The other day’s incident stayed with me. But the truth is, it’s not an isolated moment. It’s a pattern. Across many homes, not all but enough to matter, domestic helpers are treated less like employees and more like something in between obligation and ownership. One helper expected to serve an…
Tag: Featured
Brunei & Governance
When the Tap Goes Silent
Last week’s water disruption was uncomfortable. Buckets replaced showers. Routines became workarounds. It was inconvenient, but also humbling. For a brief moment, we were reminded how dependent we are on something we usually take for granted. How quickly comfort slips when a basic need falters. This was not a crisis….
Brunei & Governance
Clean Toilets as a Licensing Requirement? Yes Please!
Hey, fellow Bruneians! If you’ve ever stepped into a hawker centre, mamak stall, or fancy café only to be hit with that unpleasant surprise in the back—yeah, the one that makes you question your life choices—you know exactly what I’m talking about. Clean food? Absolutely essential. But clean toilets? That’s…
Brunei & Governance
Brunei’s Own Road in 1963 – Bukan Menolak Tapi Menjaga
On 27th August 2025, the front page of Pelita Brunei carried a striking photograph: our beloved Sultan, Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, shaking hands with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia. The headline read, “Hubungan NBD, Malaysia Kekal Erat, Mesra.” It…
Brunei & Governance
A Bruneian’s Take on Healthcare Reform: Balancing Progress and Compassion
As a proud Bruneian citizen, I deeply value the care our government provides for its people. The recent policy change, effective July 1, 2025, which ends free healthcare for non-citizens, including permanent residents with foreign nationalities and foreign spouses of Bruneians, has sparked much discussion. Reflecting on my own experience…
Brunei Darussalam
Traffic and the National Psyche
Ever noticed how traffic tells you a lot about a country’s personality? It’s the national psyche on wheels, honestly. You can learn more from fifteen minutes on the road than from a three hundred page vision document, because traffic is where people show their true colours, when no one’s watching…