30 OCTOBER 2019
Politics & Islam in Brunei
In recent years Brunei has received international attention due to attempts to tighten and expand Syariah criminal law. The Syariah Penal Code Order 2013 (SPCO 2013) mostly consolidated already existing Islamic criminal offences
https://asiancorrespondent.com/2019/10/politics-islam-in-brunei/
6 MAY 2019
Brunei halts plan to punish gay sex with death by stoning
Brunei’s sultan has extended a moratorium on the death penalty to new laws prohibiting gay sex and adultery after a global backlash against the punishments
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/05/brunei-halts-plan-punish-gay-sex-adultery-death-190505181513614.html
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/05/asia/brunei-lgbt-death-pen
7 APRIL 2019
RAF and Royal Navy urged to cut ties to sultan of Brunei over anti-gay law
The RAF and Royal Navy are under pressure to cut links with the sultan of Brunei amid a global backlash against his country’s decision to introduce death by stoning as punishment for homosexuality
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/06/oxford-university-navy-raf-must-cut-ties-sultan-brunei-gay-death-stoning-law
27 MARCH 2019
Brunei to impose death by stoning for gay sex and adultery
Adultery and gay sex in Brunei will be subject to death by stoning from next week, authorities said, under a sharia law that has been on hold for four years amid heavy criticism
https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3003546/brunei-impose-death-stoning-gay-sex-and-adultery
https://www.dw.com/en/brunei-shariah-law-applies-death-sentence-for-homosexuality/a-48076114
2 NOVEMBER 2017
Brunei named most improved economy in the world
Brunei Darussalam has been named the most improved economy in the world for the third year in a row in the World Bank’s Doing Business Report 2018, which was released on Wednesday
http://www.asiaone.com/asia/brunei-named-most-improved-economy-world
5 OCTOBER 2017
Bolkiah, sultan of Brunei, celebrates 50 years in power
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is marking 50 years on Brunei’s throne with a spectacular and lavish ceremony at his golden-domed palace. Among the sultan’s contemporary monarchs, only Queen Elizabeth II has had a longer reign
http://gulfnews.com/news/asia/your-gilded-chariot-awaits-brunei-sultan-celebrates-50-years-in-power-1.2101019
http://www.asiaone.com/asia/brunei-sultan-mark-golden-jubilee-lavish-celebrations
7 NOVEMBER 2016
Brunei’s second-largest daily newspaper shuts down abruptly
Brunei’s second-largest daily newspaper, the Brunei Times, published its final edition on Monday, after abruptly announcing plans for closure over the weekend, triggering online speculation about the reason
http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/bruneis-second-largest-daily-newspaper-shuts-down-abruptly
http://www.newmandala.org/buried-brunei-times/
3 OCTOBER 2016
New churches or temples not allowed in Brunei
Brunei is a small country with a population of only about 400,000, of whom 67 per cent are Muslims, 13 per cent Buddhists, 10 per cent Christians and 10 per cent other religions
http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/new-churches-or-temples-not-allowed-brunei#sthash.CAWglOel.dpuf
27 APRIL 2016
Brunei must diversify its spluttering economy
The small Southeast Asian state of Brunei Darussalam has long enjoyed considerable affluence, thanks in large part to its exports of crude oil and liquefied natural gas to resource-hungry neighbours like Japan and India. According to 2010 data, GDP per capita was US$51,600 and Bruneians enjoy the total absence of sales taxes or personal income tax.
http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2016/04/27/brunei-must-diversify-its-spluttering-economy/
12 APRIL 2015
Sultan of Brunei’s son celebrates wedding in lavish ceremony
The youngest son of the Sultan of Brunei, a tiny oil-rich nation in Southeast Asia celebrated his wedding in a grand gold-plated ceremony on Sunday in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3035550/Sultan-Brunei-s-son-celebrates-wedding-mind-boggling-splendour.html
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/variety/2015/04/12/Sultan-of-Brunei-s-son-celebrates-wedding-in-lavish-ceremony.html
8 JANUARY 2015
Brunei bans Christmas public displays
Brunei recently banned Christmas decorations in public areas in the oil-rich kingdom as part of the Islamic legal and moral code implemented in May last year, according to the country’s religious affairs officials
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/455280/brunei-bans-public-displays-of-christmas
http://www.nst.com.my/node/68941
2 OCTOBER 2014
Is Brunei’s Shariah Threat Real?
http://www.asiasentinel.com/society/brunei-shariah-threat-real/
27 SEPTEMBER 2014
Brunei, S’pore talk defence policy
Officials from Brunei and Singapore recently convened for the annual Defence Policy Dialogue with the aim of fostering defence cooperation between the countries
http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/brunei-spore-talk-defence-policy
18 SEPTEMBER 2014
France’s Femina literary prize boycotts hotel over Brunei sharia law
The all-woman jury of France’s prestigious Prix Femina has decided to not to stage its awards ceremony at a luxury hotel owned by the Sultan of Brunei because he is introducing sharia law in his tiny country.
