DAY 6 MORNING
9TH MARCH 2023 - MORNING
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(The meeting began at 9.30 am)
Deputy Clerk
َّ الرحْ َٰم ِن الرحْ يم ِ ِبس ِْم ه.
First Meeting َّ ّٰللا From the Nineteenth Session of the National Assembly Meeting held on the sixth day, Thursday, 16th of Shaban 1444H corresponding to 9th March 2023M, began with a prayer.
PRAYER
The prayer was recited by Your Honorable Begawan Pehin Khatib Dato Paduka Awang Haji Emran bin Haji Kunchang. (Imam of Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Mosque).
Your Honorable Speaker
ِأ ْلح ْم ُد ِ هلِل We thank سبْحانهُ وتعال َٰى ِ أ هfor His abundant mercy and permission that we are able to gather here on this morning for the sixth day of the First Meeting of the Nineteenth Session of the National Assembly Meeting. Salutations and greetings to our Great Leader نبي محمد صل هللا عليه وسالمhis family, companions and followers who are obedient and loyal until the end of time.
Honorable Members.
As we all know, the National Assembly Meeting is still discussing the Supply Bill (2023) for the proposed 2023/2024 budget, which was proposed by Your Honorable Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and Minister of Finance and Economy II.
To enable us to continue our work of completing, discussing and subsequently approving or rejecting this Bill according to the proposed titles, I hereby adjourn the National Assembly Meeting and we will reconvene at the Committee Stage.
(The meeting is adjourned)
(The meeting continues as a Committee)
Your Honorable Speaker
بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيمHonorable Members. Now the meeting is fully convened at the Committee Stage to consider the Supply Bill (2023) for the proposed 2023/2024 budget, which was proposed by Your Honorable Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and Minister of Finance and Economy II.
Yesterday afternoon, the Committee Meeting had completed the approval of the budget for the Ministry of Finance and Economy.
However, before we continue our discussion, I understand that there are Honorable Members who wish to make statements, I believe to answer the questions raised yesterday.
I now invite Your Honorable Dato Seri Setia Dr. Awang Haji Mohd. Amin Liew bin Abdullah, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and Minister of Finance and Economy II to make his statement. Please proceed, Your Honorable.
Your Honorable Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and Minister of Finance and Economy II
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. Referring to the last 5 questions asked by Your Honorable Awang Haji Salleh Bostaman bin Haji Zainal Abidin yesterday evening.
I would like to express my gratitude to Your Honorable Speaker for allowing me to answer those questions:
The fourth question from Your Honorable Awang Haji Salleh Bostaman bin Haji Zainal Abidin yesterday was about the initiative to open facilities for mass production in areas other than the Brunei-Muara District. Kaola is pleased to share that there are already four industrial sites in the Belait District, with other activities including the Brunei Methanol Company, BFI, BLNG, and not to mention the BSP operations in the Belait District. With investments in BFI and Methanol, insha'Allah, there will be more industrial activities established in the Belait District in the future.
For the Tutong District, we have seen some aquaculture activities in the Tutong District, and it seems that these companies will continue to grow, increasing production and so on. insha'Allah, economic activities in the Tutong District will also continue to grow.
In the district of Temburong, there is currently an industrial estate, but at the same time, we are also developing Labu Square and in Bandar Bangar, ان شاء هللاwe will also try to further enhance economic activities in the district of Temburong in the future.
In addition, there is a tourism project currently being developed in the district of Temburong. ان شاء هللاEconomic activities in other districts will not be neglected and will continue to be developed.
The fifth question from Your Honorable Awang Haji Salleh Bostaman bin Haji Zainal Abidin, regarding the food basket, suggests that the prices of basic goods can be shared so that the public can know the true prices in the market. This has been implemented before.
Indeed, some of these goods are under the control of the Department of Economic Planning and Statistics under trans-control. During COVID-19, efforts to control prices in the market were intensified for several types of goods in the market, and the number of business premises monitored for the prices of goods sold increased, if not mistaken, to 300 premises at present.
Information on market prices for these goods is collected and posted on websites, social media, Instagram, and smart user applications. From there, we can make comparisons to see the prices sold at various premises, make comparisons, and so on. These are the steps taken so that the public can know more about the prices of goods sold in the market, especially basic food items. Thank you.
The sixth question, regarding conservative budgets and deficit issues, is a good question, Your Honorable Speaker. For Kaola, a conservative budget means that our spending follows the level of government revenue. That is how we spend conservatively according to our income. But for the past few years, we have spent more than our income, except for one or two years recently where we have achieved a balanced budget. Why do we spend more than our income? We will not leave behind the continuous provision of assistance to the public's welfare.
At the same time, we are also preparing for the future. We continue to think of ways to attract foreign direct investment, develop our economy, further develop our SMEs, and so on. This requires spending, including building a dynamic, proactive, and innovative human capital. As highlighted in this year's or next year's budget focus.
This is the time to address this deficit issue, this is the time to continue investing so that we can generate opportunities for future generations. We are not disregarding the need to preserve our cash for our future, but it is important that we create opportunities for the next generation.
Opportunities such as building factories, attracting foreign direct investment, creating jobs, and transferring technology from other countries to our nation. Generating opportunities for FDI will provide spin-offs for our MSMEs. That is what is important, for us to focus on in the coming years. Insha'Allah, once our economy is dynamic enough, we can think about managing our fiscal situation, but now is the time to invest in our future.
The seventh question is about Ease of Doing Business. Ease of Doing Business has been discontinued by the World Bank in 2021. It will be replaced by a new scheme that is currently awaiting information from the World Bank.
However, at this time, we are still taking guidance from the Ease of Doing Business that existed before and continue to monitor our progress in terms of improvement according to the guidelines under Ease of Doing Business. If we look at the past two years, there has been progress. We continue to improve Ease of Doing Business, such as obtaining electricity, permits, construction permits, and so on. That shows improvement. Insha'Allah, this matter is taken seriously for us to continue our efforts to achieve economic development, especially for our MSMEs.
Regarding the last question about Tanah Ihsan to help low-income earners, some NGOs are currently carrying out charity or welfare activities and are open to the public for donations, whether in the form of goods or funds. We also see that some companies have scheduled donations to these NGOs for several years. This is not prohibited, so it will continue.
For questions that have not been answered, Insha'Allah, I will provide written answers later. That is all I have to answer from the Honorable Awang Haji Salleh Bostaman bin Haji Zainal Abidin yesterday afternoon.
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Speaker
I would like to invite Your Honorable Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (B) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd. Yussof, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and Second Minister of Defense. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker, for the opportunity or space to complete the answer to the lengthy question from Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Suyoi bin Haji Osman yesterday.
بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيمregarding the question of the process of hiring new employees. As an answer, I would like to state the following:
The process of filling vacant positions before being presented to the Public Service Commission for consideration of support begins with the process of Advertisement, Certification of Examinations, Interviews, and Preparation of Meeting Papers. At this time, initiatives to expedite the process are always being made despite various obstacles, including:
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the examination and interview process.;
Appeals from candidates to change the date of taking the examination, interview, or certification.;
The readiness of department representatives to perform duties as Interview Board representatives, which will delay the interview process.;
The slowness of departments in preparing questionnaires.; and
The completeness of documents submitted by the Departments.
