Brunei Darussalam (Brunei Darussalam) is a country blessed with abundant oil resources. While some of the benefits of these resources are being returned to the lives of the people, the unemployment rate is still high.increaseThe country is faced with the problem of Among other things, the unemployment rate among young people, their employment patterns, and their attitudes toward the labor market.dissatisfactionis increasing. In fact, the youth unemployment rate in Brunei in 2024 (*1) is about18.5%and the unemployment rate for the nation as a whole, about5.1%The number of young people who were able to find work was significantly higher than the number of those who were not able to find work. Many of the young people who were able to find work also reported that they were working in jobs that did not match their skills or were not the type of employment they were looking for.pointing outThe company has been
GNV has previously focused on Brunei's political and economic issues, and the history and current state of the oil state.Handled.This article focuses on the challenges facing Brunei's youth, such as high unemployment, and looks at the factors that contribute to these challenges, as well as the government's measures to address them.
The Royal Mosque of Brunei and its surroundings (Photo:) Curioso.Photography / Shutterstock.com)
Brunei Overview
Before going into the main topic, I would like to suppress some basic information about Brunei. Brunei is located in the northern part of the Southeast Asian island of Borneo, bordering Malaysia. It has an area of 5,765㎢ and a relatively small population of about 455,500 as of 2024.small countryThe first is.
From the 14th to 16th centuries, the kingdom known as Brunei extended to the present-day Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak and the Sulu Islands in the Philippines.forceThe kingdom was a dictatorship with a monarch called the sultan who held a great deal of power. The kingdom was an autocratic state with a monarch called the sultan who held great power, and from the end of the 16th century onward, its territory was gradually reduced due to a series of conflicts within the country. From the mid-19th century, the kingdom came under the influence of the British through the transfer of its territory to the British, and in 1888, the BritishprotectorateAfter independence in 1984, the sultanate continued to rule the country.sultanis the title of the monarch of an Islamic state, who is also the Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Defense, Minister of Finance, and is not constrained by any legislative or judicial body.authority of executionThe company may exercise the
Brunei has a large Muslim population, with about82.1%are dominated by Muslims. Very strict Islamic law is in place, with restrictions on free speech as part of that law, which was revised in 2019.criminal lawAccording to the "Islamic Law", the death penalty may even be carried out for those who transmit or publish material that promotes blasphemy or disobedience to Islam. The penal code also provides for flogging, imprisonment, or stoning for homosexual acts bydeath penaltylegalized, and has been condemned as a violation of human rights. For example, several UN agencies have called for the repeal of the new penal code as it violates international human rights standards.Appeal.The following is a list of the most common problems with the
Brunei's media is strictly by the government.censorThe government has made it difficult for journalists to speak out critically against these systems because they have been subjected to the The government has been accused of shutting down media outlets without cause and of prosecuting journalists for "false or malicious" reporting.imprisonmentIt can even do so. In fact, in 2024, according to the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranking of press freedom, Brunei was one of the 180 countries117thThe first two are the following.
Brunei's Economy Overview
Brunei's economy is dependent on natural resources such as oil and natural gas, and by 2023, the oil and gas sector will generate more than 901 TP3T of government revenue and more than half of the country's GDP.occupyThe GDP growth rate for the same year was 4.21 TP3T. The GDP growth rate for the same year was 4.21 TP3T and is expected to grow at a similar rate in 2025. This economic growth is expected to be driven by the expansion of non-resource sectors, such as tourism, transportation, and other service sectors, as well as by the development of oil fields.caused byIt is believed that this is the case. As for the non-resource sectors, we will focus on five sectors: oil and gas related products, food, tourism, ICT, and services.guidelineIndicates.
Water settlements in Brunei (Photo:)Baron Reznik / Flickr [CC BY-NC-SA 2.0])
In the resources sector, the main drivers of economic growth in 2024 will be the start of operations at newly discovered oil fields in 2023 and the resumption of oil and gas production that had been suspended.primary factorThe country's oil production is listed as In recent years, however, Brunei's oil production has reportedly been declining due to the depletion of existing oil fields and reduced development activities; in terms of average daily production, it was 204,000 barrels per day (*2) in 2000, but 118,000 barrels in 2010, and 103,000 in 2020, A large increase indecreaseBrunei's oil reserves have been depleted in the last 20-25 years. Despite these declines in production and reduced development, some experts predict that Brunei's oil reserves will be depleted in the next 20-25 yearsexistenceDo.
Abundant natural resources in abundanceresourcesis the fact that to a certain extent, the government is returning a certain amount of money to the people, which has resulted in improved medical and welfare services and free education up to university level. In addition, Bruneian citizens are not subject to income tax. due to the enhancement of medical and welfare services,birth rateis on par with the world average, yet the mortality rate is among the lowest in the world. In terms of population, more than one-fifth of the population is under the age of 15 and about half of the population is younger than 30.
GDP per capita in 2024 will be US$79,200, the 11th highest in the world.recordThe sultanate is the largest producer of goods and services in the world. However, much of that wealth has flowed into the hands of the sultan.situationand is said to have a net worth of US$30 billion. On the other hand, it is also true that inequality exists. Although there are no detailed statistics on poverty from the government or official organizations such as the World Bank, if we define the poverty line as half of the median household income, approximately 191 TP3T people were living below the poverty line as of 2015.results (of a study)There are also
Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei as of 2025 (Photo:)imagemaker / Shutterstock.com)
In 2008, in response to the economic and social challenges facing Brunei, the "Wawasan Brunei 2035was announced, with three goals to be achieved by 2035.one-eyedis in quality education and lifelong learning,Second.is quality life,Three.are sustainable economic growth and economic diversification. Among other things, the third goal is to achieve a low unemployment rate.
