Makan Tahun Tradisi Kaum Kadayan

Pada zaman dahulu suku kaum Kadayan mengadakan "makan-makan tahun" pada setiap tahun. Biasanya
"makan-makan tahun" diadakan selepas ngatam (menuai) padi. "Makan-makan tahun" bermaksud "kenduri
tahunan" dalam Bahasa Melayunya.

Mungkin ramai generasi muda Kadayan hari ini yang tidak pernah menghadiri "makan-makan tahun" atau tidak tahu langsung apa yang dikatakan "makan-makan tahun" kerana akhir-akhir ini "makan-makan tahun" tidak pernah diadakan lagi. Contohnya, di Brunei sudah berpuluh-puluh tahun tidak ada "makan-makan tahun".

"Makan-makan tahun" merupakan kenduri kesyukuran selepas menuai padi seperti Tamarok yang disambut oleh suku kaum Dusun pada setiap tahun. Bagaimanapun, terdapat perbezaan dari segi pengisiannya kerana "makan-makan tahun" bukannya satu pesta yang diisikan dengan perkara-perkara yang berunsur hiburan seperti tarian, nyanyian dan sebagainya. Kenduri tersebut diiringi dengan doa selamat dan kesyukuran.

Antara kelainan "makan-makan tahun" daripada kenduri biasa ialah dari segi hidangan makanannya. Hidangan"makan-makan tahun" ialah nasi tumpang, iaitu nasi yang dihias dengan telur dadar, kuih penyaram, pisang, wajid, inti kelapa parut dan tampisung sia (garam diisi dalam daun niyik yang digubah berbentuk cone). Saya kurang pasti, mungkin ada lagi makanan lain yang dibubuh di atas nasi. Selain daripada semasa "makan-makan tahun", nasi tumpang juga dihidangkan semasa ganapan ampat puluh (kenduri 40 hari) dan nandayi (meletak batu nisan) bagi orang yang telah meninggal dunia pada zaman dahulu. Ini bukanlah sesuatu yang dianjurkan oleh agama Islam.

Waris Kesultanan Melaka, Johor - Riau dan Siak di Brunei Darussalam

DENGAN pesaing takhta Siak iaitu Raja Ismail melarikan diri, maka Belanda dengan mudah bersetuju Sultan Muhammad Ali menjadi pengganti ayahandanya Raja Rabiul Alam. Dalam Riwayat Siak dinyatakan bahawa kemenangan Belanda menakluk Siak pada tahun 1761 berkait sedikit sebanyak dengan tindakan Tengku Muhammad Ali dan isterinya Tengku Ambang Besar yang menyiram dengan air serbuk meriam-meriam Siak dan membocorkan kapal-kapal Siak. Tindakan mereka berdua ini terpaksa dilakukan atas dua sebab utama :

1. Raja Rabiul Alam diancam untuk dibuang negeri ke Ceylon [Sri Langka] jika penaklukan Siak gagal.

2. Mereka tidak mahu nyawa rakyat yang tidak berdosa hilang begitu sahaja akibat peperangan.

Perkahwinan Tengku Muhammad Ali dengan Tengku Ambang Besar tidak direstui oleh Raja Rabiul Alam disebabkan oleh tindakan Raja Mahmud,Ambang Besar, yang bermati-matian ingin menyingkirkannya dari menaiki takhta Siak. Tetapi setelah kemangkatan Raja Mahmud,Tengku Muhammad Ali diterima kembali ke pangkuan Raja Rabiul Alam.

Takhta Kesultanan Siak Bertukar Tangan

Setelah Raja Rabiul Alam mangkat pada tahun 1779, Raja Ismail dengan panglima dan tenteranya dari Pulau Tujuh menyerang Siak. Walaupun ada tentangan dari pihak tentera Sultan Muhammad Ali, Siak akhirnya jatuh ke tangan Raja Ismail. Seperti juga yang berlaku terhadapnya setelah kemangkatan Raja Mahmud [diterima oleh Raja Rabiul Alam], Sultan Muhammad Ali dimaafkan oleh Raja Ismail. Pemerintahan Raja Ismail, yang bergelar Sultan Ahmad Syah, hanya berusia dua tahun. Baginda mangkat pada tahun 1781.

Suasana politik Siak bergolak lagi setelah anakanda Raja Ismail iaitu Raja Yahya menaiki takhta. Raja Yahya, yang dilahirkan pada tahun 1760, menjadi Sultan Siak ketika berusia 21 tahun. Dalam usia yang begitu muda, baginda menjadi sasaran gangguan Sayid Ali, seorang cucu Raja Rabiul Alam. Sayid Ali adalah anak lelaki Tengku Embung Badariah, anak perempuan Raja Rabiul Alam dengan seorang puteri Bugis. Bapa Sayid Ali bernama Sayid Uthman berketurunan Arab.

