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DAY 13 MORNING

For Informational Purposes Only

20TH MARCH 2023 - MORNING​

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(The meeting began at 9.30 am)

Clerk​

‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬ First Meeting The Nineteenth Session of the National Assembly Meeting began this morning on the thirteenth day of Monday, 27th of Shaban 1444H, corresponding to 20th March 2023M, preceded by a prayer of safety.

PRAYER OF SAFETY​

The prayer of safety was recited by Your Honorable Begawan Pehin Khatib Dato Paduka Awang Haji Emran bin Haji Kunchang (Imam of Masjid Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien).

Your Honorable Speaker​

‫علَ ْي ُك ْم َو َرحْ َمةُ هللاِ َو َب َركَاتُهُ بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬ َ ‫سالَ ُم‬ َّ ‫ال‬. ‫الحمد لل‬ We thank Allah for His abundant mercy and permission, which has enabled us to gather here this morning on the thirteenth day of the First Meeting of the Nineteenth Session of the National Assembly Meeting. We send our blessings and greetings to our great leader, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), his family, companions, and followers who remain loyal until the end of time.

Honorable Members. The National Assembly Meeting is still discussing the Agenda for the Supply (2023) Bill, 2023/2024 proposed by the Honorable Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and the Minister of Finance and Economy II.

To enable us to continue discussing and examining the topics in this Bill, I propose that we adjourn the National Assembly Meeting and convene as a Committee.

(The National Assembly Meeting was adjourned)

(The meeting continued as a Committee)

Your Honorable Speaker​

‫الرحْ يم‬ َّ ‫ن‬‫م‬َٰ ِ َّ ْ‫ح‬ ‫الر‬ ِ ‫ّٰللا‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ْم‬ ‫س‬ ِ ِ‫ب‬ Honorable Members, the Committee is now fully convened to consider and discuss the Supply (2023) Bill, 2023/2024 one by one.

Last Saturday, the Committee began examining and discussing the schedule of the Ministry of Development and its departments.

Before we continue examining and discussing this Ministry's schedule, I understand that the Honorable Minister of Development wishes to present a statement regarding the questions raised by the appointed Honorable Members last Saturday.

I give the floor to Your Honorable Minister of Development.

Your Honorable Minister of Development​

‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬ ‫ السالم عليكم ورحمة هللا وبركاته‬Greetings Your Honorable Speaker. Thank you for the opportunity to follow up on the questions raised during the twelfth meeting.

There are a few things that I would like to add to complete the answers to the questions raised by some of the Honorable Members on last Saturday.

To begin with, I would like to provide an answer to the question raised by Your Honorable Awang Abdul Aziz bin Haji Hamdan regarding the matter of SK04A and SK06A titles, which is the construction of houses that have been occupied for a long time but do not meet the requirements for electricity supply connection.

Therefore, for this matter, I would like to request to present the answer requested by Your Honorable Minister at the Prime Minister's Department and Second Minister of Defense on behalf of the Honorable Member. I would like to read out the text of the answer from Your Honorable Minister at the Prime Minister's Department and Second Minister of Defense.

Thank you for the suggestion made by Your Honorable Awang Abdul Aziz bin Haji Hamdan regarding the private solar system for residences that do not meet the requirements for applying for electricity supply. Allow me to provide further clarification.

Regarding the installation of solar power in homes or buildings, there are currently about 20 solar power supply companies that can provide private solar power installation services in the country. So far, there are about 40 private homes that are already using solar power.

The Energy Department at the Prime Minister's Department welcomes anyone to install solar power in their homes or buildings to facilitate and encourage wider use of solar power.

The Energy Department at the Prime Minister's Department has launched a net metering clean energy metering system where excess electricity generated by the solar power system can be exported to the main grid to be supplied back when needed later.

In addition, the Energy Department at the Prime Minister's Department is actively conducting outreach and providing advice services to anyone interested. Further information can be obtained by contacting or visiting the Energy Department's website at the Prime Minister's Department.

For owners of low-income houses who are unable to comply with safety standards to enable electricity supply, they can seek assistance from certain parties to upgrade their homes.

The Electrical Services Department can provide advice on how to upgrade their homes to meet basic electricity needs. This is a common practice and there are also private donors who contribute.

For buildings located in areas where there is no electricity supply network, such as in rural areas, the Electrical Services Department will provide temporary supply such as solar power. About 90 houses in rural areas have benefited from this assistance.

Programs to provide electricity supply networks, especially in rural areas, will continue to be implemented. For example, under the 11th Malaysia Plan, the Electricity Network Addition Project in the Sukang and Melilas areas is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Regarding houses or buildings that do not comply with existing laws, such as occupying land without the owner's permission or not complying with building codes, owners are advised to resolve these issues properly.

However, there are currently no regulations prohibiting owners from installing solar power privately. Owners can directly contact existing solar power suppliers for more information.

Your Honorable Speaker. This is the answer that I am representing on behalf of Your Honorable Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and Second Minister of Defense.

Furthermore, on my own behalf, I would like to provide further information regarding several questions raised at the twelfth meeting on Saturday, 18th March 2023.

Firstly, regarding the question raised by Your Honorable Pengiran Haji Isa bin Pengiran Haji Aliuddin regarding the 20:80 local foreign ratio used in all construction industries and proposals from Your Honorable to review the local ratio by proposing a different set of ratios based on company classification and scope to enable service providers and suppliers to have job opportunities and identify those who can attract local workers' interest.

In carrying out its role as the leader of the Manpower Industry Steering Committee (MISC) for the construction sector since its establishment in 2020, the Ministry of Development has implemented several programs with the strong support of related institutions, agencies, and authorities.

The committee has identified eleven critical occupations that can be taken over by local youths, namely:

  1. Resident Technical Officer.
  2. Clerks of Works.
  3. Construction Site Representatives.
  4. Draughtsperson or Sketcher.
  5. HSE Coordinator.
  6. Class II and V Heavy Goods Vehicle Drivers.
  7. Carpenter.
  8. Scaffolders for construction.
  9. Building Electrician.
  10. Air Conditioning Technician; and
  11. Plumbers.

Through the involvement of the Ministry of Development in MISC, several programs have been implemented, including:

Collaborating with the private sector to launch training programs for 2 cohorts of technical graduates registered with i-Ready to participate in the Architect, Mechanical and Electrical, Civil and Structural (ARMECS) program.

The program aims to gain experience and knowledge in technical fields such as Site Supervisors and Resident Technical Officers. Collaborating with the Brunei Technical Education Institute (IBTE), through the dual Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) program for Level HNTEC in Construction and Draughting, 199 students in two intakes have participated in the course, starting in July 2021 for the first intake and August 2022 for the second intake.

The course is conducted for two years at IBTE, and students from the first intake will complete the course in October/November of this year.

Thirdly, in collaboration with IBTE, the Main Power Industry Steering Committee and Energy have updated Module IBTE IGC 03, Health Safety Security and Environment, which has been approved and recognized by the Brunei Darussalam National Accreditation Council (BDNAC) equivalent to the Institution of Occupation Safety and Health (IOSH) in September 2021 towards fulfilling some of the requirements of the Workplace Safety Health Coordinator.

Fourthly, the HSE Competency Apprenticeship Program, a pilot program, was launched on June 18, 2022. Since its introduction, the program has received 80 participants for 3 intakes until January 2023, consisting of companies in the energy and construction sectors.

From the 80 participants, 36 participants took the Institution of Occupation Safety and Health (IOSH) course and 44 participants took the National Exam Board Occupational of Safety and Health (NEBOSH) course.

Out of these 3 intakes, 13 out of 36 participants have completed the IOSH course and 4 out of 44 participants have completed the NEBOSH course, while the rest are still undergoing the respective courses.

Therefore, this initiative is also aimed at equipping the participants with the necessary skills required by the construction industry and making them available for the employment market with the skills acquired, making them more marketable and employable to the industry when these regulations and laws are fully enforced later.

Thus, the demand for these skills will exist in the future. This initiative will support the government's aspiration to achieve the target of 80% local workers and 20% foreign workers in the construction sector as proposed in the earlier question, Your Honorable.

Regarding this matter, it was also conveyed that in 2022, the Ministry of Development had agreed with the NTA of the construction sector with a ratio of 20:80 to be reviewed according to the identified classifications such as the number of workers, company size, and also according to the types of jobs.

