Answer for Oral Question PL108

QUESTION

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 requested Yang Berhormat Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan Menteri Kewangan dan Ekonomi II to state the latest developments in FDI inflows resulting from investment promotion activities in foreign countries in terms of the sectors, investment value and the number of job opportunities to be created?

ANSWER

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

I would like to share the latest developments relating to FDI inflows into Negara Brunei Darussalam resulting from investment promotion activities conducted in several foreign countries.

As of January 2026, 25 FDI companies have commenced operations in Negara Brunei Darussalam, generating approximately 4,000 employment opportunities for locals. Meanwhile, 18 investment projects are currently in the implementation phase and are projected to generate approximately 3,000 additional employment opportunities once all 18 investment projects are fully operational.

These investments encompass the downstream oil and gas, food, business services, ICT and tourism sectors, in line with the country’s priority sectors.

From April 2025 to March 2026, the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) also contacted 126 companies to discuss investment opportunities in Negara Brunei Darussalam. During this period, 42 projects were referred to the relevant and pertinent Government agencies. Of this total, 7 projects were successfully supported and approved by the Foreign Direct Investment and Downstream Industry Steering Committee (FDIDI Steering Committee).

Next, allow me to share an example of a new FDI project, namely the proposed establishment of an Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) production plant at Pulau Muara Besar (PMB) by Clear Chemicals (B) Sdn Bhd (previously known as KKM Chemicals) from the Republic of India, with an investment value of USD5.8 million.

Isopropyl Alcohol is an important basic material in the pharmaceutical, chemical and electronics industries. This project is expected to enhance domestic supply security and establish an integrated downstream value chain with the operations of Hengyi Industries Sdn Bhd at Pulau Muara Besar, as its production requires propylene produced by the company. Construction of the project is targeted to commence in the third quarter of 2026, while commercial operations for Phase 1 are expected to begin by the end of 2027.

This project also has the potential to create approximately 250 employment opportunities across both phases, with at least 70 per cent targeted to be filled by the local workforce, including high-value technical positions that support the development of the country’s skilled workforce.

In addition, under the investment initiative through the Strategic Development Capital Fund (SDC), major projects such as Phase 2 of Hengyi Industries at Pulau Muara Besar and the Acetic Acid & Aniline (AAA) project through Polygel Intermediates Sdn Bhd at Sungai Liang Industrial Park (SPARK), which is expected to commence operations by 2028, will add value to local raw materials and expand the industrial value chain.

God willing, with these new projects, they will not only increase and attract other foreign direct investments, but are also expected to create quality employment opportunities progressively, particularly in engineering, plant operations, logistics and technical services, as well as facilitate technology transfer to the local workforce in line with Wawasan Brunei 2035.