Meanwhile, some of the efforts implemented throughout 2022 are as follows:
With the PSCR2.0 system, it is easier to apply for any vacant position by entering the required information and uploading copies of the necessary documents online.;
The Public Service Commission can obtain candidate information through PSCR2.0 if the applicant provides complete information. This helps in the process of certifying candidates who apply for advertised positions.;
Throughout 2022, the certification process has been accelerated, with 55% of processed positions achieving the TPOR target of the Certification Unit at the Public Service Commission. This is considered a significant increase compared to only 31% of positions achieving TPOR in 2021.;
The project to fill vacant positions that have yet to be tested and interviewed has been successful in completing the backlog of positions according to project targets. To ensure that the number of candidate appeals does not affect the process, the Public Service Commission has established a new policy to ensure that candidate appeals can be processed more efficiently, fairly, and impartially.;
The guidelines include changing the appeal period, preparing the applicant's declaration in PSCR2.0, and guidelines for considering candidates' appeals if their information is not in order or incomplete before the advertisement closing date.
At this time, departments are requested to provide two officers as representatives of the Interview Board, with the aim of having the second name act as a replacement if the first representative is unable to attend on the scheduled date.
One initiative to expedite the process of filling vacant positions is by using the Talent Pool Recruitment method, which is currently being designed and will be implemented this year.
This Talent Pool Recruitment method will be used to process positions in Sections IV and V, which are identified for cluster advertising based on their similar tasks and responsibilities.
With this method, the collection of the number of vacant positions will be consolidated, and the certification and examination advertising will be processed once instead of processing each vacancy separately. Qualified candidates will be supported to be included in the Talent Pool List and subsequently fill the vacant positions within a certain period. The clusters referred to are such as the Cleaning Job Cluster, Security Cluster, and Help Desk Cluster.
That is an additional answer to the answer given by Kaola yesterday.
However, Kaola will also add an answer to the question asked by Your Honorable Dayang Hajah Safiah binti Sheikh Haji Abd Salam regarding the issue of positions and the approval of salary adjustments for public servants in the same position based on academic qualifications. The question has been answered by Your Honorable Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and Second Minister of Finance and Economy.
Kaola will briefly answer about the appointment of reserve candidates. For the selection of reserve candidates, this matter is indeed examined by the Public Service Commission before appointing candidates. In this case, the Public Service Commission will assess candidates who have been ranked according to their field and suitability for the duties and responsibilities of the relevant position before appointing reserve candidates. That is the answer, Pehin.
Thirdly, Kaola will also answer the question asked by Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Haji Mohd Yusuf regarding bankruptcy or insolvency that Your Honorable often finds through the media.
To answer Your Honorable Pehin, there are indeed statistics on bankruptcy applications brought to court. Two statistics related to Your Honorable's question are Receiving Order and Adaptation Order. In summary, for the year 2012, there were 243 Receiving Orders and for the year 2022, there were 235 Receiving Orders.
As for the statistics on Adaptation Orders, it shows that for the year 2012, there were 51 cases and for 2022, there were 114 cases. Among the statistics related to the sole proprietors category, there was 1 case in 2012 and 3 cases in 2022.
It is also important to understand that Receiving Order means the Deputy Official Receiver acts as the estate manager for debtors who are declared half bankrupt, while Adaptation Order means the Deputy Official Receiver acts as the Trustee for debtors who are declared fully bankrupt.
Analysis of the main causes based on statistics found that among the root causes of bankruptcy for individuals who fail to pay their bank loan commitments, whether personal loans, assets, or vehicles. It was also found that there are a small number of individuals who apply for bankruptcy to avoid being sued for compensation.
However, I take note of Your Honorable Minister's proposal in the Prime Minister's Department and the Second Minister of Finance and Economy to conduct analysis and evaluation of bankruptcy applications and can be considered together with relevant agencies to improve the existing methods as a lesson for other individuals and MSMEs to avoid in the future.
That's all. Your Honorable Speaker, which I can complete the questions that were asked yesterday and hopefully it can provide a little explanation and enlightenment and answer such questions. Thank you.
Your Honorable Speaker
Thank you to the relevant Ministers for the answers and explanations that have been presented. Honorable Members of the Committee will now move on to the next ministry topic.
Deputy Clerk
The Ministry of Home Affairs under the title SE01A to SE12A.
Your Honorable Speaker
Honorable Members. The Committee Meeting now moves on to the Ministry of Home Affairs topic. Before the topics under the Ministry of Home Affairs are opened for discussion, I would like to give way first to the Honorable Minister of Home Affairs to present his introduction on the preparation of the budget for the Ministry of Home Affairs. I invite Your Honorable Minister.
Your Honorable Menteri Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh and greetings. Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members. I would like to express my gratitude to Your Honorable Speaker for giving me the opportunity to deliver the opening remarks in this esteemed Parliament this morning. Alhamdulillah.
I, on behalf of the Ministry of Home Affairs and its departments, respectfully convey our highest regards and reverence 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 royal address during the Opening Ceremony of the Nineteenth Session of the Legislative Council on 2nd March 2023.
In this opportunity, I would also like to extend my highest congratulations to Your Honorable Speaker on the reappointment as the Speaker of the Legislative Council and to all Honorable Members, whether appointed due to their titles or for representing their respective districts.
Your Honorable Speaker, before this Committee discusses the Budget Bill of the Ministry of Home Affairs and its departments, allow me to share the focus and priorities of the Ministry of Home Affairs in the Financial Year 2023/2024 that support the budget theme of "United in Building a More Prosperous Future" which covers maintaining public welfare, supporting an inclusive and resilient national recovery, and developing a dynamic, proactive, and innovative human capital. The Ministry of Home Affairs has aligned its goals and focuses on three aspirations:
Safety and well-being which focuses on strengthening safety and well-being by enhancing the implementation and enforcement of laws through policy reinforcement, infrastructure improvement, expanding the use of technology, and ensuring assets are ready and active involvement of grassroots community leaders.
Urban and regional development transformation and empowering community development by emphasizing sustainable and resilient urban and regional development through active involvement of grassroots leaders with community cooperation in ensuring the availability of infrastructure, expanding the use of technology, emphasizing environmental cleanliness, ensuring a conducive development ecosystem for the community to help empower the community to take a leading role in various self-development initiatives; and
Good governance and the delivery of quality services. Focusing on providing transparent, accountable, and efficient services by implementing policy reforms, utilizing technology, enhancing capacity and competency by adopting a Whole of Government Approach and Whole of Nation Approach.
In addition, several initiatives have been and are being implemented in an effort to further strengthen the safety and welfare aspects of the people and residents in this country. Among them are the phased launch of applications in the Immigration and National Registration System (INRS) such as the border management system and the National Identification Card registration system. Other applications that will be launched in the near future include visas and passes, birth and death registration for citizens, and others.
As an effort to control, strengthen, and monitor the entry of foreigners including tourists through control posts, the border management system has been implemented at the Brunei International Airport on March 14, 2022, and has been extended to all other control posts to replace the old control post system.
On February 9, 2023, the e-arrival card application was introduced to replace the embarkation and ease embarkation cards that have been in use for a long time. With the implementation of the border management system and e-arrival card, it will not only facilitate the process of entry or exit from Brunei Darussalam, especially for foreign nationals, but it will also help the Immigration and National Registration Department in collecting information and data and enable the sharing of up-to-date information with relevant agencies for planning, policy-making, and other purposes.
Furthermore, the new National Identification Card registration and issuance system has also been launched in mid-2022.
