DAY 7 MORNING
11TH MARCH 2023 - MORNING
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(The meeting began at 9.30 am)
Clerk
بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم The First Meeting of the Nineteenth Session of the National Assembly is held on the seventh day, today, Saturday, 18th of Syaaban 1444H corresponding to 11th of March 2023M, preceded by a Prayer of Safety.
PRAYER OF SAFETY
The Prayer of Safety is recited by Your Honorable Begawan Pehin Khatib Dato Paduka Awang Haji Emran bin Haji Kunchang, (Imam of Masjid Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien).
Your Honorable Speaker
ُالرحْ يم السَّال ُم عل ْي ُك ْم ورحْ مةُ هللاِ وبركاتُه َّالرحْ َٰم ِن َّّٰللا ِِبس ِْم ه أ ْلح ْمدُ ِ هلِل We thank Allah the Almighty for His mercy and grace that we are able to gather here this morning on the seventh day of the First Meeting of the Nineteenth Session of the National Assembly.
We send our salutations and blessings to our great Prophet, سيدنا محمد صلى هللا عليه وسلم his family, companions and followers who remained loyal and faithful until the end of time.
Honorable Members. The National Assembly is still discussing the 2023 Supply Bill 2023/2024 proposed by the Honorable Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and the Minister of Finance and Economy II.
In order for us to examine and discuss the topics contained in this Bill, I would like to adjourn our National Assembly meeting and reconvene at the Committee level.
(The National Assembly is adjourned)
(The meeting continues as a Committee)
Your Honorable Chairperson
الرحْ يم َّ َٰ الرحْ م ِن َّ ّٰللا ِه ِبس ِْمHonorable Members, the National Assembly is now fully convened at the Committee level to consider the Supply Bill (2023) 2023/2024 one by one, which was proposed by the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and the Minister of Finance and Economy II.
Firstly, I apologize for my less melodious voice this morning.
أ ْلح ْمدُ ِ هلِلThe meeting we have conducted has approved several topics from the Prime Minister's Department, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Finance and Economy, and Ministry of Home Affairs.
Before I give the floor to the Honorable Minister who will introduce the next ministry budget, I would like to give the opportunity to the relevant ministers who still want to answer some questions raised by Honorable Members on Thursday last week. It seems that there are none.
Now, this Committee Meeting will move on to discuss and examine the next Ministry topics.
Clerk
Topic SC01A - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Your Honorable Speaker
Honorable Members. The Committee Meeting will now examine the Ministry of Foreign Affairs topic.
Before this Ministry topic is opened for discussion, I would like to give way to Your Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs II to deliver his opening remarks on the preparation of the budget for this ministry for the Financial Year 2023/2024. I invite Your Honorable Minister.
Your Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs II
Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh, may peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings. In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful, I would like to express my gratitude to Your Honorable Speaker for giving me the opportunity this morning to deliver the opening remarks on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in this august House.
I would also like to extend my highest congratulations to Your Honorable Speaker on his reappointment as the Speaker of the National Assembly and also congratulate the newly appointed Honorable Members.
Your Honorable Speaker, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I respectfully and humbly present my highest appreciation to His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam for the gracious speech delivered during the Opening Ceremony of the First Meeting of the Nineteenth Session of the National Assembly on 2nd March last month.
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members, I would also like to express my gratitude to the government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam for supporting a total allocation of $123,159,670 for the Financial Year 2023/2024 for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as follows:
$44,327,430 or 36% of the allocation is for the salaries of officers and staff both locally and abroad; and
the remaining $68,492,160 or 55.6% of the allocation is for Recurrent Expenditure, while $10,340,080 or 8.4% is allocated for Development Expenditure.
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a government agency at the forefront of interacting with other countries to ensure our sovereignty and way of life. With the permission of Allah, the ministry will continue to strive to ensure the sovereignty, customs, traditions, and philosophy of our Bruneian way of life, which is Malay Islamic Monarchy, is respected by the international community.
Therefore, the requested allocation will enable this ministry to carry out its duties in upholding Brunei Darussalam's foreign policy and as a facilitator and liaison in terms of diplomatic and friendship relations with other countries as well as regional and international organizations.
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members. The world situation we are all facing now is still uncertain, even though the COVID-19 pandemic has started to subside and fade from the memory of the international community.
Although we are still facing the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, the political and international security situation continues to be heated without abating. This situation is worrying and can have an impact on regional and international economic stability and security.
This includes tensions between major powers involving principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity and challenging the international rules-based system. The most prominent at present is the tension between Ukraine and Russia, which not only has a negative impact on the regional economy but also affects the world and results in an increase in the prices of necessities such as food and energy.
Brunei Darussalam, as a small and developing country, will continue to adhere to the principles of good relations with other countries, mutual respect, and compliance with the equality of all countries, and will not interfere in the affairs of other countries in order to jointly maintain the sovereignty and integrity of the country.
Brunei Darussalam will also continue to work closely with other countries in the regional and international arena to support a rules-based system in advancing common interests.
So far, we have established diplomatic relations with 172 countries. Therefore, this ministry will continue to foster good relations and strengthen cooperation, including through strategic partnerships, to ensure that the country's interests are always safeguarded and respected.
In strengthening relations with other countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held strategic dialogue sessions (consultative mechanisms) last year with ministers and senior officials from countries such as Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam, Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Iran, and India.
This effort will continue in the coming years. This approach has enabled the ministry to plan and establish more organized cooperation, including in areas such as economy and trade, education, defense, and others.
