tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62961334698347472762012-02-17T11:06:46.787+08:00- the past teaches the present so that we can prepare for the future -Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.comBlogger1221100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-6600872071728232482011-12-12T14:49:00.001+08:002011-12-12T15:21:50.886+08:00

I remembered complaining about the lack of road names years before I joined MOD. When I was at MOD, the Jawatankuasa Kebangsaan Nama Geografi was just beginning its task in recommending for road names. Sometime last year MOD started labelling new names for roads outside Municipal areas and if you are paying attention, you will see names such as Jalan Utama Tungku, Jalan Utama Mentiri and the

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-37246423730281855222011-07-21T22:26:00.000+08:002011-07-21T22:27:17.149+08:00

The Oxford Business Group on 21st July 2011 had this report on Brunei. This is based on a report issued by the IMF which you can read here.+++++Brunei Darussalam: Economy on the reboundBrunei Darussalam’s economy has been given a clean bill of health by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), with the agency praising the prudent economic management exercised by local authorities, as well as the

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-91226981488989697382010-12-03T13:10:00.003+08:002010-12-03T13:12:52.622+08:00

The Oxford Business Group reported on 2nd December 2010 the following news:Brunei: Stronger LinksThe 17th ASEAN summit in Hanoi in October saw Brunei Darussalam taking steps to improve economic ties with several of its partners in the 10-member organisation, as well as with non-member states. The summit, the second held under Vietnam’s chairmanship, came at a crucial time for ASEAN as it seeks to

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-627964197556105432010-11-01T05:39:00.000+08:002010-11-01T05:39:00.450+08:00

I was very intrigued when I read a news article about a film-maker believes he has found evidence of time travel in footage from a Charlie Chaplin film premiere shot in 1928. You can go to youtube or the still as above.George Clarke, from Belfast, says he has been puzzled for more than a year by the film which appears to show a woman talking on a mobile phone. He has posted the video on YouTube

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-86850147311956312292010-10-31T07:30:00.000+08:002010-10-31T07:30:00.330+08:00

Yesterday was our second MOD visit to Kampong Pandan to visit the 2,000 houses that BEDB is currently building for us. Sometime last year, we visited them with the former Minister and at that time, other than a few sample houses, most of the houses were in various stages of completion. Unlike yesterday, it is the other way around, most of the houses are nearly completed.We even visited the inside

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-2410773143079335162010-10-30T23:13:00.003+08:002010-10-30T23:23:09.317+08:00

I was really surprised to see this set of stamps. This set of stamps was supposed to be released in 1970 but it was never released. The stamps were supposed to have been destroyed but I guess with these sets in the market, someone somewhere decided not to destroy every single one.I came across this set sometime early this year when my dealer in Singapore showed the whole set and I paid around S

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-86961152137702474662010-10-26T06:59:00.001+08:002010-10-26T07:00:22.308+08:00

[This article was published in Australia's Sydney Morning Herald on 24 October 2010]Steve McKenna swings from royalty to rainforest in one of south-east Asia's most underrated destinations.MY HEART is beating faster than normal as I approach the Sultan of Brunei. We're in the lavish surrounds of his 1788-room palace, standing beneath a ceiling coated in crystal and, although it feels like a dream

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-33775926435538917692010-10-03T06:00:00.002+08:002010-10-03T06:02:16.455+08:00

The Oxford Business Group reported on 30th September 2010 the following news:+++++Brunei's ConnectionsThe arrival of a flotilla of traditional Filipino balangay sailboats in Brunei’s Muara harbour last month was not only a colourful display of seamanship – the boats are on a 14,000km journey around South-east Asia – it was also a reminder of the Sultanate’s plan to deepen trade and transport

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-51220560484399144132010-08-04T12:10:00.000+08:002010-08-04T12:11:07.707+08:00

Published in the Asia News Network entitled Old world charm,Revathi MurugappanThe StarPublication Date : 02-08-2010OLD WORLD CHARMWhen tourists hear of Brunei Darussalam, they think of a country that is rich in oil and whose Sultan was once the richest man in the world before Bill Gates, Carlos Slim and others overtook him on top of the billionaire’s list.But of course, there’s more to Brunei

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-87327352661504292052010-03-31T06:51:00.002+08:002010-03-31T06:52:14.019+08:00

[The Oxford Business Group reported on 30th March 2010 the following:]Brunei Darussalam: A Class Act30 March 2010Brunei Darussalam is looking to add another layer to its already highly developed education system, with authorities considering plans to put in place a structured preschool network that would serve as a foundation for subsequent learning. Education is one of the single biggest line

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-60948801647000864192010-01-07T06:07:00.001+08:002010-01-07T06:09:19.174+08:00

Tim Kindseth published this article on Time (6th January 2009):-+++++Anthony Burgess's Take on BruneiAfter less than two years of teaching at the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin College in Brunei Town, John Wilson, better known as the English novelist Anthony Burgess, nearly lost his mind. The tropical climes nagged him as much as his wife Lynne, whose zany behavior, like cursing out the Duke of

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-87784118768975015842009-11-03T21:24:00.001+08:002009-11-03T21:25:51.205+08:00