Sayid Ali terkenal sebagai seorang cucu sultan yang berperangai keras, kasar dan suka mengganggu orang. Sultan Muhammad Ali, ayahanda saudaranya, tidak dapat mengawal tindakan dan perwatakannya yang seolah-olah tiada tandingan itu. Pada tahun 1784 kedua orang putera raja tersebut terlibat dalam percubaan menakluk Selangor dan Sultan Muhammad Ali menjadi Sultan Selangor dalam tempoh singkat sahaja. Oleh kerana tidak ada manfaat dari penaklukan Selangor, Tengku [Sultan] Muhammad Ali balik ke Siak. Sayid Ali tinggal di Selangor tetapi akhirnya diusir keluar. Menyedari bahawa Raja Yahya tidak dapat bertahan sebagai Sultan Siak dan Sayid Ali semakin bersemangat untuk berkuasa, Tengku Muhammad Aliterpaksa berfikir dan membuat sesuatu bagi mengelakkan dirinya terheret sama ke dalam satu lagi perebutan kuasa yang boleh melemahkan Siak. Baginda sudah bosan dengan karenah ahli-ahli kerabat diraja Siak yang mementingkan diri mereka sendiri tanpa berusaha sedaya upaya untuk melepaskan Siak dari cengkaman penjajahan Belanda.

Pada satu pagi di tahun 1791 tersebar berita bahawa Tengku Muhammad Ali telah mangkat di sebelah malam dan dimakamkan sebelum menjelang pagi, di waktu yang sama isteri baginda bersama seorang anak lelakinya [Tengku Berahim ] juga hilang tanpa kesan. Turut hilang ialah tiga orang anak lelaki Tengku Berahim, masing-masing bernama Tengku Asmad, Tengku Astar dan Tengku Saad yang berusia di antara 12 hingga 15 tahun. Dengan kemangkatan Tengku Muhammad Ali dan hilangnya isteri, anak dan cucu-cucu lelakinya, maka waris Kesultanan Melaka, Johor - Riau dan Siak hanya tertumpu kepada Raja Yahya. Itu pun jika Raja Yahya boleh bertahan sebagai Sultan Siak dengan Sayid Ali semakin bermaharajalela mengacaunya.

Betulkah Tengku / Sultan Muhammad Ali Mangkat ?

Dalam kesibukan rakyat Siak terkejut dengan kemangkatan Tengku Muhammad Ali dan kehilangan ahli-ahli keluarganya, sebuah kapal sedang belayar mengharungi Laut China Selatan dengan haluannya menuju ke Pulau Siantan iaitu salah satu pulau di Pulau Tujuh. Di dalam kapal tersebut berdiri seorang lelaki berusia lewat 50-an. Di sebelahnya juga berdiri seorang lelaki dalam usia pertengahan 40-an. Di buritan kapal seorang lelaki muda berusia awal 30-an sedang berdiri bersama tiga orang pemuda belasan tahun. Sementara itu seorang wanita pertengahan umur memerhatikan enam orang lelaki tersebut dengan penuh rasa kesedihan.

Lelaki berusia 50-an itu ialah Tengku Muhammad Ali. Baginda masih hidup. 'Mayat' yang dimakamkan itu hanyalah sebatang kayu. Hanya dua orang rakyat Siak, yang menguruskan 'mayat' itu, mengetahui rahsia tersebut dan mereka jugalah yang menyebarkan berita kemangkatan itu dan kehilangan isteri, anak lelaki dan tiga orang cucunya. Lelaki 30-an itu ialah Tengku Berahim dan tiga orang pemuda belasan tahun itu ialah Tengku Asmad, Tengku Saad dan Tengku Astar. Isteri Tengku Berahim sudah meninggal dunia. Wanita pertengahan umur itu ialah Tengku Ambang Besar, isteri Tengku Muhammad Ali. Tetapi siapakah lelaki berusia 40 tahun itu?

Lelaki 40-an itu ialah Raja Akil yang dikatakan mati dibunuh pada tahun 1780 setelah merampas takhta Siak dan menjadi Sultan dalam beberapa hari. Raja Akil ialah adinda Tengku Muhammad Ali yang berani menentang Raja Ismail, yang menurunkan Tengku Muhammad Ali dari takhta setelah kalah di dalam perang 1779. Kedua-dua Tengku Muhammad Ali dan Raja Ali memiliki ilmu kekebalan yang hanya mereka kedua ketahui. Apabila mayat Raja Akil diambil sendiri oleh Tengku Muhammad Ali, telah disediakan sebuah rumah di pedalaman Siak untuk menempatkan mayatnya. Setiba mayat itu di sana, Tengku Muhammad Ali menepuk badan 'mayat'. Serta-merta Raja Akil bangun. Bagi mengelakkan rahsia itu dari bocor, Raja Akil menukar namanya menjadi Kasim dan bekerja menjadi petani. Kedua-dua beradik itu berjanji akan lari dari Siak apabila tiba masanya.