http://www.english.rfi.fr/asia-pacific/20140918-france-s-femina-literary-prize-boycotts-hotel-over-brunei-sharia-law
10 MAY 2014
Hollywood turns on Sultan of Brunei
Stars boycott Polo Lounge in protest at Sultan of Brunei’s plans to introduce Sharia law at home – but waiters say it’s only them who will suffer
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10821808/Hollywood-turns-on-Sultan-of-Brunei.html
5 MAY 2014
Celebrities boycott Brunei-owned hotels over sharia law
Celebrities including Virgin group founder Richard Branson have vowed to boycott a hotel chain linked to Brunei’s sultan after he introduced a controversial Islamic penal code in his country
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/408203/celebrities-boycott-brunei-owned-hotels-over-sharia-law
30 APRIL 2014
Brunei adopts ‘phase one’ of Islamic law
Sultan launches new penal code that will eventually include stoning, amputation and flogging as punishments
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/30/sultan-brunei-sharia-penal-code-flogging-death-stoning
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2014/04/brunei-adopts-phase-one-islamic-law-201443051454609650.html
22 APRIL 2014
Brunei delays use of sharia law
Brunei has postponed its implementation of harsh Islamic punishments, due to begin Tuesday, that have earned condemnation from the United Nations and sparked rare criticism at home
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/406040/unavoidable-circumstances-delay-introduction-of-harsh-islamic-laws
15 APRIL 2014
Brunei joins China navy exercise for first time
The Royal Brunei Navy’s (RBN) first participation at the Multilateral Maritime Exercise (MMEx) in Qingdao, China marks a historic moment for both countries, said the acting Chinese ambassador to Brunei yesterday
http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/brunei-joins-china-navy-exercise-first-time
6 MARCH 2014
Sultan urges Brunei to back Islamic law
Brunei’s ruling sultan on Thursday hit back at foreign criticism of the looming implementation of a form of Islamic Shariah law that includes harsh penalties, saying the new penal code was a “great achievement” for the country
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/398551/brunei-sultan-urges-country-to-support-islamic-law
26 FEBRUARY 2014
Brunei hits back at criticism over sharia
Brunei’s all-powerful sultan, stung by rare criticism, has ordered social media users to stop attacking his plans to introduce harsh Islamic criminal punishments in the placid oil-rich kingdom
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/397125/brunei-hits-back-at-criticism-over-sharia
22 OCTOBER 2013
Brunei introduces death by stoning under new Islamic laws
The Sultan of Brunei is to introduce a new code of sharia law which could see stonings introduced for adultery, amputations for thefts and public flogging for drinking alcohol.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/brunei/10395702/Brunei-introduces-death-by-stoning-under-new-Islamic-laws.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24624166
12 MAY 2013
More students ranked top ten in world this year
The number of students from Brunei ranked among the top ten highest in the world according to their individual subjects have increased this year, said Isabel Nisbet, Cambridge regional director of Education for the Asia Pacific
http://www.bt.com.bn/news-national/2013/05/12/more-students-ranked-top-ten-highest-world-year
31 JANUARY 2013
Brunei, China pledge to further enhance military ties
Brunei and China recently reaffirmed their military ties, pledging to further strengthen the cooperation between both armed forces.
http://www.bt.com.bn/news-national/2013/01/31/brunei-china-pledge-further-enhance-military-ties
7 JANURY 2013
Brunei to hasten Asean integration
“Brunei’s ASEAN chairmanship in 2013 will be very important in ensuring the ASEAN Community meets its 2015 deadline, and I am confident that Brunei is capable of taking the role as chair”, said executive director of the Centre for Strategic and Policy Studies Dato Paduka Dr Hj Ismail Hj Duraman. http://www.bt.com.bn/news-national/2013/01/03/brunei-hasten-asean-integration
22 DECEMBER 2012
Brunei in the South China Sea hot seat
Territorial tensions in the South China Sea created unprecedented divisions within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2012, with member states taking divergent approaches to China’s increasing assertiveness in the contested maritime area. Now, as the chairmanship of the 10-member grouping shifts from China ally Cambodia to Brunei, also a claimant to South China Sea territory, in 2013, many analysts wonder whether there will be a qualitative shift in ASEAN’s stance on the divisive but strategically important issue
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/NL22Ae07.html
25 FEBRUARY 2012
Forbes ranks Brunei fifth richest nation
FORBES has ranked Brunei Darussalam as the fifth richest country out of 182 nations due to its extensive petroleum and natural gas fields giving the Sultanate just over US$48,000 per capita
http://www.bt.com.bn/news-national/2012/02/25/forbes-ranks-brunei-fifth-richest-nation
14 FEBRUARY 2012
India eyes stronger defence, energy ties with Brunei
India is looking into deeper cooperation with Brunei Darussalam in the sector of defence, security and oil and gas, as part of its commitment to work closely with ASEAN countries
http://www.bt.com.bn/news-national/2012/02/14/india-eyes-stronger-defence-energy-ties-brunei
16 JULY 2004
Brunei sultan announces the restoration of the Legislative Council suspended since 1984
10 AUGUST 1998
The Royal Proclamation of HRH Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah as the Crown Prince of Brunei
http://www.answers.com/topic/al-muhtadee-billah-bolkiah
7 SEPTEMBER 1986
1986: Death of Omar Ali Saifuddin III, 28th sultan of Brunei (1951-1986), born on September 23, 1914
http://www.polymernotes.org/biographies/BRN_bio_saifuddin.htm
21 SEPTEMBER 1984
Brunei joins the United Nations
7 JANUARY 1984
After getting its independence from Britain, Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
1 JANUARY 1984
Independence of the Sultanate of Brunei from the British
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2700.htm
1974: Birth of Al-Muhtadee Billah Bolkiah, Crown prince of Brunei
http://www.answers.com/topic/al-muhtadee-billah-bolkiah
1 AUGUST 1968
The coronation is held of Hassanal Bolkiah, the 29th Sultan of Brunei.
http://www.answers.com/topic/hassanal-bolkiah
4 OCTOBER 1967
Brunei sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin III abdicates in favor of his son Hassanal Bolkiah
http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Omar-Ali-Saifuddin-III
http://www.answers.com/topic/hassanal-bolkiah
15 JULY 1946
1946: Birth of Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hassanal_Bolkiah
http://brunei.gov.bn/government/index.htm