Know About Your Brunei
The nation of Brunei, the Abode of
Peace
·
Negara Brunei Darussalam (Rumi script)
·
نڬارا بروني دارالسلام (Jawi script)
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|
Flag
Emblem
|
|
Motto:
·
الدائمون المحسنون بالهدى
·
Sentiasa membuat kebajikan
dengan petunjuk Allah
·
"Always
in service with God's guidance"
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Anthem:
·
Allah Peliharakan Sultan
·
"God
Bless the Sultan"
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Location of Brunei (green)
in ASEAN (dark grey) – [Legend]
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Capital
and
largest city
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Bandar
Seri Begawan
4°53.417′N 114°56.533′E |
Official languages
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Malay[a]
|
Recognised
languages
|
English[b]
|
Other
languages
and local dialects[2][3] |
·
Brunei
Malay
·
Tutong
·
Kedayan
·
Belait
·
Chinese (Hokkien, Hakka
Chinese, Standard Chinese and Cantonese)
·
Indigenous
languages
·
Murut
·
Dusun
·
Brunei
Bisaya
|
Official
scripts
|
·
Malay
alphabet
·
Jawi
alphabet[1]
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Ethnic groups
(2016[4])
|
·
66% Malays
·
10% Chinese
·
24%
others
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Religion
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Sunni
Islam
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Demonym(s)
|
Bruneian
|
Government
|
Unitary Islamic absolute
monarchy |
• Sultan, Yang
di-Pertuan and Prime Minister
|
Hassanal
Bolkiah
|
• Crown
Prince and Senior Minister
|
Al-Muhtadee
Billah
|
Legislature
|
Legislative
Council
|
Formation
|
|
• Creation
of the Sultanate
|
c. 1368
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• Bruneian
Empire
|
15th –
19th century
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• British
protected state
|
17
September 1888
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• Japanese
occupation
|
1941–1945
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• Independence from
the United Kingdom |
1
January 1984
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• ASEAN
Declaration
|
7
January 1984
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Area
|
|
• Total
|
5,765 km2 (2,226 sq mi) (164th)
|
• Water (%)
|
8.6
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Population
|
|
• 2018[5] estimate
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442,400[5] (168th)
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• Density
|
72.11/km2 (186.8/sq mi) (134th)
|
GDP (PPP)
|
2019 estimate
|
• Total
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$36.854
billion[6] (125th)
|
• Per
capita
|
$83,777[6] (4th)
|
GDP (nominal)
|
2019 estimate
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• Total
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$13.325
billion[6] (124th)
|
• Per
capita
|
$30,290[6] (29th)
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HDI (2017)
|
0.853[7]
very high · 39th |
Currency
|
Brunei
dollar (BND)
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Time
zone
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UTC+8 (Brunei
Darussalam Time)
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Driving
side
|
left
|
Calling
code
|
+673[c]
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ISO
3166 code
|
BN
|
Internet
TLD
|
.bn[8]
|
a.
^ Under
Article 82: "Official language" of the Constitution of
Brunei, Malay is the official language.
b.
^ Under
Article 82: "Official language" of the Constitution of
Brunei, English is used in official documents (official documents
are bilingual; Malay and English).[9]
c.
^ Also
080 from East Malaysia.
|
Brunei (/bruːˈnaɪ/ broo-NY),
officially the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace[10] (Malay: Negara
Brunei Darussalam, Jawi: نڬارا بروني
دارالسلام), is a country located on the
north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart
from its coastline with the South China Sea, the country is completely
surrounded by the insular Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is
separated into two parts by the Sarawak district of Limbang. Brunei is the
only sovereign state completely on the island of Borneo; the remainder of the
island's territory is divided between the nations of Malaysia and Indonesia. Brunei's
population was 428,963 in 2018.[11][12]
At the peak of the Bruneian
Empire, Sultan Bolkiah (reigned 1485–1528) is alleged to have had
control over most regions of Borneo, including modern-day Sarawak
and Sabah, as well as the Sulu Archipelago off the northeast tip
of Borneo, Seludong (modern-day Manila), and the islands off the
northwest tip of Borneo. The maritime state was visited by
Spain's Magellan Expedition in 1521 and fought against Spain in the
1578 Castilian War.
During the 19th century, the
Bruneian Empire began to decline. The Sultanate ceded Sarawak (Kuching)
to James Brooke and installed him as the White Rajah, and it
ceded Sabah to the British North Borneo Chartered Company. In 1888, Brunei
became a British protectorate and was assigned a British
resident as colonial manager in 1906. After the Japanese occupation
during World War II, in 1959 a new constitution was written. In 1962, a
small armed rebellion against the monarchy was ended with the help of
the British.[13]
Brunei gained its independence
from the United Kingdom on 1 January 1984. Economic growth during the 1990s and
2000s, with the GDP increasing 56% from 1999 to 2008, transformed Brunei into
an industrialised country. It has developed wealth from extensive petroleum and
natural gas fields. Brunei has the second-highest Human Development Index among
the Southeast Asian nations, after Singapore, and is classified
as a "developed country".[14] According
to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Brunei is ranked fifth in
the world by gross domestic product per capita at purchasing power parity.
The IMF estimated in 2011 that Brunei was one of two countries (the other
being Libya) with a public debt at 0% of the national GDP. Forbes also
ranks Brunei as the fifth-richest nation out of 182, based on its petroleum and
natural gas fields.[15]
Contents
·
Etymology
·
History
o
Early history
o
War with Spain and decline
o
British intervention
o
Discovery of oil
o
Japanese occupation
o
Post-World War II
o
Writing of the Constitution
o
National development plans
o
Independence
o
1st century
·
Geography
o Climate
·
Politics and government
o
Foreign relations
o
Defence
o
Administrative divisions
·
Legal system
o
Women and children
o
LGBT rights
o
Religious rights
o
Animal rights
·
Economy
o
Infrastructure
o
Banking
·
Demographics
o
Religion
o
Languages
·
Culture
o
Media
o
Sport
Etymology
According to local
historiography, Brunei was founded by Awang Alak Betatar, later to be Sultan
Muhammad Shah, reigning around AD 1400. He moved from Garang in the Temburong District[16] to
the Brunei River estuary, discovering Brunei. According to legend,
upon landing he exclaimed, Baru nah (loosely translated as
"that's it!" or "there"), from which the name
"Brunei" was derived.[17] He was
the first Muslim ruler of Brunei.[18] Before
the rise of the Bruneian Empire under the Muslim Bolkiah Dynasty,
Brunei is believed to have been under Buddhist rulers.[19]
It was renamed
"Barunai" in the 14th century, possibly influenced by the Sanskrit word
"varuṇ" (वरुण), meaning
"seafarers".[20] The
word "Borneo" is of the same origin. In the country's full
name, Negara Brunei Darussalam, darussalam (Arabic: دار السلام) means "abode of peace", while negara means
"country" in Malay.
