Category: Travel Page 36 of 43

Miri to Brunei (Bandar Seri Begawan) by road

On September 22, 2010

18 September 2010:

If you happen to be in Miri, Sarawak, you should not miss visiting Brunei, because it is very nearby. By road under normal driving and traffic, you should you should reach the capital city of Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan within 2 hours with total distance of about 150 kms. But there are some formalities at the border crossing which could be quite tricky for the first timers, nevertheless it is a breeze if you know how. I will share my experience crossing Malaysia/Brunei border by road in this post.

The roads are all the way paved and some stretch are 4-lane highway and with fast car you will enjoy the speed of your machine. If you have time, you could enjoy the green tropical sceneries at one side and the South China Sea breeze on the other side. You will see most towns in Brunei along this journey like Kuala Belait, Seria, Jerudong are all beach towns.

First stage is from Miri to Sungai Tujuh checkpoint. The checkpoint is about 30 kms from Miri city center. To reach this border checkpoint, you have two options. First you could drive north to Lutong along the coastal road and before reaching Kuala Baram, turn right following the direction to Sungai Tujuh. Alternatively from Miri you could reach the checkpoint via Tudan or Permyjaya. Either way, follow the roadsign leading to Sungai Tujuh checkpoint or Kuala Belait. No mention of Bandar Seri Begawan yet at this point in time.

: Stop and pay B$3 at Sungai Rasau Bridge toll. Wait to collect receipt.

: Bus passengers must get down at the Brunei immigration checkpoint.

: ASEAN Bridge crosses over Sungai Baram

: Long queue at Brunei Custom checkpoint. Drive thru and stop at the counter.

: This is Brunei Immigration checkpoint. Stay in the car and produce passport.

: Passport must be stamped by Brunei Immigration at the Sungai Tujuh checkpoint.

: Fillup this form if you bring in Malaysian car into Brunei.

: Malaysia Immigration must stamp exit date on your passport.

: Turn right to the checkpoint, from Kuala Baram road

: This is Malaysian custom checkpoint. Stay in car and produce passport.

: Shipyards at Baram port in Miri.

Maneuvouring thru checkpoint is a bit tricky. First you must pass Malaysia Immigration checkpoint. No need for you and passengers to get off from the car. Just drive thru and at the counter hand over all the international passports to the clerk inside the booth. Malaysians do not need visa to enter Brunei, international passports will do. Other nationalities please check with your own consulates. After passports stamped and returned, you will drive thru a winding road passing thru Brunei police station. By now you are already in the Brunei side of the border already. Do not stop at the police station. Just drive up along the winding road and you will reach Brunei Immigration checkpoint. Again, just drive thru and hand over the passports to a clerk at the counter. Here she will stamp the entry visa in your passports which allows you to stay in Brunei for up to one month on social visit pass. Then you will come to Custom checkpoint. Since you are bringing Malaysian car into Brunei, they will ask you to fill up a car pass. Get the form from them and fill up vehicle particulars. All info requested about the vehicles can be found in the car grant or title issued by JPJ Malaysia. So it is strongly recommended that you carry along a copy of such car grant. Pull over to a waiting bay to fill up the form.
Brunei is such a rich country that no fees whatsoever required. By the way the vehicle pass is valid for one month, which means you can use the same pass many times to enter Brunei. Thats why you see some drivers just drive thru and hand over their old car pass for stamping by the Custom official — because they already filled up once. Once you are done with the Brunei Custom, you are already on the way to Bandar Seri Begawan, some 127 kms from the checkpoints. On Brunei roads you will see majority big cars with Brunei plate numbers which starts with B or K refering to districts in Brunei. You can easily be mistaken with Kedah or Selangor plate number which also starts with K and B respectively, but the difference is bigger font size. You will pass by towns like Kuala Belait, Jerudong and Tutong before you reach BBS. After BBS is Muara, the town at the furthest end of the highway.

