Quiet Christmas In Brunei

In Brunei, Christmas has remained quiet and private. Although Christmas Day is still an official public holiday, public celebrations and decorations are banned. Christians and other non-Muslims may celebrate inside churches or in their homes, but these celebrations must be out of public view. Shops and streets do not show Christmas trees, lights, or festive [...]

Challenges For Christianity In Brunei

Brunei has 24 different people groups. Nine of these groups, about 38 percent, are still unreached by Christian churches. Five groups, or about 21 percent, are considered frontier unreached, meaning almost no Christian outreach reaches them. Out of a national population of around 459,000, about 290,000 people belong to unreached groups, and about 266,000 live [...]

Limited Religious Freedom In Brunei

Religious freedom in Brunei is very limited, and the government gives special importance to Islam, which is the official religion. People who are not Muslims, such as Christians, Buddhists, and others, face many restrictions. They are not allowed to build new churches or temples easily, and only old churches from before 1984 are officially recognized. [...]

Brunei: Asia’s Hardest Place To Invest

Brunei, a small, oil-rich country in Southeast Asia, is not a good place to invest right now. Although it once had wealth from oil, the economy has been weak for years, and growth is slow. Brunei relies too much on oil and has not developed other industries like Malaysia or Dubai. Foreign investors face many [...]

Brunei’s Fight to Diversify Its Economy

Brunei, a small but wealthy nation, is under pressure to diversify from a petroleum-based economy. Since its oil reserves are going to last around 30 years, the government is looking at diversification measures like other richer Gulf nations. These involve developing tourism, trade, and the attraction of skilled personnel. Yet, because Brunei is so small [...]

Growing Religious Pressure On Christians In Brunei

In Brunei, being a Christian, especially if you’ve left Islam, can be very difficult. People who convert from Islam face strong pressure to return to their former faith, and it’s even punishable by law. Churches that are not part of traditional Christian groups cannot register as churches. Instead, they must register as companies or family [...]

Freedom Of Assembly And Association Under Restriction In Brunei

In Brunei, freedom of association and peaceful assembly are heavily restricted. The law does not protect these rights, and long-standing emergency powers are used to control public gatherings. Under the 2005 Societies Order, more than 10 people cannot meet for a purpose without registering with the government. Human rights groups, both local and international, are [...]

Brunei’s Struggle To Diversify Its Economy

Brunei’s economy has not grown much in recent years and still depends heavily on oil and gas. This makes the country’s income unstable because oil prices change often and reserves are shrinking. The government wants to reduce this risk by developing other industries like tourism, digital services, halal products, and finance. A national plan called [...]

Brunei’s Push For Disability Inclusion Amid Challenges

In Brunei, people with disabilities (PWDs) face many challenges. About 1% of the population has disabilities, and many live in relative poverty because they struggle to find jobs, get an education, and access digital tools. The government gives financial support through the OKU card and helps caregivers, but many PWDs still have trouble joining the [...]

Youth In Brunei: Hopes And Challenges

Brunei's young people are vital to shaping the country's future, and recent events like the Temburong Information Programme show they are stepping up, learning about fake news, cybercrime, AI ethics, cultural values, and youth policy. However, they also face serious challenges today. Even though many are well-educated, youth unemployment and underemployment are persistent problems. Reports [...]

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