The earliest recorded
documentation by the West about Brunei is by an Italian known as Ludovico
di Varthema, who also said the "Bruneian people have fairer skin tone than
the peoples he met in Maluku Islands". On his documentation back to
1550;
We arrived at the island of
Bornei (Brunei or Borneo), which is distant from the Maluch about
two hundred miles, and we found that it was somewhat larger than the aforesaid
and much lower. The people are pagans and are men of goodwill. Their colour is
whiter than that of the other sort ... in this island justice is well
administered ...[21]
History
Main
article: History of Brunei
Early history
The tomb
of a ruler of Po-ni in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
The settlement known as
Vijayapura was a colony to the Buddhist Srivijaya empire and was
thought to be located in Borneo's Northwest which flourished in the 7th
Century.[22] In the aftermath of the Indian Chola invasion of Srivijaya,
Datu Puti lead some dissident datus from Sumatra and Borneo in a rebellion
against Rajah Makatunao who was a Chola appointed local Rajah. The dissidents
and their retinue tried to revive Srivijaya in a new country called Madja-as in
the Visayas islands (an archipelago named after Srivijaya) in the Philippines.
One of the earliest Chinese records of an independent kingdom in Borneo is the
977 AD letter to Chinese emperor from the ruler of Po-ni, which some scholars
believe to refer to Borneo.[23] In
1225, a Chinese official, Chau Ju-Kua (Zhao Rugua), reported that Po-ni had 100
warships to protect its trade, and that there was a lot of wealth in the
kingdom.[24]
In the 14th century, the Javanese manuscript Nagarakretagama,
written by Prapanca in 1365, mentioned Barune as
the constituent state of Hindu Majapahit,[25] which
had to make an annual tribute of 40 katis of camphor.
In 1369, Sulu which was also formerly part of Majapahit, had successfully
rebelled and then attacked Po-ni, looting it of treasure and gold. A fleet from
Majapahit succeeded in driving away the Sulus, but Po-ni was left weaker after
the attack.[26] A Chinese report from 1371 described Po-ni as poor and totally
controlled by Majapahit.[27]
During the 15th century, Po-ni
had seceded from Majapahit and then converted to Islam. Thus transforming into
the independent Sultanate of Brunei. Brunei became a Hashemite state
when she allowed the Arab Emir of Mecca, Sharif Ali, to become her third
sultan. Scholars claim that the power of the Sultanate of Brunei was
at its peak between the 15th and 17th centuries, with its power
extending from northern Borneo to the southern Philippines (Sulu) and even in
the northern Philippines (Manila) which Brunei incorporated via territorial
acquisition accomplished through royal marriages.[28] Sultan
Bolkiah had extended Brunei's power to its greatest extent when it conquered
Manila and Sulu as he even attempted but failed to conquer the Visayas islands
even though Sultan Bolkiah was half-Visayan himself being descended from a
Visayan mother and he was famously known as Sultan Ragam "The Singing
Captain", his powerful musical voice was a trait he inherited from his
Visayan lineage since Visayans were culturally obsessed with singing, with the
best Visayan singers often also being members of their warrior castes too.[29] However,
Islamic Brunei's power was not uncontested in Borneo since it had a Hindu rival
in a state founded by Indians called Kutai in the south which they
overpowered but didn't destroy. Brunei's dominance in the Philippines was also
challenged by two Indianized kingdoms, the Rajahanates of Cebu and Butuan which
were also coincidentally allied with Kutai and were also at war with Brunei's
dependencies; Sulu and Manila as well as their mutual ally, the Sultanate
of Maguindanao. The Kedatuans of Madja-as and Dapitan were also belligerent
against Brunei due to them being the targets of constant Muslim attacks organized
from Maguindanao and Ternate, a Papuan speaking state in the vicinity of
Oceania that grew wealthy by monopolizing spice production. Nevertheless, by
the 16th century, Islam was firmly rooted in Brunei, and the country had built
one of its biggest mosques. In 1578, Alonso Beltrán, a Spanish traveller,
described it as being five stories tall and built on the water.[30]
War with Spain and decline
Brunei
territorial losses from 1400 to 1890
Brunei briefly rose to
prominence in Southeast Asia when the Portuguese occupied Malacca and
thereby forced the wealthy and powerful but displaced Muslim refugees there to
relocate to nearby Sultanates such as Aceh and Brunei. However, European
influence gradually brought an end to the regional power, as Brunei
entered a period of decline compounded by internal strife over royal
succession. In the face of these invasions by European Christian powers,
the Ottoman Caliphate aided the beleaguered Southeast Asian
Sultanates by making Aceh a protectorate and sending
expeditions to reinforce, train and equip the local mujahideen.[31] Spain declared
war in 1578, planning to attack and capture Kota Batu, Brunei's
capital at the time. This was based in part on the assistance of two
Bruneian noblemen, Pengiran Seri Lela and Pengiran Seri Ratna. The former
had travelled to Manila, then the centre of the Spanish colony. Manila
itself was captured from Brunei, Christianised and made a territory of
the Viceroyalty of New Spain which was centered in Mexico City. Pengiran
Seri Lela came to offer Brunei as a tributary to Spain for help to
recover the throne usurped by his brother, Saiful Rijal.[32] The
Spanish agreed that if they succeeded in conquering Brunei, Pengiran Seri Lela
would be appointed as the sultan, while Pengiran Seri Ratna would be the
new Bendahara.