The Oxford Business Group on 3rd November 2009 published the following article:+++++Brunei Darussalam: A Growing Industry3 November 2009Ensuring domestic food security and developing a viable export sector are at the heart of Brunei's efforts to establish a strong commercial food processing industry, though the country has to balance its staunch commitment to environmental protection with the

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-40723349011390673662009-10-28T16:24:00.001+08:002009-10-28T16:25:40.067+08:00

According to The Indian Express on 28th October 2009, RBA will finally get its Boeing 777. I hope this will materialise soon:-+++++When the Sultan comes to the rescue of the MaharajaAs Air India's woes multiply on account of deliveries of new aircraft which it now wants to trim, help may come from an unexpected quarter — from the Sultan of Brunei. Orders for six Boeing aircraft which the airline

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-36120216498119563872009-10-27T06:22:00.001+08:002009-10-27T06:23:29.959+08:00

The Oxford Business Group reported the following on 26th October 2009:+++++Brunei Darussalam: Diving In at the Deep End26 October 2009Brunei Darussalam is steadily building on its reputation as an Islamic financial services hub, making up for lost time and developing a credible sharia-compliant banking and financial sector. Though the Sultanate has long offered Islamic financial services,

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-86606525198122284212009-10-10T07:08:00.001+08:002009-10-10T07:09:33.060+08:00

This was posted on the Philippines Daily Inquirer on 10th October 2009:+++++What makes people happy? By Rafael Castillo, MDPhilippine Daily InquirerFirst Posted 20:53:00 10/09/2009Filed Under: Travel & Commuting, Tourism, Research, HealthBRUNEI DARUSSALAM is not really a popular tourist destination in Southeast Asia, but we were treated to a pleasant surprise after a short visit last week.

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-23858565319735401312009-10-09T18:54:00.002+08:002009-10-09T18:55:05.076+08:00

The Oxford Business Group on 9th October 2009 had this report about Brunei:+++++Brunei Darussalam: Praise and Pointers9 October 2009Brunei Darussalam's economy has received somewhat mixed reviews in two internationally recognised reports, having been rated by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as the number one country globally in terms of macroeconomic stability but also well down the rankings when

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-61987008247551901722009-09-06T04:58:00.000+08:002009-09-06T04:58:00.297+08:00

Manila Bulletin on 2nd September 2009 had the following news:-+++++Top Brunei officials hold talks with MILF, other rebel leadersCOTABATO CITY – A delegation of top-ranking government officials from Brunei Darussalam visited Camp Darapanan of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao for a meeting with MILF Chairman Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim and other rebel leaders on

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-80500892887425970772009-09-05T04:57:00.000+08:002009-09-05T04:57:00.210+08:00

Zhang Jin of the China Daily wrote this on 2nd September 2009:-+++++Brunei weaver keeps skills aliveBy Zhang Jin (Chinadaily.com.cn)KAMPONG AYER, Brunei: At a time when machines can do the job, Hajah Siti Aidah Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Othman still weaves and sews by hand.The fifth-generation heiress of the traditional weaving skills deems it her duty to keep the diminishing art alive and

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-32656238429949932972009-09-04T04:56:00.000+08:002009-09-04T04:57:04.555+08:00

Lynett A Villariba wrote for the Philippines Daily Inquirer on 29th August 2009 about her visit to Brunei:-+++++Bonding in Brunei: 40 years in 4 daysBy Lynett A. VillaribaPhilippine Daily InquirerTHE EXPEDITION was hatched during a reunion lunch when an overseas call came in as we were digging into our oysters and foie gras and dips and taro chips at Felix in Makati.It was Philippine Ambassador

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-69691246023521125932009-08-20T05:57:00.001+08:002009-08-20T05:58:48.458+08:00

Defense Professionals on 17th August 2009 reported the following:+++++Royal Brunei Air Force becomes first customer for BAE Systems military flying instructor training BAE Systems has expanded its unique military flight instruction program at the company’s Tamworth Flight Training Centre with the announcement that the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAF) has become its first customer for flying

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-81342084380812483222009-08-18T22:57:00.001+08:002009-08-18T22:58:29.775+08:00

The Oxford Business Group on 18th August reported the following:+++++Brunei Darussalam: Ready For Take-Off18 August 2009Brunei Darussalam has long harboured ambitions of becoming a major transport and trans-shipment hub for the East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), as well as taking an increased slice of the trade from regional giants such as China and Singapore. To this end, Brunei Darussalam has

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-19052077061907298432009-06-24T06:50:00.002+08:002009-06-24T06:54:23.484+08:00

From the Lakeland Echo of United Kingdom, we get this news on 23rd June 2009:-+++++A BARROW IN FURNESS sailor is playing a vital role as part of a Royal Navy task group leading a major multi-national land and maritime exercise in and around Brunei, known as Exercise Commando Rajah.It is the first time in more than a decade that such a series of exercises has taken place between the Royal Navy and

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-75849264123720551872009-05-23T06:24:00.002+08:002009-05-23T06:26:52.206+08:00

The Oxford Business Group reported on 22nd May 2009 as follows:+++++Brunei Darussalam: Relative CalmBrunei's real estate sector appears to be little affected by the global recession, with transaction levels remaining stable and prices relatively flat, though it is unlikely the property market will experience strong growth in the short term due to a number of issues limiting investment activity.

