How Safe Are the Toys?

Last night, my husband and I were watching a documentary from Channel 4 (UK) about the safety of our toys. It really opened our eyes and as a mom to 2 children, I would also like to caution all parents.

From Channel 4's investigation, it was revealed that about 50% of the available toys were (still are) not safe which could cause choking, strangulation and poisoning. Among the worst toys are those containing magnets. Apparently, there have been hundreds of cases all over the world where small children have swallowed magnets. If a child swallows two or more magnets and that they are in different parts of the gut, they will attract each other through the gut wall, pinning different areas of intestine to each other, and rupturing the bowel. One British surgeon says that injuries are similar to: 'gunshot wounds.' One child in the US actually died of this.

And then there are dodgy and counterfeit toys from China which have never been tested. Not only they may contain various types of dangerous chemicals which are harmful to children (e.g. high content of lead), their physical parts may also pose different kinds of threats (e.g. falling parts, sharp hidden edges etc.).

Now, I know many parents wouldn't want to spend a fortune buying toys and sometimes opt to buy those cheap and dodgy toys (especially those from the $1 shop) , well after watching that documentary, my advise is that if we can't afford buying good toys then don't buy any.

But then, it's not only those dodgy toys which are harmful. It was also revealed that many top-selling toys were also as dangerous. The magnetic toys for example were from Mattel (Barbie toys, Polly Pockets etc.) and from the brand Magnetic. Many famous boys' toys for example also contain a lot of hidden sharp edges (sorry I don't know what brand :). Some science toys like expandable dinosours are also harmful.

Anyway, my thoughts are that if England and the US, whose trading and safety standards are among the highest in the world, are not able to remove these toys from the shelves, then what about us in Brunei? I think the only way to avoid any serious injuries to our children is through knowledgable parents. And that's why I feel the need to write this post today.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha.

Salaam.

Ps. Buy Books instead of Toys!

Paradox of Plenty: Are We Cursed?

A few days ago BB reported the findings of the Asian Development Bank's International Comparison Study (click here for the ADB report) and that Brunei was the richest in the region with a GDP Per Capita income of about US$34,600.

Translation: It is the amount that every person who lives in Brunei (those who make up the population) would receive yearly from the income generated through productive activities. Well, now you know what it means, please don't go march to the Ministry of Finance and demand that money! In reality, as we all know some earn more and some earn less. And of course, if the government were to spend all the money on its people then what future would lie for us? Basically Per Capita income is used as a measure of wealth i.e. the higher, the wealthier.

Now, back to the ADB's report. Should we celebrate being the richest?

Look around us, we have unemployment, people rely on government employment, the private sector is weak and the economy is far from being diversified. These, ladies and gentlemen, are the traits of a country 'cursed' with natural resources. The economic term for it is the resource curse thesis (Richard Auty, 1993) which describes how a country cannot use its wealth to boost its economy. What happens is that because the income from oil and gas (the natural resources) is so high, the economy revolves around it. The government who is the recepient of the oil income, for example, pays higher salaries then other (private) industries. As a result, everyone wants to work with the government. Another example is tax. Because Brunei is so rich, the government doesn't want/need to burden its people and as a result we may be deprived of more efficient public services.

Another negative effect of having an abundant natural resource, particularly the richly oil, is rentierism. A rentier state is a country which derives a large portion of its national revenue from a natural resource. The characteristics of a rentier state which are not favourable to the economic development, among others are limited linkages between the oil sector and the rest of economy, high dependence on import of goods, lack of economic diversification, a large import of foreign labours manning basic services and many others (which are quite sensitive but very interesting!).

Perhaps, the most negative effect of being a rentier state is the creation of a 'rentier mentality' in which rewards of income or wealth do not come from work, but come as a result of chance (Beblawi, 1990).

Anyway, to me these are all very interesting. I sincerely hope that somebody would do some research on how badly 'cursed' are we? Or should we really blame the natural resources? And what should we do to right the wrongs? And many other questions.

Oh, well it's almost midnight and my back hurts. Till then.

Salaam.

Hands Up If You Love Reading Books!

I love books. And I love to read them. My love affair with books started the moment I learnt how to read. I guess, I was 6 or 7 (I know! In those days we only started going to school at the age of 6! Darjah 0 hehe) and I used to ask my dad to send me to the library in Bandar. While other kids went to the library to play, I went there to read. I would borrow some of the kids’ library cards, so that I could borrow lots of books. Sometimes I would take home about 8 books at one time.