Persinggahan pertama Tengku Muhammad Ali dan keluarganya ialah Pulau Siantan, salah sebuah pulau yang terkandung di dalam Pulau Tujuh. Pulau ini merupakan pulau yang sering menjadi kubu ahli-ahli keluarga diraja Melayu yang melarikan diri sebelum mengumpulkan kekuatan untuk menyerang balik musuh-musuh mereka. Oleh kerana Pulau Tujuh merupakan bekas kubu kuat Raja Ismail, maka Tengku Muhammad Ali tidak selesa tinggal di situ dan mengambil keputusan meninggalkan pulau itu menuju ke Pulau Natuna. Di sana pun baginda tidak selesa.

Semasa dalam pelayaran ke Pulau Natuna, isteri Tengku Muhammad Ali jatuh sakit disebabkan oleh kerinduannya terhadap kaum kerabatnya yang ditinggalkan di Siak. Oleh kerana Pulau Natuna sebuah pulau yang terletak jauh di tengah-tengah Laut China Selatan, Tengku Muhammad Ali membawa kapalnya menuju ke Kuching dan mendarat di sebuah kampung yang dipanggil Kalaka. Baginda terpaksa berbuat begitu kerana baginda yakin isterinya pasti mangkat bila-bila masa sahaja dan baginda tidak mahu mayatnya dikebumikan di kawasan tanah yang tidak banyak penghuninya. Di Kampong Kalaka inilah isteri Tengku Muhammad Ali menghembuskan nafas terakhirnya dan jasadnya dikebumikan.

Oleh kerana Tengku Muhammad Ali memerlukan seorang wanita untuk menjaga makan minum baginda dan ahli keluarganya, baginda memutuskan untuk belayar ke Johor bagi melawat kaum kerabatnya di sana dan seterusnya mengajak anak perempuan baginda yang ditinggalkan di Johor pergi bersamanya merantau ke negeri yang bersesuaian. Anak perempuan baginda ini bernama Daeng Pingai yang beribukan perempuan Bugis. Daeng Pingai bersetuju mengikut ayahandanya belayar dengan membawa seekor burung kakak tua peliharaannya yang pandai berkata-kata.


Tengku Muhammad Ali berhijrah ke Brunei dan Menukar Nama

Sebelum meninggalkan Johor, Tengku Muhammad Ali mendengar berita mengenai Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien I, Sultan Brunei Ke-18 yang berusia lanjut dan memerintah dengan adil. Dengan mengamalkan pepatah orang tua-tua 'Untung sabut timbul, untung batu tenggelam', Tengku Muhammad Ali mengambil keputusan membawa kapalnya dan ahli-ahli keluarganya ke Brunei. Pelayaran mereka tidak menghadapi banyak rintangan, malah tidak seorang pun kaum keluarganya di Johor mengetahui ke mana mereka.

Dalam pelayaran, Tengku Muhammad Ali dan ahli-ahli keluarganya bersetuju menukar nama mereka bagi membolehkan orang-orang Brunei mengetahui bahawa mereka ahli perniagaan yang ingin menetap di Brunei. Tengku [Sultan] Muhammad Ali mengambil nama Nakhoda Khamis, Raja Akil menjadi Nakhoda Kasim, Tengku Berahim menjadi Nakhoda Samad. Tengku Asmad, Tengku Astar dan Tengku Saad membuang gelaran "Tengku" di pangkal nama mereka. Daeng Pingai mengubah namanya menjadi Dayang Pingai.

Kapal Nakhoda Khamis memasuki Sungai Brunei dan berlabuh di satu kawasan di hulu sungai, tidak begitu jauh dari Jong Batu. Kawasan di mana kapal Nakhoda Khamis berlabuh itu masih tidak berpenghuni dan masih dipenuhi oleh hutan bakau. Dayang Pingai tertarik hati dengan kawasan itu dan meminta ayahnya membina rumah di kawasan itu. Setelah mendapat kebenaran dari pihak isatana untuk membina rumah di kawasan berkenaan, Nakhoda Khamis mengupah beberapa orang tukang kayu Brunei untuk membina rumah. Apabila rumah siap, mereka sekeluarga berpindah dari kapal mereka dan mendiami rumah tersebut.

