BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

BRUNEI must preserve its iconic Kampong Ayer from losing its touch, the Deputy Chairman of Kg Tamoi Ujong said yesterday.

Concerned on the modernisation of Kampong Ayer over the recent years, Hj Mohd Zahari Adis said that Kampong Ayer’s traditional homes must be maintained for the future generations and tourists to witness.

“We see modern houses being built here in the Kampong Ayer, it is good but we need to keep the traditional homes alive and well maintained to ensure we don’t lose that traditional atmosphere of Bruneian homes,” the Deputy Chairman said in an interview with The Brunei Times.

He was speaking on the sidelines of a visit by the Ambassador of Indonesia to the village yesterday.

Hj Mohd Zahari said that he has lived in the village since he was a child and had seen many changes over the years.

“The houses now, they have the same structure as they were before, but you can see that there are changes, such as the roof moving to modern styles, which is why we rarely witness traditional houses nowadays,” he said. 

Hj Mohd Zahari said that the youth must look back to their past generations’ lifestyle and homes to remind them of the traditional culture that has lived for many years. 

He highlighted that maintaining the iconic village is the key in keeping the houses standing for many more generations to come by repairing and developing the area before they get damaged further. 

Hj Mohd Zahari feared that if the village’s culture and tradition are not maintained and nurtured, Brunei could lose its icon and the future generations would not have any physical and visual evidence to look back to.

“We must continue to maintain and improve them by ensuring the building, homes and paths are safe and accessible for users,” he said.

He suggested that the pathways could be reinforced and add safety railings, and that they are constantly cleaned.

Speaking with The Brunei Times, the Indonesian Ambassador Her Excellency Nurul Qomar said that it is crucial for Brunei to constantly manage and maintain Kampong Ayer in order to attract more tourists. 

“Currently, the paths and area is great, but it will always need maintenance and development to ensure it lasts,” she said. 

The Ambassador’s visit was aimed to meet with the Deputy Chairman and the Director of Darul Trustee Remittance and Services, Pg Hj Abbas Pg Hj Besar, to discuss on the historical link and richness of the Indonesian and Bruneian culture.

The Brunei Times