This means that if the job classification can attract the interest of local workers and there are also many job seekers, the ratio will be adjusted according to the needs.

Further actions that need to be taken are still being evaluated and discussions are still ongoing at the ministry level and also with stakeholders, which will be announced later when an agreement is reached and finalized.

Furthermore, I would like to request clarification on the question raised 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 on Saturday regarding the arrears of national housing collection.

And also, what effective procedures or initiatives can be taken to collect such a large amount of arrears exceeding $64 million.

In response, Your Honorable Speaker, in the efforts and strategies of the Housing Development Department to reduce the resulting arrears, the Housing Development Department, through the whole-of-government approach, has taken several actions and efforts towards the issue.

As raised in the question, the total number of housing loan defaulters is 6,098 people and the number of rental defaulters is 184 people.

A special unit called the Debt Recovery Unit has been established in the Housing Development Department to investigate each default case by case.

Furthermore, among the methods used is to give defaulters several options for payment periods to settle their arrears, including:

  1. Reviewing the installment payment amount to a more affordable amount;

  2. Obtaining payment from TAP savings after retirement; and

  3. Transferring ownership of the house to a family member who is willing and able to pay.

It is also conveyed that the Housing Development Department will try to find a solution to these arrears through negotiation and dialogue, and will only take legal action as a last resort against those who deliberately refuse to make payments even though they are able to.

In addition, as Kaola shared last Saturday to facilitate payment methods, the public can also make payments online through the One Common Billing System (OCBS). And not only limited to payment at payment counters during working hours.

The next question raised 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, which Kaola requested to add this morning, is about payment and renewal of expired land tax.

What are the government's initiatives to address the problem of land leaseholders who are unable to pay the levies imposed? To answer this, Kaola stated that every application to renew the land lease period that has expired or will expire will usually be charged a premium.

The premium calculation is based on the current market value of the land and the amount of premium charged is based on the specific land conditions. For example, if the land is for general agriculture, the premium charged is 10% of the current value, while for land for general housing, the premium charged is 20%.

Therefore, to ease the burden of landowners from paying the government's land premium, the Exemption Premium Payment Scheme is available for eligible landowners.

Among the qualifications referred to are:

  1. The applicant and his/her family have a residential house or dwelling on the land in question.

  2. The land has specific conditions, whether it is for general housing, agriculture, or paddy fields.

  3. The landowner and his/her spouse own land with a total area not exceeding 2 acres.

  4. Only one of the landowners, either the husband or wife, is considered for participation in this premium exemption scheme.

  5. The landowner and his/her spouse have a total income not exceeding $3,000.00 per month to qualify for the exemption.

For landowners who are not eligible to participate in the Premium Exemption Scheme, they are given the flexibility to pay the premium in full within a period of 7 years. The land grant with a new lease term will only be issued after the premium is fully settled.

Regarding the proposal to grant permanent land titles to landowners who only own one piece of land, and on that land there is a residential house occupied by the landowner's family for more than 20 years, this is a proposal that requires further study and the kaola welcomes this proposal and will further examine it.

Those are among the questions that arose during the Twelfth Day Meeting that kaola would like to provide further explanation on this morning. That's all, Your Honorable Speaker, thank you.

Your Honorable Speaker​

Thank you, Your Honorable Minister of Development. With me here are still the list of Honorable Appointed Members who would like to discuss the topic of the Ministry of Development.

I now invite Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abd. Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim.

Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abd. Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim​

Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to voice my views. بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Your Honorable Speaker, Honorable Members of Parliament,

First of all, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Your Honorable Minister of Development for sharing the initiatives that have been implemented as well as the focus and direction that will be implemented in the Financial Year 2023/2024, which are so detailed, comprehensive, and concise. I congratulate and applaud these initiatives.

Actually, there is not much that I will raise because my proposals have been well received by Your Honorable Minister of Development during the Consultation Session with the Ministry of Development last February, and some of the issues have been raised by my Honorable colleagues on this side.

  1. Your Honorable, I would like to raise a few matters following the discussion session. Kaola hopes that any regulations formulated and implemented by the Ministry of Development should be continuously disseminated or socialized to relevant parties and the public. This is to prevent any violations of these regulations. As we understand, these regulations are formulated to make the country's development more orderly and directed, as well as to safeguard the interests of the people. With continuous dissemination, any good regulations for the government will be welcomed by relevant parties.

  2. Regarding the Key Performance Indicator of the Department of Town and Country Planning, Title - SK04A, specifically regarding the percentage of planning permission applications approved within the TPOR 14-day period, which has a target of around 85%.

    Alhamdulillah, it seems that this KPI has been achieved. Kaola's question is simple, what else does the Department of Town and Country Planning need to achieve a 100% target so that there will be no backlog in the future?

  3. Your Honorable Speaker, if Kaola is not mistaken, please correct me if I am wrong, the Ministry of Development already has a Master Plan and local development plans. In this Master Plan and local development plan, zoning has been established regarding the use of land in the areas involved.

    This includes land lot ratio requirements, excess roads, and others. Kaola would like to seek clarification if this matter is already available, why do applications, for example, to change land conditions, still need to be circulated to the same agencies within the Ministry of Development?

    Kaola understands that this may be to adjust to the current development situation in the area applied for. However, according to feedback that Kaola has received, this approval process will take a long time and can affect project development. Therefore, Kaola would like clarification on how to expedite this process.

  4. In the same issue, Kaola believes that the Ministry of Development also needs to review the suitability of whether this zoning can still be applied or needs to be improved in certain areas, given the rapid pace of development and issues faced currently, such as traffic congestion, entry and exit roads, lack of parking spaces, and others.

  5. The next matter that Your Honorable would like to raise is regarding the development of business areas or commercial zones. In recent years, we have witnessed rapid development in areas such as Gadong, Serusop, near the airport, Aman Hills, Kiulap, Manggis, Salambigar, Tanjong Bunut, Jerudong, Rimba, and others. The noticeable thing about this development is that economic activities in these areas are growing and generating job opportunities for locals.

    Furthermore, with the opening of several new commercial zones, it also provides options for customers to conduct their shopping activities in areas close to their residences.

    However, we also see traffic congestion, insufficient parking spaces, limited access roads in developing areas, poorly maintained and potholed roads in these commercial areas. Some of these places are overdeveloped, but the service roads for entry and exit are insufficient, causing even more congestion.

    Please correct me if I am wrong, but I understand that the regulations governing previous developments have not yet included new regulations to maintain and control the development of these areas, such as requiring developers to establish management cooperation as found in strata title regulations, as a step to maintain the condition and cleanliness of these areas.

    Your Honorable's question is, what are the Ministry of Development's steps forward to improve this situation so that the development of business areas will be more organized, well-managed, and comfortable for visitors.

  6. Lastly, Your Honorable would like to touch on the Ministry of Development's Key Performance Indicators regarding the percentage of contractor and supplier registration applications processed by ABCi.

For this matter, Your Honorable would like to know the number of local contractors, especially Bumiputeras, who are currently registered.

Your Honorable suggests that more small-scale projects be given to startups and local micro, small, and medium enterprises as part of the Local Business Development Program to provide opportunities and familiarize them with construction industry work. However, strict regulations must also be established to prevent the work given to them from being subcontracted to foreign companies.

Thank you for allowing me to speak. Your Honorable Speaker.

Your Honorable Minister of Development​

Your Honorable Speaker, thank you and also thank you to Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim for the questions raised earlier which also contained some important suggestions as stated in the question.

Firstly, regarding the implementation of several regulations including new regulations. It is acknowledged that these regulations are constantly being formulated and amendments are made to update the conduct and procedures in the Ministry of Development, especially those involving the construction industry and developments in several areas that have been identified for advancement.

In this matter, I take note of the suggestion raised earlier in terms of dissemination which is an important and fundamental matter so that awareness and understanding of any new policies or regulations implemented can reach and be understood by the community, especially in the industrial sector.

And also for businesses to enable them to comply with policies and regulations in the areas where they are involved, whether in terms of management or business.

I thank Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim for the good suggestion.

Regarding the TCP 85% key performance indicator and what further strategies are in place to achieve the suggested target of 100%.

