THE SULTAN'S FIRST YEAR ON HIS OWN - A SOLID PERFORMANCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 1188



E.O. 12356: NA

TAGS: PREL, PGOV, BX

SUBJ: THE SULTAN'S FIRST YEAR ON HIS OWN - A SOLID PERFORMANCE



1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT



2. SUMMART: THE SULTAN OF BRUNEI HAS NOW GOVERNED BRUNEI ON

HIS OWN FOR A LITTLEMSORE THAN ONE YEAR. IMPORTANT

ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE VISITS TO ALMOST EVERY AREA OF THE

NATION AND AN EMPHASIS ON A RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT. HE HAS

WARNED AGAINST THE SPREAD OF EXTREMIST ISLAMIC BELIEFS AND

MOVED TO REINFORCE A MODERATE ISLAMIC WAY OF LIFE IN BRUNEI.

IN THE FOREIGN POLICY AREA, BRUNEI SEEKS A ROLE THT IS BEYOND

MERE RECOGNITION OF ITS RIGHT AS AN INDEPENDENT NATION. THE

MILITARY'S CONTACTS WITH OTHER NATIONS ARE EXPANDING AND IT IS

MOVING TOWARDS UPGRADING ITS EQUIPMENT CAPABILITIES. THE

SULTAN'S ADMINISTRATION HAS SHOWN A WILLINGNESS TO TACKLE

DIFFICULT SOCIAL AND CULTURAL PROBLEMS IN THIS MALAY SOCIETY

THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A DRUG REHABILITATION CNETER AND

AN INFORMATION PROGRAM AIMED AT PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF

AIDS. BRUNEI'S PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY WHEN COMPARED TO THOSE OF

ITS NEIGHBORS, ARE MODEST. THE NATION NEEDS TO IMPROVE BASIC

SERVICES, SUCH AS TELEPHONE AND WATER SERVICE. MORE

TROUBLESOME IS THE CONTINUAL BLURRING OF LINES BETWEEN PUBLIC

AND PRIVATE BUSINESS. END SUMMARY.



3. WITH THE DEATH OF THE SERI BEGAWAN (SUTLAN'S FATHER) IN

SEPTEMBER 1986, THE SULTAN COULD FINALLY SET HIS OWN

COURSE FOR THE GOVERNMENT, CHOOSE HIS OWN CABINET, AND

GOVERN THE NATION OF BRUNEI, WITHOUT THE INTERVENTION OF HIS FATHER.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FORTY DAY MOURNING PERIOD HE

INSTALLED A NEW CABINET THAT GAVE SOME VERY ABLE MEN,

SUCH AS PEHIN ISA, IMPORTANT POSTS. AT THE SAME TIME

THE SULTAN SHUNTED ASIDE SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS, SUCH AS PEHIN AZIZ,

WHOSE IDEAS FOR BRUNEI DID NOT MATCH HIS OWN. ONE OF THE FIRST AREAS

THE SULTAN AND PEHIN ISA TACKKED WAS THE CRITICISM THAT THE

SULTAN WAS TOO DISTANT FROM THE PEOPLE. FOR THE LAST YEAR

THE SULTAN HAS JORNEYED AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH TO A

KAMPONG, MET THE KAMPONG LEADERS, VISITED THE KAMPONG

SCHOOL AND MOSQUE, AND THEN SEEN A PRIVATE

SECTOR ENTERPRISE RUN BY A BUDDING BUMIPUTRA BUSINESSMAN. ALL

OF THIS HAS BEEN RECORDED BY RADIO TELEVISION BRUNEI AND SHOWN

ON THE VENING NEWS. ANOTHER REGULAR FEATURE OF THESE VISITS

HAVE BEEN THE SULTAN ACCEPTING PETITIONS FROM THE KAMPONG ELDERS

FOR SERVICES AND NEEDS OF THE KAMPONG. DURING THIS YEAR THE

SULTAN HAS VISITED ALL OF BRUNEI, INCLUDING KAMPONGS ONLY

ACCESSIBLE BY AIR OR RIVER BOAT. A CONSITENT THEME EMPHASIZED

BY THE SULTAN AND ISA DURING THE YEAR IS THE GOVERNMENT IS TO

BE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE.



4. THROUGH THESE KAMPONG VISITS PEHIN ISA, WHO HEADS THE

ESTABLISHMENTS OFFICE, AND HIS STAFF HAVE BEGUN TO TACKLE THE

KAMPONG PROBLEMS, INCLUDING THE INCREASING NUMBER OF ILLEGAL ALLIENS

AND THE LACK OF SERVICES. IN A SIMILIAR MOVE, THE MINISTER OF

EDUCATION HAS UNDERTAKEN A PROGRAM TO VISIT EVERY SHCOOL IN THE

NATION (THERE ARE 176 SCHOOLS) AND MEET THE SCHOOL PRINICPALS AND

TEACHERS. ONE OF THE VIIBLE CHANGES IS THAT SCHOOLS ARE NOW REPARIED

WHEREAS BEFORE THEY WERE IN DEPLORABLE SHAPE, ESPECIALLY FOR A

NATION OF BRUNEI'S WEALTH.



