Rosmawatty Abdul Mumin
Rosmawatty binti Haji Abdul Mumin | |
|---|---|
| Born | Brunei |
| Occupation(s) | Civil servant, politician |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Known for | First female director at Brunei Shell Petroleum; member of the Legislative Council of Brunei |
Rosmawatty binti Haji Abdul Mumin is a Bruneian civil servant and politician who was appointed to the Legislative Council in 2023. She holds the distinction of being the first woman to serve as a director at Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) and was also the inaugural female manager from Brunei within BSP and the broader Shell Group throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
Education and early career
Rosmawatty earned her degree in both physics and chemistry from the University of Keele.
Beginning her career at BSP in 1983, she progressed through various technical positions, ultimately becoming the first female director and senior executive within BSP and Shell Asia Pacific. Her contributions significantly improved onshore and offshore oil and gas production, including her role as Asset Manager for the West Unit. On 2 May 2008, she broke new ground by becoming BSP’s first female Asset Director, taking over from Salleh Bostaman.
Since 15 August 2013, Rosmawatty has held the position of Permanent Secretary (Upstream) within the Energy Division under the Prime Minister's Office. In this capacity, she oversees sustainable energy programs consistent with Brunei’s Energy White Paper objectives.
Political career
Following directives from Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Rosmawatty was appointed to the Legislative Council effective 20 January 2023.
19th LegCo session
On 7 March 2023, Rosmawatty addressed concerns regarding Brunei’s declining oil and gas production, which is adversely affecting national revenue due to slow recovery efforts. Despite substantial rehabilitation investments over the last five to eight years, output has yet to meet projected targets. She called on the Department of Energy to convey a stronger sense of urgency to BSP and TotalEnergies EP (Brunei), and advocated for appointing more local personnel to senior leadership roles within BSP. Minister Mohd Amin Liew acknowledged delays caused by the pandemic and emphasized the importance of integrating both local talent and international expertise in the sector.
On 11 March 2023, Rosmawatty suggested that Brunei’s foreign diplomatic missions should create job opportunities for local youth. Minister Erywan Yusof responded by noting that while vacancies do exist, recruitment is subject to local laws and specific training requirements. He explained that candidate selection must balance qualifications with host country criteria.
In response to international scrutiny concerning Brunei’s Syariah law, Minister Erywan reiterated the nation’s dedication to preserving its traditions, culture, and religious values. When Rosmawatty inquired about how the Ministry of Foreign Affairs manages dissenting opinions abroad, he stressed maintaining national sovereignty and principles while enhancing diplomatic engagement in cooperation with the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
On 13 March 2023, Minister Romaizah Mohd Salleh reported a drop in student academic performance attributed to school closures during the pandemic. In reply to Rosmawatty’s question about replacing CfBT Education Services instructors with local teachers, she emphasized ongoing joint efforts between domestic and foreign educators aimed at improving English language teaching. The Ministry of Education allocated $27.6 million for CfBT teachers during 2023–2024 and intends to hire more English instructors, including native speakers, while addressing recruitment challenges.
Between 1 and 2 June 2023, at the ASEAN-Korea Forum, discussions centered on boosting logistics effectiveness and fostering long-term collaboration on climate change. Led by Pehin Dato Suyoi Osman, Brunei’s delegation underscored strong ASEAN-Korea partnerships as vital for regional development. Demonstrating commitment to sustainable initiatives, Rosmawatty contributed $2.1 million to the ASEAN Climate Change Centre supporting regional environmental efforts.
20th LegCo session
During the 20th LegCo session held on 2 March 2024, Minister Ahmaddin highlighted key contributors to repeat criminal behaviour, including the absence of personal identification, lack of familial support, and financial hardships. He disclosed that out of 545 inmates released in 2023, 102 were recidivists, while in 2022, 74 out of 395 released prisoners reoffended. In response to concerns raised by Rosmawatty regarding foreign labour permits, the minister confirmed ongoing evaluations but reiterated a national objective to boost the number of local store proprietors. He additionally pointed out improved accessibility for foreign workers via the Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Bridge.
On 5 March 2024, Minister Abdul Manaf announced a collaboration between the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) and financial institutions such as Bank Usahawan, Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam, and potentially Perbadanan Tabung Amanah Islam Brunei (TAIB) to support youth involvement in agricultural activities. Stressing agriculture’s critical role in food security, he revealed that ten young individuals had been selected for the program’s initial rollout and committed to sustained backing through partnerships with various organizations.
At the budget presentation on 14 March 2024, Minister Halbi acknowledged shortcomings in business continuity plans (BCPs) across government bodies following significant power failures in June and October 2023. He detailed the Department of Electrical Services’ (DES) approach to improving capacity and system dependability, which includes enhancing output at the Bukit Panggal power station by 2027 and deploying mobile generators for emergency situations. The blackout was triggered by a malfunctioning 66kV transmission line affecting several districts, interrupting oxygen therapy and water services. In response, DES has activated contingency protocols, is upgrading infrastructure, and is collaborating with other government agencies to mitigate future outages.
The Supply Bill 2024/2025 was approved during the session on 21 March 2024, allocating $6.25 billion effective from 1 April under the Development Fund Act and constitutional regulations. Budget deliberations encompassed the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications (MTIC). Addressing Rosmawatty’s concerns about patient data privacy, Minister Mohammad Isham assured that access to medical records is restricted to authorized healthcare personnel and monitored through the BruHIMS System’s audit trail.
By 24 March 2024, over 700 questions had been addressed within an 18-day period, demonstrating a comprehensive commitment to national progress. Rosmawatty emphasized priorities such as enhancing food self-sufficiency, tourism development, securing water and energy resources, empowering youth, improving education quality, and attracting premium international investments. She proposed forming a dedicated task force to promote job creation aligned with Wawasan Brunei 2035, fostering a culture grounded in transparency and accountability.
At the Brunei Mid-Year Conference and Exhibition (MYCE) 2024 held at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), Rosmawatty delivered the keynote address at the Brunei Mampan Forum. Jointly organised by the Prime Minister's Office and UBD’s School of Business and Economics, the forum concentrated on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 12: Sustainable Consumption and Production. She underscored the importance of innovation, ethical consumer habits, cross-sector cooperation, and LegCo’s pivotal role in advancing SDGs toward a sustainable future for Brunei.
Awards and recognitions
At the Asia Inc Forum's Women Achievers Awards Ceremony held on 19 August 2008, Rosmawatty was recognized as one of eight distinguished local female leaders. The accolade was presented by Princess Masna during the Women in Business Forum.
- Included in Inspire's list of The 50 Most Influential Women in Brunei (2014)
- Recipient of the Asia Inc Forum's Women Achievers Award (2008)