Policy Directions

Transportation

In order to facilitate the Departments under the Ministry of Communications to execute the Strategic Plan, the following policy directions are recommended to serve as the overall framework and guidelines for relevant decision making.

1.       Transport and Logistic Hub

The objectives of policy direction as a transport Hub and Logistics Hub is to promote activities in the following areas:

·         Import and export through Brunei Darussalam; and

·         Travel to and through Brunei Darussalam.  

The present public transport system will be reviewed to make improvements in terms of service delivery product and quality so that the public transportation becomes efficient, convenient, timely safe, fulfilling and sustainable.

In order to achieve the above, current weaknesses and deficiencies should be looked into and converted into opportunities.  The transportation will include the following:

1.1   Air Transportation Services

·         Encourage more airlines to operate to Brunei Darussalam;

·         Provide incentives to encourage more airlines to come to Brunei Darussalam such as reduction on landing fees, office rental rebates, parking fees, etc., for a certain period;  

·         Improve refueling services;  

  ·         Support aircraft engineering development at the airport;

·         Upgrade and extend the existing terminal and build a new airport to support the growth of inflow of passengers;

·         Create a fun and exciting airport by enhancing the facilities and services in the airport terminal by adding more retail outlets, setting up an airport hotel and other services in the terminal;

·         Provide commercially successful facilities incorporating retail shops, food & beverage outlets, hotel, business centre, recreation facilities and conference centre; 

·         Provide expansion for cargo activities in order to accommodate cargo & logistics related facilities, such as freight terminal, freight apron, freight forwarders building, logistic centre and customs clearance building;  

·         Monitor the performance of the Brunei International Airport Cargo Centre (BIACC) and its development plan so that development of the BIACC is in line with the aspirations of the Ministry;  

·         Support RBA and other airlines to operate cargo service through chartered flights; 

·         Establish free trade zone (FTZ) at Brunei International Airport;  

·         Develop a regional distribution centre, transshipment centre and logistics centre;  

·         Support cargo carriers to operate into Brunei International Airport; and  

·         Develop the Air Cargo Centre in phases in order to accommodate air cargo growth in the next 12 years.

  1.2   Land and Sea Transportation  

·         Invest in quality and sufficient public transport facilities to enable better connectivity while at the same time creating a safe multi-modal connection internally and with neighbouring countries with common borders (Sabah, Sarawak and Indonesia);  

·         Improve cross-border movement of goods and people;  

·         Establish safest land transportation system;  

·         Create more public transport services as they are currently insufficient to cover key developed areas in the country including encouraging feeder services; 

·         Introduce franchise taxi services;  

·         Identify health, safety and environment related issues such as pollution and land transport related waste from mechanical workshops operating around the country.  Land Transport Department and Environment, Parks and Recreation Department, should formulate a monitoring and data collection mechanism on Health, Safety and Environment related to land transport industry;  

·         Encourage light and medium motor industry such as vehicles assembly with car manufacturer to encourage technological transfer, create job and uplift national capacity building; and  

·         Address fuel consumption in transportation sector.  

·         Make transshipment and logistics as the core activities;  

·         Provide bunkering service;  

·         Provide chandelling service;  

·         Provide training facilities / schemes for local shipping crew;  

·         Declare Muara Port as free trade zone;  

·         Support Pulau Muara Besar development;  

·         Focus on safety, security of ships and protection of the marine environment by promoting and monitoring of maritime safety, security and protection of the marine environment through the formation of the Maritime Coordination Centre (MCC); 

·         Continuous review of the laws and regulations in line with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) requirements;  

·         Formation of the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) with competence personnel; 

·         Promote the usage of electronic documentation e-government in collection of data, information and statistics;  

·         Recruit and train more personnel to achieve competency qualification for department succession planning; and 

·         Support the development of maritime industries.  

2.       Tourism Related Transportation Services  

·         Improve transportation services and coordinate facilities at Kampong Ayer and other marine touristic spots;  

·         Include Brunei International Airport and other terminals / entry points and hotels as part of the public transport system;  

·         Provide courtesy and customer oriented training and awareness programs for taxi drivers, bus operators and boat operators;  

·         Improve processing time for passport and visa clearance during arrival and departure; 

·         Convert transit passengers into inbound tourist; and  

·         Establish tourists information centre at transit hall.  

Communications

1.       Postal Services:  

·         Corporatise Postal Services Department and accelerate liberalisation of postal services in order to create more quality services and promote a conducive environment for competition;  

·         Address and pursue business expansion by using technology applications in operations; and 

·         Encourage all private couriers to provide services to rural areas.  

1.2   Information Communication Technology (ICT)  

·         Promote digital inclusion, technological progress, ubiquitous and competition-driven environments; 

·         Encourage business / private sector investment and participation as well as development of e-business activities;  

·         Create a dynamic regulatory framework;  

·         Intensify cooperation among main players in both the public and private sector in the development of the information infrastructure;  

·         Narrow the digital divide in terms of physical infrastructure, accessibility, affordability, language, ICT skills, content and enabling people with special needs;  

·         Ensure open and non-discriminatory access to public telecommunications networks for all information providers and users in accordance with laws and regulations;  

·         Ensure provision of universal access to public telecommunications services; 

·         Develop and utilise local content effectively to all backgrounds of society; 

·         Promote social awareness of the need for information among the people; 

·         Promote diversity of content including cultural and linguistic diversity;  

·         Ensure the protection of intellectual property rights, privacy and data; and  

·         Promote Research and Development.