Bandar Seri Begawan

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Lore & Background

Lambak Kanan was founded in 1986 as the inaugural estate under the Rancangan Perumahan Negara, Brunei's national public housing programme for citizens. By 2016, its population had reached 19,833. The estate sits on the northern outskirts of Bandar Seri Begawan's municipal area, roughly 12 kilometres from the city centre. It is administratively divided into five villages. One village area covers 139.66 hectares with over 350 houses and more than 3,300 residents, including 391 elderly people. Another section houses 4,000 to 5,000 residents across 648 houses, among them 266 elderly people and 42 orphans. The estate's development included a landmark vertical housing project: a 47-hectare site was confirmed for Brunei's first vertical government housing scheme. Tender documents from 2010 proposed at least 1,500 apartment units, with unit sizes of 85, 115, and 130 square metres. Initial designs allowed for up to 12 storeys, but the Ministry of Development settled on a six-storey design, announced in January 2012.

Reader's Guide

Lambak Kanan is significant as the first estate built under Brunei's National Housing Scheme, marking the start of a national programme for citizen housing. Its educational infrastructure includes Sayyidina Abu Bakar Secondary School, the sole government secondary school for the estate. Primary schools include Dato Basir Primary School, Dato Marsal Primary School (opened January 1990, renamed in January 1992 to honour Marsal Maun), Lambak Kanan Jalan 49 Primary School, and Perpindahan Lambak Kanan Jalan 10 Primary School. Pengiran Anak Puteri Hajah Masna Secondary School, an all-girls school, was renamed in 1993 after Princess Masna earned her Bachelor of Arts from Universiti Brunei Darussalam in 1992. Two primary schools house religious classes, and two dedicated religious schools operate on separate grounds. Healthcare is provided by Berakas Health Centre, serving Mukim Berakas 'A' and 'B'. The Perpindahan Lambak Kanan Mosque, inaugurated on 19 July 1996 by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, accommodates 2,400 worshippers. Other facilities include Lambak Kanan Fire Station, Lambak Kanan Library (opened 2008), and the High Commission of Pakistan. Neighbouring villages include Kampong Salambigar, Kampong Sungai Hanching, Kampong Sungai Tilong, Kampong Manggis, Kampong Madang, Kampong Lambak, and Kampong Lambak Kiri.

Did You Know?

• Lambak Kanan was established in 1986 as the first estate for the National Housing Scheme (Rancangan Perumahan Negara).
• The Perpindahan Lambak Kanan Mosque was inaugurated on 19 July 1996 by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and can accommodate 2,400 worshippers.
• Dato Marsal Primary School was originally named Sekolah Rendah Kampong Manggis when it opened in January 1990, and was renamed in January 1992 to honour Marsal Maun.
• A 47-hectare site at Lambak Kanan was confirmed for Brunei's first vertical government housing scheme, with a six-storey design announced in January 2012.
• The estate is home to the High Commission of Pakistan.

Origins & National Significance

Lambak Kanan occupies a foundational position in Brunei's public housing narrative. Founded in 1986, it was the inaugural estate constructed under the Rancangan Perumahan Negara, the national programme that committed the government to building affordable homes for its citizens. Perched on the northern fringe of Bandar Seri Begawan's municipal boundary, approximately 12 kilometres from the downtown core, the development grew rapidly into a dense community. The 2016 census recorded a population of 19,833. Administratively, the estate is subdivided into five distinct villages, each with its own demographic profile. One village area covers 139.66 hectares and contains more than 350 houses sheltering over 3,300 residents, among whom 391 are elderly. A neighbouring section houses 4,000 to 5,000 people across 648 dwellings, including 266 seniors and 42 orphans. As the first project under the national scheme, Lambak Kanan established the blueprint and public expectations for state-funded residential development across the country.

Education & Cultural Naming

The estate's educational infrastructure reflects a deliberate effort to embed local identity and national recognition into everyday community life. Sayyidina Abu Bakar Secondary School serves as the sole government secondary institution for the area. At the primary level, several schools carry names that honour distinguished figures. Dato Marsal Primary School, which opened in January 1990 under the name Sekolah Rendah Kampong Manggis, was renamed in January 1992 with the Sultan's consent to honour Marsal Maun, a local figure whose contributions to Brunei's education system were deemed significant. Similarly, the all-girls secondary school now called Pengiran Anak Puteri Hajah Masna Secondary School was renamed in 1993 to celebrate Princess Masna earning her Bachelor of Arts from Universiti Brunei Darussalam the previous year. Religious education is also well represented: two primary schools house integrated religious classes, while two additional dedicated religious schools operate on their own grounds. This layered approach ensures that both secular and Islamic learning are woven into the daily rhythm of the estate.

The Vertical Housing Milestone

Perhaps the most forward-looking chapter in Lambak Kanan's story is its role in Brunei's first serious foray into vertical government housing. A 47-hectare parcel within the estate was earmarked for what would become the nation's inaugural apartment block scheme. Tender documents released in 2010 outlined a master plan for at least 1,500 residential units spread across 14 hectares, alongside multi-purpose open spaces, recreation areas, schools, community centres, and commercial retail facilities. The initial phase was to deliver roughly 420 units on a 4-hectare plot. Unit sizes were proposed at 85 square metres for 10% of homes, 115 square metres for 60%, and 130 square metres for the remaining 30%. Although early design specifications permitted buildings up to 12 storeys, the Ministry of Development ultimately chose a more conservative six-storey configuration, formally announced in January 2012. This project signalled a fundamental shift in national housing policy, moving Brunei away from exclusively low-rise, horizontal development toward a model that would accommodate growing urban populations on a smaller footprint.

Community Infrastructure & Daily Life

Beyond housing and schooling, Lambak Kanan is equipped with a range of civic facilities that support residents' daily needs. Healthcare is provided through the Berakas Health Centre, which serves the broader Mukim Berakas 'A' and 'B' communities. Spiritual life is anchored by the Perpindahan Lambak Kanan Mosque, inaugurated by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on 19 July 1996, with a capacity of 2,400 worshippers. The estate also hosts a fire station operated by the Brunei Fire and Rescue Department, a public library branch administered under Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Brunei (opened in 2008), and the High Commission of Pakistan. Geographically, the estate is ringed by established villages: Kampong Salambigar to the east, Kampong Sungai Hanching and Kampong Sungai Tilong to the south-east, Kampong Manggis to the south, Kampong Madang to the south-west, Kampong Lambak to the west, and Kampong Lambak Kiri to the north-west. This web of neighbouring settlements gives the estate a distinctly semi-rural character despite its proximity to the capital, blending planned urban living with the rhythms of traditional Bruneian village life.

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