Inside the Grandeur of Istana Nurul Iman: The Home of the Sultan of Brunei

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[@megaprojects9649]

Get 25% off Blinkist premium and enjoy 2 memberships for the price of 1! Start your 7-day free trial by clicking here: blinkist.com/megaprojects23

[@alizaidanthamyeez740]

consider doing a video on the worlds first truly floating city that's currently being built in Maldives to combat sea level rise

[@AArdW01f]

My grandpa rented a house in the UK that belonged to this guy in the 70s and 80s. Dude literally let them keep any furniture they liked. We still have it. It's gorgeous stuff.

[@danieltyborowski9977]

It makes sense to get rid of the furniture the peasants sat in.

[@JnixMarshel]

@@danieltyborowski9977 😂

[@AArdW01f]

@daniel tyborowski Oh ofc. Pro tip tho if you ever hand out with rich royals from that part of the world. Compliment their watch. They are basically obligated to give it to you if do.

[@AshLilburne]

@@AArdW01f I'll give that a try next week

[@stevoc9930]

@@AArdW01f I'm flying into Brunei for the Sultan's next Birthday. I'm going to compliment him on everything he owns.

[@martinstallard2742]

2:29 little country: big history 4:14 tiny kingdom, enormous palace 7:15 the palace lifestyle 8:48 more than just a palace

[@swampfox984]

I wish he would let someone document his cars. There are some really important and rare cars he owns.

[@abarratt8869]

The amusement park was called Jerrodung Playground and was pretty amazing. I went there once, it was nearly empty, free, with infinite ride time if you wished. All gone now I think.

[@meteorride9628]

The jerudong park is still there and well kept

[@nadzireenib2776]

@@meteorride9628 I think he's mentioning during JB days. Good ol' 90s

[@archstanton6102]

Park is there but costs now. Also a water park there.

[@megaprojects9649]

Woah.

[@EmilyJelassi]

Have you done a Biographics or Geographics on (the Sultan of) Brunei yet? I would watch that.

[@maplesyrup7959]

First time since Buckingham Palace, somebody's shack 🏡 is now featured on Megaprojects 😂😂 Yes, extreme sarcastic joke intended

[@BeardedKemosabe]

He was my customer for many years. He has gold plated stuff like you wouldn’t believe.

[@5chr4pn3ll]

I am continually impressed by this channels dedication to keeping those ceramic cactuses in focus, above the host of the show.

[@animefallenangel]

I grew up in Brunei until I was 10 years old (live in the UK now) and have visited the Istana a number of times during their open days. It really is stupidly opulent, and as "mere public" we were heavily railroaded in where we could go. I do remember receiving a gold-yellow plastic box filled with cakes and sweets with the royal crest in gold embossing on the lid as a gift (my mum always kept our green envelopes though...). Another thing to add about the royal family; it really is a cult of personality. Every Bruneian's house has framed portraits of the Sultan and his wives in the main room of the house, or in every reception room if you're a particularly wealthy family. The media is also state-controlled, so the news very carefully curates the image of the Bruneian royal family to the public. Absolutely no dissident content is aired against the Sultan as far as I can remember, and I don't think the full extent of Prince Jefri Bolkiah's misdemeanors were ever reported in the country unless you had access to international news outlets. No one in the country publicly speaks out against the government or the royal family, and my experience with the state housing for low-income families is...adequate. But we were a two child family, living in a small two bedroom single story flat. Most families in Brunei have 3+ kids and are cramped in their houses unless the parents are able to buy bigger houses. I have one aunt who has about 10 kids (no joke) and they lived in a three bedroom house the last time I visited them. So yeah, whilst the people are "provided for", for most it's the barest minimum.

[@sirfer6969]

He's a standing joke in the rest of the world. Where I live the term "Sultan of Brunei" means an idiot with too much money

[@buj1387]

What? 3 bedroom house for 10 kids??!! How outrageous!! A no room trailer park home might be better then? LOL Talk about being entitled and ungrateful.

[@buj1387]

​@@zinussan50 If you think a family with 10 kids living in a 3 bedroom home is poor then it seems you don't know what being poor really mean. Compare to a lot of the really poor in Malaysia and the UK who don't have much of anything a family having a 3 bedroom home is a blessing for the vast majority of middle-income families in Malaysia and the UK itself, in fact for any family all over the world.

[@zinussan50]

@@buj1387 yeah. People like me don't know anything about that.

[@buj1387]

@@zinussan50 Why do you delete your original comment then? The one I responded to where you claim you thought Bruneians are so rich that that was the first time you read a family living in a 3-bedroom home is poor? That is just so disingenuous. As I said a 3-bedroom home is good for any family no matter how big. No government in the World would provide a 12-person family unit with a 10 or more bedroom mansion just to accommodate them. Almost everything else that is essential for a quality life is free or almost free so what more can they want from the government?

[@UkDave3856]

It goes to prove that having money doesn’t necessarily mean having taste

[@ignitionfrn2223]

0:45 - Start roll ads 2:30 - Chapter 1 - Little country , big history 4:20 - Chapter 2 - Tiny kingdom, enormous palace 7:20 - Chapter 3 - The palace lifestyle 8:50 - Chapter 4 - More than just a palace

[@jeraldbaxter3532]

It's frustrating, how much time is devoted to ads for sponsors, not just on this channel, not just on KZbin, but in life in general. I know, there's no such thing as a free ride and bills have to be paid. It's a (sad) fact of life; I have to accept it, but I don't have to like it. I've noticed lately, that my KZbin feed keeps offering the same videos, over and over again, no matter how often I "refresh" the feed; a plot to get me to upgrade to "KZbin Prime's" service? Well, when I first signed up for the internet, I was offered, but declined ( my pension is small), the option of paying for ad free service, so who knows? The older I get, the more I realize that there are the little day - to day conspiracies out there; no wonder the big conspiracy theories are so seductive. Now, excuse me while I go make a hat out of tinfoil 😉

[@ImmortalDestructor]

@@jeraldbaxter3532 I suggest using uBlock Origin and SponsorBlock to greatly improve your KZbin experience

[@danb2529]

During the late 80's and early 90's he was buying hundreds of cars produced by Rolls-Royce every year. I mean, sure he has a huge garage, but what do you do with all these cars ? Most of them probably just got parked and never moved an inch since they were delivered. Well, at least it provided employment and income for hundreds of workers I suppose.

[@stephanekaufmann411]

Compulsive buying by a very rich ugly little man… Talk about overcompensating

[@darrengreen7906]

Rich people buy luxury vehicles mostly for investments.

[@aubreysong]

Some people I know loves to collecting miniature cars, especially antique ones. The different is, The Sultan of Brunei has money to collecting cars in the real sizes 😂 Rare limited edition luxury cars can be an investment. Rich people toys.

[@asmeromabel]

Cars are not investments because the depreciate in value over time

[@archstanton6102]

Lived in Brunei for 4 1/2 years. There is NO criticism of the Royal Family at all from the locals.

[@RiichanTV103]

If you speak with the right people, you'll find out.

[@norainibakar4672]

No

[@terrafirma5327]

Simon, could you do a followup video on how the Sultan and others perpetuate the oil industry to maintain their wealth?

[@LloydWaldo]

This is definitely an interesting topic. Maybe not on this channel, but I will think about it for another channel.

[@terrafirma5327]

@@LloydWaldo Makes sense. Thanks for hearing it out :)

[@Mrgunsngear]

Thanks

[@patrickjordan2233]

Now we know Simon's life goal/dream residence aspirations? Would explain the 10,000 channels goal? 🤔🤔😂🤣😂

[@Jayjay-qe6um]

Sultans and Kings from the past would only dream of this palace.

[@massukandiwahid2385]

Thank you for this video about my country and The Sultan of Brunei.It's amazing.

[@stephensmith3111]

Once again, cue The Rutles: 🎶 All you need is cash . . . 🎶

[@louistheroux530]

Despite being an ancient dynasty, their taste is so nouveau riche....