This Identification Card has high security features and design by implementing the latest encryption and technology. In sha Allah, this project will be able to realize the digital ID project under the Digital Economy Master Plan in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications.
Furthermore, the National Labour Management System (NLMS) under the Department of Labour, in sha Allah, will be fully implemented on 1st April 2023 AD, which will transform the service delivery process to be more transparent and efficient, such as applications for Foreign Worker Licenses and Domestic Service Licenses that can be accessed online by the public.
On 21st January 2023 AD, the Department of Labour enforced a service fee limit for the hiring of domestic workers, such as housemaids, gardeners, and personal drivers, at a rate not exceeding $2,000.00 for a foreign worker. This initiative was implemented to ensure that the service fees charged by employment agencies for the hiring of domestic workers are controlled.
In addition, the Department of Labour also plays a role in resolving any disputes that arise between employers and workers. For the past 3 years, from 2020 to 2022, 31 complaints have been received, and 94% of them have been successfully resolved.
In an effort to support the aspirations of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam's Government, the Department of Labour, in collaboration with the Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC), is planning and implementing strategies to ensure employment and safeguard the welfare and interests of job seekers, including local youths.
Furthermore, before filling any vacant positions in the private sector, confirmation from JobCenter Brunei is required that the positions cannot be filled by local youths before foreign worker licenses are approved by the Department of Labour. This integrated effort is to ensure that local youths are given priority in filling some positions in the private sector in an effort to reduce the country's unemployment rate.
Realizing the importance of reducing the number of recidivism or re-entry among prisoners, the Prison Department has continuously provided and implemented several programs, including vocational skills training such as woodworking, agriculture, cooking, and landscaping, as an effort to provide prisoners with skills to help them prepare for their release.
In this opportunity, I would like to emphasize that the support from family members and the community is crucial in helping this group to strengthen their identity, provide employment or support their businesses as a source of income, and provide guidance and motivation to avoid relapse into wrongdoing, taking into account that this is the main factor contributing to re-entry.
The "Insaf" product, produced by the prisoners and sold to the public through expos and orders, is intended to alleviate the burden of the prisoners in supporting their lives when they leave the community while looking for permanent employment or starting their own businesses.
In addition to providing programs during their imprisonment, the Prison Department also voluntarily opens up to former prisoners who want to participate in programs under the Supervision Service, which is managed by the Rehabilitation Division of the Prison Department in collaboration with the Aftercare Committee and relevant agencies. Since 2018, a total of 82 stakeholders have participated in the success of aftercare programs.
This is a joint effort of the Prison Department with 14 non-governmental organizations and 68 private companies to help fellow prisoners in community integration through the programs provided.
To strengthen the control and security system in the Prison Institution, أ َ ْل َح ْم ّ ٰد ّ ٰلِلan allocation of $3.768 million has been approved to finance the upgrading and maintenance of Maraburong Prison Phase 1 and Phase 3 and Jerudong Prison, including the installation of CCTV systems, for which bids to carry out the work have been opened.
To ensure the readiness of infrastructure and assets in the Fire and Rescue Department, permission has also been obtained to lease 30 water tender ladder (WRL) fire engines as an effort to improve operational capabilities and the effectiveness of directing fire and rescue engines.
In addition, ان شاء هللا in the Financial Year 2023/2024, the repair of 800 fire hydrants throughout the country will be carried out in phases to ensure the readiness of infrastructure in handling fire emergencies in each district.
In an effort to implement urban and regional development transformation through the active involvement of grassroots leaders in the Ministry of Home Affairs through district offices, the positions of Village Head and Village Chief have been advertised and the process of selecting candidates for Village Chiefs and Mukim Heads is carried out every week.
Praise be to Allah. So far, 29% of the village head positions have been filled and 25% of the village chief positions have been filled.
To further strengthen the One Village One Product initiative, a high-impact One Village One Product initiative will be implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Economy through one of the government-linked companies and the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) to produce higher quality products with the potential to penetrate domestic and international markets.
In supporting the two goals of sustainable urban and rural development and ensuring the availability of facilities, the ministry's initiatives focus on providing and developing business sites, including stalls in every district. Maintenance of multi-purpose community halls and raising the level of roads in flood-prone areas to ensure access for rural residents in affected areas.
Praise be to Allah, an allocation of $18.8 million has been approved for upgrading roads in the Tutong, Belait and Temburong districts, which are currently awaiting approval.
The ministry also supports and encourages self-reliant communities by providing space for business as a source of income to enable them to support themselves. The Tunas Market Place project, in collaboration with Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD), not only targets One Village One Product but also participants in the BIBD Seat Consortium Muallafpreneurs program and the entrepreneurship program of the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation.
In formulating a policy for the implementation of any initiative planned by the ministry, factors contributing to the achievement of the initiative are taken into account, in line with the ministry's third aspiration of ensuring competent human resources while utilizing technology in line with the current trend towards transparent and quality service delivery.
Therefore, the ministry is currently formulating the Human Resources Competency Framework (HRCF), which will involve all ministry staff and departments, including grassroots leaders, with the aim of enhancing the capacity of human resources by identifying and reducing competency gaps through skills and capability enhancement programs.
To further strengthen the Mukim Consultative Council and Village Consultative Council, the composition of MPM and MPK membership has been adjusted to represent various levels of society in ensuring planning and activities of MPM and MPK are supported and receive the support of the villagers.
In addition, the Ministry and district departments have also started to hold regular scheduled consultation sessions with grassroots leaders as a platform to exchange ideas in achieving goals and to care for and safeguard the welfare of the villagers, as well as to develop and advance the villages and mukims in this country.
I am pleased to take this opportunity in this honorable House to express my gratitude to all grassroots leaders, including the Mukim Consultative Council and Village Consultative Council, who are always active in carrying out work activities while maintaining the culture of mutual cooperation and assisting the Ministry, especially the government in providing sincere contributions of ideas, energy, and contributions to ensure the welfare of the villagers and mukims are preserved and the village environment is always clean and safe.
Efforts like this are greatly appreciated and meaningful not only to the residents of the respective mukims and villages but also to the people of this country.
Kaola refers to the proposal presented by the Honorable Minister of Religious Affairs on 4th March 2023, which states that "Mukim and Kampung leaders are not alone but they are leadership partners such as from mosques and schools to strengthen the leadership of Mukim and Kampung."
The Whole of Government Approach and Whole of Nation Approach are also emphasized in ensuring good governance. For example, in addressing the issue of building tax arrears, the Municipal Departments have collaborated with several other government agencies such as the Building Control Authority and Construction Industry Authority (ABCi), Land Department, Ministry of Development, Shariah Court Office, National Judiciary Department, and the Brunei High Court Registry Office to ensure building owners settle their respective building tax arrears before any related applications are allowed.
Since this initiative was implemented in phases in August 2021 until 31st January 2023, a total of more than $10 million or 14.92 percent of the total outstanding revenue has been successfully collected. Meanwhile, the current revenue collection from April 2022 until 31st January, the Municipal Department has collected approximately $4.9 million.
To support the initiative and pro-business eco-system in the country, the Ministry of Home Affairs will continuously review relevant policies to ensure their relevance in supporting any programs or projects proposed by each ministry towards achieving Brunei Vision 2035.
