5 days ago
Stronger stakeholder commitment needed towards Brunei's Vision 2035
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: The challenges Brunei faces in the lead-up to 2035 require the collective roles and commitment of not only the Legislative Council but also key stakeholders — particularly the public service, private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and the wider population — in upholding the titah of His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, in realising Vision Brunei 2035.
This was stated by Legislative Council (LegCo) member Datuk Seri Setia Awang Adanan Awang Mohammad Yusof during the second meeting of the 21st Legislative Council session on Monday (Aug 4).
Having reviewed the three national blueprints, Awang Adanan highlighted several key issues as contributions to enhance the frameworks of the Manpower, Economic and Social Blueprints.
One of the major challenges identified in the Manpower Blueprint is planning for the estimated 6,000 to 7,000 graduates entering the workforce each year.
However, based on data from JobCentre Brunei, as of June 30, 2025, there were 13,710 active jobseekers, including 5,033 university graduates with at least a Bachelor's Degree.
Youth unemployment stood at 16.8 per cent, revealing a persistent mismatch between educational programmes and actual industry demands.
Awang Adanan questioned whether a comprehensive audit of the education system had been conducted to align its programmes with present and future national needs — with the aim of enhancing graduate employability.
He urged relevant authorities to intensify monitoring of the Graduate Career Matching Platform and called for more strategic planning to identify relevant skills in education and apprenticeship programmes, such as SKiPPA and i-Ready.
High-performing individuals meeting the criteria should be offered permanent employment to curb brain drain, optimise professional talent, and produce a more responsive workforce through targeted upskilling and reskilling initiatives.
Citing Blueprint data, he pointed out that 3,849 individuals in 2021 were categorised as NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training), representing an at-risk group susceptible to generational poverty.
To address this, he proposed the development of alternative pathways through work-based learning opportunities involving collaboration between educational institutions, industry players, the private sector, and NGOs to widen job prospects.
Touching on the Social Blueprint, he asked how its implementation could effectively reflect and internalise Maqasid Syariah principles as a foundation for refining strategic outcomes and national policy directions.
The LegCo member also queried whether existing assessment indicators used to track national progress are aligned with international best practices, such as the Gini Coefficient for measuring income inequality.
He noted that despite significant aid distribution via the National Welfare Scheme (SKN) and zakat contributions by the Islamic Religious Council (JUZWAB), government dependency remains high.
As of April 2024, some 7,375 out of 10,041 aid recipients are able-bodied and capable of working.
'What effective measures, beyond current programmes, can be introduced to lift these individuals out of poverty?' he asked.
Awang Adanan further recommended that policies or regulations linked to the Economic Blueprint undergo thorough research, analysis, and stakeholder engagement to minimise risks that could hinder the nation's socioeconomic development.
He cited the Asean Investment Report 2024, which revealed that Brunei's foreign direct investment (FDI) fell from US$0.3 billion in 2022 to US$0.1 billion in 2023 — the lowest in Asean.
Recognising FDI as a key economic driver with significant multiplier effects, he called for more aggressive and strategic efforts to attract high-tech, quality investments that can generate substantial impact.
He urged relevant agencies to function as enablers by improving efficiency, streamlining processes, upgrading infrastructure, and creating a conducive digital and physical environment.
This includes strengthening utilities, connectivity, and accessibility, as well as equipping the local workforce with high-level skills aligned with international benchmarks to boost marketability and the export potential of local products. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN
