Brunei Inc supports government efforts toward economic progress

HERALDING the Sultanate's 28th National Day, representatives of Brunei's business community yesterday voiced their support towards furthering the country's economic development through courting foreign investment and holding productive debates.

Speaking to The Brunei Times while helping to lead the pink-shirted Chinese Chamber of Commerce (CCC) contingent during the National Day parade, Deputy President Lim Chai Hoon shared some of the chamber's initiatives for this year.

"We are trying to cooperate with the government and private sector, and try(ing) to encourage our members to invest in Brunei, as well as other countries, especially China, which is a booming country now," he said.

The CCC was also urging entrepreneurs from China to "come over to invest in Brunei".

The sectors eyed for these investments included the local industry, fisheries sector, and agriculture, particularly in padi planting, which Lim said was among those being pushed by His Majesty.

Within the chamber itself, the deputy president stressed the importance of cooperation among all members, including the young Chinese and women entrepreneurs, which has led to the chamber's current success.

He added that this was evident in their participation in the march past at the Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar 'Ali Saifuddien.

"Among our members, we are very cooperative and working together. Especially today, you see we have the young entrepreneurs and the women division participating (in the march past)," he said.

"So, all the time, every function, we are all working together. That's how we become successful in our organisation," he added.

Lim shared that the chamber was growing in membership every year, with the chamber continuously trying to recruit more. To date, the CCC has a membership of about 1,000 local businessmen and women.

Emphasis was also placed on recruiting more young Chinese entrepreneurs because "the young guys are the engines of the future".

"They are very important, the young entrepreneurs. We are trying all the time to encourage them," he said. "Naturally, the old ones must retire, so the new ones must be coming up. That's why we must have the people to take over the old guys."

Asked for his message for national day, Lim said: "We wish that our country becomes more and more prosperous, and people will be more and more happy".

Meanwhile, the Malay commerce chamber president also gave a similar message.

"On behalf of the Brunei Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, we wish to congratulate His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and the people of Brunei on the 28th National Day," said Hj Razali Hj Johari, the chamber's president.

Hj Razali also took part in the procession yesterday, leading the members of his chamber.

The president told The Brunei Times that the chamber plays a huge supporting role in the government's implementation of the Outline of Strategies and Policies for Development (OSPD) for Brunei Vision 2035 (Wawasan 2035), which would help spur more successful local Malay businesses and entrepreneurs in the Sultanate.

"We are looking forward to the successful implementation of OSPD for the progress and prosperity of Brunei," he said.

With a fresh start to the new year, the chamber is set to begin a series of programmes for its members and stakeholders of Wawasan 2035; under a recently-introduced initiative known as the Business and Industry Community Cluster (BICC) Development Debate.

Under the programme, the chamber plans to hold monthly debates on issues pertaining to the challenges and opportunities in achieving the Sultanate's vision. The programme, Hj Razali explained, was in response to His Majesty's new year 2012 titah, in which the monarch called upon the nation to ensure a safe and successful journey towards the vision, in view of the global economic and financial turbulence.

The Brunei Times