In conclusion, with the help of Allah, the Ministry of Home Affairs and its departments will ensure that all initiatives planned and implemented are aligned with and aimed towards achieving Brunei Vision 2035, while ensuring that expenditure is value for money and has a positive impact on all segments of society in the country, in efforts to maintain a safe, prosperous, and dynamic Brunei Darussalam, as envisioned by the ministry and outlined in the Strategic Plan of the Ministry of Home Affairs for the 5-year period from 2023-2027.
Based on these explanations, the Ministry of Home Affairs and its departments have been supported to provide a total allocation of $136,503,951.00. Employee Salaries and Recurring Expenditures amount to $131,813,060.00, while Progress Expenditures amount to $4,690,891.00 to finance 7 progress projects.
Your Honorable Speaker, with the explanation that I have presented earlier, I hope to hear insightful views and strategic thoughts from my esteemed colleagues to assist me in carrying out the tasks and responsibilities entrusted to me.
That is all that I can explain regarding the Budget of the Ministry of Home Affairs and its departments for the Financial Year 2023/2024.
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Speaker
Honorable Members. I believe the statement presented by the Honorable Minister of Home Affairs is clear and comprehensive in providing the budget for the relevant ministry for the Financial Year 2023/2024.
However, with me here is a list of Honorable Members who would like to participate in discussing the topics under this ministry.
To start, I now invite Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Suyoi bin Haji Osman.
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 may Allah's mercy and blessings be upon you.
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to discuss this topic. I would like to express my gratitude to the Honorable Minister of Home Affairs for presenting this topic.
Your Honorable Speaker, I consider Bandar Seri Begawan and other cities in this country as a painting on canvas. It can be in black and white or gray or in color. I prefer it to be in color because, to me, it is attractive, pleasing to the eye, and something that brightens up the surroundings.
Likewise, our cities, Bandar Seri Begawan and other cities, would be more attractive if they were colored with beautiful buildings, well-maintained parks, clean surroundings, and adequate and first-class basic facilities. I think this is a scenario that we want, and in this matter, I see the Ministry of Home Affairs as the authority that can make Bandar Seri Begawan and other cities as beautiful as a moonlit painting.
I do not know which party should be held responsible, whether it is the District Office, Municipal Council, Village and Mukim Consultative Council, or all of them. But it would be good if the resolution takes place.
This requires a new mindset. Our cities need to be revitalized, and our abandoned buildings with long grass in some residential and shopping areas, potholed roads, small bushes, broken drains, and so on, should be addressed.
This is not the image we want to maintain. I hope action will be taken to revitalize Bandar Seri Begawan and other cities.
We do not need iconic skyscrapers, but rather buildings that are aesthetically pleasing, well-maintained, and have sufficient facilities such as clean public toilets.
"Praise be to Allah," I am delighted with what was presented earlier by Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs, which encompasses what I meant, God willing.
Ideally, we want Bandar Seri Begawan and other towns in this district and other districts to have a first-world image, not a third-world one.
I support if funding is requested to upgrade Bandar Seri Begawan in line with the achievement of Brunei Vision 2035.
Your Honorable Speaker, I would like to touch on Account Code 11504 - Kampung Air Reconstruction Development.
I hope this title will be used in this financial year because if I am not mistaken, it is not a new project.
Since the completion of Phase One of the Kampung Air Reconstruction Development project involving 65 houses in 2014, if I am not mistaken, funding has already been provided for Phase Two to commence.
However, for various reasons, this project has not been implemented until today.
I hope we will not delay in starting this project because many houses in Kampung Air can be considered unsafe, such as several recent incidents of collapsed houses.
We also do not want houses in Kampung Air to be exposed to the risk of fire, as has happened in several places in Kampung Air.
The houses built in Phase One have safety features against fire disasters because the building materials used are fire-resistant and the distance between houses prevents the spread of fire, as well as having a modern firefighting system.
The houses use materials that require low-cost maintenance.
I hope the development of Phase Two of Kampung Air can be started and improved based on the lessons learned from Phase One for the welfare of the residents of Kampung Air.
Your Honorable Speaker, I now move on to the issue of foreign worker recruitment in this country, specifically in the Department of Labour.
I am confident that the Ministry of Home Affairs, particularly the Department of Labour, is aware of the presence of many foreign workers in the country, which may exceed our needs.
We appreciate their contribution as semi-skilled and skilled labor and also as entrepreneurs, which can be a challenge if their activities are not controlled, as they may eventually dominate our economy.
It seems that the Ministry of Home Affairs has already thought of ways to regulate their arrival so that their numbers are at a necessary and easily controlled rate.
The Labor Department is expected to take certain steps to review existing regulations, close any loopholes in the laws or regulations, impose stricter requirements on them, and take firm action for any violations.
This is necessary before the situation becomes severe and uncontrollable. However, the enforcement of laws related to foreigners must be handled with thrift and sensitivity. That's all I want to raise, Your Honorable Speaker. Before I step down, I would like to once again express my gratitude to Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs for the clear presentation of the steps they will take, which are in line with my views as I stated earlier. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker, and thank you also to Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Suyoi bin Haji Osman, for the suggestions and questions raised.
Regarding Bandar Seri Begawan, I agree with the suggestion made by Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Suyoi bin Haji Osman to liven up Bandar Seri Begawan. Many initiatives have been implemented to ensure the cleanliness, conducive condition, and colorful atmosphere of Bandar Seri Begawan, as explained by Your Honorable.
For example, to ensure that Bandar Seri Begawan is lively, several initiatives have been taken, such as organizing Bandarku Ceria every Sunday and also collaborating with the Yayasan to further enhance the traders who are currently trading in the Yayasan area to be relocated to the Dermaga area. That will further liven up Bandar Seri Begawan.
Regarding the roads and drains at present, the Bandaran Department is actively carrying out maintenance work. This requires a whole-of-government approach and a whole-of-nation approach, including related ministries such as the Ministry of Development in terms of its roads, and the Bandaran Department is currently implementing or using technology, machines that if we see now when washing Bandar Seri Begawan using a blower and now will use machines available at the Bandaran Department to ensure that cleanliness is maintained. Regarding the redevelopment of Kampung Air, this needs to be studied and is already under discussion with the Ministry of Finance and Economy in terms of affordability and sustainability before we implement the Kampung Air Reconstruction Project.
I have taken note that Phase I has been implemented and the reconstruction of the houses has been carried out. In sha Allah, if Your Honorable does not object, we can discuss in detail the implementation of the reconstruction of Kampung Air. The allocation has been provided. I also take note that the houses that have collapsed have been inspected by the District Office and have been surveyed to determine whether they are safe to be inhabited or not. Indeed, a survey has been conducted.
Regarding the Department of Labour, the role of the Department of Labour is to issue Foreign Worker Licenses (LPA) and Domestic Worker Licenses (LPD), where LPA is to allow companies to bring in foreign workers from other countries.
As Kaola mentioned earlier, for example, the National Labour Management System, which will be implemented on April 1st, where LPA and LPD applications will be made online and these applications will also be linked to the Immigration Registration System, which will issue work visas. With such information available online to the Department of Labour, it will be able to verify the existence of these workers to ensure that the passports used are as issued by the Immigration and National Registration Department. In sha Allah, this technology will be implemented in the Law Enforcement Division and so on.
Regarding the laws in the Department of Labour, they are always being reviewed. In the Ministry of Home Affairs, there is a special section that examines old legislation that requires upgrading or certain amendments to the relevant laws. That's all, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Speaker
I now invite Your Honorable Dayang Hajah Safiah binti Sheikh Haji Abd Salam.