Nakhoda Khamis dan ahli-ahli keluarganya memulakan penghidupan mereka di Brunei dengan berniaga. Mereka menjual kain, alat keperluan rumah dan seumpamanya. Sebahagian besar pelanggan mereka ialah pembesar-pembesar Brunei dan kaum padian dari Kampong Saba.
Oleh kerana perniagaan Nakhoda Khamis dan keluarganya bertambah maju, maka kawasan yang dahulunya hutan bakau bertukar menjadi sebuah perkampungan. Burung kakak tua Dayang Pingai menjadi tarikan orang-orang yang berurusan dengan mereka. Kerana terlalu disukai ramai, burung itu dipanggil burung pingai [burung kepunyaan Dayang Pingai]. Akhirnya kampung itu dipanggil Kampong Burung Pingai yang disempenakan dengan nama burung yang dipunyai oleh Dayang Pingai.

Sebagai orang pendatang yang ingin bermastautin di Brunei, Nakhoda Khamis terpaksa menyesuaikan dirinya dengan adat resam orang-orang Melayu Brunei ketika itu. Beliau juga perlu mencari asas kukuh untuk membolehkan namanya akan kekal disebut oleh generasi-generasi akan datang. Dengan mengambil kira hal tersebut, Nakhoda Khamis bertawakal menggalakkan Nakhoda Samad [Tengku Berahim] berkahwin lagi. Akhirnya Nakhoda Samad berkahwin dengan seorang wanita Saba keturunan Sulu. Nakhoda Kasim [Raja Akil] yang masih bujang berkahwin dengan seorang wanita dari Kampong Saba yang susur galur keturunannya sampai kepada Sultan Ahmad [Sultan Brunei Kedua].Perkahwinan kedua-dua Nakhoda Samad dan Nakhoda Kasim dengan wanita-wanita Kampong Saba tersebut menurunkan zuriat keturunannya yang akhirnya berkembang menjadi satu keluarga besar.

Perkahwinan Nakhoda Samad dengan wanita Saba keturunan Sulu melahirkan anak-anak yang bernama Mahat, Suma, Angsa dan Pengarah Cheteria. Hanya keturunan tiga orang anak Nakhhoda Samad iaitu Astar, Pengarah [Tengku] Saad dan Pengarah Cheteria, yang mewarnai senario politik dan pentadbiran Brunei di kurun ke-19 [1800 hingga 1847]. Pengarah [Tengku] Saad mempunyai 10 orang anak, masing-masing bernama Badar, Haji Saman, Untak, Pengarah Digadong Laman, Abdul Kahar, Mailamah, Nurifah, Kajibah, Laminah dan Zainaf. Badar, Haji Saman dan Pengarah Digadong Laman terlibat secara langsung di dalam pergolakan perebutan kuasa di kalangan kerabat diraja Brunei di kurun tersebut.

Anak Nakhoda Samad yang bernama Astar melahirkan dua orang anak, Mohd. Hassan dan Aminah. Mohd. Hassan melahirkan hanya seorang anak lelaki yang kemudiannya bergelar Pehin Khatib Mohammad, sementara Aminah berkahwin dengan sepupunya Abdul Kahar iaitu anak Pengarah [Tengku] Saad.Dari perkahwinan Aminah dengan Abdul Kahar ini lahirlah lima orang anak, masing-masing bernama Dayang Buntar, Apong, Kilali, Budin dan Bariah.Salah seorang anak Nakhoda Samad yang menyerlah ketokohan dan perwatakannya ialah Pengarah Cheteria. Selain abangnya Pengarah Digadong Laman, yang berkhidmat semasa pemerintahan tiga orang Sultan [Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam I, Sultan Muhammad Kanzul Alam dan Sultan Muhammad Alam], Pengarah Cheteria dikurniakan tugas dan tanggungjawab sebagai ketua pegawai istana [sama dengan jawatan Grand Chamberlain].Adik Nakhoda Khamis iaitu Nakhoda Kasim melahirkan beberapa orang anak. Salah seorang anak lelaki Nakhoda Kasim yang dianggap alim ulama dizamannya ialah Mudim Jamal. Di segi pertalian darah, Mudim Jamal adalah bapa saudara kepada Astar, Pengarah Saad dan Pengarah Cheteria. Anak saudara dan ketiga cucu Nakhoda Khamis yang disebutkan hidup di zaman Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam I [1804], Sultan Muhammad Tajuddin [1795 -1804 dan 1804 - 1807 ] dan Sultan Muhammad Kanzul Alam [1807 - 1826].

