Brunei`s Traditional Industry Not Fully Exploited By People

Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei Darussalam`s traditional industry has not yet been fully exploited by the local community, according to a study conducted by UBD undergraduates.

"Based on our findings, there is still room for improvement in many areas such as the `Parang` (machete) craftsmanship," said Faizul Fitri bin Hj Mataha, who worked on the project with another undergraduate, Hj Erwan bin Hj Md Said.

In an interview with the Bulletin on the sidelines of an exhibition on "Brunei Traditional Industries", which is currently being held al The Mall in Gadong, Faizul pointed out that the Parang craftsmanship industry in the Sultanate is still in its infancy.

He said that most of the people involved in the trade, which has existed since the reign of Sultan Bolkiah, are between the ages of 40 and 80. To date, there is still high demand for locally made Parangs although cheaper ones can be found in other countries.

One of the problems faced by local craftsmen is they have to pay a high price for raw materials in the country.

In order to see improvements, the government and private sector should have "a main role in promoting the Parang craftsmanship industry", Faizul said, adding that there are currently about 10 Parang craftsmen in the country who earn between $900 and $3,000 per month.

"Sadly, the art of making Parangs is dying because the younger generation is not interested in the craft," he lamented.

Another interesting exhibit at The Mall was the one on Ambulong (sago flour).

Dk Rosita @ Wardah Nasyatah binti Pg Hj Piut, who was one of the people involved in a study on Ambulong (sago flour) enterprises in Brunei, said that there was currently not enough supply to cater to the demand because there is only one local supplier in Kg Ukong.

She is confident that with the cooperation of the government and private sector, the Ambulong industry would flourish partly because there is an "abundant" supply of Sago trees within Brunei`s pristine forest.

Dk Rosita pointed out that most people mistakenly think that Ambulong and Ambuyat are the same. "In fact, they are not," she said, explaining that Ambulung is sago flour that can be used as ingredients for traditional biscuits and other products.

Other people who contributed to this study were Siti Noradibah and Md Khairul Anwar bin Hj Mohd Yassin.

Meanwhile, according to a study on herbal medicine industry conducted by Ak Muhd Asymawi bin Pg Hj Md Ali, Siti Norkhalijah binti Safar and Nurhanizah binti Hassim, there is a high demand for these products because many people nowadays place great importance on their health.

Furthermore, most of them understand that these herbal medicinal products, which have high nutritional values, can cure ailments, they said.

With support from the government and by using creative packaging, more locally made herbal medicinal products can be exported overseas. There is currently only one company in the country that exports herbal medicine.

The studies presented to the public yesterday were conducted by undergraduates who signed up for the. "Traditional Industry" course offered by the Academy of Brunei Studies during the second semester of the 2007/ 2008 academic year.

Source: www.brudirect.com - James Kon (23 Mei 2008)
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