After a while you will come to a toll plaza at which every car passing thru must pay 3 Brunei Dollar. Take note that there is no proper rest area along the highway. As you are passing villages you may stop at the road-side restaurants or shops for a break. Observe speed limit as police patrol cars in latest Chevrolet Cruze are watching you.

Solat Taraweh di Miri, SARAWAK

By abuadam

On September 17, 2010

In Rambling, Travel

Masjid Nurul Ehsan di Piasau Jaya, Miri, Sarawak

30 Ogos 2010:

Malam ini aku solat Taraweh di Masjid Nurul Ehsan di Piasau Jaya. Ini sudah kesekian kali aku ke sini untuk solat Isyak, Taraweh dan kadang kadang Fajar, selepas aku pindah ke rumah sewa di Pujut 4, yang mana jaraknya kurang lebih 3 ke 4 km. AKu kira MAsjid ini yang paling dekat dengan rumah sewa aku, yang satu lagi ialah Masjid Lutong. Aku kira masjid ini hasil ilham arkitek minimalist disebabkan rekabentuk yang luas dan lapang lagi ringkas. Tandas jauh ke belakang dalam bangunan yang sama. Ruang makan dan ruang aktiviti terletak di antara tandas dan dewan solat yang melaut. Ruang solat dibahagi dua, untuk muslimat di belakang. Dewan solat bertingkap kaca sliding dengan frem aluminium yang besar dari aras pinggang hingga ke siling. Tingkap yang terbuka luas membolehkan angin malam bertiup ke dalam dewan. DItambah lagi dengan banyaknya kipas angin di siling dan di dinding dan di lantai (standing fans), kesemuanya menjadikan solat taraweh lebih kyusuk (ye ke?) di masjid ini. Tempat parking kereta yang luas terletak di sekeliling masjid. Ramai penduduk Islam di sekitar kawasan perumahan Piasau Jaya ini.

Masjid Nurul Ehsan, antara masjid terbesar di Miri yang dikelilingi oleh taman-taman perumahan penduduk Islam.

Pertama kali solah Taraweh di Sarawak, ada beberapa kelainan solat Taraweh di sini jika dibanding dengan di Semenanjung atau di Yangon, Myanmar.

Azan dimulai dengan Auzubillahiminishaitonirrajim, bismillahirrahmanirrahim dan selawat dengan nyaring, senyaring azan itu sendiri, barulah diikuti dengan kalimah azan biasa. Sepatutnya 3 kalimah sebelum azan itu dibaca dalam hati oleh muazzin, tak perlu didengari oleh jemaah, takut-takut dirasakan itu semua sebahagian dari azan dan wajib dilaung seperti itu. Memang betul kalimah itu maknanya baik-baik belaka tetapi ditakuti generasi muda (dan juga tua) yang baru nak belajar ugama itulah cara azan yang diajar Nabi (SAW).

Iqamat juga dimulakan dengan kalimah yang serupa, tetapi tiada selawat.

Untuk pemakluman solat taraweh, bilal akan memulakan dengan alfatihah dengan nyaring dan selawat sebelum semua bangun untuk mengerjakan solat taraweh.

Selawat kepada Nabi selepas Taraweh juga agak berbeza lafaznya. Jika di KL kita menyambut selawat bilal dengan menyebut “Sollullah assalamualaih” beramai-ramai, di sini disebut “Allahummasolliwasalim wa ba rik alaih”. Selawat memang banyak versi — walaupun kalimah slightly berbeza maksudnya tetap sama — memuji Rasul dan ahli keluarganya dan sahabat-sahabat, dan selawat di antara solat Taraweh hanyalah amalan sunat semata-mata. Teringat semasa di Yangon dulu, solat Taraweh sangat mudah. Lepas beri salam, imam terus tegak berdiri untuk rakaat seterusnya, tanpa menyebut apa-apa di antara dua-rakaat solat. Masjid Kokhine di Kabaye Pagoda Road, Yangon, menggunakan 5 hafeez tempatan setiap sessi Taraweh, setiap hafeez menyempurnakan 4 rakaat.

