Times Square Shopping Centre completed its third prize presentation for its seventh lucky draw campaign yesterday on 13th August 2017 at Times Square Atrium. Lucky Draw coupon holders were reminded to be present at the Lucky Draw presentation, along with their Identity Cards (IC) as proof of identity and their Lucky Draw coupons. Representatives were allowed, but they must bring along their own ICs, as well as the photocopy IC of the winner along with the original coupon.

A total of 23 prizes were given away yesterday, comprising of electronic gadgets, furniture, cash vouchers, hotel vouchers and hampers. The first 10 prizes were presented by Miss Mally Hadini, the general secretary of Times Square followed by another 10 that were presented by Mr Lim Yee Liang, the Marketing Manager. The remaining 3 prizes were presented by the General Manager of Times Square, Mrs Amal Majidah.

The final three lucky winners were Dk Mahani Pg Hj Mahari who won a Canon Powershot S100, followed by second place Mohd Hamzi who won a Samsung Galaxy Folder 2 and the grand prize; an Acer Aspire ES 1-432 went to Lim Sai Chyou.

Times Square Shopping Centre will again continue with its seventh lucky draw campaign and the next final prize presentation will be held on 12th November 2017. Customers can still stand a chance to win prizes for the upcoming presentation by simply spending at any of the shops in Times Square, Times Hotel and the Cineplex, then submitting their receipts at the lucky draw counter which is situated at the ground floor.

Moreover, Times Square will be holding a 3 on 3 Basketball Challenge: Students Edition from 4th to 10th September 2017. You may also find out about all upcoming events by visiting tsqbrunei.com or simply following Times Square Shopping Centre’s pages on Facebook and Instagram.

Press release from the Prime Minister’s Office. By command of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the Prime Minister’s Office hereby announces that His Majesty has consented to the establishment of the Competition Commission of Brunei Darussalam, an independent body that is mandated to promote business competition in Brunei Darussalam economic landscape through the enforcement of the Competition Order 2015.

His Majesty the Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam has also consented to the appointment of Yang Mulia Dato Paduka Eddie bin Dato Paduka Haji Sunny as the Chairman of the Competition Commission, together with six members of the Commission. The members are Yang Mulia Awang Haji Mohammad Azmi bin Haji Mohd Hanifah, the Permanent Secretary (Industry) at Prime Minister’s Office; Yang Mulia Dr Awang Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin, the Permanent Secretary at Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism; Yang Mulia Awang Haji Abdullah Soefri bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin, the Assistant Solicitor General at the Attorney General’s Chamber, Prime Minister’s Office; Yang Mulia Director General of Department of Economic Planning and Development (JPKE), Prime Minister’s Office; Yang Mulia Awang Mohammad Harris bin Brigadier Jeneral (B) Dato Paduka Haji Ibrahim, Head of FDI Action and Support Centre (FAST) Division, Prime Minister’s Office; and Yang Mulia Dr Joyce Teo Siew Yean, Assistant Vice Chancellor (Global Affairs), Universiti Brunei Darussalam.

The establishment of the Competition Commission of Brunei Darussalam and the appointments of the Chairman and members of Commission are effective from 08 Zulkaedah 1438H corresponding 01 August 2017M.

The objective of the Competition Order 2015 is to promote and maintain fair and healthy competition to enhance market efficiency and consumer welfare in Brunei Darussalam. In line with this, the Competition Commission will oversee and act on competition matters as mandated in the Order. This includes adjudicating anticompetitive cases and imposing penalties on companies found to infringe the Competition Order 2015.

The Competition and Consumer Affairs Department is established under the Department of Economic Planning and Development, to serve the Competition Commission as their investigative and administrative arms. The Department is also responsible in carrying out functions such as advocacy, receiving complaints and conducting market reviews.

Before the enforcement of the Order, a transitional period will be introduced. The transitional period will phase in after advocacy work in familiarizing and developing a competition-aware culture in Negara Brunei Darussalam has been carried out.

The Competition Order 2015 will be enforced in phases starting with the prohibition of anti-competitive agreements and practices. This phased approach serves to give all parties sufficient time to prepare for the orderly enforcement of this Order.

The introduction of the Competition Order 2015 and the establishment of Competition Commission of Brunei Darussalam underscores the efforts of the Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam in achieving a sustainable economic growth in line with the economic goals of Wawasan Brunei 2035. It also signifies the commitment of Brunei’s Government in fulfilment of the goals of the ASEAN Economic Community. The Competition Order 2015 is intended to address any competition-related concerns and maintain proper functioning of markets, provide certainty and enhance investors’ confidence, as well as an important safety net that safeguards the interest of local business players and consumer welfare.