Now, I still love reading. I could go mental if I don’t read anything in one day. I have to read before I go to sleep. I read almost anything. I’m also grateful that my 2 girls also love books. My eldest, who is 5, now can read and she loves it. Everytime we bring our kids to the town centre, they would always insist to go to the library or a bookshop. We're also lucky that here in the UK, books are cheap especially if you buy online. Children books are cheap too. Plus there are heaps of charity shops which sell second-hand books. My favourites are the Oxfam bookshop and the Children Society. I can get ‘almost new’ books at only about a quid each ($3). So if you ask me, I’m in heaven!

Unfortunately, reading is not loved by all. And especially in Brunei, reading is still far from being a culture. Unlike in UK, Japan or Singapore, you see people read everywhere. In the bus, in the tube, in the train, in the cafes, old and young. It is a culture. These are all developed countries. There may not be a correlation or causality between the two but I can’t help but wonder. It is possible that a developed country makes reading its culture. Or it could also be that ‘reading’ makes a country to be developed. It makes sense to me. With books, comes knowledge. With knowledge, comes power. Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.

I remember when I was back in Brunei a few years ago. I was about to enter a bookshop. Then came this lady with her little boy. The boy asked her mom to go to the bookshop. He said he wanted to buy a book. And you know what the mom said? Nothing interesting in there! We’d just be wasting our time! At that moment, I felt so sad. I actually wanted to approach them and offered to buy the boy a book.

Anyway, you can’t force people to change their habits. Moreover, books are also expensive in Brunei. Books are wrapped in plastics. The bookshops sometimes put off even people like me. But then again, who would want to invest in an expensive bookstore (or an international book franchise) if the people don’t read? The bookshops are after all ‘shops’ and selling books are businesses to make profit.

Nevertheless, I strongly think reading should be encouraged especially to our children. I don’t have to list down the benefits. I even think that it is not over-rated if 'forming a reading culture' to be made as one of the national development objectives (or perhaps the national objective is to build a knowledgeable nation, and 'reading as a culture' becomes one of the main strategies). It could well be one of the remedies to the aggravating social illnesses.

However, if Brunei wants to make reading as a culture, serious steps have to be taken. Having a book fair once a year is NOT enough. Even in the UK, they have a literacy campaign. There is a ‘one book one child’ scheme or something. A few months ago, my children were sent a free story book each. They do this once a year. The local council on the other hand promotes the local libraries. They send leaflets with information about libraries. They even conduct sessions for adults who are not confident or do not know how to read to children. Now, this is what I call serious.

Now, what about our national library? It's been ages I haven't been there. Needless to say, the library doesn't look inviting. Seriously, I think we should have a bigger, fantastic looking national library. A library, is afterall the soul of a country.

Anyway, enough of my rambling today. In case you haven’t notice I’ve put up a couple of Amazon banners in this blog site. Well, the purpose is not to gain any extra income but to encourage you people to read. You can find lots of bargain especially from the Amazon US. Now that the US dollar is down, I think it’s worth buying some.

Oh well, probably I would open my own bookshop one day.

Salaam.

A Home Without Books is a Body Without Soul

The Road to 'DR'hood

AAAaaaaaaaarrrrrggggggghhhhhhhh!

WHY oh WHY DID I DO THIS?

Nevertheless, it has been an enriching experience.

5 DOWN, 2 TO GO! Yeay!

Doing Business in Brunei 2008

I actually shouldn't be posting anything until next week (as a chapter is due on Wednesday, the latest) but while browsing the internet I stumbled on the World Bank Group Doing Business Project's report on Doing Business in Brunei 2008 (Pdf file). In case I forget, I think I better post it now.

I read about this in the BB a few months ago and actually wanted to blog about it but well...other important things came up.. perhaps another time.

I haven't been able to digest what's in the report but I can see some interesting findings. My only comment for now is that Brunei is a small developing country. It is not quite fair to compare ourselves with the likes of developed countries. But it should also cannot be the reason why we shouldn't change, afterall those developed countries were not developed by chance. They also started from a humble beginning.

Enjoy reading! I'm sure it will be useful to researchers, policy-makers, students and all Bruneians in general (unless of course you don't care hehe). Oh, don't forget to save it in case it's removed.

Salaam.

Consumer Power

In my previous post, I wrote about how prices are affected by forces which are beyond our control i.e. globalization, world demand and supply etc.

Well actually, I believe that consumer power should also play an important role.

I’ve often been asked (actually my husband always nags me with this question) as to why the prices of goods in Brunei are expensive as compared to Malaysia and Singapore, when we don’t have taxes and hardly any import duty. Well, the lazy answer to this question is simply that the cost of transportation is high. But if we think carefully, I have a strong believe that the consumer power in Brunei is not high enough to force the prices down.

