Brunei is beautiful, friendly, safe and modern. This is a small country (Sultanate) located on the north coast of Borneo and fueled by energy – oil (black gold) and natural gas. Bandar Seri Begawan, is the capital of the Sultanate of Brunei. It is also the location of the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, considered one of the most beautiful in the Asia-Pacific region. It is a place of worship, a major historical site and the most famous tourist attraction of the country.
It’s odd how we Westerners seem to get philosophical when looking at people in other regions of the world. At times we overlook the really important issues like quality of life and security but often focus on abstracts like type of government and a thing called freedom. The real truth is that a concept democracy has little meaning if you don’t have enough to eat or a job. A bus ride in Brunei and a conversation sort of drove this point home.
While riding on a bus in Brunei we sat up front and a Canadian couple sat across from us directly behind the driver. The Canadians were very eager to talk about the country and peppered the driver with questions. This is a part of that overheard exchange:
Canadian – What form of government do you have here in Brunei?
Bus driver – We have the Sultan and the Legislative Council.
Canadian – So the Sultan is the head of government?
Bus driver – Yes, he takes the role of Prime Minister
Canadian – How often do you have elections and are there a number of political parties?
Bus driver – Oh, we don’t have parties or elections. The Sultan appoints each member of the council.
Canadian– Doesn’t that much power concern you? Don’t people fear corruption?
Bus driver – No. The Sultan would remove anyone that was corrupt.
Canadian – But don’t the people want a say in what the country does?
Bus driver – Why? We have the Sultan. He takes very good care of us…
You can learn a lot about people overhearing conversations 😉
What makes the driver’s thinking possible is an average per capita income of over US$50,000 in Brunie. The Sultan makes sizable amounts of money from oil, which he solely controls, along with a number of the countries businesses and industry along with additional investments with that oil money worldwide. Remember the outrage when it was learned he owned The Beverly Hills Hotel?
The Sultan does take care of his people. At one time some of the housing in Bandar Seri Begawan was in ramshackle water villages. But those picturesque houses on stilts standing out over the water were mostly slums. Sanitation was a serious issue, so the Sultan has been replacing them with new water villages with modern sewage treatment and solid structural supports. He also provides virtually everyone in Brunei with a free education, complete health care and a guaranteed job. Also modern, attractive, free public housing is popping up all around the sultanate.
The Intentional Travelers 