Good bilateral cooperation has also helped develop the capacity of government officials through exchange visits, knowledge and expertise sharing, and cooperation in relevant fields.
Furthermore, Brunei Darussalam, through this ministry, also offers 20 scholarships to foreign students to study at higher education institutions in the country.
This effort can strengthen the country's position bilaterally as well as regionally and internationally as a caring country that wants to establish good relations with other countries.
In addition to strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries, these scholarships can also strengthen ties among students. It can also provide exposure to our higher education institutions at the global level and elevate their status as high-performing institutions.
Apart from focusing on bilateral relations, Brunei Darussalam also benefits from its membership in regional and international organizations, including ASEAN, the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Commonwealth.
Brunei Darussalam's involvement in ASEAN with other members since achieving full independence has enabled the country to play a greater role than if we were alone in regional and international issues such as trade, geopolitics, climate change, or in dealing with pandemics like the one we experienced almost three years ago.
Therefore, we will continue to provide support and commitment to regional processes and various bilateral fields to reap the benefits of the country's involvement in these organizations.
In this matter, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs places importance on establishing resilient, dynamic, and effective bilateral and multilateral relationships in our foreign policy and strategy approach.
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also plays a crucial role in the country's efforts to realize Vision 2035. This is implemented through the Whole of Government Approach in promoting domestic agendas with foreign countries.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to strive directly to assist in the development and progress of the country. Therefore, the 43 representative offices of Brunei Darussalam under this ministry will continue to prioritize their cooperation with ministries and agencies in this country.
These representative offices are at the forefront of safeguarding the interests of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam from a foreign perspective. These representative offices can articulate the country's position and interests, including our efforts to diversify the economy, attract investment, obtain expertise and medical needs, strengthen security, expand education, increase capacity building, and identify new areas that can be explored with friendly countries.
To enable our representatives abroad to function effectively and optimally in providing efficient services, the ministry needs to have sufficient resources.
With 560 officers and staff, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brunei Darussalam is not a large institution, but it needs to shoulder its equivalent responsibilities.
In addition, the welfare, safety, and comfort of our diplomatic officers and local staff working in Brunei Darussalam's representative offices abroad also need to be given attention based on the country's regulations and local laws in the respective countries.
Representative assets such as office buildings, vehicles also require maintenance from time to time. At the same time, the ability and capability of the ministry's officers will continue to be upgraded to ensure the comprehensive professionalism and substantive expertise of these officers.
Towards this, I hope for the continuous support of Your Honorable Members towards the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Your Honorable Speaker and Members. Apart from strengthening relationships with relevant countries, the representatives of Brunei Darussalam also serve as points of contact for consular assistance for Brunei Darussalam citizens and residents abroad.
This includes providing assistance during major emergencies, from natural disasters, armed conflicts, political instability, and pandemics to issuing travel documents for those who have lost their passports. In any type of emergency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on behalf of the government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam will remain committed to ensuring the welfare and safety of the people and residents of this country are guaranteed.
Therefore, to enable representatives to provide prompt assistance, the public is encouraged to register themselves in the e-register system available on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website if they intend to travel abroad.
Your Honorable Speaker and Members.
Finally, in welcoming the national budget theme for the Financial Year 2023/2024, which is 'United in Building a More Prosperous Future', the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to strive to further enhance relationships and cooperation with other countries, and is committed to ensuring the interests of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam's government are respected.
Through the Whole of Government Approach, I believe that the relevant ministries and agencies will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representatives abroad in respecting the country's regional and international commitments and in preserving and advancing our national interests.
I believe that this effort will further enhance the resilience of Brunei Darussalam to achieve sustainable economic development and continue to enjoy peace and stability for future generations. That is all I can convey in the preamble on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Thank you. Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Your Honorable Speaker
Thank you, Your Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs II. Honorable Members.
I believe the statement presented by Your Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs II is clear enough in determining the Preparation of his Ministry's Budget for the Financial Year 2023/2024.
With me here is a list of Honorable Members who would like to participate in discussing these topics.
I will start by inviting Your Honorable Awang Abdul Aziz bin Haji Hamdan.
Your Honorable Awang Abdul Aziz bin Haji Hamdan
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم السالم عليكم ورحمة هللا وبركاته
Starting my speech, I would like to congratulate and thank Your Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs II for his informative opening remarks for my reference and that of the Honorable Members.
I am pleased to touch on SC01A, its function and role in ensuring the welfare of the people of Brunei Darussalam abroad is always monitored and cared for, especially in the event of any emergency that requires appropriate assistance. This is regardless of whether they are working, attending courses or studying, or traveling.
I would like to know what methods and forms of assistance can be provided by the Brunei Darussalam embassies and representatives to Brunei citizens abroad who are experiencing difficulties and emergencies, such as theft of property and money, involvement in road accidents, and natural disasters.
In addition, in international aid missions carried out by NGOs involving Brunei Darussalam volunteers, especially among youth, to carry out aid missions or distribute aid to victims of natural disasters and the like.
In this regard, what steps does the government take to ensure their welfare and safety are always taken into account? Thank you.
Your Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs II
Thank you, Your Honorable Awang Abdul Aziz bin Haji Hamdan for the question raised. Several questions have been raised regarding the function and role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, especially in terms of assisting the welfare of Brunei people abroad, and the types of assistance provided to Brunei citizens, especially those who are experiencing difficulties such as road accidents and so on, and assistance to Brunei NGOs abroad to ensure their welfare.
