“The Sultan is looking for support through sharia law”
“Brunei, the reinstatement of strict sharia law in which adultery and homosexuality can be punished with death by stoning.”
“the Aim is to strengthen the absolute rule of the sultan’s popularity among conservative forces in the country’s economy falters, consider the experts.”
“– Brunei is to become southeast asia’s saudi Arabia, ” says Bridget Welsh at John Cabot university in Rome, who is an expert on the region.”
“the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiahs regime supports itself more and more on religious legitimacy in order to appeal to a conservative islamism, which is further fuelled by a weakening of the country’s economy, believes the Welsh.”
“The former british protectorate, with around 400 000 inhabitants, has been down in a recession then the oil price dropped in the last few years and råoljereserverna in the land of sinar.”
“the Step to reintroduce the new legislation, which is likely to scare away a part of western investors, seen by analysts as a way to turn against China. China are already implementing large investment in the country and is known for not criticising their trading partners for the violation of human rights.”
“Among the chinese investments include an oil refinery and the construction of a dam and a highway in Brunei.”
“the Country now becomes the first in the region with sharia law at the national level. It is unclear, however, if the most severe punishment – stoning to death – will be applied in practice. Death by hanging has long been in the country, but later it was applied was in 1957, according to human rights organisation, The Brunei Project.”
“Amnesty International condemns the reintroduction of sharia law, but believes that Brunei, in practice, abandoned the death penalty.”
“France calls on Pakistan to withdraw the amendment, and maintaining the moratorium on the death penalty. The UN head of human rights Michelle Bachelet call the laws of cruel and inhumane, and requires also that they be withdrawn. Celebrities such as us actor George Clooney and british poplegenden Elton John calls for a boycott of the nine Brunei-owned luxury hotels around the world.”
“The oil-rich Brunei consists of two separate areas, on the northwest coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast asia. The country is ruled by a sultan, and is in practice an autocratic monarchy.”
“After having been a british protectorate, got the country increased the autonomy and its own constitution in 1959, and it held parliamentary elections in 1962. Then the sultan refused to convene parliament erupted in rebellion, and the sultan introduced a state of emergency, which replaced large parts of the constitution. In 1984, the british protectorate absolutely. The state of emergency has since been renewed every year.”
“Since 2004, parliament has met a couple of times each year, and the sultan appoints himself 30 of its 45 members.”
“a high standard of living, with free health care and education and no income tax. Democratic rights are very limited. 2014 introduced the first of three phases of sharia law.”
“the Oil, which in the 1970s made the country the richest in the region, is about to end, and Brunei strive to find other sources of income.”