Boundaries
of Brunei (green) since 1890
In March 1578, a fresh Spanish
fleet had arrived from Mexico and settled at the Philippines, they were led
by De Sande, acting as Capitán-General, he organised an expedition
from Manila for Brunei. The expedition consisted of 400 Spaniards and Mexicans,
1,500 Filipino natives and 300 Borneans.[33] The
campaign was one of many, which also included action in Mindanao and Sulu.[34][35] The
racial make-up of the Christian side was diverse since it were usually made up
of Mestizos, Mulattoes and Amerindians (Aztecs, Mayans and Incans)
who were gathered and sent from Mexico and were led by Spanish officers who had
worked together with native Filipinos in military campaigns across the
Southeast Asia.[36] The Muslim side though
was also equally racially diverse. In addition to the native Malay warriors,
the Ottomans had repeatedly sent military expeditions to nearby Aceh. The
expeditions were composed mainly of Turks, Egyptians, Swahilis, Somalis, Sindhis, Gujaratis and Malabars.[37] These
expeditionary forces had also spread to other nearby Sultanates such as Brunei
and had taught new fighting tactics and techniques on how to forge cannons.[38]
Eventually, the Spanish
invaded the capital on 16 April 1578, with the help of Pengiran Seri Lela and
Pengiran Seri Ratna. The Sultan Saiful Rijal and Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan
Abdul Kahar were forced to flee to Meragang then to Jerudong. In Jerudong,
they made plans to chase the conquering army away from Brunei. Suffering high
fatalities due to a cholera or dysentery outbreak,[39][40] the
Spanish decided to abandon Brunei and returned to Manila on 26 June 1578, after
72 days. Before doing so, they burned the mosque, a high structure with a
five-tier roof.[41]
Pengiran Seri Lela died in
August or September 1578, probably from the same illness suffered by his
Spanish allies. There was suspicion that he the legitimate Sultan could have
been poisoned by the ruling sultan. Seri Lela's daughter, a Bruneian princess, "Putri",
had left with the Spanish, she abandoned her claim to the crown and bravely
defied the Quranic punishment of stoning to death women who marry non-Muslims
and then she married a Christian Tagalog, named Agustín de Legazpi de
Tondo.[42]
The local Brunei accounts[43] differ
greatly from the generally accepted view of events. What was called the
Castilian War was seen as a heroic episode, with the Spaniards being driven out
by Bendahara Sakam, purportedly a brother of the ruling sultan, and a thousand
native warriors. Most historians consider this to be a folk-hero account,
which probably developed decades or centuries after.[44]
Brunei eventually descended
into anarchy. The country suffered a civil war from 1660 to 1673.
British intervention
See
also: British Brunei Administrators and British Borneo
British
adventurer James Brooke negotiating with the Sultan of Brunei,
which led to the signing of the Treaty of Labuan, 1846
The British have intervened in
the affairs of Brunei on several occasions. Britain attacked Brunei in July
1846 due to internal conflicts over who was the rightful Sultan.[45]
In the 1880s, the decline of
the Bruneian Empire continued. The sultan granted land (now Sarawak)
to James Brooke, who had helped him quell a rebellion and allowed him to
establish the Kingdom of Sarawak. Over time, Brooke and his nephews (who
succeeded him) leased or annexed more land. Brunei lost much of its territory
to him and his dynasty, known as the White Rajahs.
Sultan Hashim Jalilul
Alam Aqamaddin appealed to the British to stop further encroachment by the
Brookes.[46] The "Treaty of Protection" was negotiated by Sir
Hugh Low and signed into effect on 17 September 1888. The treaty said that
the sultan "could not cede or lease any territory to foreign powers
without British consent"; it provided Britain effective control
over Brunei's external affairs, making it a British protected state (which
continued until 1984).[28] But,
when the Kingdom of Sarawak annexed Brunei's Pandaruan District in
1890, the British did not take any action to stop it. They did not regard
either Brunei or the Kingdom of Sarawak as 'foreign' (per the Treaty of
Protection). This final annexation by Sarawak left Brunei with its current
small land mass and separation into two parts.[47]
British residents were
introduced in Brunei under the Supplementary Protectorate Agreement in 1906.[48] The
residents were to advise the sultan on all matters of administration. Over
time, the resident assumed more executive control than the sultan. The
residential system ended in 1959.[49]
Discovery of oil
Petroleum was discovered in
1929 after several fruitless attempts.[50] Two
men, F. F. Marriot and T. G. Cochrane, smelled oil near the Seria river
in late 1926.[51] They informed a geophysicist, who conducted a survey there.
In 1927, gas seepages were reported in the area. Seria Well Number One (S-1)
was drilled on 12 July 1928. Oil was struck at 297 metres (974 ft) on 5
April 1929. Seria Well Number 2 was drilled on 19 August 1929, and, as of 2009,
continues to produce oil.[52] Oil
production was increased considerably in the 1930s with the development of more
oil fields. In 1940, oil production was at more than six million barrels.[52] The
British Malayan Petroleum Company (now Brunei Shell Petroleum Company)
was formed on 22 July 1922.[53] The
first offshore well was drilled in 1957.[54] Oil
and natural gas have been the basis of Brunei's development and wealth since
the late 20th century.
Japanese occupation
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Main
article: Japanese occupation of British Borneo
Ahmad
Tajuddin, the 27th Sultan of Brunei, with members of his court in April
1941, eight months before the Japanese invaded Brunei
The Japanese invaded Brunei on
16 December 1941, eight days after their attack on Pearl Harbor and
the United States Navy. They landed 10,000 troops of the Kawaguchi
Detachment from Cam Ranh Bay at Kuala Belait. After six
days' fighting, they occupied the entire country. The only Allied troops in the
area were the 2nd Battalion of the 15th Punjab Regiment based
at Kuching, Sarawak.[55]
Once the Japanese occupied
Brunei, they made an agreement with Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin over
governing the country. Inche Ibrahim (known later as Pehin Datu Perdana Menteri
Dato Laila Utama Awang Haji Ibrahim), a former Secretary to the British
Resident, Ernest Edgar Pengilly, was appointed Chief Administrative
Officer under the Japanese Governor. The Japanese had proposed that
Pengilly retain his position under their administration, but he declined. Both
he and other British nationals still in Brunei were interned by the Japanese
at Batu Lintang camp in Sarawak. While the British officials were
under Japanese guard, Ibrahim made a point of personally shaking each one by
the hand and wishing him well.[56]
The Sultan retained his throne
and was given a pension and honours by the Japanese. During the later part of
the occupation, he resided at Tantuya, Limbang and had little to do
with the Japanese. Most of the Malay government officers were retained by the
Japanese. Brunei's administration was reorganised into five prefectures, which
included British North Borneo. The Prefectures included Baram, Labuan, Lawas,
and Limbang. Ibrahim hid numerous significant government documents from
the Japanese during the occupation. Pengiran Yusuf (later YAM Pengiran Setia
Negara Pengiran Haji Mohd Yusuf), along with other Bruneians, was sent to
Japan for training. Although in the area the day of the atomic bombing of
Hiroshima, Yusuf survived.
