Warning: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in /home/rano365/public_html/wp-content/themes/yoo_nano2_wp/warp/systems/wordpress/helpers/system.php on line 61
Rano360.com

Kia Stinger

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in automative

 


The new Kia Stinger
 

Grand Motors Sdn Bhd, the exclusive distributor of Kia vehicles in Brunei Darussalam recently launched a powerful all-new fastback sports sedan – the KIA STINGER. It was first unveiled at the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Kia’s powerful new fastback sports sedan channels the spirit of historic grand tourers – powerful, elegant vehicles capable of moving their owners in style, at speed. At every stage of development, the Stinger has been designed and engineered to be the perfect gran turismo. The car features a head-turning aesthetic, ample room to accommodate five occupants and their luggage, a stable, unruffled ride, and nimble handling with engaging, rear-biased power delivery.

In Brunei, the Stinger will be available with a choice of two engines: a 2.0-liter turbo gasoline engine (255 ps power output, and 353 Nm maximum torque) and a 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6. The 3.3-liter engine produces 370 ps with a maximum torque output of 510 Nm, and accelerates from 0-to-100 kph in 5.1 seconds – making it the fastest accelerating and most powerful car Kia has ever produced.

The Kia Stinger is available in rear-wheel drive and equipped with a range of active safety systems, an electronically-adjustable suspension system (Dynamic Stability Damping Control), and a five Drive Mode Select system.

The Stinger is the result of years of dedicated design and development work. “The Kia Stinger represents a number of firsts for Kia Motors. Not only is it the brand’s first fastback sports sedan but it is also Kia’s first truly dedicated, and the highest, performance model to date. Countless decisions regarding design and engineering were made during the car’s conception in order to generate true heart-pounding performance,” said Mr Frankie Ho, Managing Director of Grand Motors during the launch last 7 October.

Kia Stinger is a product of passion. Designed and engineered to head-turning perfection, the Stinger represents the realization of a longstanding dream for Kia’s design team. With an eye-catchingly stunning design and groundbreaking performance, the Stinger marks a turn in design direction that Kia has never taken before. World renowned Kia big names including Peter Schreyer, Gregory Guillaume and Albert Biermann have laboured over the vehicle’s conception for years and there is no doubt that the final outcome of their collaboration has brought the Kia brand to another level.

For more information, visit our showroom in Beribi or call 261 3888 Ext 241 to book for test drive. Follow us in facebook or instagram @kiabrunei to know more details about our products and upcoming promotions.

 

 


He didn’t have much impression of Kia until he test drove the Kia Stinger. He was impressed and surprised with the specs.
 


Media test drive yesterday at Roasted Sip
 

Rano’s take: Freaking awesome!!! Who would have thought this monster can come from a Kia. The design itself have created a lot of comments when I posted on my IG and I know this car is gonna be a hit. During the launch last weekend, there are already two Kia Stingers on the road and Grand Motors Sdn Bhd has open for pre-orders. The other two units will be for the showroom and also for test drive.

I had the opportunity to test drive the Kia Stinger and it has what it takes to be competitive in their segment of twin turbo cars. It feels that Kia is breaking its tradition and entering the European segment. It’s quite responsive especially with the different driving modes available. I used the comfort and sports mode of course. Oh yea, not to forget the launch control 😀

Handling was good as well on sports mode. I feel safe while speeding (within speed limits :p). Ok, the Kia Stinger is powerful and fast. It doesn’t feel fast even though I was driving at 100kph. Go for a test drive and you will know what I mean 😀 Verdict: I never thought Kia would create such a pedigree. Maybe the most impressive car I’ve come across this year alone due to the surprise factor.

 

Review: Blade Runner 2049

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in movies, Social News

 


What my friends thought of Blade Runner 2049
 

Blade Runner 2049. Did it succeed or did it fail? There were quite mixed reviews to begin with for the sequel of Blade Runner. This was also the first time that all my friends whom I watched with gave it a thumbs down. Do I agree with them? Only to an extent. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Here’s my breakdown.

