The flight from Singapore to Delhi, of over 5 hours, gave me ample time to reflect on my short, albeit enjoyable, sojourn in Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB), Brunei. BSB is the capital of the tiny nation on the island of Borneo. It is surrounded by the South China Sea and Malaysia. To put the country's geographical size in perspective, compare the size of Brunei, which is 5,765 square kilometres to Sikkim, which is 1.2 times the size of Brunei at 7,096 square kilometres. Tripura at 10,491 square kilometres is about 1.8 times larger than Brunei and Goa is about 0.6 times with 3,702 square kilometres. Kerala, the state I hail from, is 7 times the size of Brunei, logging 38,863 square kilometres
The official language of Brunei is Malay and 82 percent of the population is Sunni Muslim. The country gained independence from United Kingdom in 1984. Hassanal Bolkiah had been the Sultan of Brunei since 1967, and is one of the few absolute monarchs in the world today. The world's largest car collection of over 7000 cars, including 600 Rolls Royce, worth over $5 billion, belongs to the Sultan.
The economy is almost totally dependent on export of natural gas and petroleum. It depends on imports for all its consumption needs, though efforts are being made to diversify the economy. The cradle-to-grave welfare system that spans education, healthcare, housing and a tax-free environment is a boon to its citizens. One Brunei Dollar (BND) is about INR 74.18 presently. The BND is pegged to the Singapore Dollar (SGD), whereby 1 BND is equal to 1 SGD. The currencies are freely accepted in both countries.
Roughly 70% of the country is covered by dense, undisturbed tropical rainforests. It is widely known among eco-travellers for its highly protected national parks, such as the Ulu Temburong National Park, which can only be reached by traditional longboats. Even the capital city has copious amounts of greenery and tree cover.
Public transport is virtually absent. Since fuel prices are so low, about Rs 25 per litre of petrol, everyone uses cars to commute and get between places. even though an elaborate bus route is published on line and neat bus stops are provided, I didn't see a single bus on the roads of BSB during the three days that I was there. Nor did I see a single person waiting in any bus stop in anticipation of a bus. I first tried to use one on exiting the arrivals at the airport. Sane voices told me to download the Dart App and save time and frustration.
Car ownership is very high. However, the driving is responsible and pedestrians are given due respect. This is despite there being hardly any pedestrian crossings or lights. The speed limit on highways is 100 and city limit is much more stringent considering the way people drive there. Another indicator of responsible vehicle use is that one doesn't see dented or damaged vehicles on the roads.
Rizwan, the Dart driver, had told me that it is cheaper to eat out than to buy provisions and cook. He said that most provisions were imported into the country as farming and agriculture is minimal. Food is quite cheap in night markets and food courts. With breakfast provided in the hotel, I managed lunch and dinner in under 5 S$, about Rs. 375, of course without drinks. Naturally, eating in cafes and restaurants will cost you quite a bit more.
Education in Brunei is free for all citizens from preschool through tertiary levels—including local and approved overseas universities—and is overseen by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Religious Affairs. The system follows a structure of 1 year of pre-school, 6 years of primary school, and 6 years of secondary and middle education, followed by post-secondary or higher education. Citizens get free hostels, transport, meals and textbooks. Besides, education is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 15; children must attend school for a minimum period of 9 years. As per law, parents can face fines or jail time if they fail to send their children to school without an official excuse.
I found the locals extremely friendly and ready to assist. Social interactions are given a lot of importance. Civic responsibility and traditional values are woven into the fabric of Bruneian society. Being a strict Muslim country, people dress very conservatively.
Liquor and drugs are a no-go in the country. Locals cannot consume liquor and there are no liquor shops in the country. Non-Muslim visitors above the age of 18 can bring restricted quantity for their own private consumption during the visit. Warnings abound about the administration's zero tolerance to drugs - death penalty for trafficking. The only other place I have seen such public warning is in Singapore.
The economy is almost totally dependent on export of natural gas and petroleum. It depends on imports for all its consumption needs, though efforts are being made to diversify the economy. The cradle-to-grave welfare system that spans education, healthcare, housing and a tax-free environment is a boon to its citizens. One Brunei Dollar (BND) is about INR 74.18 presently. The BND is pegged to the Singapore Dollar (SGD), whereby 1 BND is equal to 1 SGD. The currencies are freely accepted in both countries.
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