The British had anticipated a
Japanese attack, but lacked the resources to defend the area because of their
engagement in the war in Europe. The troops from the Punjab Regiment filled in
the Seria oilfield oilwells with concrete in September 1941 to deny
the Japanese their use. The remaining equipment and installations were
destroyed when the Japanese invaded Malaya. By the end of the war, 16
wells at Miri and Seria had been restarted, with production reaching
about half the pre-war level. Coal production at Muara was also
recommenced, but with little success.
Japanese
battleships at Brunei in October 1944
During the occupation, the
Japanese had their language taught in schools, and Government officers were
required to learn Japanese. The local currency was replaced by what was to
become known as duit pisang (banana money). From 1943
hyper-inflation destroyed the currency's value and, at the end of the war, this
currency was worthless. Allied attacks on shipping eventually caused trade to
cease. Food and medicine fell into short supply, and the population suffered
famine and disease.
The airport runway
was constructed by the Japanese during the occupation, and in 1943 Japanese
naval units were based in Brunei Bay and Labuan. The naval base was
destroyed by Allied bombing, but the airport runway survived. The facility was
developed as a public airport. In 1944 the Allies began a bombing campaign
against the occupying Japanese, which destroyed much of the town and Kuala
Belait, but missed Kampong Ayer.[57]
Major-General
Wootten of the Australian 9th Division with Lieutenant-General Masao
Baba (signing) of the Japanese 37th Division at the surrender ceremony at
Labuan on 10 September 1945
On 10 June 1945, the Australian
9th Division landed at Muara under Operation Oboe Six to
recapture Borneo from the Japanese. They were supported by American air and
naval units. Brunei town was bombed extensively and recaptured after three days
of heavy fighting. Many buildings were destroyed, including the Mosque. The
Japanese forces in Brunei, Borneo, and Sarawak, under Lieutenant-General Masao
Baba, formally surrendered at Labuan on 10 September 1945. The British Military
Administration took over from the Japanese and remained until July 1946.
Post-World War II
After World War II, a new
government was formed in Brunei under the British Military Administration (BMA).
It consisted mainly of Australian officers and servicemen.[58] The
administration of Brunei was passed to the Civil Administration on 6 July 1945.
The Brunei State Council was also revived that year.[59] The
BMA was tasked to revive the Bruneian economy, which was extensively damaged by
the Japanese during their occupation. They also had to put out the fires on the
wells of Seria, which had been set by the Japanese prior to their defeat.[59]
Before 1941, the Governor of
the Straits Settlements, based in Singapore, was responsible for the duties of
British High Commissioner for Brunei, Sarawak, and North Borneo (now Sabah).[60] The
first British High Commissioner for Brunei was the Governor of
Sarawak, Sir Charles Ardon Clarke. The Barisan Pemuda ("Youth
Movement") (abbreviated as BARIP) was the first political party to be
formed in Brunei, on 12 April 1946. The party intended to "preserve the
sovereignty of the Sultan and the country, and to defend the rights of
the Malays".[61] BARIP
also contributed to the composition of the country's national anthem. The party
was dissolved in 1948 due to inactivity.
In 1959, a new constitution
was written declaring Brunei a self-governing state, while its foreign affairs,
security, and defence remained the responsibility of the United Kingdom.[62] A
small rebellion erupted against the monarchy in 1962, which was
suppressed with help of the UK. Known as the Brunei Revolt, it contributed
to the failure to create the North Borneo Federation. The rebellion
partially affected Brunei's decision to opt out of the Malaysian Federation.[62]
Brunei gained its independence
from the United Kingdom on 1 January 1984.[62] The
official National Day, which celebrates the country's independence, is held by
tradition on 23 February.[63]
Writing of the Constitution
Sultan Omar
Ali Saifuddien III
In July 1953, Sultan Omar
Ali Saifuddien III formed a seven-member committee named Tujuh
Serangkai, to find out the citizens' views regarding a written constitution
for Brunei. In May 1954, the Sultan, Resident and High Commissioner met to
discuss the findings of the committee. They agreed to authorise the drafting of
a constitution. In March 1959 Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III led a delegation
to London to discuss the proposed Constitution.[64] The
British delegation was led by Sir Alan Lennox-Boyd, Secretary of State for
the Colonies. The British Government later accepted the draft constitution.
On 29 September 1959, the
Constitution Agreement was signed in Bandar Seri Begawan. The agreement
was signed by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III and Sir Robert Scott, the
Commissioner-General for Southeast Asia. It included the following provisions:[48]
·
The Sultan was made the
Supreme Head of State.
·
Brunei was responsible for its
internal administration.
·
The British Government was
responsible for foreign and defence affairs only.
·
The post of Resident was
abolished and replaced by a British High Commissioner.
Five councils were set up:[65]
·
The Executive Council
·
The Legislative Council of
Brunei
·
The Privy Council
·
The Council of Succession
·
The State Religious Council
National development plans
A series of National
Development Plans was initiated by the 28th Sultan of Brunei, Omar Ali
Saifuddien III.
The first was introduced in
1953.[66] A total sum of B$100 million was approved by the Brunei State
Council for the plan. E.R. Bevington, from the Colonial Office in Fiji,
was appointed to implement it.[67] A
$US14 million Gas Plant was built under the plan. In 1954, survey and
exploration work were undertaken by the Brunei Shell Petroleum on both offshore
and onshore fields. By 1956, production reached 114,700 bpd.
British
soldiers in the British protectorate of Brunei on guard in the Seria
oilfield, January 1963
The plan also aided the
development of public education. By 1958, expenditure on education totalled at
$4 million.[67] Communications were improved, as new roads were built and
reconstruction at Berakas Airport was completed in 1954.[68]
The second National
Development Plan was launched in 1962.[68] A
major oil and gas field was discovered in 1963, with this discovery, liquefied
natural gas became important. Developments in the oil and gas sector have
continued, and oil production has steadily increased since then.[69] The
plan also promoted the production of meat and eggs for consumption by citizens.