5. ANOTHER CIRICISM OF THE BRUFEI GOVERNMENT IS THT IT

DOESN'T FACE TOUGH ISSUES WITH CULTURAL AND SOCIAL

IMPLICATIONS. ONE EXAMPLE IS THAT THE OFFICIAL LINE ON

DRUGS USED TO BE THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. DURING THE

LAST YEAR THE SULTAN HAS WARNED AGAINST THE EVILS OF DRUG

ABUSE AND THE GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED A DRUG REHABILITATION

CENTER. WHILE BRUNEI'S DRUG PROGLEM IS MINOR COMPARED TO

THAT OF MALAYSIA, THE GOVERNMMENT NOW ACKNOWLEDGES

THE ISSUE AND IS WORKING TO PREVENT DRUG ABUSE.



6. ANOTHER DIFFICULT ISSUE THAT THE HEALTH MINISTER AND HIS

DEPARTMENT HAVE FACED FORTHRIGHTLY IS AIDS. THE NATION HAS

LAUNCHED A PUBLIC INFORMATION COMPAIGN WITH POSTERS AND

PAMPHLETS. WHAT WAS TACITLY ACKNOWLEDGED WITH THE INTRODUCTION

OF THIS CAMPAIGN IS THAT BRUNEI HAS A COMMUNITY OF HIGH RISK

MEN, SOMETHING MOST BRUNEIANS PREFER TO OVERLOOK.



7. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS THE GOVERNMENT'S

REALIZATION THAT SOMETHING MUST BE DONE ABOUT THE HIGH NUMBER

OF TRAFFIC DEATHS AND ACCIDENTS THAT TAKE PLACE IN BRUNEI. THE

HEALTH MINISTRY AND COMMUNICATIONS MINISTRY WORKED TOGETHER TO

PASS A SELT BELT LAW, A GOOD START. THEN THE MINISTER OF

COMMUNICATIONS LAUNCHED A CAMPAIGN FOR DRIVER'S EDUCATION.



8. THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT WORKS TO STOP ANY

KNOWN ISLAMIC EXTREMIST FROM ENTERING THE NATION. TOP

GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ARE WORRIED BY THE PROBLEMS IN MALAYSIA

WITH ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS AND WORK TO PREVENT TE GROWTH IN

BRUNEI. THE SULTAN IS ALSO PROMOTING

MAINSTREAM ISLAMIC BELIEFS. THIS YEAR THE SULTAN PERFORMED

THE HAJ ALONG WITH MANY OF ADVISORS. THE PEOPLE OF BRUNEI,

INCLUDING BUSLOADS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN, LINED THE STREETS WHEN

HE DEPARTED AND AGAIN WHEN HE RETURNED. THE DAY WHEN THE

SULTAN RETURNED THERE WAS A MASSIVE PUBLIC GATHERING NEAR

THE PALACE WHERRE THE SULTAN SPENT HOURS WITH HIS

SUBJECT, TAKING WITH EVERYONE, ALL TO THE CONSTERNATION

OF HIS SECURITY PEOPLE.



9. THE SULTAN HAS WORKER TO SIDESTEP THOSE WHOSE VIEWS

ARE NOT IN LINE WITH HIS, FOR INSTANCE, THE GRAND MUFTI

WHO IS CONSIDERED PART OF THE OLD GUARD. HIGH GOVERNMENT

OFFICIALS ARE PROMOTING THE CAREER OF THE RELATIVELY YOUNG

PERMANENT SECRETARY OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS, WHOSE SPEECHES

RELFLECT THE SULTAN'S MODERATE ISLAMIC VIEWS.



10 IN THE FOREIGH POLICY ARDA, BRUNEI IS MOVING BEYOND ITS

GOAL SINCE INDEPENDENCE, WHICH WAS RECOGNITION OF THE COUNTRY

AND ITS RIGHT TO EXIST AS AN INDEPENDENT STATE. THE FOREIGN

MINISTRY IS PLAYING MORE OF A ROLE IN ASEAN MEETINGS AND

PREPARING FOR BRUNEI'S LEADERSHIP OF VARIOUS COMMITTEES. THE

ASEAN LABOR CONFERENCE, HELD IN LATE 1986, WAS THE FIRST

MEETING AT THE MINISTERIAL LEVEL HELD IN BRUNEI. ONE OF THE

DIRECT BENEFICIARIES OF THE SERI BEGAWAN'S PASSING FROM THE

SCENE HAS BEEN INDONESIA. SEVERAL MONTHS AGO THE SULTAN

OFFERED A SOFT LOAN OF $100 MILLION TO INDONESIA, SOMETHING

THAT WOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED DURING THE SULTAN'S FATHER

TIME BECAUSE HE NEVER FORGAVE THE INDONESIANS FOR THEIR

ROLE IN THE 1962 UPRISING.



