That morning, at Nurul Iman Palace, an official document was released without major media attention — but its impact will be felt in every district office, vocational training center in Tutong, and young entrepreneur café in Gadong. Not because of a long speech, but because three new words appeared in the government structure: *Economic Coordination Minister*, *Human Development Coordination Minister*, and *National Security Coordination Minister*. For the first time in Brunei's history, coordination is no longer a hidden task behind inter-ministerial meetings — it is now a full-fledged position with the power to propose and allocate specific resources.
Why three coordinating positions — not just adding one more minister?
Coordination is not a new term in Brunei. Since 2018, the Economic Planning Department (JPE) and the Wawasan 2035 Strategic Unit have been working to align projects such as the Digital Innovation Center in Berakas and the BRUNEI HALAL program in Temburong. However, initiatives often stalled at the ministry door: the Ministry of Education could not change the vocational curriculum without approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs; the Ministry of Economy could not launch tax incentives for SMEs without support from the Ministry of Finance. Now, the Economic Coordination Minister — held by Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Awang Haji Abdul Rahman — is not just 'connecting', but has the authority to direct cross-portfolio implementation. For example: if the Young Entrepreneurs Club in Kuala Belait requests technical assistance *and* access to financing *and* halal certification in one application, the three involved ministries must now report regularly to the Coordination Minister — not to their respective ministers. This is not about hierarchy, but about *speed of results*.
What does 'Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry' mean for small traders in Pasar Tamu?
The old name — Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism — was still relevant in 2015, when oil and gas contributed 60% of government revenue and tourism was a 'bonus'. Today? Oil and gas contributions have dropped to 42%, while exports of local products such as organic ring cakes from Seria and bird's nest from Temburong have increased by 37% in two years. The rebranding is not just cosmetic. It brings operational changes: the 'Micro Export Unit' is now open in all district offices, not just in Bandar Seri Begawan; the e-permit system for non-oil exports (NOC) has been simplified from 14 days to 72 hours; and the 'Pasar Tamu Digital' program is being tested in Limbang and Kuala Belait — allowing cake or handicraft sellers to register as micro-traders in 10 minutes, get a business number, and receive free logistics guidance from the Department of Industry. This is not about replacing oil — but about providing real access to the 12,400 micro-entrepreneurs registered in the Brunei Entrepreneur Information System (SMUB) 2025.
Why is the promotion of three women to Deputy Ministers not just 'symbolic'?
Two of the three new Deputy Ministers — Datin Hajah Noraini binti Haji Mohd Yusof (Deputy Minister of Education) and Datin Hajah Siti Aminah binti Haji Awang Salleh (Deputy Minister of Home Affairs) — previously led critical units: one managed the 2023 Vocational Education Curriculum Transformation, and the other developed the e-registration system for births and deaths now used in 92% of village clinics. The third, Datin Hajah Zaleha binti Haji Bakar, previously Chief Operating Officer at the Veterinary Services Department, is now Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry — the department that controls 86% of Brunei's fresh vegetable supply. This promotion is not about quotas. It is about performance: all three figures have proven their ability to drive change at the implementation level — from reducing the waiting time for veterinary certificates for live chicken exports to Thailand from 11 days to 3 days, to launching the 'Sekolah Ku' app that allows parents in Tutong to monitor their children's attendance in real-time. This trust is important: more than 58% of teachers and 63% of district officers in Brunei are women — yet only 22% of Deputy Minister positions were held by women before 2026. Now, the figure has risen to 33% — and more importantly: they are placed in portfolios with direct impact on daily life.
What is the impact on me — as a student, trader, or housewife in Bangar?
If you are a student at the Brunei Polytechnic, you will receive an automatic notification in September 2026 about the new module 'Digital Economy & Micro Export' — mandatory for all disciplines, not just business. If you are a cake trader in Pasar Tamu Bangar, you can register for the 'No-Collateral Micro-Finance Program' through the BRUNEI GOV app — the process is fully managed by the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and supported by funds from the Ministry of Economy. If you are a housewife in Mukim Labu, you can take the online course 'Stock Management & Product Packaging' through the BRUNEI SKILL platform — now jointly managed by the Human Development Coordination Minister and the Training and Skills Department. No more 'waiting for instructions from above'. Now, the system is designed so that responses come from below — and the government provides the way, not just control.
The 2026 cabinet change is not about who sits where. It is about who can now make decisions — and how quickly those decisions reach the people.