Your Honorable Speaker, To clarify, the function and role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in assisting the welfare of Brunei citizens abroad is very significant, especially through the representatives in those countries or the nearest representatives if there is no Brunei representative in the country where the emergency occurs. They will handle the Brunei citizens who are in distress.
Here, I would like to draw attention to the introduction, which emphasizes the importance for every citizen and resident of Brunei Darussalam to register on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, known as e-register, before traveling abroad. This approach is for preparation and to facilitate in case of emergencies experienced by an individual while abroad.
The system is designed to inform the nearest representative if the country does not have a representative. Therefore, the mission or representative closest to the country is ready to take certain actions.
In terms of assistance or methods offered to individuals who experience difficulties, it depends on the situation faced. If the issue is related to financial or medical assistance, the Ministry cannot provide continuous financial assistance. However, through negotiation, the Ministry can provide assistance in advance, subject to negotiation or guarantees provided by the family or relatives of the concerned party.
That is why some travel agents offer insurance before traveling abroad. Another thing is about volunteer aid missions that we often hear about going abroad and helping in emergency areas. The Ministry or relevant representatives will always monitor the situation where they are located. Here, I would like to emphasize the importance of registering with the Ministry and providing a telephone number for easy contact in case of disasters or emergencies in the area where they are assigned. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Speaker
I now invite, Your Honorable Awang Haji Mohammad Danial @ Tekpin bin Ya’akub.
Your Honorable Awang Haji Mohamad Danial @ Tekpin bin Ya’akub
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم السالم عليكم ورحمة هللا وبركاته I would like to express my gratitude for the opening remarks made by Your Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs II, which were filled with information, hopes, and plans of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, particularly in managing and implementing the national budget.
Your Honorable Speaker, I see that local products are capable of going far in the international arena through the cooperation of the Brunei Darussalam High Commission offices in regional and international countries.
Locally made products that have high value and quality can be used by embassy offices for official government affairs such as meeting souvenirs and official social activities of the country.
This matter is closely related to the government's strategic plan to develop local products, which aims to prioritize quality and branding, namely branding Brunei Darussalam as a country with quality and halal products.
For example, quality, classic, and premium 1K1P products under the 1K1P transformation program launched on December 10, 2021.
Efforts to elevate the dignity of Brunei Darussalam's output products through the Whole of Government Approach and Whole of Nation Approach by creating a slogan. National branding Brunei Darussalam is a strategic consideration.
The role of government-owned companies (GLCs) outside the country is also important to support the support local product initiative, as other developed countries such as Australia use the slogan 'Australia Made in Honor.'
Your Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs, I would like to know what efforts have been made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to help introduce and promote the use of local products abroad. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs II
Thank you, Your Honorable Awang Haji Mohamad Danial @ Tekpin bin Ya’akub. In terms of the ministry's efforts in the Whole of Government Approach and Whole of Nation Approach, we do our best to use local products such as woven baskets, carvings, picture frames, and others as gifts when we or our officials go abroad.
Indeed, in foreign missions, there is also an exhibition showcasing local products at the embassies abroad.
In addition, if there are grand events or religious or national events such as our National Day celebration abroad, selected local products will be exhibited and sometimes sold to interested parties.
This is in terms of the ministry's efforts to promote local products in Brunei Darussalam to other countries.
However, on a larger scale, it must meet other requirements, especially those that the ministry often finds that the products must meet requirements such as sanitary phytosanitary requirements or quality requirements, and so on. But this may not be handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in terms of penetrating the market in that country.
However, to obtain buyers from abroad, the ministry always strives to find interested parties to buy Brunei Darussalam's products in large quantities.
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Speaker
I now invite Your Honorable Awang Haji Mohd. Salleh bin Haji Othman.
Your Honorable Awang Haji Mohd. Salleh bin Haji Othman
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم السالم عليكم ورحمة هللا وبركاته
and greetings. Your Honorable Speaker.
ِ هلِل ُأ ْلح ْمد First of all, I would like to express my gratitude for the introduction by the Minister of Foreign Affairs regarding SC01A - the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is clear and concise, especially in efforts to move the government administration system towards perfection. I also express my gratitude for the government's efforts and assistance in ensuring the welfare of the people of Brunei Darussalam abroad is maintained during the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure that this effort continues, especially in caring for the welfare of the people and residents of Brunei Darussalam who are abroad, including students, government and private sector employees, it is essential for the government through the High Commission of Brunei Darussalam to hold religious and national activities and events at least once a year by inviting the people and residents of Brunei Darussalam who are abroad.
Thank you, Your Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs II, for your response. It is important to strengthen the bond, cooperation, and sense of belonging among those who may feel isolated from their families while also solidifying their loyalty to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.
In this regard, I suggest that national events be organized and promoted by the relevant departments of Brunei Darussalam outside of the country.
Furthermore, I would like to inquire if there are any recorded cases of human trafficking involving Brunei Darussalam citizens as victims of drug mules, social media or cyber scams, and so on, outside of the country.
Thank you, Your Honorable Chairperson.
Your Honorable Menteri Hal Ehwal Luar Negeri II
Your Honorable Speaker. I would like to express my gratitude to Your Honorable Awang Haji Md. Sallleh bin Haji Othman for the suggestions made earlier. The representatives have been trying their best to organize national activities every year, including religious activities, subject to limited resources and allocations. However, I take note of the suggestions, which I believe need to be further examined.