To answer this, through national, district and local development plans. Specific planning zones that have been identified include proposed sites for business, industry, agriculture, government land areas for mixed development and so on.

Where some of the planning proposals have been implemented while the rest require further research through matters involving several planning proposals that need to be brought forward in the 12th National Development Plan, especially the land availability study that needs to be carried out to further expand and identify the status of land for future development.

At the local planning level, several planning schemes have been provided specifically for commercial areas, including the provision of guidelines and planning standards for specific developments such as the Kiulap Area Deviation Scheme, which aims to coordinate development in the area.

For example, the construction of phase 1 to phase 3 of the loop road, which was implemented through public-private partnership, has opened up the area as a rapidly developing commercial area.

The next phase of implementation is phase 4 for road construction, riverbank enlargement, and modification of several involved lots of land to be implemented through public-private partnership as well, involving 21 lots of land, where 13 lots of land are conditional for commercial use, 4 lots of land are conditional for residential and commercial use, 1 lot of land is conditional for a hotel, and 2 lots of land are still conditional for agriculture.

So, in summary, this is what I can answer regarding the KPI for TCP to achieve the targets set in the Department of Town and Country Planning's planning.

Regarding the local master plan to accelerate zoning and improve these zoning areas from various challenges and risks, especially as mentioned earlier, road congestion and a lack of parking in commercial areas.

The steps taken forward are also in line with the proposal mentioned by Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim regarding the establishment of a management corporation in a commercial area that was discussed in the past.

To respond to this question, I refer to Section 57 of the Building Control Order 2014, where the owner or occupant of any building or any part thereof, including access roads used by the public, must always clean, maintain cleanliness, and ensure that the building or any part thereof is in good condition and free from any condition that may endanger the lives or health of its workers, the public, and other users.

So far, the need to establish a management corporation has been taken into account as one of the requirements in the guidelines and planning standards for industrial development, while the need to establish a management corporation, or more precisely called a strata corporation for commercial areas, is specific to strata development only as provided for in the Strata Act to regulate the maintenance work of the area for the common good.

Meanwhile, to coordinate the need for special supervision for existing business areas and those that are not classified as strata developments, policies and regulations for establishing a management corporation as representatives of building owners or occupants to supervise these areas are still under further study by the Ministry of Development, where it needs to be further discussed with relevant agencies including the Ministry of Home Affairs, especially for business areas under the control of the Municipal Board, Bandar Seri Begawan.

I once again see the importance of the issues raised in the question by the Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim.

Considering the many commercial areas that have emerged like mushrooms in several of the aforementioned areas.

Therefore, the establishment of a management corporation or similar entity is important to address the issues raised earlier, whether it involves environmental protection, potholed roads in many areas that we observe at present.

The dilemma for me at the Ministry of Development is who will take over these building roads, as these are private commercial areas and there is also a consideration made by the ministry regarding the roads, for example, if a potholed road is taken over by the Ministry of Development, then the cost of taking over the road will be charged back to the owners of the commercial areas.

The dilemma is who owns these commercial areas, most of which have already been sold individually according to short unit-short unit in the area.

This is a dilemma for me to assess this matter and certainly, as mentioned, a management corporation is perhaps one answer that can address this issue as a step forward. Once again, I thank you for this suggestion.

Continuing from this matter, it is important to consider the issue of strata status, which I feel has been considered, evaluated, and raised before, and this issue is still a work in progress.

Since the strata was implemented on July 1, 2009, a total of 292 strata titles have been registered in the name of landowners, consisting of 12 strata development projects in the Brunei Muara District, with 8 projects and 194 strata titles issued.

In the Belait District, there are 4 projects where 68 strata titles have been issued. Meanwhile, 2 strata development applications are still under review by the Land Department to confirm the rights of each strata unit.

The Ministry takes note that there is not much interest in developing strata progress, despite the increasing number of flats, shop houses, and commercial buildings.

Strata progress is considered more attractive as it allows strata owners to obtain a maximum lease period of up to 99 years with their own individual strata title, which will facilitate any transfer of ownership transactions related to the strata ownership.

Although the Strata Act also provides for the responsibility of the strata body, namely the strata cooperation, it is the same as the management cooperation as proposed earlier and the responsibility of the strata owner such as payment of service charges including insurance premiums, payment for building maintenance, appointing strata committee members to monitor compliance with strata regulations.

Holding annual meetings related to it. This is the best practice practiced by other countries that manage strata buildings such as Singapore, Malaysia, for example.

All of these responsibilities are serious responsibilities that not all strata owners may be willing or able to carry out. The responsibility of the strata cooperation is delegated to qualified management companies with an annual service fee that must be paid.

Therefore, the advantages of establishing strata cooperation or management cooperation and strata committees are to control, manage, administer, and maintain all common property facilities and command areas, including the example given earlier of road ownership, environmental maintenance, waste collection, and landscaping in the areas and any general building damage, external buildings can be repaired.

Indeed, we also see buildings that need to be repaired, restored, and repainted to beautify these commercial areas.

This is where the role of management cooperation or strata cooperation comes in to improve where their direct relationship between the government and the private sector and management cooperation can improve conditions to further enhance these commercial areas.

Furthermore, efforts to further increase knowledge and understanding of strata progress, the Land Department has provided guidelines on strata ownership rights and this information can be obtained through the Land Department's website www.land.gov.bn.

In addition, the Land Department is also willing to disseminate information to stakeholders and the public to further enhance understanding of the concept and regulations of strata, as suggested by Your Honorable earlier.

Furthermore, the Department of Urban and Rural Planning has also issued 2 guideline books for reference, namely:

  1. Planning guideline for strata subdivision consolidation, a planning guide for the division and consolidation of strata; and

  2. Supplementary planning guideline for structure development residential, a supplementary planning guide for the development of residential structures.

The Survey Department has also issued a guideline on strata measurement procedures to Licensed Land Surveyors to further strengthen the standard measurement procedures practiced by Land Surveyors in foreign countries.

In addition to these efforts, the Ministry of Development has proposed amendments to the Strata Act to further strengthen strata management, which among others, clarifies existing laws to expand its scope of supervision.

Strengthening the effectiveness of strata development implementation through the appointment of a Building Commissioner and the establishment of a Strata Property Rights Board.

With these efforts, it is hoped that stakeholders will feel more confident and inclined to manage strata development in Brunei Darussalam.

The next step is for the Land Department and the Ministry of Development themselves to process strata ownership transfer applications to buyers, which are still pending to ensure that buyers meet the requirements for strata ownership in the intended areas and zones.

Regarding the question involving ABCi in the application process, it is acknowledged that there are several cases involving TPOR that have failed or been fulfilled in terms of building permit application processes, as well as several applications involving ABCi's authority in the Building Construction Industry.

The building permit application process is divided into 2 stages, where the Public Concern for Planning Permission stage lasts for 14 days.

Among the challenges faced are the increasing percentage of noncompliance in application submissions that require alignment actions by qualified persons, as well as the impact of COVID-19, which still affects the application process in terms of communication, response, and follow-up actions that need to be taken by QPs, some of which are still delayed until now, starting from 2021.

However, in response to the need to comply with the aforementioned TPOR and improve the percentage of TPOR achievement, among the efforts being implemented are collaborations between TCP, ABCi, and other infrastructure agencies as follows:

  1. To introduce a fast track application process for strategic development by intensifying progress control committee discussions once a week among committees including the Fire and Safety Department, TCP, ABCi, the Road Department, the Drainage and Irrigation Department, and the Water Services Department to sit together. It is known that this matter has been circulated by letter and email before, so the next step is to have a committee that will meet at least once a week to examine the applications that exist at any given time.

  2. To intensify two-way dialogue sessions with qualified persons, i.e., applicants. In January 2023, a briefing session for qualified persons (QPs) and relevant agencies was held under ABCi's coordination.

  3. To improve the application process for a house where the qualified person can obtain technical infrastructure reviews first before submitting the planning permission application to TCP.

  4. To improve the application process for commercial building modifications that do not involve planning permission to be submitted directly to ABCi.

  5. To conduct a study on the application process time frame to identify the causes of delays and non-compliance with application submissions for joint clinics with qualified persons as a step to increase the percentage of application submission compliance.

