BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

BEVERLY P. CANTERO
AB POLITICAL SCIENCE

GEOGRAPHY OF BRUNEI

o Brunei located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast

Asia. Apart from its coastline with the South China Sea, it is completely
surrounded by the state of Sarawak, Malaysia; and
o It is separated into two parts by the Sarawak district of Limbang. It is
the only sovereign state completely on the island of Borneo; the
remainder of the island's territory is divided between the nations
of Malaysia and Indonesia.

History of Brunei
o From the 14th to the 16th centuries Brunei Darussalam was the
seat of a powerful sultanate extending over Sabah, Sarawak and
the lower Philippines. Thus, the current Sultan represents one of
the oldest continuously ruling dynasties in the world.
o By the 19th century, the Brunei Darussalam Empire had been
whittled away by wars, piracy and the colonial expansion of
European powers.
o In 1847, the sultan concluded a treaty with Great Britain and in
1888 Brunei Darussalam officially became a British protectorate.
o In 1906, the Residential System was established in Brunei
Darussalam. A British Resident was nominated as a
representative of the British government to advise the sultan in
all matters except Malay customs, traditions and Islamic religion.

o The 1959 Agreement established a written constitution which gave

Brunei Darussalam internal self-government.
o In 1971, the agreement was amended and revised to assert full
internal independence
except defense and external affairs.
o In 1967 His Highness Sultan Haji Sir Muda Omar Ali Saifuddien
abdicated in favour of his son Pengiran Muda Mahkota Hassanal
Bolkiah.
o On January 1, 1984 Brunei Darussalam resumed full independence
and the Sultan took office as Prime Minister, Finance Minister and
Home Affairs Minister, presiding over a cabinet of six.

o In October 1986, the cabinet was expanded to 11

members, with His Majesty relinquishing the portfolios of
Finance and Home Affairs and taking over the Defence
portfolio which his late father had held since 1984.
oIn 1988 another reshuffle brought about the elevation of
the deputy minister to a full minister and the creation of the
Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources designed to
boost the country's development.

Nationality:
Bruneian(s)
Ethnic groups:
Malay 65.7%, Chinese 10.3%, other indigenous 3.4%, other 20.6% (2011
est.)
Languages:
Malay (official), English, Chinese dialects
Religions:
Muslim (official) 78.8%, Christian 8.7%, Buddhist 7.8%, other (includes indigenous
beliefs) 4.7% (2011 est.)
Population:
422,675 (July 2014 est.)

GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT TYPE
Constitutional sultanate (locally known as Malay Islamic Monarchy or
MIB)
CAPITAL
Bandar Seri Begawan
ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION
4 Districts 1. Belait, 2. Brunei-Muara, 3. Temburong, 4. Tutong
CONSTITUTION
Drafted 1954 to 1959, signed 29 September 1959; amended 1984,
2004, 2011; some constitutional provisions suspended since 1962 under a
State of Emergency, others since independence in 1984 (2011).

LEGAL SYSTEM
o Mixed legal system based on English common law and
Islamic law; note - in May 2014, the first phase of a
sharia-based penal codes was instituted, which applies to
Muslims and non-Muslims and exists in parallel to the
existing common law-based code
International law organization participation
It has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party
state to the ICCt
Suffrage
18 years of age for village elections; universal

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
oLegislative Council or Majlis Mesyuarat Negara Brunei (36 seats;
members appointed by the sultan including 3 ex-officio members - the
speaker and first and second secretaries; meets annually for
approximately two weeks).

JUDICIAL BRANCH
Highest resident court(s):
oSupreme Court consists of Court of Appeal and High Court, each
with a chief justice and 2 judges;
oSharia Court of Appeal consists of judges appointed by the
monarch; Brunei has a dual judicial system of Secular and Sharia
(religious) courts; the Judicial Committee of Privy Council in London
serves as the final appellate court for civil cases only.

o Judge selection and term of office:

Supreme Court judges appointed by the monarch to serve until age 65, and
older if approved by the monarch;
Sharia Court of Appeal judges appointed by the monarch;
o Subordinate courts:

Intermediate Court;
Magistrate's Courts;
Juvenile Court;
small claims courts;
lower sharia courts

EXECUTIVE BRANCH
o Chief of state
Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); the
monarch is both chief of state (Yang Di-Pertuan Agong) and head of
government.

o Head of government
Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967).

o Cabinet:
Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by the monarch;
membership traditionally changes every five years, with the next change expected
in 2015; deals with executive matters; There is also a Religious Council (members
appointed by the monarch) that advises on religious matters, a Privy Council
(members appointed by the monarch) that deals with constitutional matters, and
the Council of Succession (members appointed by the monarch) that determines
the succession to the throne if the need arises; cabinet traditionally changes every
5 years, with the next change expected in 2015.

o Elections:
None; the monarchy is hereditary.

