Warren, thank you again.
I agree with your point, most of the young don't know about it or just got what was "sold" on the history. Unfortunately I was there and I can tell you all that it has nothing to do with what the press published (both locally and abroad). HRH Prince Jefri did commit many excesses but he was ultimately chosen to be the fall person for a whole family. That is the said part...a power struggle so great between HRH Prince Mohammed and HM the Sultan that even Puan Mariam was partially framed. Yes, that is what happened. Anyone that was there, living what was going on can testify that all was being done with the consent of all the brothers and suddenly there was excess and one started fighting the other. HRH Prince Jefri tried to accomplish a better Brunei, a modern Brunei, like his father the late Begawan intended, with moderation and modernity walking along. All of a sudden, HRH Prince Mohammed (who did enjoy a lot of the moneys from BIA, etc) decided to play the pillar of morality and fought for his piece of the pie. If you go to Brunei now, you'll see no traces of HRH Prince Jefri but its very funny to observe that all businesses that once belonged to ADC now belong to QAF and its related/controlled companies.
Brunei got stuck into a perpetual fight among siblings that will only end once the generation changes. That is the only hope for a country that has being in the time travel tunnel for the past 10 years, stuck and barely functioning. Sad but true. With all my respect and admiration for a loving and caring monarch, HM should have stopped this nonsense among the younger brothers when it first started back in 1997/98...how much time has been lost? How much money has been lost/spent over lawyers, accountants, counsellors, etc? This has become a joke in Europe and America. The only ones benefitting from this are the ones that apply the divide and rule strategy and that really worked out in Brunei. No hope, no future, lots o shame, the people down hearted, a Prince in exile, a once Princess life trashed (along with her children) and all for what? Power? Money?
Back then there were great ideas, great projects, full employment, the people were happy, everyone was making a living. Sure there were mistakes but instead of chopping all up (like HRH Prince Mohammed insisted) the projects should have been reduced, slowed down but completed! Look at Jerudong Park now. This is a huge shame!!! Such a wonder now defunct! The list goes on...Asprey was bought for a fortune and sold for a song but later resold for a REAL fortune. Why the stupid decisions?
HRH Prince Jefri should only have surrounded himself with better advisors and not entrust his sons with too much power. Aside from that, the concept, all in all was absolutely GREAT!