  6. To update the online application system (EKP) to expedite the application process time frame.

For information, the development applications submitted by QPs through the OneBiz system currently amount to an estimated 600 applications per month.

It is monitored according to the existing TPOR set in the Ease of Doing Business (EODB). So far, 93% of applications have been processed in line with the existing TPOR. This means that it has not been able to reach 100% as suggested.

Insha Allah, with the planned actions, this performance can be improved.

In this regard, I can take the opportunity to provide advice to landowners and developers who are in contact with ABCi through their qualified persons to communicate with their appointed qualified person responsible for knowing the status of their applications. This is because one of the identified causes of delays is the lack of communication with the qualified person to come and answer questions raised by ABCi to facilitate further applications and approval processes for private housing developments or commercial building developments as submitted.

That is all that I can convey in answering the questions raised by Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abd. Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.

Your Honorable Speaker​

I now invite Your Honorable Awang Mohammad bin Abdullah @Lim Swee Ann.

Your Honorable Awang Mohammad bin Abdullah @Lim Swee Ann​

Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. ّ ب ْ س ّ م ٰ ّاللّٰ ا ل َّ ر ْ ح َٰ َ م ّ ن ا ل َّ ر ْ ح ي م ا ل َّ س لا َ ُ م َ ع ل َ ْ ي ُ ك ْ م َ و َ ر ْ ح َ م ة ُ ّالله َ و َ ب َ ر َ ك ا ت ُ ه ُ and greetings.

First of all, I would like to express my gratitude for the introduction by Your Honorable Minister of Development regarding the plans and budgeting for the Supply Bill 2023/2024. I have 4 questions and would like some clarification:

  1. I am pleased to raise the issue of road conditions in the interior areas of Belait and Tutong Districts, especially Bukit Puan Labi Road, Merangking Road, Sukang Road, and Melilas Road, which are damaged and difficult to pass through by small vehicles.

Your Honorable Speaker​

Your Honorable, I believe we have discussed the issue of roads last Saturday. Let's move on to the second question.

Your Honorable Awang Mohammad bin Abdullah @Lim Swee Ann​

I apologize, Your Honorable Speaker.

I have received complaints and suggestions from the public and commuter travelers, including foreign nationals, regarding rest stops along the Belait, Tutong, and Brunei Muara highways.

Like other countries, it is known as a rest and service area (RNR), and the rest stop is a place for highway users of all ages, whether old, young, or children, to take a short break before continuing their journey.

Public toilets, garbage bins, convenience stores, and surau are among the basic facilities that are essential. For the record, this matter was raised by Honorable Members in this House during the previous Parliamentary Session.

The questions are:

  1. Does the Ministry of Development have plans to upgrade the highways by providing the aforementioned public facilities?

  2. Furthermore, I would like to touch on the matter of SK02A - Housing Development Department, Ministry of Development. Is there a government plan to provide the National Housing Scheme in the Belait District? And I would like to know the processes to expedite the issuance of land ownership titles to recipients of housing schemes and native citizens who have paid their dues?

  3. The last question is regarding SK07A. Complaints from the public about road signs, street numbers, house numbers, and village labels that have faded and are no longer visible have made it difficult for commuters to find their way. May we have the comments of the Honorable Minister of Development on this matter.

Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.

Honorable Minister of Development​

Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker, and thank you also to the Honorable Awang Mohammad bin Abdullah @Lim Swee Ann for the questions raised.

Firstly, as mentioned by Your Honorable Speaker earlier, the issue of roads has been discussed and explained so far. However, one issue that was raised is regarding some roads, namely the project to put stones on the road leading to Rumah Panjang Biadong, which is being carried out in collaboration between the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (ABDB) and the Public Works Department and is still ongoing.

This is an effort to help where the government provides coal mill stones or used asphalt waste while transportation and machinery are provided by the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (ABDB). Up to today, 50 trips of coal mill have been provided, ‫God willing‬, this project will continue when the supply of coal mill stones, which is currently running low, can be replenished. ‫God willing‬.

Regarding the question of commuters from foreign nationals about the lack of pitstop areas along the highway. To answer this question, ‫Praise be to God‬, the Ministry of Development through the Public Works Department has discussed and considered this matter. With the Public Works Department, the Department of Planning and Village, the Land Department, and the Survey Department have identified several sites along the coastal roads that are suitable for pitstop locations along the Main Highway, Muara-Belait Highway.

It involves the construction of strategic and spacious sites containing services for highway users such as gas stations, rest areas, stalls, restaurants, surau, toilets, and so on. It also requires allocation for providing infrastructure such as electricity and water supply as well as road access, and so on.

As mentioned, this matter is still in the discussion and idea generation stage, and the expectation is that further discussions need to be made and ‫God willing‬, further follow-up on this matter with the involvement of other relevant parties.

Your Honorable Speaker​

For the information of Your Honorable Members, this matter is also raised every year in this Council.

Your Honorable Minister of Development​

Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. Perhaps that is the only answer abiskaola can provide regarding the issue raised earlier. Regarding the numbering of houses and roads that have faded, God willing, after this, abiskaola will directly contact Your Honorable to obtain confirmation of the places where the problems of faded road signs occur so that the Ministry of Development can take the best possible action.

Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.

Your Honorable Speaker​

I invite Your Honorable Awang Lawi bin Haji Lamat.

Your Honorable Awang Lawi bin Haji Lamat​

Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker for this opportunity. Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Your Honorable Speaker. First of all, I would like to express my congratulations and gratitude to the preamble of Your Honorable Minister of Development. With the grace of Allah SWT and the leadership of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, our country has successfully built the Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Bridge, which connects the Brunei-Muara District with the Temburong District.

With this transportation facility, residents in both districts can easily and comfortably communicate with each other. Based on our country's ability to build a 32-kilometer bridge, we are certainly more capable of building a shorter bridge.

Therefore, I am pleased to suggest that the relevant authorities can build a bridge to Kampung Menunggol as a continuous step towards the government's concern in creating the well-being of the people's lives in this country. Surely, with the construction of the bridge to the village, it will facilitate the communication of the residents of the village to Bandar Seri Begawan and vice versa, which has been very uncomfortable, especially during the rainy season.

It will also facilitate other agencies to go there such as fire department, ambulance, police, and others.

Your Honorable Speaker. In addition to the construction of this bridge as a transportation facility, it will also be an added value to the effort to develop the country's tourism and recreation destinations because in Kampung Menunggol, there are historical traces of coal mining located on Bukit Bujang Pahang. If this area is developed, it has great potential to contribute to the development of the tourism sector.

I would like to propose, through the Public Works Department, to build a bridge around Sungai Akar. This roundabout is the main road for residential areas with a high population and causes traffic congestion during morning and evening rush hours.

I also propose that the Public Works Department creates a U-turn at Jalan Residency, near the Arts Centre, to facilitate access to Jalan Subok. Currently, one needs to go to Bandar Seri Begawan or Kianggeh to get to Jalan Subok.

Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.

The Honorable Minister of Development​

Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker and thank you, Your Honorable, for raising these questions.

  1. The proposal to build a bridge in Kampung Menunggol has been taken into consideration by the Ministry of Development, through the Department of Town and Country Planning and the Public Works Department. They have assessed the need for this and proposed other plans, including the construction of a road and bridge to connect the city centre with Pulau Berambang in Kampung Menunggol via Mukim Lumapas, namely Kampung Kasat. This is one of the ideas discussed in the Ministry.

    In addition, there is another idea for the preparation of a connecting road to Pulau Berambang via the Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Bridge with the construction of a slip road. This is one of the ideas discussed at the ministry level regarding this matter. So far, there is no final decision to be shared regarding this proposal.

    However, this matter is still under study, looking at technical and environmental aspects in the areas concerned. Insha'Allah, this matter will be further studied with the existing planning priorities. That is Kaola's answer regarding the proposal for a connecting road in Kampung Menunggol.

  2. Regarding the proposal to create a roundabout in Sungai Akar, the current plan is to install traffic lights at the roundabout, as well as several plans to install traffic lights at other roundabouts to alleviate long traffic congestion caused by the lack of regulation by users in using the roundabout in Sungai Akar. These are some of the plans being made at this time.

  3. Regarding the proposal to create a U-turn at Jalan Residency and Jalan Subok, Insha'Allah, Kaola will conduct further research on this plan.