Moving on to the issue of Brunei citizens involved in human trafficking, cyber scams, drugs, and so on. This has been happening from time to time, and the representatives have been working to address or provide assistance by collaborating with relevant parties within the country and also abroad, so that the issue can be properly addressed. Here, I would like to inform that the laws and regulations of the country and foreign affairs policies must be respected, and not taken lightly.
So, the law of the land applies. Therefore, the ministry and representatives can only assist in ensuring the well-being and providing assistance offered by family members or relevant parties to those involved, to ensure their safety. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Chairman
I now invite, Your Honorable Dayang Hajah Rosmawatty binti Haji Abdul Mumin.
Your Honorable Dayang Hajah Rosmawatty binti Haji Abdul Mumin
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيمI have two questions, Your Honorable Speaker.
Firstly, as an effort to reduce unemployment in Brunei Darussalam, I suggest creating job opportunities for local children to work in Brunei's embassies abroad. This means localization of jobs overseas.
These job opportunities should be open to all and not just known to a few citizens. As a start, I suggest implementing this in Brunei's embassies in ASEAN countries.
My second question is, what actions have been taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to address the negative perception of the country caused by the introduction of Sharia law in Brunei Darussalam.
Your Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs II
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker and also thank you to Your Honorable Dayang Hajah Rosmawatty binti Haji Abdul Mumin for the two questions raised.
The first question is regarding job opportunities for Bruneians in overseas diplomatic missions. At present, these opportunities are open to all subject to local regulations and laws.
There are some countries that do not allow the hiring of locally engaged staff to be filled by workers brought from their home country, in this case, Brunei.
Secondly, these positions in the respective countries have already been opened. At present, among the representatives of Brunei Darussalam, there are about 14 to 15 Bruneians who are already working as locally engaged staff.
This is one of the reasons that motivates them to make the decision to work overseas with Brunei's diplomatic missions, perhaps in terms of salary or their ability. Positions that are open for local hiring sometimes require specific skill sets, such as a driver who needs to know the roads in that country or city.
As a Public Relations Officer, one needs to have networking skills and knowledge in that country. However, it does not necessarily mean that our people are not capable. There are those who are already working in the missions, who have been living in those respective countries for a long time and know the ins and outs of the country.
Therefore, since they are also Bruneians and have been residing in those countries for a long time, it gives an advantage to hire them. However, I will take note and further investigate regarding the job opportunities that are open or advertised in Brunei Darussalam through our missions.
Regarding offering job opportunities for Bruneians to work in ASEAN diplomatic missions, this is subject to meeting local requirements and the requirements of the respective missions.
For the second question regarding the actions taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to maintain the country's image when faced with certain challenges, Brunei Darussalam, like other countries, has its own customs, culture, and religion. Indeed, some countries do not agree with our principles and way of life.
However, as Your Honorable stated earlier, we live in an international community and adhere to international regulations and principles, especially those under the United Nations. We live in mutual respect and do not interfere in the affairs of other countries.
However, when faced with such challenges, we hold firm to our principles and explain that Brunei Darussalam is indeed one of the members of the community that adheres to human rights policies and principles, which we are committed to implementing. Therefore, differences in views will always occur.
However, with the principles under the United Nations, the main principles of human rights that we hold and have signed, Brunei Darussalam is widely understood not to be a country as perceived by countries that have challenged the sovereignty of Brunei Darussalam.
Therefore, this issue will continue and this is where the ministry and its officials need to enhance their capabilities by working with other ministries, especially the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs, to overcome the challenges faced.
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Speaker
Please proceed, Your Honorable Awang Haji Salleh Bostaman bin Haji Zainal Abidin.
Your Honorable Awang Haji Salleh Bostaman bin Haji Zainal Abidin
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker and Your Honorable Members.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings. Salutations and blessings to our Prophet Muhammad SAW and his honest companions until the end of time.
Thank you, Your Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs II, for the introduction and explanation of the development and achievements of the ministry. I have some issues that require clarification and one acknowledgement.
With the role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the representative of the country abroad, embassies become a place where our people seek protection, comfort, and relief, especially for students and our people who are working abroad. It is a place of shelter and complaint when abroad, especially when experiencing difficulties or disasters.
Considering that there are already many facilities for traveling and doing business abroad, many of our people feel adventurous and go to new places and also seek job opportunities or do business in countries where there is no representation in the places they visit. I would like some clarification on this matter.
As the first question regarding our fellow countryman who is imprisoned abroad has already been answered, I would like to add and address that question. Do we know how many Bruneian citizens are imprisoned abroad and what monitoring do we provide to ensure their well-being? That is the first question.
The second question is for countries where Brunei does not have a diplomatic mission, such as in Central America, the Caribbean, Africa, and so on, what advice can the ministry provide to our business people who want to explore trade cooperation or individuals before they depart or when they face difficulties (God forbid) in the country they are in? Are there alternative arrangements made for them to seek protection other than sending an SOS message from afar and returning to Brunei? I seek advice on these two matters.
Before I leave, allow me to express my personal gratitude and on behalf of the sports agencies that I represent.
Every time I bring a national team to a country where there is a diplomatic mission, أ ْلح ْمدُ ِ هلِلthe excellent cooperation from the ambassador and embassy representatives in caring for the country's sports representation is truly commendable, and some of it may be beyond the call of duty. I thank them and convey my regards and keep up the good work. Respectful greetings to all embassy members abroad.
That is all, Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members, والسالم عليكم ورحمة هللا وبركاته.
Your Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs II
Your Honorable Speaker, I would like to thank Your Honorable Salleh Bostaman for his questions earlier, and I will convey his question to the relevant embassy.