Baiduri Visa Platinum Debit Card is now here in Brunei. I can’t wait to get my hands on this card 😀

Yusof bin Hj Hj Abdul Rahman, the Managing Director of Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (4th from left), the guest of honour with representatives from Baiduri Bank and Visa

Baiduri Bank unveiled the Baiduri Visa Platinum Debit Card at a launch event at The Empire Hotel & Country Club yesterday.

The guest of honour was Yusof bin Hj Hj Abdul Rahman, the Managing Director of Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam.

Also present was Mr. Pierre Imho, CEO of Baiduri Bank who said in his welcoming remarks that Baiduri Bank believe that our clients deserve only the best in life and hence they are proud to launch the Baiduri Visa Platinum Debit Card, a product that challenges the norms by enhancing daily conveniences while extending exclusive privileges to suit our clients’ lifestyles.

The newly launched card packs the best in market reads programme on top of the Visa payWave contactless payment feature and also on the spot card issuance and the card users can also enjoy the existing range of financial products, services and value-added benefits.

So what can you expect from being a customer of the Baiduri Visa Platinum Debit Card?

1) REAL TIME TRANSACTIONS

Customers to enjoy cashless convenience both locally or overseas as purchases on the Baiduri Visa Platinum Debit Card are deducted directly from an allocated Brunei savings or current account, eliminating the hassle of settling month end bills. Customers spend what they have and not beyond their means.

2) BEST IN MARKET REWARDS PROGRAMME

The Baiduri Visa Platinum Debit Card is linked with Baiduri Instant Rewards, the best in the market rewards programme that gives cardholders up to 4X bonus points with every purchase. There’s no expiry in accumulating points and the redemptions are also instant with no minimum required. You can enjoy over 2,000 participating merchant outlets in Brunei and just look out for the Instant Rewards logo.

3) INNOVATIVE VISA PAYWAVE FEATURE

Baiduri Visa Platinum Debit Card carries the Visa payWave solution. A breakthrough technology that allows customers to make purchase of BND 100 and below by a simple tap on the payment terminal. Awesome!! And you don’t need to sign. An SMS will notify for any transaction made on the card.

4) GLOBAL BENEFITS

Baiduri Visa Platinum Debit Card is accepted at millions of establishments worldwide and also over 700,000 ATMs in the Visa Global ATM Network. Cardmembers will also enjoy complimentary, 24/7 concierge service available worldwide and access to the Visa Global Exclusive Privileges.

5) ON THE SPOT DEBIT CARD ISSUANCE

For added convenience, applications for the new Baiduri Visa Platinum Debit Card can be fast tracked for on-the-spot card issuance. The service is available at Baiduri Bank’s Card Centre in Kiarong and selected branches including The Mall Branch, Sumbangsih Branch and Seria Branch.

6) ENJOY 5 YEAR ANNUAL FEE WAIVER

Until 31st December 2017, customers who apply for Baiduri Visa Platinum Debit Card can enjoy a 5-year annual fee waiver.

Officiating the launch yesterday

Pierre Imhof shared the new excitement of Baiduri Visa Platinum Debit Card

Imhof explaining the features of Baiduri Visa Platinum Debit Card and how it works on the terminal with its Visa payWave technology

Chris Skok, Senior Director, Product, Visa Singapore and Brunei (right) with Baiduri associates

Before I can get my own card, this huge debit card will do for now

6) WIN A TRIP TO PARIS FOR TWO

Between 9th August to the 30th November 2017, Baiduri Visa cardmembers stand a chance to win a curated trip for 2 to fabulous destinations all over the world namely Paris, Maldives or Tokyo. Furthermore, 5x consolation prizes of 2x return air tickets to exciting destinations are also available for grabs.

To be eligible, Baiduri Visa cardmembers simply need to use their Baiduri Visa Credit or Debit Cards when they shop. During the promotion period, Baiduri Visa cardmembers receive up to 3x lucky draw chances for every BND100 they spent using their Baiduri Visa Credit or Debit Cards.

Furthermore, those who apply for either a new Baiduri Visa Credit or a Debit Card will also receive a slew of sign up benefits. Successful applicants are entitled up to 3x chances in the draw. On top of this, new Baiduri Visa cardmembers enjoy a 5-year annual fee waiver as well as a 0% interest rate for the first 6 months when they transfer balances from their existing credit cards from other banks to their new Baiduri Visa credit card.