That is all Kaola can respond to regarding the proposal. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.

Your Honorable Speaker​

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​

Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. ‫الرحْ َٰم ِن‬ ‫الرحْ يم‬ ِ ‫ِبس ِْم ه‬ َّ ‫ّٰللا‬

Peace be upon you. I would like to express my gratitude to the Minister of Development for the introduction on the budget of the Ministry of Development and also the clarification on the planning and actions that have been taken and will be taken by the ministry to address several issues such as floods in low-lying areas, potholed roads, clogged drains, frequent water supply disruptions, vacant buildings and houses that have been damaged since the project was completed.

I hope that the allocation provided will help the Ministry of Development to address the problems and complaints of the public, some of which have been experienced for many years. The issue of frequent water supply disruptions and also the condition of the water which is less clean should no longer arise with the installation of large pipes that were implemented several years ago.

Similarly, with the issue of waste disposal, household and clinical waste which is known to increase in quantity, discussions have been made to address it including building a new incinerator because the capacity of the existing incinerator at that time was insufficient and often broke down.

Likewise, with efforts to use flood-prone areas in low-lying areas through the construction of several retention ponds, including efforts to relocate flood-affected residents to other areas, if necessary. It is hoped that these issues will continue to be given attention by the ministry staff and relevant departments until a solution is found because as far as Kaola remembers, the allocation has already been approved and plans have already been underway for several years to address these issues.

Your Honorable Speaker. Moving on to another topic, I would like to ask about the status of the construction industry in this country, where government projects have decreased recently. This has an impact on local consultants, companies and contractors who depend on government projects.

My question is, how can this construction industry be revived if this situation continues, given that the construction industry is not only known as an important industry in national development but also in providing employment opportunities for local people.

At this time, several local companies and workers in the construction industry are facing challenges to continue functioning or to avoid bankruptcy. The procurement method currently used is through design and build. How will the ministry ensure that local companies are not marginalized due to this method?

Your Honorable Speaker, I would like to refer to the houses under the Mengkubau National Housing Scheme. I regret to inform that not all houses can be handed over as many are damaged. I would like to know what we can learn from this incident to prevent it from recurring, and I hope the Ministry of Development can shed some light on this matter.

I would also like to request clarification from Your Honorable Minister of Development regarding the relationship between the main contractor and subcontractor. There are projects that have been awarded to the contractor, but the subcontractor is the one carrying out the project. What is the rationale behind this practice? Wouldn't this increase the overall cost of the project and possibly lead to a decrease in work quality if there is insufficient supervision?

Next, I would like to inquire about the Granting of Land for Housing Scheme. Is this scheme still ongoing? If so, have new areas for this scheme been identified? I understand that there are still many applicants on the waiting list, and I believe that this land grant scheme will reduce government spending on building houses as recipients will build their own homes, and the government only needs to provide infrastructure in the area. I suggest that this Land Grant Scheme be continued and given to applicants who are already on the waiting list.

Currently, what I understand is the granting of Temporary Occupation License (TOL) to owners of private houses on TOL land, and the government grants them the land and changes the conditions from TOL to permanent land.

This has been implemented for the knowledge of this House. Therefore, I hope that the TOL land that has been granted will be converted to permanent land so that it can be continued to be given to owners who own and have been living in their houses on TOL land for a long time.

Regarding housing-related questions, what is the status of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) that was once discussed as an alternative source of financing for housing? Has the Private Partnership (PPP) method no longer been considered as an alternative? Because this was also seen as beneficial when planning housing so that not all housing is funded by the government.

Next, I would like to move on to Topic SK08A - Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation. Under the Landscape Management Topic, there is an allocation of $1.222 million for the management of the landscape area. I am not sure if this includes new areas, but from what I can see, there have been no new areas developed in recent years. There are still many open spaces that can be utilized to beautify our cities or upgrade existing areas to make them more attractive.

I believe that we do not need to spend a lot of money to buy flowers because I believe we have a nursery that contains various types of trees and flowers. In my opinion, the Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation can be more visible by highlighting activities such as planting flowers involving school students so that awareness of cleanliness and the preservation of the beauty of the environment can be fostered.

That is all, Your Honorable Speaker, and I conclude by once again thanking the Honorable Minister of Development for the explanation given and I hope that it will shed light on the issues that I have raised.

Peace be upon you and may the mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you.

The Honorable Minister of Development​

Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. I would also like to thank Kaola for the many questions raised, which are dense and big issues for the Ministry of Development. So, if I can tackle the question. First, regarding the construction industry.

Regarding how to help the construction industry and consulting and contracting companies given the reduced number of government projects. Government construction projects, whether building or infrastructure, are planned and implemented according to the needs that have been designed and established.

It is also understood that with the level of development in our country today, which is considered to have reached several developments or progress, the need to build new buildings or infrastructure is not as much as before, which is reduced.

As Kaola mentioned in the preamble, the focus of the Ministry of Development in the next Financial Year is to ensure that existing government buildings and infrastructure are maintained, upgraded and repaired so that these assets will always be maintained to meet current needs.

Therefore, projects like these are still necessary for the involvement of contractors and consultants in terms of maintenance and upkeep. In addition, the monitoring by this ministry through ABCi regarding construction projects in the non-government sector based on progress requests shows growth at present, among which the new construction project for the Islamic University building site and several other projects are expected to start actively in terms of construction. However, as Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Suyoi bin Haji Osman mentioned earlier, there are not many new infrastructure construction developments seen at present in the upcoming Financial Year.

Your Honorable Speaker​

But what was questioned by Your Honorable Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Suyoi bin Haji Osman earlier, if I am not mistaken, is how do we determine that the industry will thrive and that it does not mean that local professional individuals who have been involved in companies such as consultancy, architecture, or others will not have their businesses affected.

This depends on our economic situation, whether the government is willing to allocate more money for domestic buildings or we open it up to the private sector like foreign countries. Perhaps the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and the Second Minister of Finance and Economy have their views on this.

Your Honorable Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and Second Minister of Finance and Economy​

Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.

The question is about the development of the construction industry in the country to support local consultant jobs and so on. We also think that there is a need for us to build a situation in balancing demand and supply. So, for us to support this construction industry, it does not mean that we just build without any need for it.

Therefore, I hope that the government will continue to spend to support an industry, not necessarily the construction industry, but also other industries that are also being considered. So, we must consider the needs and demands. If we see that the population in the country is increasing, then what we have built, do we need to continue building more houses, buildings, and so on.

We also see an increase in the number of local or foreign consultant companies or construction companies. So the pie is limited and shared among the increasing number of companies, making each company's share smaller. Therefore, we need to think about increasing demand. One way to do this is to attract foreign direct investment to create more demand and boost not only the construction industry but also other industries, in order to continue developing our GDP and support the growth of construction companies and other companies.

That's all I can answer for this question. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.

Your Honorable Speaker​

Thank you, Your Honorable. Please proceed.

Your Honorable Minister of Development​

Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. Thank you also to the insights provided by Your Honorable Pehin and the intervention from Your Honorable Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and Minister of Finance and Economy II on this matter.

Another thing to note regarding this issue is that according to ABCi's monitoring, the number of applications received from 2016 to 2022 shows a 1.2% increase per year in the number of approvals received. In 2022, the average number of permits granted for construction work is 116 applications per month.

So here, there is also some ounce of confidence that the private sector will be able to adapt to these changes in terms of the shortages mentioned earlier and the concerns that exist, and seize opportunities from projects, whether they are non-governmental sector projects or maintenance and preservation projects from the government sector. I believe that professionals in the construction industry will be able to respond to these challenges and provide, intensify, or strengthen their quality, design, and services to be more innovative and increase value for money for the private sector.

It was also mentioned earlier about the impact on local entrepreneurs and contractors, where most procurement projects use the design and build method. This method is a procurement method practiced by the Public Works Department and the Housing Development Department for projects that require contractors to be responsible for design and construction.

Among the projects that use this method are the Lugu Housing Project Phase 1, which has been successfully completed, and the Lugu Housing Project Phase 2, which is currently under construction. "Alhamdulillah" the experience of the relevant departments using this design and build method shows the involvement of local contractors and consultants in various aspects of construction until successful completion. These include the involvement of sub-contractors engaged by the main contractor, which involves local entrepreneurs.

