Sungai Tujoh

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.

Sungai Tujoh
Sungai Tujoh
Coordinates: 4°35′0″N 114°04′0″E
Country Brunei
State Brunei

Although it is sometimes referred to as Kampong Sungai Tujoh, there is no permanent settlement in the area. There is a custom and excise and immigration post at Sungai Tujoh, staffed by 46 immigration officers,[4] as well as 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]

Location
Sungai Tujoh location in Mukim Belait
Brunei exit stamp from the Sg Tujoh border crossing.
Malaysian entry stamp from its checkpoint.

Sungai Tujoh is located at the westernmost point in Brunei, in the Belait district,[1] 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]

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.[6]

The border was delineated in 1958 by the United Kingdom[7] who then had sovereignty 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. As at December 2013 the FTC is no longer accepted. [8]

Transport

The main roads linking the ferry crossing towards the Malaysian border (11 kilometers)[9] 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.[10] Passengers have to clear customs and immigration on foot and take a separate bus to Miri.

Notes
  1. Poskod Baru Daerah Belait Archived 2 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine - Retrieved 22 May 2007
  2. Websters Dictionary Online Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  3. This is usually spelt as Tujuh in standard Malay. Websters Dictionary Online Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Brunei Immigration Department Beef Up At All Control Posts, Brudirect 24 November 2003- retrieved 22-05-2007 Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  5. Belait Under Royal Scrutiny, Brudirect 3 April 2005 - retrieved 22-05-2007 Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  6. The Pagan Tribes of Borneo, retrieved 22-05-2007 Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  7. Brunei's Overlapping Maritime Claim with Malaysia over the Spratleys - retrieved 22-05-2007 Archived 28 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  8. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Announcement, dated 25 September 2006, retrieved 22-05-2007 Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  9. National Development Plan Archived 5 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine of Brunei Darussalam. Government site Retrieved 19 April 2007.
  10. Biaramas fares from Sarawak Archived 9 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine - Retrieved 19 April 2007
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