Day 2 Morning
4th of March 2023 - Morning
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(The meeting began at 9.30 am)
Deputy Clerk
The First Meeting of the Nineteenth Session of the National Assembly Council is held on the second day, Saturday, 11th of Syaaban 1444H corresponding to the 4th of March 2023M, preceded by a Prayer of Safety.
PRAYER OF SAFETY
The Prayer of Safety was recited by the Reverend Begawan Pehin Khatib Dato Paduka Awang Haji Emran bin Haji Kunchang (Imam of Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Mosque).
ASSEMBLY MEETING
Your Honorable Speaker
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. We thank Allah for His abundant blessings that have allowed us to gather here this morning for the First Meeting of the Nineteenth Session of the National Assembly Council on its second day. We send our blessings and salutations to our Great Leader, Prophet Muhammad, his family, companions, and followers who remain faithful until the end of time.
Honorable Members. With the grace and permission of Allah, on Thursday morning last week, the Official Opening Ceremony of the First Meeting of the Nineteenth Session of the National Assembly Council was successfully completed by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, who also delivered a royal address.
His Majesty's royal address clearly reflects his wise and far-sighted views and concerns for the welfare and well-being of the people and residents of this country.
Praise be to Allah, His Majesty has also initiated various programs and initiatives that are currently being actively implemented by his government to address current issues. Therefore, it is hoped that all parties in this country, including Your Honorable Members, will work together in this Assembly Meeting, regardless of whether it is a platform to contribute ideas and discuss strategic matters that are of interest to the people and the country. Indeed, the involvement of all parties, including the government, private sector, grassroots leaders, and all individuals in this country through the Whole of Government Approach and Whole of Nation Approach is necessary for us to seriously strive towards and achieve the Brunei Vision 2035, God willing.
Your Honorable Members. I believe that Your Honorable Members will fully examine the address of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, which was granted during the Opening Ceremony of the Nineteenth Session of the Legislative Council, as we discuss the Motion under Notice in Item V.
Deputy Clerk
Item IV. Papers to be laid on the table. Paper No.1 of 2023 by Your Honorable Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (B) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd.Yussof, Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister of Defence, Brunei Darussalam.
Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister of Defence
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings.
Your Honorable Speaker and Your Honorable Members. I respectfully seek permission from Your Honorable Speaker to lay on the table Paper No.1 of 2023, which is the Emergency Orders List passed in 2022 under Article 83 of the Constitution of Brunei Darussalam.
Thank you.
Deputy Clerk
Paper No.2 of 2023 to be laid on the table by Your Honorable Dato Seri Setia Dr. Awang Haji Mohd. Amin Liew bin Abdullah, Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister of Finance and Economy, Brunei Darussalam.
Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister of Finance and Economy
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings.
Your Honorable Speaker and Your Honorable Members. I respectfully seek permission from Your Honorable Speaker to lay on the table Paper No.2 of 2023, which is the Budget for the Fiscal Year 2023/2024. Thank you.
Your Honorable Speaker
Your Honorable Members. Your Honorable Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister of Defence has made a statement to lay on the table the Emergency Orders List passed in 2022 under Article 83 of the Constitution of Brunei Darussalam.
Meanwhile, Your Honorable Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister of Finance and Economy has made a statement to lay on the table the Budget for the Fiscal Year 2023/2024.
Therefore, for these matters, I give permission to the respective Your Honorable Members to bring and lay on the table the said papers.
Deputy Clerk
Item V, the motions that have been notified will be proposed by Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Di-Raja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Isa bin Pehin Datu Perdana Manteri Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Ibrahim, Special Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department.
Your Honorable Special Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, for His blessings and mercy, we are able to attend the Opening Ceremony of the Nineteenth Session of the Legislative Council for this year in a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere. Salutations and greetings to our Great Leader, Prophet Muhammad, and peace be upon him, his family, his companions, and his loyal followers until the end of time. May Allah's blessings and mercy be upon you. Peace be upon you.
Your Honorable Speaker, Alhamdulillah, the Official Opening Ceremony of the First Session of the Nineteenth Session of the Legislative Council for this year was successfully completed by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam on Thursday, 9th of Syaaban 1444H, corresponding to 2nd of March 2023M.
Before continuing this speech, I would like to first congratulate Your Honorable Speaker on his reappointment as the Speaker of the Legislative Council and also to all Honorable Members, whether reappointed or newly appointed.
This year, a large number of Legislative Council Members are performing their duties in this Council for the first time. Therefore, we must remember that the way this Legislative Council deliberates is not based on an adversarial system between the government and non-governmental members, but rather through consultation to obtain information and testimony from those who can provide the intended information. In this Council, there is no opposition, but we all work together for the benefit of the country.
Your Honorable Speaker, in this august Assembly, I propose a motion that reads "This Council agrees to pass a motion to express the highest respect to His Majesty the 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 his departure and gracious speech in conjunction with the Official Opening Ceremony of the First Session of the Nineteenth Session of the Legislative Council on Thursday, 9th of Syaaban 1444H, corresponding to 2nd of March 2023M".
