Answer for Oral Question PL225

QUESTION

Yang Berhormat Dayang Chong Chin Yee

YANG BERHORMAT DAYANG CHONG CHIN YEE asked MENTERI KEWANGAN II to state whether the Financial Regulations, 2022 will be reviewed to introduce a Government Corporate Credit Card or digital petty cash facility for the official payment of approved AI and digital service subscriptions, pending the development of the public sector AI initiative.

ANSWER

Yang Berhormat Menteri Kewangan II

The Ministry of Finance continuously updates the Financial Regulations from time to time to ensure that they remain relevant to changing operational requirements, technological developments and good governance practices. These updates also aim to ensure that internal controls continue to be strengthened to protect Government funds and ensure that financial management is carried out efficiently, transparently and accountably. For example, several financial regulations and procedures have been adapted to support new processes introduced through the implementation of the TAFIS 2.0 system.

The Ministry of Finance welcomes any proposals that can support the country's digital transformation agenda and enhance the efficiency of public service delivery in line with the aspirations of Wawasan Brunei 2035. With regard to the proposal to introduce a Government Corporate Credit Card or Digital Petty Cash, this matter needs to be examined comprehensively beforehand to ensure that its implementation is supported by robust systems, regulations, procedures, as well as financial control and monitoring mechanisms (strong financial governance).

In addition, the review must also take into account aspects of cybersecurity, risk management, compliance with financial regulations, accountability, as well as the financial and legal implications, to ensure that the use of such facilities does not expose the Government to the risk of misuse, misappropriation or wastage.

With this approach, the Ministry of Finance is confident that any digitalisation initiative introduced will not only enhance the efficiency of Government operations, but will also maintain integrity, accountability and sound financial governance in the management of public funds.

In addition, as part of the Government's ongoing commitment to supporting the digital transformation agenda, the Ministry of Finance, through the Treasury Department, has collaborated with National Digital Payments Network Sdn Bhd (ndpx) to implement the use of TARUS. The implementation of this initiative is an important step towards expanding the use of cashless payment in the public sector, thereby making payment acceptance transactions faster, easier, safer and more efficient for the public and Government agencies.

This initiative reflects efforts to digitalise public services and enables payment acceptance transactions to be carried out more efficiently and conveniently. Following the implementation of this initiative, ndpx is now also collaborating with the Ministry of Health to implement the use of the same platform in the delivery of its services.