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201 VISITOR INFORMATION
Brunei’s welfare system is administered by the
Government of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal
Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum
Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi
Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei
Darussalam, where significant subsidies have been
made for Bruneian residents, especially in housing,
healthcare and education.
His Majesty had envisioned a state whereby every
one of his subjects could enjoy access to basic
amenities and since the mid-1970s, the National
Housing Programme, through the National Housing
Scheme (RPN) and the Landless Indigenous Citizens
Housing Scheme – known locally as Skim Tanah
Kurnia Rakyat Jati (STKRJ) were established to
meet the housing needs of the nation. STKRJ is
administered by the PublicWorks Department while
the RPN is handled by the Housing Department of
the Ministry of Development.
As Brunei’s population grows, so does its housing
needs. TheHousingDepartment has regularly revised
and developed housing policies to efficiently meet
the needs of the population while still maintaining
feasibility and sustainability in the long run.
The Public Works Department’s plan for STKRJ
allows its residents to purchase the houses at a
subsidised cost through monthly payments for a
period of 20 to 30 years.
Alongside the Housing Department and the
Public Works Department is the Brunei Economic
Development Board (BEDB), who has constructed
2,000 terrace and semi-detached houses on a
150-hectare plot of land in Kampong Pandan,
Kuala Belait.
BEDB were also responsible for two housing
projects under the 10th National Development
Plan; the 1,400 houses at Mengkubau, Kampong
Panchor and 1,500 houses at Kg Bukit Beruang,
Tutong. Both projects reached completion in May,
2014 and took four years to accomplish.
The Bruneian Government has continuously
provided free healthcare for its citizens with
government hospitals and healthcare centres
peppered throughout the nation. When consulting
practitioners, receiving medication or obtaining a
complete check-up at any government hospital or
healthcare centres, citizens are only required to
pay BND1.
In 2015, the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha
Hospital saw an upgrade to its Women and
Children Unit with a new BND69 million building
unveiled to better meet demands.
In education, the government provides free
enrolment to all citizens at government schools
nationwide. Students who wish to continue
their education also have the opportunity to do
so through scholarships either locally or abroad.
The country has six public higher education
institutions with Universiti Brunei Darussalam
being the oldest and largest number of enrolment.
There are private higher education institutions
throughout the country.
WELFARE SYSTEM