The Good. I am with awe with the visuals. Even though it was set in the 2049, director Denis Villeneuve (Arrival, Sicario) trusted Roger Deakins the cinematographer in creating a modern, dark, solemn world and yet every shot was breathtaking. Every shot taken in this movie had its purpose and that alone stole my attention. The way it portrayed LAPD Officer K’s (Ryan Gosling) movement on screen, they were all beautifully shot. This is one masterpiece from Roger Deakins and I won’t be surprised that he will be nominated for Best Cinematography in the upcoming Oscars.

Ryan Gosling was the highlight of the show apart from the visuals. Playing a cop in the future, he was placed in a situation where he slowly began to discover twists and plots to his disbelief. I was a bit worried if RG was fit for the role or being passed the baton to continue the Blade Runner legacy and plus it’s an action adventure movie where he is hardly in it. For me, it was his expression and emotions that made me invested in the almost-three-hour long movie. His character kinda bring back the memories of Driver where he acted in.

I love the twists and how the story unfolded from time to time. The music score and the deliberate pacing were enough to gain my attention (though I had a short snooze twice because I had lack of sleep). Yes, Denis captured the essence of the suspense with loud music though it can be too repetitive to some point.

The Bad. Yes, it did have its flaws and first thing’s first. Denis Villeneuve’s taste or direction of movie is not for everyone or even the mainstream movie goers. Those who appreciate Star Wars kinda sci-fi, you won’t get that feeling in Blade Runner 2049. It was mostly 80% drama and 20% or even less of action. The same went for Arrival and Sicario of which I both enjoyed. The only ones who seemed to enjoy as much as I did was Jinn, Del Goh and Nee Khern.

The sound factor or in this case, the music score did annoy a few of my friend’s movie experience. Even some of them were mocking the sound effects during our discussions of the film. Yes, to me, it did suit the theme of the movie but it was at times overkilled or overplayed in an overstretched movie.

The Ugly. The duration of the movie is a big minus for me for Blade Runner 2049. I could understand why all the pieces were necessary to explain the plot and twist along the way but it didn’t need to be almost 3 hours long. Harrison Ford could have more screen time as he was a focal point in the original Blade Runner and the chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford could have been stronger.

Verdict: This is a masterful film making and only Denis Villeneuve can pull off an amazing follow up and paying tribute to the original Blade Runner 2049. Not many will enjoy this but I surprisingly did. 7.5 out of 10.

 

The Royal Procession

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in royal family, community, Social News

 


His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri on the Royal Carriage to mark the 50 years of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Accession to the Throne last Thursday, 5th October 2017. Image courtesy of Infofoto.
 


His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam waving to the public who showed up to celebrate the Golden Jubilee. Image courtesy of Infofoto.
 


Image courtesy of Infofoto
 

The Golden Jubilee Procession marks the glorious history of 50 years of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s reign. The historic moment is a sharing of experiences between the people as well as becoming the main focus of foreigners as well as through the broad international media coverage in bringing the procession closer to them.

The historic ceremony witnessed His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri in the procession around Bandar Seri Begawan on the Royal Carriage.

The resounding beats of the hadrah, enlivened the atmosphere of His Majesty and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri’s arrival. Five hundred combined participants from the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Religious Affairs were involved in the hadrah performance.

More than 22 thousand students from 2 hundred and 16 education institutions from the Ministry of Education Ministry of Religious Affairs and private institutions, waved flags along the route from Istana Nurul Iman until the road in front of the Bandar Seri Begawan Fire Station. The involvement of the students comprising teenagers, in the celebration is a reflection of their love for the monarch.

His Majesty’s characteristic of being the People’s Monarch is difficult to be expressed in words, as His Majesty said in his titah earlier, that when the monarch is happy, hence the people too have a right to rejoice and when he is grateful, therefore the people should also be grateful. The joyousness of the celebration clearly shows the strong ties between the monarch and his subjects.

The cheerful atmosphere is visible here in the Fire and Rescue Station area in the capital, as the starting point of the Ceremonial Procession around Bandar Seri Begawan of this Grand Celebration. It is evident of the love and loyalty of the people towards the monarch and nation. Their involvement in this event enhances the noble values and nationalism towards a more glorious future and further enlivens the atmosphere of this historic occasion.

