Assalamu’alaikum everyone. I was having teh-c kosong and roti cucur the other day, thinking about the Wawasan 2035 meeting His Majesty chaired. We only have about ten years left. So the real question is simple. Are we actually on track for a Brunei our kids can be proud of.
His Majesty wants the economy to diversify. That’s the right call. But honestly, it still feels slow on the ground. Look around any kampung or any family gathering. One kid has a government job, alhamdulillah, stable and safe. Another kid finished a diploma and is still job hunting. Maybe there’s one more trying to run a small food stall, full of drive, but the market here is just too small. And the ICT graduates? Many get offered peanuts once they enter the private sector.
We already have a small population. If our own young people can’t find proper work here, where do they go. We need real jobs. Knowledge based work, in tech, in design, in media, and beyond. Help the SMEs properly. Cut the red tape that slows them down. If we want our kids to stay and build their future here, we need to give them a real reason to stay.
Every parent wants their kid to belajar banar-banar. But are we actually teaching them what they need. Coding, critical thinking, how to run a business, these matter now. The Manpower Blueprint is a good start, but more needs to happen. More internships. Real industry training. Skills that actually get used.
We are grounded in MIB, alhamdulillah, and that will always be our foundation. But moving forward doesn’t mean choosing between tradition and progress. Our kids should be able to recite the Quran and pitch a business idea in the same breath, without losing who they are.
Quality of life isn’t about fancy words. It’s clean air. Good schools. Fair wages. Not having to choose between paying the electricity bill or buying groceries. Our environmental scores aren’t great right now. And there are still families struggling to get by. We can and should do better here.
Wawasan 2035 can’t just stay a poster on a wall somewhere. His Majesty has made it clear, it’s time to deliver. Less talk, more action. Give our youths a real seat at the table. Cut through the bureaucracy. Make space for real progress to happen.
I pray our children grow up finding real joy in what they do. Living in a Brunei that’s clean, safe, and something they’re proud to call home. The vision is already there. Now it’s on all of us, leaders, parents, and youths alike, to play our part.
Let’s roll, Brunei.
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