The Baiduri Visa Credit and Debit Card comes with an array of benefits, such as exclusive rewards and offers, easy instalment plans as well as ability to accumulate Bonus Points for the Baiduri Instant Rewards programme. With every purchase, customers enjoy Bonus Points, which in turn gets converted into Baiduri Dollars stored in the Instant Rewards card which can be used to redeem at any Baiduri merchant.

Terms and conditions of the promotion can be viewed on Baiduri Bank website at www.baiduri.com under the Promotions section, or on the Baiduri Bank mobile app – Baiduri Deals. For more information, customers may also contact the Baiduri Bank Customer Helpline at 2449666.

To be in the know of Baiduri Bank current promotions and events, the public can also like the official Baiduri Bank Group Facebook page or follow @baiduribank on Instagram and Twitter.

The upcoming ‘We Run KB’ is organised by Rosnah Yusof & Sons Entertainment (RYS Entertainment) and supported by the Kuala Belait & Seria Municipal Department. The run aims to promote fitness and wellbeing, to create more fun and healthy activities in Belait and to establish a connection in between the residents of the country and their community.

In addition to promoting Kuala Belait as a ‘Little Town with Big Hearts’, the event is also aimed at raising funds for various charities and organizations in the Belait District and to increase awareness for them.

‘We Run KB’ will take place in conjunction with KB Ku Ceria on 27th August 2017 in KB Town. The registration fee is at $20 for the 3km Fun Run, $25 for the 5km run and $30 for the 10km run. All participants of the run will receive a shirt, a bib, a finisher’s medal and a T4 drink voucher.

The categories are divided into male and female. The top three winners for both male and female of the 10km run will receive varying cash prizes at $500 for first place, $300 for the second place and $150 for the third place. On the other hand, the winners for both male and female of the 5 km run will receive $200, $100 and $50 for first, second and third place respectively.

Additionally, the flag off time for 10km, 5km and 3km are at 7am, 7:15am and 7:20am respectively. Participants are encouraged to drop off their bags at our bag storage service which opens at 6am in the morning on the event day.

Individuals who wish to register online can do so by visiting the company’s Instagram @RYSEntertainment, its Facebook at ‘RYS Entertainment’ or the company’s website at http://www.rys-group.com/we-run-kb.html.

As for those who wish to register via hard copy or make payment for the run, you can visit the RYS Entertainment office at Unit A3 & A4, First Floor, Block 1, Spg 114-22, Jln Setia Diraja, Light Industry Area, Kuala Belait from Monday to Saturday at any time from 8am to 5pm.

The closing date for registration and payment will be on 19th August 2017 and any registrations submitted after this date will not be accepted. For further enquiries and updates, call 7290700 or visit the company’s social media sites.

I love the simplicity of the t-shirts 😀 I can’t wait to get one

There’s also a registration for corporate ones and cheaper too

The route for 3KM

The route for 5KM

The route for 10KM

Edmund Hoh, Product Manager, Acer Malaysia, Richard Soo, Miri & Brunei Branch Manager, Acer Malaysia, Jeffrey Lai, Product Manager, Acer Malaysia, Roseanne Ho, Assistant Manager, Marketing, Acer Malaysia, Jerry Soon, Director of Sales, Acer Malaysia and Perry Chong, Kota Kinabalu Branch Manager, Acer Malaysia during the launch of “Be Cool Everyday” campaign from Acer at Le Meridian Hotel last Tuesday

A big thank you to Acer Malaysia for inviting the media from Brunei to witness a launch of Acer products at Le Meridian Hotel, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah last Tuesday. I’ve been always impressed with Acer’s innovation and consistency in producing wide range of products especially in the computer segment. Acer is one of the leading brand in Brunei Darussalam and it has a strong support system from Concepts Computer that customers have high trust on.

Last Tuesday as mentioned, Acer Malaysia held a special launch under the theme “Be Cool Everyday”, with the introduction of a host of exciting devices. Among the products are a new gaming line-up for powerful to casual gaming, as well as a range of lifestyle devices that adds a touch of style to work on the go and to home entertainment besides offering efficient computing. As you can see, it’s not just about technology but adapting to the current trend and lifestyle to the growing needs of end consumers.

