Brunei’s Rule on How to Submit Government Forms ‘In Duplicate’ with an Odd Specificity

In Brunei Darussalam, there is a local lore about an oddly specific bureaucratic rule involving the submission of official government documents. According to this rule, certain forms must be submitted “in duplicate,” but not just as straightforward copies. The instructions reportedly go into great detail, specifying that the two copies must be bound together with a green string, arranged so that the duplicate sits directly behind the original, and both must be signed on every third page using blue ink only. Although openly peculiar, these requirements are said to be rooted in maintaining a high level of record integrity and uniformity across government offices. While no current official document publicly outlines these exact specifications, anecdotes from local office workers suggest the practice persists in some departments as a traditional method dating back to earlier days of the civil service. This quirky rule highlights the unique character of administrative customs in Brunei, blending thoroughness with cultural formality. Whether fully enforced today remains uncertain, but it remains a conversation starter for those intrigued by the world’s more particular bureaucratic traditions.