Sunday, 29 June 2008

Wajid From Temburong

Wajid From Temburong
holidays in brunei, Besides Udang Galah and Chendol Food in Brunei, one of Temburong District's most famous product is wajid, the Brunei food too.
This brown sticky rice is sold for $2 for 8 small pieces... See how expensive it is?
Wajid From Temburong
Wajid the Temburong Brunei traditional food
main ingredient of Wajid From Temburong
The main ingredient is the one on the right, marked B$37
source :
http://phoenix4bn.blogspot.com/2008/04/wajid-temburong.html

Saturday, 28 June 2008

The Possesion of Brunei Passport

Brunei national passport.
Just Share, I left Singapore for Brunei Darussalam about a week ago, shortly after the launching of the new Brunei biometric passport has been made official in the local papers. Having been bestowed Brunei citizenship by His Majesty The Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam three months ago, I decided to exercise my right to apply for a Brunei national passport.

The Brunei national biometric passport is a red little booklet for international traveling. The biometric passport costs $60, and encompasses a whole new set of security features - laser printing, a biometric chip, different watermarks etc.

The new passport is aligned with international standards set by International Civil Aviation Organization(ICAO) and its biometric chip contains permanent information of the holder's 10 fingerprints and biometric facts such as facial image and so on to verify that the examined passport is genuine and owned by the rightful person.

More interestingly, the authorities have revamped the design of the passport pages. It now contains some famous sceneries from around the capital, e.g. Istana Nurul Iman and the famous Kampong Ayer.
Brunei national passport.
The whole project costs the government $7.1 million. One of the main reasons is to allow Brunei travellers to visit nations such as the United States, which has enforced the use of the new passport, in conjunction with its Visa Waiver Travel programme. This means that I can now enter North America without a visa.

The new passport also promised to cut down on entry processing time at immigration to checkpoints. Brunei passport holders no longer have their passport stamped when entering or exiting Brunei Darussalam since the middle of April.

Recently, I felt extremely proud to be holding a Brunei passport. Brunei is one of the three countries to enjoy visa-free entry in China (PRC) for 15 days. Due to the upcoming Olympics, Singapore passport holders now have to apply for a Chinese visa starting from July, whereas Brunei passport holders can continue to enjoy the visa-free privilege.

source :
http://ykwang84.blogspot.com/2008/05/in-possesion-of-brunei-passport.html

Sunday, 8 June 2008

Pictures of Limbang Chinese Temples In Brunei

Limbang Chinese Temples In Brunei
About The Chinese temple In Brunei Darussalam facing the Limbang River... View from the front..
Limbang Chinese Temples In Brunei
Limbang Chinese Temples In Brunei
Limbang Chinese Temples In Brunei
The Limbang Chinese Temple near to the Brunei immigration Post....
Limbang Chinese Temples In Brunei
Limbang Chinese Temples In Brunei
Limbang Chinese Temples In Brunei
source :
http://phoenix4bn.blogspot.com/2008/05/limbang-chinese-temples.html

Saturday, 7 June 2008

Forever Grateful to Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin III

Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin III
About Brunei Darussalam, Yes, Brunei forever grateful to the late and beloved Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin III of Brunei Darussalam, for his wise decisions on not to join Malaysia, otherwise, we would be one of the top 3 poorest state in Malaysia... as what is happening in the 3 oil producing states in Malaysia now.

2008/05/14 New Straits Times...
Oil royalty to states stays at 5%
THE 5% royalty going to Sabah, Sarawak and Terengganu on oil and gas extracted by Petronas will not be reviewed.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Senator Datuk Amirsham A. Aziz, said financial considerations prevented the government from acceding to their requests for an increase in royalty.

This was because any increase in royalty to the states would eat into the 10 per cent royalty the government received from Petronas.

He was replying to a supplementary question from Alexander Nanta Linggi (BN-Kapit) on whether the federal government would look into increasing its royalty from 10 per cent to 20 per cent.

To another supplementary question from Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh), Amirsham said the formula involving royalty on oil and gas saw the government receiving 10 per cent, of which five per cent was given to the three states.
To the original question from Dr Wan Azizah, Amirsham said that between 2004 and last year, Petronas paid a total of RM26.839 billion in royalty to the federal government, Sabah, Sarawak and Terengganu.

The Federal Government received RM13.4 billion, Terengganu (RM7.3 billion), Sabah (RM1.2 billion) and Sarawak (RM4.8 billion).

Amirsham said that based on current oil extraction methods, crude oil and oil condensates were expected to last 22 years while gas reserves would last 39 years.

"Even though there are many years for the reserve period (oil and gas) to expire, the fact is that the country also imports oil and gas to meet some local energy needs.

"Thus, the country is expected to be a net energy importer by 2014," Amirsham said.

To another question, Amirsham said oil production in Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak for the financial year ending March 31, last year, stood at 241.3 million barrels of crude oil.

Gas production was 2,081.4 billion square feet, he added.

He said crude oil and gas products exported by the subsidiaries of Petronas were sold at current world prices whereas the price for domestic sale of gas-based products for the electrical and non-electrical sector was fixed by the government.

------------------------------------------

The Sabah, Sarawak and Trengganu people are angry that the Federal Government is refusing to increase the oil royalty and some bloggers mentioned that Bruneians were lucky to opt out of Malaysia when it was formed in 1963.