It is also noted that the Ministry of Development's policy is for all government projects to involve local contractors and consultants, where contractor registration is monitored by ABCi. Meanwhile, the consultants involved must be registered under the Board of Architects, Professional Engineers and Quantity Surveyors or (BAPEQS). However, the issues raised earlier regarding Design and Build do have some truth to them, as mentioned earlier.

Regarding the question of sub-contractors, the contractor awarded the project engages in its implementation. The use of sub-contractors in construction projects is common in the industry. Therefore, a single contractor will not have all the workers, machinery, or expertise required, especially for large projects.

Therefore, the main contractor usually appoints its sub-contractors to provide expertise in human resources, machinery, laborers, and so on to carry out construction projects. This system also provides opportunities for small MSME contractors to participate in the construction industry and gain experience to advance their companies to be categorized as higher-level entrepreneurs.

For government projects, the main contractor must obtain permission before appointing sub-contractors, and all sub-contractors must be registered as contractors and builders in ABCi. Therefore, if a contractor engages a sub-contractor, the background of the sub-contractor will also be investigated to see if they have the qualifications and validity of any declared abilities in the specialization of the work they will be given during the contract period.

However, behind this, the main contractor is still liable to ensure that construction work is carried out according to the schedule specifications, fully responsible for the project site, and bears the risks as stipulated in the construction contract.

Regarding the provision of housing through PPP. As previously discussed extensively and also based on the experience gained from the Housing Project in Mengkubau. The Ministry of Development and the Housing Development Department have found several lessons learned that can be used as examples and precautions in designing future projects. If present, "Kaola" refers to "I". However, Kaola did not discuss in detail about the Mengkubau project and this matter is still under consideration by other parties involving contract and legal issues at this time.

As for the Kurnia Lot Tanah scheme that was raised earlier, at this time the Housing Development Department is unable to accept new applications regarding this land grant scheme. However, the number of approved applications still under this scheme is 179. It is the intention of the Housing Development Department to process the pending applications and the department is still implementing the approved applications.

If there is anything that has been overlooked, Kaola will examine the answers and provide additional information in the next opportunity. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.

Your Honorable Speaker​

I now invite Your Honorable Dayang Hajah Rosmawatty binti Haji Abdul Mumin.

Your Honorable Dayang Hajah Rosmawatty binti Haji Abdul Mumin​

Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. ‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬

Referring to the presentation of the Supply Bill (2023) 2023/2024, delivered by Your Honorable Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and Second Minister of Finance and Economy II, regarding several provisions under the 2023/2024 Budget that have been prepared under the focus:

  1. Maintaining Public Welfare, continuing road construction work and road improvement projects;
  2. Improving and repairing as well as upgrading the road network;
  3. Construction of upgrading and replacement of water supply assets,
  4. Building houses under the National Housing Plan.

The allocation for these projects was also touched on by Your Honorable Minister of Development in the previous introduction. The amount of allocation is significant and of course, the government has high hopes that all these projects will be completed with high quality, on time and on budget.

In kaola's opinion, this requires efficiency and expertise in project management. Almost all of these projects are carried out by third-party contractors on a turnkey basis, meaning that the contractor is responsible for all aspects of the project from start to finish with certain conditions. This also requires efficiency in contractor management.

Kaola understands that the projects in RKN-11 are not yet completed despite the financial allocation being approved. Kaola is aware that there are also new projects that have been completed but have experienced damage and require repairs funded by the government.

For example, some houses in the National Housing Planning and the Sultan Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Bridge. There are also several road sections that have undergone repeated repairs. The reasons for this have been presented by the Honorable Minister of Development in the previous introduction.

  1. Does the Ministry of Development have:

    1. Experienced and sufficient experts in both project management and contractor management. Kaola also suggests that the Ministry of Development take the time to step back and evaluate past contract studies to identify the best strategy for each type of project for future project use. Focus must also be made on noncompliance areas for contractors.

    2. Strengthening the areas of project and contractor management among the Ministry of Development staff.

    3. Introducing project delivery as one of the Ministry of Development's KPIs.

  2. Regarding raising the standard of architectural design in Brunei Darussalam. At present, kaola understands that about 50% of registered architects in Brunei Darussalam have not undergone full training and examination in the field of architectural design. Therefore, kaola requests clarification on:

    1. Whether practical training and part 3 examination are enforced before the issuance of licenses in architecture, construction, and architectural design.

    2. Whether external part 3 examinations are fully supervised by qualified local architects.

    3. Whether accreditation for all architecture qualification qualifications to date has been approved by the Board of Architects, Professional Engineers and Quantity Surveyors (BAPEQS), the Brunei Darussalam Accreditation Council, or better known as the National Accreditation Council (MKPK), the Institution of Surveyors, Engineers and Architects of Brunei Darussalam (PUJA).

Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.

Your Honorable Minister of Development​

Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker. Thank you also to Your Honorable for the question raised earlier.

It specifically concerns compliance and integrity in project management and contract management. Are there experts in both fields in the Ministry of Development and what are the assessments, strategies, and focus for non-compliance issues that have been encountered before and to reassess project delivery from past experiences?

For most professionals experienced in construction projects, they will acknowledge the many risks involved in implementation or project implementation.

Among the risks that are often faced are projects that are not ready on schedule, and there are also projects that cannot be completed by contractors and contracts have to be terminated. In dealing with these risks, the Ministry of Development has implemented various initiatives.

Therefore, it is sufficient to convey that among these initiatives is research on contractor registration, supervision of professional members such as architects, professional engineers, quantity surveyors, strengthening legislation such as the Building Control Order, and so on. This is to ensure the validity of the accreditation of these professional experts is correct and accurate.

In terms of project and contract management, an initiative to further strengthen project and contract management, which I can briefly explain in this House, is that government procurement for construction projects is based on and complies with financial regulations involving tender procedures and quotations, contract management, and other processes.

To implement effective and consistent contract management, departments under the Ministry of Development, especially the Public Works Department and the Housing Development Department, rely on several documents that have been issued for the purpose of ensuring that risks from construction projects are handled perfectly.

Among the documents are:

  1. The Project Implementation Manual (PIM) document, which provides guidelines on procedures for implementing projects starting from planning, appointment, project teams including consultants if necessary, outlining project briefs, bidding processes, and so on;

  2. The Public Works Department Conditions of Contract document, which is a contract document to be used for construction projects by the Public Works Department and the Housing Development Department. There are 8 types of contract documents or Forms of Contract provided for this purpose.

  3. The Contract Administration Guidelines (CAGE) and Quotation Administration Guidelines (QAGE) documents provide guidance to officers who carry out contracts and quotations using PWD Conditions of Contract. The Contract Administration Guidelines provide procedures for managing contracts according to PWD Conditions of Contract, including the bidding process, bid support, issuing letters, letter of acceptance, contract signing, use of contract certificates, claim assessment, contract closure payments, and so on.

  4. The PWD Standard Specification and Schedule of Rates documents for works commonly carried out by the Public Works Department or the Department of Public Works.

  5. The Quality Supervision Manual (QSM) provides detailed specifications and guidelines for carrying out supervision of civil engineering and building construction works.

  6. Circular Letters and Technical Instructions issued by the Director-General of Works from time to time.

What can be seen from the above information is that one important aspect is the specialization of expertise required in the construction industry in general, according to their respective specializations, which require monitoring, supervision, and most importantly, in terms of skills and capabilities, the expertise of professionals such as quantity surveyors, architects, engineers, and so on.

Therefore, looking at this matter, the regulations and manuals mentioned above are quite comprehensive in terms of standard project management supervision. What remains is compliance with the guidelines mentioned above, compliance at every level of implementation.

Your Honorable, Kaola thanks you with appreciation for raising this topic, which is quite broad and relevant, especially for Kaola in the Ministry of Development, where most of his duties involve project and contract management. This is a matter that Kaola prioritizes in the Ministry of Development.

Speaking of project and contract management, we cannot avoid making risk assessments or risk assessments that are a challenge that can derail a project or contract. Looking at this aspect, as a step to increase awareness or awareness raising in matters of integrity and compliance, training through dialogue and explanation about the regulations and laws in force in this country, including Financial Regulations, General Orders regulations for civil servants, Anti-Corruption Act, Penal Code, and related regulations.

