Bruneians favoured eating, driving and talking over the phone, so reported Borneo Bulletin ten years ago. “The candid observation was made by a senior official, who also said that as a result of this trend, there seems to be many maladies and even fatalities.” Could it be that what this officer meant was that Bruneians eat and talk over the phone while driving?
Anyway, that was a decade ago and look at us now. Bruneians still preferred eating, driving and chatting over the phone BUT other activities are also on the rise, like blogging.
Eating – a popular past time with many eating outlets opening (and some closing at the same rate). Even ambuyat, the Bruneian traditional food is being served at restaurants. (I can’t wait for the likes of Lauk Rabus (Fish cook with tumeric); Lauk Tahai (Smoked Fish) and local salads like Rancah-Rancah being included in the menu as well.)
From the World Health Organization on Brunei Report: “The trend in the major causes of death has changed over the past 30 years from infectious diseases to chronic degenerative diseases related to a modern lifestyle.”
Read more on the report here.
On driving, the problems now are: too many cars on the road (Brunei has one of the highest car-ownership in South East Asia); fatalities; road bullies (maybe as a result of eating the ‘wrong’ food) and accidents (happen almost everyday).
Talking over the phone – I am not surprise with the highest number of mobile phone owners in Brunei. This report says that mobile phone penetration in Brunei had hit 118% by mid-March 2007.
So has the lifestyle change over the years? I think so, and thank God, in a better way. With the invention of many new technologies, home improvement plans and this huge word called ‘globalisation’, Bruneians lives have change.
For example: I was checking on the latest washing machine in one of the electrical stores in Gadong and do you guys know what I found? A tumble dryer. I used one way back in the UK but thought, what? In Brunei? When you have the sun all year round? I wouldn’t use one for it means that we are using more energy and for what?
