My father had been wondering why, despite it being the festive season, there was no traffic jam at the border. Looking back the way we came, the road seemed strangely quiet. However, as soon as we drove into the Brunei side, we were shocked to see a massive, miles-long queue of cars waiting to enter Malaysia.
Looking at the license plates, I noticed most were from Miri and Brunei. If we had been caught in a queue like that, it would have taken us hours to clear immigration. We felt incredibly lucky to have missed the congestion.
Since my father worked in Brunei before we moved to Limbang, he shared some history of the Sultanate with us as we drove.
From the 14th to the 16th centuries, Brunei Darussalam was a powerful seat of power, extending across Sabah, Sarawak, and the lower Philippines. The current Sultan represents one of the oldest continuous ruling dynasties in the world. By the 19th century, however, the Empire had been reduced by wars, piracy, and European colonial expansion.
In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate, and by 1906, the "Residential System" was established, where a British Resident advised the Sultan on all matters except for Malay customs and Islam. After decades of constitutional changes and regaining internal self-government in 1959, Brunei finally resumed full independence on January 1, 1984.
The 1959 Agreement established a written constitution which gave Brunei Darussalam internal self-government. In 1971, the agreement was amended and revised to assert full internal independence except defence and external affairs.
In 1967 His Highness Sultan Haji Sir Muda Omar Ali Saifuddien abdicated in favour of his son Pengiran Muda Mahkota Hassanal Bolkiah. On January 1, 1984 Brunei Darussalam resumed full independence and the Sultan took office as Prime Minister, Finance Minister and Home Affairs Minister, presiding over a cabinet of six.
In 1988 another reshuffle brought about the elevation of the deputy minister to a full minister and the creation of the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources designed to boost the country's development.
I am quite impressed by the Sultan. Even though Brunei is not a large country, it is highly developed. From what I saw, many people live in large houses and drive expensive cars.
Brunei Darussalam is the third largest oil producer in Southeast Asia and it produced 163,000 barrels per day. It is also the fourth largest producer of liquefied natural gas in the world.
Brunei Darussalam is still very much dependent on revenues from crude oil and natural gas to finance its development programmes. Aside from this, Brunei Darussalam also receives income from rents, royalties, corporate tax and dividends.
As we neared our destination, I caught a glimpse of a modern flyover in the rearview mirror. My father navigated through a u-turn and into a junction. Even though I’ve been here before, I have a poor sense of direction, and everything looked unfamiliar to me.
When we arrived, our aunt wasn't home yet, so we waited outside. A few local dogs began barking at us, but after my brother grabbed a stick to shoo them away, they settled down. I managed to snap a quick photo of one before it ran off.
Five minutes later, a red car pulled up. It was our aunt and her son! She was so happy to see us that she started chatting before the car had even come to a full stop. We headed inside and exchanged Chinese New Year greetings.
While our parents caught up, my brother convinced our cousin to drive us to a nearby shopping area. Being a dog lover, one of my brothers led us straight to a pet shop. Interestingly, they didn't sell dogs, only hamsters and rabbits. My cousin explained that most Bruneians prefer cats over dogs.
My brother ended up buying a dog whistle for B$14.00. When converted to Malaysian Ringgit, it came to about RM32.20. It felt a bit expensive for a simple whistle, but he insisted it was worth it!
We also saw an adorable, furry white cat (you wrote "car," but I think you meant cat!) for sale for B$1,200.00. He was so sweet; whenever we touched him, he would lean in and meow for attention. His fur was incredibly soft, but at RM2,760.00, he was way out of our budget. "Sorry, little guy," we thought, "we can only play with you today."
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, the chocolate shops were full of promotions. I wanted to buy some for my girlfriend, but once again, the exchange rate made everything seem too pricey!
At Brunei, the shopping complex area is very big. The place we had visited is just a small portion only. Cousin said if we stay longer, he could bring us to visit the Brunei town. There will be more shopping malls, and shops.
We spent about an hour and a half exploring, and I took over 200 photos. By the time we checked the clock, it was lunchtime.
We had a simple but delicious home-cooked meal. I hadn't tasted my aunt's cooking in years. When I was a child living in Brunei, my parents worked long hours, so she was the one who looked after my brother and me.
She treated us like her own sons. I remember she used to work as a maid and would always bring us cakes or snacks when she came home. She lived just two houses away, and whenever my mom tried to discipline us with a cane, my aunt was always the one who came to our rescue!
At 2:00 PM, my father decided it was time to head back to Limbang to avoid the evening border rush. Our aunt hurried to her room and brought out four Ang Paos (red packets) for us, wishing us good luck for the year.
As we waved goodbye, my father, knowing how much I love photography, offered to drive us to a brand-new shopping mall before we left the country. But unfortunately...
— To Be Continued —
1. The Road to Tedungan: A New Year’s Journey to Brunei (Part 1 of 3)
2. The Journey to Brunei (Part 2 of 3): Royal History and Heartfelt Reunions
3. The Journey to Brunei (Part 3 of 3): Supercars and the Great Border Wait