Terminal Illness & End-of-Life Planning in Brunei: 5-Step Official Checklist

1. 1

   Coordinate Palliative Care, Home Nursing, and Health Coverage

   • Public palliative care and specialist oncology centers: In Brunei Darussalam, citizens and permanent residents receive heavily subsidized public healthcare overseen by the Ministry of Health and tracked through the national Bru-HIMS electronic medical record system [1] [5]. Specialized inpatient and outpatient palliative care is delivered through the Palliative Care Unit at Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital in Bandar Seri Begawan and The Brunei Cancer Centre (TBCC) at Pantai Jerudong Specialist Centre, alongside district hospitals in Kuala Belait, Tutong, and Temburong [1] [5].
   • Home-based nursing and symptom control: Ask the treating specialist under the Ministry of Health for a formal referral to the Palliative Care Service and the Home Based Nursing Division, which provides home nursing visits, wound and catheter care, medical equipment loan support, and supervised opioid pain management for housebound patients across all four districts [1] [5].
   • Private insurance and foreign residents: If your family member holds a green Smart Identity Card (foreign resident) or private critical-illness insurance, request a detailed clinical summary, histopathology report, and itemized treatment plan from the attending consultant to secure pre-authorization for inpatient or palliative care [1] [5].
2. 2

   Record Treatment Preferences and Designate a Medical Representative

   • Legal status of advance directives in Brunei Darussalam: Brunei Darussalam does not currently enact a standalone statutory Advance Medical Directive or Living Will Act. Instead, end-of-life clinical decisions are governed by medical ethics, informed consent principles, and clinical guidelines administered by the Ministry of Health and the Brunei Medical Board [1] [5].
   • Recording care preferences in Bru-HIMS while capacity is intact: While the ill person retains full decision-making capacity, it is advisable to discuss goals of care directly with the attending specialist and palliative care team (covering cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, intensive care admission, and preferred place of care) so these preferences are documented clearly in the patient's Bru-HIMS clinical record at the Ministry of Health [1] [5].
   • Designating a primary family spokesperson: In Bruneian hospital practice, physicians consult the primary next-of-kin or designated family caregiver listed in the hospital admission and Bru-HIMS record if the patient loses the ability to communicate [1]. Explicitly name one primary family medical contact (and a secondary contact) so the clinical team has an unambiguous representative [1].
3. 3

   Execute Powers of Attorney and Bank Mandates While Capacity Is Intact

   • Statutory Powers of Attorney under Chapter 13: Under the Powers of Attorney Act (Chapter 13), a donor can only execute a valid Power of Attorney while possessing full mental capacity [3]. Obtain a dated medical certificate from the attending physician at the Ministry of Health confirming that your family member is of sound mind on the date the instrument is signed [1] [3].
   • Execution and Supreme Court registration: To ensure the Power of Attorney is accepted by government land registries, banks, and courts, have it drafted by an Advocate and Solicitor, signed by the donor in the presence of a Commissioner for Oaths, Magistrate, or Notary Public, and deposited for registration in the Registry of the Supreme Court under the State Judiciary Department pursuant to the Powers of Attorney Act (Chapter 13) [3].
   • Bank account mandates and cross-border authentication: Contact your family member's commercial banks in Brunei Darussalam (such as Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam - BIBD, Baiduri Bank, or Standard Chartered Bank) while capacity is intact to review signing mandates or arrange a hospital/home visit by bank officers [3]. Because Brunei Darussalam is a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, any Power of Attorney executed for use abroad (or executed overseas for use in Brunei) can be authenticated with an Apostille through the State Judiciary Department or legalized through a Brunei diplomatic mission under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs [3] [6].
4. 4