[@Tyler_Owen23]

They weren’t rich until the late 30’s. So they could never afford to have “taste until recently.. Back before the British came the sultan actually wore thread bare clothes and actually fell through the floorboards of his stilt “palace”, which was just a very large shack on stilts.

[@temaswati-dlamini]

What is old money taste then ? pls give examples

[@VPoje]

The Grand Nagus in real life!

[@samsmith2635]

Lives by the Rules of Acquistion

[@nunya___]

At points the music was so loud I couldn't clearly hear what you were saying.

[@bankerdave888]

No matter how rich, they all die at the end

[@companymen42]

If I was that rich, we’d already have commercial nuclear fusion and an international moon base. But to each their own I guess 😅

[@vladsnape6408]

0:30 You would have to be extremely strong to "walk off" with a supercar.

[@XYGamingRemedyG]

It can't buy taste but it can buy materials and you can just show it off like a giant pissing contest. Y'know. Whatever.

[@CyberspacedLoner]

Perfect Inequality has been the goal for 40-48 years

[@jeraldbaxter3532]

One could say that perfect inequality has been a goal for the last few million years, things have just gotten more complicated, more sophisticated since the days of the primordial swamp.

[@mfm7234]

Loving the collection of hearsays & rumours 😂

[@boldandthebeautifulgimbal2881]

0:01 Simon’s studio decor.

[@Conoclast]

Would definitely watch a video on the Sultan of Brunei by Simon Whistler actually... ;P

[@edwardbughiuc100]

you're right, money can't buy style.On the contrary in this case

[@Happymali10]

The sad part is that apparently one of his "remote" garages fell into abandonment/disrepair for some reason at one point, meaning about 100 supercars and vintage cars rotted away in hot humid climate. Also he bought 3 Bugatti EB110 and forbade ANYONE from driving them, and since he bought the first three ever made Bugatti had to build 4 to get one for testing/presentation.

[@nigelyorkshiremanwadeley6263]

So a dictator actually can look after his subjects and give them a decent life...?

[@adamcheklat7387]

Yup. That’s called enlightened absolutism.

[@wendywoo7031]

Yeah... this came on while I was working yet more overtime to make ends meet. Don't think I'll finish listening. Sorry Simon

[@RiichanTV103]

I love Simon and the fact he knows my country is just wow. Coz it's so rare for people to know Brunei. One time I went to London and I was a bit confused about paying the amount at the cashier and the cashier lady asked me where I was from and she was like 'Brunei?' lol. But as much as I am happy you know Brunei, I don't like living here very much. Everything is expensive and everyone is broke. We don't pay tax sure but everything is expensive it's like we're paying tax. Sure hospital is free but it's very half hearted and the medication doesn't even work. We can't make money from KZbin at all and can't go online shopping for cheap stuff. People literally go on a 3 hour road trip to miri, a Malaysian boarder, just to get cheap stuff. Houses, apartments and rooms for rent are unbelievably unaffordable. So we all have cramp our lives and enduring toxic family behavior. A lot of local business close down because it's just too expensive to bare. While the royalties live very comfortable lives, the citizens are struggling. People literally blindly follow royalties like they're famous or whatever. Sure I am grateful I live here, but I guess every country has it's flaws.

[@scottwithington9933]

You have a beautiful wild betta fish. The Brunei beauty.

[@thepartypotatopooper6354]

with only 5% in poverty and no income taxes,sounds like monarchy does work in Brunei

[@weirdshibainu]

Basketball playing cockatoos? Now that's what I call having bank.

[@michaelpipkin9942]

Did you say Abe Lincoln? Nah, man. I said HEY BLINKIST.

[@Tuw4k]

And as someone who has lived in Brunei his whole life, I absolutely do not trust anyone else to run this country other than him.

[@IronWolf_345]

You must be one of the rich ones there.

[@bentolinmaddox9806]

@@IronWolf_345 everyone is rich. You’re grievance politics have no power there

[@dayangmarikit6860]

@@IronWolf_345 Didn't you watch the video?... Brunei has 5% poverty rate and they also have a trust fund which the government manages. This gives them some of the highest savings in the world upon retirement.