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members, the command of His Majesty that we have all heard attentively contains many advices and warnings that clearly depict His Majesty's wisdom, visionary views, and continuous concern in empowering the country's economic growth and improving the welfare of the people and residents that need to be nurtured by every layer of society in this country. In the command, His Majesty touched on several important matters, including:
Regarding the issue of unemployment that needs attention. His Majesty emphasized the importance of this matter being handled in an integrated manner not only through a Whole of Government Approach but also through a Whole of Nation Approach, where all parties, whether government, private, or society, provide cooperation and support to reduce the unemployment rate in this country;
Regarding the role played by the private sector, especially Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, in promoting the country's economic development;
In this regard, His Majesty emphasized the importance of providing a conducive and customer-friendly business ecosystem to encourage more locals to engage in business, as well as encouraging existing companies to continue to advance;
Therefore, efforts to improve the country's position in the Ease of Doing Business index need to be continued to make the country pro-business and investment-friendly, which is also expected to attract more foreign investors to conduct business operations in this country;
Regarding the National Retirement Scheme (SPK) which, God willing, will be launched in July this year to replace the existing TAP and SCP schemes. The new retirement scheme is expected to further strengthen the protection and social welfare of the people during retirement by taking into account several factors and challenges faced at this time, including from the aspect of sufficient income during retirement, more flexible savings withdrawals, and the need to provide a more inclusive retirement scheme; and
Regarding the country's international commitment to addressing climate change issues, His Majesty has graciously allowed Brunei Darussalam to host the ASEAN Centre for Climate Change.
Besides functioning as a research center on climate change, the establishment of the center in this country is also expected to enhance the capabilities and expertise of locals, especially in the field of climate change, through knowledge transfer.
Your Honorable Speaker. Before concluding this speech of respect, I call upon all public servants, private sector and the people of this country to continue to multiply their efforts through the Whole of Government Approach and Whole of Nation Approach, in supporting the leadership of His Majesty Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, especially in fulfilling his desire to make this country a developed nation in line with the goals of Wawasan Brunei 2035.
Thank you. In the name of Allah, may peace and blessings be upon you.
Your Honorable Speaker
Honorable Members, earlier we have heard the speech made by the Honorable Special Advisor to His Majesty Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and also presented a motion and now we will discuss and debate on this motion.
But before that, I would like to give the opportunity for Honorable Members who would like to support the motion made by the Honorable Member earlier, please proceed.
Honorable Minister of Religious Affairs
In the name of Allah, may peace and blessings be upon you, Your Honorable Speaker. I, with respect, support the motion presented by the Honorable Special Advisor to His Majesty Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Minister at the Prime Minister's Office to present a speech of respect for the departure of His Majesty Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and to bestow a royal address during the Opening Ceremony of the Nineteenth Session of the Legislative Council Meeting. Thank you.
Furthermore, I am allowed to continue the discussion, thank you. Your Honorable Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to first congratulate Your Honorable Speaker on being reappointed as the Speaker of the Legislative Council.
Next, to the newly appointed Members, whether from the Official Members or Honorable Members who have been appointed due to their excellent service in certain fields or not mentioned in their fields but believed to be able to contribute ideas in the meetings of this Council from time to time and most importantly, the Members Representing the Districts. All of you have already taken the oath on a certain date and now we are all in this Chamber.
I would translate the transcript as follows:
I would like to express my gratitude for the opportunity to speak, and I would like to focus my remarks on the content of the address by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam. His Majesty specifically called on the Honorable Members to be open-minded and to consider the welfare of their constituents, whom I refer to as the Honorable Members representing their respective districts.
I believe that this focus is particularly significant for me to speak briefly or debate concisely.
His Majesty urged all Honorable Members to fulfill their responsibilities with sincerity in providing any views, while also urging them, including the Honorable Members here, to be open-minded with their subordinates when receiving opinions and feedback from them.
In my opinion, the call to be open-minded with subordinates is directed towards the newly appointed Honorable Members representing their respective districts (according to Clause 5 (iv) of the Second Schedule of Article 24 (1)) of the Constitution of the State. At present, they consist of village chiefs and village heads representing the residents in their respective districts.
They are each responsible for caring for the welfare of their constituents and the affairs of their respective villages and towns.
Therefore, the call in this context is to hope and, in my opinion, His Majesty also has confidence in the ability of the Honorable Members to represent their districts so that they will always be with the people, residents of villages and towns.
In this regard, Your Honorable Speaker, I see a connection with the institution of villages and towns, each with its own consultative council as provided for in its constitution, and its appointed members according to its rules. What I mean is that the consultative councils of villages and towns must be active and responsive in addressing the welfare of the people in their respective villages and towns.
They are leaders at the village and town level, but they are not alone. In villages and towns, there are mosques and schools, so village chiefs and village heads must have leadership partners from institutions such as mosques and schools.
Each of them has friends from the mosque, namely the imam and mosque officials, and friends from the school, namely the principal, headmaster, and other teachers. All of these are elements that can further strengthen the leadership of the village and district.
In this regard, Your Honorable Speaker, I understand that to strengthen or empower the village and district consultation councils, it also depends on other factors. I am confident that it can be effectively seen through our Whole of Government Approach and Whole of Nation Approach.
Your Honorable Speaker, I also see that in this close cooperation, the Honorable Members Representing the Districts and the village and district leadership friends, they together must also pay close attention to the intended meaning of the command so that the Honorable Members are required to think openly but free from any external influence. The meaning of the command of His Majesty is very important to uphold. Each of us must be ready to listen to any feedback, but at the same time, we must be vigilant and wise in considering any ideas and feedback suggested.
Make sure that it does not come from external influences, wisely and thoroughly researched, because as it is also commanded that we do not want any elements of external influence to contaminate our 'Calak Brunei' nobility.
