Bandar Seri Begawan: The First Meeting of the 21st Legislative Council session entered its third day, focusing on the deliberation of the Supply Bill for the Financial Year 2025/2026. The proposed National Budget for this period amounts to 6.35 billion Brunei Dollars. During this session, the council also approved a motion of vote of thanks for the presence and speech of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam at the Official Opening Ceremony.
According to Radio Television Brunei, before approving the budget, the Council heard the motion of vote of thanks from several Members of the Legislative Council. Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Retired Major General Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Halbi bin Haji Mohammad Yussof, Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister of Defence, highlighted current global challenges such as oil price volatility, climate change, and supply chain disruptions as opportunities to strengthen the economy.
Yang Berhormat emphasized that these challenges encourage explorations of new fields, improve innovation, and build a resilient economy. He stressed the need for a more aggressive approach to diversify the economy, enhance the capabilities of both the public and private sectors, and develop highly skilled human capital. This strategy includes empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises, encouraging foreign direct investment, and leveraging digital technology to increase productivity.