HM stresses on zero poverty and raised self-sufficiency

HM stresses on zero poverty and raised self-sufficiency


Customary 'titah': His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, delivering his 'titah' in conjunction with the celebration of Hijrah 1430 Islamic new year at Istana Nurul Iman. Picture: BT/Zamri Zainal
HADI DP MAHMUD
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Monday, December 29, 2008

HIS Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday called for continued improvements in the country's standard of living to achieve zero poverty and accelerate efforts to raise the nation's self-sufficiency rate in agriculture.

Addressing Brunei citizens in a customary titah broadcasted on Radio Television Brunei nationwide, the monarch expressed hope for faster movements in achieving the national objectives, particularly in agriculture.

"We need to raise our self-sufficiency rate to a higher level in line with our growth and needs," said His Majesty, adding that there will be continued efforts to improve standards of living suitable with the goal of achieving zero-poverty.

"Prosperity can be achieved with effort by utilising natural resources the country is endowed with. From these resources, we acquired oil and gas, and from this we gained food.

"Today we talk about Hijrah. If Muslims succeed in breaking out of the poverty cocoon, then this will be the most historic Hijrah for them."

The monarch also expressed hope, in particular for the leaders within all government agencies to be strong and honest in their beliefs, "for they are the captains who will steer the ships to the correct ports."

"Fitting with the spirit of Hijrah, everyone, especially leaders and their assistants, need to be more aware of current affairs, whether related to their daily duties or beyond them.

"If there is something that needs to be dealt with immediately, why not do so? The same goes for opportunities for change. Why not change, if it brings benefits?"

Concluding his titah, His Majesty and his family would like to extend a happy new Hijrah 1430 year and hoped that all Bruneians will gain hidayat and guidance from Allah the Almighty.

A report recently published in The Brunei Times said that Brunei's self-sufficiency rate for rice production currently stands at 3.12 per cent, with the bulk of rice consumed in the Sultanate imported from Thailand. The assistant director at the Agriculture Department spoke earlier in March of plans to raise the self-sufficiency rate to 10 per cent, although no targets were specified.

According to the report, during a working visit by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office to the department earlier this month, plans were unveiled for a 20 per cent increase in rice production by 2010 and a 60 per cent increase by 2015.

The plans include new rice fields for the Brunei-Muara, Belait and Temburong Districts, improvements to rice field infrastructures and the use of a high-yielding variety seeds, which altogether may cost up to $50 million.

A Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports official recently said the government can help overcome poverty by providing subsidies and facilities for the poor to be involved in agriculture to encourage them to be more economically self-reliant.

Hj Mohammad Sofian Hj Amit from the Youth and Sports Department recently said that poverty is under control in Brunei while extreme poverty is non-existent, during a group discussion at the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths programme on "Overcoming Poverty through a Social Inclusion Approach: The Status quo of Asia and Oceania in a Globalised Economy", in Tokyo, Japan.

He said poverty exists mainly among the elderly who live alone and are unable to take care of themselves after being abandoned by their family, adding that there are no homeless people or beggars on Brunei's streets but acknowledged the existence of some poor and destitute people who live in houses in poor conditions.

The Brunei Times