The fishing industry increased its output by 25% throughout the course of the
plan. The deepwater port at Muara was also constructed
during this period. Power requirements were met, and studies were made to
provide electricity to rural areas.[69] Efforts
were made to eradicate malaria, an endemic disease in the region, with the
help of the World Health Organization. Malaria cases were reduced from 300
cases in 1953 to only 66 cases in 1959.[70] The
death rate was reduced from 20 per thousand in 1947 to 11.3 per thousand in
1953.[70] Infectious disease has been prevented by public sanitation and
improvement of drainage, and the provision of piped pure water to the
population.[70]
Independence
On 14 November 1971,
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah left for London to discuss matters regarding
the amendments to the 1959 constitution. A new agreement was signed on 23
November 1971 with the British representative being Anthony Royle.[71]
Under this agreement, the
following terms were agreed upon:
·
Brunei was granted full
internal self-government
·
The UK would still be
responsible for external affairs and defence.
·
Brunei and the UK agreed to
share the responsibility for security and defence.
This agreement also
caused Gurkha units to be deployed in Brunei, where they remain up to
this day.
Sultan Hassanal
Bolkiah (right) in 2004
On 7 January 1979, another
treaty was signed between Brunei and the United Kingdom. It was signed
with Lord Goronwy-Roberts being the representative of the UK. This agreement
granted Brunei to take over international responsibilities as an independent
nation. Britain agreed to assist Brunei in diplomatic matters.[72] In May
1983, it was announced by the UK that the date of independence of Brunei would
be 1 January 1984.[citation needed]
On 31 December 1983, a mass
gathering was held on main mosques on all four of the districts of the country
and at midnight, on 1 January 1984, the Proclamation of Independence was read
by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. The sultan subsequently assumed the title "His
Majesty", rather than the previous "His Royal Highness".[73] Brunei
was admitted to the United Nations on 22 September 1984, becoming the
organisation's 159th member.[74]
Relations with the Philippines
which Brunei has been in a love-hate dynamic with due to the constant wars they
waged against each other, in their territories; like when Arab led
Malay-Bruneians destroyed Panay's Court of Nobles and in some time later,
Spanish lead Latinos and Filipinos burned Brunei's Great Mosque, historically,
was then symbolically patched up when Filipino Visayan architect Leandro V.
Locsin, helped design and build the Istana Nurul Iman Palace, a name taken from
Malay Istana and Arabic Nur-ol Imaan and
means Palace of the Light of Faith which is now the largest
residential Palace in the world."[75]
21st century
In October 2013, Sultan
Hassanal Bolkiah announced his intention to impose Penal Code from
the Sharia law on the country's Muslims, which make up roughly two
thirds of the country's population.[76] This
would be implemented in three phases, culminating in 2016, and making Brunei
the first and only country in East Asia to introduce Sharia law into its penal
code.[77] The move attracted international criticism,[78] the
United Nations expressing "deep concern".[79]
Geography
Main
article: Geography of Brunei
Brunei is a southeast Asian
country consisting of two unconnected parts with a total area of 5,765 square
kilometres (2,226 sq mi) on the island of Borneo. It has 161
kilometres (100 mi) of coastline next to the South China Sea, and it
shares a 381 km (237 mi) border with Malaysia. It has 500 square
kilometres (193 sq mi) of territorial waters, and a 200-nautical-mile
(370 km; 230 mi) exclusive economic zone.[28]
About 97% of the population
lives in the larger western part (Belait, Tutong, and Brunei-Muara),
while only about 10,000 people live in the mountainous eastern part (Temburong
District). The total population of Brunei is approximately 408,000 as of July
2010, of which around 150,000 live in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan.[80] Other
major towns are the port town of Muara, the oil-producing town of Seria and
its neighbouring town, Kuala Belait. In Belait District, the Panaga area
is home to large numbers of Europeans expatriates, due to Royal Dutch
Shell and British Army housing, and several recreational facilities are
located there.[81]
Most of Brunei is within
the Borneo lowland rain forests ecoregion, which covers most of the
island. Areas of mountain rain forests are located inland.[82]
The panorama
of Bandar Seri Begawan, capital and largest city of Brunei.
Climate
The climate of Brunei is tropical equatorial
that is a Tropical rainforest climate[28] more
subject to the Intertropical Convergence Zone than the trade
winds and with no or rare cyclones. Brunei is exposed to the risks
stemming from climate change along with other ASEAN member states.[83]
Politics and government
Main
article: Politics of Brunei
Hassanal
Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei.
Brunei's political system is
governed by the constitution and the national tradition of the Malay Islamic
Monarchy (Melayu Islam Beraja; MIB). The three components of MIB cover
Malay culture, Islamic religion, and the political framework under the
monarchy.[84] It has a legal system based on English common law, although
Islamic law (shariah) supersedes this in some cases.[28] Brunei has
a parliament but there are no elections; the last election was held
in 1962.[85]
Under Brunei's 1959
constitution, His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah
Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah is the head of state with full executive
authority. Since 1962, this authority has included emergency powers, which
are renewed every two years. Brunei has technically been under martial law since
the Brunei Revolt of 1962.[62] Hassanal
Bolkiah also serves as the state's Prime Minister, Finance Minister and Defence
Minister.[86] The Royal family retains a venerated status within Brunei.[62][failed
verification]
Foreign relations
Main
article: Foreign relations of Brunei
Brunei's
Sultan and Foreign Minister Hassanal Bolkiah meets with U.S.
President Barack Obama, 18 November 2015
Sultan
Hassanal Bolkiah with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, 6 October 2017
Until 1979, Brunei's foreign
relations were managed by the UK government. After that, they were handled by
the Brunei Diplomatic Service. After independence in 1984, this Service was
upgraded to ministerial level and is now known as the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs.[87]
Officially, Brunei's foreign
policy is as follows:[88]
·
Mutual respect of others'
territorial sovereignty, integrity and independence;
·
The maintenance of friendly
relations among nations;
·
Non-interference in the
internal affairs of other countries; and
·
The maintenance and the
promotion of peace, security and stability in the region.