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. Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh and greetings.
For the Ministry of Home Affairs this morning, first of all, I would like to congratulate the Minister of Home Affairs on the presentation of the ministry's initiatives for the 2023/2024 Financial Year related to the duties and scope of the Ministry of Home Affairs, which are very clear and detailed.
In this matter, I refer to the expenditure of Title SE06A to Title SE09A for village and rural institutions related to the One Village One Product (1K1P) project. السالم عليكم ورحمة هللا وبركاته
Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members, as far as I know, the 1K1P project has been introduced since 1993 and this project is very significant to be expanded by encouraging more participation from the villagers or rural areas, as the project is named One Village One Product (1K1P).
In this matter, I also want to see the participation of zakat recipients who are from the poor and low-income groups, including those who are eligible for assistance.
I recall the statement made by the Honorable Minister of Home Affairs during the previous session, where one of the main issues of this project is the low amount of product output that does not meet the high demand, as this project is usually run privately at home by certain entrepreneurs.
However, from what I heard in the introduction earlier, initiatives have been made by the Ministry of Home Affairs to help One Village One Product (1K1P) entrepreneurs to improve their products.
Among them is cooperation with other relevant ministries to further expand this One Village One Product (1K1P) project.
Therefore, in this matter, I would like to seek clarification from the Honorable Minister of Home Affairs regarding several issues. Firstly, to what extent has the Ministry of Home Affairs involved the participation of the groups that I mentioned earlier, namely the zakat recipients who are from the poor and low-income groups and those who are eligible for assistance to participate in this project with the hope or goal of helping these groups to generate a steady income and ultimately lift them out of poverty.
Secondly, may I request if the Honorable Minister of Home Affairs can share statistical data on the participants who have joined this project since it was introduced 30 years ago, if available, or at least for the past 10 years, including the number of entrepreneurs who have participated in the One Village One Product (1K1P) project, the number of entrepreneurs who have been able to consistently sustain their participation in the project until they are able to generate a large income exceeding their daily needs, and the number of entrepreneurs who have stopped participating in the project after at least 3 to 6 months and the reasons for their discontinuation.
In my opinion, data like this is important for the Ministry of Home Affairs to reassess the implementation of this project and make necessary improvements to further enhance the product output or results of this project.
In this matter, I would like to suggest that these project entrepreneurs be assisted through a special loan scheme from the Brunei Entrepreneurial Bank to further develop their businesses and make this project a community effort involving all or some of the villagers.
Although it is operated from their own homes, as mentioned earlier, it is in line with the One Village One Product (1K1P) concept, which means that, for example, in a village, not only one family or a certain group of people are involved in producing one product, but it is done collectively by involving the groups mentioned earlier, namely the needy, the poor, and the recipients of aid.
This is to ensure that all residents of the village can generate income and improve their socio-economic status through this project.
In addition, the initiatives mentioned by Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs earlier, I believe, are sufficient to assist in terms of product promotion, distribution, and marketing.
To further increase productivity, product processing centers can be established in villages, although not necessarily in every village. Perhaps based on Mukim or District or in suitable locations to assist these small entrepreneurs in the implementation processes of their products.
Your Honorable Speaker, I have a question regarding Topic SE11A - Prison Department. Should I proceed or answer it first? Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
The next matter is the expenditure of Topic SE11A - Prison Department. I welcome the initiatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs that assist former prisoners, as stated in the preamble earlier.
In this regard, I would like to point out that based on the KPI presented in the 2021/2022 budget book for the Prison Institution, the actual rate of re-entry of former prisoners into prison after release is 15%. This figure exceeds the estimated rate for that year, which is 6%. In this matter, I would like to seek clarification whether the Ministry of Home Affairs, through the Prison Department, has conducted an analysis to identify the highest crime rate contributing to the re-entry of former prisoners into prison and the causes of such re-entry.
In my opinion, this data is very useful as an initial indicator for the Ministry of Home Affairs to reassess the effectiveness of the implemented initiatives and rehabilitation programs for the types of crimes committed, as well as identifying other factors that contribute to the recurrence of such crimes.
In this regard, based on the initiatives mentioned by Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs earlier, I would like to suggest a slight addition, which is to organize or educate the public to accept and support these former prisoners through mass media and suitable programs, so that the public does not view them negatively or with bias.
Furthermore, suitable community programs should be organized to help them adjust to society when they are released. In addition, what I see is already stated in the preamble of Your Honorable Minister's speech, and I would like to add a little more. Prioritizing education, spirituality, or religion in the planned rehabilitation programs and providing mental health support to them.
What is more important here is to ensure that the mission of the Prison Department to become an excellent rehabilitation center and its mission to protect society with safe and humane custody and ideal prisoner rehabilitation to become useful and responsible members of society can be achieved and realized, God willing.
Your Honorable Speaker, I would like to refer to the SE02A and SE024A - Urban Development titles. In this regard, I will not provide many suggestions, but I hope that Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs will ensure that all the developments made for our cities, what is important is the maintenance and upkeep after the development is completed.
This is the hope that I want to convey here, considering that most recreational places and similar places are only developed during the initial development phase, but there is no continuous maintenance afterwards.
Therefore, what I hope is that maintenance after development will continue to be carried out, and the repairs made will be equipped with basic facilities for users such as public toilets, provision of garbage bins in strategic places to ensure cleanliness, and facilities for people with disabilities.
That's all. I apologize for any language mistakes and so on, and hopefully the efforts of the Ministry of Home Affairs can be realized with the cooperation of all relevant parties. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. "May Allah grant success and peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah."
Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker and thank you also to Your Honorable Dayang Hajah Safiah.
Regarding the 1K1P product as explained earlier by Kaola, originally it involved the production of one product for one village.
So, considering the high demand, it was turned into a source of income. "Insha Allah," the Ministry of Home Affairs, in collaboration with the District Departments and also with government-related companies, will further develop this product.
If we look at the statistics or the amount of income generated from 1K1P, based on the number of participants from each village and district, it is not encouraging in terms of income. Therefore, the high impact of 1K1P will be explored.
For example, the pineapple entrepreneurs in Mukim Gadong. If we look at the 1K1P production for one village, it is small. If we were to develop it, perhaps other villages could also produce the same product. When it comes to aggregating, it will increase and can also be a consistent source of income.
Regarding the involvement of the recipients of asnaf, considering that the residents in this village, whether they are recipients of asnaf or not, 1K1P is also implemented by the Mukim and Village Consultative Council.
So, they can be involved in this business activity and as Kaola mentioned earlier in the introduction, the Ministry has initiated projects in collaboration with Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam. It involves converts, recipients of asnaf and zakat, and it is monitored by Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam. If their income has reached the target, perhaps they will be placed elsewhere and another recipient of asnaf will be placed in the Tunas Project, which is a collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Regarding the statistics that Your Honorable requested earlier, "Insha Allah," Kaola will provide Your Honorable with information on how many 1K1P entrepreneurs have stopped and how many have re-entered.
Regarding the Department of Prisons, Your Honorable will also receive this information, God willing. However, as an example, there is an initiative to involve the community in this matter. For example, during the introduction earlier, stakeholders were involved in helping former prisoners.
During their imprisonment, spiritual education is indeed implemented, so there are certain programs that have been outlined by the Department of Prisons. The intention or objective of the Department of Prisons is to ensure that they are rehabilitated and when they are released into society, God willing, their mindset has changed.