I remember a few years ago, my husband and I wanted to buy a fridge/freezer. So, out we went surveying shops in various places in Brunei to find the cheapest price of the model that we wanted. In one of the shops, we met a relative. When we told him that we were looking for the cheapest fridge, he replied that we were wasting our time and fuel. The amount we spent on fuel would probably be the same with the amount that we saved of buying the cheaper fridge. So, why bother looking for a cheaper one?

Well, partly I agree with him as he is of course, being rational. BUT, by doing what we did, I believe we were doing a greater good. Why? You see, just imagine if everyone was doing what we were doing i.e. buy the cheapest, and the sellers knew that everyone would only buy the most competitive price. The effect would be that all sellers will eventually have to reduce their prices or become more competitive with each other (maybe by offering extra services etc). Now, that is consumer power.

It is also however unfortunate that the consumers in Brunei have no formal institution that looks after the consumers’ rights. I don’t know if anyone knows what exactly our rights are as consumers. Let’s say if you buy something from a shop, and the good is faulty, is it our right to return it? Usually, it is up to the grace of the shop-keepers to exchange it or refund your money. Either that or you fight your way out (haha). Now, what if you just change your mind? You haven’t used it, it’s still wrapped and when you go back home, you think you just don’t need it. How? Has anyone actually tried returning a good just because a change of mind? What about dishonest sellers? Who do we complain to? As a result, the sellers have all the power to put whatever price that could give them the maximum profit possible.

In fact, I remember reading a local blog which gave the evidence that the recent Brunei Grand Sales (BGS) had defeated its purpose. Many sellers were duping the customers. The prices were never reduced. This blogger showed the price of the item he bought was exactly the same before and after the so called BGS. What the seller did was raising the original price during the event so that at the end of the day, buyer would still pay the same price despite the ‘discount’ given. I guess the blogger (as a consumer) knew that he didn’t have the kind of power that could change anything or perhaps he didn't even know where to go to lodge his complain, just left it as it was.

In other countries, well in UK for example, there are a number of agencies who look after the consumers’ rights. One of the biggest agencies is the Trading Standard Institute. I’m not sure but I think it’s a government run body. It is like a one-stop centre for customer protection in the UK. In it, you find all kinds of information, ranging from the listing of related laws to the listing of product recalls. As a result, all sellers compete healthily and all consumers are treated as kings.

Yes, one might argue that we do have a number of laws that protect the customers such as the Sales of Good Act and the Contract Act. My questions are does everyone know that they exist and what about the contents? Do they protect the consumers or the sellers? In the event that I think I’m being cheated, can I simply go to the court of justice and demand my right?

Well, enough thought for today. Anyway, I would like to say that despite the lack of content and proper research, I applaud what the RTB was doing with their weekly consumer slot (do they still air it?). I’m just sad that the agency which I thought should be responsible is not doing anything about it.

Salaam

Why Globalisation Isn't ALL Good After All.

I was reading the BB article on the rising food prices. First of all, it’s not only in Brunei (so please don’t blame the government). It’s a global effect. Everyone is feeling the heat especially those in poor developing countries. So we all in Brunei should be grateful.

Why the increase in prices? My answer is that it is very much related to the effect of globalization. Because of globalization, a number of giant economies emerge, in particular, China and India. Their economies grow, and so do their standards of living. As a result world demand for oil, gold and food soar. Any O level economics student would know that an increase in demand will surely lead to an increase in price. Besides the increase in global demand, there are also other factors that lead to the increase in the world’s food price such as floods and draughts (caused by the dramatic climate change) which reduce the world’s food supply.

What should we do? Well, if we can, we should increase food production. Seriously people, put some EXTRA effort in our agriculture production. Anything can happen in the future. There is (sometimes) an extent to what money can buy (from abroad). I believe, at the end of the day any country’s first priority would be the survival of its own people.

On the other hand, in the event that the hike in prices affects our local consumers and producers (which eventually will be inevitable) and as I think, as we speak, some have actually felt the effects (forgive me as I am not in Brunei, I don’t know whether food prices there have actually gone up), then there are 3 things the government can do (in our case 2 things actually):

1. This is when price control sets in. The government would typically set a price ceiling. This is already happening in Russia and Argentina.
2. Eliminate any import tariff on those products. I don’t think this applies to Brunei as I believe the food tariff is already at 0%.
3. Increase or introduce food subsidy, where the government would typically pays for the excess price. This is happening in Egypt as we speak.