Soon upon arrival in front of the Bandar Seri Begawan Fire and Rescue Station, His Majesty and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri entered the Royal Carriage. Also present on the Royal Carriage were His Majesty’s sons and daughter, His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah the Crown Prince ; His Royal Highness Prince Haji ‘Abdul ‘Azim; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel and Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah.

The Procession Ceremony around Bandar Seri Begawan which is full of tradition and customs was led by Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Penggawa Laila Bentara Istiadat Diraja Dalam Istana Pengiran Haji Alauddin bin Pengiran Paduka Tuan Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar, Grand Chamberlain, followed by Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, Co-Chairperson of the Golden Jubilee Procession Sectoral Committee for the Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Accession to the Throne, the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, RBAF Band and the Royal Brunei Police Force Band, accompanied by 40 RBAF personnel carrying the royal regalia, Sinipit and Taming or Spear and Shield. The Changkah which is one of royal regalia followed behind the special vehicle protected by the Manteri-Manteri Hulubalang. Two Manteri Hulubalang walked in front of the Royal Carriage. One carried the Pemuras and Karga or Gun and Ammunition Bag, while the other held the Kalasak and Kampilan or Shield and Long Blade. Also accompanying the procession were the Commissioner of police and Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. Lined up on the left and right of the Royal Carriage were the 16 Royal Brunei Police Senior Superintendents and RBAF Commanders.

At the back of the Royal Carriage which was pulled by 50 RBAF personnel, were 16 RBAF personnel carrying the Pedang and Perisai or Swords and Round Shields with another 16 carrying the Tumbak Benderangan or Spears embellished with gold or silver bands. This was followed by the people carrying the perhiasan tunggal or personal regalia of His Majesty and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri, which was then followed by the special vehicle carrying the Gendang Arak-Arakan comprising of the Nakara, Gendang Labik, Agong, Canang and Serunai. News compiled by RTB news.

 

 


His Majesty the Sultan being greeted by the citizens of Brunei and other walks of life. Image courtesy of Infofoto.
 


His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah the Crown Prince delivered a heartfelt Sabda’ to His Majesty the Sultan. Image courtesy of Infofoto
 


His Royal Highness Prince Haji ‘Abdul ‘Azim, His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen; and Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah. Image courtesy of Infofoto
 


Image courtesy of Infofoto
 


The vibrant students. Image courtesy of Infofoto
 


RB associate handing out goodies to the public.
 


A look-a-like. Image courtesy of Infofoto.
 

 


What a sight!! Image courtesy of Infofoto.
 


Representing BSP during the celebration.
 


Sea of people in front of RBA Plaza
 


This was taken near the Royal Regalia
 


Good to see that it wasn’t as hot and it didn’t rain until the Royal Procession ended. Blessed!!!
 

 


Taken at the end of Jalan Babu Raja
 


Waiting for the arrival of the Royal entourage as early as 7:30am
 


Taken at Jalan Masjid Omar Ali Saifuddien
 


From IBTE
 


From Brunei Shell Marketing
 

 


Hello buddies 😀
 

 


The kids definitely have advantage for better viewing
 


Hello Marie :p
 


The crowd outside Yayasan Complex
 


Another lucky youngster
 

 


To get a better shot
 

 


Another vantage point
 


At the halfway mark and perhaps the most crowded zone near the mini roundabout at Jalan Sultan
 


Taking shots from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at Bandar
 


The staff from Hua Ho also enjoyed the occasion
 

 


Piccolo owner working at full blast and she had the best business in the day for 2017. Interesting!
 


Totally jammed after the end of the event.
 


Even I had to wait for my boat ride to Kg. Tamoi
 

The new 50 polymer notes and coins

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in royal family, Social News

 


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 launching the Brunei 50 dollar Commemorative Polymer Note, Commemorative Coins and the 5th Series of Coins in Circulation, and the State Mufti’s Office publications entitled ‘Raja Melakar Sejarah’ and ‘The King who Shapes History’ in conjunction with the Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Accession to the Throne at the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday
 


Unveiling the new 50 dollar Commemorative Polymer Note
 

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, yesterday attended the Launching Ceremony of the Brunei 50 dollar Commemorative Polymer Note, Commemorative Coins and the 5th Series of Coins in Circulation, and the State Mufti’s Office publications entitled ‘Raja Melakar Sejarah’ and ‘The King who Shapes History’ in conjunction with the Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Accession to the Throne. His Royal Highness is the Patron of the Advisory Committee for the Golden Jubilee Celebration and Chairman of Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam Board of Directors.