With its traditional ties with
the United Kingdom, Brunei became the 49th member of the Commonwealth immediately
on the day of its independence on 1 January 1984.[89] As one
of its first initiatives toward improved regional relations, Brunei
joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, becoming the sixth member. To achieve
recognition of its sovereignty and independence, it joined the United
Nations as a full member on 21 September of that same year.[90]
As an Islamic country, Brunei
became a full member of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (now
the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) in January 1984 at the Fourth
Islamic Summit held in Morocco.[91]
After its accession to
the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) in 1989, Brunei
hosted the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November 2000 and the ASEAN
Regional Forum (ARF) in July 2002.[92] Brunei
became a founding member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on 1
January 1995,[93] and is a major player in BIMP-EAGA, which was formed during
the Inaugural Ministers' Meeting in Davao, Philippines, on 24 March
1994.[94]
Brunei shares a close
relationship with Singapore and the Philippines. In April 2009,
Brunei and the Philippines signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
that seeks to strengthen the bilateral co-operation of the two countries in the
fields of agriculture and farm-related trade and investments.[95]
Brunei is one of many nations
to lay claim to some of the disputed Spratly Islands.[96] The
status of Limbang as part of Sarawak has been disputed by Brunei
since the area was first annexed in 1890.[96] The issue
was reportedly settled in 2009, with Brunei agreeing to accept the border in
exchange for Malaysia giving up claims to oil fields in Bruneian waters.[97] The
Brunei government denies this and says that their claim on Limbang was never
dropped.[98][99]
Brunei was the chair for ASEAN in
2013.[100] It also hosted the ASEAN summit on that
same year.[101]
Defence
Main
articles: Royal Brunei Armed Forces and British Military
Garrison Brunei
Brunei maintains three
infantry battalions stationed around the country.[62] The Brunei
navy has several "Ijtihad"-class patrol boats purchased from a
German manufacturer. The United Kingdom also maintains a base in Seria,
the centre of the oil industry in Brunei. A Gurkha battalion
consisting of 1,500 personnel is stationed there.[62] United
Kingdom military personnel are stationed there under a defence agreement signed
between the two countries.[62]
A Bell 212 operated
by the air force crashed in Kuala Belait on 20 July 2012 with the
loss of 12 of the 14 crew on board. The cause of the accident has yet to be
ascertained.[102] The crash is the worst aviation incident
in the history of Brunei.
The Army is currently
acquiring new equipment,[103] including UAVs and S-70i
Black Hawks.[104]
Brunei's Legislative Council
proposed an increase of the defence budget for the 2016–17 fiscal year of about
five percent to 564 million Brunei dollars ($408 million). This amounts to
about ten per cent of the state's total national yearly expenditure and represents
around 2.5 per cent of GDP.[105]
Administrative divisions
Main
articles: Districts of Brunei and Mukims of Brunei
Brunei is divided into four
districts (daerahs)[106] and 38
subdistricts (mukims).[62]
The daerah of Temburong is
physically separated from the rest of Brunei by the Malaysian state
of Sarawak.
No.
|
District
|
Capital
|
Population (2011 census)
|
Area (km2)
|
1.
|
Belait
|
Kuala Belait
|
60,744
|
2,724
|
2.
|
Brunei-Muara
|
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
279,924
|
571
|
3.
|
Temburong
|
Pekan Bangar
|
8,852
|
1,304
|
4.
|
Tutong
|
Pekan Tutong
|
43,852
|
1,166
|
Kuala
Belait
Belait
Seria
Liang
Kuala
Balai
Balai
Labi
Bukit
Sawat
Sawat
Sukang
Melilas
Telisai
Ukong
Rambai
Lamunin
Tanjong
Maya
Maya
Ki-
udang
udang
Keriam
Pekan Tutong
Seng-
kurong
kurong
Pengkalan
Batu
Batu
Kilanas
Kianggeh
Lumapas
BPA
Peramu
Saba
Sungai
Kebun
Kebun
KB
GA
GB
BA
BB
Tamoi
Sungai Kedayan
Mentiri
Serasa
Labu
Bangar
Batu
Apoi
Apoi
Bokok
Amo
Belait
Tutong
Brunei-Muara
Temburong
The daerah of Brunei-Muara
includes Brunei's capital city, Bandar Seri Begawan, whose suburbs
dominate 15 of the 18 mukims in this daerah.
Over 90% of Brunei's total
population lives in 15 of the 38 mukims:
Rank
|
Mukim
|
Population
|
Large Towns
|
Daerah
|
1
|
Sengkurong
|
62,400
|
Jerudong and Bandar Seri Begawan
|
Brunei-Muara
|
2
|
Gadong B
|
59,610
|
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
Brunei-Muara
|
3
|
Berakas A
|
57,500
|
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
Brunei-Muara
|
4
|
Kuala Belait
|
35,500
|
Kuala Belait Town
|
Belait
|
5
|
Seria
|
32,900
|
Seria Town
|
Belait
|
6
|
Berakas B
|
23,400
|
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
Brunei-Muara
|
7
|
Sungai Liang
|
18,100
|
small kampongs (villages)
|
Belait
|
8
|
Pengkalan Batu
|
approx. 15,000
|
small kampongs
|
Brunei-Muara
|
9
|
Kilanas
|
approx. 14,000
|
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
Brunei-Muara
|
10
|
Kota Batu
|
12,600
|
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
Brunei-Muara
|
11
|
Pekan Tutong
|
12,100
|
Tutong Town
|
Tutong
|
12
|
Mentiri
|
10,872
|
small kampongs
|
Brunei-Muara
|
13
|
Serasa
|
approx. 10,000
|
Muara Town
|
Brunei-Muara
|
14
|
Kianggeh
|
8,540
|
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
Brunei-Muara
|
15
|
Burong Pinggai Ayer
|
approx. 8,200
|
Bandar Seri Begawan
|
Brunei-Muara
|
Legal system
Brunei has numerous courts in
its judicial branch. The highest court is the Supreme Court, which consists of
the Court of Appeal and High Court. Both of these have a chief justice and two
judges.[28]
Women and children
Main
article: Women in Brunei
Headscarves
called tudong are compulsory for Brunei's Muslim schoolgirls
The U.S. Department of State
has stated that discrimination against women is a problem in Brunei.[107] The
law prohibits sexual harassment and stipulates that whoever assaults or uses
criminal force, intending thereby to outrage or knowing it is likely to outrage
the modesty of a person, shall be punished with imprisonment for as much as
five years and caning. The law stipulates imprisonment of up to 30 years,
and caning with not fewer than 12 strokes for rape. The law does not
criminalise spousal rape; it explicitly states that sexual intercourse by a man
with his wife, as long as she is not under 13 years of age, is not rape.
Protections against sexual assault by a spouse are provided under the amended
Islamic Family Law Order 2010 and Married Women Act Order 2010. The penalty for
breaching a protection order is a fine not exceeding BN$2,000 ($1,538) or
imprisonment not exceeding six months.
