RULER SEEKING SUPPORT OF CONSERVATIVES
Experts say Brunei sultan trying to burnish credentials in weak economy
BRUNEI’S imposition of harsh syariah, including death by stoning for gay sex and adultery, is a bid by the country’s ruler to boost support among conservatives and highlights a steady drift away from the West, observers say.
The tough punishments, which also include amputation of a hand and foot for theft, will come into force today, when a new penal code is implemented after years of delays.
The decision to move ahead with the laws has sparked a global outcry, with the United Nations branding them “cruel and inhumane” and actor George Clooney leading calls for Brunei-owned
hotels to be boycotted.
By making his country the first in East or Southeast Asia to introduce a syariah penal code, analysts believe all-powerful Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is seeking to burnish his Islamic credentials among conservatives at a time the economy is weakening.
“Brunei is becoming Southeast Asia’s Saudi Arabia,” said Bridget Welsh, a Southeast Asia expert from John Cabot University.
Experts say it is hard to gauge the level of public backing for syariah in Brunei, as most citizens would not publicly voice criticism of the sultan.
But it is believed to have substantial support among the country’s Malays, who make up some 70 per cent of the population.
“I’m proud, because implementing the law feels like it solidifies the Islamic identity of Brunei,” said Muhammad Antoni, 27, an oil and gas worker.
Others were irritated at the calls for a boycott of nine Bruneiowned hotels in Europe and the United States.
“On celebrities calling for a boycott, it’s not their place,” said Haziah Zainal, a civil servant.
There was some unease online, however, where people can comment more freely.
“This worries me so much for Brunei’s economy,” one user posted on Reddit, adding that it would mean “losing more business overseas”.
In reality, it is not yet clear if the toughest punishment — death by stoning — will be implemented.
Brunei has long had capital punishment, and any execution should be carried out by hanging.
But the last known execution was in 1957, according to Matthew Wolfe of human rights group, The Brunei Project.