Regarding the number of Bruneian citizens or residents who are imprisoned abroad, I believe that information is available at the Consular Department. However, I do not have that information at hand right now, and if needed, I can provide it directly to Your Honorable Salleh Bostaman bin Haji Zainal Abidin after this session.
Encouraging our business people and citizens to travel abroad, whether there is a mission or representation in that country or not, is perhaps a practical issue as a small country. It may be beyond the means of this ministry and my colleague from the Ministry of Finance to provide 193 missions for Brunei in every country in the world.
However, here is where a very interesting system exists within ASEAN that was introduced during Brunei's chairmanship of ASEAN in 2013. This system is called "3rd Country Consular Assistance" in which if a Bruneian citizen faces difficulties in countries where Brunei Darussalam does not have representation but one of the ASEAN countries does, assistance can be requested through the Brunei Ministry of Foreign Affairs to request assistance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in that country to provide consular assistance. Therefore, this system exists and demonstrates the importance of ASEAN to our membership in international organizations where cooperation like this can be implemented.
Although countries like Chile, where the closest Brunei representation may be in New York, we can request representation from another ASEAN country like Malaysia to provide assistance. There was a case where a Bruneian citizen lost their passport and money due to theft.
So for the time being, it is requested that help be sought from the Malaysian embassy through its ministry to provide temporary assistance by providing new passports or new travel documents and purchasing tickets so that they can return.
That is, Your Honorable Speaker, not only unilaterally or individually but through ASEAN itself, we can provide assistance to Bruneian citizens overseas. Thank you.
Your Honorable Speaker
I invite Your Honorable Pengiran Haji Isa bin Pengiran Haji Aliuddin.
Your Honorable Pengiran Haji Isa bin Pengiran Haji Aliuddin
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Speaker and wise honorable members, first of all thank you for the introduction by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, which emphasizes the main mission of mutual respect, good relations with other countries and not wanting to interfere with the political instability of other countries.
Kaola has 2 proposals and 2 suggestions:
Regarding the export of skilled labor to countries in need. Kaola is very interested in the involvement of our people, some of whom are pilots for Emirates or Qatar, some work as engineers and stewards. Seeing Brunei's economic growth rate and the significant unemployment rate, we need to find ways to utilize and address this situation.
Brunei has had a good relationship with the United Kingdom for a long time, including an education system that is aligned with the United Kingdom's education system, where more than 90% of our people are proficient in English.
The United Kingdom itself is facing a shortage of labor, including in the public health and social work sectors, which have a high vacancy rate, followed by the hospitality and food service sectors, as well as in construction.
Looking at our unemployment issue, the labor shortage in the United Kingdom, and the very good diplomatic relationship between Brunei Darussalam and the United Kingdom, it may be time for us to find a solution to address this issue that can benefit both countries (win-win situation).
To obtain local labor that is ready to serve in the United Kingdom, it can be achieved through the Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC) and the Manpower Industry Steering Committee (MISC) for relevant sectors. For example, MISC in the construction, transportation and logistics, hospitality, and energy sectors by developing programs that are suitable for the demand and jobs needed in the United Kingdom.
However, it is highly advised that our people be prepared not only in terms of skills but also in terms of faith, which must be likened to fish that live in the sea, even though they have lived in the sea for so long, when caught and eaten, they are not salty. Similarly, our people, when abroad, must emphasize the M.I.B philosophy and Islam.
Spearheading the development of Brunei Darussalam's economy abroad through Spearhead Development. This proposal is to establish an agency under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to spearhead the development of Brunei's economy abroad. This will create a lot of work because our mission is to be friendly and respectful, but to add value, it is proposed to create an agency similar to Singapore Enterprise that is run under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Republic of Singapore.
Your Honorable, this agency will provide and offer attractive packages to support Brunei companies outside the country. For example, providing subsidies for office rentals, salary subsidies if they hire or employ Bruneian children to work under the new company.
This agency also advises and guides entrepreneurs who will go abroad to better understand the regulations, culture, and customs of the countries involved, as well as to strengthen the company's competitors, mapping local company competitors.
This is also an effort to promote Brunei's economic growth outside the country for companies based in Brunei and international trade. This is seen as Your Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs mentioned earlier, where we have 43 representative offices.
I am also very interested, Your Honorable Speaker, when you were in Bangkok, Thailand, where our representatives at the MFA worked hard to promote Royal Brunei Airlines flights. That is the best example. This agency is also seen to be able to help these companies to enter new markets as a shortcut in an effort to gain knowledge and learn local expertise abroad that is not available elsewhere to help gain access or pathways to these markets, advisory services that can be offered, especially those related to laws and regulations in the country, local culture and practices that become daily practical.
Thank you. That's all kaola's suggestion, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs II
Your Honorable Speaker, kaola did not answer this matter. However, the issue raised by Your Honorable Pengiran Haji Isa bin Pengiran Haji Aliuddin earlier may be more relevant to koala's friends here and perhaps they can provide more appropriate answers.
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister of Finance and Economy II
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. To answer the question raised by Your Honorable Pengiran Haji Isa bin Pengiran Haji Aliuddin, it is related to the establishment of an office outside the country or in any foreign country to help our MPKS companies, an example given is comparable to Singapore Enterprise, which was previously called International Enterprise. Singapore Enterprise is indeed aimed at helping companies within the country to advance abroad.
Before we consider this matter, we need to take into account whether the products available in the country are suitable for us to export outside the country. After that, we can identify which countries have potential and whether we need to establish a permanent office or place an officer in our commissioner's office abroad.