Upon arrival at the Prime Minister’s Office, His Royal Highness was greeted by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, as member of the Advisory Committee for the Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty’s Accession to the Throne. Also welcoming His Royal Highness were the co-chairpersons of the Executive Committee for the Golden Jubilee Celebration, Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz bin Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar, Yang Di-Pertua of Adat Istiadat Negara; Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia Doctor Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, Minister of Home Affairs; Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister of Finance; Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Doctor Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned, the State Mufti; and Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Mohd Roselan bin Haji Mohd Daud, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office. The ceremony organised by Authority Monetary Brunei Darussalam, AMBD, began with the reading of Surah Al-Fatihah led by Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Imam Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Hamid bin Bakal.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia Doctor Haji Awang Abu Bakar in his welcoming speech explained the design concept of the Brunei 50 Dollar polymer note, commemorative coins and 5th Series of Coins in Circulation. The design concept of the Brunei 50 dollar polymer note was inspired from the caring and attentive nature of His Majesty that signifies the monarch’s personality as The People’s Monarch. The currency also portrays His Majesty’s priority in instilling religious principles and reflecting the country’s era of modernisation under the monarch’s reign.

His Royal Highness officiated the launch of the Brunei 50 dollar Commemorative Polymer Note, Commemorative Coins and the 5th Series of Coins in Circulation, as well as the State Mufti’s Office publications entitled ‘Raja Melakar Sejarah’ and ‘The King who Shapes History’.

AMBD will be issuing 500,000 of the commemorative 50 cents which will be available for public exchange at face value across all banks and its branches from Monday, 9th of October.  An exclusive collection of several types of limited edition numismatic note and coin sets will also be available for pre-order from today, 4th of October. Meanwhile, the book entitled ‘Raja Melakar Sejarah’ which is filled with the history of His Majesty’s 50 year reign is written by Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Seri maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Doctor Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned, the State Mufti. The book’s publication in the Malay and English Languages is hoped to contribute towards portraying His Majesty’s image as the Head of State and Head of Government. The books will be available for sale tomorrow at the State Mufti’s Office, Jalan Pengiran Babu Raja.

Before leaving the ceremony, His Royal Highness received junjung ziarah from members of the Executive Committee for the Golden Jubilee Celebration, members of the Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam Board of Directors, senior officers of the State Mufti Department and Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam as well as the special launching ceremony committee members. From RTB news.

 

 


During the launch of the Brunei 50 dollar Commemorative Polymer Note, Commemorative Coins and the 5th Series of Coins in Circulation, and the State Mufti’s Office publications entitled ‘Raja Melakar Sejarah’ and ‘The King who Shapes History’ in conjunction with the Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Accession to the Throne at the Banquet Hall of Prime Minister’s Office
 


Press conference being held by AMBD
 


A good collection but on the high end
 


At least BND 10,000 worth being photographed on the table
 

Rano’s thoughts: I managed to pre-order the limited pieces through Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (AMBD) website and it will be available some time in November 2017. I was already impressed with previous edition – the 50 years Brunei Darussalam-Singapore Currency Interchangeability, and now AMBD have raised the bar with the Brunei 50 dollar Commemorative Polymer Note, Commemorative Coins and the 5th Series of Coins in Circulation.

The AMBD website crashed a few times yesterday after it was officially online, showing the demands for the 9 items available for order. The website now is back to normal and will be able to accommodate the demand. In a space of a few hours, they managed to have roughly 1,000 pre-order transactions. That was quite impressive and I believe many are eyeing the commemorative notes and coins.

Another proud moment to cherish for Brunei is that AMBD has allocated around 100,000 pieces of 50 coins in special packaging which will be distributed to students (registered under the Ministry of Education) in all public and private school from pre-school students to sixth form students in all four districts later in the year. That’s pretty awesome I must say. It will be a good way to commemorate The Sultan of Brunei’s 50 years of harmonious and peaceful ruling of Brunei Darussalam.