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-55863402680910391592009-04-18T06:00:00.002+08:002009-04-18T06:01:24.161+08:00

The Oxford Business Group issued the following report on 17 April 2009:+++++Brunei: Fuelling the EconomyBrunei is looking to maximise its hydrocarbon reserves in order to extend the working life of its energy sector, while at the same time expanding the country's industrial base to make best use out of its oil and gas fields. The energy sector is the bedrock on which Brunei's economy is built,

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-56916237549407968362009-03-18T07:32:00.003+08:002009-03-18T07:37:08.975+08:00

[Photo: Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. house in Mekah before it was demolished.] In his book Akhbar Makkah, Vol. 2, p. 160, the 3rd-century historian of Makkah, al-Azraqi, mentions as one of the many places in Makkah in which the performance of salat is desirable (mustahabb), the house where the Prophet was born (Mawlid an-Nabi). According to him, the house had previously been turned into a mosque by

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-52654072217741796332009-03-16T06:38:00.001+08:002009-03-16T06:38:54.669+08:00

I have been reading about the controversies of celebrating Maulidur Rasul not realising that in our very own Brunei Times, Gabriel Haddad had written an article about the celebrations where Maulid was celebrated at the prophet's home. Gabriel Haddad's article was published on 20th March 2008:-+++++FOR centuries, the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, upon him blessings and peace, was celebrated in and

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-23234160413840170382009-03-10T06:21:00.002+08:002009-03-10T06:24:14.064+08:00

Mark Peart on March 10 2009 reported on the National Business Review:+++++Suspension of Transpac talks will damage trade agendaThe Obama administration’s decision to suspend its participation in the Transpac regional trade agreement negotiations, in which New Zealand is a key participant, is a major setback for this country’s trade liberalisation agenda, despite the reassuring noises to the

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-13244500460754750642009-02-15T15:02:00.006+08:002009-02-15T15:14:05.434+08:00

[Note: On 14th February 2009, Melanie Wright wrote in the UK's Mirror about Brunei's Crown Prince here, whether accurate or not, but The Mirror definitely got the photo wrong. Labelling it as the Palace when in fact it is the mosque.]+++++Two-year-old heir to the Sultan of Brunei's fortune is the world’s richest babyAl-Muhtadee Billah is the 34-year-old heir to the Sultan of oil-rich Brunei and

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-9937196069926443082009-02-05T13:27:00.001+08:002009-02-05T13:28:41.908+08:00

The Guardian, UK reported the following on 5th February 2009:-++++++In an article headlined The playboy prince is on the loose (30 January, page 3, G2) we said it had been reported on the gossip pages that Prince Azim of Brunei threw a party for the Pussycat Dolls at the Mahiki nightclub in London. The office of the Sultan of Brunei has asked us to point out that this information is incorrect.+++

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-5971920822878646892009-02-03T07:17:00.001+08:002009-02-03T07:18:32.071+08:00

St Louis Business Journal reported on 3rd February 2009 the following:-++++++Reliv International Inc. said Monday it is expanding into Brunei to strengthen its business in Asia.The addition brings to 14 the number of countries in which Reliv conducts business.Brunei is expected to complement Reliv’s growing business in Malaysia, which surrounds Brunei on three sides, the company said.Reliv

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-51987257360252631362009-01-29T06:16:00.003+08:002009-01-29T06:22:50.072+08:00

[On 27 January 2009, the Oxford Business Group released the following article.]+++Brunei Darussalam: Priority Towards Self-SufficiencyIn an effort to reduce the sultanate's reliance on imported foods and increase agricultural production, Brunei is working on a combination of state support, improved technology and higher investments to ensure the nation's food security. His Majesty Sultan Haji

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-87930475038115257692009-01-14T06:51:00.001+08:002009-01-14T06:52:48.082+08:00

[This was released by Reuters on 13th January 2009.]WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York faced questions at her Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday about foreign donations to the charitable foundation of her husband, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, and their potential for conflicts of interest.Three Republicans raised the issue at a largely friendly hearing on

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-90901862123311996902008-12-20T04:15:00.001+08:002008-12-20T04:17:28.807+08:00

[This article is from Oxford Business Group (OBG) which reported about Brunei dated 19th December 2008.]+++19 Dec 2008 - At a time when a majority of asset classes and countries look vulnerable to yet unforeseen financial shocks, the Sultanate of Brunei Darussalam provides plenty of compelling reasons for foreign investors looking for a safe financial haven.While not immune to the global economic

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-17449048576983624882008-12-19T12:15:00.004+08:002008-12-19T16:12:24.873+08:00

The Voice of America reported about the donations that former US President Bill Clinton received for his foundation on 18 December 2008. This was part of the deal to avoid conflict of interests that he had to make so that his wife, Senator Hillary Clinton can become the next Secretary of State. The news report run as follows:+++Foreign States Among Major Donors to Clinton Foundation18 December

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-20292401418790893642008-12-12T20:20:00.003+08:002008-12-12T20:24:17.380+08:00

John Henderson wrote for the Dallas Morning News (12th December 2008) as follows (including the spelling error of Bensar instead of Bandar):-BENSAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei – It's sunset in Brunei, and schoolchildren are jumping from their front porches into water that engulfs their floating city. Their laughter and splashing are the only sounds I hear, other than the slow puttering of our motor boat