FLAG AND CREST

oThe Brunei flag has four colours - a yellow backdrop, with two wide strips of white and
black cutting diagonally across and the state crest in red right in the middle.
oThe national flag of Brunei was first used in 1906 when Brunei signed an agreement
with Britain. The colours on the flag represented the signatories to the agreement yellow for the Sultan, white for the Pengiran Bendahara and black for Pengiran
Pemancha.

oThe National Crest,added to the centre of the flag in 1959,

consists of;

the Bendera (flag).

the Payung Ubor-Ubor (royal umbrella).
the Sayap (wing) which signifies justice, tranquility,
prosperity and peace.
the Tangan (hand) which represents the government's
pledge to promote welfare, peace and prosperity.
the Bulan (crescent) which symbolises Islam, the national
religion of Brunei Darussalam.
oThe Arabic characters inscribed on the crescent reads
"Always in service with God's guidance" while the words on
the scroll mean "Brunei, the abode of peace".

Brunei Facts
The name Brunei Darussalam means "abode of peace" --- which is mostly
true given the country's higher standard of living and longer life expectancy
than many of their neighbors in Southeast Asia.
Brunei is considered to be the most observant Islamic nation in Southeast
Asia. Beautiful mosques dot the country. Visitors are welcome inside of
mosques outside of prayer times and with proper dress.
The per-capita GDP in Brunei is US $49,400 -- ranking them 9th in the
world. The US was ranked 12th in the world in 2011.
Brunei is just a little smaller than the US state of Delaware.
The sale of alcohol is forbidden inside of Brunei, however, non-Muslims
may bring in two liters of alcohol.

 Citizens in Brunei receive free education and medical services from the
government.
The same sultan family has ruled Brunei for more than six centuries.
Crude oil and natural gas account for around 50% of the GDP and more
than 90% of the exports from Brunei.
Although the Federation of Malaysia -- which includes Brunei's neighbors
of Sarawak and Sabah -- was formed in 1963, Brunei did not gain their
independence from Great Britain until 1984.

News
Minister: Brunei committed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions
BRUNEI is committed to address climate change and will fulfil its
international obligations to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, said the
Minister of Industry and Primary Resources.
Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya
Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar said Brunei is among 32 countries
that have ratified the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol, which requires
parties to ensure they meet CO2 emission reduction targets by 2020.
The minister was speaking at a climate change forum jointly organised by the
foreign missions of Germany, France and the United Kingdom.

He added that the government has undertaken various mitigation

efforts to address climate change domestically, despite
contributing only 0.02 per cent to net global CO2 emissions.
Such initiatives include the Heart of Borneo, promoting green
building and integrating environmentally-friendly policies into
national development projects.
As a country party to the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, Brunei Darussalam
has, and will continue to play its role in fulfilling its obligations
and commitments in addressing climate change and its impacts.
The forum is part of European efforts to highlight the importance
of climate change issues, in the run up to the Climate Conference
(CO21) in Paris this December.

In a joint statement, French Ambassador Loan Forgeron, German

Ambassador Roland Grafe and British High Commissioner David Campbell,
said: 2015 is a decisive year for climate negotiations. We need to achieve
an ambitious international agreement to limit global temperature rises to
below two degrees centigrade.
Todays climate change forum is an opportunity to exchange views with
Brunei Darussalam on the preparatory work needed to achieve a successful
outcome at the Paris Conference.
The forum, held at the Radisson Hotel, featured presentations from Philippe
Zeller, Frances ambassador-at-large for climate negotiations in Asia and
Oceania; Dr Weerawat Chantarakome, CEO of Brunei National Energy
Research Institute; as well as a panel discussion with officials from Bruneis
Ministry of Development. - Quratul-Ain Bandial

MPK members can hold village leader positions

MEMBERS of village consultative councils (MPK) can now hold acting
positions as grassroots leaders when their village chief or penghulu is away
or the post is left vacant, the Tutong district officer announced.
At a district-level meeting with Tutong grassroots leaders, Wardi Hj Mohd Ali
said members of MPK will be allowed to take up the positions of their
respective grassroots leaders in an acting capacity under the new service
scheme for penghulus and village heads.
Previously, the grassroots leaders of nearby villages were obligated to hold
the acting positions of their neighbouring penghulus and village heads.
When grassroots leaders go on holiday, we will be able to appoint suitable
people to hold acting positions in line with existing policies. Other grassroots
leaders will no longer be required to take over vacant positions or off-duty
village heads, said Wardi at his official residence.