Your Honorable Speaker, the command mentions our 'Calak Brunei' nobility, I would like to briefly mention that in my opinion, the 'Calak Brunei' referred to in the command is for us not to tarnish it and formulated in terms of historical, cultural aspects and viewed from its socio-political realities. From these formulations, we have mentioned and glorified that Brunei Darussalam will forever remain an independent, sovereign, democratic Malay Islamic Monarchy based on the teachings of Sunni Islam according to Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah.
In its nobility, we have pledged through the glorification of independence on the midnight of December 31, 1983, towards January 1, 1984, which is essentially to strive to develop and advance this country, maintain the welfare of the people, preserve its territorial integrity, maintain friendship and international relations, and free from foreign interference.
With that, it is clear that our country will continue to develop and progress with its modernity. We, the people and generations to come, will maintain our national identity that is loyal to supporting the royal government, preserving and respecting the values of Islam and practicing good traditions for harmony.
We realize as a country and nation that we cannot look back to survive in old ways, we must and have moved forward with confidence to face changing times.
However, we are certain and trust in Allah that we, our nation, our country will remain as it has been preserved by our predecessors from generation to generation until it is blessed by Allah to remain with its small but beautiful, sweet, lovely, charming and captivating territory with a population that is easily counted, but that is us with our pure 'Calak Brunei' that we strive to keep from being contaminated.
Thus, I would like to express my gratitude and once again apologize if there are any shortcomings in this discussion. Thank you. May Allah guide us and grant us success. Peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah.
Your Honorable Speaker
Honorable Members. Earlier, Your Honorable Special Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office presented a proposal to fully express our love and respect to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam for his departure to the Official Opening Ceremony of the Nineteenth Session of the Legislative Council Meeting on Monday, 9th of Syaaban 1444H corresponding to 2nd of March 2023M.
This proposal has been fully supported by the Honorable Minister of Religious Affairs and I have given permission to the Honorable Minister of Religious Affairs to continue his statement by giving a speech in support of the earlier proposal. Therefore, I invite the Honorable Abdul Aziz bin Haji Hamdan to discuss this proposal. Please proceed, Your Honorable.
Your Honorable Abdul Aziz bin Haji Hamdan
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah. Your Honorable Speaker. First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to Allah SWT for His permission and blessings, and to express my love and respect to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam for appointing me as a Member of the Legislative Council.
Allah willing, I will do my utmost to fulfill this entrusted responsibility with sincerity. First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude for the opportunity given to me to speak for the first time in this Nineteenth Session of the Legislative Council.
I fully support the proposal of the Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Di-Raja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Isa bin Pehin Datu Perdana Ma nteri Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Ibrahim, Special Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, to express the highest appreciation to His Majesty the 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, who graciously attended the Opening Ceremony of the First Meeting of the Nineteenth Session of the Legislative Council.
Your Honorable Speaker, I express my utmost gratitude for His Majesty's speech, especially in addressing the issue of unemployment. His Majesty believes that with the cooperation and support of all relevant parties, the unemployment rate can be reduced every year. Based on statistics, the youth are the highest in the list of job seekers.
Therefore, I hope that continuous efforts towards providing the youth with the necessary ecosystem and direction are important in driving their role as the next generation to develop the country in all sectors. This includes reviewing existing policies and programs that focus on the role and importance of youth in creative, digital, entrepreneurial, and leadership industries, as a step towards generating new and more constructive and innovative ideas than successful local youth industry players. With that, job opportunities can be balanced according to current needs, whether in the government or private sector.
Your Honorable Speaker, in addition to the establishment and role of the Human Resources and Employment Planning Council (MPEC) as a thinking machine towards realizing His Majesty's aspirations for planning and implementing several strategies through the Whole of Government Approach and Whole of Nation Approach, it is necessary to be consistent in achieving the desired goals. This includes the i-Ready Program introduced in 2017.
Kaola is of the opinion that this program needs to be expanded in its implementation scope, not only targeting those who are skill and experience ready but also those who are job ready. With this, it is seen as a comprehensive program towards reducing the unemployment rate among youth in Brunei Darussalam.
Alhamdulillah, Kaola also welcomes the government's initiative in introducing the SkillsPlus program and hopes that this program can be strengthened towards producing skilled and professional workers.
In addition, Kaola also hopes that the relevant parties, especially the Job Centre Brunei, can offer job opportunities offered at the ASEAN level to provide a wider range of options for local job seekers, especially graduates and skilled professionals.
Your Honorable Speaker. Touching on job and business opportunities, especially in the tourism sector. The Tutong District has begun to move its tourism activities forward by introducing the Tutong Destination Visit Program in 2015.
This initiative has been integrated with relevant parties, including the Village Consultative Councils (MPK) through the One Village One Product (1K1P) Eco-Tourism Service. Kaola hopes that this initiative can be continued so that places that were once tourist destinations can be reactivated.
At the same time, training and mentoring programs and special assistance to service providers can help drive the local tourism industry to continue to grow and contribute to generating high value added to the country's economy. That is all, and may Allah grant us success and guidance. Peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah.
Your Honorable Speaker
I now invite Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim.
Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members.
Peace be upon you and may Allah's mercy and blessings be upon you. First of all, Kaola would like to express appreciation and gratitude to Your Honorable Speaker for giving Kaola the opportunity to join together to provide support for the motion to fully support the presence of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam in this Assembly on Thursday last week and also for the gracious speech delivered by His Majesty, as well as the motion presented by Your Honorable Advisor to His Majesty and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office.
Your Honorable Speaker. I also want to extend my highest congratulations to Your Honorable Speaker on the reappointment as the Speaker of the National Assembly. I am confident that with Your Honorable Speaker's wisdom and extensive experience, this session, God willing, will run smoothly and achieve the desired goals. On this occasion, I also want to congratulate all newly appointed Honorable Members.
