond our control such as the decrease in oil and gas production and the global market price of oil and gas which is volatile. Efforts need to be continued and enhanced towards diversifying the economy and empowering local industries to strategic industries that the country has potential and strength to succeed further. At the same time, current issues such as environmental concerns, climate change, and so forth, must also be addressed. However, whatever happens, the direction of oil and gas production must be refined, and the downstream oil and gas industry developed, while prioritizing the supply of electric energy and fuel.
Regarding government expenditure, it has been observed to increase year by year. Nonetheless, My Government is still able to provide a considerable budget for development needs.
What is essential here is that every agency of My Government should utilize the allocations provided more efficiently to improve the quality of services for the people and citizens of this country.
Regarding the country's development, the 12th National Development Plan will commence in the Financial Year 2024-2025 for a five-year period. Concurrently, the RKN plays an essential role towards achieving the aspirations of Wawasan Brunei 2035.
Thus, what I hope for is that the RKN development projects can be expedited according to the predetermined timeline.
It is also our hope that Blueprints related to the economy will lead to growth in targeted sectors and attract more potential Foreign Direct Investments that can generate new job opportunities. Finally, I once again urge that this conference be fully utilized to achieve the objectives of the country's development and progress.
Thank you,
May Allah bless and guide us, Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
PRAYER FOR SAFETY
The prayer for safety was recited by Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr.) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned, the Mufti of the State, Negara Brunei Darussalam.
(Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam, graciously left the ceremony accompanied by Yang Berhormat Yang Di-Pertua Majlis Mesyuarat Negara and the State Dignitaries.)
Yang Berhormat Yang Di-Pertua
Your Honourable Members. Firstly, let us raise our gratitude to Allah the Almighty for with His blessings and permission, the Official Opening Ceremony of the First Meeting of the 20th Session of the Legislative Council has been successfully conducted. 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 also graciously attended.
To allow this assembly to pay homage to the arrival of His Majesty Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam who attended earlier to meet with distinguished members from various regions of the Legislative Council and thereafter to leave the council building.
Therefore, I adjourn the Legislative Council Meeting and we will reconvene, God willing, tomorrow on Wednesday, 18 Sha'aban 1445 corresponding to 28 February 2024, starting at 9:30 AM.
That is all,
And with Allah's guidance and success, peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.
(The Legislative Council is adjourned)
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