Anyway, as I said we all should be grateful. The government has ensured that enough staple food supply is available. For how long, that I don’t know. My only advise for now is DON’T WASTE FOOD!

Salaam.

Ghost town

Reading today's BB headline, reminds me of a blog page by a foreign blogger I read a few years ago. It said Bandar Seri Begawan was a ghost town. Nothing exciting to see. It looked like a 70s town. And the author couldn't believe that it was the city of one of the richest countries in the world. Of course when I read it, I was quite p***-off. How dare he!

But it is true. Nobody goes there anymore. There's nothing to see. Yayasan is no longer exciting. The last time we were there, half of the lights weren't even on. The place looked gloomy. There was no life, boring. Worse, had to pay for car-parking (a big NO to Bruneians!).

So HOW?

I really think the Bandar needs a new breath of life. First, the rentals have to go down. And somebody has to lead the way. I don't know what's the rental in Yayasan, but IT has to be the leader. If the rent in the yayasan building goes down, others will follow suit as competition or price war will set in. Second, the authority has to enforce the law (the piawaian PBD12 Min of Development, or whatever the name is). Owners MUST upkeep their building and properties. Any 'eyesore' has to be punished in a form of monetary fine. Third, make the Bandar HIP and HAPPENING. Make use of what we have! Everytime my husband and I go to the Yayasan building, we cannot help but discuss the potential of the building and its location. For instance, why keep the central open plaza void? You know, the space in between the 2 buildings. My husband keeps on saying it's a WASTED space. Sayang! Come on, get example from Singapore's Bugis junction. Get some traditional performances every week or every night even. Imagine, gulingtangan performances at night. With the view of the mosque. Fantastic! Get some small moving vendors to sell unique stuff and make it a rule that no two vendors can sell the same products.

I remember there was a talk about developing a 'water front'. What happened? Don't tell me the thingy that they built at the old custom was IT! Goodness! Please get private architects to design (with due respect, PLEASE!!! NOT the government architects!). Better still, set up a design competition among the local architect firms. Get the public to vote. No direct cash price, but the winning design will be used and the architect will be appointed (based on a government set-up fee). That way, the government would save some money and less headache.

I am sure there are ways to revive the Bandar. Don't let the development of other areas to be the reason why the Bandar is falling apart. We need to think outside the box. Be more creative. Don't be too conventional. I'm ON if anyone needs some ideas - will put my bestest thinking hat hehe.

Anyway, if there is a will there must be a way. But of course, you also have to put the money where the mouth is.

Salaam.

Life in the UK Part 1

Living in the UK, has taught me 1 great thing in life. And that is NOT to be dependent on an amah.

I often said to my husband, I admire the British mommies (well at least those moms who send their children to the same school as our children's). They would drive to the school (for some - they even walk), sending and picking up their children, often with another (and sometimes 2!) small baby in arms. Every morning and afternoon, they would park their car, get a baby trolley out of the car, get a baby out of the car, and walk into the school to get their children. And each of their children that goes to school, has a packed lunch.I mean, that is what I call 'bekarih!'. I tell you, it is not easy!

In Brunei, the thought of not having an amah is almost 'unthinkable'. The parents seem to avoid the 'stressfulness' of being parents. Nobody wants to hear their children crying, wailing, arguing. When a child cries, give to 'bibi'. When a child wants something, get from 'bibi'. When a child does something wrong, blame 'bibi'!

I remember when we first told our friends and families, our decision not to bring an amah. Everyone was giving us the 'look'. You know the look that says 'Are you sure? Can you cope? Hooowww??'. Even today, everyone we met in Brunei was asking how we could have survived, studying and raising 2 kids, without the help of an amah.I must say, at the beginning I was quite worried myself. I wasn't so sure how I could cope, being a full time mommy and at the same time doing my research, which demands a lot of time and effort.

Well the secret is job-sharing, or the economics term for it is 'division of labour'. We share, my husband and I, the house work; I cook and do laundry, while the hubby does the dish-washing and vacuuming. We take turn doing our kids' homework and reading them to sleep. As a result we get to spend a lot of time with each other. We both know what our children 'likes' and 'dislikes'. We get to watch what they eat, play, programmes they watch on tv etc. And as for the children, they get to become more independent. For example, my 4-year old makes up her own bed every morning (and really neat! you wouldn't expect it's the doing of a 4-year old!), my 5-year old helps her sister wear her clothes, teaches her to read; and both of them take their plates and cups to the kitchen (which made everyone in Brunei cried in delight when they saw what they did hehe). As for our relationship (the hubby and I), we get to communicate better. We solve any problem together and we respect each other even more.