This matter needs to be studied first, and it may not necessarily be possible to have a permanent office at this time. Perhaps one day our products will have more potential for export. Maybe we can think about this idea then.
Meanwhile, if there is an opportunity for us to advance anywhere abroad, we can possibly consider appointing an economic officer or representative at our commissioner's office abroad.
This matter can be discussed with the industry to which we target our country's products before sending our officers abroad, God willing. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Speaker
I invite Your Honorable Awang Mohammad bin Abdullah @ Lim Swee Ann.
Your Honorable Awang Mohammad bin Abdullah @ Lim Swee Ann
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. ُالرحْ يم السَّال ُم عل ْي ُك ْم ورحْ مةُ هللاِ وبركاتُه الرحْ َٰم ِن ّٰللاِبس ِْم ه and greetings. First of all, I would like to thank the Honorable Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for his clear and comprehensive introduction.
I also agree with and support the proposed suggestion by my colleague, Your Honorable Pengiran Haji Isa bin Pengiran Haji Aliuddin, that the importance of efforts towards strengthening the identity of Brunei, which is based on Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB), always remains a culture that is continuously nurtured by the people and residents of Brunei Darussalam wherever they are.
Our students are among those who are exposed to strong cultural influences. In addition, they are also exposed to social phenomena and deviant teachings that can damage their morals and beliefs if not continuously monitored.
In this regard, efforts need to be made through special identity programs held regularly to balance their learning time at their respective universities or colleges as extracurricular or mandatory activities. For example, special religious and national lectures can be held at universities with many Bruneian students.
I would like to know if the foreign programs mentioned earlier were recommended by the government to Bruneian students studying abroad.
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker and thank you to Your Honorable Mr. Mohammad bin Abdullah @ Lim Swee Ann. Indeed, in every representation, there are gatherings or meetings to celebrate national days on a large or small scale, subject to the allocation obtained in that year.
However, in terms of students, the Ministry of Education, through the Education Offices held abroad, especially in the United Kingdom or Egypt, may organize activities for these students. But in terms of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the activities held every year are the usual ones such as the National Day of Brunei Darussalam or the Birthday of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.
These annual activities are held in rotation between the relevant countries and are part of a plan, given that next year we will celebrate 40 years of full independence. Each representation will hold more activities to promote the achievement of our 40 years of full independence in the relevant countries, and there are also countries where we have reached 40 years of diplomatic relations.
So next year, these activities may be further enhanced, subject to the allocation for next year, so that more people can celebrate and enliven the representations abroad. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Speaker
I now invite Your Honorable Haji Awang Sulaiman bin Haji Nasir.
Your Honorable Haji Awang Sulaiman bin Haji Nasir
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, peace be upon you.
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members. First of all, I would like to express my sincere thanks for the introduction given by Your Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs II, regarding Topic SC01A, which is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is packed with information about the ministry's plans to ensure that they can be achieved, Insha'Allah.
I would like to thank the efforts of the government, especially the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in assisting the people and residents of Brunei Darussalam who were abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters.
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members. Speaking about product promotion and exhibitions, I am interested in the suggestion made by my colleague, Your Honorable Awang Haji Mohamad Danial @ Tekpin bin Ya’akub, regarding the use of Brunei Darussalam-made products as souvenirs.
In this regard, I would like to suggest that the ministry provide a mini gallery of Brunei Darussalam in every office of the Brunei Darussalam High Commission, which serves as a reference and information dissemination point as an alternative to digital media and websites that can be utilized by students and foreigners in those countries.
That is all I have to suggest, Your Honorable Speaker. Thank you.
Your Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs II
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. I take note of the suggestion made and in terms of providing a gallery, the ministry's efforts through its representatives to showcase these local products physically, not just virtually, will be further pursued in the future. Thank you.
Your Honorable Speaker
Honorable Members. Alhamdulillah, we have discussed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I think that is enough discussion on this ministry. Now it is time for us to vote on this ministry.
Honorable Members, those who agree, please raise your hand.
(All Members raise their hands in agreement)
It seems that everyone agrees. Therefore, the titles under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are approved.
Yang Dimuliakan Jurutulis
Title SC01A under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is included in the Schedule. The Ministry of Education is under Title SF01A to Title SF06A.
Your Honorable Speaker
Honorable Members. Before we give the floor to the Honorable Minister of Education to make his statement in the form of an introduction to the preparation of his ministry's budget, I think it is appropriate for us to take a 20-minute break, after which we will reconvene in the Committee Meeting. I adjourn this meeting.
Your Honorable Speaker
بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم. Your Honorable Members. The Committee Meeting resumes after a short break.
أ َ ْل َح ْم ُد ِ هلِل, the Committee Meeting has approved the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Title and it has been included in the Schedule.
Your Honorable Members. The Committee Meeting will now discuss and examine the next Title, which is the Ministry of Education and its educational institutions. Before we discuss this Title, as usual, I would like to give way to Your Honorable Minister of Education to deliver his opening remarks, especially regarding the preparation of the Education Ministry Budget for the Financial Year 2023/2024. With that, I invite Your Honorable Minister of Education to speak. Please proceed, Your Honorable.
Your Honorable Minister of Education
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم سيدنا محمد صلى هللا عليه وسلم. السالم عليكم ورحمة هللا وبركاتهand greetings. Your Honorable Speaker and Your Honorable Members. My highest appreciation to Your Honorable Speaker for giving me the opportunity to share about the priority areas that are the main focus of the Ministry of Education for the Financial Year 2023/2024. Your Honorable Speaker and Your Honorable Members.