11. WHILE BRUNEI FOREIGN POLICY EMPHASIZES CONSENSUS, AS DOES

ITS WAY OF LIFE, AND AVOIDING CONFLICTS, THE RECENT ASEAN DEBATE

ON WHETHER OR NOT TO GO TO MANILA DEMONSTRATE THE NATION IS

WILLING TO TAKE A POSITION AND DEFEND IT. EARLY ON BRUNEI

DECIDED THE MINISTERIAL MUST GO ON IN MANILA AND HAS NOT

WAVERED FROM THAT POSITION.



12. THE MILITARY HAS CONTINUED TO EXPAND THEIR CONTACTS WITH

OTHER NATIONS THIS PAST YEAR. THEY HAVE MOVED TO SHARE

INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION WITH THE MALAYSIANS AND THE MALAYSIANS

WORKED WITH THE BRUNEIANS TO CLEAR SEA AND AIR TRAFFIC DURING

THE BRUNEIAN'S FIRING OF TWO EXOCET MISSLES. THE BRUNEIANS ARE

CONSIDERING A JOINT VENTURE IN A MUNITIONS PLANT IN MALAYSIA.

SINGAPORE EXISTING PROGRAMS IN BRUNEI CONTINUE TO GROW. RBAF

TROOPS ARE OBTAINING BASIC SPECIAL FORCES TRANING IN

AUSTRALIA.



13. THE MILITARY IS MOVEING TOWARDS NEW EQUIPMENT ACQUISTIONS

INCLUDING FIXED WING AIRCRAFT, NEW PATROL BOATS (CORVETTE

CLASS) AND AN INTEGRATED RADAR SYSTEM. THE MAJOR CONSTRAINT IS

THE LACK OF PERSONNEL. OVER 4,000 MEN ARE ALREADY IN THE

MILITARY, A LARGE AMOUNT FOR A NATION OF JUST 225,000 WITH ONLY

ABOUT 135,000 MALAYS.



14. BRUNEI'S PROBLEMS ARE MODEST, ESPECIALLY WHEN COMPARED TO

NEIGHBORING NATIONS. IN SPITE OF THE BEST EFFORTS OF THE NEW

MINISTER OF DEVELOPMENT, HIS MINISTRY, WHICH IS REALLY A GIANT

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, JUST ISN'T ABLE TO MAINTAIN ROADS WELL

OR BUILD GOOD BRIDGES IN A TIMELY FASHION. WHY A NATION WITH

6 FEET OF RAINFALL A YEAR HAS PERIODIC WATER SHORAGES IS A

QUESTION NO MINISTRY OFFICALS WANTS TO ANSWER. LOCAL TELEPHONE

SERVICE CONTINUES TO BE A SORE SPOT WITH EVERYONE.



15. ONE PROBLEM THAT IS GETTING BIGGER IS THE BLURRING OF

LINES BETWEEN PULBIC AND PRIVATE BUSINESS. AN OBVIOUS EXAMPLE

IS THE INTERNATION BANK OF BRUNEI, FORMERLY THE ISLAND

DEVELOPMENT BANK. THIS BANK IS CONTROLLED BY THE ROYAL FAMILY

AND THE DIRECTORS ARE MEMBERS OF THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE. THE

QUESTION IS WHO SHOULD REGULATE THE BANK IF THE MINISTRY

OFFICIALS ARE THE DIRECTORS. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS THE GROWING

NUMBER OF FIRMS WITH CLOSE TIES TO THE ROYAL FAMILY OR

RELATIVES OF MINISTERS. THE QUESTION IS: "JUST HOW COZY CAN

THE RELATIONSHIPS BE BEFORE THEY CAUSE DIFFICULTIES.



16. ANOTHER PROBLEM AREA IS ON PUBLICITY ATTACHED TO

THE SULTAN'S VENTURES OUTSIDE OF BRUNEI, WHETHER IT BE THE

RECENT PURCHASE OF THE BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL OR THE SOFT

LOAN FOR INDONESIA. MONEY SPENT INSIDE BRUNEI IS NOT

VIEWED IN A HARSH LIGHT, FOR INSTANCE, BRUNEIANS DO NOT

VIEW THE PALACE AS AN EXTRAVAGENCE BECAUSE IT DOUBLES AS A

GOVERNMENT BUILDING AND THEY GET TO VISIT IT AT LEAST ONCE

A YEAR, AT HARI RAJA, WHEN THE SULTAN SHAKES EVERYONE'S

HAOND AND GIVES FOOD TO ALL VISITORS. HOWEVER, BRUNEIANS

QUESTION PURCHASES OR VENTURES OUTSIDE THE NATION WITH THE

ARGUMENT THAT THE MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT ON DEVELOPING

BRUNEI.



FERGUSON