[@aubreysong]

@@IronWolf_345 Brunei has the lowest national debts in the world. Outstanding healthcare and education. And the sorounding neighbors countries just like my country, Indonesia, really respect The Sultan of Brunei.

[@bree_glitter2377]

They need democracy

[@denisecorzette1676]

👋Simon

[@hnd450]

I just Wana see his car collection lol

[@piusx8317]

Looks like a hotel in Vegas 😂

[@jaimeparis5640]

The palace didn't cost half of his net worth. He's worth 30-87 billion dollars. The palace only cost 1.5 billion dollars.

[@rbilleaud]

Yeah, now, but maybe he was worth less when it was built.

[@maschwerer]

Are those cars maintained or just rotting away? 😢

[@eaphantom9214]

Given how many there are, no guarantee any 1 of them would start when he got round to that particular 1! 😂

[@djdrack4681]

IF they were: somebody is getting paid full-time to just maintain/organize the damn giant room housing all the car keys...cuz no doubt they wouldn't be trusted enough to just keep them in cars.

[@CreamyBone]

You should definitely keep doing the gaping mouth thumbnails... I hear they make view numbers explode

[@MrLeo2A6]

WOW 54 stairwells

[@Valaryant.]

To be completely honest, I find the building quite ugly, I don't see anything grandiose or magnificent, just very big and tacky.

[@MichaelEilers]

It was built in the 80s, of course

[@chrism6880]

How did the make 2,000,000 squares per foot? Those are tiny squares

[@mbathroom1]

1000th view and 100th like!

[@Ashannon888]

The sultan is the example of how an absolute ruler can actually be a good ruler. Yes, there are issues in Brunei but to the people there, they don't seem to care. So are they truly issues ot them or just to non-natives looking in?

[@jenat82]

Who the hell would wanna live in that place?! No way, absolutely no way. lol

[@eaphantom9214]

What you can enjoy when you're 1 of the Ultra richest of the ultra rich and the absolute controller of a country Kim Jong Un and King Bin Salman must be looking on in envy!

[@lychiadventures8231]

Living in the country my whole life, i think Brunei Darussalam is the best country EVER! a Malay Islamic Monarchy , peaceful, low crime, best welfare, free educations, free healthcare , a little to no tax, low housing loan, its people are friendly and tightly knit with the Bruneian culture and moral values ,no political bullsh!t and never stick its nose on the matters of other countries , the list goes on. The current sultan is possibly the best leader to date in its 800+- years history and his people loves him and the royal family. Sadly the "haters" like to nit pick the lies and "scandle" like their countries and leaders are better themselves. So stop listening to the hypocrite media and come to Brunei Darussalam to experience it yourselves. note : most of the visuals in this vid are frickin' OLD.

[@DUHOVED_FOR_RELAX]

*꧁ 😍🧚🏼 Obrigado 👌 Bom vídeo.. 👍 Tudo ótimo 👍 ꧂*

[@EPeltzer]

FOCUS please. Your camera is not focusing on Simon half the time, but rather on the background. For a camera that is clearly sitting on a tripod I'm surprised that you're not just using manual focus on these shots. It surprising because this channel seems to have quite a few subscribers and the production value is generally decent. And this is certainly far from the only video on this channel where this occurs.

[@borikabinder-km8og]

❤❤❤😊😊😊

[@oneilbuchanan8377]

Buckingham palace has nothing on this apparently nor the Palace of Versailles

[@chroniccycles9424]

Man between Simon and Joe Rogan idk who I listen to more

[@aaronmills4238]

Imagine being this guys daughter or son

[@natasmedia]

Imagine getting a billion dollars in cash for your 18th birthday

[@borikabinder-km8og]

❤❤❤🥰😘😘😘

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

7:33 Whitney Houston? Looks like Maria Carey to me. 🙂

[@jjfromthebigland781]

Actually starts at 2:20

[@hpaulbryant729]

"Rosebud"

[@dwaynefoley1020]

I’ve been on his plane and even the servants seats make 1st class seem like it’s for peasants

[@alizaidanthamyeez740]

consider doing a video on the worlds first truly floating city that's currently being built in Maldives to combat sea level rise

[@mro4ts457]

I’m jealous af. No lie😂

[@GreeseMonkie1998]

Is Simon just sitting next to a useless door? Is that a prop door?

