Answer for Oral Question PL282

QUESTION

Yang Berhormat Awang Lau How Teck

YANG BERHORMAT AWANG LAU HOW TECK asked MENTERI KEBUDAYAAN, BELIA DAN SUKAN to state how the Ministry ensures that youth participation in the national policy development process is translated into participation that genuinely influences the formulation of public policy and community development, in line with the aspiration of producing a competitive and capable future generation?

ANSWER

Yang Berhormat Menteri Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan

Youth involvement in the national policy development process is very important, considering that young people are not only the future generation, but also strategic partners and future leaders of the nation. Meaningful youth involvement provides space for their views, aspirations and experiences to be taken into account in the formulation of policies and implementation of initiatives that affect their lives and society as a whole.

This approach is also important in fostering a shared sense of ownership and responsibility, strengthening leadership capabilities and producing a more competitive and capable generation of young people who are ready to contribute actively to the development and progress of Negara Brunei Darussalam.

To ensure that the voices and perspectives of young people can be meaningfully channelled into the policy development and community development processes, youth participation is implemented through various formal and large-scale platforms, including:

• Kongres Belia Kebangsaan – one of the main platforms for young people to contribute resolutions, views and ideas in addressing current and future issues and challenges in youth development. The outcomes and resolutions of Kongres Belia Kebangsaan 2019 were also used as the basis for preparing Dasar Belia Negara dan Strategi (DBNS) 2020-2035 and the Pelan Tindakan DBNS 2020-2024.

• Youth Dialogues and Forums as well as Youth Town Hall – organised jointly by KKBS and the Young Professionals Network (YPN) since 2020, with the participation of more than 500 young people in each edition. These provide opportunities for young people to interact constructively with Ministers, while also creating space for open dialogue, the sharing of views and the communication of the aspirations of the younger generation on issues concerning national development. Since its implementation, YTH has been held eight times, with each edition involving more than 500 young people.

• Kumpulan Penasihat Belia (Youth Advisory Group, YAG) – comprising a group of young people who also serve as a check and balance in the implementation of the action plan and Dasar Belia Negara dan Strategi 2020-2035. In addition, this group also reports on the progress of its implementation from the youth perspective to the Ahli Jawatankuasa Kebangsaan Dasar Belia Negara dan Strategi 2020-2035.

• The first Persidangan Kebangsaan Kali Pertama bagi Orang Kelainan Upaya was held in June 2025 and organised by Majlis Kesejahteraan Orang Kelainan Upaya (MKOKU) in collaboration with Jabatan Pembangunan Masyarakat (JAPEM), Kementerian Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan (KKBS) and Majlis Belia Brunei. It involved more than 300 participants comprising policymakers, government agencies, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), international experts, young people, parents or guardians and persons with disabilities. The resolutions of this conference formed the basis for the subsequent updating of the Pelan Tindakan Orang Kelainan Upaya, namely for the period from 2026 to 2030.

Meanwhile, a clear example of how the voices and views of young people are translated into policy formulation is Dasar Belia Negara dan Strategi 2020–2035 (DBNS), together with its Action Plan, which was developed through a process of review, consultation and discussion involving the direct participation and voices of young people. This approach ensures that youth development policies and strategies are not only developed for young people, but are also shaped together with them, in line with the principle of meaningful youth engagement.

The Youth Development Index (YDI) study also involved young people in the data collection and assessment processes, subsequently serving as the basis for planning the Pelan Tindakan Kedua DBNS for the period 2026–2030. The findings of this study will form the basis for planning the Pelan Tindakan Kedua DBNS 2026–2030, which will strengthen youth development strategies and ensure that young people are given opportunities to develop as visionary, competitive and integrous future leaders.

Youth participation is also multi-sectoral and cross-ministerial, for example:

The Scoping Exercise Workshop session for the Pelan Tindakan Kedua DBNS (2026–2030), held recently, involved various ministries, government agencies, the private sector, as well as youth movements and associations, reflecting a whole-of-nation approach.

The participation of Members of the Legislative Council in various youth-related programmes and discussions, including the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Youth Camp and youth entrepreneurship development programmes, demonstrates that youth issues are also given attention at the level of national lawmakers and policymakers.

All these initiatives reflect the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring that the aspirations and voices of young people are not only heard, but are also given space to contribute meaningfully to the formulation of policies, strategies and the implementation of national development programmes.

Moving forward, Kementerian Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan will continue to strengthen existing mechanisms and expand channels and opportunities for participation to involve more young people from various backgrounds, including those at the grassroots level, in the processes of consultation, planning and policy development. This effort is important to ensure more inclusive and meaningful youth participation, while fostering a shared sense of ownership and responsibility and producing a competitive and capable future generation that is ready to lead and contribute to the development and progress of Negara Brunei Darussalam.