Perry Chong, Kota Kinabalu Branch Manager, Acer Malaysia in his opening remarks

Jeffrey Lai, Product Manager, Acer Malaysia, gave an insights on the notebooks from Acer

Be Cool Everyday

Headlining the range of new products is the highly anticipated Predator Helios 300 which features Acer’s proprietary AeroBlade™ 3D fan, the latest iteration of the world’s thinnest metal blade fan for advanced aerodynamics and a whopping 35% increase in airflow performance, and Acer Nitro 5 with Acer Coolboost™ technology to deliver superior cooling ability. Both devices offer a thermal solution to manage heat and keep the system running optimally at a low temperature for awesome, smooth gameplay. The Predator 21 X, the world’s first laptop to offer a curved 21-inch IPS display is also on top of the list. This gaming laptop is taking Acer’s Predator brand position in gaming to a new level with its showcase of advanced technology and never-before seen innovation.

Acer Malaysia Kota Kinabalu Branch Manager, Perry Chong said, “Acer continuously offers products with meaningful innovations and superior performance, leading the industry with new technology and solutions that benefit customers. Our products are specially designed with users in mind; with improved usability to meet the real needs of our customers. We are extremely excited to introduce our gaming and lifestyle devices line-up with innovative features, including the all new 3rd generation of AeroBlade™ 3D fan, Acer Coolboost™ technology, Acer LiquidLoop™ fan-less cooling system and the world’s first curved screen laptop.”

I shall highlight three products that caught my eye during the launch.

Predator Helios 300 – A Highly Accessible Powerful Gaming Laptop

Predator Helios 300 – A Highly Accessible Powerful Gaming Laptop
The Predator Helios 300 is armed with a dual fan system that features the all new AeroBlade™ 3D Fan with the world’s thinnest metal fan blade at only 0.1 mm, to boost the thermal system and keeps the laptop running at optimal temperatures. With the preloaded PredatorSense application, gamers can monitor and control their gaming experience from one central interface. Featuring Windows 10, gaming is made better and more social than ever.

With an overclockable NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1060 GPU, 7th Gen Intel Core i7 (7700HQ) desktop processor and 8GB DDR4 at its core, Predator Helios 300 offers outstanding gaming and entertainment performance. This tastefully designed laptop comes with a fast 256 GB SSD and a 1TB HDD. The red metal chassis and iron red backlit keyboard provide a hardcore yet edgy look and feel to the Predator Helios 300.
Designed as a gaming device in mind, the Predator Helios 300 is ideally suited for first-person-shooter (fps) games. Its 15.6-inch FHD IPS display provides vibrant, vivid visuals, while Dolby Audio™ Premium and Acer TrueHarmony™ deliver immersive audio with crisp, rich surround sound quality. The Predator Helios 300 connects wirelessly through fast 2×2 802.11ac technology, and it includes a Gigabit Ethernet port for those preferring a hard-wired ultra-fast connection.

I would that The Predator Helios 300 is the next best thing for gamers and it’s quite affordable considering the specs given. It is priced at BND1,998.00 at Concepts Computer.

Acer H7850 Projector – Bring Cinematic Entertainment Home

Acer H7850 Projector – Bring Cinematic Entertainment Home
Featuring Ultra High-Definition (UHD) resolution, the Acer H7850 projects razor-sharp images on to screens of up to 120 inches (10 feet) and brings cinematic picture quality in to the home. With 8.3 megapixel on screen and TI XPR technology, the H7850 brings fine details of images to live.

The H7850 supports Acer’s proprietary AcuMotion technology that enhances picture clarity in fast-moving scenes and reduces motion-blur. Equipped with Acer’s ExtremeECO power-saving feature, power consumption can be reduced by up to 70% and lamp life extended by up to 15,000 hours.

The Acer H7850 is HDR-compatible (High Dynamic Range), reproducing a greater dynamic range of luminosity with expanded contrast and a wider range of brightness, producing true-to-life colours. The projector offers a DynamicBlack™ contrast ratio up to a whopping 1,000,000:1 thanks to its frame-by-frame analyzation and dynamic adjustments of lamp power for black-level optimization.

The H7850 also features a sleek, elegant design that was honoured with a Red Dot Award: Product Design 2017. Catering to a wider range of user preferences, the H7850 has a brightness advantage with a 3,000-lumens rating. It is also compatible with Rec. 2020 signals, the UHDTV standard for superior colour reproduction.

With a dimension of 398 mm X 297.5 mm X 127 mm and weighing 5.5 kg, the Acer H7850 is priced at BND2,998.00. This could be ideal for my entertainment room as I am huge movie fan.

The flight case for Predator 21 X – World’s First Curved Screen Laptop

Playing with the Predator 21 X and it’s estimated price is around BND 13,000 #gulp

Predator 21 X – World’s First Curved Screen Laptop
With an overclockable 7th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 processor, dual NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1080 graphic cards in SLI (Scalable Link Interface) and 64GB of DDR4-2400 memory, the Predator 21 X takes the AAA gaming experience to new heights. Offering an ultra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio, the laptop’s curved screen features NVIDIA® G-SYNC™ technology to ensure smooth and sharp gameplay.