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-72904036589148423712008-09-26T17:23:00.002+08:002008-09-26T17:32:21.674+08:00

[Reuters reported on Thursday, 25th Sept 2008 that Brunei is building a refinery expecting to cost around $3 billion]BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Sept 25 (Reuters) - The expected cost of a proposed refinery project in Brunei could rise from an initial estimate of $3 billion due to rising steel prices, the chief of PetroBru said.Mohd Zaman Noordin, chief executive of the small, privately held firm which

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-76152505391704924982008-09-21T04:49:00.002+08:002008-09-21T04:50:14.889+08:00

[Note: This article written by Ben Quérée was published in the Jersey Evening Post on 20th September 2008]ATTEMPTS to reclaim billions of dollars worth of assets allegedly stolen by the younger brother of the Sultan of Brunei have reached Jersey’s Royal Court.The case involves the Sultan – one of the world’s wealthiest men – and his younger brother Prince Jefri who used to be the oil-rich country

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-14706448459279900742008-09-15T04:41:00.001+08:002008-09-15T04:42:30.395+08:00

Note: Dominic Walsh in the UK Times (15th September 2008) wrote this article.After years of talking about expanding its luxury hotel business, the Brunei Investment Agency (BIA) is finally investing. Having recently added the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles and the New York Palace in Manhattan to its exclusive chain, it is preparing to invest almost £100 million converting two more landmark

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-5787744367534514962008-06-22T09:00:00.000+08:002008-06-22T09:01:00.392+08:00

[Note: I found this article on our national food 'Ambuyat' written for Denver Post by John Henderson and syndicated on the The Times of Zambia (of all place!)] If Bruneians want to expand tourism, they’ll need to hide their national speciality.I saw the sultan of Brunei the other day. He walked right by me as he entered a national Qur’an reading contest. I wanted to ask the sultan a key question

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-65238871119159739862008-06-20T23:54:00.002+08:002008-06-20T23:58:11.640+08:00

[Note: The following was reported on Asia Sentinel written by John Berthelsen, 19th June 2008.]The oil-rich sultanate is trying to sell 3 modern warships its navy can’t use .Want to buy a high-speed warship, cheap, never used, bristling with some of the most advanced weaponry on the high seas? Three of them, in fact? Call Brunei. They can’t use them.Ever since the sultanate settled a confidential

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-15718352263020688352008-04-20T20:44:00.004+08:002008-12-09T19:43:31.286+08:00

Sometimes I feel like kicking and knocking some heads together. Just because you are old, you think you are wise. The other day when we did the rounds after handing the keys, you would think these 'old' people would be grateful to the government. No siree...Each of those recipients received a house for $41,000. It's a terrace house because Brunei, believe it or not is running out of land. So the

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-8406195902580657102008-02-17T02:37:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:31.547+08:00

I was reading the letters page on BB the other day. In fact I read them everytime the letters are published. Letters about services provided by agencies under my ministry formed quite a large portion of the letters. That's why I take a keen interest.One letter in particular stood out, not about services, but about a parent writing that a teacher had knocked his or her child's head with a pen

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-90938361839884005582007-11-14T17:49:00.000+08:002007-11-14T17:54:17.802+08:00

The article below on Brunei Times today elicited a lot of talking this morning. As a government finance man, I can imagine the many financial benefits it will bring to the public finance. On the flip side I can also imagine many difficulties including among others to many junior colleagues having to wait longer to be promoted. Me? I look forward to my retirement age at 55. What about you?Brunei’s

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-14284194341754307392007-11-12T19:11:00.001+08:002007-11-12T19:12:28.579+08:00

From Offshore Oil and Gas News (at last something good to distribute):Brunei Shell delighted with shallow water gas findFiled from Singapore 11/12/2007 9:48:22 AM GMTBRUNEI: Brunei Shell Petroleum Co. Sdn Bhd has found gas in the Bubut structure located just seven kilometres (four miles) from the shoreline and only 15 kilometres (nine miles) from the Brunei liquefied natural gas (BLNG) plant.

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-28900544268033495812007-11-09T18:59:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:31.790+08:00

The Brunei Times cartoonist has been getting on target. Loans have been an issue in Brunei. The huge loans that has been generated by consumers is quite scary. Some blame the banks for giving easy credits. Some blamed the governments for not giving payrises. Some blamed the government for not providing enough opportunity for businesses to grow so that banks can give out loans to businesses and

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-40009864871491829832007-11-08T15:29:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:32.034+08:00

I thought this was an interesting cartoon on Brunei Times. There have been many occasions when buses don't stop at busstops. They stopped everywhere else but at the bus stops. Some poeple put it down to laziness or the chinchai attitude of the driver and the passengers - wanting to be too convenient. Turun saja whenever they wanted.The thing is not many of us Bruneians take buses. We have many

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-69539372643451041822007-10-18T20:02:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:32.350+08:00

I have never enjoyed ambuyat but the rest of my family does. The bit I enjoyed about it are the side dishes that go with it but ambuyat is something that I am never used to. Some say you are not a Bruneian if you don't eat ambuyat. But then I do eat lots of other Brunei things which other Bruneians won't even look at like belutak, so there. Anyway, I was reading a Malaysian newspaper, the Star

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-86705198306083537112007-10-15T19:39:00.000+08:002007-10-15T19:42:52.768+08:00

This news on the trial of the two 'princesses' is interesting as it brought up other issues namely in the boundary between Brunei and Sarawak. As far as I know there has never been any modern demarcation between the Brunei and the state of Sarawak. Whatever border that was agreed upon was I think agreed upon by the British Residents present in both territories for their administrative purposes.

