Brunei Offers Better Deals Than Border Towns
By Ignatius Stephen

Bandar Seri Begawan - A grand battle is on to make the Brunei Grand Sale a success as many Bruneians are beginning to make a beeline for Miri, Labuan, Kota Kinabalu and even Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

And local shopkeepers are worried that the trickle that began with the advent of the holy month of Ramadhan last Sunday could become a flood with payday on the cards presently.

"We are slashing prices as much as we can to meet the current Hari Raya Grand Sale campaign," said a leading household furniture supplier, Courts Furniture company.

"But we have to battle the local mindset," he said. "In fact our prices are cheaper than neighbouring foreign stores quality wise," he added. "However, sales are picking up. But still expectations are yet to be met."

Other Brunei businessmen echoed similar sentiments. And some local consumers agreed as well saying that not all items are cheap and good across the border.

A visitor from Kota Kinabalu said, "I find it a pleasure to shop here. My family and I go to top stores like Supasave and Hua Ho and there is nothing comparable to these in Kota Kinabalu, Miri or Labuan.

"Look at the variety of imported fruits, oranges and apples and much else and clothing. We cannot match that in quality or price back home.

"So when I am here I do much of the shopping for these items," she said.

If quality is one thing so is variety. In some neighbouring towns the merchandise tends to be shoddy, although somewhat cheaper. Many discriminating Brunei shoppers reject them. However, there are economic reasons as well. as the local mindset.

"If you really give it a thought, shopping in neighbouring towns is not simply worth it, unless you count a short holiday there as well. If you really sit and do some serious costing there is little price difference," a Bruneian who used to shop regularly outside told the Borneo Bulletin.

"Savings can be minimal if you take the cost of the trip and hotel stay," he added.

However, the popular precept that everything on the other side is cheaper is boosted by the local slowing down of the economy as banks here stopped dishing out easy personal loans.

Many people are paying back long-term loans many times their salaries leaving little to spend.

But the fear factor in crime prone neighbouring towns has tempered the exodus somewhat. Comparatively safe Labuan and Kota Kinabalu have benefited, to some degree however. Kuala Lumpur is also drawing the more affluent, airlines offices here said. Singapore is another destination for Brunei shoppers who can afford it.

And with Hari Raya less than a month away, the traditional shopping bout will soon be on in earnest, although in a more subdued manner. People here do not have that much disposable cash any more, said a local businessman.

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