Sadly, I think this doesn't happen to many families (that I know of) in Brunei. In the morning, mom and dad go to work. Often separately. A driver will send the children to (and from) school. Mum and dad don't go back home for lunch (they also lunch separately). Mum and dad come back home in the evening, exhausted. Children go to tuition schools. Children come home, exhausted. Children sleep. Mom and dad sleep. I have seen parents who only want to spend time with their children after their children are fed, bathed and happy. I have also seen parents who think that the main role of parenting is spoiling their children with money and toys. And worse, I also see parents who spend 10% or maybe even less, of their waking hours with their children.

For most parents in Brunei, their amahs know better about their children then they do. And as a result the parents-children relation become distant. Often, when something is wrong, parents would blame their amahs, expecting them to do a fantastic job of two parents with a mere salary of $250 a month. On the other hand, the high dependence on amah, has made many employers turn blind eyes to their amah's wrong-doings. The thought of their 'beloved' amah who runs the whole family, going home, is crazy. Somehow, people can't or don't want to function normally without an amah. Amah going for their contract leave IS a big deal for many people. It disrupts life and can also affect the running of an entire work organisation, where people take 'emergency' leaves.

I don't know about you but this type of 'chronic' dependence on an amah, to me, not only can it affect the economy but it can also lead to social problem. Family value is lost, communication breaks down and people become lazy (just look at our youths!).

Surely there must be something that the government can do to remedy the situation. Maybe flexibility in terms of working hours can be introduced. Day-care centres perhaps can be provided in work-places. If other countries can run smoothly without their people needing and depending of an amah, WHY CAN't we? Now, I'm not suggesting that we should ban amah (that would certainly have a catastrophic effect on the lives of Brunei people and could also have a political effect as well!), but some measures should be introduced.

Well, maybe I'm being too paranoid. Maybe I'm too wrapped-up in my own world that I don't think normally, the way Bruneians think. But I would love to hire day cleaners to clean my house and babysitters to look after my children when I go out. Hey, we could create jobs!

Anyway, the point is I don't think I need a stranger to live 24/7 in my house. This is MY family. And what can be more important than one's own family?

Salaam.

Addendum 20 Nov 07:

To be fair, I am not against people having amahs and neither do I think all amahs are bad. There were many times how I wished I had one, to help me around especially during hectic times. But please don't be TOO dependent on one. A line should be drawn between someone who is helping with the house-chores (them) and someone who is running the family (you, mom and dad). Salaam..

Brunei human resource

I welcome HM's titah on the re-evaluation of the public sector's staff. It is high time that a PROPER human resource auditing is made on each department. I must say it is not easy and it needs expertise. From my too little experience, a long time ago I was involved in the development of a long-term planning of an institution. One of the exercises was to make a long-term projection of the number of staff needed in each department. So out we went asking each department to give us the details of their staff projection. And you just couldn't believe the ridiculous numbers some departments put on their projection! For example, the ratio of clerks to an officer was like 2:1 or sometimes 3:1!

I honestly believe that the work force in the public sector is unbalanced. Take my current workplace for example (the situation is improving I must say), I can put the human resources into 3 categories with the relevant percentage:
1. Admin staff including clerks- 50%
2. Officers with their own specific portfolio (but who end up doing admin stuff either voluntarily or involuntarily)- 40%
3. Thinkers or policy-makers- 10% or less!

And you would have thought that by having a 90% admin, anything admin would run out smoothly..He** NO! And you would also have thought that since there are so many clerical staff, all the nitty-gritty of work such as photo-copying, faxing, data-inputting etc will be done quickly... haha DREAM ON!. I personally blame the HODs. Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind. Forget 'jaga hati'. How many times have u seen the staff in the government departments having leisure - reading the magazine, chatting, eating and drinking in groups? 90% of the time in my case. And yet you can almost hear the same lament of each HOD, "we don't have enough staff".

Often, it actually makes me wonder, do we need MORE staff? I do however think that we need more THINKERS, policy-makers, researchers who are expert and/or at least have relevant qualifications to do their work. Enough admin. And enough job-qualification mis-match! After 10 years you only end-up of having dead wood who constantly think that 'life is not fair'.

I would be very interested to know the outcome of the reports. I would like to see that the numbers of policy-makers in each department go up. And at the same time, find a mechanism to ensure that the current staff is optimally utilized.

But then who am I to say? I'm just a mom and still at school..hehe

Salaam.