# Mukim Berakas 'A'

Mukim Berakas 'A' is a mukim in Brunei-Muara District, Brunei Darussalam. The population was 27,223 in 2016.

## Etymology

People from the Kampong Ayer used to travel to the Berakas to get firewood before resettlement. Only a jungle at that time, they wrapped the woods when they had gathered them. In Brunei Malay, the act of bundling the woods is known as berkas. As word spread about memberakas kayu (to gather firewood), Berakas was established as the location where people go.

## Geography

The mukim borders the South China Sea to its north, Mukim Mentiri and Mukim Berakas 'B' to its east, Mukim Kianggeh to its south, Mukim Gadong 'B' to its south-west, and Mukim Gadong 'A' to its west.

## Administration

Mukim Berakas 'A' encompasses the following populated settlements:
| Settlements | Population (2021) | Ketua kampung (2024) |
| Kampong Jaya Setia | 939 | Abdul Hafiz bin Haji Abdul Manan |
| Kampong Jaya Bakti | 402 | Abdul Hafiz bin Haji Abdul Manan |
| Kampong Burong Pingai Berakas | 586 | Abdul Hafiz bin Haji Abdul Manan |
| Kampong Orang Kaya Besar Imas | 1,059 | Haji Omar bin Haji Dollah |
| Kampong Pancha Delima | 1,548 | Haji Omar bin Haji Dollah |
| Kampong Pengiran Siraja Muda Delima Satu | 2,740 | Pengiran Roslan bin Pengiran Tuah |
| Kampong Serusop | 1,573 | Pengiran Roslan bin Pengiran Tuah |
| Kampong Lambak 'A' | 4,471 | Haji Brahim bin Haji Abd Rahman |
| Kampong Lambak 'B' | 3,760 | Pengiran Jofri bin Pengiran Haji Zaidi |
| Kampong Lambak Kiri | 2,521 | Awangku Aminur Aminuddin bin Pengiran Haji Mohd Salleh |
| STKRJ Lambak Kiri | 2,296 | Muhammad Redzuan Shah bin Haji Matali |
| Kampong Terunjing | 881 | — |
| Berakas Camp | 2,650 | — |
| Government Departments and Housing Areas | 734 | — |
| Brunei International Airport | 20 | — |
| Kampong Pulaie | 405 | Pengiran Wasli bin Pengiran Zohari |
| Kampong Anggerek Desa | 1,726 | Pengiran Wasli bin Pengiran Zohari |

## History

A vast 150 acres (61 ha) region was covered by Melabau communities, which included villages such as Kampong Tungkadeh and Kampong Berakas. Smaller villages including Baduk Sijanum, Bukit Galang-Galang, Sibukak, Pulaie, and a few more eventually joined the Melabau landscape, albeit many of them are now extinct. The Melabau people were able to establish a strong, cohesive society because of this large region.
In the late 1940s, Mukim Berakas was primarily made up of forest land. It took some time before additional people moved in; first, just the Kedayans resided here. In the 1950s, when they initially started settling in this region, lands in the Anggerek Desa and Burong Pingai were allotted under the first Kampong Ayer resettlement scheme. The mukim and Mukim Berakas 'B' were originally one mukim by the name 'Mukim Berakas' before being split into the current divisions in 1996.
Warta Mukim Berakas 'A' was launched on 29 January 1997 by the then Brunei and Muara District Officer, Dato Paduka Haji Mohd. Kassim. This newspaper displays news materials about the activities around Mukim Berakas 'A'. This newspaper is one of the information media for Penghulu and Ketua Kampong Mukim Berakas 'A' in highlighting the activities held, in addition to containing the histories and successes achieved by the villagers.

## Economy

Among the products and services worked in this mukim are woven cloth, making songkok, sweets, and welding. One of the businesses that often become the focus of this district is renting wedding dresses. One of the villages in this sub-district has also been selected to participate in the national-level Outstanding Village Award, which is the Village Consultation Council of the Kurnia Rakyat Land Scheme Jati Lambak Kiri. The village has introduced Tamu Lawak Oil products at the awards. This product has managed to get a lot of demand both from home and abroad where it is often used as a massage oil.
Mukim Berakas 'A' products have also been exhibited in conjunction with the departure of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah in conjunction with the Completion Ceremony for the Awarding of the Keys to the Children of Meragang Houses, Semi-detached Houses, and Terraced Houses in Tanah Jambu and Panchor (Mengkubau) under the National Housing Plan (RPN), and Semi-detached Houses and Terraced Houses in Mata-Mata (Katok 'B'), as well as Lugu Terraced Houses under the Land Scheme of the People's Gift of Brunei (STKRJ) for the Brunei-Muara District, on 24 January 2015. The exhibition was held at the home of the Ketua Kampong Pancha Delima/Kampung Anggerek Desa, namely Awang Haji Zulkifli bin Haji Awang Ya'akub who is also the Acting Ketua Kampong Orang Kaya Imas / Pulaie, that is right after awarding the children the keys to the house.

## Demography

As of 2016 census, the population of Mukim Berakas 'A' comprised 14,193 males and 13,030 females. The mukim had 5,186 households occupying 5,071 dwellings. The entire population lived in urban areas. According to the Preliminary Report of the 2011 Population and Housing Census (BPP), Mukim Berakas has 31,180 residents with 5,321 dwellings.
This mukim is also active in performing Bruneian Malay art such as berdong, poetry, poetry recitation, traditional dance, native Malay songs to defend and elevate the cultural dignity of Bruneians. Meanwhile, in order to instil a sense of patriotism towards the country, residents of Mukim Berakas 'A' have also held a Brunei Darussalam Flag Raising Ceremony in conjunction with the 29th National Day Anniversary Celebration which took place at the grounds of Datu Mahawangsa Lambak Primary School.

## Infrastructure

Berakas 'A' mukim also have facilities provided by the government, such as mosques, schools, clinics, water supply, electricity, telephones, and roads. The progress in terms of infrastructure in this sub-district also stands out with the presence of government buildings and various shopping centre buildings that are often the focus of the public.