In response to His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s call for greater engagement with the public, several LegCo members conducted a survey involving 10 per cent of educators from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Legislative Council (LegCo) member Yang Berhormat Haji Salleh Bostaman bin Haji Zainal Abidin said on the second day of the first Meeting of the 21st LegCo session yesterday.
Describing it as a significant field visit, he noted that the survey, conducted over four months, gathered more than 35,000 data points from nearly 600 educators nationwide.
The findings have been analysed and shared with ministries for further review and action, he said.
He highlighted that the feedback from grassroots engagements showed an appreciation for the opportunity to voice concerns through LegCo members.
He affirmed that issues raised by the public have been conveyed to the ministries and would continue to be addressed in the chamber. To improve communication between the ministries and the people, he proposed structured forums to enhance dialogue with the grassroots.
On economic development, Yang Berhormat Haji Salleh Bostaman stressed the need to equip the local workforce with skills for the downstream and petrochemical industries. He underscored the importance of training local experts to oversee high-risk operations in accordance with international safety standards.
He urged a review of education and apprenticeship programmes to align with industry demands and emphasised the need to strengthen the private sector’s role in supporting the petrochemical industry’s value chain.
Regarding artificial intelligence (AI), he acknowledged its potential but also highlighted associated risks.
He called for the establishment of a dedicated team or agency to assess AI’s impact and explore how the country can harness its benefits while mitigating risks.
With nine years remaining to achieve Brunei Vision 2035, he stressed the importance of consistently showcasing the nation’s progress to inspire public and civil service engagement in realising the vision’s goals. – James Kon