Mudim Jamal berkahwin dan melahirkan beberapa orang anak. Di kalangan anak-anaknya terdapat seorang anak beliau yang mempunyai ketokohan dan kewibawaan seperti cucu-cucu Nakhoda Samad yang diceritakan terdahulu [Badar, Haji Saman dan Pengarah Digadong Laman]. Anak Mudim Jamal yang dimaksudkan ialah Pateh Rahim.

Cucu perempuan Pengarah Saad [anak Pengarah Digadong Laman] yang bernama Dayang [Tun} Zaidah berkahwin dengan Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien II.

Perkahwinan tersebut melahirkan Pengiran Anak Hashim, yang kemudiannya diangkat dan ditabalkan menjadi Sultan Hashim Jalilul Alam Aqamaddin, Sultan Brunei Ke-25.

Penutup : Untung Sabut Timbul

Tekad Nakhoda Khamis [Sultan Muhammad Ali, Siak] untuk menyambung zuriat dan waris Kesultanan Melaka, Johor - Riau dan Siak di Brunei akhirnya

dimakbulkan Allah. Beliau sanggup disingkirkan dan lari dari negeri tumpah darahnya, meninggalkan kemewahan dan pangkat gelaran demi mengekalkan

zuriat darah raja yang mengalir di dalam tubuhnya. Itulah pengorbanan suci yang perlu dikenang oleh waris keturunan beliau.


Rujukan
Barnard, Timothy P. [2004], 'Contesting Malayness : Malay Identity Across Boundaries', Singapore : Singapore University Press;

Haji Matassim, Haji Jibah [2004], 'Dokumentasi', Brunei : Pusat Sejarah;

Goudie, Donald J. [1989], 'Syair Perang Siak', Malaysia MBRAS;

Muhammad Yusoff, Hashim [1992], 'Pensejarahan Melayu', Kuala Lumpur : Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka;

'Pita rakaman mengenai Raja Kechil Siak keterangan Professor Dr. Abdullah Zakeria bin Ghazali', Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia [UKM, 5 Oktober 2003];

'Pita rakaman "Siapa Dato Khamis dan Kenapa Ia Ke Brunei? Keterangan Pg. Hj. Badaruddin bin Pg. Hj. Damit' , Brunei, 7 April 2006.

Social Divide Inevitable

Inevitable means not the govt's fault - nothing they could have done about it. MM Lee was answering question from a 4th year SMU student on the income gap in Singapore. He explained that it was the result of globalisation. While that is true, it is only half the story. The income gap has widened in many countries due to globalisation but no 1st world nation has the level of income inequality we see in Singapore.

Our ministers in Spore & NBD are the highest paid in the world and our cleaners and drivers are the lowest paid among those in 1st world nations. Govt policy on foreign workers is extreme allowing more foreigner workers here per capita than anywhere else in the world except for a handful of middle-eastern oil rich nations. The govt imported cheap labor to retain industries dependent on low wages. The help given to the poor shaved the GINI from 0.481 to 0.462 - by 0.019. Yes, the PAP govt likes to claim it is doing something but 0.019 tells us they are not doing much. In fact, Singapore has little in the way of social safety nets and comes in among the last if not the last when compared other 1st world nations. Superimpose the income gap over the high cost of living and you get a large segment of the population living in misery. Our high housing cost, 2nd highest cost of electricity in the world and transport costs makes Singapore the 10th most expensive city in the world.

MM Lee now tells us that the income gap is inevitable. The resentment among the population caused by the income gap and rising cost of living is also inevitable. When people are resentful and the govt does nothing about a problem except to blame it on everything else but themselves, it is also inevitable what the voters do at the ballot box. They understand that once they support the wrong govt and the policies they put in place, all their

Kualiti air yang kurang selesa kepada penguna

Tahun 2010 adalah tahun yang agak terjejas sedikit dari segi mutu pengeluaran air untok penguna di Negara Brunei Darusallam. Setakat ini lebeh DUA PULUH kali masaalah bekalan air terjejas di kawasan STKRJ, Seria. Dan ini di tambah lagi dengan kualiti air yang kurang berseh dan memuaskan untok di gunakan saperti apa yang kita lihat di bawah.

Mudah mudahan dengan ada nya Titah yang baru baru ini dari The Caring Monarch sempena Hari KePuteraan yang mana menekankan dan mengutamakan kearah PEMEDULIAN RAKYAT di utamakan.