Personally, I am grateful to Allah for the trust, honor, and grace bestowed upon me by His Majesty in appointing me as one of the members of the National Assembly.
Your Honorable Speaker, His Majesty's speech during the opening of this session, especially regarding the role of Honorable Members to provide sincere and open views on strategic issues that will have a positive impact on the country, clearly reminds us to fulfill the responsibility and trust given with dedication, commitment, sincerity, and honesty.
I believe that the attitude and open-mindedness free from any external influence that His Majesty has instructed are the starting point for us all to assess our own foundation in expressing any views in this Assembly.
Whatever our views in this Assembly, they will to some extent shape and color the lives of the people and residents in this country.
For me, this context of openness is not only about providing positive, constructive, and sincere views, but we also need to be open in receiving feedback from interested parties for the benefit of the people and the prosperity of the country.
These are the special characteristics of the purity of 'Calak Brunei' in our governance based on Malay Islamic Monarchy practices. It prioritizes consensus-building by giving priority to the interests of the people alone to make this country a country that is peaceful, prosperous, and prosperous, and receives the forgiveness of Allah the Most Forgiving.
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members. In a world still grappling with various problems such as socio-economic pandemics, geopolitics, and climate change, it is important for us to move forward together, unite our determination and aspirations to achieve the goals of Wawasan Brunei 2023.
Your Honorable, this is the most important strategic matter that requires deep and holistic attention because of its comprehensive impact not only on the prosperity, security, and stability of the country but also on the happiness and well-being of its people and residents.
It encompasses fundamental issues such as economic growth, people's involvement in advancing the country and the economy, unemployment, poverty eradication, a future-ready education system, social welfare for the people, digital transformation for the future economy, and others.
All of these are interrelated, and to address them, all stakeholders need to work together and strengthen coordination with full dedication and commitment as one team.
Your Honorable, we realize that to achieve the goals of Wawasan Brunei 2035 successfully, we all need to work hard to overcome all challenges. However, with the permission and guidance of Allah, it is not an impossible task to achieve according to the desired goals and time frame.
What is needed is close and solid cooperation. Strong coordination from all stakeholders, full confidence of the people at all levels with the meaning of believing is seeing, delivering an efficient, effective, and transparent system, close monitoring, and a credible reassessment system of the targets and programs that have been planned to ensure that they run on the right track and in harmony.
Equally important is the implementation of efficient, transparent, firm, and integrated governance institutions that practice a strong governance system. This governance aspect is crucial to be strengthened because it can increase rationality and objectivity in decision-making. This will ensure that a decision made is based on the right, fair, and impartial grounds, Insha'Allah.
Your Honorable, prudent financial management should not only be seen as an effort to save expenses but also should be evaluated as an effort to increase the country's revenue and comprehensive socio-economic planning.
We clearly understand this in the titah of Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia regarding the challenges of unemployment and the economy involving Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises.
Alhamdulillah, we congratulate and applaud the Ministry of Finance and Economy for producing a comprehensive, sustainable, and doable Economic Blueprint that covers all areas.
I hope that this Economic Blueprint will be accompanied by a transparent, comprehensive, inclusive, and workable work plan that will also include matters related to increasing the country's output and attracting more FDI to the country, as well as stimulating holistic economic activities.
With the presence of an action or work plan that is equipped with a neat and transparent implementation and monitoring mechanism, it will be able to provide a clear direction to the people, especially the business community, to plan their proactive involvement in practicing The Whole of Nation Approach.
Your Honorable Speaker. The positive impact of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in generating economic growth, increasing national income, and providing job opportunities to local citizens, including providing business opportunities to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, is very clear in the context of Brunei Darussalam.
Given the importance of FDI contributions in stimulating, diversifying, and maintaining economic sustainability and national income, I believe that we need to redouble our efforts to attract more new Foreign Direct Investment Projects.
Towards this end, it is reasonable for any new FDI to be shared and disseminated continuously and widely to all stakeholders so that they can plan their involvement in providing support or assistance to this FDI. This is in line with the country's desire to provide business and job opportunities to local citizens.
Therefore, strict policies and regulations must also be formulated so that the spin-off from this FDI can also be felt by local businesses, especially Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, as ordered by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam in the Opening Ceremony of the First Meeting of the Nineteenth Session of the Legislative Council recently.
Your Honorable Speaker. We realize that attracting FDI is not an easy task, it is full of challenges and requires many things that need to be improved and strengthened.
Alhamdulillah, Brunei Darussalam is already known as a stable country in terms of politics, strong financially, has an educated and friendly workforce, and a central geographic location in the midst of ASEAN countries.
In addition to the comparative advantages of the good attributes mentioned above, we also need to improve other variables or prerequisites that are not only necessary to attract foreign investors but also to help local businesses that want to advance.
These include improving the decision-making process, which not only needs to be transparent and fair but also fast and practical, updating labor policies to support business growth, providing a future-ready workforce that has discipline, identity, and a positive mindset, strengthening local financial institutions to be more pro-business and support business growth, complete and easily accessible infrastructure such as industry-ready industrial sites, fast, efficient, and reliable internet connections, sufficient electricity and water supply for industrial development, as well as strong governance and marketing arms that can help market products domestically and internationally.
These factors contribute significantly to a sustainable, resilient, and competitive economy. All of these need to be addressed with strong coordination among regulators, business communities, and other stakeholders.