Citizenship is derived through
one's parents rather than through birth within the country's territory. Parents
with stateless status are required to apply for a special pass for a child born
in the country; failure to register a child may make it difficult to enroll the
child in school. By law, sexual intercourse with a female under 14 years of age
constitutes rape and is punishable by imprisonment for not less than eight
years and not more than 30 years and not less than 12 strokes of the cane. The
intent of the law is to protect girls from exploitation through prostitution
and "other immoral purposes", including pornography.[107]
LGBT rights
Main
articles: Freedom of religion in Brunei and LGBT rights in
Brunei
Male and female homosexuality is illegal
in Brunei. However, as of 6 May 2019, Sultan of Brunei in his titah for
Ramadan declared that Brunei will not impose Penal Code of the Sharia Law.[108]
Religious rights
Brunei
International Airport Mosque
In The Laws of Brunei, the
right of non-Muslims to practice their faith is guaranteed by the 1959
Constitution. However, celebrations and prayers must be confined to places of
worship and private residences.[citation needed] Upon
adopting Sharia Penal Code, the Ministry of Religious Affairs banned Christmas decorations
in public places, but did not forbid celebration of Christmas in places of
worship and private premises.[109] The
international media reports of a “Christmas ban” which spread in 2014 in Brunei
were exaggerated, failing to mention that celebrations continue within churches
and among the different Christian communities.[citation
needed] On 25 December 2015, 4,000 out of 18,000 estimated local Catholics
attended the mass of Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.[110] In
2015, the head of the Catholic Church in Brunei told The Brunei Times,
"To be quite honest there has been no change for us this year; no new
restrictions have been laid down, although we fully respect and adhere to the
existing regulations that our celebrations and worship be [confined] to the
compounds of the church and private residences".[110]
Brunei's revised penal code
came into force in phases, commencing on 22 April 2014 with offences punishable
by fines or imprisonment.[111][112] The
complete code, due for final implementation later, stipulated the death
penalty for numerous offenses (both violent and non-violent), such as
insult or defamation of Muhammad, insulting any verses of the Quran and
Hadith, blasphemy, declaring oneself a prophet or non-Muslim, robbery,
rape, adultery, sodomy, extramarital sexual relations for Muslims, and murder.
Stoning to death was the specified "method of execution for crimes of a
sexual nature". Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the Office of the
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) declared that,
"Application of the death penalty for such a broad range of offences
contravenes international law."[113]
Animal rights
Brunei is the first country in
Asia to have banned shark finning nationwide.[114]
Brunei has retained most of
its forests, compared to its neighbours that share Borneo island.
There is a public campaign calling to protect pangolins which are
considered threatened treasure in Brunei.[115]
Economy
Main
articles: Economy of Brunei and Tourism in Brunei
Graphical
depiction of Brunei's product exports
BIMP-EAGA meeting
in the office of Brunei Prime Minister on 25 April 2013. From left: Brunei
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Malaysian
Representative and Filipino President Benigno Aquino III. Brunei is part
of the BIMP-EAGA, a subregional economic co-operation initiative in Southeast
Asia.
Brunei's small, wealthy economy is
a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship,
government regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition.[116] Crude
oil and natural gas production account for about 90% of its GDP.[62] About
167,000 barrels (26,600 m3) of oil are
produced every day, making Brunei the fourth-largest producer of oil in
Southeast Asia.[62] It also produces
approximately 25.3 million cubic metres (890×106 cu ft)
of liquified natural gas per day, making Brunei the ninth-largest
exporter of the substance in the world.[62]
Substantial income from
overseas investment supplements income from domestic production. Most of these
investments are made by the Brunei Investment Agency, an arm of the Ministry of
Finance.[62] The government provides for all medical services,[117] and
subsidises rice[118] and
housing.[62]
The national air carrier, Royal
Brunei Airlines, is trying to develop Brunei as a modest hub for international
travel between Europe and Australia/New Zealand. Central to this strategy is
the position that the airline maintains at London Heathrow Airport. It holds a
daily slot at the highly capacity-controlled airport, which it serves from
Bandar Seri Begawan via Dubai. The airline also has services to major Asian
destinations including Shanghai, Bangkok, Singapore and Manila.
Brunei depends heavily on
imports such as agricultural products (e.g. rice, food products,
livestock, etc.),[119] motorcars and electrical
products from other countries.[120] Brunei
imports 60% of its food requirements; of that amount, around 75% come from the
ASEAN countries.[119]
Brunei's leaders are very
concerned that steadily increased integration in the world economy will
undermine internal social cohesion. But, it has become a more prominent
player by serving as chairman for the 2000 Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) forum. Leaders plan to upgrade the labour force,
reduce unemployment, which was at 6.9% in 2014;[121] strengthen
the banking and tourism sectors, and, in general, broaden the economic base.[122]
The government of Brunei has
also promoted food self-sufficiency, especially in rice. Brunei renamed
its Brunei Darussalam Rice 1 as Laila Rice during the launch of the "Padi
Planting Towards Achieving Self-Sufficiency of Rice Production in Brunei
Darussalam" ceremony at the Wasan padi fields in April 2009.[123] In
August 2009, the Royal Family reaped the first few Laila padi stalks, after
years of attempts to boost local rice production, a goal first articulated
about half a century ago.[124] In
July 2009 Brunei launched its national halal branding scheme, Brunei
Halal, with a goal to export to foreign markets.[125]
Infrastructure
Brunei
International Airport
Royal
Brunei Boeing 787 Dreamliner at London Heathrow Airport.
The population centres in the
country are linked by a network of 2,800 kilometres (1,700 mi) of road.
The 135-kilometre (84 mi) highway from Muara Town to Kuala Belait is being
upgraded to a dual carriageway.[84]
Brunei is accessible by air,
sea, and land transport. Brunei International Airport is the main
entry point to the country. Royal Brunei Airlines[126] is the
national carrier. There is another airfield, the Anduki Airfield, located
in Seria. The ferry terminal at Muara services regular connections
to Labuan (Malaysia). Speedboats provide passenger and goods transportation
to the Temburong district.[127] The
main highway running across Brunei is the Tutong-Muara Highway. The country's
road network is well developed. Brunei has one main sea port located at Muara.[62]
The airport in Brunei is
currently being extensively upgraded.[128] Changi
Airport International is the consultant working on this modernisation, which
planned cost is currently $150 million.[129][130] This
project is slated to add 14,000 square metres (150,000 sq ft) of new
floorspace and includes a new terminal and arrival hall.[131] With
the completion of this project, the annual passenger capacity of the airport is
expected to double from 1.5 to 3 million.[129]
With one private car for every
2.09 persons, Brunei has one of the highest car ownership rates in the world.