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-62946109282542277372007-10-11T06:21:00.001+08:002008-12-09T19:43:32.649+08:00

This is an interesting document. In 1877 Baron de Overbeck applied and got the concession for Sabah. He and another Englishman Edward Dent later on got a company called the North Borneo Company and ran Sabah from then on until it was taken over by the British. Sabah came into being with this document where Baron de Overbeck was made the Emperor of Sabah (Maharaja Sabah) and King of Gaya and

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-65248720908209155672007-10-02T21:32:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:32.983+08:00

When I saw this postcard, I thought to myself which angle of Kampong Ayer was this taken from.Then I realised it is not Brunei's Kampong Ayer. Guess where this is? (Answer in the comments page)

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-77242042487546706852007-09-22T04:48:00.000+08:002007-11-17T17:58:36.678+08:00

I saw this on Reuters. I know about this a lot earlier obviously. But what gets me is that it took this long for Block M to be started since the award of the first operatorship. I do hope that TAP Oil will be able to do it soon. Their track record is amazing and they only have a handful of people to generate lots and lots of revenue. That's something our companies should emulate. And TAP Oil

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-15868188201287112532007-09-20T06:04:00.000+08:002007-09-20T06:10:48.814+08:00

Unemployment is an interesting issue especially for Brunei. No one really knows how many unemployed there are. We have job seeker registrants but not everyone of those is unemployed. And there are unemployed who are not registered. But then counting unemployed has never been easy as every country has a criteria of counting unemployment.The more interesting thing is what is that country doing

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-64185131161307207092007-09-19T16:18:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:33.472+08:00

This is a building which was unfortunately destroyed in 1983. Prior to the 1984 declaration of Brunei's independence, the authorities needed to enlarge the padang area. This building stood in the way and it had to go.Recognise it? This is the old Police Station in Bandar Seri Begawan. It was located in front of the SOAS Mosque - around where the Yayasan above ground car park is currently located.

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-45701864892137414652007-09-18T05:15:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:33.719+08:00

This 1945 photographs is one of the saddest period of Brunei's history. The Allied Forces in wanting to take back Brunei and the other regions in Southeast Asia proceeded to bombard the city which included the destruction of many buildings in Bandar Brunei including the old Masjid Pak Marbut in Kampong Ayer.When the Allied Forces finally recaptured Brunei, this particular photograph showed just

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-57934656745050615022007-09-17T00:05:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:33.952+08:00

This is a photograph of Jalan Chevalier, now renamed Jalan Pemancha. Imagine if you are standing next to the HSBC Building looking down towards the BIBD Building. This is where this photographer was standing. The Boon Pang Cinema is gone and that is replaced by the BIBD HQ. The building on the corner too have disappeared replaced by a building which I am not sure what it is called. But that

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-35747218011617000952007-09-16T07:16:00.000+08:002007-09-16T07:19:01.859+08:00

The following article was written by Gavin Pao on 14 September 2007 and posted on Asia Sentinel, a news blog.A short-term economic shock presages what happens when the oil runs out Billboards and advertisements lining Brunei’s thoroughfares often implore their citizens to do something (or buy something) for the future generation. But, while most Bruneians have it quite easy, with free education

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-17441722304608800512007-09-15T15:23:00.000+08:002007-09-15T15:24:43.482+08:00

I read this news on Channelnews Asia. Hmmm.... Rahaman.... Sounds kinda familiar, don't you think?Swiber Holdings signs MOU for JV in BruneiBy Pamela Almeda, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 14 September 2007 2202 hrs SINGAPORE : Mainboard-listed Swiber Holdings has signed a memorandum of understanding for a joint venture in Brunei. Swiber will own 51 percent of the joint venture and Brunei-based

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-56048661615020352242007-09-14T07:14:00.001+08:002008-12-09T19:43:34.049+08:00

More on Brunei's OPV. This I found from a small newspaper named North West Evening Mail published on 31st August 2007.THREE new state-of-the-art warships belonging to the Sultan of Brunei are now awaiting a buyer in Barrow.The price could be around £600m which is what the Sultan of Brunei’s government paid to have them built by BAE.The vessels were built by BAE Systems at Scotstoun, Glasgow, but

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-53423143300139320272007-09-14T04:41:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:34.234+08:00

In one of my articles, I mentioned that the 'commercial centre' of the Kampong Ayer was Kampung Pekan Lama. Pekan Lama obviously being Old Town denoted that the place was the old commercial centre. However it was not known as Kampung Pekan Lama in its heydays. It was known as Kampung Bakut China.Bakut is the Brunei word for sandbank. China is obviously Chinese. Kampung Bukit China is where the

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-28295793538530563632007-09-13T06:01:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:34.363+08:00