Your Honorable Speaker. To ensure the continuity and implementation of all planned initiatives, it will undoubtedly require a powerful, talented, knowledgeable, and integrity-driven workforce. Human resource development, succession planning, and talent identification are essential elements in strengthening sustainability, especially in strengthening the internal capacity of public services, given their impact on public management, socio-economics, and the welfare of the people.
Furthermore, in making the country's environment more business-friendly and conducive, it is crucial to identify and implement a talent pool based on meritocracy and performance-based criteria.
God willing, this country will not be short of experts and skills at the middle and management levels to lead and bring the country to a level of expertise comparable to other countries in the region.
We hope that with this talent pool, it will facilitate the government services, especially in selecting and appointing expert, powerful, resilient, talented, honest, and trustworthy leaders to lead organizations that are essential in strategic fields.
Your Honorable Speaker. Once again, I express my support for the motion to show gratitude for the command of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam in the Official Opening Ceremony of the First Meeting of the Ninth Session of the National Assembly.
May we all receive guidance and blessings from Allah SWT in carrying out the entrusted responsibilities, and our contributions in this Assembly will be beneficial not only for the current generation but also for future generations.
That is all, and may Allah guide us all. Peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah.
Your Honorable Speaker
Thank you, Your Honorable. Now, I invite Your Honorable Awang Haji Mohd. Salleh bin Haji Othman.
Your Honorable Awang Haji Md. Salleh bin Haji Othman
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah. Your Honorable Speaker, first of all, I express my gratitude to Allah SWT for His permission and blessings, and to show respect to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam for appointing me as a Member of the National Assembly. Allah willing, I will carry out this entrusted responsibility with sincerity.
Your Honorable Speaker. On this occasion, I sincerely and joyfully thank Your Honorable Speaker for giving me the opportunity to speak in this noble Chamber.
I fully support the motion of Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Di-Raja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Isa bin Pehin Datu Perdana Ma nteri Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Ibra him, Special Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office to present a speech of the highest respect to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, who has graciously attended the Official Opening Ceremony of the First Meeting of the Ninth Session of the National Assembly.
I highly respect His Majesty's firm, visionary, and comprehensive command. The content of the command is a clear guide to His Majesty's pure intention towards ensuring the continuous and proper progress of the country without neglecting the national and economic issues that deserve appropriate attention.
However, His Majesty's decree also gives great hope to the people of Brunei Darussalam about the National Retirement Scheme (SPK) which, God willing, will be launched in July 2023. As citizens, we should be grateful for the blessing of having a king who is concerned about the problems of his people.
Your Honorable Speaker, the increase in the price of goods has led to an increase in service costs and has become a significant burden for consumers, especially those with low incomes.
Therefore, the role of local SMEs is crucial in boosting the country's economy and the government's efforts to improve the business environment to encourage more entrepreneurs to enter the business and industry sectors, as well as to encourage existing companies to continue to grow, is seen as appropriate to balance dependence on imported products by increasing the production of local products that are in high demand in the domestic market.
Darussalam Enterprise (DARe) plays a facilitative role in helping local entrepreneurs target priority sectors. With this, the involvement of the country's products and goods can be better controlled.
Your Honorable Speaker, in providing a more conducive business climate and towards improving the welfare of the people, the development and use of temporary occupation licenses (TOL) need to be reviewed and reconsidered by taking into account important matters that are the needs and priorities of the people.
Regarding the issue of unemployment, I suggest that the method of paying salaries to private sector employees be aligned with the method of paying salaries twice in the government sector as an initiative to make the private sector the first choice for employment. That is all, with the help and guidance of Allah. Peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah.
Your Honorable Speaker
Honorable Members, I think it is appropriate for us to take a break for 20 minutes.
(The Meeting takes a short break)
(The Meeting resumes)
Your Honorable Speaker
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Honorable Members, the National Assembly meeting is resumed after we took a short break. The meeting is still discussing the Motion that has been notified, which was proposed by the Honorable Special Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and the Minister in the Prime Minister's Office.
To continue this discussion, I now invite Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Haji Mohd Yusuf.
Please proceed, Your Honorable.
Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Haji Mohd Yusuf
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh and Salam Sejahtera. Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members, all praises to Allah for allowing us to be present at the National Assembly Meeting today with His abundant blessings and permission. First and foremost, I would like to extend my highest congratulations to Your Honorable Speaker on your reappointment as the Speaker of the National Assembly.
On this occasion, I respectfully and humbly offer my highest gratitude 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 appointing me as one of the Members of the National Assembly.
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members, on behalf of myself and my fellow Honorable Members, I fully support the proposal put forward by Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Di-Raja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Isa bin Pehin Datu Perdana Ma nteri Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Ibrahim, Special Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, to express our highest gratitude to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam for his departure and subsequent address at the Official Opening Ceremony of the Nineteenth Session of the National Assembly Meeting on Thursday, 09th of Syaaban 1444H corresponding to 02nd of March 2023M.
If we observe the content of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam's address at the Official Opening Ceremony of the National Assembly Meeting two days ago, it is very significant and elevated, with a far-sighted view that goes beyond various aspects of His Majesty's pure desire to develop and strengthen our country not only in the fields of economy, business, and enterprise, but also to improve the quality of life that leads to a higher standard of living for the welfare and well-being of the people and residents of Brunei Darussalam.
In developing the country continuously, Your Honorable Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan Negara of Brunei Darussalam's command during the Official Opening Ceremony of the National Assembly Meeting, which highlighted the very important challenges to be considered in improving the government's performance, special attention should be given to the expenditure to be approved in the National Assembly Meeting so that it will truly have a positive impact on the country and its people without burdening the government too much.