   Activate Incapacitation Withdrawals, Disability Pensions, and Caregiver Support

   • Employees Trust Fund (Tabung Amanah Pekerja) incapacitation withdrawal: If your family member is a member of the Employees Trust Fund (Tabung Amanah Pekerja) under the TAP, SCP, or National Retirement Scheme (Skim Persaraan Kebangsaan - SPK) and is certified by a Government Medical Board under the Ministry of Health as permanently incapacitated from engaging in further employment, they can apply for an early Incapacitation Withdrawal of their accumulated fund balance [1] [4].
   • Statutory Disability Allowance and Carer Allowance: Under the Old Age and Disability Pensions Act (Chapter 18), eligible citizens and permanent residents certified with permanent severe disability may apply through the Pensions Section of the Department of Community Development (Jabatan Pembangunan Masyarakat - JAPEM, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports) for the monthly Disability Allowance (Elaun Kurang Upaya) and the statutory Carer Allowance (Elaun Penyedia Penjagaan) [4].
   • Employment medical leave: Public-sector officers are eligible for extended certified medical leave under the General Orders upon Medical Board review, while private-sector employees are entitled to paid sick and hospitalization leave under the Employment Order, 2009 [1] [4].
5. 5

   Organize Wills (*Wasiat*), *Hibah*, Nominees, and Civil Records

   • Verify Smart Identity Card and civil registration records: Check that the ill person's name, Smart Identity Card (IC) number, and family particulars match across records held by the Department of Immigration and National Registration, bank accounts, and Land Department title deeds (EDR), correcting any spelling discrepancy while the person can still sign applications [2].
   • Muslim estate planning (Wasiat, Faraid, and Hibah) vs. non-Muslim Wills: Succession rules in Brunei Darussalam follow a dual legal framework overseen by the State Judiciary Department [3]. For Muslims, intestate distribution follows Islamic inheritance law (Faraid) administered by the Syariah Courts; a Muslim testator may execute a written Wasiat (Islamic Will) for up to one-third (1/3) of their net estate in favor of non-Faraid beneficiaries without heir consent (bequests above one-third or to legal heirs require the consent of all Faraid heirs after death), or may execute an inter vivos gift (Hibah) or Wakaf while of sound mind [3]. For non-Muslims, a formal written Will executed under the Wills Act (Chapter 193) must be signed by the testator in the presence of at least two simultaneous witnesses who are not beneficiaries [3].
   • Update TAP/SPK nominees and compile asset records: Confirm that beneficiary (nominee) designations are updated with the Employees Trust Fund (Tabung Amanah Pekerja) and Takaful or life insurance providers [4]. Compile original land title deeds, vehicle ownership cards, bank statements, and liabilities in a secure folder, and coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Apostille registry if the person holds assets or family ties outside Brunei Darussalam [3] [6].

   Step	Deadline	Authority
   1. Palliative care and home nursing referral	Upon diagnosis of advanced illness	Ministry of Health (RIPAS / TBCC / Home Nursing) [1] [5]
   2. Bru-HIMS care preferences & family spokesperson	While decision-making capacity is intact	Ministry of Health / Treating Clinical Team [1]
   3. Registered Power of Attorney & bank mandates	Before any loss of legal capacity	State Judiciary Department (Supreme Court Registry) & Banks [3]
   4. TAP/SPK incapacitation & JAPEM disability claims	Upon Government Medical Board certification	Employees Trust Fund (Tabung Amanah Pekerja) & JAPEM [4]
   5. Wasiat / Hibah or Will, nominees & IC check	While capacity is intact	State Judiciary Department & Department of Immigration and National Registration [2] [3]

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Public Healthcare Services, Bru-HIMS, and Specialist Care — Ministry of Health, Brunei Darussalam
2. [2]
   Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Profile - Brunei Darussalam — UNICEF Data / Department of Immigration and National Registration (JIPK)
3. [3]
   Supreme Court Registry, Powers of Attorney, Probate, and Syariah Courts — State Judiciary Department, Prime Minister's Office, Brunei Darussalam
4. [4]
   Social Security Programs Throughout the World: Asia and the Pacific - Brunei — U.S. Social Security Administration / International Social Security Association
5. [5]
   Country Health System and Noncommunicable Disease Profile - Brunei Darussalam — World Health Organization (WHO)
6. [6]
   Consular Services and Diplomatic Attestation — Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brunei Darussalam