This is our involvement as a community, whether it is the Village Consultative Council, the District Consultative Council, or the entire community to ensure that they are accepted. It cannot be labeled whether to provide them with jobs and so on.
This mindset is not only at the level of the Department of Prisons, it involves the entire community in changing the mindset, whether they are former prisoners or not.
In terms of mental health, it is also implemented in those programs. There are religious programs such as reciting the Quran every week, providing specific suraus, congregational prayers, and all of these are implemented in the reintegration program at the Department of Prisons to ensure that they are ready when they are released from prison.
There are also programs that involve voluntary peer support, where these peers are people who were once under imprisonment to make them peers, if we compare it to schools.
Regarding the suggestion from Your Honorable Dayang Hajah Safiah binti Sheikh Haji Abd Salam regarding the closure, God willing, if we look at cities or recreational parks, the ministry has consulted with the Ministry of Development on any recreational parks that are currently under the control of the City Department, as an example in the City, it is under the control of the Department of Environmental Parks and Recreation.
All maintenance will be monitored by departments that have specific core businesses. This is to ensure that the Ministry of Home Affairs and its departments concentrate on their core business.
That is all Your Honorable Speaker that I can answer.
Your Honorable Speaker
Honorable Members. I think it would be good for this Committee Meeting to take a break for 20 minutes to allow us to rest. Therefore, I adjourn this Committee Meeting.
(The meeting takes a short break) (The meeting resumes)
Your Honorable Speaker
Honorable Members. The meeting now resumes to examine and consider the Supply Bill (2023) 2023/2024 proposed by the Honorable Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and the Second Minister of Finance and Economy. This Committee Meeting is still discussing the Budget of the Ministry of Home Affairs and its departments.
I still have an extensive list of Appointed Members who wish to participate in discussing and deliberating on these topics.
I now invite the Honorable Dayang Hajah Rosmawatty binti Haji Abdul Mumin.
Your Honorable Dayang Hajah Rosmawatty binti Haji Abdul Mumin
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.
Kaola refers to the allocation of the National Disaster Management Centre Code 002000. As we all see and hear every day, natural disasters occur here and there.
In Brunei Darussalam, the frequent natural disasters experienced are such as floods, landslides, and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Hopefully, Allah SWT protects Brunei Darussalam from all natural disasters.
The question is, what is the country's preparedness in handling various disasters, including disease outbreaks, if they occur simultaneously? At present, Brunei Darussalam has several industries related to combustible hydrocarbons.
As the National Disaster Management Centre, what are the standard operating procedures in place in the event of an industrial accident in related companies, taking into account that each company also has its own disaster management?
Kaola suggests that the Ministry of Home Affairs evaluate the readiness level of the National Disaster Management Centre in terms of standard operating procedures, staff skills and expertise, and equipment in all scenarios.
Kaola also suggests that the Ministry of Home Affairs identify and review cooperation agreements with countries that have the ability to handle disasters according to their respective expertise. Conducting life exercises for different scenarios can increase the efficiency of the National Disaster Management Centre.
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker and also thank you to Your Honorable Dayang Hajah Rosmawatty binti Haji Abdul Mumin for the question and suggestion raised.
Regarding the readiness of the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, it is at a state of readiness before activation under the NDMC, which is called the District Disaster Management Centre (DDMC) led by District Officers and the stakeholders involved are the same as those in the NDMC.
There are standard operating procedures according to the type of disaster, which is called the National Standard Operating Procedure that has been launched.
So, if there is a simultaneous disaster, for example, a flood and a disease outbreak, certain parties, such as relevant ministries, will take on their respective roles according to their capabilities. For example, during COVID-19, the Ministry of Health played a major role, but the involvement also included other ministries.
Similarly, if a flood issue involves the NDMC, District Officers, Department of Community Development (JAPEM), Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Police Force, and grassroots leaders, such as Village Chiefs, as first responders for the NDMC.
In terms of industry, there are standard operating procedures, for example, if we look at BFI Chemical Industries, they have equipment for chemical firefighting, but the Fire and Rescue Department also plays a supporting role.
If Your Honorable sees, for example, in the BFI compound, there are firefighting vehicles and outside the BFI compound, there are Fire and Rescue Teams on standby.
In terms of competency, they are sent for training on firefighting procedures, whether involving chemicals or houses.
Identifying or reviewing international agreements is, for example, the Fire and Rescue Department and the NDMC sent personnel during the typhoon in the Philippines, which was requested by the AHA Centre.
The AHA Centre is a centre under ASEAN that mobilizes or sometimes requests ASEAN members to direct some officers to assist them in terms of logistics arrangements.
So, the officers were exposed there to ensure that they also have hands-on training. Recently, in the Philippines, with the existence of international arrangements:
- Hands on training.; and
- Our involvement in assisting other countries at the ASEAN level.
That's all I can answer, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Speaker
Your Honorable Dr. Awang Haji Mahali bin Haji Momin.
Your Honorable Dr. Awang Haji Mahali bin Haji Momin
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. Thank you, Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs for the introduction and explanation given earlier.
Also, thank you to Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs as this is related to what I want to discuss shortly, which is Topic SE11A.
Thank you to Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs for providing skills to the inmates after facing the prison process, and also thank you to Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs for appointing me as a Prison Visitor Board member in Maraburung.
I am pleased to refer to the issue of individuals who have a criminal record, who have been found guilty and have completed their sentence, for example, being imprisoned for a certain period of time.
In actual situations, usually, individuals like this have difficulty finding a job, or if they are a civil servant, they may not have the opportunity to apply for a promotion, as they need to undergo a criminal screening process.
I propose to ensure the welfare of these individuals, so that they can lead a normal life and not return to committing crimes, by proposing that this criminal record be erased by imposing certain conditions and regulations that are considered appropriate, including conducting assessments, continuous monitoring of the released inmates for a certain period of time, through several procedures according to the conditions set by the authorities.
Furthermore, I refer to Expenditure SE12A, the Fire and Rescue Department. I have observed and seen for myself that officers from this department work tirelessly, day and night, carrying out their duties and responsibilities with dedication, for example, extinguishing house fires, forests, clearing fallen trees that obstruct the road. I request clarification on whether they have insurance compensation cover and special allowances, and whether it is sufficient.
The third is regarding SE01A, it was explained earlier that the vacancy of the village head and village chief has been filled.
So it is not fully fulfilled, so there are some village chiefs and headmen who are still holding positions, paid allowances instead of being paid as holding positions.
I would like to suggest that holding positions should be paid accordingly in line with the duties and responsibilities as village chiefs and headmen.
Lastly, regarding the matter discussed earlier about urban beautification. In this context, I would like to touch on Bandar Seri Begawan. It was once mentioned that Bandar Seri Begawan would become a garden in the city.
What developments can the Ministry share regarding this plan? That's all, Your Honorable Speaker. Thank you.
Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker, thank you, Your Honorable Dr. Awang Haji Mahali bin Haji Momin, for the question raised. Regarding the Prison Department, I cannot answer whether the criminal records can be erased.
I can only answer regarding the number of former prisoners who have obtained jobs, at this time there are more than 50 people who have obtained jobs. This is subject to who can accept them. As I have mentioned, our mindset is to accept them into society, whether they have records or not. That is secondary. But what is important is the acceptance of society, the acceptance of companies for them to work.
Secondly, regarding the fire department, insurance has been purchased, meaning group insurance to ensure that they are protected. It includes permanent disability, injury, and death.