The laptop also integrates Tobii eye-tracking technology which allows gamers to identify enemies, aim, and take cover simply by gazing at objects on the screen.

Featuring an advanced cooling architecture with five system fans, of which three are ultra-thin AeroBlade™ metal fans, the Predator 21 X is capable of keeping all its features running at optimal temperatures for super-smooth performance during intense gaming sessions.

A Taiwan Excellence Gold award winner, the Predator 21 X comes with a full-sized mechanical keyboard featuring Cherry® MX Brown switches for super-responsive tactile feedback and pure precision for fast and accurate gaming experiences. Its numeric keypad also touts a unique design that allows it to be flipped over and turned into a Precision Touchpad.

Tom of United Daily won a bag from Acer as part of the lucky draw

A big thanks to Richard Soo and Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer, for hosting the media in Kota Kinabalu

Dining at Welcome Seafood while in KK. Highly recommended and affordable too.

Jurumas – Champions of MK Group Cup 2017

Easyway, Easyway. Easy way. It was supposed to read three-peat in the headlines but it was not meant to be. Defending champions Easyway was dethroned by Juramas convincingly 113-99 in the final of the MK Group Cup aka Sultan’s Cup 2017 last Sunday.

Avery Scharer has been the man on fire in the tournament along with Justin Howard, both imports from Easyway. The former champions recorded the biggest scoring margin in the tournament when they beat CK & Associates 152-35 in the group stage. Avery even reached triple double scores during the semi-final game last Friday while Justin has been dominant on the boards averaging at least 20 rebounds and in the range of 30s for the points.

However, their efforts of 37 points (Justin) and 32 points (Avery) were not enough to topple the cohesive unit of Jurumas. Their opponent steamrolled in the first quarter and rushed to a 7-2 lead to set the pace. Even when Easyway found their way back to the game, Jurumas was very consistent in their field goal conversions.

It was not surprised that Jurumas closed the first quarter with a healthy lead of 36-24. It was the locals playing for Jurumas that made the difference. Efu (Aik Hock) and Esmond Tan had a very cohesive partnership while on court. The efficient Efu made some steals and created fast breaks which were converted successfully by Esmond.

The second quarter was a chance for Easyway to come back. They have the squad and the experience to do so. However, Jurumas’ game plan worked defensively. Easyway gave away too many turnovers and if I looked back now, this was the defining moment as Easyway couldn’t muster a comeback even with their depth of squad and experience. At half time, the score was 63-44 to Jurumas, thanks to Udun Osakue, Esmond and Efu combo.

Efu (Aik Hock) of Jurumas was instrumental in their defence

Avery Scharer of Easyway has been dominating the scoring charts and still continued his dominance in the finals but it wasn’t enough

1st Runner up – Easyway

2nd Runner up – YTE

Half time performance

The introduction of Geve Leones from the Easyway bench didn’t pay off. I truly admire him when he was on court a few years ago. He did his best last Sunday but couldn’t bring back same flair he had back then. He suffered a bad fall after clashing with Benjamin Lim in the final quarter but it wasn’t serious as it looked.

Coming to the 3rd quarter, I was hoping for a comeback, a miracle as I never liked a one-sided game. I wanted to see a competitive fight. I even heard that Avery changed back to this Kobe sneakers and sported a head band after half time. Who knows if that could changed things around.

The script remained the same as Jurumas maintained their tempo on the court. I was hoping to see more of the young talent Marcus on the court after missing many minutes in the first half. Appeared he did and he managed to get on the score board. Darren Chai was introduced to mark Udun but he had an ineffective defensively display against the on-form Udun. He was replaced after receiving two personal fouls in a space of a few minutes.

Carl Montgomery, another import of Jurumas, shined in the second half. He kept winning offensive rebounds and converting them along the way. His counterpart Justin Howard was struggling to cope with the pace and made it easy for Jurumas to win offensive rebounds.

I knew Easyway’s fate was sealed after the end of the third quarter as the score board read Jurumas 95 Easyway 73. Who could have predicted that scoreline? I was expecting a close fight. While Easyway imports still made an impressive scores, it was their local team mates that couldn’t deliver on the offensive. The locals including Geve Leones, Francis and Marcus Quirk combined only 30% of the points contributed where as Jurumas’ local players contributed 40% to the final score.

