Sungai Tujoh

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Coordinates: 4°35′N, 114°04′E

Sungai Tujoh, also abbreviated as Sg. Tujoh, is the westernmost point of Brunei. It is located in the Belait district [1]. The name of the area is derived from two Bruneian Malay words - Sungai[2], which means river or stream, and Tujoh[3] or the number seven. Literally, Sungai Tujoh is translated as the Seventh River or Seventh Stream in English.

Although it is sometimes referred to as Kampong Sungai Tujoh, there is no permanent settlement in the area. There is a custom and cxcise and immigration post at Sungai Tujoh with 46 immigration officiers assigned to the latter[4], and a police control post whose function is to monitor the country's border, to safeguard the security of the country and to prevent crime[5].

Contents

[edit] Location

Sungai Tujoh location in Mukim Belait
Sungai Tujoh location in Mukim Belait

Sungai Tujoh is located at the westernmost point in Brunei. It is located in the Belait district [6] and lies across the border from Kampong Rentis in the Malaysian state of Sarawak. The area is bounded by the border with Malaysia on the west and south side, the South China Sea to the north and the Sungai Enam area to the east.

It is one of the four land crossing points from Brunei to Sarawak and the only one in the Belait district. The other 3 are Kuala Lurah in the Brunei-Muara district to Limbang and the Puni and Labu Immigration post in the Temburong district to Limbang and Terusan respectively[4].

[edit] History

The Sungai Tujoh area has been long claimed by the sultan of Brunei to constitute a part of the sultanate. It was divided in 1882, when the then sultan ceded the basin of the Baram to the White Rajah of Sarawak, an area of some 10,000 square miles (30,000 km²), on condition of a perpetual annual payment of 6000 dollars[7].

The border was delineated in 1958 by the United Kingdom[8] who then had sovereignity over the colony of Sarawak and was responsible for the external relations of the protectorate of Brunei. An immigration post was built in the 1960s to control the movement of goods and people between Miri and points west in Sarawak with Brunei. It has been continually upgraded since then, with the latest upgrade being made just prior to the opening of the ASEAN bridge across the Baram River.

The frequent traveller's card (FTC) was first implemented in 2005 at Sungai Tujoh. This enables residents from both countries to use their Mykad/Smart IC as a legal document for travel between the two countries instead of an international passport[9].

[edit] Transport

The main roads linking the ferry crossing towards the Malaysian border (11 kilometers)[10] and towards Rasau bridge are surfaced.

There is a scheduled bus service that runs from Kuala Belait and terminates at the immigration post at Sungai Tujoh[11]. Passengers have to clear customs and immigration on foot and take a separate bus to Miri.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Poskod Baru Daerah Belait - retrieved 22-05-2007
  2. ^ Websters Dictionary Online
  3. ^ This is usually spelt as Tujuh in standard Malay. Websters Dictionary Online
  4. ^ a b Brunei Immigration Department Beef Up At All Control Posts, Brudirect 24th November 2003- retrieved 22-05-2007
  5. ^ Belait Under Royal Scrutiny, Brudirect 3 April 2005 - retrieved 22-05-2007
  6. ^ Poskod Baru Daerah Belait - retrieved 22-05-2007
  7. ^ The Pagan Tribes of Borneo, retrieved 22-05-2007
  8. ^ Brunei's Overlapping Maritime Claim with Malaysia over the Spratleys - retrieved 22-05-2007
  9. ^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs Announcment, dated 25th September 2006, retrieved 22-05-2007
  10. ^ National Development Plan of Brunei Darussalam. Government site retrieved 19-04-2007.
  11. ^ Biaramas fares from Sarawak - retrieved 19-04-2007