SOlat Taraweh di sini (Piasau Jaya, Miri) dikerjakan 20 rakaat dan seperti masjid-masjid lain di seluruh nusantara hanya 25% jemaah bertahan sehingga ke akhir. Tiada hafiz di Masjid ini, hanyalah bacaan surah lazim — AlQadar di rakaat pertama dan surah berikutnya di rakaat kedua, dan begitulah seterusnya.

Antara D-max dan Wira (Miri, Sarawak)

By abuadam

On September 17, 2010

In Rambling, Travel

26 Ogos 2010:

Selepas itu aku kembali ke basement Hotel Mega untuk memandu keluar buat kali terakhir kereta baru (yang lama) yang baru aku beli dari Mdm Lau dengan harga RM9000 tunai. MIleage yang rendah 60,000 km dan harga yang rendah untuk sebuah Proton Wira 1.5 (A) tahun 2000, menjadikannya satu good buy. Hari-hari naik teksi ke tempat kerja, dan balik. Pak Bujang gembira sakan dapat pelanggan tetap sekurang-kurangnya sepanjang 14 hari. Tambang satu hala RM25 dari Mega Hotel ke Lutong. Darab 2 untuk pergi dan balik setiap hari. Kadang-kadang dia suruh kawan dia Pak Arshat, bila dia ada hal. Kedua-duanya mudah berkira. Selalunya dalam perjalanan balik, aku mintak tolong singgah sana dan sini, kadang-kadang meninjau rumah sewa dan kadang-kadang mencari kereta, dan kadang-kadang aku suruh lalu Jalan Pantai melalui Piasau Camp. Hari tu dia menunggu sampai hampir waktu berbuka bila aku suruh dia bawak aku ke Toyota Service Center di Krokop untuk melihat Waja 1.6 2004. Sampai di sana aku lebih tertarik dengan Camry 2005. Dua dua tak jadi selepas aku banding harga di www.motortrader.com.my. Lebih mahal di sini dari di Semenanjung. Kereta baru seperti Proton harganya 2 ke 3 ribu lebih mahal disebabkan kos naik kapal dari Semenanjung. Selepas itu terjumpa sebuah Satria 1.3 (M) tahun 2000 di www.mudah.com.my. Bodi cantik dan solid tetapi enjin bocor sedikit. Perkiraanku, sekurang-kurangnya perlu top overhaul ganti gasket dan seumpamanya, dan mungkin lebih lagi. Risiko agak tinggi. Harga ditawarkan RM13000 dan aku rasa aku boleh bargain sampai RM10,000 dengan alasan tadi. Penjualnya seorang anak muda yang baru mula kareer dengan Shell Sarawak. Dia baru beli trak pickup Isuzu D-max dan memang nak jual kereta Satria ni. Bercakap pasal Isuzu D-max ni, minat juga aku pada kereta ni. Tapi aku nak buat apa? Aku bukan ada bisnes ladang ke, kebun ke, balak ke? Prinsip kualiti yang pertama yang diajar di tempat kerja menambah was-was dalam diri untuk memiliki D-max. Conformance to requirement. Apa requirement aku sebenarnya. Nak guna dalam kawasan bandar aje dari rumah ke pejabat dan sekali-sekala nak gi Brunei atau KK. Selepas di campur, tolak, darab dan bahagi dan diambil kosain, sin dan tangent, aku gagal meyakinkan “orang dalam diri ini” yang aku perlu D-max, walaupun memiliki kenderaan pacuan 4-roda seperti tu memang “cool” dan seperti berada dalam liga sendiri. Pusing punya pusing mencari kereta di Miri ni, aku terjumpa Madam Lau yang mempunyai rumah untuk disewa di kawasan Pujut 4. Haji Lah yang memperkenalkan aku kepada dia. Semasa meninjau keadaan rumah batu semi-d 2 tingkat di sebelah stesen minya Shell, aku sempat bertemuramah dengannya. Rupanya dia seorang janda kaya kematian suami. Anak-anaknya semua sudah besar-besar dan berjaya belaka, kebanyakan dalam bisnes. Salah seorangnya pemilik kedai hardware Miri Trading di sebelah Hotel Mega. Mdm Lau memandu kereta Wira pada hari aku membuat temujanji nak jumpa dia nak tengok rumahnya. Aku bertanya tanpa niat nak beli samada dia nak jual kereta tu. “Kacak kereta. Kitak nak jual, kamek nak beli.” Jawabannya positif. Katanya dia baru saja beli Honda Civic baru. Akhir sekali dipendekkan cerita jadilah aku seorang pemilik Wira 1.5 Auto berwarna kelabu bernombor QMD 8808. DI jalanraya, aku hanyalah seperti orang lain, dalam liga orang ramai. Tapi aku berbangga kerana dapat membeli barangan buatan Malaysia, walaupun kualiti pembikinan tak berapa sejajar dengan prinsip kualiti nombor 4 yang di ajar di ofis. Do right thing right first time. Dashboard bergetar bila aircond dipasang. Brek bunyi bila ditekan. No sweat. I can manage it, at least I have done my part — kata orang dalam. Habis cerita kereta. Allah menjawab doaku supaya dipermudahkan urusan cari rumah dan kereta di Miri.