Udun Osakue of Jurumas was named MVP after scoring a game high 38 points while his team mate Carl Montgomery mustered 31 points. Esmond Tan was the highest local scorer with 18 points followed by Lim Liang Wei with 12 points.

It is back to the drawing board for Easyway to reflect back what went wrong in the finals. They may have dominated the tournament with their offensive display and high scoring games but it was Jurumas who earned the bragging rights as the champions of the Sultan’s Cup 2017.

Well done to Jurumas for their cohesive team work especially in defence. You deserved to be champions.

I would also like to thank Brunei Basketball Association especially Wira and coach Dragon for the info, logistics and hospitality. The event was well organised and I could see improvements from previous years. There are still room for improvements but this is already a good start. Keep it up!!!

The anniversary cake done by Mr. Baker’s Shop

His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman receiving a token of appreciation from Stephen Ong, Chairman of St Andrew’s School Board of Governors and Jane Keasberry, Principal of St. Andrew’s School.

St. Andrew’s School (SAS) alumni from as far as London, Hong Kong, Melbourne and Singapore, flew into the country to attend the school’s Diamond Jubilee Alumni Gala Dinner yesterday night at the Plenary Hall of International Convention Centre (ICC) in Berakas.

His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman, who were also former students of the school, graced the dinner.

Their Royal Highnesses were greeted upon arrival by Chairman of St Andrew’s School Board of Governors, Stephen Ong and Principal Jane Keasberry.

The colourful evening started with the welcoming address by the principal followed with another speech by Ong after which Their Royal Highnesses were ushered to the cake cutting ceremony to mark the event.

Keasberry in her welcoming address among others noted that the gala dinner is a platform for meeting up and reconnecting with former classmates, teachers and staff of the school.

She pointed out that with the formal schooling (foundational-secondary years) provided at SAS, each one of the students can testify to the strong foundation received from their alma mater.

“Education at SAS has made us what we are now with many of us serving and holding key positions in the community and contributing strongly to the development of Brunei Darussalam.”

SAS began with 70 boys and girls 60 years ago in January 1957 and it was founded by the late Reverend Canon Paul Chong En Siong who together with his daughters Margaret, Kathleen and Grace, were the first teachers in the makeshift “school”, at the back of the St Andrew’s church vicarage.

The Crown Prince’s former classmates

Her Royal Highness Princess Sarah’s former classmates

Singing the national anthem

Sharing a light moment during dinner

Their Royal Highnesses with Jane Keasberry

Former SAS students with Stephen Ong

With Cikgu Chong

Our junior, junior huhu

The happening table among the lot

Still best friends after a long time

Over time, the first chairman of the Board of Governors, Dato Ong Kim Kee generously donated a piece of land and the first set of classrooms with wooden floors and walls were built on this site and later with generous funding from parents and other kind individuals, more classrooms were added.

St Andrew’s School, with the hard work of the former and current Board of Governors, principals and senior management team, has grown to 1,710 students in strength with 106 teachers and staff, Keasberry said adding that it will continue to grow from strength to strength with continued support from the community.

The dinner also saw a slide show presentation as well as several stage performances including a tribute by the alumnus.

Their Royal Highness also consented to a group photo session with the Board of Governors and School Management team as well as a tour of the exhibition booths displayed at the hallway. Text courtesy of Lyna Mohd of Borneo Bulletin.

With our former teacher Normah

Our batch

Another junior of ours

Back in the late 50s

The performers from St. Andrew’s School

Singing the school song

Hello Elva. Here was where we sign our memories

Rano’s take: Definitely I had a great time catching with my buddies from my class with Pg. Anak Ali and Rashid @ Rupert and not forgetting our former teachers from the school, Mrs. Ong (Maths), Mr. Chong (Malay and now Deputy Principal), Ms. Normah (Malay) and ever bubbly Mrs. Shafee (history). It was good to see familiar faces though our batch didn’t turn up that much and I was amazed that some of the people that I know used to be in SAS.

Of course, the most sought for teacher was Mrs. Shafee and it was funny to see her frowning when she tried to recall her former student names, tracking back to the 80s and the 90s. For sure, she still remembers me as we tend to bump to each other once in a while or so. She definitely has touched many lives of our students and shaped to where they are now. A big thank you to all the teachers who played parts in our lives too.

The only person that I really wanted to see or meet was Mr. Koshy, our Maths teacher and also the Principal of SAS back then. He had the biggest cheers when his picture popped up on the screen. I hope he’s in good health.

