Brunei's Local News - Brudirect.com

Bandar Seri Begawan - Public transportation, is the main means of commuting around the world, but not in Brunei. The luxury of heavily subsidised fuel, cheap cars, low insurance and road tax costs attribute to a more negative perspective of the extensive public transport system the Sultanate have.

A survey done by The Brunei Times on the effectiveness of the public transport system and should a MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) or railway system be introduced in the country, the local response was either dissatisfaction towards the current system, or that it was simply a waste of money.

Hj Rambli Adi, a father of two, said that it was much easier to simply turn on his car's ignition and drive, rather than wait for a train or bus and also because of the nature of the country's close geographic locations.

"Why build a train network? It's not like we have a big population. It will be a waste of government's

money which can be used to better the lives of the public," he said.

"My car costs me so little, I can just simply turn the ignition and drive away. While it will take me 20 minutes to walk down my street towards the main road, another half hour for the bus to arrive or if I get lucky it might take me less, and then I have to endure the bad hygiene standards in the buses," he said, adding that pride was also partially the reason why he rather not opt for the public transports.

According to Hj Rambli, apart from being unreliable, the social stigma surrounding the usage of public transport is one of the main attributions for the negative response. "My colleagues, neighbours and relatives might view that I am not financially well off to own a car which is an indicator for success and social status here in Brunei. Malu bah (it's embarrassing)," he said.

The same view was voiced by a 19-year-old student, Rahmah Norkisha Salleh. "Being Bruneians, we have the financial means to get our own car. I simply will not go on a public bus or MRT to school," she said.

"Maybe I will try it several times just out of curiosity. But to prove my point, my dad bought me a car as soon as I turned 18," she proudly admitted, adding that she might contemplate on carpooling once she starts working.

With regard to its reliability, there are no schedules, or the bus stops are simply far and away, she added.

"I have no clue on where the bus stops are and where to get on. I know they have a numeric system but I simply have never been informed about it. There are also no signs or maps to guide users," she added.

However the idea of having a MRT system has its benefits too. Morsidi, who commutes to Kuala Belait daily due to the nature of his work in the oil and gas industry, commented that if Brunei starts a MRT system, similar to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, between districts, he would gladly and proudly use it to commute daily.

"Rather than building an airport in Kuala Belait, it might be more beneficial if they build a train network similar to other developing nations," he said quoting a The Brunei Times report on an airport soon to be build in Kuala Belait.

"It will not only be 'greener' due to conservation of hydrocarbon resources, but also beneficial for the economy in terms of tourism as well.

"Most tourists who missed the sights in the other districts, would now simply wouldn't," he said, adding that he was unsure if any plans are in the pipeline with regard to the train system, but the authorities should look into its feasibility.

For a senior citizen from Tanah Jambu, Hjh Norsiah Besar, she has no use of the technology as she has been using buses during its early days. She reminisced on the days where buses were still vans. Those vans, she said, were plentiful and cheap costing only 50 cents to one dollar to get to Bandar to sell her wares at the Tamu.

She does not mind the crowd of foreigners using the system, saying that all of them shares one similar purpose, to look for a decent living.

"I would not know anything about a MRT system as I live in the suburbs," she said, adding that the probability of MRT's reaching suburb locations is very unlikely and that she rather see it go to other ventures such as public low cost housing and such. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times