The Leg Co Members

A few people asked me how to get in touch with the members of the Legislative Council and whether that can be done. I asked them whether they knew who the members were and most indicated the negative. So I thought I will do a service and put the members faces up which yesteday's opening session program has kindly provided. The full list I have made available since 2005 on my library website www.bruneiresources.com. The council is made up of all the government ministers as ex-officio members and appointed members made up of members of the public representing the communities, businesses and the mukims and kampongs. In fact the ketua kampong institutions is an alternative mechanism - get issues of your kampong to be brought up by the ketua kampong and he can contact the Leg Co representative.


Comments

Al-Qadr said…
What will His Majesty's Government do without you, Mr P.S.? This great weblog of yours has certainly provided the all-important BRIDGE between the RAKYAT (People) and the Government. So who needs the Temburong Bridge, eh? Heheheh:) It'd be wonderful, of course if it'd only cost like a few million. But like people say, good things are not cheap, cheap things are not good. Rightly or wrongly, that's a fact of life, ain't it, boss?

Simply by giving a complete list of the Yang Berhormat (Honourable) Members of the LegCo is a 'world class' service to the People of Brunei Darussalam already. You deserve a Datoship this year, BR!
Wednesday, March 05, 2008 9:02:00 AM
Al-Qadr said…
fzNow, please do allow me to intrude in your blog space my thoughts on the whole LegCo affair (btw, still ongoing in the all-new building).

As a "Rakyat", I am quite moved by His Majesty's "Titah" yesterday during the Official Opening Royal Address. I can relate to His Majesty's deep passion for the Brunei Darussalam Long-Term Development Plan or "Wawasan Brunei 2035" i.e. Outline of Strategies and Policies for Development (OSPD) 2007-2017 and National Development Plan (RKN) 2007-2012, which is a subject very close to His Majesty's heart.

However, I doubt if all "Yang Berhormat" (YBs) Right Honourable Members of LegCo are in tune and in synch with His Majesty's Vision and Aspiration for the People and the Nation on this particular issue.

Why am I doubtful? I had the chance to meet one of the most senior YBs last week and you know what? He did admit that he had not even seen or read it then.

So at least he was reminded about it and the day before yesterday when I met him again, he seemed to have digested the contents of the Brunei Darussalam Long-Term development Plan -- well and good! But how many other YBs had not done their homework on the whole 'Game Plan'? I would not be surprised if the YB Penghulu and Ketua Kampung (veteran ones!)amongst the 'appointed members' had even the time to even touch it, what more to read the first few pages!

Last year, I did highlight to one particular good YB LegCo Member friend of mine that how great if all LegCo Members were to be given a higher 'allowance' or 'stipends' and he completely agreed with me. However, he revealed to me that certain "Governmental" Member(s) would not recommend such motion. Methinks it is alright for LegCo Members (already earning thousands in their official Deputy Minister or Ministerial capacities or pensioners getting their 'halved or full' salaries) not to ask for such 'pay raises'. My rationale for suggesting such a 'ridiculous' monetary issue is so that each LegCo Member could hire or employ Research Staff or Personal Assistants in order to serve the people or 'Rakyat' in their respective constituencies better.

And look at it on the bright side, with the God-given "Rezeki" or Fixed Salaries the YBs might receive with the consent and generosity of His Majesty's Government, they could also help alleviate unemployment problem particularly afflicting learned, qualified and knowledgeable graduates or professionals in the midst of the YBs' constituents by employing them to work for YBs. Just my two cents worth on the issue, boss. Besides in other democratic countries, their Members of Parliament are getting a lot higher payroll, better perks and fringe benefits to enable them to serve their constituents better, of course and not to squander.