The Financial Year 2022/2023 is very significant for the Education sector, especially in ensuring the continuity of strategic efforts that have been implemented so far in facing the impact of COVID-19 in all Government and Private schools and Educational Institutions in Brunei Darussalam.
What is certain is that besides affecting the health and well-being of students, the closure of schools for 185 days at various levels of schooling during the COVID-19 recovery phases has also disrupted learning and caused learning loss for some students.
Therefore, one of the main initiatives to address the issue of learning loss is through the implementation of a learning recovery program for primary and secondary education in literacy, numeracy, and science.
This approach also provides added value and support to existing long-term initiatives, namely the learning support program, which aims to help students overcome difficulties in mastering literacy and numeracy skills in every secondary school throughout the country.
However, in addition to these efforts to restore learning, the Ministry of Education continues to focus on other priority areas across all levels of education, including primary, secondary, and tertiary education, in line with the importance of providing holistic education and improving the conditions of students, including those with special needs.
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members. The Ministry of Education and its departments extend their highest gratitude to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam for the trust and support in allocating B$797,852,995.00 for the Financial Year 2023/2024.
Of the total allocation under the Ministry of Education and its departments, B$547,570,020.00, or 69%, is allocated for staff salaries, covering 12,610 positions for both teaching and non-teaching staff.
Meanwhile, B$226,624,150.00, or 28%, is allocated for Recurrent Expenditure and Development Expenditure, with B$23,658,825.00, or 3%, allocated for Development Expenditure. This significant allocation reflects the importance of the education sector in the national development agenda and is one of the priorities of His Majesty's government, particularly in achieving the main goal of Wawasan Brunei 2035, which is to produce an educated, highly skilled, and successful population. Therefore, I and all members of the Ministry of Education will remain committed and work tirelessly to fully utilize the entrusted allocation, while practicing prudent spending according to planning priorities and impact success that can meet the expectations of all stakeholders.
Such commitment and perseverance can also be translated through the focus on priority areas throughout the previous financial period, including:
Strengthening standards and curricula in line with international standards for subjects such as Malay Language, Mathematics, English Language, Science, and Digital Literacy;
Establishing a framework for implementing a 21st-century skills-based curriculum, such as the Financial Literacy Competency Framework for School Children and Adults and the Digital Citizenship Framework and Guidelines for Schools;
Developing students as human capital, particularly through the Student Character Program, by providing experiences and building various skills through activities under four main components, namely spirituality, physical, creativity, and service.
Ensuring the needs of special needs students' potential development and learning are met through the establishment of centers of excellence and the production of the Special Education Framework and Curriculum Books;
Strengthening the implementation of school-based assessment towards enhancing and improving 21st-century teaching skills;
Construction of new school buildings including upgrading and adding to existing facilities such as the Sultan Hassan Temburong Secondary School which began operations on March 1 this year.
And to facilitate the Ministry of Education's services to the public by establishing Local Service Centers for the Ministry;
Establishment of a framework for the implementation of the Higher Education Quality Assurance Framework aimed at strengthening and further improving the quality of public and private higher education in the country;
Introduction of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Scheme, which is one of the collaborative initiatives between the Ministry of Education and the Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC), to help school leavers and job seekers with secondary-level qualifications to pursue TVET studies required by the industry;
Provision of an early stage Higher Education Act which will be used for the determination and guidelines in the implementation of policies for the higher education sector in Brunei Darussalam.
Developing the Brunei National Occupational Skills Standards by adding the hospitality and tourism sectors to help trainees acquire skills or competencies that can meet the needs of the local and international industry and market.
Praise be to Allah, the investment through strategic initiatives led by the Ministry of Education so far has produced several achievements as follows:
Achievements in public examination results for the lower, middle, and upper sixth levels under the Ministry of Education, where the Primary School Assessment (PSR) in 2022 saw 46.3% or 1,557 candidates successfully obtaining grades 'A' to 'C' in all five core subjects.
For the GCE 'O' Level or IGCSE examination, 43.2% or 1,867 candidates obtained at least 5 'O' Levels in 2022.
For the GCE 'A' Level examination, 74.1% or 1,014 people obtained at least 3 'A' Levels in 2022.
Achievements in the employment rate for Technical Education Level, Politeknik Brunei (PB) and Brunei Technical Education Institute (IBTE) continue to show excellent results through employment rates after six months of completing their studies.
With 69 PB graduates and 75 IBTE graduates from the 2021 cohort having secured employment, this is the result of course offerings and curricula aligned with industry and job market needs through close collaboration with stakeholders, especially MPEC.
Achievements at the Higher Education Level are also evident in terms of international rankings, where Universiti Brunei Darussalam has successfully entered The Times Higher Education's (THE) ranking between 301 and 350 World Years of The Ranking 2023.
Meanwhile, in the queue for the World University Ranking 2023, Universiti Teknologi Brunei is ranked at 256 and 340 respectively. Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali has also achieved a position in the Top 201 to 300 in the Worlds Universities with Real Impact WURI ranking, which is led by the Institute for Policy and Strategy on National Competitiveness IPSNC.
These successes are certainly a manifestation of the hard work of educational institution leaders, educators, and all members of the Ministry of Education at both the core education and higher education levels.
These achievements are also the result of continuous support from parents and stakeholders. In terms of achievements at the higher education level, it has proven that local universities are on par with regional and international universities.