[Note: The following article was published on the Golden Legacy Column of Brunei's national newspaper, The Brunei Times on 7th July 2007.]As ‘The Brunei Times’ celebrates its anniversary of being the new kid in the Brunei’s newspaper industry, it is worthwhile to look at how the newspaper industry have fared since newspapers began to be circulated in Brunei.Brunei’s media industry is relatively

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-56139625250547121952007-09-12T06:28:00.001+08:002007-09-12T06:30:16.504+08:00

I am writing an article about Jawi and the Malay Language when I came across this list of words. I did not realise that Bomba was a Portuguese word (what are we doing with a Portuguese language?) and that katil was a Tamil word. aksi - action (from Dutch actie) almari - cupboard (from Portuguese armário) anggur - grape (from Persian انگور/angur) bahasa - language (from Sanskrit bhāshā) bandar -

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-23633197408630074342007-09-11T07:05:00.001+08:002008-12-09T19:43:34.662+08:00

During the weekend, I got into a conversation with one of my older brother in laws and he started telling me all sorts of things that happened when he was still living there. The conversation went around to the subject of fishing.He described a way of catching prawns called merigis. At that time I could not imagine it but he described as something that you go around in a boat making a noise using

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-37820879497578094172007-09-06T00:02:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:34.833+08:00

This is a familiar photograph of the Secretariat Building taken most probably from the mosque. There has been a few of these photographs. But the most interesting thing about this one is to look at the background and the surrounding of the photograph. In the background, there is no Lapau. The old Istana Sugara can be seen behind the Post Office. Look beyond the Post Office at Jalan Kianggeh. Not

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-49735271641724684602007-09-05T05:16:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:35.020+08:00

This is an interesting photograph of Brunei Town taken from the General Post Office Building and looking down towards Jalan Sultan. You can see the Padang on the right and an old cinema. On the left you can see the old HSBC Building, still low rise, no RBA Tower, and all the shophouses on Jalan Sultan still two storeys tall only. You can make out the Customs Warehouse at the end of the road. I am

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-13172562076868805382007-08-28T16:05:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:35.177+08:00

I have always been curious as the three warships that Brunei is supposed to have bought. I know we paid a fortune for it. According to BBC the three ships cost the Brunei Government some GBP600 (about $1.9 billion our money). In 1998/1999, when oil price plunge to about US$10 a barrel, this price was more than what the government was earning in a year. I found two interesting articles. The first

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-37111126755180935902007-08-26T11:21:00.001+08:002008-12-09T19:43:35.757+08:00

The following article was published in The Golden Legacy column of the Brunei Times on 30th June 2007.When His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam exchanged the new Brunei’s and Singapore’s $20 currency notes with His Excellency Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore on 27th June 2007 to

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-36890418370939458572007-08-25T05:36:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:35.985+08:00

I wrote about a book called 'As the Future Catches You' in my used to be well known blog on The Daily Brunei Resources. Though in that entry I have never mentioned what was written about Brunei. In the book there are only two entries about Brunei. They both hurt. But then truth hurts.One of the entry is as above. I am guilty of this as sometimes I tend to make a big thing out of history as if it

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-10269125974771794212007-08-23T05:26:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:36.306+08:00

This is an old postcard showing the Civic Centre before it became TAIB's headquarters. Though with the HSBC building next to it, this photo does not seem as old as it should be. But if you look further towards the buildings in Jalan Tutong, the block of buildings are still just double storeyed and looking at the cars, this photo is about 30 years old.

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-50584157002010626832007-08-20T13:04:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:36.486+08:00

I bought this photograph on ebay. This photograph was taken on 29th October 1949 by someone called Lim Seng Lee who at that time works for the Sarawak Oilfields Ltd. Sarawak Oilfields was the forerunner to the Brunei Shell Petroleum. He sent this photo to someone called Cheah Thay Cheng who lived in 28 Busurrah Lane in Penang, Malaysia. All these were written at the back of the photograph.Given

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-17798424378808384212007-08-19T11:01:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:37.071+08:00

[Note: The following article was published in The Golden Legacy column of Brunei Darussalam's national newspaper, The Brunei Times, on 23rd June 2007]As one of the ancient kingdoms of the Malay archipelago, Brunei's historical legacy is long and can be comparable or if not exceeding that of other better known empires in the region.Among others, its strategic geographical location and well

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-51282266452762490932007-08-15T23:25:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:37.445+08:00

This is another photograph of Brunei's old airport at the Old Airport Government Offices Complex in Berakas. This is of course now the headquarters of the Brunei Government Printing Department.

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-42357267490184099752007-08-12T07:45:00.001+08:002008-12-09T19:43:38.174+08:00

[Note: The following unedited article was published in The Golden Legacy column of Brunei's national newspaper The Brunei Times on 16th June 2007.]Brunei surprisingly, was the last among the Borneo states to have its own postage stamps.The Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) which included Kalimantan first issued theirs in 1864, Sarawak in 1869, the British Colony of Labuan, despite not being a

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-36160529474737896802007-08-11T08:18:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:38.302+08:00

Study this photograph. Look at it. What's wrong with this photograph?Most people don't realise it. What's missing from this photograph is the stone bahtera or astaka in the middle of the lake. From this angle, the astaka would have loomed large in any photograph you take. Many don't realise that the astaka was actually built about 9 years later after the completion of the mosque. The mosque was

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-51600526875248539412007-08-10T10:53:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:38.454+08:00

I guess I don't update this blogsite often enough. Anyway, I found this interesting old photographs of the Brunei Wharf. I am guessing that was the original wharf on the right hand side of the photo. What do you think?

