197 / 246
193
VISITOR INFORMATION
Welfare System
Brunei Darussalam’s welfare system is
administered by the Government of His Majesty
the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei
Darussalam. Significant subsidies have been
made for Bruneian residents, especially in the
areas of housing, healthcare and education.
His Majesty had envisioned a state whereby
every one of his subjects could enjoy access
to basic amenities. 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) – has been tending to the housing
needs of the nation. STKRJ is administered
by the Public Works Department while the
RPN is handled by the Housing Development
Department of the Ministry of Development.
As Brunei’s population grows, so does its
housing needs. The Housing Development
Department regularly revises and develops
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 Development Department
and the Public Works Department is the Brunei
Economic Development Board (BEDB). From 2009
to 2011, the BEDB constructed 2,000 terrace and
semi-detached houses on a 150-hectare plot of
land in Kampong Pandan, Kuala Belait.
The BEDB was also responsible for two housing
projects under the 10
th
National Development
Plan involving 1,400 houses at Mengkubau,
Kampong Panchor and 1,500 houses at Kampong
Bukit Beruang, Tutong. Both projects reached
completion in May 2014 and took four years to
accomplish.
The Government of His Majesty 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
(RIPAS) Hospital saw an upgrade to its Women
and Children Unit with a new BND69 million
building unveiled to better meet demands. In the
field of 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.