Thank you, Stephen Ong, for your hospitality and we all had a wonderful evening. The legacy continues in St. Andrew’s School and I’m already seeing better things happening in SAS. Keep up the great work!!

Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer, announced great deals for Acer products. All you need to do is present an evidence of any milestone or landmark of 50 years

50 years is an amazing landmark in any context: 50 years of marriage, 50 years of service, and even 50 years old. It’s a golden landmark, and Concepts is eager to celebrate it with their customers. Which is why Concepts Computer is offering amazing deals for those with a 50 year landmark by offering great prices for 7 models of Acer notebooks to help honour the 50.

As portability and affordability are the keywords for the new IT era, these are also key in being able to adapt to many changing and demanding needs of Bruneian IT consumers, especially those over 50 years of age. Refueling a new era of IT usage is the resurgence of the older generation in trying out new technology, to fit into the ever changing landscape of a modern world. Therefore, these Acer laptops will include models with great performace and great portability; lightweight 13” notebooks, and even 17” workhorses, from very affordable Pentium Quad-Core performers, to powerful i7 workstation. Concepts Computers together with Acer will also be offering affordable desktops for those looking for a home work-station.

First on the block is the Acer Aspire ES1-432, available for $398, usual price $478. It’s a modest 14” notebook, perfect for educational purposes or as a general-use computer for the home office. With 4GB of RAM and 500GB HD space, the Acer Aspire ES1-432 can go through school or office work, while also be used for social media and general internet surfing. Next we have a multimedia notebook, with the 15” screen, it is perfect for watching movies and streaming Youtube videos, the Acer Aspire E5-575G will be available for $688 only, usual price $948. We also have the Aspire S5-371 available for $968, usual price $1,238, a very sleek and powerful notebook, only 13” and weighing barely over 1kg with6 hours battery life, the Acer Aspire E5-575G is the answer for ultra-mobility.

Concepts Computer and Acer will also be offering a trio of desktops; high-powered Intel i5 processors, 1TB HDD and build-in wireless internet connection, everything that can satisfy the desktop needs of user who are looking for a work-station for thei home office or for their SME business.

First for desktops is the Acer Aspire XC780-6400W10, available for $588, usual price $748, at $1,238. Next is the Acer Aspire TC-780-6400W10, another work-station available that can satisfy any office needs, cost is $668, usual cost $788. And lastly, the Acer Aspire XC-780-6400W10D, available for $688, usual price is $818. All 3 models will have an i5 Intel processor, enough power to keep-up with any workload in the office. And to make it convenient for our golden generation to do work, just for this special promo, Concepts will also have the large- screen and bright Acer KA241 24” monitor, availble for $178, a great combination with any of the previously listed desktops.

Check out the products from Acer that are discounted

Some notebooks have special discounts from $100 to $400 plus off

Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer said, “Concepts will always try to be in the forefront of the IT market in Brunei which is why we’re offering these models at great prices for the golden generation.” He continued, “The golden generation would benefit a lot from being IT savvy, giving them the ability to be connected to social media, even giving the chance to be a gamer, bringing them closer to the younger generations.”

Zul Abdul Rahman, Marketing Executive of Concepts Computer added, “With the help of Acer, we would like to bring the latest technologies into the Bruneian IT market at very affordable prices, without sacrificing quality. So this promotion was an easy decision to make.” Zul aslo added, “And with today’s society, technology is prevalent in everyday life, this is also a chance to offer our golden generation the best devices out there at very affordable prices.”

For more information on the other Acer models on offer for the golden generation, please call 2233551, 2233552 or 2233553, or visiti your nearest Concepts Computer showroom.

All smiles from Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer and Jacky Chang, President of D-Link International as Concepts Computer was handed the certification of Authorised Distributor of D-Link products at Brilliance Hall, Concepts Computer yesterday.

William Lin, a representative of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Darussalam, Jacky Chang, Vincent Pao and Alice Chan during the exchange of document

Yesterday marked a new milestone for Concepts Computer. Though we have seen D-Link products before in the local market, it never had an authorised distributor in the country.

Hence it was the first time for Brunei to recognized as a distributor and partnered with Concepts Computer as their distributor. Brunei became the last country in the ASEAN to have a local distributor. It was the hard work of Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer, to make this journey possible and he was very thankful to Mr. Jacky Chang, the President of D-Link International for believing in Concepts Computer to be the authorized distributor for Brunei market.

The signing ceremony between Concepts Computer and D-Link International took place at the conference room at Concepts Computer. It was signed between Vincent Pao and Jacky Chang. Also present to witness the signing ceremony were William Lin, a representative of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Darussalam and Alice Chan, the Financial Controller for Concepts Group of Companies.