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-32134981089122831122007-08-01T14:33:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:38.697+08:00

Greetings from Hyatt Regency at Mount Coolum, Queensland, Australia. I had photographs but apparently I did not have the most important USB link to my camera so no uploads. The photo up there is that of Mount Coolum Golf Course - home of the Australian PGA Tour. Played there yesterday with my colleague and we found it to be an easy course. Nearly got a couple of pars but my colleague got 6. Later

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-78652296717353415142007-07-30T15:41:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:39.210+08:00

Every now and then a new old photograph of the Kampong Ayer appears. These two are fairly new and I don't think have been seen here or in any of the entries I have written over the last year. The top one is taken sometime in the early 1960s and the lower one sometime in the early 1950s.PS. My wife says "the 1st pic looks to me more like Kg Masjid Lama in Muara and the houses really reminds me of

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-77481901489458079822007-07-29T21:39:00.000+08:002007-07-29T21:40:52.395+08:00

I found this really interesting site/post about the Brunei language. This is a good read especially those of you who are curious about the fast and weird slang we Bruneians have. Do you ever notice that Brunei is always pronounced as Brun-ai?Please check at the sound of vowel "a" at this webpage if you are unsure of what I meant, grrrr!Only three vowel soudns are available in Bruneian Malay -- a,

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-10768896756832987692007-07-27T06:28:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:39.604+08:00

A colleague of mine was telling me a story about how someone came over asking for money. He told him that he will not give money but he is willing to give him money for something. So this guy came back with a bag full of 'ayats' and a few photographs. I asked him about the photographs and there were three of them, two on the wedding of Duli Pengiran Perdana Wazir and the other on the wedding of

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-73800537795852164482007-07-22T05:48:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:39.947+08:00

[Note: The following article was published in the Golden Legacy Column in Brunei's national newspaper, The Brunei Times, on 2nd June 2007]History sometimes overlooked the small people. Yet these are the people who mattered.In the Brunei history too, one of the overlooked group of people are the 'pengalu'. Among Bruneians, some of the words used extensively in its old history have been forgotten.

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-63940838784926048112007-07-11T20:59:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:40.364+08:00

On 27th June 2007, when His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Muizzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam exchanged the currency note of Brunei with His Excellency Mr Lee Hsien Loong, the Prime Minister of Singapore, the currency note of Singapore - that occassion marked the 40th anniversary of the currency interchangeability agreement between Brunei and Singapore. For 40

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-29888670935738518872007-07-11T06:57:00.000+08:002007-07-11T06:59:09.702+08:00

To my faithful readers - try going to www.bruneimoneystamps.blogspot.com where I talk about my hobby of collecting money and stamps. I will update this blog when I have the time.

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-9925618220042997682007-06-27T16:44:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:41.007+08:00

Have you ever wondered what is inside the Kaabah? Here is the photo that someone took when insiden the Kaabah. The other is the plan of what looks like inside it.

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-5791870834709884082007-06-19T05:43:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:41.870+08:00

After a couple of hours being driven through Moscow, you realised that you seemed to be having a dejavu. There is a building which you thought you have seen before and you keep seeing again and again. It was only when you asked when you realised it is more or less the same designed building being built all over Moscow.Called the seven sisters are seven Stalinist skyscrapers in Moscow, Russia.

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-80630425710144966672007-06-18T07:26:00.001+08:002008-12-09T19:43:42.820+08:00

In Moscow, the familiar becomes the unfamiliar - the Russians alphabet evolved independently of the normal alphabets we are using. The familiar letters are different. For instance the Russian P is our R. So in Russia, Restaurant or to use the Malay spelling Restoran becomes Pectopah in Russia, so only the e, t, o and a are the same. I was told that when writing the alphabets changed too. Here are

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-60250153038011287622007-06-17T12:00:00.001+08:002008-12-09T19:43:43.862+08:00

Remember The Asia Magazine? You don't? I guess you are not old enough then.The Asia Magazine used to be given away with The Borneo Bulletin many years ago. Then the Borneo Bulletin was only a weekly edition and The Asia Magazine was the accompanying magazine. Nowadays our two national dailies don't give anything anymore which is sad. When I was studying in England, I used to love the Sunday

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-79263116341039206022007-06-14T06:58:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:46.222+08:00

The first few buildings I saw in Moscow was these domed structures. And there were lots of these domed structure which looked like our mosques. But they are definitely not mosques. I was told that there are only 4 mosques in Russia for a city of about 12 million people but I only saw 2 (next posting). These other domed structures are the Russian Orthodox Christian Churches. I haven't had time to

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-5823970990908483032007-06-11T00:01:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:47.613+08:00