Regarding the headmen who are holding positions, they are indeed paid allowances according to the estimated amounts that have been set. For example, a holder is paid an allowance of the lowest monthly salary or half if they are in service.
Meaning if the holder works, they will be paid half. But if they are indeed holding positions, there are certain estimates. So the intention of the Ministry of Home Affairs, through the District Departments, is to fill in the positions of village chiefs and district headmen completely. All have been advertised and are only waiting for applications and will be drawn by the villagers themselves.
I would like to add, Your Honorable Pehin, one of the questions raised by Your Honorable Dayang Hajah Safiah binti Sheikh Haji Abd Salam regarding the highest case, which re-entered. The most re-entered cases are theft and drugs. Those are the highest cases that re-enter the prison.
That's all Your Honorable Speaker that I can convey, thank you Your Honorable Speaker.
Another matter regarding the garden in the city, if we look at it, it may be different from Singapore, in Brunei, there are already many trees in the garden in the city. If we look at it from the perspective of ASEAN initiatives, it may be called a smart city.
Indeed, we are moving towards that direction and involving multiple stakeholders, but the garden in the city is where we are actually green in Bandar Ser Begawan. That's all Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Speaker
Thank you. Now I invite Your Honorable Dayang Chong Chin Yee.
Your Honorable Dayang Chong Chin Yee
Thank you Your Honorable Speaker. I would like to raise 2 questions.
The first question is under Title SE05A - Department of Labour code 002/002 Legislation and Enforcement of Labour Laws.
I believe that the Department of Labour is the watchdog for local and foreign workers. There are many complaints about local workers who do not show up for work or leave early, and the MPEC may have a better understanding of such behavior than I do.
It is very important for our workforce to comply with the law, especially when intending to send them to work abroad as suggested by the Honorable Members.
If this behavior continues, it will not only damage the country's reputation but also make it difficult for job seekers to find employment in the future. It needs to be dealt with seriously and firmly in order to maintain the integrity and stability of our labor market.
If parents have concerns about their children's jobs, they should be given employment contracts. If they still have problems, taking the services of a lawyer and bringing this matter to court is the only option to resolve this issue seriously and provide important lessons about compliance with the law.
In addition, according to the recent examination conducted by the Employees Trust Fund (TAP), at least 15% of the premises inspected did not register their local workers with TAP.
I would like to suggest to the Ministry of Home Affairs to collaborate with relevant agencies such as MPEC, SKP, DARe or Brunei Law Society to organize more workshops on labor laws, especially for new job seekers, to teach them about their rights and responsibilities as workers.
When workers are aware of their rights and employers are aware of their responsibilities under the law and employment regulations, it may become easier for employers to comply with additional regulations that depend solely on enforcement actions.
This may also help the ministry to improve key performance indicators for the percentage of employers who understand the 2009 Employment Order during inspections.
Next, the second question is under the title SE10A - Immigration and National Registration Department code 002/001 Visa Pass Permit Entry and Travel Documents (Passport).
According to the decree at the Official Opening Ceremony of the First Meeting of the Nineteenth Session of the Legislative Council, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in 2020 represented 97.2% of active companies in Brunei Darussalam.
While we celebrate entrepreneurship, we also need to acknowledge that a limited population size means that the success of one entrepreneur can cause losses to others.
Taking the implementation of the Labour Management System, I suggest that the Ministry of Home Affairs examine the Digital Nomad Visa Programme to be implemented in the country to attract foreign talent, namely Remote Workers, to Brunei Darussalam.
Our country has advantages in terms of political stability, safety, low cost of living, and friendly citizens that need no introduction. In fact, highly skilled local talents prefer to stay in Brunei Darussalam despite limited job opportunities.
Digital Nomads are Remote Workers. They only need a laptop and high-speed internet to connect with clients or companies around the world.
Studies show that Digital Nomads contribute more than 35% of their income to the local economy and contribute $787 billion to the global economy annually.
Digital Nomads can have a positive impact on the economy, innovation, tourism, workforce development, as well as social and cultural exchange in Brunei Darussalam.
I hope that the Ministry of Home Affairs will consider this program to attract these talents to Brunei Darussalam and encourage economic growth.
That's all I have to say. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. Thank you, Your Honorable Ms. Chong Chin Yee for the question raised, particularly regarding the Labour Department.
Indeed, under the Employment Order, all contracts must be signed to ensure compliance. The Department of Labour under the Employment Order oversees the contract agreement. However, there was a suggestion from Your Honorable earlier regarding a joint force to ensure compliance KPIs, collaborating with TAP in a single inspection. Insha'Allah, the Department of Labour will evaluate this matter, and it is a good suggestion to implement to ensure shared resources are implemented, whether it be the Department of Labour, TAP, and so on.
Regarding the Digital Nomad Visa Programme, I just want to ask for clarification. Does this mean that those who have this programme do not need to come to Brunei Darussalam?
Your Honorable Dayang Chong Chin Yee
They come to Brunei Darussalam, but their employers do not need to work in Brunei Darussalam.
Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs
What does that mean? Because if we look at it, we need to understand what a visa is in the context of immigration. This visa is permission to enter, and a pass is permission to work to carry out anything based on those passes. If their employer is outside, we also need to see that they must have an employer, guarantor to ensure their welfare in Brunei Darussalam. If we look at it from the context of immigration.
If we look at it from the perspective of digital development in Brunei Darussalam, especially when it comes to programming, most programmers do not necessarily have to be in Brunei Darussalam. They work remotely. They send all the patches, which are then implemented by companies in Brunei.
That can also be implemented.
I think I will only get information this time, Your Honorable Speaker, to Your Honorable Dayang Chong Chin Yee on the Nomad Visa because I want to align in terms of the context of the Immigration Order and also in terms of what is recommended, that's all.
Your Honorable Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister of Finance and Economy
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. Referring to some questions from Your Honorable Dayang Chong Chin Yee, it also seems to be related to MPEC and TAP.
Regarding workers not coming to work according to the schedule and so on. If the worker is a foreign worker, it is subject to the employer, it may be reversed or vice versa. That's between the employer and the employee.
Regarding local workers, not all of them are missing in action, only some may have attendance issues and so on. Employers are advised to consult with their workers by giving advice, and if the problem persists, warning letters and other measures can be taken, but termination should not be the first option. The Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC) always advises graduates to be job-ready with the right mindset.
In terms of the Employee Provident Fund (EPF), some employers are not registered with the EPF, and the EPF always conducts visits to business premises. If an employer is found to be unregistered, they will be fined. With the launch of the National Retirement Scheme (SPK) in July, it is a very attractive scheme, and it is highly unlikely that employees will not register. If employers advise their employees not to register with the EPF, it will be a loss for the employees themselves. With the benefits of the SPK scheme, it is hoped that employees will ensure that they register for the new scheme for their own retirement.
Regarding digital nomads, if I may add, there are new ways of working, such as the nomadic lifestyle. Some employees work remotely in other countries while their employers are in the country. This needs to be looked at to see if the skills required are already available in the country, and if so, the digital nomad approach may not be necessary. If we still need to use digital nomads, we need to consider withholding tax, as this is similar to appointing a consultant from a foreign country. This is something that needs to be carefully considered. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Chairman
I now invite Your Honorable Awang Haji Mohd Danial@ Tekpin bin Yaákub.