He said acting grassroots leaders will also receive allowances, but

did not elaborate on the amount that will be paid.
Prior to the appointment of acting positions, he explained
candidates will be considered from a list of names submitted by
their respective penghulus or village heads. Those who are
nominated will also undergo a vetting process conducted by the
district office.
Wardi urged penghulus and village heads to submit nominations
ahead of their vacation or retirement, indicating candidates outside
MPK may also be eligible.
There are opportunities for MPK members to hold acting positions.
This is one of the reasons MPK members should be in close contact
with their grassroots leaders in order to familiarise themselves with
the tasks and responsibilities, he said.

He added that acting grassroots leaders who perform well will be

considered as a candidate in upcoming elections for penghulus
and village heads.
The new service scheme for penghulus and village heads came
into effect on April 1, replacing the previous service scheme
launched in 1998, to improve and strengthen as well as uphold
the status and integrity of grassroots leadership in Brunei.
Apart from the revision of voters registration and voting procedure
for the election of grassroots leaders, the service scheme also
included a higher salary scale.
Three grades of grassroots leaders were introduced, allowing for
progression of penghulu and village head positions which was
non-existent in the previous scheme. The service scheme will see
penghulus and village heads earning up to $5,400 and $2,270
respectively.

Baiduri Capital opens stock trading portal

BRUNEIANS can trade equities, or stocks, through an online platform
provided by new local investment firm Baiduri Capital Sdn Bhd.
The firm, a wholly owned subsidiary of Baiduri Bank Bhd, began operations
yesterday and is offering its clients the opportunity to access and invest in three
major stock exchanges in the region.
The three bourses are Singapore (SGX), Hong Kong (HKEx) and Bursa
Malaysia.
An online trading portal has been developed, enabling customers to access their
investment portfolio and research reports, obtain quotes, place trading orders, check
trading history and review account status.
Baiduri Capital said the portal is a secure, web-based securities trading
platform which is the first in Brunei.The platform can be accessed through internet
browsers on any laptop, tablet or phone.

The investor-focused design is feature rich, allowing

customers to research prices, as well as look up market information
to assist decision making when trading online, Baiduri Capital said.
Peng Eng Soon, Baiduri Capital general manager, said there had
been demand coming from retail investors to personally trade
stocks online. So far, 10 individuals have submitted their
applications to open online trading accounts pending approval.
Clients will be required to open a savings or current
account with Baiduri Bank or Baiduri Finance for easy funding of
their trades.
Investors may start trading with as low as $1,000 in their account.
Opening a trading account can be done online via the
website and upon receipt of the application form, licensed dealers
from Baiduri Capital will contact investors to process the account
opening.

Customers are required to carry out a risk profile assessment to

ensure that their risk profile is suitable for securities trading.
Clients may also carry out trades and access their account by
dealing with the firms licensed dealers via telephone.
Trading booths have also been set up at the Baiduri Capital in
Kiarong and are equipped with tablets for customers to trade.
Well-versed Baiduri Capital staff, including an in-house financial
planner, and qualified and registered dealers will be available to provide
investment guidance and assist with trades if required.

In addition, there is a suite of tools available such as the viewing

gallery at the facility to track price movements in SGX and Bursa Malaysia.
However, Baiduri Capital dealers and the company, does not
provide trade strategies and will not be directly involved in traders decisionmaking.
What it means is that we give general information on what
investment products are available in each market, share fundamental data
and analysis, and be there to answer their questions on market performance
in general, said Yeo Kun Yu, Assistant Manager, Trading and Investment
Services at Baiduri Capital.
Baiduri Capital will introduce new products, services and markets to
provide customers more and more opportunities to expand their portfolio.

The firm, the first in Brunei to offer online securities trading, is

also looking to add the US stock market in its list of exchanges by
September, said Peng.
He said there has been a lot of interest from retail clients to
trade in the US stock exchanges as the US market is more volatile,
offering more growth opportunities compared to stable markets.
Once customers are familiar with these kinds of investment
products such as securities or equities, then of course we will expand
Baiduri Capital because ultimately we wont just be trading equities, he
told The Brunei Times.
He added existing investment products and services such as
unit trusts will be transferred and offered through Baiduri Capital.

Moving forward, we will be looking to offer them more investment

products and to give them more options in terms of investments, he said.
Trading is open from 9am to 5pm for the SGX, while for HKEx,
trading opens from 9am to 12 pm and resumes at 1pm to 4pm. For Bursa
Malaysia, trading hours is 9am to 12.30pm and 2.30pm to 4.45pm. Baiduri
Capital operates from 9am to 5pm daily.