Regarding His Majesty's command, matters closely related to operations and tactics can be discussed with relevant agencies outside of this Assembly from time to time.
With such procedures, any issue or matter that arises can be presented to the relevant agencies and then discussed comprehensively together, God willing, for the benefit and welfare of the country, its people, and residents.
In this regard, with regards to the issue of unemployment raised by His Majesty's command, appropriate attention should be given, especially among local job seekers, by providing training, improving their knowledge and upgrading their professional skills so that they can meet the current job market demands.
Regarding the issue of unemployment, it is not only related to workers who have academic or technical qualifications, but we also need to think about job seekers who do not have qualifications or certifications, such as school dropouts. What should we do for them to have job opportunities as well?
The issue of unemployment is also closely related to social problems such as poverty, crime, drug abuse, family problems, divorce, and related issues.
The establishment of the Permanent Secretariat of the Manpower Planning and Employment Council, which has taken steps, strategic planning, and a plan of action to help job seekers, increase more people and residents involved in various professional fields, forums, technical and skilled training that they aspire to, more in line with the demands of various sectors of industrial development, is highly appreciated and appropriate in addressing the issue of unemployment caused by a lack of skills and knowledge.
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members. In the field of economy, the role of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, especially those involving local traders, is very important to be developed and improved to have the potential to become exporters.
It is essential to jointly examine and identify government policies that allow for the export of products abroad, including competent authorities for products. Secondly, joint agreements or arrangements between governments for access to enable exports will be implemented, and most importantly, access from the perspective of infrastructure such as electricity supply, water, logistics, and energy management will increase the probability of success in trying to export products produced from Brunei Darussalam.
In addition, it also requires a solid strategy not only in terms of packaging, the use of high-tech machines, quality, large-scale production of products, marketing strategies, skilled manpower management, and others.
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members. To conclude this session, let us pray together to Allah SWT that His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, members of the royal family, and all the people and residents of this country will always be granted guidance, guidance, and blessings, as well as good health and full of prosperity and under the protection of Allah SWT.
Finally, with Allah's help and guidance, peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah. Thank you.
Your Honorable Speaker
I now invite Your Honorable Awang Haji Mohamad Danial @ Tekpin bin Ya'akub.
Your Honorable Awang Haji Mohamad Danial @ Tekpin bin Ya'akub
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Your Honorable Speaker, first of all, I would like to express my gratitude to Allah SWT for His permission and highest gratitude to Your Honorable Speaker for providing me with the opportunity to speak at this National Assembly Meeting.
Allah SWT willing, I will carry out this entrusted responsibility with sincerity. I highly appreciate His Majesty's concern and compassion in maintaining the welfare of the people and residents of Brunei Darussalam. In addition, I highly appreciate His Majesty's desire for all Honorable Members to always have an open mind free from any external influence so that the purity of 'Calak Brunei' is not contaminated.
Your Honorable's firm stance provides clear guidance on the principles and direction of the country towards achieving stability and prosperity by maintaining the core values of Bruneians based on the concept of Malay Islamic Monarchy.
Your Honorable, I fully welcome the country's commitment towards climate change and appreciate Your Majesty's consent to make Brunei Darussalam the host of the ASEAN Centre for Climate Change, which will bring together experts from within and outside the country to conduct research related to climate change. It is time for the country to remain committed to preserving the environment, whether in urban or rural areas.
I am optimistic that with this center, issues and natural disasters such as flash floods and landslides, especially in high-risk areas in the Tutong District, can be reduced and handled more strategically. This includes initiatives towards cultivating a more responsible society and introducing new environmental acts for more conducive and effective implementation.
Your Honorable, on this occasion, I also suggest that the upcoming budget presentation should focus on the progress of rural areas. This is important so that rural areas are not left behind and can enjoy better infrastructure and facilities.
In an effort to strengthen grassroots leadership, especially the leadership of village and district councils, I suggest that a National Convention for Village and District Councils be held as a regrouping initiative to strengthen leadership and membership of new Village and District Councils. At the same time, introducing modern approaches according to changing times, technology, and the environment.
That is all, and may Allah guide us. Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings.
Your Honorable Speaker
I now invite Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Suyoi bin Haji Osman. Please proceed, Your Honorable.
Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Suyoi bin Haji Osman
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings, Your Honorable and Honorable Members. First of all, I would like to congratulate Your Honorable on your reappointment as the Speaker of the State Council.
I am confident that Your Honorable's wisdom and experience will drive the journey of the National Assembly smoothly and achieve its goals. I also want to congratulate all the new members of the National Assembly. With a spirit of togetherness and cooperation, we will reach agreements on many issues for the welfare and safety of the country, Insha'Allah.
I express my highest respect to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam for appointing me as a member of the National Assembly.
Insha'Allah, I will play my role as a member of the National Assembly to the best of my ability to support any policies of the Government under the leadership of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.
Your Honorable Speaker, I fully support the proposed motion by Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Di-Raja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Isa bin Pehin Datu Perdana Manteri Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Ibrahim, Special Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, to express our highest respect for His Majesty's departure and to deliver His Majesty's command.
Your Honorable Speaker, His Majesty's command is clear for the Honorable Members to discuss with an open mind, free from any external influence, and any discussions in this august House, as the result of the Government under the leadership of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, and any approved resolutions will have a positive impact on the country and its people.
