The First Meeting of the 13th Session of Legislative Council entered its third day yesterday with the Council approved budget proposals for the Prime Minister's Office and its departments, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Ministry of Defence.

Prior to the approval, the meeting deliberated matters related to the Prime Minister's Office and its departments. Among the issues raised was the government subsidy for the citizens and residents in the country. In deliberating the issue, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim, Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister of Finance, urged the citizens and residents in the country to be prudent in order to help the government in reducing the subsidy amounting to millions of dollars. According to Yang Berhormat Pehin, the government subsidy of rice and sugar supplies is between 12 to 20 million dollars a year. While, the electricity supply is estimated at 97 million dollars in 2013-2014 before the new tariff was introduced. The government subsidy was among the matters raised by Yang Berhormat Awang Haji Abdul Hamid @ Sabli bin Haji Arshad.

Responding to the query raised by Yang Berhormat Awang Haji Abdul Hamid @ Sabli, Yang Berhormat Pehin said in a year the rice and sugar supply subsidies are between 12 to 20 million dollars. The subsidy of electric supply in 2011/2012 was 48 million dollars and for the Financial Year 2013/2014 before the new tariff was introduced it was 97 million dollars. Meanwhile, in 2010/2011, the petrol subsidy was based on the oil price. If the oil price edged up much at the time then the subsidy will be increased. In 2012/2013, the subsidy was 397 million dollars, in 2013/2014, it was 380 million dollars, 2014/2015 - 328 million dollars and 2015/2016 due to the lower oil price, and the subsidy was almost 160 million dollars. Speaking on the housing subsidy, Yang Berhormat Pehin explained that the government spend between 41 to 70 thousand dollars for the construction of one house.

Touching on the electricity subsidy, Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Singamanteri Retired Colonel Dato Seri Setia Doctor Awang Haji Mohammad Yasmin bin Haji Umar, Minister at the Energy and Industry at the Prime Minister's Office, explained that 98 percent of Bruneians have migrated to the practise of energy saving. The migration such as the new tariff, Yang Berhormat Pehin said, can assist the government's effort to provide subsidy to those who are in need. Thus, Yang Berhormat Pehin called on the residents in the country to together understand the provision of government subsidy which focuses on those who are eligible.

Source:
@BRUDIRECT.COM

by BRUDIRECT.COM

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