Miri losing its pull with shoppers

Miri losing its pull with shoppers

UBAIDILLAH MASLI
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Saturday, June 14, 2008

MIRI has always been a popular hot-spot for Bruneians who wish to stock up on food and miscellaneous supplies due to its cheaper products.

Of late, however, it appears that travel costs and safety fears has deterred many from travelling across the border to perform the monthly grocery run.

According to a news report from the media in Miri, it was found that there was a significant decrease in the number of Bruneians visiting the city.

For the first five months of this year, it was stated that there was a total of 365,190 visitors passing through the Sg Tujoh Immigration Post. This is a decrease of 126,774 visitors compared to the same period last year. Of this decrease, 80 per cent, or 101,419 travellers were Bruneians.

A civil servant, Suriani Hj Abdurahman, said that it was probably because people were afraid their cars may be stolen or broken into. She had heard frightening stories of Bruneians who had their vehicles hijacked, or held at knife-point.

She added that the higher cost of fuel in Malaysia, the tolls at the checkpoints and the length of journey itself, may have made Bruneians less inclined to travel to Miri.

"Rather than spend a lot of money to travel to Miri, they might as well shop here," Suriani told The Brunei Times.

She said that Bruneians were now more likely to shop at local supermarkets, as the goods may be cheaper when all the other factors were taken into account in the trip to Miri.

Hj Md Zunaidi Hj Zakaria, an employee at the Prime Minister's Office had similar views. He felt safety concerns may be the main reason for fewer people going to Miri.

He also felt that this was due to the trend that Bruneians now travel to Malaysia for holidays rather than shopping.

One 30-year-old male, working in the Tutong District said that car theft was common in Miri. He had heard of offenders smashing through car windows to steal valuables such as laptops and cameras.

"These stories makes us afraid to go to Miri," he said.

The Brunei Times