Jerudong Park: A Ground Forbidden

Previously we've seen some of the photos of now partially defunct Jerudong Park that has once become the cornerstone of this oil rich Sultanate. For the 90s generation in this quiet little state, JP was more than just amusement park; it was a place where the already tight knit community became closer together, forging a strong sense of unity and togetherness. VVhen one talks about Brunei in terms of tourist attraction, there is not so much to mention other than Kampong Ayer. Even that, some racist foreigners spat in our faces, belittling the village as nothing more than those found along the rivers of Vietnam. As a Bruneian, there's something to be learned from such scornful remarks; we the people need to think and do more to develop this tiny piece of land. Take for example Jerudong Park; if government joins hand with private companies and tourism board, that place can be fully functional for the public. I don't really think this is such a burden to the government, after all those lawmakers are the ones who beating the drums of development, calling for our tourism industry to help diversify the fuel addicted economy. By laying the groundwork for such plans, it is possible to reduce youth unemployment in this humble nation while eschewing the dependency on foreign labors.

I can't figure out exactly how it is going to be carried out but at least I have an idea of what needs to be done. VVhy not listen to the youth? Actually sit with those who are able to think things through and listen to what they have to say. They may have good ideas. They are youth and they know what young people want (minus the strip joint, booze, and drugs of course). Perhaps our youngsters may come up with suggestions, whether they're practically doable is another story. This country has MIB at the heart of its philosophy and we the young people know exactly that any entertainment involving sex and intoxicants is completely out of the equation. However, does Jerudong Park have to have those elements to make it more appealing to tourists from abroad? No. I am so proud that this country takes its belief practically serious because in other nations such as Malaysia, Islam becomes part of the political chessboard. VVell I'm not saying that the religious authority here is completely without flaw; they do come up with controversial legislation such as the dining order during the month of Ramadhan that sparked a heated debate among local community Muslims or not. And if you want to take into account their tendency to quote Surah An-Nisa Verse 59 to flex their religious authoritarian muscles; this shows that some people used religion to their advantage. VVho's to blame? Islam? Think again. As for the development, we shouldn't wait until year 2035 to begin boosting human capital and economy in this Sultanate. Our vision is now; every day! VVe wait not for year 2035 at the first place.

Unfortunately, things aren't going to change for the better just yet. The following images are taken from the no-fly zone of Jerudong Park where it is closed to the public. Take a good look at these photos. If you're like me, you may feel a surge of melancholy and sadness upon seeing the sorry state of this once great park.

Elevated view overlooking the Pony Express. Now a ghostly silhoutte of decrepitude

VVelcome to the kingdom of the dead. Beyond this bridge is the ground forbidden.

Mega dissapointment...

Being a majority Muslim country, rekindling the flames of joy in Jerudong Park is one of those alternatives for people who want to have fun with their loved ones, straight, bi or homo (just kidding). VVhat? Do you want to bring tourists to see our shopping mall? For fuck's sake man.. come on! They have even bigger ones back home and what we have in Gadong is so laughable. The Gadong Mall is only suited for us Bruneians and nothing else. People from the VVest especially are really keen on enjoying our natural forests. Instead of taking them to the ever redundant sites, why not take them to venture deep into our jungle. Perhaps we can use their expert opinions. Native population such as the Iban or Dusun people are also very helpful in this regard. They have amazing knowledge on various flora and fauna. On the other hand, Jerudong Park, if restored, is a place for them to enjoy the rest of their visit to this Sultanate. You know, it's good to have some good memories while they are here. At the moment, for fuck's sake, anyone, please change the brochure. Don't fool the patrons with images of Jerudong Park from 10, 13 years ago. By using the same promotional pamphlet for bygone era, you're cheating the customers. I thought you are Muslims. Islam strictly forbids cheating as a source of income. VVhat kind of Muslims are you? Your salary is haram by default for ignoring this little fact. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, BITCHES and I am not even sorry for my choice of foul language. To really get the point across, some times harshness is necessary. Simply ask yourself; what else do you think is interesting in this nation other than its oil? You know what, a lot of foreigners looked down upon us because they see us as backward and under-developed. "Being an oil-rich country doesn't mean a thing if you're so lacking in human development" said one of delegate members from Malaysia (Malingsial, whichever you prefer). The bald-headed Chinese who looked up to Bo Tak Chin is in this country for the useless Asian Summit meetings. He's partly right with what he said but just like many others, he loathes Kampong Ayer, citing the area as unhygienic. Yeah right. Malaysia is so advanced and developed but a lot of the people are so fucked up too. I don't deny that Malaysia under Najib Altantuya leadership with his 1Malaysia slogan really paced ahead of Brunei in terms of various areas of development. They have Proton, they have great artists and singers (new ones are shit but from 50s to 90s, they ruled!), and they have KLCC which, according to unconfirmed rumors, was partially financed by our very own Sultan. However, that's the thing; Malaysia has diverse economy compared to Brunei. They have tonnes of food products exported to this country but here, what do we have? I'll save that for the upcoming episode of my rants. For now, enjoy the photos of not so enjoyable Jerudong Park.

Ride the pony, baby! I'm a wild stallion between your legs, bitch!

I used to love this one as a kid! The good old Tele Combat.

Volcano grows cold.. Carbonic explosion, the universe bond.

Some Americans associated the number 13 with bad luck. VVell, this is much worse than just bad luck.

Mount Sinai...

Just like Arcadia Ship from the sucky Resident Evil films, this is but an empty promise.

Same angle? Lol

You can't see me!

A building that once housed some of the most awesome arcade games is nothing but a relic of debacle.

VVhen I took this photo, two guys were having a conversation to kill their time.

The magnitude of this madness is supreme...

I can make this vending machine disappear.. tadaaa! And it's gone.

Care for some toilet humor?

This is not 28 days later; this is a regular sight, everyday!

Don't get mistaken; I love my country. I love my Sultan. I love my Bruneian Malay people. I love this peace and tranquillity. But there are some assholes in this country who don't give a fuck about us little people. They will not listen to us because we are a nobody. VVe have no page-long titles before our actual name. Not all of us Bruneian Malays are born with fucking silver spoon in our mouth. And I am not even from a wealthy family. The shit about this country is the tendency to dismiss ideas, to shut down arguments, to supress truth, and to incarcerate those who speak it. I care about the well being of my people, our family institution. I wish there are more people like me who see through this thing with truth as a pair of glasses. VVe are going nowhere if we keep on practising this incestuous nepotism in the system while ceaselessly fellating on red tapes. VVho else is going to develop this country if not for Bruneians? Are we going to let others from thousand miles away to take over and enslave us? Has our government gone soft? You speak of youth to not be choosy when looking for jobs; easy for you to say! If we continue to perpetuate this blind sycophantic culture, our country will implode from within. VVe, as I said before, are going nowhere. If you only care about counting your money in bed every time you wake up each morning, then you won't know what the word 'struggle' truly means. Perhaps it doesn't even exist in your vocabulary because your skull is too thick by now and your heart is weighted down by countless amount of papers that you so craved. Shame on you!! VVe are Bruneians by our own right.