On the last day in Moscow, our host, the Ministry of Trade and Finance took us to see a ballet performance. It was held at Tchaikovsky Theatre and we were presented with the Dance of the Nations choreographed by Monceef. I tried to read the program book but it was purely Russian, so I had to rely on the explanation of the liaison officer accompanying us, Margarita (she said hers was an unusual

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-9351197780001421262007-06-10T07:10:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:47.958+08:00

[Note: An edited version of the following article was published in The Golden Legacy column in Brunei's national newspaper, The Brunei Times dated 26th May 2007.]Like many Muslim countries, Brunei Darussalam treats the annual Musabaqah Tilawatil Quran or the Al-Quran Reading Competition with great respect. The winners will be given the honour to represent Brunei Darussalam in international

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-61722025084818041812007-06-09T00:03:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:48.593+08:00

This is the first of a number of posts about Moscow.I had the opportunity to take the Moscow Metro. The Moscow Metro is a relic of the Soviet Socialist system. It was built in the 1920s or 1930s and the network is quite extensive. It covers the entire city with its 15 lines. In fact the transportation in Moscow is quite efficient. There is the Metro and on the surface, there is the electric trams

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-1187567842694963712007-06-06T18:11:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:48.752+08:00

This photo of the future husband of Princess Majeedah, Pengiran Khairul Khalil bin Pengiran Syed Haji Jaafari and his family was circulated via e-mail. The parents have appeared on television over the last few days. So here they are in close up:-

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-74356339210796940432007-06-05T12:48:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:48.908+08:00

Apologies to all.... I was away in Moscow since the 25th and arrived back in Brunei on 2nd June. I know. Your next question would be - isn't there an internet in Moscow? And the answer to that is, yes. The connection is fantastic but I could not afford it. The hotel I stayed in charged 1,132 Currency Unit. What's a Currency Unit? That was my question too. Apparently in Russia, they run a two

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-4439682340129785142007-05-25T07:56:00.001+08:002007-05-25T07:58:35.728+08:00

“When the tide rises, the women go in boats through the city selling provisions and necessaries,” Pigafetta, the Italian chronicler with the famous seafaring adventurer Magellan wrote this of Brunei way back in 1521, almost 500 years ago.As late as the 1980s, every early day along the Brunei River, a visitor to Brunei can see a number of small Brunei sampans called ‘bidars’. These boats were

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-68902041443617639192007-05-24T16:19:00.000+08:002007-05-23T16:40:51.089+08:00

Since last night my young son has been unwell. When I got back from work this evening I decided to take him to the hospital despite my exhaustion. There were many waiting, perhaps we will be delayed by more than an hour. I took my number and sat down the waiting room. There were many faces, young and old, but all wer silent.Some brothers made use of the many booklets available in the waiting room

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-62224477685034606092007-05-22T22:43:00.001+08:002007-05-22T22:43:55.117+08:00

Pada suatu pagi di satu sekolah menengah, ada seorang pelajar bertanya pada seorang guru yang sedang mengajar. Ketika itu, guru tersebut sedang menyentuh mengenai kasih dan sayang secara am. Dialog di antara pelajar dan guru tersebut berbunyi begini : Pelajar : Cikgu, macam mana kita nak pilih seseorang yang terbaik sebagai orang paling kita sayang? Macam mana juga kasih sayang itu nak berkekalan

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-84838453410809240362007-05-20T19:34:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:49.183+08:00

WHEN approaching his death, 'Umar ibn Khattab, the second successor of Prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessing be upon him) did not appoint a successor though he was alive for some time after being stabbed. Rather, he appointed a committee of six honourable individuals whom he ordered to elect a Khalifah (the head of Muslim nation) from amongst themselves. He clearly warned them against choosing

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-8837892725893967202007-05-19T00:05:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:49.426+08:00

I had a chat with my sister yesterday and the subject turned towards the black deviationist magician on Thursday's BB. We were wondering why on earth would anyone believe that these people can do anything. But then when I think about the pyramid scam schemes etc, we are pretty gullible people sometimes. Not to mention when we are financially distressed and someone jangled a little hope in front

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-63516363314098921942007-05-18T06:06:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:50.572+08:00

Here are the second set of photographs depicting the aftermath of the great floods of Makkah of 1941. The first photograph is probably among the better known ones. I don't know of any these outside these two sets. If there are anymore out there, I would love to have them.

BRUNEI resourcesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-14187252132800202032007-05-17T00:16:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:51.900+08:00

In 1941, there a very heavy rainfall in Makkah and caused one of the biggest flooding that has ever taken place in Makkah. Here is the first set of photographs taken during the aftermath of that downpour.

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-71936471294718166002007-05-16T02:35:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:52.629+08:00

I got an e-mail with the following photographs taken of Brunei around 1970s and probably older. These are interesting as I have not seen these photographs before but they are good quality ones for a change.

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296133469834747276.post-3275811209722579452007-05-15T05:45:00.000+08:002008-12-09T19:43:52.790+08:00

The story of the discovery of oil in Brunei’s oil town, Seria has often been told even in school text books but no body remembers how difficult it was to find oil in Brunei Darussalam at the beginning. When we look at the approximately 200,000 barrels of oil that our nation produced daily and the billions of revenues that we get from the sale of oil and gas, it is a wonder that it was ever found

Rozan Yunoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798585704748239352noreply@blogger.com0