[@cassandra5390]

stop the video @9:31 and look at the image, his face, his eyes, look. what do you see?

[@joshuagarnham9703]

Brunei is a stunning example of when dictatorships actually work out for all involved.

[@WaywardVet]

I have no love for people like this. But I'd be tempted to take a security job there. Nothing shown holds any value to me. Wouldn't steal anything because I don't care about stupid... I mean, uh, classy stuff. Just kit me out with my choice of armor and weapons, I'll play guard dog.

[@KocourMiki]

2:30 - video starts

[@eedobee]

Good and upright persons have no dealings with this slave state.

[@daviddevlogger]

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were to go through our life without any obstacles, we would be crippled. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. Give every opportunity a chance, leave no room for regrets

[@overdoseproductions9011]

Yea I wanna struggle after achieving financial independence 😂

[@terryarmbruster9719]

Money can buy taste... There's such a thing as a tongue transplant lol

[@rossharper1983]

Looks tacky AF. Jealous of the Zoo though.

[@Tential1]

17000 cars....

[@iantownsend4378]

For a laugh look at his brother

[@animefallenangel]

Jefri's a disgrace. His other brother Prince Sufri is very reserved and quiet, though is a patron of the sports.

[@sayharris1361]

Talk about a way to throw away money

[@brianredban9393]

No way his plane is more secure then Air force one no way

[@pavelmacek282]

Interesting how even in a country with so much wealth and available resources compare to some other places, there are still 5% people living in poverty...

[@user-ze3xs6ht2r]

At least there's no homeless, and I'm one of that 5% dude but I'm still happy to live in this country

[@haleemlim5894]

Try to produce number of homeless? Starved and beggar video of local. Worldwide media: 0 cases. Full stop

[@vman7321]

Meanwhile in the Ballroom, a band is blowing Dixie, double four time

[@chlorineismyperfume]

Yeah, but is he happy?

[@stevesunil8356]

8:00

[@nathank4708]

His ears remind me of Dum bo.

[@rgerber]

Michael Jackson had a concert there ....now it all makes sense.... just invite him there i got the money

[@sceema333]

For something that cost such a huge assload of money, it looks a bit shit

[@Wotun]

So he's a benevolent dictator

[@benjaminclark4030]

Who says there is no such thing as a good dictator, huh?

[@T-h-a-t_G-u-y]

Very materialistic for a Muslim man

[@ZAli-jt9es]

$20000 USD haircut looking no better than a 1 dollar haircut.

[@christinebenson518]

It does look better than Zuckerberg's.

[@michaelborror4399]

Well I must of been paying attention on and off for the first fifteen seconds anyway.

[@Mbartel500]

Not impressed…

[@UNUSUALUSERNAME220]

It looks like Las Vegas threw up all over Brunei.

[@thenbenagcz3931]

But is no income tax in Burnai meanwhile politicians in US 😅😅😅

[@Remixthisgaming]

Thi is what we mean when we say billionaires shouldn't exist

[@fajarn7052]

Oh well, as long as he pay his zakat according to his wealth, I have no problem with it.

[@henrytudor8537]

10:40 Brunei ranks 47th in the world for Human Development Index at 83.8%. Where do you get your facts from?

[@6ixConfessions]

I can't help but wonder why, with an obscene amount of wealth at his disposal, there are still around 5% of Brunei's people living in abject poverty.

[@haleemlim5894]

With 0 egg zero cases recorded of homeless/ starvation/ beggar at the street of brunei proven. Save this facts for reference

[@abdulrahmanazahari8868]

Bad mistake by describing HRH authorcratic dude. If you dont know the actual why the reason his administration is like that,please dont be the judge n the executioner on a person that is loved by his subject.