Wawasan 2035? Even oil and gas don't guarantee your future now.
Lately, there have been so many viral posts about Shell contractors in Brunei. From local workers allegedly being laid off due to cost-cutting, to salary cuts, and now reports about BSP not getting involved and no more contract rollovers.
If these reports about no rollovers are true, what will happen to the local workers whose contracts are coming to an end? Will more Bruneians be forced out of the oil and gas industry simply because companies want to reduce costs?
And what about LBD? Honestly, I wonder what actions are being taken to address these concerns and protect the interests of local workers. People deserve clear answers about their jobs and their future, not uncertainty about whether they will still have a source of income tomorrow.
Perhaps now we can understand why some Bruneian oil and gas workers are choosing to go to Australia to pick strawberries or take on other jobs outside their field. Sometimes, people are willing to leave everything they have built behind just to find better opportunities and a more secure future.
It's sad when people with years of experience, skills, and dedication to Brunei's oil and gas industry have to consider leaving the country because they are uncertain about their future.
Maybe it's time for more Bruneians to look beyond our borders and explore job opportunities overseas. Not because we don't love our country, but because we have bills to pay, families to support, and futures to secure.