Answer for Written Questions PT073 & PT082

QUESTION

Yang Berhormat Dr. Awang Haji Mahali bin Haji Momin

YANG BERHORMAT DR. AWANG HAJI MAHALI BIN HAJI MOMIN asks YANG BERHORMAT Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan Menteri Kewangan dan Ekonomi II to state whether DARe has benchmarks or KPIs to assess the effectiveness of local enterprise development programmes in supporting the country’s economic diversification in line with Wawasan Brunei 2035 and the Third Aspiration of the Brunei Economic Blueprint?

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abd. Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim

YANG BERHORMAT PEHIN ORANG KAYA LAILA SETIA DATO SERI SETIA AWANG HAJI ABD. RAHMAN BIN HAJI IBRAHIM asks YANG BERHORMAT Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan Menteri Kewangan dan Ekonomi II to state whether there are specific programmes provided to improve the performance and skills of local companies so that they can compete with foreign companies, especially in terms of technology, management and capacity-building? This is in view of the perception of ‘inability’ towards local companies even though some perform well?

ANSWER

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

Allow Kaola to explain that the answers to questions PT073 & PT082 are related, whereby the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) does indeed have specific benchmarks or KPIs to assess the effectiveness of local enterprise development programmes, which can be obtained from DARe’s Annual Report on the BEDB website. This assessment covers several important aspects including increased entrepreneur capacity, sales growth, generation of employment opportunities, level of participation in local and export markets, as well as the success of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the global market. BEDB also carries out periodic assessments to ensure that the programmes implemented are aligned with Wawasan Brunei 2035 and the Third Aspiration of the Brunei Economic Blueprint, which aim to foster inclusive and sustainable economic diversification for the country. In addition, annual assessments and feedback from MSMEs are also taken into account to ensure that the needs of the programmes and initiatives carried out can meet industry requirements and continue to support the development of local MSMEs.

Since 2023, BEDB has facilitated exports for 22 local companies to overseas markets such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Although there has been positive progress, the government is aware that there is still room to increase confidence in the capabilities of local companies, especially in competing with foreign companies. To this end, various strategic initiatives are being implemented to empower local companies to be more competitive at the domestic, regional, and global levels.

Among the main initiatives implemented by the Government through BEDB are as follows:

1. Standard Consultancy Program – Assists MSMEs with potential to penetrate export markets, with more than 65 companies having obtained international certification as of June 2025.
2. Accelerate Bootcamp – Supports startups in leveraging technology, strengthening investment, and formulating innovative business models. To date, 174 new startup companies have been registered.
3. Program Elevate – Provides strategic guidance and capacity development to companies across various sectors. A total of 29 companies have participated in this programme.
4. DARe LINKS – A B2B platform to facilitate the involvement of local companies in the supply chain, with 87 business opportunities offered over one year (April 2024 – March 2025).
5. Brunei Mentors for Entrepreneurs Network (BMEN) – Provides direct guidance from experienced mentors, with more than 3,000 mentoring sessions having been carried out.

In addition, the Brunei Innovation Lab also serves as a platform for collaboration between entrepreneurs and companies, with more than 100 prototypes produced and more than 20 startup companies receiving funding or grants through initiatives such as Hackathon and Innovate Challenge.

The Government also collaborates with the Majlis Perancangan Tenaga Manusia dan Pekerjaan (MPTMP) and the Manpower Industry Steering Committee (MISC) to enhance workers’ skills through programmes such as SkillsPlus and the Digital Upskilling Training Programme, which provide short-term training in ICT, management, as well as professional certification to strengthen the digital capabilities of local companies.

With the implementation of these various comprehensive initiatives, it is hoped that local companies will continue to expand their capacity, enhance technical and management skills, and stimulate a culture of innovation. This, in turn, is expected to strengthen their competitiveness to compete with foreign companies in an increasingly challenging and dynamic sector.

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