Yes, we are forever grateful to our late and beloved Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin III for his wise decisions on not to join Malaysia, otherwise, we would be one of the top 3 poorest state in Malaysia... as what is happening in the 3 oil producing states in Malaysia now.

source
http://phoenix4bn.blogspot.com/2008/05/we-are-forever-grateful-to-our-late.html

Sunday, 25 May 2008

Pictures of Chinese Temple in Brunei

Is the above pictures that of Visiting Brunei Town's Chinese Temple? It should have been taken when the Allied or Australian forces freed Brunei from Japanese Occupation.
Chinese Temple in Brunei
Chinese Temple in Brunei
The current location of the Bandar's Chinese Temple
Brunei Muara Chinese Temple
Muara Chinese Temple on Chinese New Year's Day
Brunei Muara Chinese Temple

brunei Prawn Crackers
Must have items for CNY - Prawn Crackers... 
Brunei have one of the best prawn cracker in the region... 
depends on where you buy it I guess...
 Bandar Seri Begawan Chinese TemplePraying for good luck at the Bandar Seri Begawan Chinese Temple, 
the day before Chinese New Year
 Bandar Seri Begawan Chinese Temple
 Bandar Seri Begawan Chinese TempleFrom young, they have to be taught....
source :
http://phoenix4bn.blogspot.com/2008/04/chinese-temple-in-brunei.html

Chinese Cemetary in Brunei

 Chinese Cemetary at Muara Brunei
Just Share about Brunei Darussalam, There are several Chinese cemetery in Brunei Darussalam, a testimony of how long the Chinese has been part of Brunei's society for such a long time.
                                                                    Top and botton:
                                             The view from the Muara Chinese Cemetary
  Chinese Cemetary at Muara Brunei

 Chinese Cemetary at Muara Brunei
 Top and bottom: 
The view from the Tasek (Tasik) Chinese Cemetary 
(within the Tasek Recreation Park, Bandar Seri Begawan)
 Chinese Cemetary at Muara Brunei

Chinese Cemetary in Brunei

Chinese Cemetary in Brunei
Above: Some of the tombs at the top of the hill.
Bottom: Some of the damaged pictures in the cemetery complex.
Chinese Cemetary in Brunei
Another damaged tomb....
Chinese Cemetary in Brunei
Chinese Cemetary in Brunei
Above: To protect from soil erosion...

The Chinese Cemetery on the "other" side of Brunei River could be the oldest Chinese cemetery in Brunei (or the Tasek Chinese Cemetery could be the oldest). In order for descendants to pay respects to their ancestors who were buried there, they must hail a boat from one of the many boats cruising in the Brunei River.

The cost per person to go to the other side of the Water Village is just 50cents. According to a colleague of mine, to ask for the whole boat will just cost about $10 to $15 and to pay more than that for the whole boat is already too much. Problem is that, he told me this after I have taken the boat ride to see other interesting things in the Brunei River and I have to pay double the price, i.e. $30!

Nevertheless it was the first time for me to go and visit the Chinese Cemetery at "Tui Bin Kang" (The other side of the river), though the name of the village where the Cemetery is located confused me... its either Kg. Bebakut, Kg. Sungai Si Amas or what?... I have to check this up...

Chinese Cemetary in Brunei
Above: The entrance to the Cemetery is littered with rubbish... mostly washing machines...
Chinese Cemetary in Brunei
Chinese Cemetary in Brunei
The view from the top of the Cemetery...

Chinese Cemetary in Brunei

Since this Saturday is a public holiday, it is a very good day for the people to come and clean the graveyard of their departed family members. Its good to see that despite the different income gap in existence then and now, many Chinese family still remember and honour their ancestors just like generations before... such practise should continue so that our future generation would know our culture and roots and understand who are present and past relatives were..
Chinese Cemetary in Brunei
The Christian cemetary is just next to the Chinese cemetary...
Chinese Cemetary in Brunei
Many Christian in Brunei are chinese and they also follow the Chinese tradition of visiting 
and cleaning the cemetary during Qing Ming...
Chinese Cemetary in Brunei
A private family graveyard
Chinese Cemetary in Brunei
Offering to the deities...
source
http://phoenix4bn.blogspot.com/2008/04/chinese-cemetary-in-brunei.html

Monday, 12 May 2008

Brunei Holidays : Bukit Teraja in Brunei Darussalam

Bukit Teraja Kuala Belait Brunei
Bukit Teraja is located about 87km from Kuala Belait town, Brunei Darussalam. It is one of Brunei Holidays -  tourist attractions in Brunei, of the natural (Beauty) yet to be discover in Mukim Labi. You have to get to Rumah Panjang Teraja which is located at the far end of Mukim Labi. One of the natural beauty found in Bukit Teraja is the Waterfall and ‘Wasai’. It takes about 45 mins hiking from Rumah Panjang Teraja Mukim Labi and you have to be physically fit to reach the waterfall and ‘Wasai’.

A special budget was allocated to developed Bukit Teraja to transform it to a recreational centre similar to Wasai Wong Kadir which is now under the maintenance of Jabatan Alam Sekitar dan Taman Rekreasi (JASTRE).

Last Sunday personnels from the Belait District Office headed by Awang Haji Mohamad bin Haji Abd Rahman went to Bukit Teraja to have a closer look at the natural beauty of the area.

Reputed to be one of the highest hills in the Labi area, Bukit Teraja rewards the climbers with fine views over the Baram valley to the north and and Gunung Mulu.

source :

http://hsrmalek.blogspot.com/2008/04/bukit-teraja-is-located-about-87km-from.html

Bukit Teraja Kuala Belait Brunei

Bukit Teraja Kuala Belait Brunei

Bukit Teraja Kuala Belait Brunei

Bukit Teraja Kuala Belait Brunei

Bukit Teraja waterfalls Kuala Belait Brunei
Bukit Teraja waterfalls Kuala Belait Brunei

Bukit Teraja waterfalls Kuala Belait Brunei
Bukit Teraja Kuala Belait Brunei

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