Enriching d select few and burdening the RAKYAT

Motorists has expressed outrage at the new ruling on the car registration plates. The new plates would have an aluminium coated face and would have smaller dimensions. It is okay if this new rule is for new cars or for car owners who wished to change to the new format. However, exisiting car owners some of whom have just spent $35-60 for plates are upset that they have to spend more money again to have their plates replaced. Some questions raised were 

1. Why only two companies are permitted to do this? Shouldn't any company who wished to do this business be allowed to do so?
2. Why can't car already registered be allowed to keep the old format? This format has no problem for decades.
3. What is the reason behind changing to a new format?
                                                       

LTD Urges Motorists To Abide By Regulation
 Written by Azlan Othman Saturday, 22 May 2010 08:21

Bandar Seri Begawan - The Land Transport Department will enforce the Vehicle Registration Plate 'Identification Marks' 2008 Act and Regulation under the Road Traffic Act, Chapter 68.

The Act is enforced this month (May) but the old vehicle registration plates can still be used till the end of 2010. The newplates have small letters and numbers while their surface is embossed using materials made from aluminium.

To ensure that the measurements are in line with the Act and Regulation, the department has appointed two local companies as suppliers and manufacturers of the new vehicle registration plates.

They are Syarikat Bayu Ilham Motor Sdn Bhd located at No 6, Spg 80-45, Jln Gadong, Kg Pengkalan Gadong and Hock Motor Company located at at No 19, Spg 21, Km 3, Jln Gadong.

LTD will keep the public informed of any new companies appointed as suppliers. Effective 2011, enforcement officers from LTD and the Royal Brunei Police Force will take action against owners of vehicles that fail to abide by the regulation.

The fine for non-compliance is not more than $1,000 for the first offence and not more than $2,000 for the second offence or imprisonment of not more than three months. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
                                                       

Can someone please post full particulars of the 'Act and Regulation' so that we may better understand and appreciate it.

One thing I do not understand is why make this particular law retroactive. And why the need to appoint specific dealers or manufacturers, and only two at that?!?

LTD may set the standard, but it should be left to the consumers to comply with specific parameters, as have been practised throughout the years as with our current number plates.

Or, is this LTD's idea of encouraging and promoting new SME's by so generously giving a huge windfall of changing the whole nation's vehicle registration plates to only these two firms?

Let's see what happens over the coming days on what this senseless implementation results in.

Just a few days ago, we saw Customs imposing new unreasonable conditions in imported goods in another thread. Now we have the LTD making two companies very rich potentially...

Brunei Yakin!
                                                       
This reminds me of the scandals in Malaysia with the AP permits given to certain connected people. These AP's were as good as cash. Now these 2 companies stands to make a lot of money from the plates and at the same gives the public a headache due to the long queue and not to forget the money. One would be suspicious enough on what is going on here. ACB might want to look into this.

It was not too long ago that LTD wanted to changed the law on commercial vehicles to shorten its life. That would only benefit the car dealers and not the general public.
LTD also introduced their e-govt system which instead of speeding the process would slow processes down.
                                                       
Imagine there are about 200,000 cars out there and the new plates cost about $30 a set. That'd mean $6m of potential revenue to be shared between the two very lucky companies. This is just from the existing cars. There will be more from new cars. All these are guaranteed revenues.

I do hope our ACB would look into this peculiar arrangement which is UNFAIR to other companies and also to public at large (due to the inconveniences that it causes).

What is so difficult to appoint some more vendors? If they can do the arrangement with 2 vendors I don't see any problem if they extend it to others as well.  I believe the others would be willing to accomodate and comply as long as the instructions are clear.
                                                       
Yes, they should give to more vendors. On top of that, they should NOT make the current plates already installed  illegal. It should be phased out. Only new cars need to use the new format.
                                                       
welcome to our COUGH IT UP campaign.
                                                       
The only reason i can see why they did this is to ensure standards are kept. Otherwise you will have various style license plates like we have now, but they dont know which dealers to blame.

But then if their regulations and criteria is clear and understood, i dont see any problem to open it up to any dealers to install the new license plates. The advantage of opening it up is that market price will go down due to competition and faster turnaround.

Maybe they have not thought it out thoroughly.
                                                       
Just because the LTD has set new standards for registration plates, why should the policy be retroactive?

Why not phase out the current plates as suggested by some? As and when our vehicle come of age and are due for physical inspections, then we install the new plates. That way, there is no need for all of us to incur unnecessary expense just because of a new ruling.

Fyi, the new plates cost $38.00 and these two appointed exclusive dealers are out of stock.
                                                       
NO WASTAGE.. isn't this what we are aiming?!

anyone out there thinks the license plate is RECYCLE-ABLE?!

forgotten about GO GREEN so quickly?!
                                                       
CP,
Ensure what standards are kept? We had standards of various approved format. That has worked well for us for decades!!! So why the sudden change? and what was wrong with the old approved formats?
Actually, I think the old size are more visible from afar. I.e. better for the police
                                                       
dc,

You're raising a  very good point there. Yeah, what should we all do with our exisitng car plates after we replaced them huh? It'll be a huge waste as there are hundreds of thousands of them.

