Lyna Mohamad
The Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) will support the advancement and development of the tourism industry in the country by focussing on the development, strengthening and promotion of tourism products based on culture, adventure and nature, said Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin said.
Briefing the new Legislative Council (LegCo) members at a muzakarah session at the Setia Pahlawan Hall, the MPRT yesterday, he also spoke on ensuring that the quality of infrastructure and the provision of tourist services will continue to be improved to increase the number of tourists arriving in the country.
The minister also shared on the strategic direction and the ministry’s main focus in increasing the output of the primary resources industry and tourism.
Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Abdul Manaf also noted that with the country now in the endemic phase and with the relaxation of several more control measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 last year, it has given some relief to entrepreneurs, farmers, breeders and fishermen, to continue efforts, in the “new normal”, towards intensifying activities and increasing the output of their enterprises and plantations, as well as their contribution to the growth of the national economy, increasing exports and guaranteeing food security MPRT, through its departments, will continue to implement the initiatives, programmes and projects that have been and are being implemented; and continue to identify and think about new strategies and initiatives and programmes, to support efforts in realising the vision and mission and strategic direction of the ministry, the minister added.
He also briefed the LegCo members on the ministry’s vision and mission and direction, which will be realised by giving the main focus to the planning and implementation of programmes and initiatives aimed at efforts to support the growth and increase of industrial output under the food sector, namely from the agricultural and fisheries sectors. This emphasis is in line with the Food Industry Roadmap, focussing on increasing the output of quality, halal and safe food from the primary production industry such as from the livestock and crop industries for the agricultural sector; and the fishing and aquaculture industries for the fisheries sector, and production from activities of the processing and value-added industries based on agricultural and fishery products, including strengthening the entire value chain ecosystem related to this industry. Touching on exports, he said the ministry has exported several agricultural products such as musk melon and fishery items such as shrimp and frozen fish while the latest is the successful exportation of chicken eggs to Singapore for the first time.
On February 1, around 300,000 chicken eggs were exported to Singapore and this will continue to increase, Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Abdul Manaf said.
He said in addition to efforts towards increasing the development of the food sector industry, the next focus is on efforts to meet the needs and interests of the development and conservation of forest resources.
The minister said the ministry, through the Department of Forestry, will continue to ensure that efforts to develop, protect and conserve the country’s forest resources will be carried out continuously to ensure that the activities of national development are in line with the context of sustainable development and at the same time to support the implementation of the “green protocol” initiative under Brunei Darussalam National Climate Change Policy.
The ministry will also continue to identify measures and innovative approaches to increase production from the forestry industry, and to reap the benefits and economic benefits that can be explored through carbon trading, Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Abdul Manaf said.
The 18 LegCo members were led by fellow LegCo member Yang Berhormat Dr Haji Mahali bin Haji Momin.
Permanent Secretary at the MPRT Hajah Tutiaty binti Haji Abdul Wahab, Deputy Permanent Secretary I at the MPRT Haji Mohd Yusree bin Haji Junaidi and Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary II at the MPRT Noralinda binti Haji Ibrahim were also present.
The muzakarah session also saw a presentation on the latest achievements of the gross output of the primary resources and tourism sector as well as the strategic direction of MPRT for 2023-2028 by Hajah Tutiaty.
The session concluded with a question-and-answer session.