As stated in His Majesty's command, I also suggest that any approved provisions should be used prudently and without delay to achieve their objectives.
I highly respect His Majesty's command to raise strategic issues that will have a positive impact in the long run. In dealing with employment issues, I am pleased with the success of the Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC) through a whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach in reducing unemployment rates in the country. At the same time, MPEC has succeeded in enhancing the professional skills of local children in private companies. The issue of providing or obtaining employment is important for us to continue to pay attention to. Otherwise, our youth who have completed their schooling and education will become a burden to society, whereas they can contribute to the country's development. In addition, the country's investment in education will be in vain if they do not get jobs or have to work abroad because there are no jobs in the country.
It is hoped that this issue of employment can be discussed openly and transparently to find ways to increase job opportunities through various strategic policies. We must have a solid and strategic plan to address the issue of employment in the next five to ten years, and we must identify in which sectors job opportunities will arise.
The educational institutions will therefore provide suitable curricula, courses, and areas of expertise for students who will be seeking employment.
In the current situation, our students graduate from either secondary or tertiary education but have difficulty finding jobs, which should no longer exist or should no longer occur.
Your Honorable, the Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam will launch a new National Retirement Scheme, Allah willing, this July.
This is news that has been eagerly awaited by the people because it will ensure a more comfortable retirement for all who work. It is clear to us that what His Majesty and his government want to achieve is that the people will always have job opportunities and be involved in work, and with a better Retirement Scheme, the well-being of the entire population will always be maintained.
I hope that any efforts and actions of the government will fulfill the wishes of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam as stated in his decree. It is hoped that our discussions in this honorable Council will bring positive and lasting results, Amen, O Lord of the Worlds.
That's all.
Your Honorable Speaker
Thank you, Your Honorable Pehin. I now invite Your Honorable Awang Mohammad bin Abdullah @ Lim Swee Ann.
Your Honorable Awang Mohammad bin Abdullah @ Lim Swee Ann
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah. Your Honorable Speaker. First of all, I express my gratitude to Allah the Almighty for His permission and blessings, and to the esteemed presence of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam for the appointment of me as a Member of the National Assembly. Allah willing, I will carry out this entrusted responsibility to the best of my ability.
Your Honorable Speaker. First of all, I am grateful to Allah SWT for His blessings that I am able to stand in this honorable chamber with my fellow Members during the 19th Session of the National Assembly in 2023.
I fully support the proposal of Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Di-Raja Dato Laila Utama Awang Haji Isa bin Pehin Datu Perdana Ma nteri Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Ibrahim, Special Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office to present the highest respect and honor to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, who has graciously attended the Opening Ceremony of the First Session of the 19th National Assembly.
I express my highest respect for His Majesty's command, which emphasizes the importance of considering challenges to improve government and expenditure results that have a positive impact on the country and its people, without burdening the government too much. Privatization and corporatization methods for high-potential government sectors should be seen as an effective strategy towards increasing government revenue.
In addition, the implementation of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) should be continued extensively, targeting small and large-scale projects, especially in the Belait District, by offering development packages that can attract domestic and foreign investors.
I hope that every plan and progress implemented will not deviate from the concept of Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) and support towards achieving the Brunei Vision 2035.
Most importantly, it should be relevant and friendly to the people. In His Majesty's command, he also touched on the responsibility of Honorable Members in providing views and always being open to feedback from their constituents.
I believe that it is appropriate to expand the scope of responsibility of Honorable Members, especially in efforts to solve the people's problems. In this regard, I suggest that a special provision for the progress and welfare of the people be established under the capacity of Honorable Members of the National Assembly as an addition or alternative to finance projects and activities that lead to the welfare of the people.
At the same time, this allocation can also be channeled to relevant parties such as government agencies involved, private sector and NGOs to accelerate the implementation of progress or assistance to address urgent issues of the people that require attention and immediate action.
Sekian, with the help and guidance of Allah. Peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah.
Your Honorable Speaker
I now invite Your Honorable Haji Awang Sulaiman bin Haji Nasir.
Your Honorable Haji Awang Sulaiman bin Haji Nasir
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His messenger.
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker, Honorable Members. I, myself, would like to express my gratitude for the opportunity given in this honorable chamber. Alhamdulillah, in this motion of thanks, I fully support the proposal of Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Di-Raja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Isa bin Pehin Datu Perdana Manteri Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Ibrahim, Special Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Minister at the Prime Minister's Office.
In this honorable chamber, I humbly offer my highest respects to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam for the gracious appointment of myself as a newly appointed member of the National Council and for the highest respects on His Majesty's departure to the Opening Ceremony of the First Meeting of the Nineteenth Session of the National Council.
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members. Indeed, His Majesty's speech during the Opening Ceremony of the First Meeting of the Nineteenth Session of the National Council was very dense with hopes, advice and far-sightedness that reflected His Majesty's concern for the people and residents of Brunei Darussalam and hoped that the well-being of the people would always be a priority in driving the country's development agenda. This is evident when important issues that are a priority need to be addressed as best as possible by all parties so that they can be handled and resolved appropriately.
Your Honorable Speaker, I would like to touch on the topic of the economy. His Majesty's speech emphasized the importance of generating business opportunities to create more economic activities that support self-sufficiency and the production of locally-oriented export products.
In this matter, all parties must remain committed and view it within a larger framework by planning and implementing several initiatives that involve grassroots participation, such as the One Village One Product (1K1P) program initiated by the Village Consultative Council (MPK) to improve the socio-economic status of the community and encourage more villagers to venture into entrepreneurship.