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members. The Ministry of Education acknowledges that challenges related to the education sector are diverse and sometimes unexpected. The impact of COVID-19 has changed the perspective and priorities of education, especially approaches to ensuring the effectiveness of learning and teaching at every level of education.
Realizing this fact, the ministry's priority is not only to produce a high-quality education system but also to strive towards shaping future-ready students with an innovative educational ecosystem and dynamic and excellent human resource competencies.
Regarding the aspect of shaping future-ready students, we are pleased to share the projects that will be implemented in the 2023/2024 Financial Year:
Continuing efforts to strengthen the implementation of the Learning Recovery Programme;
Continuing efforts to strengthen the Learning Support Programme;
Continuing efforts to shape noble character and morals among students in line with the Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) philosophy;
Strengthening two-way cooperation in developing student competencies through memorandums of understanding with agencies and educational and training institutions abroad;
Diversifying skills enhancement or upskilling and reskilling programs and courses.
Implementing programs offered through collaborations with local industry companies.
Meanwhile, the main projects to be implemented for the Financial Year 2023/2024 towards Generating an Innovative Education Ecosystem include:
Maintaining the continuity of best practices in blended learning.
Strengthening the standards and curriculum of digital literacy.
Implementing initiatives under the field of educational technology, including efforts to establish a Learning Management System, provision of Smart Classrooms, launching MOETV and Digital Resource Management System.
Planning to establish a suitable curriculum to strengthen basic literacy and numeracy skills of students at the lower level.
Reviewing the Express Curriculum.
Strengthening the implementation of School-Based Assessment.
Monitoring the quality and effectiveness of education through research and development.
Projects to be implemented in the Financial Year 2023/2024 specifically related to human resource development include:
Providing regular and relevant professional development programs for teachers, school leaders, and education experts.
Strengthening the digital competencies of teachers and providing Digital Learning Training.
Increasing awareness and understanding of the importance of maintaining and addressing issues related to the well-being of teachers and school leaders.
Strengthening the competency framework for teachers and non-teaching staff in technical education institutions; and
Implementing initiatives under the competency framework for higher education leaders.
Other main projects to be implemented in the Financial Year 2023/2024 as enablers include:
Upholding the command of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam in conjunction with the 39th National Day of Brunei Darussalam, which emphasizes the importance of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) skills as a catalyst for the development of the Ministry of Education, which will review the offerings of core, compulsory, and elective subjects in the 21st Century Education System.
Actively engaging in consultancy, collaboration, or internal research studies.
Providing an education data and information collection platform called the Data Collection Platform (DCP) under the Education Big Data initiative.
Addition of new infrastructure facilities and maintenance of buildings;
Continuing and expanding the implementation of facilities management methods;
Upgrading the infrastructure of the government school network, namely the Government School Network Infrastructure Upgrade, and providing laptops in educational institutions;
Upgrading the student admission system to higher education institutions in Brunei Darussalam, namely the National Education Management Centralize Admission System (NEMCAS);
Adding centers of excellence or centers of excellence to accommodate the physical needs and facilities for students with special needs;
Strengthening bilateral relations with foreign educational institutions and regional and international organizations through cooperation groups or joint-working groups;
Increasing the synergy of industry and government involvement in innovation research and collaboration placements in higher education institutions, including technical and vocational education.
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members. In formulating the achievements of the Ministry of Education before and the upcoming initiatives shared earlier, it is in line with the goals of Wawasan Brunei 2035, especially the first goal of an educated, highly skilled, and successful population.
In this regard, I am pleased to share that since the introduction of the National Vision Key Performance Indicators in 2016 until 2021, the Ministry of Education has successfully achieved its targets in three areas, namely:
Percentage of qualified and high-quality teachers;
Percentage of educational institutions at the minimum school standard level; and
Graduation rate of higher education and technical and vocational education.
However, the Ministry of Education also faces challenges in fully achieving the targets for the other three areas, namely:
Percentage of year 1 and 3 students who are at least at the minimum level of literacy and numeracy;
Percentage of passing BCGCE 'O' Level with 5 'O' Levels and above or equivalent; and
Admission rate to post-secondary education.
Therefore, I would also like to state that the challenges in fully achieving these targets are cross-cutting and require the involvement of stakeholders in line with a national approach or Whole of Nation Approach.
At the same time, this is also seen as a space and opportunity for the Ministry of Education to continue exploring new approaches that have a significant impact and strengthen every existing implementation and monitoring action, God willing.
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker, for delivering this opening speech. May peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah. With Allah's guidance and blessings,
Your Honorable Chairman
I would like to express my gratitude to the Honorable Minister of Education for delivering a meticulous and comprehensive speech. In my opinion, some of the issues are complicated, but they were explained in a more interesting way.
I also noticed that I am on the list of Honorable Members who would like to participate in the discussion on the Ministry of Education's topic. It seems that the interest shown by the Honorable Members is very encouraging because almost all appointed Honorable Members want to participate in this discussion.
Therefore, to allow Honorable Members to review the information provided by the Honorable Minister of Education, I suggest that we postpone our discussion this morning and reconvene in the National Assembly.
The meeting is adjourned to the National Assembly.
Your Honorable Speaker
Honorable Speaker, we are now reconvening in the National Assembly. I suggest that we adjourn this meeting to allow us to rest, and, God willing, we will reconvene on Monday, March 13, 2023, as usual, starting at 9:30 am.
Thank you.
May peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah. With Allah's guidance and blessings, the meeting is adjourned.
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