Brunei’s adoption of hardline sharia laws signals shift to China, turn away from West: observers

The country’s implementation of strict sharia laws during a weakening economy signals a shift towards investments from China, observers say

As in many other parts of Asia, Chinese companies are investing huge sums in the absolute monarchy, part of an infrastructure drive aimed at extending Beijing’s economic and geopolitical clout

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Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. Photo: Reuters

Published: 8:02pm, 2 Apr 2019Updated: 9:50am, 4 Apr 2019

Brunei’s imposition of strict sharia laws, including death by stoning for gay sex and adultery, is a bid by the country’s ruler to boost support among conservatives and highlights a shift towards China at a time of weakening economy, observers say.

The tough punishments, which also include amputation of a hand and foot for theft, will come into force on Wednesday when a new penal code is fully implemented after years of delays.

The decision to move ahead with the laws has sparked a global outcry, with the United Nations branding them “cruel and inhumane” and Hollywood actor George Clooney leading calls for Brunei-owned hotels to be boycotted.

By making his country the first in East or Southeast Asia to introduce a sharia penal code on a national level, analysts believe all-powerful Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is seeking to burnish his Islamic credentials among conservative supporters at a time the economy is weakening.

Brunei to impose death by stoning for gay sex and adultery

The Muslim-majority nation’s implementation of punishments that may scare off Western businesses also signals a shift towards investment from China, which typically refrains from criticising trading partners on human rights, observers said.