Answer for Oral Question PL187

QUESTION

Yang Berhormat Dayang Hajah Safiah binti Sheikh Haji Abd. Salam

YANG BERHORMAT DAYANG HAJAH SAFIAH BINTI SHEIKH HAJI ABD. SALAM asks YANG BERHORMAT Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan Menteri Kewangan dan Ekonomi II to state the extent to which the Ministry is carrying out a comprehensive assessment of the country's supply chain, including cross-border payment rates and the upgrading of Pos Brunei according to international standards, as well as ensuring the establishment of a Brunei-owned e-commerce platform to expand local products' access to the global market?

ANSWER

Yang Berhormat Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan Menteri Kewangan dan Ekonomi II

Thank you Yang Berhormat Yang Di-Pertua. Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh and greetings.

Kaola would like to express appreciation for the question from Yang Berhormat Dayang Hajah Safiah binti Sheikh Haji Abd. Salam.

In answering this question, allow kaola to share that the Ministry of Finance and Economy, through the Royal Customs and Excise Department (JKED), has taken several appropriate steps to assess the efficiency of the supply chain in this country, namely first, through the use of digital platforms such as the Brunei Darussalam National Single Window (BDNSW), Exit and Entry System (EES) and Customs.BN. Through Customs.BN, declaration submissions and tax payments can be made online at any time, in line with the objective of expediting and facilitating the movement of goods across borders more efficiently.

Second, through cooperation and coordination of best practices at the international and regional levels through:

• The implementation of the ASEAN Single Window (ASW), which has been carried out since 2019 and enables the electronic exchange of trade information with other ASEAN member countries;
• The implementation of the ASEAN Authorised Economic Operator Mutual Recognition Arrangement (AAMRA) since 1 August 2024, which aims to facilitate the movement of goods exported by Authorised Economic Operator (AEO), namely companies recognised by the Customs Administration, throughout ASEAN; and also
• The implementation of the One Stop Counter in cooperation with the Immigration and National Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs at the Sungai Tujoh National Control Post and the Labu Temporary Control Post to facilitate document processing when crossing borders.

With regard to the upgrading of Pos Brunei, the Ministry of Finance and Economy through Darussalam Assets, in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications, is implementing the corporatisation project of the Postal Services Department, which is targeted to go live, insyaAllah, in early 2026. Among the main focuses that will be emphasised in the first 2 to 3 years after corporatisation are reducing the amount of government funding, improving operational efficiency and workforce competency as well as management, and also efforts to rejuvenate assets.

Meanwhile, regarding the e-commerce initiative, PosBru will collaborate with existing local logistics companies and runners to enhance PosBru's last mile delivery services in the future and to increase e-commerce activities in Negara Brunei Darussalam.

That is all, thank you Yang Berhormat Yang Di-Pertua.