Your Honorable, this exercise is relevant in providing a warning or awareness to the officials and officers in the Ministry of Development. This is also related to a training that was conducted in the Ministry of Development initially in September of last year. Considering these risks and challenges, one step is to provide a warning and to raise awareness to the officials and officers in the Ministry of Development, firstly by reminding them of the importance of ethical behavior in terms of compliance and honesty as a defense in supervision when facing challenges.

For example, fraud in claims submitted and then officers who approve claims without checking whether they have been made in the best possible way according to the specified specifications and requirements. In addition, to avoid any abuse of power, favoritism, and other matters involving behavior such as corruption.

Therefore, in taking this awareness in an effort to improve good governance in addition to the challenges that are realized, one of the first action plans is training to increase awareness for officials and staff in this ministry. The first one was held in September 2022, last year, as an in-house training.

This training, called the MOD Talk Series, contains several workshop and briefing topics. These include the Corruption and Integrity Talk which covers anti-corruption laws, case studies that provide an understanding of how a particular behavior can be convicted as a corruption offense, fraud, abuse of power in matters involving contract and project management, contract administration guide, and quotation administration guide as mentioned earlier, Financial Regulation briefing, work procedure manual, and sharing of audit findings based on audit reports submitted by the Auditor General.

So, the MOD Talk Series is targeted at all levels of officials and staff in the Ministry of Development and its departments, especially officials and staff directly involved in project management, to know and understand the challenges and risks they face in carrying out their duties.

Insha Allah, this training program will continue this year, the Financial Year 2023/2024. That is among the actions taken to further improve our readiness in facing challenges regarding contract and project management based on the specific topics mentioned earlier regarding compliance and integrity.

Speaking about this matter, another thing that can be shared here is in creating a professional community in this construction industry with the sensitivity raised about integrity and compliance with laws and regulations in the construction industry. Surely, it requires a collective commitment, but in terms of the role of the scribe in the Ministry of Development, it is to address this matter by providing explanations, awareness, and training to the implementing officers in the Ministry of Development, which are all civil servants.

To achieve integrity and compliance in this industry, collective commitment is required in project contract management, which ideally involves the commitment of the construction sector itself, including contractors. This is because we know that civil servants are subject to many regulations and laws, such as anti-corruption laws, General Orders, Financial Regulations, and others.

Therefore, to establish a high standard of integrity in this matter among civil servants, there must also be a commitment from business operators, contractors, and consultants to ensure that they have the same understanding of the law. Regulations must be put in place to control their behavior and ensure compliance with integrity.

One of the challenges in this matter is the relationship between contractors and civil servants. Civil servants are subject to regulations as mentioned earlier, but most contractors do not take into account the sensitivity of civil servants.

I would like to raise the issue that contractors tend to provide entertainment or gifts as a way to establish relationships, perhaps by giving gifts or various forms of entertainment. We need to ensure that contractors understand the constraints and implications for civil servants under the laws mentioned earlier.

Therefore, the industrial sector of contractors must also understand this matter. It would be best if large contractors also had a set of codes of conduct, what they can and cannot do, because giving gifts alone, for any reason, is considered an offense under our laws. The act of giving gifts alone will make people feel indebted, and this will weaken the firmness of civil servants in carrying out their duties, supervision, and evaluation. This is one of the forms of enlightenment raised in contract management to ensure that integrity and compliance are maintained. This is also done through training provided by the Ministry of Development.

Regarding the second question raised by Your Honorable about the Standard Architecture Accreditation, is it enforced? The Board of Architects, Professional Engineers and Quantity Surveyors (BAPEQS), Brunei Darussalam Accreditation Council, the Institution of Surveyors, Engineers, and Architects (PUJA). Regarding accreditation, the BAPEQS Board has collaborated with the National Council for Accreditation of Academic Qualifications to recognize academic qualifications from abroad, while the Institution of Surveyors, Engineers, and Architects (PUJA) is an NGO and BAPEQS Board, collaborating with them in matters of training or Continuing Professional Education (CPE).

That is all that can be answered even though the answer is not complete. Kaola does not have complete information on this matter, kaola will follow up later. But for now, that is kaola's answer regarding this matter. Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker.

Your Honorable Speaker​

Thank you, Your Honorable Minister of Development. I now invite Your Honorable Awang Haji Salleh Bostaman bin Haji Zainal Abidin.

Your Honorable Awang Haji Salleh Bostaman bin Haji Zainal Abidin​

‫In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah.‬ ‫َّٰ‫May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his loyal companions until the end of time.‬

‫َّٰ‫All praise is due to Allah.‬ Thank you, Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members for giving me the opportunity to participate in this discussion.

Your Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members. Kaola has some issues and suggestions that kaola would like to raise here for consideration, and kaola leaves it to the discretion of Your Honorable Minister of Development to evaluate them. Thank you, Your Honorable Minister of Development, for the explanation and clarification regarding the development and achievements of the Ministry of Development in the year that has passed, which has contributed to the achievement of the nation's Wawasan Brunei 2035 vision.

There are several questions and suggestions that kaola would like to raise here. Some of these issues may have already been raised and presented by other Honorable Members. But kaola raises these issues from the perspective of the Ministry as a technical standard bearer and to strengthen professionalism and work ethics in the construction industry.

  1. Under the title - SK01A related to Town and Country Planning (TCP) and the Construction Industry Control Authority (ABCi). Kaola requests clarification on the responsibility and effectiveness of enforcement powers on the part of TCP and ABCi in ensuring the segregation of residential, commercial, small industry, recreational, and educational zones in placing or giving approval for occupancy, operating licenses, and ensuring appropriate basic infrastructure.

    As is evident, in some residential areas, it has been found and used, changed, some have become grocery stores, vehicle workshops, some have become mini kindergartens, preschools, there are new developments with rows of shops in existing residential areas without considering the adequacy of infrastructure, facilities, and safe access for residents who have long settled.

    This could cause issues with congestion in the housing area at certain times. Perhaps this has been overlooked in developed areas but can still be controlled in new areas.

    Question:

    1. What is the ministry's plan to address this issue so that urban planning appears organized and the existing infrastructure is suitable? I have no problem with a certain place when private applicants change the conditions from residential to commercial or small industrial areas or become a place of education. However, the application must be reviewed according to the suitability of the existing infrastructure to accommodate new activities such as larger access roads, parking areas for safety and comfort, more efficient waste disposal, and recreational areas or places for public gatherings. In the same issue regarding ABCi, which is the Authority on Building Control and Construction Industry.

    2. In the first issue, it is undeniable that the ABCi code is to ensure that the safety of the building to be constructed will follow certain standards. Alhamdulillah, but the cost to comply with all ABCi requirements is not cheap, especially in low-cost housing or small businesses that use designs approved by architects.

      1. I suggest that ABCi engage in risk-based assessment in determining the necessary conditions for approval, especially to help build low-cost housing for personal use and low-risk small businesses for the public.

      2. The Housing Department, JKR certainly has many housing plans that have been built under the National Housing Scheme. To help people who do not have a home and need to build their own home at a low cost, I suggest that the Ministry of Development review the suitability of approving the public to use any existing national housing scheme plans in JKR's inventory and housing, as these are housing scheme plans, this will speed up the approval process and also reduce the cost of building houses, especially low-cost housing. Insha'Allah, this will help low-income people to develop and own their own homes as soon as possible and affordably.

  2. Under the title - SK03A government projects monitored with appendant codes of quality assurance and quality control surveillance. Declaration, I have 34 years of experience in building oil and gas industry projects. I understand that most government development projects are either turnkey basis or design and build or conventional design and tender build. Projects are generally built by contractors and monitored by consultants through third parties or monitored by consultants under the contractor's direction.

    The concept of mandur or full-time government site supervisors has long been abolished and replaced with resident supervisors appointed by consultants to ensure project progress and completion. To make this strategy effective, more frequent supervision and regular compliance tests and independent verifications are necessary, especially when the consultant hired to monitor the project is the design supplier or a consultant who is part of the main contractor, as in turnkey projects.

