Slowly Call for the Passes to Attend a Citizenship Presentation Ceremony. (Update!)

March 2017 Update!!!

Congratulation to those including my friends who passed the examination previously are now getting phone call to resubmit their documents! Please take note the reason requiring resubmitting the documents again to make sure your information are up-to-date.

BTW! For those of you living in Kuala Belait or Seria, you DO NOT need to go all the way to the capital submitting the documents. Apparently the folks who work in KB got blasted by the top, well for being... Okay, just submit to nearby Government building. That it!


*Old post:-
Not an official news, mind you. This is just a rumor head up for those who already pass their citizenship's examination previously. Chances the letter (or phone call) might be coming requesting the applicant to take up an oath to renounce all former nationalities and date attending citizenship presentation ceremony. It is unknown for now which year’s batches we are looking at, so don’t get too excited yet. You won’t know they might skip and choose those who had more promising background.

Don’t ask where I got the news from. It just happens reaching my ears when someone gets so cocky making ‘Baju Cara Melayu’ ready for the ceremony. =) As always, make sure none of your phone numbers and addresses change. Don’t forget, the Governments also need background checks on your activities again staying in Brunei. If you frequent travel, let your families knows to help you follow up.

I will wait and see if my step-sister receives official call as well since she took the test quite way back. For the examination news, there is NAHTHING to report.

Never Dying Toyota Old Car

When it comes to maintaining an old car, Toyota is the easiest to repair. I am now struggling on the decision, to sell or not to sell moment. My Toyota Corolla Wagon has been often breaking and almost suffer engine burn down incidents these days.

The parts in the car are getting rusty and the damage can be discovering one by one. I just recently experience two breakdown incidents within three months. One with the water hose pumps leakage and now the water tank sudden burst while on the road. I just got it replaced last week and another problem pops up which by the way already told by the mechanic that the water level might decrease and sign of water bubble.

The engine confirm needs to get major overhaul or something to replace damage parts inside the engine. Otherwise, the engine will keep sucking the water dry and burned again if not careful. Since the mechanic are busy this month and had to booked with their time next two weeks because my car need to stay at least 2-3 days at the workshop. I am okay with that but my biggest concern is how much the repair going to cost me this time.

Excise Duty on Electrical Goods

If you don’t know yet, starting next month onward some electrical goods and video games will start seeing price hike. Thanks to my friend who informed and forward the full PDF tax document from Ministry of Finance for me to view. I just caught wind of this news last week. After Brunei Times shutdown, I don’t feel like reading the only local news site anymore.

However, what I am surprise seeing the new excise duty for video games and consoles increase from 5% to 20% which is the highest among the electrical good's category. Apparently, the Government wants us to focus more on healthy lifestyle rather sitting at home playing video games all days. But is this part of the daily problem? For me, mobile phone gamers are far worst. Anyway since the Nintendo Switch is very expensive with few new games at launched. I’m okay with that and decide to delay buying next year if the price is right in Brunei.

Mobile phones and digital camera tax increase from 5% to 10%. For sure this is going to happen due to the increase numbers of new release models every year and there aren’t good methods for proper recycling. Photographers who plan to upgrade their digital cameras and accessories probably decide to wait during Hari Raya promotion. With additional 5%, I wonder...

The third and first time electrical goods for computer use such as cables, speakers etc will now include 5% tax. So every each hard disk, memory ram, CPU etc are included from now on if I am right. Can you imagine if I were to sell WIFI card for computer, which means I needed to pay AITI license (per year for each brand) and plus additional 5% tax. I think it’s official we are the most expensive wireless devices seller in Brunei.

Maybe for some of you thinking 5% doesn’t add much. I disagree and this is simply too early made decision that could hurt the smaller IT business owners. I feel they need more time. How are they going to make adjustment in their business strategy will be quite tricky ahead in noncompetitive market. We don’t have strong local produce skills in IT industry and now we are facing economics issue including facing layoff every month.