Attorney General's Chambers of Brunei Darussalam　

ROLE & DUTIES OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

The Attorney General is the principal legal adviser to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan and the Government of Brunei Darussalam. She is assisted by the Solicitor General, Assistant Solicitor Generals, the Legal Draftsman and Counsels in advising the Government and representing the Government in civil and criminal cases. The Attorney General is also responsible for the drafting of legislation. In carrying out the task of legislative drafting, the Attorney General's Chambers work closely with the relevant Government Ministries and Departments.

The Attorney General is vested with the power under Article 81 of the Constitution to institute, conduct or discontinue any offence other than proceedings before a syariah court or proceedings before a court martial. All criminal prosecutions are instituted in the name of the Public Prosecutor. In carrying out this duty, the Attorney General is not subject to the direction or control of any person or authority. She is assisted by Deputy Public Prosecutors in the conduct of criminal trials held at the Supreme Court and the Subordinate Courts.

In addition, the Public Prosecutor and her Deputies also advise, and direct prosecution undertaken by the police and other law enforcement Departments including rendering advice in their investigations.

The Attorney General also has statutory duties under various written laws such as the Criminal Procedure Code (Chapter 7); Law Revision Act (Chapter 1); Royal Brunei Arms Forces Act (Chapter 149); Maintenance Orders Reciprocal Enforcement Act (Chapter 175);  Reciprocal Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act (Chapter 177); Emergency (Copyright) Order, 1999; the Emergency (Layout Design) Order, 1999; Anti-Terrorism Order, 2001 (S 45/2011); Criminal Asset Recovery Order, 2012 (S 47/2012); Plant Varieties Protection Order, 2015 (S 17/2015).

As the Attorney General, she is also the Registrar of the Brunei Intellectual Property Office (BruIPO) and in the discharge of this duty, is assisted by the Head of BruIPO. Furthermore, she maintains the Registries of Industrial Designs, Marriages, Patents, Powers of Attorney, and Trademarks.

MISSION AND VISION OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS

The vision of the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) is to provide excellence in legal service.

In executing its functions, the mission of the AGC is to:

•  Provide sound legal advice

•  Conduct fair and independent criminal prosecutions

•  Draft quality legislation

•  Deliver efficient registry services

ORGANISATIONAL CHART OF THE AGC

BRUNEI INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE

The Brunei Intellectual Property Office (BruIPO) serves as the registry for intellectual property in Brunei Darussalam. Further, BruIPO focuses on enhancing public awareness of intellectual property (IP), promoting effective IP management and commercialisation, and improving IP services. It is also committed to delivering efficient IT infrastructure to support its operations and service delivery, contributing to the protection and monetisation of creative and innovative works in Brunei.

CIVIL DIVISION

The Civil Division (CD) serves as the legal adviser and representative of the Attorney General in meetings with the Ministries, government departments and statutory bodies. It drafts, vets, and negotiates legal documents including contracts and MOUs, interprets laws and agreements, and acts as counsel in civil litigation and arbitration on behalf of the government. The CD represents and advises the Government in civil litigation and debt recovery matters, provides advice across diverse legal areas such as construction, finance (including Islamic banking), environment, and intellectual property, and advises on law reform initiatives while also representing the Attorney General in matters and proceedings under the Legal Profession Act.

COMMUNICATION AND STRATEGY DIVISION

The Communication and Strategy Division (CSD) manages the public and inter-governmental communications, processes documents and criminal case status requests, and acts as a Secretariat for the  Central Authority for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. It provides legal research and advice on government policy and while also monitoring the AGC Strategic Plan. In addition, the CSD also oversees registries for powers of attorney and marriages, carries out translations and vetting of legal instruments, and ensures accurate bilingual legal documentation in line with national laws.

CORPORATE AFFAIRS DIVISION

The Corporate Affairs Division (CAD) manages and administers the AGC's internal administrative and financial operations, as well as human resource management to ensure efficient resource management and effective operational support for the AGC.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVISION

The Criminal Justice Division (CJD) leads the criminal prosecutions in Brunei Darussalam, advises and supervises law enforcement agencies on criminal law matters, and supports investigations. It engages stakeholders through seminars and dialogues, contributes to policy formulation and collaborates with the Legislative Drafting Division on criminal legislation. The CJD also assists the International Affairs Division in reviewing treaties and ensures relevant Ministries adopt legislative or administrative measures for international instruments to which Brunei Darussalam is or may become a party.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS DIVISION

The International Affairs Division (IAD) provides legal advice to the government on matters pertaining to public international law. The Division handles advisory requests from Ministries and government agencies, including the vetting and drafting of Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs), international agreements, and legal gap analyses of treaties and conventions. IAD also participates as members of national committees related to Brunei Darussalam's international obligations. In this capacity, IAD prepares national reports, provide legal advice, monitor and implement the country's international obligations.

LEGISLATIVE DRAFTING DIVISION

The Legislative Drafting Division (LDD) is responsible for drafting and approving legislations to ensure conformity with Brunei Darussalam's Constitution, policies, and traditions, and compliance with legislative drafting norms. It oversees continuous law revision to consolidate amendments and integrate new laws into the Revised Edition of the Laws of Brunei. The LDD's work ensures legislative clarity, consistency, and accessibility for the public and government institutions.

"AGC Legal Year 2025"

CONTACT PERSON

Name: Emily Goh

Position: Legal Counsel & Deputy Public Prosecutor

Email: Emily.goh@agc.gov.bn

Name: Pg Nor Azmeena Pg Hj Mohiddin

Position: Legal Counsel & Deputy Public Prosecutor

Email: azmeena.mohiddin@agc.gov.bn