The English daily announced on its front page that today’s edition would be its last.
“The Brunei Times no longer has sustainable resources to continue its media and publication operations and the company’s Board of Directors have agreed that the best course of action is to close down the paper,” the front page announcement read.
“This is due to business issues, reporting and journalistic standards that should meet the mark set, and also issues relating to business sustainability, especially in the face of considerable challenges from the alternative media.”
Owned by Brunei Times PLC, the paper was offered on a complimentary basis until July 16, 2006, later moving to a compact broadsheet format in 2010.
According to The Bangkok Post, the daily’s closure will likely result in the loss of 130 jobs.
Brunei Times is one of the small sultanate’s several leading newspapers which has been criticised by international press freedom NGO, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) for its “self-censorship”.
“Self-censorship is the rule for journalists working for state-owned Radio Television Brunei and for the leading (officially independent) newspapers – the Borneo Bulletin, The Brunei Times and Media Permata,” read the NGO’s official summary of Bruneian press freedom.