The Daily BR on Wikileaks
I was checking out the wikileaks and found a couple of diplomatic reports from the American Embassy here in Brunei which had me in it.
The first was during the 2009 Letter of Exchange between Brunei and Malaysia with regard to the boundary between Brunei and Malaysia which brought the Limbang claims issue.
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BRUNEI'S MIXED REACTION
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¶7. (SBU) Rozan Yunos, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Development, wrote on his blog; "I am not that much worried about the land boundary or the issue of claims...the bigger issue is economics". Rozan would rather focus on the maritime agreement because there is great potential in the maritime area. Another popular local blogger, 'anakbrunei' concurred with Rozan's statement and agreed that "we should be focusing on the potential economic gains rather than getting all hot and bothered over the border".
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The second was also in 2009 during the TIP (Trafficking in Person) Report.
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FORCED LABOR: REACTION
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2.(SBU)On June 18, 2009, the two leading local English language papers gave front page coverage to the State Department's 2009 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report. Local bloggers including the popular "Bruneiresource" and "Lifestyle" blogs also reported on TIP. Throughout the remainder of June, the report generated articles in local papers and feedback on the popular Brudirect "Have No Fear, Have Your Say" online forum. One expatriate columnist, David R Smith, wrote an op-ed and claimed; "one only has to drive around Brunei to see foreign workers living in ramshackle corrugated iron shed with little or no access to running water." However, Smith did not state that foreign workers were suffering from direct abuse within the workplace or from employers. Another columnist, Azlan Othman from Borneo Bulletin, said; "Employers and foreign workers have mixed reactions on the issue of days off, with employers being concerned their maids would get into a wrong company on their off days while foreign workers welcome the move." On June 24, a prominent Bruneian employment agency, Amal Lee Manpower, told the Brunei Times that "employment agencies are blameless for helpers' plight." Amal said that employment agencies are simply responsible for the work permit paperwork, application insurance, travel arrangements, and medical screening. Amal did state that domestic helpers would have to settle any fees owned to their agents here and in their home country.
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I wonder what else has been reported.
PS.
One of my nephews alerted me that there was another one which I missed which was about the Legislative Council. It's as follows.
The first was during the 2009 Letter of Exchange between Brunei and Malaysia with regard to the boundary between Brunei and Malaysia which brought the Limbang claims issue.
+++++
BRUNEI'S MIXED REACTION
-------------- --------
¶7. (SBU) Rozan Yunos, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Development, wrote on his blog; "I am not that much worried about the land boundary or the issue of claims...the bigger issue is economics". Rozan would rather focus on the maritime agreement because there is great potential in the maritime area. Another popular local blogger, 'anakbrunei' concurred with Rozan's statement and agreed that "we should be focusing on the potential economic gains rather than getting all hot and bothered over the border".
+++++
The second was also in 2009 during the TIP (Trafficking in Person) Report.
+++++
FORCED LABOR: REACTION
-----------------------
2.(SBU)On June 18, 2009, the two leading local English language papers gave front page coverage to the State Department's 2009 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report. Local bloggers including the popular "Bruneiresource" and "Lifestyle" blogs also reported on TIP. Throughout the remainder of June, the report generated articles in local papers and feedback on the popular Brudirect "Have No Fear, Have Your Say" online forum. One expatriate columnist, David R Smith, wrote an op-ed and claimed; "one only has to drive around Brunei to see foreign workers living in ramshackle corrugated iron shed with little or no access to running water." However, Smith did not state that foreign workers were suffering from direct abuse within the workplace or from employers. Another columnist, Azlan Othman from Borneo Bulletin, said; "Employers and foreign workers have mixed reactions on the issue of days off, with employers being concerned their maids would get into a wrong company on their off days while foreign workers welcome the move." On June 24, a prominent Bruneian employment agency, Amal Lee Manpower, told the Brunei Times that "employment agencies are blameless for helpers' plight." Amal said that employment agencies are simply responsible for the work permit paperwork, application insurance, travel arrangements, and medical screening. Amal did state that domestic helpers would have to settle any fees owned to their agents here and in their home country.
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I wonder what else has been reported.
PS.
One of my nephews alerted me that there was another one which I missed which was about the Legislative Council. It's as follows.
BRUNEI'S PUBLIC REACTION ------------------------ 9.(SBU) There was a positive impact where locals noted the LegCo is now starting to speak about the sensitive issues of Permanent Residence openly. 'Bruneiresource' blogger, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Development, Rozan Yunos said the session was "important so that the public can raise important questions in a public chamber through appointed representatives" and advised the public that, "if you want to hear your questions, you better know who your district representatives are and email them what you need them to ask." The Dean of Faculty Business, Economics and Policy Studies at the University of Brunei Darussalam, Dr Roger Lawrey, commented on the Sustainability Fund as "very prudent and exemplary move made by the government to protect its (Brunei) income and revenues for sustainability".
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