From Johor to Borneo: Malaysia plotting Brunei-Sarawak SEZ to tap new growth frontier

[KUALA LUMPUR] Every weekend, thousands cross the Kuala Belait-Kuala Baram border, a key link between Brunei and Miri in Malaysia’s Sarawak state. Among them is Hannah Chow, a Miri-born teacher who has called Brunei home for over eight years.

Chow, her husband and their two children travel to Miri once or twice a month to visit family. Their Saturday morning journey is usually smooth, with immigration clearance taking around 30 minutes. But during peak hours, the process can stretch to one or two hours as more tourists cross the border, she told The Business Times.

“Most Bruneians come to Miri for leisure, food and shopping,” she said, adding that she stocks up on essentials such as baby diapers and cleaning detergents, which are 30 to 50 per cent cheaper in Miri than in Brunei.