Maybe what we should do is to dump the plates at LTD...as a symbol of our "appreciation" for out-of-no-where-change and-can't-seem-to-see-the-whole-point-why-the-plates-needed-to-be-changed... 
                                                       
cp,

What? The "standards" can only be achieved by appointing 2 shops only kah? If 10, 40, 50 cannot kah?

If that's the position of LTD, that must be a very lame excuse and outrightly insulting to other shops who're also in the business for a long time. What do these 2 companies possibly possess that others  don't? What is so special about them that others had to be left out counting their losses (on existing stocks, equipment, labour and future business)? What level of quality and compliance do these companies have that others cannot match? 

I think this is one of the worst decisions ever made.......   
                                                       
1. We have been hearing this all over again, There are also only two(2) companies awarded a license to import second hand cars, Bayu Ilham is one of them and Bengkel Kereta Berakas  is the other. Now we have Hock Motor and Bayu Ilham to do the car registration plate. There must be something fishy going on here. Common ACB there is a case for you there if you dare enough. 

The coffee shop talk was that the Bengkel Kereta Berakas and Bayu Ilham would sell BND$2,000 for each import car permit. MIPR and LTD provide them with the license and in turn they would sell them to who ever could afford it. They get the money for not doing anything. What I heard was that there were a few companies who are very serious of doing these business and are applying for the license unfortunately they were turned down by the MIPR.       

I would like to hear from MIPR and LTD on this issue.

2. We are a democratic country as what had been proclaim. I guessed in that contact the rakyat should have every right to be involved not only in the discussion but the decision making process in any government undertakings that would have affected their livelihood. As far as I could remember or aware of, in all cases, the Government would never involved the participation of the rakyat in any of their undertakings even that have bearing on their livelihood. So the Government attitude is simple, you take it or leave it. You do not have a say.  This is our Brunei style of democracy.
                                                       
Fyi...
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brunei
                                                  

http://www.borneobulletin.com.bn/wed/may26p3.htm

Baffled by licence plate law

LTD has made it a requirement for all registered cars to switch to new license plates, with smaller font. Frankly, I do not see the need for replacing the car plates.

All the while we have been using these large number plates, and the large font is better as it can be seen from far.

Replacing the number plates will not benefit the general public.

It will cost around B$35 for each car, and on average Bruneian families have two cars, so the average will be B$70 for each family.

What is the purpose of spending money to replace the existing plates, which are still fit for use?

As I see it, this replacement will only benefit those companies authorised to make the license plates.

Therefore, I suggest that new license plates be required for only the new cars with longer registration numbers (BAA#### etc).

Other cars should be given the option of keeping the old licence plates or switching to the new plates.

- Vroom Vroom
                                               
  
http://www.borneobulletin.com.bn/wed/may26p1.htm
 LTD must also consider other road safety issues

The enforcement of the Vehicle Registration Plate 'Identification Marks' 2008 Act and Regulation taught me one thing, that the shape and size of our car licence plate is of pivotal importance and probably has a great influence on the speed and the way we drive.

So much so that the authorities have had a 'brilliant' idea of enforcing a standard size and dimension for it and at the same time to spice it up, slap in huge fines for those who do not conform to it.

Sorry to say, such a move is a bit disheartening. After complaints and complaints made public on noisy cars and motorcycles, 'smoking' vehicles, the inconsiderate 'boy racers', the confusion of vehicle modifications and not forgetting those super bright HID lights which blind most of us drivers at night, the respective authority finally has come bearing down on us, and decided that the size of the vehicle license plates is more important than all that is mentioned above.

Where is prioritisation in this matter?

What are the reasons for this? Why is it so important that a special law has to be brought in for this?

I am not the only one questioning this. I'm sure others share the same query. I did try asking but got fed up with all the weird explanations and stories.

Can anyone from the department enlighten me on the reasons?

The public is also asking, why not renew or revamp the laws governing car modifications to make it more applicable with current period?

Or even stricter laws to curb accidents which we see every day. But no, they have decided that a licence plate is even more important.

And even worse, appoint just two companies to make these plates.

Two companies to do the licence plates of 200,000 plus vehicles on the road.

Pure Genius I say!

Those in KB and Temburong will have to come down to BSB and if they are lucky to beat the growing queue, come back four days later to pick up these super important plates.

And at the same time, what you have done has cut off the other smaller entrepreneurs who have been making a living from making vehicle license plates.

Again, a standing ovation for that I must say.

So please Land Transport Department, do consider other major issues that are affecting our road safety.

Straighten out the priority areas and not trivial issues.