    From Kaola's experience in monitoring projects in the oil and gas construction industry, quality assurance and quality control surveillance monitored by experienced staff or assisted by independent agencies can not only prevent project delays but also avoid additional costs for repairs and rectifications, which means redoing work to meet specifications.

    From Kaola's experience, cost avoidance of repairs and cost independence of QA/QCs seem to save funding. Kaola suggests that for large and important projects, the need for a full-time site supervision team capable of monitoring progress and conducting independent QA/QCS should be reviewed, or more entities should be added to provide extended free QA/QCS services. Independent QA/QCS does not take over the project consultant's responsibility in design build or turnkey projects, which is to ensure project compliance is built according to design and specification, but rather for quality assurance and quality surveillance conformance verification.

    1. Kaola proposes that more young graduates be given the opportunity for direct exposure as support staff in the site provision team and be exposed to QA/QCS activities to enhance their technical and competency building.

    2. As suggested by other honorable members, in large-scale projects, medium-sized contractors and local involvement should not be overlooked. I support the honorable member's proposal for the ministry to hand over government projects such as housing projects not only to large contractors but also to medium-sized contractors, who are invited to participate either as sub-contractors to the main contract or given the opportunity to perform specific scopes in their expertise. Ensure that there are targets for taking and using services from Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and local labor in the KPIs of these projects.

  3. Title: SK01A Issue - Ministry of Development Department. Professionalism in the construction industry for employees and contractors. The ministry's continuous initiatives to improve the level of professionalism among employees and contractors are highly supported. As the technical standard bearer of the country, the Ministry of Development is responsible as a role model to ensure the technical development of its own employees to a professional level and to ensure that employees who achieve this professional level are appropriately rewarded.

    Similarly, incentives and monitoring are necessary to ensure that existing contractors or consultants, as well as graduates working in those companies, follow their own programs so that graduate employees can also achieve professional levels.

    Kaola's proposal for this third issue is:

    1. For the ministry to review the financial rewards that were previously given as incentives to ministry employees who achieved professional levels, so that more graduates are encouraged to upgrade their qualifications to a professional level. This not only raises the ministry's status by increasing the number of employees at the professional level, but also aligns with the ministry's initiative to monitor the increase of professional members in contractors and consultants, which will contribute to the united vision of Brunei 2035, where the country has highly qualified international citizens.

    2. Proposing that one of the criteria for awarding contracts should also take into account the proposal and performance track record of contractors in using medium-sized enterprises as sub-contractors and their initiatives and track record in helping locals and achieving professional standards in the construction industry.

    3. To review the requirement for contractors in classes 5 and 6 to have at least one director or executive officer or management officer who is professionally qualified among them. This ensures that technical competency and professional personnel in the contractor can be accountable in that project; and

    4. Using the term "engineering professional management consultancy services" in the business title. In other professions, if a company wants to use a profession in its business name, for example, an accounting firm must have an accountant or chartered accountant, if it wants to set up a clinic, it must have a doctor and their expertise, if it wants to use the name architect, it must have a certified architect in the firm. Any company that wants to use this professional title in its name must have recognized expertise.

      Unlike the construction industry that you understand, many can use loosely titled engineering consultant services, project management, or their discipline called electrical engineering contractor, but their professional status with a business or management team is unknown.

      To avoid confusing the public, you suggest that the Ministry and statutory engineering agencies or PUJA in the country review the use of engineering or professional names in business names and ensure that there is a professional person in the business to maintain the use of the professional name in the business name.

  4. The issue under Title SK02A - Department of Housing Development, namely the National Housing Scheme. You have some suggestions to share here in the National Housing Scheme, namely:

    1. As you explained in the budget debate for the Ministry of Religious Affairs, ensure that mosques or suraus are the main facilities in housing construction. To ensure that the mosque can be accessed safely and comfortably by the villagers, suitable for managing corpses, toilets that are sufficient to accommodate most congregants, and easy and safe access by walking and disabled people.

    2. Supervise and review the traffic conditions in primary and secondary school areas in residential areas to ensure accessibility for entering and leaving school. If the school has as many as 1,000 students, we can ensure that 600 to 800 cars will enter in a short time to drop off and pick up children. Sometimes the entrance and exit are through the same access.

    3. Promotion of Green Technology and Alternative Energy in (model) houses of participating members. Consider developing model houses to recommend, showcase, and show proof of concept for the use of sustainable Green Technology power sources and collect data and analyze data directly to prove to the public that this concept is beneficial, financially, long-term, despite high initial costs.

      Your Honorable Minister of Development mentioned the Kampong Mengkubau Housing and projects handled by BIBD. You have heard that there may be problems with BIBD projects, and recently you have heard that this agency has also been ordered to pay compensation to the Singapore Administration for the construction of this agency's control project.

      Kaola just wants to state that the Ministry should learn from both of these projects, in terms of contracting, execution, and project management, so that they will not be repeated again.

    4. Professional Ethics. ‫أ َ ْل َح ْمدُ ّٰلِل‬, Your Honorable Minister of Development has raised this issue when answering a question from Your Honorable Dayang Hajah Rosmawatty binti Haji Abdul Mumin. But I suggest another one, which is Whistle Blowing. Not the whistle blower, but the internal reporter, what protection or protection is given to the Whistle Blower who reports misuse in his organization that is contrary to ethics, out of conduct.

      Ethical behavior in work is not a new approach and in every profession, but lately Professional Ethics in work has been highlighted due to several industrial accidents involving public lives, property, and overlooking financial institutions that have cost hundreds of billions of dollars outside the country.

      Professional Ethics requires every profession holder to act responsibly and do their best in the design, construction, operation, or maintenance phase or at the end of the project disposal safely to ensure the safety of the public, nature, and property and not cause harm at all times even if it is not beneficial to the organization where they work. Professional Ethics also requires every professional individual to report any activity in their organization that they doubt or know will have a negative impact on humans, the environment, and public property.

      Kaola/I ask, has this Professional Ethics and guideline been made a condition, registration, and license to operate in the construction industry? And what protection or protection is there for workers or professional members who report their own organization that they doubt is not ethical and which agency should they report to and seek protection other than making complaints to the anti-corruption agency which may not be suitable for assessing such reports related to Professional Ethics?; and

    5. Country Value and Local Vendor Development. The Energy Unit initiative in the Prime Minister's Department to monitor the Oil and Gas Industry to increase spending in the Oil and Gas Industry used domestically, whether in Business Development or ensuring Local Employment or the distribution of goods and services, Capacity Development or Target Manufacturing Assistant Oil and Ship or Work Force Development is highly praised.

      Is there an initiative by the Ministry of Home Affairs to enhance the monitoring of In-Country Value and Local Vendor Development initiatives in large-scale projects and other projects to be undertaken by the ministry?

  5. Abandoned government houses and assets in all four districts will be restored. Alhamdulillah, I am excited to hear that there is a government initiative to establish a committee led by a government agency to re-examine the abandoned government houses and assets for reuse or repurposing.

    I suggest that the outcome of this progress review be promptly reported to the District Officers of all four districts so that they can provide the best explanation when handled or managed by NGOs, local councils, or people in their respective districts, asking what the purpose of the abandoned houses is.

I will stop here, Your Honorable Speaker. I give the opportunity to the Honorable Minister of Development to provide an explanation, and I thank you for the opportunity to raise these issues for discussion in this assembly. Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Your Honorable Speaker​

Thank you, Honorable Member Mr. Haji Salleh Bostaman bin Haji Zainal Abidin for raising some questions and relevant issues in the current situation.

However, I will give the opportunity to the Honorable Minister of Development to examine these issues and he can answer them when we resume our discussion on this matter later at noon, which means he can consult with his advisors.

That's enough for us to discuss this matter, and I myself am somewhat unfamiliar with this engineering question. However, I think that's enough for now, and we will reconvene at the National Assembly level.

(The Committee Meeting is adjourned)

(The National Assembly resumes)

Your Honorable Speaker​

Honorable Members, we are now resuming the National Assembly meeting.

I would like to adjourn our meeting to allow us to take a break, and we will reconvene at 2.30 pm as usual.

That's all, Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

ADJOURNED​

(The National Assembly is adjourned)

Sure, I can help you with that. Just to confirm, do you have a specific transcript that you need me to translate or are you looking for general guidelines on how to translate parliamentary transcripts from Malay to English?

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