I have most recently been to Brunei - which I'm pretty sure you will have to look at a map to find
the location of (I did). And this is where you'll find it - as in those two tiny pieces of pink on either side below the red dot:
To summarise, a very small kingdom (Sultinate, more accurately - basically the same thing) on the island of Borneo - which is the third largest island on earth (I think Australia is classed as a continent) - with a population of 400,000, living under newly introduced Islamic Sh aria law.
The Sultan of Brunei was for a long time (until Bill Gates) the richest man on earth. I was surprised at my reaction coming here - I had this really strong sense of distaste about the whole thing - I don't like the notion of Sha aria law as presented in a (why do I believe them?) Western media - stoning (as in to death) of adulterers, and the chopping off of hands of thieves. I know this idea, at least, appeals to many crime-weary South Africans; but really, people's reasons for stealing are so diverse, and many of them do not relate to greed or malice - and inevitably the rich (who unquestionably steal much much more, globally, than the poor) are able to access protections of one sort or another while the poor bear the brunt, yet again, of odds stacked against them. So I am not remotely for that sort of punishment.
Just getting on the plane felt like an ordeal of some sort - you are oft reminded that the punishment for drug trafficking is death - and asked at check-in if you have copies of prescriptions for any medications that you are carrying - really? Who has that? So all in all it felt ominous and grim, and my natural gut reaction was along the lines of OK, then *-you, and your country, I'd rather go work somewhere that seems more open and welcoming.
And then you arrive, and its completely different to that. Super-peaceful, people are hugely relaxed and warm and friendly, into their families and quality time (the latter of which they appear to have ample quantities of. I really battled to get from the airport to the hotel, because taxi drivers don't really feel like working on Sunday evening, and who can blame them - there being so many more appealing things to do. In addition, several of the people I met mentioned to me that they went home for lunch each day, you know to see the kids and hang as a family - that sort of thing.
In lots of ways it felt like being in a time-warp, but with modern cars and trimmings. Because it floats on oil - petrol is 30c a litre.
This is not my picture above - but I thought it visually summarised exactly what I expected (which I suppose is the point about media) - whereas a much more accurate version of this would be a group of people talking about their families, cycling and scuba-diving. It's simultaneously a warning of what you believe of what you read - and I suppose in honesty - equally what your first impressions are. Mine were unreservedly positive.
To summarise, a very small kingdom (Sultinate, more accurately - basically the same thing) on the island of Borneo - which is the third largest island on earth (I think Australia is classed as a continent) - with a population of 400,000, living under newly introduced Islamic Sh aria law.
The Sultan of Brunei was for a long time (until Bill Gates) the richest man on earth. I was surprised at my reaction coming here - I had this really strong sense of distaste about the whole thing - I don't like the notion of Sha aria law as presented in a (why do I believe them?) Western media - stoning (as in to death) of adulterers, and the chopping off of hands of thieves. I know this idea, at least, appeals to many crime-weary South Africans; but really, people's reasons for stealing are so diverse, and many of them do not relate to greed or malice - and inevitably the rich (who unquestionably steal much much more, globally, than the poor) are able to access protections of one sort or another while the poor bear the brunt, yet again, of odds stacked against them. So I am not remotely for that sort of punishment.
Just getting on the plane felt like an ordeal of some sort - you are oft reminded that the punishment for drug trafficking is death - and asked at check-in if you have copies of prescriptions for any medications that you are carrying - really? Who has that? So all in all it felt ominous and grim, and my natural gut reaction was along the lines of OK, then *-you, and your country, I'd rather go work somewhere that seems more open and welcoming.
And then you arrive, and its completely different to that. Super-peaceful, people are hugely relaxed and warm and friendly, into their families and quality time (the latter of which they appear to have ample quantities of. I really battled to get from the airport to the hotel, because taxi drivers don't really feel like working on Sunday evening, and who can blame them - there being so many more appealing things to do. In addition, several of the people I met mentioned to me that they went home for lunch each day, you know to see the kids and hang as a family - that sort of thing.
In lots of ways it felt like being in a time-warp, but with modern cars and trimmings. Because it floats on oil - petrol is 30c a litre.
This is not my picture above - but I thought it visually summarised exactly what I expected (which I suppose is the point about media) - whereas a much more accurate version of this would be a group of people talking about their families, cycling and scuba-diving. It's simultaneously a warning of what you believe of what you read - and I suppose in honesty - equally what your first impressions are. Mine were unreservedly positive.
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