Yahya Bakar

Yahya bin Bakar (born 4 May 1954), also referred to Pehin Dato Yahya Bakar, is a Bruneian aristocrat and politician whom formerly held the position of Minister of Energy from 2005 to 2008, and Minister of Industry and Primary Resources from 2008 to 2015.

Early life and education Yahya is born on 4 May 1957 at Kampong Lurong Dalam of Kampong Ayer, and obtained his BA (Hons) Economics from the Stirling University in 1979, Diploma of Education from the Institute of Education, National University of Singapore in 1982, MA in International law and Diplomacy from Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1987.

Career Yahya first began his career as an education officer from 1979 to 1983; an administrative officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (KHELN) from 1983 to 1987; the Deputy Director general of ASEAN, KHELN from 1987 to 1989; the Director of the Department of Economics, KHELN from 1989 to 1990; the Confidential and Secret Secretary to Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, KHELN from 1990 to 1992; the senior administrative officer in the Office of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam from 1992 to September 1997; the permanent secretary in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) from 1 October 1997 to 23 May 2005; appointed as Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau from 7 July 1997 9 May 2000; the chairman of the Brunei Investment Agency (BIA) from 22 January 2000 to 27 November 2001 and from February 2003 to 22 August 2008; and member of the Privy Council on 6 May 2003.

In the 2005 Bruneian cabinet reshuffle on 24 May, Yahya was appointed Minister of Energy in the PMO. He was later reappointed on 22 August 2008, as Minister of Industry and Primary Resources.

US-ABC Minister Yahya together with the delegation from National Commission on Muslim Filipinos in 2015. On 22 May 2015, Pehin Dato Yahya urged the creation of a Brunei Darussalam-United States Small Business Alliance to aid Brunei in diversifying its economy and developing new markets for products other than oil and gas. He made this remark yesterday during a discussion session for Bruneian SMEs held at the Design and Technology Building in Anggerek Desa and sponsored by the US-Asean Business Council (US-ABC). He also emphasized the necessity for the nation to strengthen the capacities of its SMEs for them to become highly competitive, innovative, and capable of gaining from the globalization process and the TPP, given the strong forces of globalization and the upcoming Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

International Day of Forests 2014 During a speech begin by him at the International Day of Forests 2014 Launch Ceremony and the "GREENING THE CITY, SAVING THE PLANET: MAKING A DIFFERENCE, ONE TREE AT A TIME" Program Launch, he emphasized the need to strike a balance between social-economic development and environmental stability, and that the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources has taken several proactive steps to further protect and manage the nation's forest resources. Additionally, the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources will take strategic action to transfer timber harvesting from the forest reserve to the non-forest reserve or stateland forests in the Inter Riverine Zone (also known as IRZ) between the Belait and the Tutong Rivers in order to ensure that the forest resources are conserved. This strategy, known as the "Tree Farmland Concept," will mix logging and harvesting with replanting and reforestation activities.

Following the 2015 Bruneian cabinet reshuffle on 22 October, his tenure as minister came to an end.

Other appointments Throughout his career, he has also held several key positions such as the acting chairman of the board of directors of Brunei Investment Agency (BIA), member of the Brunei Oil and Gas Authority (BOGA), member of the board of directors of Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) Company, member of the board of directors of the Semaun Holding Company, member of the board of directors of the Semaunprim Company, member of the board of directors of SEIWA Enterprise, member of the board of directors of SEAGRO, and member of the board of directors of SEMAUN SEAFOOD.

Personal life Yahya is married to DNorlina binti Abu Bakar, and together they have 5 children; 2 sons and 3 daughters. Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence, Captain (Retired) Dato Abdul Rahman is another sibling of his. His hobbies are reading and playing badminton. '

50x50px Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei First Class (SPMB; July 1998) – Dato Seri Paduka''