... taken center stage, with young new faces introduced in the recent cabinet reshuffle. Implementation of sharia law remains slow. On the international front, Brunei appears to be moving closer to China, which is emerging as the country’s largest foreign investor. © 2019 by The Regents of the University...

...Dominik M. MÜLler Brunei continued in 2016 to suffer from declining oil and gas prices. The budget deficit grew. The Sultan made economic diversification and “prudent spending” the year’s central political themes. He criticized several government institutions during “surprise visits” and sharply...

...Dominik M. Müller The oil price decline of 2015 caused significant losses for Brunei’s economy. The country is still preparing the second phase of its Sharia reform that began in 2014. In addition to his other government positions, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah appointed himself as minister of foreign...

...Samuel C. Y. Ku "Maturity as a Nation" was the theme for Negara Brunei Darussalam's 25th National Day celebrations in February 2009. Although the oil-rich nation has made several impressive strides, the authoritarian sultanate also faces unemployment, low foreign investment, and a lack of civil...

...William Case Political life in Brunei is frequently cast as stultifying, with activity diverted from political parties and civil society to the sultan and his coterie. Indeed, in 2006, with the government's petroleum earnings rising, the only detectable pressures for more openness seemed to emanate...