Itu semua sudah berlalu. Sejak dapat kereta baru yang lama, aku jarang menghubungi Pak Bujang lagi.

13 good reasons to return to Yangon, Myanmar

By abuadam

On September 17, 2010

In Travel

And below are some reasons for me to return to Yangon in Myanmar. What a beautiful country it is! I have been there and some memories keep lingering on.

1. Gemstones.

I don’t like this but my wife does. She managed to persuade me into it. Finally she bought 3 silver rings (with sapphire, ruby and jade stones) from her Myanmar friend in Bogyoke Market. I have to wear it for the first few days. Where are they now?

2. Golf

Even though the price is picking up, relatively cheaper green fees of as low as 15000 kyats (USD15) with caddy is still available. Yemon golf course is on the way to Bago is good for beginners and intermediateries.

3. C otton textiles (Kain kapas)

Quality cotton material from Korea and China is cheap. Remember China is the most important trading country with Myanmar. Buy the textile at Bogyoke Market in Yangon and go to the tailor nearby. Your long sleeve shirt, for the cost of 5000 kyats will be ready in a couple days. Pay urgency fees of additional 1000 kyats if you want it early.

4. Used designer watches

Take a stroll along downtown streets near Sule Pagoda and you will come to many watch shops. The front glass displays common watches only. Go inside and quietly ask for Rolex or Tag Heuer or Hamilton or Tissot, and in no time they will bring second-hand branded watches and make offer you cannot resist. Some watches come with certificate of authenticity.

5. T-shirt with embroidery or printed.

Near Shwegondaing junction in Yangon, there are many plain t-shirt shops, ready to be printed. Buy as many as you want for as low as 1500 kyats each and send for printing or embroidery the nearby printing shops. They will do design for you for free on their computer. For printing, they will create stamping block, and minimum order is necessary.

6. Cashew nuts

3200 kyats (USD3.2) for 500 gram of Grade A cashew nuts from upper Myanmar is certainly a good buy, especially for wholesalers. You need contact to get to the supplier.

7. Programming services

This one for techies. For 200,000 kyats (USD200 per month) or even less, you can hire a programmer well-versed in CSS and PHP full time to develop a customized website for you or develop on-line store for you. There are desparate for works. Myanmar people are creative in every aspect of life. They can make 40- 50 year-old cars and buses running on the city streets! Programming is a cup of tea for well-trained ones.

8. Stone paintings

Plenty of these at Bogyoke Market in downtown Yangon or at Sayasan Plaza in Yankin Township. Choose ready made or bring your own design or photo and give them some times before collecting the paintings.

8. Oil paintings

Plenty of street artists, unknown but very prolific. Meet them at Bogyoke Market in downtown Yangon. Choose ready made or bring your own design or photo and give them some times before collecting the paintings. Prices are very reasonable.

