Kopi Talk with MHO

MIB paradigms crucial equations in achieving Vision 2035

Vision 2035 seen as an ‘iceberg’

Everyone may know something about Brunei Vision 2035 and the progress and development it promises to the rakyat and the nation.

However many of them would be grappling for answers when asked to explain how ‘MIB’, ‘Negara Zikir’ and the often heard phrase ‘Baldatun Thayyibatun Wa Rabbun Ghaffur'

(a secure, peaceful and prosperous nation-state worthy of the clemency of ALLAH, The Most
Glorious, Exalted) fits in the Vision 2035.

“Prior to attending this course I honestly do not have the clear understanding on all these national ideals and concepts of nationhood. We understand that as a nation we want to be identified as an MIB, Negara Zikir (God Conscious Nation) and ‘Baldatun Thayyibatun Wa Rabbun Ghaffur’ nation”.

“But if you asked me what it really means I could only explain simply and sketchily and I bet many others too would have difficulty explaining it clearly and precisely while many would just shake their heads and shrugged ‘antah ah’ (don’t know)”, commented a participant in a two-day course on Strategic Planning and Scenario Planning.

The short workshop was organised by Civil Service Institute (IPA) and conducted by PPP Ilmu Alim, a local human resource development and management consultancy firm. Some 20 B1 and B2 government civil servants took part in the workshop as part of their respective department’s human resource development and capacity-building program. It was held from first to 2^nd June at IPA’s building.

The hands-on course featured Brunei Vision 2035 as a case study on the techniques and methodologies on drawing up a strategic plan dan scenarios. The participants were also presented with the opportunity to understand and debate and articulate on the relevance and importance of the three elements; the MIB, Negara Zikir and Baldatun Thayyibatun Wa Rabbun Ghaffur, in strategic and scenario planning particularly in the context of planning and implementing Vision 2035.

“Understanding these national aspirations in its wider, progressive management and administrative context that goes beyond culture, tradition and religious rituals, I must say the Vision 2035 is simply in line with all the spirits and values of the three important elements”, remarked another participant.

“In principle I can conclude that the Vision 2035 is in the spirit of Maqasid Syariah (the objective of Islamic law) and in line with our aim to sustain the nation as a secure, peaceful and prosperous nation-state worthy of the clemency of ALLAH”, he added.

Sadly, we failed to bring forth to the wider public domain what more in the public service middle management hierarchy these important elements in the context of nation building, commented another participant.

“After going through the subject matter, what we visualise now is that Wawasan 2035 is like an iceberg. We can see clearly the tip of the iceberg that is the Vision 2035 and its programs.  But hidden underneath are the three underpinning important elements”, said a senior civil servant.

“Many of us and even the pubic could only see the top part of the iceberg that is the wawasan and the direction we are heading. But the underpinning elements, such as the MIB concept and the Syariah-compliance part of the wawasan are generally unknown to others”.

“We believed that these underpinning elements should be highlighted and explained more to the public so that they could understand and appreciate the government strategy for sustainable development. This is especially so in the context of meeting the objectives to protect, preserve and promote the five foundational goals of Maqasid Syariah - Religion/Faith, Life, Intellect, Lineage and Property”. Similarly we should also highlight more the Vision 2035 in the context of sustainable development in KASEHE the acronyms for Keselamatan, Alam Sekitar, Sosial, Education, Health dan Employment”. 

“After all Vision 2035 is for the people and not exclusively for the government to worry about. So it is crucial to ensure all sectors of the community understood what Vision 2035 is all about in the context of the three foundational elements so that everyone could support it wholeheartedly and play their parts and contribute accordingly”, added the senior civil servant.

He is of the opinion that the three foundational elements in the national ideals should also be elevated as the national Key Performance Index (KPI) and in benchmarking the progress and development of the nation under the Vision 2035 programs.

“We are looking at developing the nation in line with utopian ideals and the way forward is to elevate the important universal ethics and values prescribed by our MIB, Negara Zikir and Baldatun Thayyibatun Wa Rabbun Ghaffur in the management and administrative context. We have to make these elements more visible, comprehensible and relevance. We should be able to keep track and measure our progress against these KPIs”, said the participant.