Why does every pensioner have to be deducted 15 - 30% out of their overall Gratuity fund just because they own a house under the 'Perpindahan' or the indigenous Housing scheme?

What good is the fifteen year loan that they offered us when we bought the house initially? As a pensioner, I for one knew that I can more than afford to pay the monthly installments outlined by the scheme even though I might no longer be a public servant.

Don't they down at the MOD realise that we, pensioners, have other bills to settle such as our personal loans, credit cards bills, car loans, Govt loans and others? How can we, pensioners, settle down peacefully after years of serving loyally, if there is none or little left out of our gratuity funds which we were looking forward for so many long years?

Is the PMO aware of the MOD's torturing procedures since this is causing more harm than good for us poor pensioners and it is really a hard pill to swallow? Please reconsider since we have all pleaded and begged with the MOD (some even managed to see the PS) for leniency but all were in vain.

- Poor Old Pensioner

Since end of last year's heavy rain, one tree along Jalan Kota Batu, near the Handicraft centre, right on top of a hill, was uprooted and now stays in a precarious horizontal position.

It has been in this dangerous position for more than one and a half months now.

At any time, this tree will fall on to the road.

What if it falls and kills people driving along the road?

Instead of cutting down good and beautiful trees that give us shade, shouldn't the relevant authority take a look at this and take appropriate action for safety's sake?

- Concerned, Kota Batu Resident

As supporters of local cement industry in Brunei we would like to refer to the articles in the Borneo Bulletin of February 11 and most recently of February 16 on cement quality.

As permanent residents and citizens of Brunei Darussalam, we would like to voice our concern on the attacks made on the only cement manufacturing company in the country.

Back before we had a cement company in Brunei, we had to buy low quality cement at over $180 a tonne. Furthermore, this imported cement comes in small and big plastic bags. The waste plastic bags can be seen littering everywhere. This is not good for the environment.

We welcome the news from the Brunei Government of His Majesty to allow the import of high quality cement into Brunei but reject the notion that a lower quality cement should ever come back into Brunei.

Why should we downgrade to lower quality cement when we are already enjoying the benefits of high quality cement at a reasonable price?

In conclusion, I would like to say that we should be proud to have a Brunei and German joint-venture cement factory in Brunei, which proves the trust foreign investors have in Brunei.

Let us give our full support to its continued healthy growth. And we look forward to other foreign investors to come invest in Brunei in line with the aspirations of His Majesty's Government.

- Concerned People

I would refer readers to the services provided by DST.

Whilst I appreciate that this is a small country, and it is expensive to operate a service of the kind provided, as a customer I am somewhat surprised by the hidden extras that are charged.

Initially I paid some B$1500 for a line connection. When this was changed to the new service some 5 years ago another B$400 was charged. Refunds of deposit were promised, but after four years or more - nothing.

On changing to the Easi-card system, I find that unused credit was taken at the end of the month, although a service had been bought and paid for in advance.

Now I note that as an infrequent user the credit in the account "disappears" at a rate of about B$4 per day even though the telephone is switched off, no calls or messages sent or received. Also what are the charges for unanswered SMS messages?

I received a bill for nearly B$500 from a UK service provider for two weeks charge made by the local network for an unanswered SMS.

Are other customers out there feeling cheated for the service they pay for?

- Unhappy Subscriber

Hello people in BruNet's technical and management offices. A lot of people have written to you but there seems to be nothing done about the massive junk email that we get in our mail boxes.

It's not that we are not appreciative of what you may have tried to do to solve the problem but it seems that perhaps you can't solve it at all or perhaps no budget to buy the software program you desire. Each day, I get more than 100 junk email alone and when I don't check it for a week, the number goes beyond 300 junk email.

The time taken to filter the email is tedious and shouldn't happen in the first place if something is done at least to minimise it. So hope you guys are not sleeping and let your customers sleep well instead.

- Internet Junkies

I am writing again regarding dangers facing car drivers coming out from the Gadong Police HQ and the Narcotics Control Bureau.

Previously, there were humps to slow down vehicles passing through this road but the contractor who has rebuilt the road has not bothered to put back those humps.

We hope the relevant authorities will look at this matter seriously before somebody gets hurt or loses a life to a speed freak.

- Concerned Citizen

I have recently completed my degree in KL and hope to return to Brunei and begin a career in teaching science.

However, my friends who returned last year informed me that new graduates will be taken to teach A/Levels and O/Levels.

This frightens me a lot.

I hope to teach there someday when I have garnered years of experience.

I remember some great teachers at MD.

I dreamed of someday teaching along with them. I have learned Maths and Physics from them and I'm sure I would learn a lot about teaching too.

- Md Yunus bin Rahman, PJ, Kuala Lumpur

I work for a leading oil company in Seria and am fortunate to receive the 'Pelita Brunei' every week.

I enjoy reading the articles published therein but feel sad that the quality of photos (both colour and B/W) do not do this well-known weekly any credit.

Many of the photos are so poorly-printed and darkened such that I cannot make out what subject has been photographed! A picture tells a thousand words, people say.

- Loyal Reader

I want to relate an experience with a rude ticket attendant.

The incident took place around 3.30pm on Monday February 7, 2005 at a ticket booth near the twin buildings in Kuala Belait.

I went there to pay my parking ticket and requested a receipt from the ticket attendant.

The ticket attendant pulled a face.

She took out the receipt booklet and banged it hard on the table.

I was taken aback by her rude attitude and gently told her not to be angry.

But she simply ignored me and continued to pull a face while writing the receipt.

I was very angry with her attitude which spoilt my mood for the rest of the day.

I hope the Municipal authorities will educate ticket attendants on courtesy and launch a complaint hotline to ensure such incidents will never happen again, to anyone.

- Unhappy, KB

After I read the news that the fisherman caught a whale shark in Bintulu, I felt so sad as how brutal the fisherman was to catch the harmless beautiful whale shark.

It's really like killing a panda!

I thought I was too sensitive that day until I read Extremely Sad's comment; there are many other people feeling like me. I believe some of us have limited knowledge about this beautiful creature.

Whale sharks can be found in Brunei waters too. I hope that Fisheries Department can do something to avoid this type of brutal incident ever happening in our country.

- Vincent