Famous for A While

Nothing much to say actually. This country is so small and the population is little too. So anyone of you that are staying in Brunei must ever have your face (or your body) in the newspaper or on the local tv. Your might not realise it!! The chances of you in there are quite high. Unlike in other countries, being on the tv is almost impossible.

So if you think you never have face on the tv or in the newspaper before..maybe someday in the future e.g. during sportday, his royal highness birthday, national day, rtb singing show etc. Doing crimes can become famous too e.g. illegal immigrant. Bah..

Learn Our Language

As far as I can see, many foreigners that are working in Brunei able to learn Brunei language (malay) in one month time. The fastest learner are Indians, and some Bangladesh. This might because of their languages are more difficult from us. The slower learner are thai and philipino.

There are still some differences, like the way of speaking. Indian tongue is twisted a bit (berguluk lidah). Some foreign workers are not bother to learn our language e.g thai, philipino. Some already understand our language.. like the Indonesian and workers from Malaysia.

Any workers that want to work in this country must able to speak malay if they don't know english. Brunei malay and English are our language medium. Weird things do happen actually. I ever seen Indians spoke malay to other Indians. I think because of they came from different origin. Futhermore, some Indonesian know how to speak our native language.

The use of malay or english depends on where they are. In hospital, foreign doctor must be able to speak malay although local nurse can be the translator. Speaking directly without the need of middle person is more satisfying. Places like kedai makan, kedai runcit (u find the meaning urself if u don't understand this!!) where most of the customers are elderly ppl. They don't know english so malay language is essential here.

hantam saja tia. bah.

Duol ulu

Duol ulu!!! This blog has many grammatical errors. I have to do proofreading, even myself can't understand some parts of it.

Territory

Where are now? Are you inside your own territory? Territory I mean here is a place that has its own rules that you have to follow.

Starting from your bedroom, you set your own rules for ppl entering your room (you may not realise it). In your home, your parents are the ones that have the highest power to control your home territory. And in the village, the headman is the one that has the highest power. I'm sure you ever seen traffic policemen do their work. They just stand at the centre of the road and ppl will follow their hands' order. In school, students have to follow the school regulations and obey to their teachers.

This world has many places/dimensions that you never know the strength that it looks for. There might be a place where physical power or money is useless. Actually, this is not as easy as you think, what I mean is "extremely useless", eg only words that can kill a person. You might doing something forbidden by the territory your're in without realising it, eg. lost in jungle.

But have you ever think what would happen if you break the territory rules? It is like taboo, you better follow it otherwise you would be in trouble.

Ok. You better watch out for yourself in ppl territory.

Broadcasting

Brunei is different from 15 years ago. At that time there was only one channel for Brunei TV (RTB). People used to like RTB since the programme were nice... much better than today. At that time, malaysian tv channels (RTM) can be viewed..TV1 and TV2.. (though it was not so clear).

Early 1990, malaysian TV3 can be viewed here (broadcasted from miri). Need a powerful (booster) tv antenna or aerial in order to receive the signal. Then around 1995, paid tv station from outside were broadcasted freely here. Bruneian abled to watch mtv, hbo etc for free. After a year or more, decoder console was introduced. Only Brunei people who had the decoder console can view the paid tv station. After years, DST group handled the decoder console broadcasting, called Kristal TV (still exist now). Kristal TV card was introduced, and people have to pay monthly fee.

At the same time, TV3 broadcasting signal was built in Limbang. Bandar people could watch TV3 clearly.

After couple of years, Bruneian could not watch great show from TV anymore. No more free channels. Those who use parobola have to pay for broadcasting license. TV3 was blocked in 2002 because the authorities said TV3 used the UHF (Ultra High Frequency) signal. They said UHF signal was only for RTB, meaning that TV3 broadcasted the show illegally here (unlike TV1 and Tv2, they use the VHF signal). But I wonder why the illegal issue rose at that time, maybe the offices slept for many years then finally realised it. At that time, many complains were posted in Brunei forum and newspapers but their mind unchanged until now. Actually, TV3 broadcasting signal is still exist here but masked by RTB channel 11 (Brunei Satellite TV). So if anyone of you want to watch TV3, go and bomb Telisai satellite station.