9. Simple life

If you want to run away from fake people in big cities, come to Myanmar. Life is so simple here. The telecommunication system is as secretive as its military government system is. High spreed internet access is only for few privileged ones. Websites are subject to heavy censorship by the government and . Power blackout is the order of the day. Main power supply is from diesel-powered generator, with backup supply from the government. Electricity supply is rationed to 6-hours per day. Your mobile will not roam in this country. Get a new local SIM card for USD70 with airtime USD30

Natures untouched. Wooden bridges along the main road to Pathein and Chaungtha Beach and other places are common sights.

10. AirAsia

AirAsia started flying direct to Yangon from Kuala Lumpur beginning July 2010 with incredibly lower fare, if you are lucky enough. Coupled with newly introduced Visa on Arrival at Yangon Airport, getting into Myanmar has never been that easy.

11. Helping people.

Jika anda dari kalangan yang ‘ringan tangan’ dan suka menolong orang, Yangon memang sesuai untuk anda. Di sini ramai orang miskin dan peminta sedekah berada di mana-mana termasuk di pintu masuk masjid. Bahasa Inggerisnya orang yang suka menolong orang lain disebut sebagai ‘good samaritan’ atau orang kaya yang yang punya banyak wang dalam bank dan suka menolong orang lain digelar ‘philantrophist’ . Di barat ramai orang seperti ini seperti mendiang Putri Diana dan juga Bill Gates, yang mana bagi mereka kebahagian dan ketenangan hanya diperolehi melalui memberi harta benda mereka kepada orang miskin di seluruh dunia. Dikenali juga sebagai ‘compulsive helper’.

12. Pirated DVDs

Be it the latest movies or even the latest installers or softwares or antivirus signatures, you can find from street peddlers along downtown streets. If you a collector, the whole series of popular TV programs like LOST or CSI or even Korean dramas, can be found in a single DVD, costing only 1500 kyats. One single DVD could host 60 war movies or James Bond movies.

13. A pair of glasses.

Along downstown streets you can find a lot of spectacles shops. Choose your own frame and all sort of lenses are available. Common lenses available within 3o mins.

Iftaar di Miri, SARAWAK

By abuadam

On September 17, 2010

In Rambling, Travel

20 August 2010 (Ramadan 8)

My first few days in Miri was quiet. I stayed at Mega Hotel, Jalan Merbau. With no tranport on my own, nothing much achieved and done. En route office from hotel everyday on the yellow and red Miri taxi, I managed to get a glimpse of the city landmarks between the hotel and my new office in Lutong, about 20 minutes drive under normal traffic.

Got to know people at office. Held the first meeting with staff — mainly ladies above forties, again, unfortunately. BUt I had no problem. Work is work and a trust which must discharged fully.

Back to the hotel, I had 2 options for buka puasa today — RM36 iftaar dinner at hotel chatterbox restaurant Level 1 or at a masjid right in front of the hotel. It is called Masjid Jamek Miri aka Masjid lama Miri, with kelas fardhu ain attached. The name is masjid but the status is surau and no Friday prayers performed here. There is Masjid Attaqwa nearby, a much bigger masjid — district masjid rather. I chose option 2 for obvious reasons. BMI is going up faster if you eat at the hotel buffer line, so that is one reason. SOlat berjemaah Maghrib is another reason.

The food at masjid was simple. I joined the queue with other people who came 20 minutes before iftaar time (6:38 pm in Miri, Sarawak). Today, the menu were mee goreng mamak and roti canai, kueh mueh and kurma. Hot teh-o, Nescafe and sirap were the beverages. So many people today. I only managed to get a scoop of mee goreng mamak, a piece of kurma, and half of roti canai with no curry (finished already), and a cup of nescafe susu with a couple of refills. Got seated at one corner and quietly finished my food.

Met few people there. Pak Harun in late 50s was the executive chef in the masjid kitchen. He was from Penang but wife from Miri. He returned to Miri with family 8 months ago to take care of his father-in-law who has been sick. His mee goreng mamak was so authentic with generous serving of taugeh and cucur udang. Cannot be found anywhere else except in Miri and Balik Pulau.