Youth unemployment rate
Currently, however, Brunei's younger generation faces the problem of high unemployment. The following is a discussion of the background to this situation. The first section will look at specific trends in youth unemployment rates.
As the graph shows, the unemployment rate has been rising steadily from 1991 to 2018.increaseAlthough there was a decrease after 2019, the global average was 18.51 TP3T in 2024.13.6%than the number of those who have a college degree. This situation is also true for those with a college degree, who are finding it more difficult to find a job for longer periods of time and to work in a non-regular job.unavoidablyMany of them are made to work in the same way.
So why is Brunei's youth unemployment rate so high? One reason has to do with Brunei's economic structure. Brunei's youth have been living under the enriched medical, welfare, and educational services provided by the financial resources brought by the country's abundant natural resources. One of the characteristics of young people who grew up in such a rentier state (*3) is that they tend to aspire to jobs that fulfill "high income, job security, and prestige"pointing outThe public sector is the most important source of income and employment stability. Therefore, the public sector, such as civil servants with high incomes and stable employment, is the best place to work.popularitywhile the popularity of the private sector is low. In fact, reliance on foreign workers in key industries such as construction, agriculture, and manufacturing isIt's growing.That number rises to 65,579 in 2019 and 75,402 in 2023,populationaccounted for about 16.41 TP3T of the
What steps is the government taking to improve such a situation? For example, in 2019, the government initiative to establishYouth Entrepreneurship Steering Committeeare mentioned. It is intended to assist young people in the process of starting and growing their enterprises. to match startups, SMEs, and experts.subsidyand support entrepreneurship development.networkAssist domestic companies in obtaining international approvals.consultingand factories when young people set up manufacturing-related enterprises.offeris taking place.
In this way, the government is diversifying the economy, providing business opportunities for young people, and creating jobs. In addition, in March 2017, the Legislative Council, the government's legislative body, appointed four young people to the National AssemblyappointmentThe company is also creating opportunities to incorporate the voices of young people into politics, such as by
Migrant workers from the Philippines at work in Brunei (Photo:) Jpquidores / Wikimedia Commons [CC BY-SA 3.0]
Youth and SNS
Under the dictatorship of the sultanate, which has been in existence since around the 14th century, the sultanate as of 2025, theMr. Hassanal Bolkiahhas been in power for nearly 60 years since his accession to the throne in 1967. The Sultan is a powerful figure in Brunei, and the government continues to perpetuate old customs and values. Against this backdrop, the high Internet and social networking sites in the youth populationdiffusion rateExposure to diverse values through social networking services is said to raise questions about old customs and social structures. In particular, young people who have been educated abroad tend to be negative toward conservative social structures and values in their home countries.pointing outThe use of digital technology has made it possible to address many issues that were once considered taboo. Through this use of digital, many issues that were once taboo are now being addressed on a variety of digital platforms.discussionThe "M" is now being used as a "M".
These changes in attitudes are beginning to manifest themselves in concrete social actions. One example is against discrimination against migrant workers. Migrant workers from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh who engage in manual labor have been the target of discrimination by many Bruneians, but this has long been an issue that has not been publicly discussed. In contrast, local influencers and other Bruneianyoung manhas begun to speak out against discrimination through social networking sites.
Thus, while solidarity is being created through digital platforms, Brunei's constitution and laws do not contain provisions guaranteeing freedom of speech.existenceThe challenge of not doing so remains. Furthermore, the 2019new criminal lawIn the case of the "murcalaf," young people over the age of 15 may be sentenced to death depending on their crime, and "mumayyis," children around 7 years old, may even be flogged as a criminal punishment. Therefore, there are limits to the extent to which young people can seek reform of traditional social structures.
People engaged in digital technology training in Brunei (Photo:)UNESCO-UNEVOC / Flickr [CC BY-NC-SA 2.0])
summary
So far, we have looked at the problems faced by Brunei's youth. While the people have benefited from natural resources and have enjoyed excellent health care and educational services, there are high unemployment rates and social and legal problems among the youth. This is due to the economic structure of the rentier state, which is dependent on oil wealth, and young people gravitate toward public service and other public sector jobs in search of stability and higher income, while private companies rely heavily on foreign labor. The government has responded by diversifying the economy and creating jobs through support for youth entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized enterprises.
Young people have been making changes, such as speaking out against discrimination against migrant workers through exchanges on the Internet, but they are hampered by a strict legal system. We will be watching closely to see how Brunei will improve its youth unemployment rate and diversify its economy in the future.
1 What is the youth unemployment rate here?15~ (after a number N)24It refers to the unemployment rate among the population aged 18 years old who are available for work and seeking employment.
note 2 (supplementary information)1Barrels are approximately159 litersThis unit is often used for international crude oil and petroleum products in the
3 A state whose finances are heavily dependent on revenues from natural resources such as oil and natural gas, and which maintains autocratic rule by distributing those revenues to its citizens free of charge.
Writer:Hayato Ishimoto
Graphic:Yow Shuning
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