Your Honorable Awang Haji Mohd Danial@ Tekpin bin Yaáku
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. In the name of Allah, may peace be upon you and His mercy and blessings. Praise be to Allah, first of all, I would like to express my gratitude for the opening remarks by the Honorable Minister of Home Affairs regarding SA01A - Ministry of Home Affairs.
Your Honorable Speaker, in today's rapidly changing information and digital technology, it has a significant impact on the quality and productivity of an organization. This includes grassroots leadership of Village Chiefs and Headmen.
The ability to apply and adapt to this technology can help improve the quality of leadership for their subordinates. The use of digital technology is very helpful in delivering information more effectively and consistently to the rural community. Therefore, I am pleased to refer to the third National Budget target, which is the Development of Dynamic, Proactive and Innovative Human Capital.
I hope that through this Budget, grassroots leadership functions will benefit. In this regard, are there any initiatives or programs provided to enhance the skills and leadership of Village Chiefs and Headmen? Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. Thank you also to Your Honorable Awang Haji Mohd Danial@ Tekpin bin Yaákub. To answer, as mentioned in the opening remarks, the Ministry of Home Affairs is currently drafting a Human Resource Competency Framework that also includes grassroots leaders.
Insha Allah, Honorable Members representing the Districts will be invited later to see the initiatives and programs provided to enhance leadership in terms of grassroots leaders as a Whole of Nation Approach, Whole of Government Approach. That's all, 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.
In the name of Allah, may peace be upon you and His mercy and blessings. Praise be to Allah, first of all, I would like to express my gratitude for the opening remarks by the Honorable Minister of Home Affairs regarding SE01A - Ministry of Home Affairs.
My first question is, as we know, Village Chiefs and Headmen are indeed exposed to any danger when carrying and distributing old-age pension funds and welfare assistance every month.
In this regard, I appeal to the relevant parties to pay attention to this matter appropriately. Therefore, I suggest that Village Chiefs and Headmen be provided with appropriate safety insurance protection and sufficient safety SOP training if any unwanted incidents occur while on duty.
And my second question, regarding the status of small roads under the maintenance of District Offices that need to be repaired and connected to the respective roads. Among the roads that need attention are; the small road ranking to Long Mayan, Belait District; Singap Road to Kampong Bukit, Tutong District; Lelakang Singap Road, Belait District; the road leading to Rumah Panjang Biadong, Belait District; Melabui Kampong Bukit Long Mayan Road, Tutong District, this road is a solution for residents to exit during floods.
Therefore, it is requested to be repaired or the roads to be paved with stones. Only for the purpose of providing village residents to carry out their daily routines. That's all for the kaola question this morning. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker, علَيْك ْم َو َرحْ َمة هللاّ َو َب َركَاته َسالَم.
Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker and also thank you to Your Honorable Awang Haji Mohd. Salleh bin Haji Othman for the question raised.
Regarding insurance, indeed in 2014 there was group insurance provided for village chiefs where in April 2020 it was discontinued. And it was also offered to these recipients to be paid through the bank.
ان شاء هللا, this matter will be examined by the Ministry and relevant District Departments for suitability to restore this group insurance. Regarding the question in terms of small roads, also for the restoration of roads, the Belait District Department has advertised for the Supply, Deliver and Lay of Crusher Run Stone for the roads mentioned by Your Honorable earlier. So efforts are also being made to maintain the roads leading to Rumah Panjang Biadong which is also in the pipeline.
ان شاء هللا, this matter will be updated to the relevant Your Honorable from time to time regarding projects to ensure that these small roads are repaired. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Speaker
Your Honorable Awang Amran bin Haji Maidin.
Your Honorable Awang Amran bin Haji Maidin
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم
أ ْلح ْم ُد ِ هلِل, first and foremost in this honorable House, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the enlightenment of Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs regarding the Ministry of Home Affairs. Your Honorable Speaker, I would like to touch on the issue of small traders on the roadside which is becoming increasingly crowded everywhere. So I am very concerned about several things. Firstly, in terms of safety because the risk of accidents caused by vehicles is very high. Secondly, the direction of these traders needs to be given attention and appropriate assistance such as providing more strategic places for them to carry out their business activities more comfortably and safely. Thirdly, the solution requires a Whole of Government Approach approach.
So in relation to this, what efforts has the government made to address this issue in order to assist these traders to conduct their business more comfortably and safely. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker and thank you also to Your Honorable Awang Amran bin Haji Maidin for the question raised. The issue related to roadside stalls has been discussed under the National Land Use Planning Council under the Ministry of Development, which is the task force for roadside stalls and workshops. This committee is made up of relevant agencies including District Offices, Municipal Departments, Public Works Department, ABCi, Housing Development Department, Royal Brunei Police Force in addressing the issues raised.
أ َ ْل َح ْمدُ ّ ٰلِل, this Task Force has identified several roadside stalls that have become dilapidated and need to be demolished or raised in terms of safety, as raised by Your Honorable earlier.
Coordination has also been made with village heads and Village Consultative Councils before these dilapidated stalls are demolished to ensure that they are no longer used.
At the same time, this task force has also identified 11 suitable new sites for the development of stalls to accommodate traders on the roadside in stages. The process of identifying these sites is also through coordination and cooperation with the relevant village heads and Mukim and Village Consultative Councils.
That's all, Your Honorable Speaker, thank you.
Your Honorable Speaker
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 ِ ِبس ِْم ه َّ ّٰللا and greetings.
ِ هلِل أَ ْلح ْم ُد, first of all, I would like to thank Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs for the introduction.
Regarding Topic SE01A - Ministry of Home Affairs Office. I have two questions, Your Honorable Speaker. I would like clarification on the employment status of longhouse chiefs in the Belait District, where their employment is not extended when they reach 75 years of age.
The second question is regarding Topic SE10A - Immigration and National Registration Department. I would like clarification on the issue of citizenship applications that have passed the written test and have been waiting for more than 10 years but have not been approved.
In this regard, I would like clarification on both of these questions. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.
Your Honorable Minister of Home Affairs
Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker and also thank you to Your Honorable Mr. Mohammad bin Abdullah @ Lim Swee Ann for the question regarding the service of the longhouse chiefs in the Belait District, where their service can be extended subject to their health condition being confirmed by a Government-recognized Medical Officer.
However, this Ministry continues to monitor whether the position of longhouse chief is maintained. This takes into account that the appointment of a longhouse chief is required to have at least 50 residents in the longhouse.
Regarding the second question regarding citizenship applications, thank you also to Your Honorable for the concern regarding these applications. As Your Honorable is aware, there are two citizenship certificate presentation sessions at the ministry, which have been ongoing for the past 5 years.
God willing, for the applications that have passed the three written tests, the Ministry, Immigration and National Registration Department through the Nationality Status Division are currently implementing the processes according to the guidelines. That is all that Your Honorable Speaker can convey.
Your Honorable Speaker
Honorable Members. I think we have discussed enough this morning. It is better for us to adjourn this Committee Meeting and reconvene at the National Assembly Meeting.
(The Committee Meeting is adjourned)
(The National Assembly Meeting reconvenes)
Your Honorable Speaker
Praise be to God, we reconvene at the National Assembly Meeting. I now propose that this meeting be adjourned to allow us to rest at noon and we will reconvene in the afternoon as usual starting from 2.30 pm.
That's all.
Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings. May God grant us success and guidance.
ADJOURNED
(The National Assembly Meeting is adjourned)
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