Hardeep, 32
Born in Singapore, Singapore and father is from Seria, Brunei
Came to Australia in September 2001
What is your occupation?
I was practising as a commercial lawyer for 3 years but I switched to procurement for Westpac, negotiating contracts, clauses and trying to get a great deal for Westpac. I felt like there was more to life than going to court, reading legislation and arguing. It beats the fun out of you as you are confined to the limits of the law; there is no scope for excitement, gratitude and creativity.
Why did you come to Australia?
My mum’s family is based in Australia and I decided to move to Australia with my mum when my parents separated. She came here to facilitate my transition to Australian life and then she moved back to Brunei in 2007 as she had business interests and friends in Brunei. A lot of Bruneians want their kids to be educated overseas, especially in the UK, with Australia also being a feasible option.
What do you like about Sydney?
It’s a visually stunning place. Sydney is easy on the eye as there are beautiful beaches and there is always something to do. There are lots of live music, sports and cultural events, which are important to me.
It’s also a multicultural city and that is reflected in the excellent restaurants spanning cuisines from around the world. Brunei is comprised of two main ethnicities, Chinese and Malay, and a sprinkling of Caucasians.
People are also very nice and down to earth.
What don’t you like about Sydney?
It’s definitely a very expensive place to live. For the majority of Sydneysiders, homeownership is a pipe dream. Brunei is very cheap on the other hand: lunch for two people would cost around 12 Bruneian dollars.
I also don’t like how isolated it is from the rest of the world. It would take me the better part of a day to visit somewhere else in the world.
What would you like to say to Sydneysiders?
Keep building on this beautiful place. There’s so much history and culture in this city and it’s important to keep that spirit alive.
What languages do you speak?
English, Malay
My Malay used to be better but it’s been a little rusty lately. In Brunei, you can easily get by with English and I haven’t encountered any Bruneians who didn’t speak it.
I actually did Bahasa Indonesia for HSC. I guess I did okay.
Teach us one word/phrase from your native language.
Selamat Malam
This means Good evening. Bruneian Malay is slightly different from standard Malay in its phonology; we only use 3 vowels compared to Malay’s 6 vowels. There’s a lot of cutting out of vowels and it sounds a bit lazier and rougher.
What is one thing you want us to know about your native country?
It’s a beautiful place to grow up and raise children. I wouldn’t have swapped my childhood for anything else. It’s a tiny country located on the island of Borneo and you feel like you know everyone. There’s a great sense of community and you don’t have many distractions; time spent together is more meaningful.
I would recommend tourists check out Kampong Ayer by boat. It is the world’s biggest water village and is home to around 30K people. There are traditional houses, schools and mosques there. It is a surreal experience.
Who is the most famous person in your native country?
It goes without saying that it’d be the Sultan of Brunei.
The people live a subsidised lifestyle as it is a privilege bestowed upon by the Sultan. The Sultan is an incredible person and is the second oldest reigning monarch in the world after Queen Elizabeth II.
The ordinary people get the chance to meet and shake the hand of the Sultan during Hari Raya (Eid Al-Fitr) at the Istana Nurul Iman, the official palace of the Sultan.
What is the best dish in your native country?
If we’re talking about a famous Bruneian dish, it has to be Nasi Katok.
Nasi means rice while Katok means knock. The most interesting part of this dish must be the story behind the name. The name came up because the people had to knock on the nasi seller’s door to place their orders.
The best chicken rice restaurant in the world is Thien Thien Chicken Rice in Bandar Seri Begawan.
Disclaimer: All posts are personal opinions and perspectives of the interviewees and are not a perfect representation of the whole country/experience.
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