Everest Trekking Amal "Adventure" continues ...

L.V.C, 10th July 2011

For one participant of the Everest Trekking Amal organised by BCF last year, the "adventure" had not yet ended. On an important trip to a ceremony for handing over of keys to Ms. Ong Ku Chai for a bungalow built from the proceeds of Everest trek, our BCF member Mr. LVC met a series of unfortunate incidents. The background to this whole affair involved the presentation of said keys at Kg. Labu Estate in Temburong. The joint effort of JAPEM (Department of Community Development) and BCF was a pioneering project in charity for an NGO sports organisation in Brunei as reported in the Brunei Times.

For LVC, his attendance at the ceremony was not to be. LVC had set out for Temburong on the evening of the 1st of July. To those unfamiliar with Brunei geography, the country is divided into two enclaves by a strip of land, Limbang, that is part of neighbouring Malaysia. One can get from one encalve to the other by boat or by car, in the latter case suffering several immigration checkpoints.

Looking forward to the weekend, LVC stopped by a cafe in Kuala Lurah with his friend Mr. "eMuon". He had his passport with him while at the table, reluctant to leave it in the car. In the midst of enjoying the fish: "But suddenly I felt the fish taste differently as soon as I discovered my passport and money pouch disappear from my back pocket," wrote LVC in a recent email. Distraught and upset, they quickly checked the car and scoured the area for the missing items.

Conceding defeat LVC decide to get back into Brunei, passing two Malaysian immigration officers who happened to be playing a game of chess -- LVC was feeling more upbeat and indeed they decide to let him through after he explained matters. But LVC was forced to turn back at the Brunei checkpoint for lack of a police report. It was 10pm on July the 1st.

There was little choice but to stay overnight in Limbang town. Once more they decided to check the curbs and alleys around the cafe for the passport in case the thief discarded it. In the course of this search, LVC meets the owner of the cafe and they decide to check the CCTV recordings. With a crowd of onlookers surrounding them, the rogue is caught on camera nudging the items from LVC's back pocket surreptitiously. The fellow is immediately recognised as a man local to the area. It was 11pm on July the 1st.

After wisely deciding not to confront the perpetrator LVC lodged a report with the police at 2am on July the 2nd and then spent a sleepless and fitful night in a hotel.

At 8:30am on July the 2nd LVC went back to the police station where he waited one hour whilst the sergeant attempted to determine who exactly was in charge according to the roster. Finally, the working detective was identified and the squad rolled out to investigate. In short order, the suspect was located, apprehended and taken into custody. He denied the allegations. The police eventually also got hold of the CCTV recordings. Around about this time, LVC's BCF teammates including the BCF president arrived in a show of moral support. At 4pm on July the 2nd, LVC lodged a formal charge with the police.

Surrounded with familiar faces, LVC was starting to cheer up. At 5:40pm LVC receives a call that his passport had been found by one of the workers near the cafe. Initially cautious, LVC rushed to the cafe and was ecstatically reunited with that important document.

An important tale, perhaps, on keeping one's passport safe. (The fate of the suspect is not known.)

(BCF)

Summaried from a 12-page A4-size original!