- Anwar, Beribi
                                                       
Let us all wait and see what LTD got to say to the two "Opinion Letters" (as quoted above)?
                                                       
I have just weighed one of my old plastic number plates. A single plate with two letters and four digits weighs around 200 gm.

How many cars do we have registered in LTD? If we estimate that a set of two plates weigh 400 gms and multiply by the number of already registered cars, what do we get?...
                                                       
JAG,

You have a point there. The among of discarded licence plates due to this new law would amount to a substantial amount of non-biodegradable plastic waste that would probably end up in Sungai Akar. Perhaps environmental considerations should be given when setting up laws.
                                                       
and we still go ahead with this law?! whatever inspired our tiny GREAT mind.. 
                                                       
Just imagine that such a $175,000 prized vehicle is truly on offer to anyone who, without being told by anyone and is also not among the ones who made the decisions regarding the new-plates-rule, can come up with the correct answer and thus win a GT-R.

The fact is, no one will except the writer who has figured it out out of being investigatively skilled.

If that is considered as a show of talent or ability from anyone among the public, the result is abject failure on the part of the public.

Well?  Anyone?  Just post your answer.!
                                                       
  
http://www.bt.com.bn/letters-editor/2010/05/29/why-force-people-new-plate


Why force people for new plate?

Saturday, May 29, 2010
DEAR Editor,

I am really concerned by this new resizing of vehicle licence plates and I can see I'm not alone, what with the sheer numbers of letters and comments in the media. Fine, the Land Transport Department wants to resize our license plates and standardise this, but why does it have to be applied immediately to everyone?

Has the government not heard of 'phasing out'? Begin this by a complete halt of production of old size plates, ensuring all new cars registered have the new sized ones. The old plates will then be phased out as cars are written off or when plates have to be changed. The numbers are getting smaller, not bigger, so it isn't a case of not able to read the plates.

This regulation where 300,000 cars have seven months to get new plates is ridiculous. Has the Ministry of Communications thought about the environmental impact of this?

Where will these 300,000 pairs of licence plates end up? In a landfill or will it be recycled?

Have they also bothered to think about the people that simply cannot afford to spend money on getting new license plates?

This new regulation is FORCING people to spend money and I think that is unlawful. When the new driving license comes out are we going to be FORCED to change and pay for that too when our licenses are still valid?

Avid Driver

Muara
************************************************************************************
 If this writer is right, in that we have 300,000 vehicles already registered and still active on the roads, we have one HUGE and SERIOUS problem!!!

Assuming that the average weight of a set of two number plates per vehicle at 400 grams, then 300,000 vehicles will make 120,000 kilograms of 'old' plates...

That means 120 tons of potential garbage (made of plastic or whatever materials the 'old' plates were made from) that is toxic to the environment to dispose of!!!

Will JASTRE please stand up and tell the public what will be done to ensure the safe disposal of this particular garbage?

Or like someone suggested in one of the blogsites, can we leave all these to be discarded plates at the Land Transport Department's doorsteps?!?

I am very sure ALL of us are very "YAKIN" at the sensibility and ability of our various gomen departments to think things through and actually come up with good policies and demand "CERTIFICATION" on public compliance to gomen directives...

We had to comply by producing - 

1)  "Certificate" of origin...
2)  "Certificate" of halalness...
3)  "Certificate" of conformity in plate sizes...
                                                       
If there are 300,000 cars out there, how many pairs of licence plates will need to be made and installed PER DAY so that by January 2011 all cars would have the new ones????????

Answer: 1428 pairs

Is this possible???

From what I read in the Media Permata yesterday, one of the 2 appointed shops say that they can make and install one pair in 30 MINUTES. 

So, 1 hours would be 2 pairs. If they work 10 hours per day they would be able to do 20 pairs. Assuming they have 10 staff doing it concurrently, they would be able to do 200 pairs per day. If the other shop also have similar capacity, they both can only do 400 pairs per day. So what about the other 1028 pairs????

One wonders how LTD came up with Jan 2011 dateline????
                                                       
I also read that LTD would add more 5 vendors and may extend the dateline.

So can 7 shops do 1428 pairs per day? 
                                                       
Here goes, some people with power dictating the people to pay for some "not urgent" stuff to make 2 parties a million dollars a month.

This sounds familiar and similar modus operandi in the "burning of money" in fireworks, but it has been approved in bigger scale than malaysian or singapore could allow.

The "burning of money" our religious leaders cannot analyse the bad effects, but only focussed on cigarettes smoking bad effects.

Now, the printing of easy money by sacrificing the blood sweat and tears of the rakyat.

Please new leaders, don't let the rakyat get a chance to say their prayers for the "ZALIMS"