Your Honorable Speaker, I would like to talk about the Priority Sector. The Temburong District is blessed with the Green Jewel that contributes significantly to the development of the domestic tourism industry.
Praise be to Allah, with the construction of the Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Bridge, it provides more comfortable transportation and promotes social and tourism activities in the Temburong District. However, efforts need to be intensified to enliven Pekan Bangar as a must-visit destination.
It is essential to formulate a more practical Pekan Bangar Tourism Development Plan that provides more public facilities that are tourist-friendly.
This includes providing a fully-equipped hospital that offers comprehensive and tourist-friendly health services as an added value to medical tourism activities in the Temburong District.
In addition, efforts to upgrade infrastructure and telecommunications in strategic and remote areas are a priority to enhance the safety of tourists in case of emergencies.
Finally, I hope that all plans can be implemented perfectly. Thank you.
Your Honorable Speaker
Now, I would like to invite Your Honorable Dr. Awang Haji Mahali bin Haji Momin.
Your Honorable Dr. Awang Haji Mahali bin Haji Momin
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members, first of all, I would like to congratulate Your Honorable Speaker on being reappointed as the Speaker and also congratulate the newly appointed Honorable Members.
Your Honorable Speaker. Kaola is delighted to take this opportunity to present the highest appreciation and respect to His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam for the gracious speech delivered during the Opening Ceremony of the Nineteenth Session of the Legislative Council Meeting on Thursday, 10th of Syaaban 1444H corresponding to 2nd of March 2023.
The speech of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam is very meaningful and shows that His Majesty has a forward-looking, very broad, wise, and caring vision. His Majesty is truly concerned about the welfare and well-being of the people and residents of our country.
Kaola is very grateful to Allah for being a citizen of this country with a caring and compassionate ruler. Kaola prays that Allah will grant His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, and all members of the royal family good health, long life, and protection in this world and the hereafter.
Regarding employment and unemployment, Kaola believes that it is important for educational institutions in this country to provide programs that are relevant to the needs of the industry and economic development in the present and future.
Your Honorable Speaker. Furthermore, Kaola is also delighted to take this opportunity to express full support for the proposed motion by Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Diraja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Isa bin Pehin Datu Perdana Manteri Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Ibrahim, Special Advisor to His Majesty and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office to present the highest respect to His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam who graciously attended the Opening Ceremony of the Nineteenth Session of the Legislative Council Meeting.
Your Honorable Speaker. Allow me before concluding this speech to express my utmost respect and gratitude to His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, for the trust bestowed upon me in appointing me as a member of the National Councils. With reliance on Allah, I pray to be protected from the temptations of this world.
I will carry out this duty and responsibility to the best of my ability by applying the principle of checks and balances and providing ideas, suggestions, recommendations, and views for the sake of religion, king, nation, and country.
That is all from me, and if there are any missteps or mistakes, I humbly ask for forgiveness, as all good comes from Allah and any wrongdoing is from myself. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
May Allah guide us and grant us success. Peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah.
Your Honorable Speaker
I now invite, Your Honorable Dayang Hajah Safiah binti Sheikh Haji Abd Salam. Please proceed, Your Honorable.
Your Honorable Dayang Hajah Safiah binti Sheikh Haji Abd Salam
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members. Peace be upon you. All praise is due to Allah for the continuous blessings of peace and prosperity bestowed upon the people and residents of Brunei Darussalam, whom we love.
Your Honorable Speaker. First and foremost, I would like to extend my highest congratulations on the reappointment of Your Honorable Speaker as the Speaker of the National Councils, and congratulations to the newly appointed Honorable Members. I am grateful for this appointment.
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members. On this occasion, I would like to express my utmost respect and gratitude to His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, for his departure and subsequent royal address at the Opening Ceremony of the Nineteenth Session of the National Councils, which took place on Thursday, 9th of Sha'ban 1444H, corresponding to 2nd of March 2023.
In this opportunity, I fully support the proposed motion of "Enjunjung Kasih" by Your Honorable Special Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office.
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members. I highly appreciate the essence of the command of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, which truly reflects his wisdom as a caring king and leader covering all aspects of the welfare and well-being of his people towards the prosperity and progress of the country in line with the goals of Wawasan Brunei 2035, which is only 12 years away from now, إن شاء الله.
I also express my utmost gratitude for His Majesty's advice to the newly appointed members of the National Assembly, who will always be respected and serve as my guide in carrying out this entrusted responsibility, not only for this session but throughout my appointment, إن شاء الله.
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members. I also appreciate the pure intention of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, who has commanded that the approved expenditure in this session will truly have a positive impact on the country and its people without burdening the government too much. I believe that His Majesty's pure intention can be achieved through the cooperation of all stakeholders and through open and transparent discussions in this honorable chamber, in line with the purity of "Calak Brunei" that exists within us, as commanded by His Majesty.
Finally, I pray that His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, all members of the royal family, and all citizens and residents of Brunei Darussalam will always be blessed with good health, well-being, guidance, and protection from Allah SWT. May the discussions in this session be guided by Allah SWT and bring great benefits to the people and the country of Brunei Darussalam, إن شاء الله. That is all.
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. وبالله التوفيق والهداية. و السَّلام ُ عليْكُم ُورحْ مة ُ الله ِ وبركاتُه.
Your Honorable Speaker
Honorable Members, I think it is sufficient for us to discuss this motion this morning.
I would like to adjourn this session of the National Assembly and we will reconvene this afternoon at 2.30 pm, that is all.
ADJOURNED
(The Assembly was adjourned)
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