​The Oil Refinery and Petrochemical Plant Project at Pulau Muara Besar is expected to contribute an estimated 1.33 billion American dollars towards the Gross Domestic Product, GDP by 2020. Once it is operational, the national joint venture project is expected to generate one thousand and six hundred job opportunities. The project's site was a main focus of His Royal Highness's visit yesterday.

The site is among ten industrial sites opened to foreign investors under the management of Darussalam Enterprise. Upon arrival at the Central Control Room Building, His Royal Highness was greeted by Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Matsatejo bin Sokiaw, the Deputy Minister of Energy (Energy and Manpower) and Industry and Dr. Awang Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin, the Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy. The welcoming ceremony was followed by the reading of Al-Fatihah and Doa.

Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Doctor Awang Haji Mat Suny bin Haji Mohd Hussein, the Minister of Energy (Energy and Manpower) and Industry in a welcoming speech explained that development of the Oil Refinery and Petrochemical Plant project is a joint-venture between Hengyi Industries Sendiran Berhad, which is a joint-venture company between Damai Holdings Limited under the Strategic Development Capital Fund, Ministry of Finance and Economy and the Foreign Direct Investment company, Zhejiang Hengyi Company Limited from the People's Republic of China. The 276 hectares project has a total investment of about 3.4 American dollarsdari Republik Rakyat China. His Royal Highness then consented to sign a parchment. 

The Refinery and Petrochemical Plant at Pulau Muara Besar is hoped to contribute one point, three, three billion American dollars to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP by 2020. It is also expected to directly generate one thousand and six hundred sixty five job opportunities. At the beginning, fifty percent of the jobs will be for local workers and gradually increase to 90 percent in the future.

His Royal Highness also heard briefings on the overall development of the Pulau Muara Besar project, the development of the Oil Refinery and Petrochemical Plant Project, technical matters related to it, the role and duty of the Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation, JASTRE in the environmental management and monitoring of Pulau Muara Besar, health, safety and environmental standards on the island. The briefings to His Royal Highness also touched on the welfare and well-being of workers stationed at Pulau Muara Besar, religious activities conducted there and the commitment of Hengyi Industries Sendirian Berhad in its efforts to increase the recruitment of local manpower.

The first phase of the Pulau Muara Besar project was approved by the Government of His Majesty Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam in June 2011.

His Royal Highness then toured the refinery units and the processing of petrochemicals. His Royal Highness then proceeded to the East and West Jetties. The Refinery and Petrochemical Plant Project also provides economic spill-over effects on local enterprises that support the construction and operation of the plant.  In the construction phase alone, 82 local enterprises or industries were awarded contracts by Hengyi Industries Berhad for various services including supplying construction materials, construction surveying service, logistics, supply of chemical products and cleaning.

His Royal Highness then chaired a meeting of the Pulau Muara Besar Progress Steering Committee with the Management of the Hengyi Company at the Central Control Room Building. The formation of the committee is meant to ensure the monitoring, planning and supervision of affairs related to Pulau Muara Besar in a holistic way so that the socio-economic benefits will be maximised and to protect health, security and the environment, the safety and well-being of the workers as well as the country's sovereignty and image as the Green Jewel. 

His Royal Highness also consented to attend a luncheon. His Royal Highness also performed the Zuhur prayer with the company's local workers at the Capacity Building Centre's Surau. There are 276 local workers currently working with Hengyi Industries Sendirian Berhad.

The Oil Refinery and Petrochemical Plant project is the biggest in the country and the second largest in the ASEAN region. Once it is operational, it is expected to reap more benefits in the form of economic security with the development of products from oil and gas resources.