The Daily Brunei Resources

The Oxford Business Group had the following news update on Brunei on 25th July 2014: +++++ Economic Update High stakes for Brunei Darussalam diversification  Brunei Darussalam | 25 Jul 2014 International agencies and local officials are warning that Brunei Darussalam must remain firmly focused on diversifying its economy away from a declining energy sector and on improving its human capital if it is to achieve sustainable growth in the medium term. In a consultation document on July 9, the IMF said that GDP growth would reach 5.8% this year, after contracting 1.8% in 2013 due to the slowdown in the energy sector, noting that energy sector growth will slump to 0.6% in 2015 before recovering to 4.3% a year later. It forecast non-energy growth at 4.8% in 2015, falling back to 2.7% in 2016. However, the IMF observed that the Sultanate, the fourth largest oil producer in Southeast Asia, remains dependent on oil and gas revenues to keep its economy afloat. It blamed "longer-than-expect...

On my birthday, 10th July 2014, the Oxford Business Group had this following update on Brunei: +++++ Economic Update Brunei Darussalam strengthening infrastructure backbone  Brunei Darussalam | 10 Jul 2014 Greater investment and an increased pace of new project launches should see Brunei Darussalam’s transport and logistics reinforced over the next few years, building on recent improvements to the Sultanate’s infrastructure. A series of reports earlier this decade identified deficiencies in Brunei’s transport and logistics infrastructure chain, which were seen as holding back economic development and diversification. A 2011 comparative study compiled by the Singapore-based Asia Competitiveness Institute on the economic merits of the ASEAN bloc countries found Brunei had structural weaknesses within its logistics infrastructure, in particular its ports. In addition, the World Economic Forum (WEF) ranked Brunei 57th out of 144 countries for the standard of its ports, 61st in terms o...

The Oxford Business Group reported the following update on Brunei on 27th June 2014: +++++ Economic Update Military spending on the rise in Brunei  Brunei Darussalam | 27 Jun 2014 Territorial disputes in the South China Sea have highlighted the ongoing tensions between China and countries including the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam, with the US also weighing in recently with its proposals for a bigger military presence in the region. Both Vietnam and Malaysia are undergoing regional military build-ups, and the Philippines doubled its defence budget in 2011 after pledging to conduct joint military exercises with the US. Meanwhile, Brunei has not been complacent, with additional spending and partnerships shaping the defensive posture of both the nation and the region for coming years. In late May, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) took a step closer towards establishing a formal arrangement for a regional defence industry col...

PEARL HARBOUR, HAWAII, Wednesday 25 June 2014 - KDB DARUSSALAM and KDB DARULAMAN arrived in Pearl Harbour, Hawaii, is a historic milestone for the Royal Brunei Navy, as this not only marks the first time a Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) ship to arrive in the Hawaiian Islands, but also to cross the Pacific Ocean and international dateline. En route from Guam to Hawaii, RBN Ships also participated in a Multinational Task Force (MNTF) Group Sail, other navies participating in MNTF Group Sail were the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and the US Navy (USN). Throughout the 11 day transit, a number of naval warfare serials were conducted and among them were gunnery firings, tactical manoeuvres and cross-deck helicopter operations. Despite challenging weather conditions, all serials and evolutions were executed safely proving an underlying commitment by all warships to a successful task force transit which goes toward progressing and enhancing inte...

Wednesday, June 25, 2014 BRUNEI should take advantage of history as a tool in providing quality education, a senior official from the Prime Minister’s Office said. Permanent Secretary Hj Mohd Rozan Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Yunos (pictured) yesterday said history can be a careful and systematic study of key societal processes such as relations of political power, economic interests, or cultural life over time. History emphasises change and continuity, and on how and why change occurs in human societies, he said. Delivering his keynote address during the Cluster Six Symposium, Hj Mohd Rozan said recognition of history as a continuing process has implications for the future. It requires exploration of, and debate over, how a defined historical past may relate to the present and the future, he added in his presentation titled “The Past Teaches the Present: A Lesson for the Future”. History and historical studies can affect curriculum, and induce innovativeness in several ways, the permanent s...

The American Embassy in Brunei releases the following news on Brudirect on 21 June 2014: +++++ The United States Secretary of State John Kerry has released the 2014 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report and the U.S. Embassy would like to announce that the Government of Brunei has maintained its “Tier II” ranking for its counter-trafficking efforts in 2013. The United States looks forward to continuing to work with His Majesty’s government as our nations seek to eradicate trafficking crimes and modern day slavery to make our world a safer place. The goal of the TIP report is to stimulate action and create partnerships around the world in the fight against modern-day slavery. The Report’s standards are consistent with those set forth in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in 2000, and the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (the “Palermo Protocol”), supplementing the United Nations Co...

Oxford Business Group on 17th June 2014 reported the following economic update on Brunei: +++++ Economic Update Brunei Darussalam ups the focus on water security Brunei Darussalam | 17 Jun 2014 With a growing population and expanding economy heaping the pressure on Brunei Darussalam’s water supply, the Sultanate has upped investment in storage and processing infrastructure, while also calling on its people to reduce consumption. Bruneians use an estimated 450 litres of water per person daily, according to data from the Ministry of Development, giving the country a consumption rate which is almost double that of its neighbours and one of the highest in the world. The Sultanate subsidises the cost of potable water for its citizens, which some officials believe could be contributing to the country’s high usage. Driving down usage could help the government achieve its aim of having capacity eventually exceed consumption. However, the task may prove to be a challenging one, despite the i...