Brunei

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Sept 11 (NNN-BB) – A total of 413 individuals were arrested by Brunei’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), for their involvement in drug abuse and trafficking from Jan to Jul.

According to the Borneo Bulletin daily on Sunday, NCB director, Mohd Zalani, said that, in collaboration with other agencies, the NCB has conducted 25 operations since 2020, to detect and dismantle syndicates, drug dealers and drug abuse.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Sept 4 (NNN-BBN) – Brunei recorded 1,745.8 million Brunei dollars (1,290.1 million U.S. dollars) total trade in May, this year, a 41.2 percent year-on-year decrease, due to a drop in both export and import value.

The latest International Merchandise Trade Statistics, released yesterday by the Department of Economic Planning and Statistics, at the Ministry of Finance and Economy, showed that, Brunei’s exports in May decreased by 42.3 percent yearly, to 1,078.5 million Brunei dollars, which was mainly due to a drop in exports of mineral fuels and chemicals.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, July 23 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese embassy in Brunei issued a statement on Sunday announcing the resumption of the unilateral visa-free policy for Brunei citizens, which was previously suspended due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

The statement said that starting from July 26, the Chinese government will resume the 15-day visa-free entry policy for Brunei citizens holding ordinary passports to go to China for business, travel and tourism, visiting relatives and friends, and transit.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jun 8 (NNN-XINHUA) – The Chinese naval training ship, Qi Jiguang (Hull 83), which is on a cadet training and visit mission in the far east, departed for the Philippines today, after successfully concluding its goodwill visit to Brunei.

The Bruneian side held a grand farewell ceremony at the Muara Port. More than 200 people, including Chinese Ambassador to Brunei, Xiao Jianguo, defence attache, Dai Qilin, representatives of Chinese companies, local Bruneians, and representatives of the Royal Brunei Navy, went to the port to see off the ship.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan 25 (NNN-Bernama) — Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim hoped that the Malaysia Brunei Annual Leaders’ Consultation (ALC) this year will finalise several matters of mutual interest.

He said this includes cooperation in the fields of youth and sports, Syariah judiciary, and education, which have been discussed at length by both sides.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- A 26-year-old man was detained by the police for allegedly smuggling 747 cartons of cigarettes in Brunei, local media reported on Wednesday.

According to the local daily Borneo Bulletin, Royal Brunei Police Force inspected two suspicious vehicles without a driver in a routine patrol at Kampong Kuala Lurah, one of the areas close to the country's border with Malaysia.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Oct 23 (NNN-XINHUA) – Brunei is categorised as the second lowest disaster risk country in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in the World Risk Index 2022 report, a local newspaper said, yesterday.

According to the paper, World Risk Index 2022, covers risks from earthquakes, floods, hurricanes/typhoons, (both coastal and riverine), drought, sea-level rise, tsunamis, and conflict.

The report ranked Brunei 165th out of 193 nations and regions with a score of 1.34 out of 100.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Oct 22 (NNN-ANN) – Brunei’s property price recorded a year-on-year drop of 0.9 percent, in the second quarter this year, the country’s central bank said, yesterday.

According to the latest statistics from the Brunei Darussalam Central Bank, the Brunei Darussalam Residential Property Price Index (RPPI) was at 93.1 in the second quarter, a year-on-year decrease of 0.9 percent.

Based on banks’ mortgage data, there were 130 transactions for private residential properties in the second quarter, a 4.8 percent increase compared to the first quarter.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Sept 6 (NNN-ANN) – Brunei logged a daily average of 169 new COVID-19 cases in the past week, compared to 205 cases per day the week before, the country’s health ministry said, yesterday.

According to the health ministry’s weekly briefing, 52,431 antigen rapid test (ART) results were uploaded to the government platform over the past week, with 2.2 percent of them being positive.

Currently, one hospitalised case is held in the intensive care unit and two cases require assisted breathing, according to the health ministry.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Aug 16 (NNN-ANN) – Brunei logged a daily average of 420 new COVID-19 cases in the past week, the country’s Health Ministry said, yesterday.

According to the ministry’s weekly briefing, 62,348 antigen rapid test (ART) results were uploaded to the government platform within one week, with 4.7 percent of them being positive.

Currently, no hospitalised cases are held in intensive care unit, but two cases require assisted breathing, according to the ministry.