Approval of business licences made faster

THE government has streamlined the issuance of business licences and permits, cutting down the procedure by half and even paring costs on the part of businesses, officials yesterday said.
Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Hj Badaruddin Pengarah Dato Paduka Hj Othman yesterday launched the streamlined procedure, which is being administered by the Municipal Board.

"Businesses will be able to cut down their operation costs, and reduce the need of paying (empty rent) while waiting for their business licences to be approved," the minister said in his speech.

He added that this will not just benefit the Bruneian private sector but also help attract foreign direct investment by making Brunei more competitive by having a leaner business licensing procedure.

The Municipal Board announced that as of April 1, business licensing approvals have been cut down for specific businesses from 10 days to five days under the streamlined process.

Under the scheme, specific businesses will be able to secure their Occupational Permit and Certificate of Fitness in five days instead of 10 days previously. These businesses include shoe stores, bookstores, textile stores, sundry shops, tailors, hardware stores, kiosks and mechanical accessory stores (for speakers and sound systems).

Also, renewing business licences will now take two days from five days previously.

The approval for the construction and setting up of business signs has also been shortened to two days, when previously it took seven days.

According to both the Municipal Board and the Ministry of Home Affairs, the initiative was aimed at boosting Brunei's ranking in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business report, where the 2011 report showed that Brunei was ranked 112 out of 183 economies.

In the report, under the sub-category of "Starting a Business", Brunei was ranked 152 out of 183 economies.

It was in the view of improving Brunei's ranking in the index that the Municipal Board decided to review the system.

"This is a result of the Ease of Doing Business Index, and we started analysing this, where in Brunei there are 15 procedures when it comes to starting a business. Many of them have to do with our department," said Mohamad Ramli Hj Zulkifli, acting chairman of the Municipal Board.