Izah Azahari
The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) was given a budget allocation totalling BND83,813,020.00 for the financial year 2023-2024, said Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Nazmi bin Haji Mohamad during yesterday’s 19th Legislative Council session.
Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Nazmi outlined planned expenditure on the ministry’s four strategic programmes for the year: A Progressive Society, Hopeful Youth with a Vision, Strengthening of the Sports Ecosystem; and Strengthening Identity and Patriotism.
PROGRESSIVE SOCIETY
The minister said BND23.75 million is allocated for programmes for a progressive society, which is united, resilient and caring.
Around BND15.8 million will go to general assistance services and empowering welfare assistance beneficiaries; BND1.5 million for services for people with different abilities; and BND3.4 million for programmes on strengthening the family institutions.
HOPEFUL YOUTH
The minister said BND10.21 million have been allocated in the field of youth, with a focus on producing young visionaries as leaders of national development.
This includes BND650,000 for the youth entrepreneurship empowerment and development programme and another BND3 million for youth capacity development.
SUPPORTING NATIONAL ATHLETES
The minister said BND15.93 million have been allocated to strengthening the sports ecosystem in the country.
He said BND700,000 have been allocated for the development of sports association and over BND3 million will go to developing athletes, coaches and sports medicine.
“It is intended to create a stable environment for athletes; develop sports with potential to win medals; developing elite athletes; infrastructure for high-performance sports; and preparation and ensuring the inclusion of sports for the community,” said the minister.
THE BRUNEI IDENTITY
The minister outlined that BND24.55 million have been allocated to programmes for strengthening the national identity and patriotism. “This includes building and improving facilities for appreciating the country’s heritage, history and culture,” added the minister.
He said BND1.9 million will be for strengthening cultural arts activities; BND10.2 million for language and literature programmes and libraries; BND8.6 million for museum activities and BND3.8 million to strengthen research, documentation and preservation of history.
