P130 Institutionalising Shura: Brunei's Legislative Council and Ummah Sustainability

Abstract

This article examines the institutional process of Brunei Darussalam’s Legislative Council (Majlis Mesyuarat Negara, MMN) as a consultative accountability mechanism within the philosophy of Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB). The paper studies MMN within the broader discourse of Islamic governance and civilizational sustainability, highlighting how classical principles of amanah (trust), shura (consultation), and hisāb (reckoning) are preserved and adapted in contemporary institutional practice. Drawing on selected Hansard records, the research traces the stages of preparation, deliberation, financial oversight, and follow up, demonstrating how these processes embodied the accountability cycle. The analysis of Hansard debates reveals that MMN contributes to transparency and answerability by enabling structured questioning, financial scrutiny, and policy clarification. At the same time, its advisory status and appointment based membership shape the nature of its contributions, reflecting Brunei’s distinctive model of consultative governance that balances representation with continuity and stability. This structural arrangement underscores how institutional design can preserve ethical accountability while maintaining harmony within Brunei’s governance framework. By situating MMN within the amanah–shura–hisāb cycle, the article demonstrates how consultative governance contributes to the sustainability of the ummah. The preservation of trust, consultation, and reckoning within governance ensures resilience against contemporary challenges. The case study underscores the relevance of Islamic accountability principles in contemporary governance, in this way, Brunei’s MMN offers insights into how Islamic governance principles can be procedurally embedded to safeguard civilizational continuity and the sustainability of the ummah in the modern era.