My sister (who is a senior civil servant) totally disagreed with me, naturally. She detested my suggestion outright and demanded that government staff like her should be given pay rises and not LegCo Members! If she were to be appointed as the first Bruneian woman LegCo Member, she would have definitely seconded my motion!:) Hahahah (I laugh to meself now;)

Here I am a lowly-paid Private Sector "kulikang" highly recommending YB LegCo Members to be deserving a pay hike... oh dear old foolish me! I could only hope that I could apply to become a research staffer or personal assistant to any one of my 'Yang Berhormat' acquaintances if or rather when they are granted salary increments with the full blessings of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the Prime Minister-cum-Finance Minister-cum-Defence Minister. "Mun kan ampun"
Wednesday, March 05, 2008 10:56:00 AM
ROGUE ECONOMIST said…
OK thanks for the info. I will pay a visit to our Ketua Kampong (KK) when I get back nanti.
But do you honestly think that is an effective way of communication? How do I know the KK will convey my messages to the YBs? Is there not an address that we can send our worries/suggestions?
I still think that an open forum prior to Leg Co Sessions would be wonderful. Or I know! maybe a website/blogsite (bearing in mind we ARE in the 21st century) for the public (old and young) to voice out their opinions (of course in order to avoid any public slander, members of public cannot be 'anonymous' i.e. have to be properly registered with i.c no etc.).
Just a suggestion.

Salaam.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008 5:51:00 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Brunei Royal Wedding 2015: Profile of Royal Bride Dayangku Raabi'atul Adawiyyah

Image
DAYANGKU RAABI'ATUL ADAWIYYAH BINTI PENGIRAN HAJI BOLKIAH Yang Mulia Dayangku Raabi'atul `Adawiyyah binti Pengiran Haji Bolkiah was born on the 27th October 1992. She is the second child of Pengiran Haji Bolkiah bin Pengiran Haji Jaluddin bin Pengiran Haji Tajuddin with Pengiran Hajah Noor'aismah binti Pengiran Haji Ismail bin Pengiran Haji Tengah. Her eldest brother, Awangku Abd. 'Aziz Hafizuddin bin Pengiran Haji Bolkiah, works at the Royal Brunei Airlines. Her other siblings are Awangku Mohd Ainul Yaqien; Dayangku Noor Batuul 'Afiqah; Dayangku Izzatul `Afifah; Dayangku Duratul Majeedah; Dayangku Nur Hidayatul Maheerah; Awangku Mohd Zainul ‘Ariffin; Awangku Mohd Irfan Hakeem; and Awangku Mohd Izzul Yamin @ Abdul Razeeq. (Note: Direct descendants of the Brunei Sultans carry the hereditary title of Pengiran. However as children and young adults, they are normally styled Awangku (for male) and Dayangku (for female) until they marry, when the title conver
Read more

Family Titles in Brunei

Image
On my recent blog on Brunei's Time Line , one commentator got carried away and she started to talk about events in the past before moving on to nicknames. I enjoyed what she wrote and I offered for her to write a whole blog about it and I will put it up. But up to now, I have not received anything from her. So, Hajah Yati, if you are reading, my offer still stands. And for the rest of you readers out there, if you don't have your own blogsite, I am most ready to offer my site for the occassional blogs that you want to write - just make sure the blogs are Brunei related. You can set up your own blogsite once you feel comfortable. As someone later on commented, it will be nice to read someone else's blogs too on this website. At least on this one, you get an instant 300+ readers a day. So, please, my e-mail is admin@bruneiresources.com. Do write. I don't have much on nicknames to write on as suggested by Hajah Yati. I remembered when I was at school (primary), I have fri
Read more

Pulau Cermin - Brunei's Historic Island

Image
Since I was already on the water visiting the Jong Batu at one end of the Brunei River, I thought I might as well go to the other end and visit the other historical site of Brunei, Pulau Cermin. Pulau Cermin as many Brunei historians know it is the site of the temporary palace of Sultan Abdul Hakkul Mubin, the 13th Sultan of Brunei and is the site of the only civil war in Brunei History. Sultan Abdul Hakkul Mubin took the throne after assasinating Sultan Muhammad Ali. It was quite a bloody time in Brunei history and I remembered one classic book written by Yura Halim entitled "Mahkota Berdarah" regarding the episode. Pulau Cermin - view from the River In a nutshell, Sultan Abdul Hakkul Mubin was the Bendahara when his son was killed by the son of Sultan Muhammad Ali. He requested that his son's death be avenged but Sultan Muhammad Ali denied him. So Bendahara Abdul Mubin went amok killing a few people at the palace and with his followers took the Sultan and killed him (No
Read more