This has been attributed to the absence of a comprehensive transport system,
low import tax, and low unleaded petrol price of B$0.53 per litre.[84]
A new 30-kilometre
(19 mi) roadway connecting the Muara and Temburong districts of
Brunei is slated to be completed in 2019.[132] Fourteen
kilometres (9 mi) of this roadway would be crossing the Brunei Bay.[133] The
bridge cost is $1.6 billion.
Banking
Bank of China received
permission to open a branch in Brunei in April 2016. Citibank, which
entered in 1972, closed its operations in Brunei in 2014. HSBC, which had
entered in 1947, was in the process of closing its operations in the country in
April 2016.[134][needs update]
Demographics
Main
article: Demographics of Brunei
Sultan Omar
Ali Saifuddin Mosque at night.
Population[11][12]
|
|||
Year
|
Million
|
||
1950
|
0.05
|
||
2000
|
0.33
|
||
2018
|
0.4
|
Ethnicities indigenous to
Brunei include the Belait, Brunei Bisaya (not to be confused
with the Bisaya/Visaya of the nearby Philippines), indigenous Bruneian
Malay, Dusun, Kedayan, Lun Bawang, Murut and Tutong.
The population of Brunei in
2018 was 428,963 of which 76% live in urban areas. The rate of urbanisation is
estimated at 2.13% per year from 2010 to 2015. The average life expectancy is
77.7 years.[135] In 2014, 65.7% of the population
were Malay, 10.3% are Chinese, 3.4% are indigenous, with 20.6%
smaller groups making up the rest.[136] There
is a relatively large expatriate community.[137] Most
expats come from non-Muslim countries such as Australia, United Kingdom,
South Korea, Japan, The Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and India.
Religion
Main
article: Religion in Brunei
Religion in Brunei
Islam 296,408 (67%)
Buddhism 57,512
(13%)
Christianity 44,240
(10%)
indigenous
beliefs and non-religious, Atheist or Agnostic 44,240 (10%)
Islam is the official
religion of Brunei,[28] specifically that of
the Sunni denomination and the Shafi‘i school of Islamic
jurisprudence. Two-thirds of the population, including the majority of Bruneian
Malays identify as Muslim. Other faiths practised are Buddhism (13%,
mainly by the Chinese) and Christianity (10%).[28] Freethinkers,
mostly Chinese, form about 7% of the population. Although most of them practise
some form of religion with elements of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism,
they prefer to present themselves as having practised no religion officially,
hence labelled as atheists in official censuses. Followers of indigenous
religions are about 2% of the population.[138]
Languages
Main
article: Languages of Brunei
The official language of
Brunei is Standard Malay, for which both the Latin alphabet and
the Arabic alphabet are used. The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports
supports for a lingual movement aimed at the increased use of the language in
Brunei.[why?][139]
The principal spoken language
is Melayu Brunei (Brunei Malay). Brunei Malay is rather
divergent from standard Malay and the rest of the Malay dialects, being about
84% cognate with standard Malay,[140] and is
mostly mutually unintelligible with it.[141]
English is widely used as
a business and official language and it is spoken by a majority of the
population in Brunei. English is used in business as a working language and
as the language of instruction from primary to tertiary education.[142][143][144][145]
Chinese languages are also
widely spoken, and the Chinese minority in Brunei speak a number
of varieties of Chinese.
Arabic is the religious
language of Muslims. Therefore, Arabic is taught in schools, particularly
religious schools, and also in institutes of higher learning. As of 2004, there
are six Arabic schools and one religious teachers' college in Brunei. A
majority of Brunei's Muslim population has had some form of formal or informal
education in the reading, writing and pronunciation of the Arabic language as
part of their religious education.
Other languages and dialects
spoken include Kedayan Malay dialect, Tutong Malay dialect, Murut,
and Dusun.[140]
Culture
Main
article: Culture of Brunei
Royal
Regalia Museum
The culture of Brunei is
predominantly Malay (reflecting its ethnicity), with heavy influences
from Islam, but is seen as much more conservative than Indonesia and Malaysia.[146] Influences
to Bruneian culture come from the Malay cultures of the Malay Archipelago.
Four periods of cultural influence have occurred, animist, Hindu, Islamic,
and Western. Islam had a very strong influence, and was adopted as Brunei's
ideology and philosophy. Brunei's official main language is Malay but
English is also widely spoken as it is a compulsory subject in the majority of
the schools.[147]
As a Sharia country,
the sale and public consumption of alcohol is banned.[148] Non-Muslims
are allowed to bring in a limited amount of alcohol from their point of
embarkation overseas for their own private consumption.[84]
Media
Main
article: Media of Brunei
Media in Brunei are said to
be pro-government. The country has been given "Not Free"
status by Freedom House; press criticism of the government and monarchy is
rare.[149] Nonetheless, the press is not overtly
hostile toward alternative viewpoints and is not restricted to publishing only
articles regarding the government. The government allowed a printing and
publishing company, Brunei Press PLC, to form in 1953. The company continues to
print the English daily Borneo Bulletin. This paper began as a
weekly community paper and became a daily in 1990[84] Apart
from The Borneo Bulletin, there is also the Media Permata and
Pelita Brunei, the local Malay newspapers which are circulated daily. The
Brunei Times is another English independent newspaper published in
Brunei since 2006.[150]
The Brunei government owns and
operates six television channels with the introduction of digital TV using
DVB-T (RTB 1, RTB 2, RTB 3 (HD), RTB 4, RTB 5 and RTB New Media (Game portal))
and five radio stations (National FM, Pilihan FM, Nur Islam FM, Harmony FM and
Pelangi FM). A private company has made cable television available
(Astro-Kristal) as well as one private radio station, Kristal FM.[84] It
also has an online campus radio station, UBD FM that streams
from its first university, Universiti Brunei Darussalam.[151]
Sport
The most popular sport in
Brunei is association football. The Brunei national football team joined FIFA in
1969, but has not had much success. The top two football leagues are the Brunei
Super League and the Brunei Premier League.
Brunei debuted at the
Olympics in 1996; it has competed at all subsequent Summer Olympics except
2008. The country has competed in badminton, shooting, swimming, and
track-and-field, but is yet to win any medals. Brunei has had slightly more
success at the Asian Games, winning four bronze medals. The first major
international sporting event to be hosted in Brunei was the 1999 Southeast
Asian Games. According to the all-time Southeast Asian Games medal table,
Bruneian athletes have won a total of 11 gold medals at the games; only East
Timor has won fewer.
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