Professor Chang-Yau Hoon of the Institute of Asian Studies at Universiti Brunei Darussalam has recently co-edited a book with UBD colleagues Aris Ananta (Visiting Professor at CARe) and Mahani Hamdan (Director of IPS) on Stability, Growth and Sustainability: Catalysts for Socio-economic Development in Brunei Darussalam (Singapore: ISEAS).
The book examines the current socio-economic development in the journey toward a diversified social economy, as targeted in Brunei Vision 2035. By examining the unique context of Brunei, this book fills in the gap on studies focusing on socio-economic diversification. It highlights the importance of the environment, digital technology and human capital in the diversification process.
His Excellency Ambassador Ong Keng Yong, who was the 11th Secretary-General of ASEAN, and currently the Executive Deputy Chairman of S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, refers to the book as “a very useful analysis of the challenges facing Brunei Darussalam as the country prepares itself for the 21st century.”
Professor Emeritus Hall Hill from Australian National University, who is a world leading economist on Southeast Asia, states that, “This forward-looking study of the Brunei economy is timely and topical. This is a very useful and informative guide not only for the Brunei government and society, but also for neighbouring ASEAN member states.”
The abstract of the book is as follows:
As in many other oil and gas dependent countries, Brunei Darussalam—a country with a small population but the second highest income per capita in Southeast Asia—has been diversifying its economy in three sectors: from oil and gas to other sectors of export/economic growth; from the dominance of public sector employment to a more balanced public and private sectors employment; and from heavy dependence on foreign labours to development of local talents.
This book examines the current socio-economic development in the journey toward a diversified social economy, as targeted in Brunei Vision 2035. By examining the unique context of Brunei, this book fills in the gap on studies focusing on socio-economic diversification. It highlights the importance of the environment, digital technology and human capital in the diversification process.
The book culminates with analyses on business, economy, employment and welfare in Brunei toward 2035, with a new face: a digitalized, sustainable and self-reliant society with a highly developed human capital and a flourishing private sector.
For the list of chapter titles in this volume and their authors, please visit the ISEAS website.
Aris Ananta, Hoon Chang-Yau and Mahani Hamdan (eds.). 2023. Stability, Growth and Sustainability: Catalysts for Socio-economic Development in Brunei Darussalam. Singapore: ISEAS Publishing.
