Legislative Council of Brunei

The Legislative Council of Brunei (Malay: Majlis Mesyuarat Negara Brunei; Jawi: مجليس مشوارت نڬارا بروني; abbrev: Legco) is a national unicameral legislature of Brunei. The council comprises 36 appointed members, that only has consultative tasks.[5][6] Under Brunei's 1959 constitution, His Majesty Hassanal Bolkiah is the head of state with full executive authority, including emergency powers since 1962. The Council holds its sitting annually in March at Legislative Council Building in Bandar Seri Begawan.

Legislative Council of Brunei

Majlis Mesyuarat Negara Brunei

مجليس مشوارت نڬارا بروني
Type
Type
Established18 October 1959[1]
Leadership
Speaker
Abdul Rahman[2]
since 11 February 2015
Hassanal Bolkiah
since 1 January 1984
Structure
Seats37[3]
Political groups
National Development Party
Length of term
5 years
Elections
First election
18 October 1959
Last election
20 January 2023[4]
Meeting place
Legislative Council Building, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Website
Legislative Council of Brunei
Constitution
1959 Constitution of Brunei


Politics of Brunei

History

The council was established in 1959 by virtue of Article 23 of Brunei's Constitution of 1959. Its first sitting was held at Lapau on 21 October 1959. In 1984, the Council managed to hold 32 meetings; the last one being the 21st Meeting held on 12 February 1984. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah dissolved the council on the following day. Hence, legislative powers were fully vested in the Sultan.

Brunei had no legislature until 25 September 2004, when the Sultan decided to reinstate the Council using the old system. Brunei, once again, had a legislature. The Sultan disestablished the council on 1 September 2005 and, on the following day, reestablished the Council based on the amended version of Brunei's Constitution.

Roles

Since 1959, the council has played significant roles towards Brunei; not only to consider and approve budgets and revenue estimates, but also to advise the Sultan on the drive of the Government, to review policies implemented by the Government and to pass bills and motions brought by the Government and other members of the council.

Legislative procedure

The Council follows the practice of other Commonwealth parliaments. All bills presented in the Council go through three readings. All bills, however, must obtain prior approval from the Cabinet prior to their presentation in the council. Once a bill is passed, a bill must obtain Royal Assent in order to turn such bill to an Act.

Speakers of Legislative Council
Portrait Name Term of office Ref
Took office Left office
 Ibrahim Mohammad Jahfar 18 October 1959 19 February 1971 [7]
 Mohammad Alam Abdul Rahman 14 July 1971 30 November 1974 [8]
Abu Bakar Umar 1 December 1974 12 December 1981 [9]
 Kemaluddin Al-Haj 12 December 1981 13 February 1984 [10][11]
Council dissolved
 Kemaluddin Al-Haj 25 September 2004 1 March 2011 [12][13]
 Isa Ibrahim 1 March 2011 11 February 2015 [14][15]
 Abdul Rahman Mohamed Taib 11 February 2015 Incumbent [16]

Membership

The Council comprises the Sultan, the Crown Prince,[17] cabinet ministers and three types of members: members with titles, members representing districts, and members among outstanding Bruneians. All members, other than the Sultan, are appointed by the Sultan in accordance with Article 24 of Brunei Constitution.

The subsequent list as below are returning members of LegCo appointed by Sultan on 20 January 2023 as announced in Borneo Bulletin.[18]

Cabinet ministers

Since 7 June 2022 (a reshuffling of the Cabinet which had served since 30 January 2018), the Council consists of the following:[19]

Ministry Minister
Prime Minister's Office
Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications
  • Hon. Shamhary Mustapha
Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports
  • Hon. Nazmi Mohamad
Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Development
  • Hon. Juanda Abdul Rashid
Ministry of Education
  • Hon. Romaizah Mohd Salleh
Ministry of Finance and Economy
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Health
  • Hon. Dr. Isham Jaafar
Ministry of Home Affairs
  • Hon. Ahmaddin Abdul Rahman
Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism
  • Hon. Abdul Manaf Metussin
Ministry of Religious Affairs
  • Hon. Badaruddin Othman

Titled and clergy persons
TitleNameNotes
Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Jaya

Dato Paduka Awang Haji

 Judin Asar Clerk to the LegCo
Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia

Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji

Abdul Rahman Ibrahim
Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan

Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji

Adanan Mohd Yusuf
Suyoi Osman

Functional seats

Pursuant to Second Schedule of Article 24 (1) (a) (iii),[20] these seats given for persons who have achieved distinction on their own professional field or good contribution for communities across Brunei

Title NameNotes
Hajah Safiah Abdul Salam
Mr Lau How Teck
Ms Chong Chin Yee
Dr. Haji Mahali Momin
Haji Salleh Bostaman Zainal Abidin
Hajah Rosmawatty Abdul Momin
Pengiran Haji lsa Aliuddin

District representatives
DistrictsNameNotes
Belait 1 Salleh Othman Penghulu of Mukim Bukit Sawat
Belait 2 Lim Swee Ann Village head of Kampong Bukit Sawat
Tutong 1 Tekpin Ya’akub Penghulu of Mukim Ukong
Tutong 2 Abdul Aziz Hamdan Village head of Kampong Sengkarai
Temburong Sulaiman Nasir Village head of Kampong Labu Estate and Kampong Piasau-Piasau
Brunei-Muara 1 Amran Maidin Penghulu of Mukim Lumapas
Brunei-Muara 2 Lawi Lamat Village head of Kampong Subok
Brunei-Muara 3 Zainol Mohamed Village head of Kampong Putat
Brunei-Muara 4 Mohamad Ali Tanjong Village head of Kampong Lumapas 'B'
Brunei-Muara 5 Daud Jihan Village head of Kampong Belimbing

See also

References
  1. "MAJLIS MESYUARAT NEGARA". DOKUMEN-DOKUMEN PERLEMBAGAAN CONSTITUTIONAL DOCUMENTS. p. 32, 76.
  2. "Brunei Darussalam". 5 July 2018. Archived from the original on 2 February 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  3. "Ahli-Ahli". Archived from the original on 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  4. "New Legislative Council appointed » Borneo Bulletin Online". New Legislative Council appointed. 2023-01-20. Retrieved 2023-01-21.
  5. "Brunei Darussalam" (PDF). United Nations (Human Rights Council): 4. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  6. "Brunei". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2022-08-27.
  7. "Speaker M.M. Negeri Meninggal Dunia" (PDF). Pelita Brunei. 24 February 1971. pp. 1, 4–5.
  8. "royalark". www.royalark.net. Retrieved 2023-01-28.
  9. "Info Untuk Kita Bersama . Brunei IUKBB - Pada 11 Jun 1985". ms-my.facebook.com (in Malay). 12 June 2022. Retrieved 2023-01-29.
  10. "Masyarakat mainkan peranan bantu banteras jenayah rasuah » Media Permata Online". Masyarakat mainkan peranan bantu banteras jenayah rasuah. 2021-12-11. Retrieved 2023-01-29.
  11. "Majlis Mesyuarat Negara: Acuan Kebruneian » Media Permata Online". Majlis Mesyuarat Negara: Acuan Kebruneian. 2017-03-20. Retrieved 2023-01-29.
  12. "DEWAN MAJLIS" (PDF). Majlis Mesyuarat. 25 September 2004. p. 1.
  13. "DEWAN MAJLIS" (PDF). Majlis Mesyuarat. 1 March 2011. p. 1.
  14. "DEWAN MAJLIS" (PDF). Majlis Mesyuarat. 1 March 2011. p. 1.
  15. Md Zain, Nurliah (2 March 2016). "MMN wadah permuafakatan" (in Malay). Bandar Seri Begawan: Pelita Brunei. Archived from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  16. "New Legislative Council appointed » Borneo Bulletin Online". New Legislative Council appointed. 2023-01-20. Retrieved 2023-01-21.
  17. He is a member of Cabinet of Brunei. Therefore, he is a member of the Council.
  18. "New Legislative Council appointed » Borneo Bulletin Online". New Legislative Council appointed. 2023-01-20. Retrieved 2023-01-21.
  19. Hj Abu Bakar, Rasidah; Bandial, Ain (7 June 2022). "HM: New cabinet must carry out duties with "full loyalty and responsibility"". The Scoop. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  20. "Archived copy" (PDF). www.agc.gov.bn. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-08-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

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