Brunei Press Sdn. Bhd.
Brunei Press Sdn. Bhd. stands as the country’s leading newspaper publisher, with a legacy shaped by its flagship titles: Borneo Bulletin, published in English, and Media Permata, in Malay. While Borneo Bulletin caters to a broader audience including expatriates and regional readers, Media Permata serves as the primary Malay-language daily. Until its closure in 2016, the company also operated The Brunei Times, a now-defunct English-language paper once regarded for its relatively diverse editorial tone.
Media assets
Publishing: Borneo Bulletin, Media Permata
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
Brunei Press Sdn. Bhd. operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of the QAF Group of Companies—a major Brunei-based conglomerate with investments spanning automotive services, food retail, manufacturing, and marketing. According to interviews with regional media experts conducted in May 2024, the QAF Group is ultimately majority-owned by the Bruneian state through the Sultan’s family holdings, indicating significant state influence at the corporate level. Although the company is formally private, its ownership structure places it firmly within the orbit of state-affiliated economic interests.
Source of funding and budget
Brunei Press sustains operations through a hybrid funding model. In addition to commercial advertising revenue—primarily from state-linked corporations and private businesses—the company benefits from indirect and direct forms of state support. These include government advertising placements and discretionary grants. Despite the absence of transparent financial disclosures, estimates provided by regional experts in 2024 suggest that more than half of Brunei Press’s operating budget is underwritten by state funds. This level of dependency reinforces the perception of institutional proximity to the government.
Editorial independence
Editorially, Brunei Press publications are widely perceived as extensions of official government communication. The tone and content of both Borneo Bulletin and Media Permata consistently reflect pro-government narratives, with little room for critical reporting or investigative journalism. Significant space is routinely allocated to coverage of royal functions, official announcements, and favourable portrayals of state initiatives.
There is currently no independent oversight body or regulatory framework in Brunei to safeguard the editorial autonomy of state-affiliated or private media outlets. As of June 2025, no significant reforms have been introduced to enhance media transparency or press freedom in the country. This absence of institutional safeguards continues to reinforce a tightly controlled media environment.
July 2025