This event was followed by speeches from Vincent Pao, William Lin and Jack Chang.

Did you know that D-Link is one of the top brands in Taiwan? It was founded back in 1986 and their core segment is more into networking solutions and it’s no surprise that they have worldwide recognition as leading networking company in SMB segment and Wi-Fi product shipment over the years.

Jacky Chang believed that there is a potential market in Brunei Darussalam as there is a generally high standard of telecommunications infrastructure and services. Let’s not forget that the mobile subscribers has increased to 111% in 2016 from 2015 and this means internet penetration also increased.

Hence, the products that D-Link offer are relatable to our local market. They have various of consumer products such as 3G/4G routers, wired and wireless routers, IP cameras, range extenders, powerline, smart home solutions to name a few.

Now if you are looking for SMB products, then there are devices such as managed and smart switches, surveillance solutions, unified service routers and structured cabling solutions and accessories.

The partnership between Concepts Computer and D-Link will create opportunities to grow in the Brunei market and sees Concepts Computer as one-stop-shop for networking solutions. Jacky Chang praised Concepts Computer with the confidence that they will be able to deliver the service to their customers.

Jacky Chang praised highly of Concepts Computer during his welcoming remarks and trusts that D-Link will grow with the support of Concepts Computer

Vincent Pao is always up to date with the technological trends. He ended with someone’s quote “if opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door”

Representatives from Concepts Computer and D-Link International (Singapore)

Darren Ng demo-ing the products to the invited guests yesterday

What products to look out when it comes to D-Link.

D-Link’s DCS-5030L. A peace of mind with 24/7 monitoring of any environment. It provides a good range of features to help you monitor large areas of your home or small office anytime, anywhere effectively. Of course it can be linked to your mobile through an app and this makes it easy for users to easily set up the D-Link IP camera in no time.

This camera is a standalone surveillance camera that requires no special hardware or software, and can run independently even without a computer. You can even select areas of the video image to monitor for motion, allowing you to effectively monitor areas such as entryways.

The smart thing is that you can set volume thresholds to determine the sound level required to trigger a notification. An example could be a sound of a vehicle or even a crying baby. It also powered by infrared LEDs which allow for night time viewing up to 5 metres. Awesome!!

This is a highly recommended camera and it’s only BND 148 at Concepts Computer.

Darren highlighting the D-Link IP Cameras which come in handy

D-Links AC1200 Wi-Fi Range Extender. If you have a problem of poor connection in your room or home because your router is not strong enough, then the AC1200 Wi-Fi Range Extender might be your life saver. It is a portable plug-in repeater that lets you extend your existing wireless network. The good thing is the device is quite small but it packs a punch when it comes to wireless strength.

The AC technology can give you a blazing fast WIF Speed that’s up to 12000MBps and with the dual band, it helps to reduce interference from nearby wireless transmitters at home. Another plus point is that it provides backward compatibility with older wireless devices in your network and makes the wireless connection more reliable.

There is also a built-in Gigabit Ethernet port should you want to connect with a cable. This device is easy to use and it’s more like plug and play. The AC1200 Wi-Fi Range Extender is only BND 75 at Concepts Computer.

Check out the Wi-Fi Extender Ranger.

They are small but provides excellent coverage

D-Link’s DIR-895L AC5300 Tri-Band MU_MIMO Wireless Router. This was the most eye catching device at the display area during the launch. It’s red and it’s huge too. This router delivers premium performance and it is to cater to today’s most demanding tasks such as HD Streaming, gaming and multiple device usage. With speed up to 5.3Gbps, tri-band connectivity, AC SmartBean technology, eight high performance external antennas for maximum range and a new user interface, now your home network coverage will be upgraded to the next level.

The in-built SmartConnect technology ensures that wireless clients are connecting to the nest wireless signal automatically so that you can experience the most stable connection. It’s also built based on the latest AC WAVE II standard, let users enjoy lag-free time and seamless internet experience.

Just imagine you want to stream youtube or your latest favourite show, Game of Thrones, or perhaps you want play a multiplayer game online, the DIR-895L is the best choice. The tri-band connectivity makes multi-tasking seamless.

It’s easy to set up as we’ll and they even have an app for this device. It’s so straight forward that you can set up a secure network with the touch of a button using Wi-Fi Protected Setup. With its clear interface and easy navigation and configuration, end users will truly appreciate its user friendliness.

The DIR-895L is available at Concepts Computer for BND 448.

D-Link’s DIR-895L