Lately, Kristal Astro came to Brunei (though astro from Malaysia brought illegally here many years ago).

Now, we have 4 free channels on TV. They are RTB and RTB for satellite, RTM TV1 and TV2. And we have 3 legal tv receiver console, KristalTV, Kristal Astro and parabola.

Ok, next time I will talk about clone card. I will not describe it in a technical way though I have the complete guide (I'm not a clone card maker hah!!).

Bankruptcy

Do you people ever realise that the shops in Brunei are getting many. Many new buildings for renting are being built. Some are built in strategic place, some don't. I wonder what is their main target to build new shop buildings.

In Tutong, 15 years back, there were only two shop buildings we could see. Now, the number of shops is increasing drastically. I can see some units in the building are still empty eg.Halim Plaza, and some even empty for the whole building. No one wants to rent it. I'm not really sure why no one wants to rent it, but I can say it is all because of lack business planning.

Btw, I point out here the basic things we need to consider if we want to open a shop.
1.strategic place, 2.the unit size, and 3.able to figure out market demand

strategic place, as all people know, we will go to a shop that we can park our car easily. A place that most people passing by. That is why, you'll see not many people are going to the building of Tutong pizza hut. We need to consider people route, eg. home-to school-to work-to bandar-petrol station-traffic light- .... See at where most car passing by that area.

The unit size, a shop that require creative work usually small eg. photoshop, dressmaking. Car accesories need a small unit too but it needs a large open space. Putting it at the edge is better as long as people can see it.

Market demand, the most important thing, if no one likes it, better think twice.

A big hypermarket in nationwide also can get bankrupt. In 1999, the crictical economy year (July 1997 to be exact). The largest hypermarket in Brunei went bankrupt in that year, Yohan (Japan). Maybe many people forgot it. Now, we have "the mall" in Gadong. I ever emailed to them, the mall arcade cost around $500 per month.

Here was the mall email contain, 06/10/2004 06:10 PM

Thank you for your inquiry on the available shop space rental in The Mall. For your kind information, as todate the units available are:-

1. Unit no 1.28 at B$4.10 psf x 1,416 s.f (approximation)

2. Unit no 1.29 at B$4.10 psf x 1,500 s.f (approximation)

3. Unit no 1.42 at B$4.10 psf x 795 s.f

All of the above units are situated on 1st Floor. You are able to view the floor plans on our website, www.arhbrunei.com.

note: s.f is square feet

Ok. A good shop is the one that require less space, less workers, little modal, little expenditure, little physical energy, but has high profit, then the boss can enjoy himself travelling around the world (Las Vegas). Think trice if you people want to open a shop.

Toilet

Hello, have anyone of you realise that there are many types of toilet. Most old house in Brunei, the toilets are made of concrete called the "squant" toilet. Now, almost all houses use the "bidet" type toilet. As far as I know, both toilets are user-friendly. But I wonder the feeling of using advance toilet. The toilet that pump automatically for us, that can detect temperature and can recognize voice order.

Anyway, do anyone of you see the differences between male and female public toilet in Brunei. I ever entered female public toilet before (my mistake, though many times.. hehe), more cleaner than male one. Not much damage, female always try to preserve the mirror. Unlike male, they like to break it. The door of male public toilet is written with advertisement... phone no.... drawing... poem.. u know. And some doors have holes, holes of cigarette. But male toilet has utility that female toilet doesn't have. Use to.... while standing.

Ok. I'll try to update soon.

My New Blog

This blog is about general knowledge. Everyday thinking but more into general ideas rather than technical terms. Ok.