Attempt to smuggle beer into Brunei fails
Selling alcohol is strictly forbidden in Brunei. So is consuming it in public and taking it with you into the country, unless you’re a foreigner. Wikipedia describes the Bruneian government as an “Islamic Absolute Monarchy“, so you can guess why that is. (In an absolute monarchy the king or queen has absolute power over all aspects of his/her subjects’ lives)
Nonetheless, two Bruneian men were arrested after a high-speed chase on the water. They were trying to smuggle no less than 1,382 cans of beer aboard their boat and the customs were thrilled to have made their biggest alcohol catch of the year. Lucky for them, smuggling alcohol is typically only punished by a fine, although I don’t know how much that can be.
The community of expats in Brunei has learned to accept their faith. They get the small quota non-Muslims are allowed to import from a little town just across the border. Once home, they hurriedly gulp down their daily can of beer before taking off for dinner. A custom for those that are used to being unable to drink in public or anywhere other than their house.
As a first-time visitor you might confusedly mistake the hosts “Quickly! Finish your beer!” for an attempt to get you drunk before dinner. Now you know the real reason.
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