Thank you, AMBD, for the invitation of the launch and I shall be waiting for my new collection pretty soon 😀 You can view the collection and pre-order the items.

 

 


Posing with the star of the day
 


This is a very special note. Why? Look at the serial number 😀
 


The special edition of the 50 cents coin will be distributed to all students from pre-school to sixth form
 


I shall get a copy of this at The State Mufti (at Jalan Babu Raja)
 


Rashidah of The Scoop being interviewed by RTB
 


Check out the new 50 commemorative polymer notes
 

Majlis Istiadat Membuka Gendang Jaga-Jaga

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in royal family, Social News

 


His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince accompanied by His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik and His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen during the Opening of the Playing of Traditional Musical Instruments at the Lapau in Bandar Seri Begawan
 


The Royalties entering the Lapau before the proceedings
 

The Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Accession to the Throne began yesterday with the Majlis Istiadat Membuka Gendang Jaga-Jaga or the Opening of the Playing of Traditional Musical Instruments at the Lapau in Bandar Seri Begawan.  The Majlis Istiadat Membuka Gendang Jaga-Jaga was conducted in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince.

Upon arrival, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was welcomed by Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abd Aziz bin Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar. Also present were His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik and His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen and other members of the Royal Family.

Soon after His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was seated, the Juru Laki Awang Haji Johan Areffen bin Hassan, accompanied by other musicians entered, bearing traditional musical instruments such as Serunai or Flutes and Gendang Labek or a type of drum and took their seats at a specially allocated position.

The ceremony began with Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Dewa (Retired) Major General Dato Seri Pahlawan Awang Haji Mohammad bin Haji Daud informing Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz that the Istiadat Membuka Gendang Jaga-Jaga was in place to proceed.

Yang Amat Mulia in turn informed His Royal Highness the Crown Prince that the ceremony was in place to proceed. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince subsequently instructed for the Istiadat Membuka Gendang Jaga-Jaga to commence.

The Juru Laki Awang Haji Johan Areffen proceeded to the Patarana from the left-hand side to lift the Nakara, a type of kettle drum, and bore it upon his head. Nakara is one of the royal regalia used in an Istiadat such as the Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Accession to the Throne. The Nakara is the top among the traditional items or the Naubat. Due to these, it is located higher compared to the other Naubat items and carried by the Juru. It is also placed in a special position – on top of the crown box. It is said that the Nakara’s sahap is made from Tuma’s skin.

The beating of the Nakara then commenced followed by the playing of Gendang Labek, Serunai accompanied by Agong and Chanang, types of gongs.  The beating of the Nakara was accompanied by a twenty-one cannon-fire salute.

It was followed by the beatings of Gendang Alih-alihan Tengah and Gendang Alih-alihan Hujung, until finally reaching the titir Gendang Perang or War Drum beats. The Istiadat Membuka Gendang Jaga-Jaga is carried out in a special ceremony, just like the The Istiadat Membuka Naubat or Opening of Naubat. However, it is conducted in a specific time, same as other regular ceremonies. The venue, guest, rules, how the ceremony is carried out as well as the lifting of the Nakara is similar to the Istiadat Membuka Naubat. The only difference is that the Istiadat Membuka Gendang jaga-jaga began with the beatings of Gendang Perang, followed by Alih-Alihan Tengah, Alih-Alihan hujung and ended with Gendang Perang.

Doa Selamat was read by Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Doctor Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned, the State Mufti.

The Juru Laki Awang Haji Johan Areffen sought consent to carry the Nakara through the centre of the audience. The Nakara was then returned to its original location.

Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Dewa Retired Major General Dato Seri Pahlawan Awang Haji Mohammad then informed Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz that the Istiadat Membuka Gendang Jaga-Jaga has been duly carried out. Yang Amat Mulia in turn informed His Royal Highness the Crown Prince that the ceremony has been duly carried out.

His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, The Crown Prince instructed Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Dewa (Retired) Major General Dato Seri Pahlawan Awang Haji Mohammad to confer His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam that the Majlis Istiadat Membuka Gendang Jaga-Jaga for the Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Accession to the Throne was duly carried out.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince then left the ceremony. Present at the ceremony were Pengiran Cheterias, Cabinet ministers, Members of Councils, Deputy Ministers, Pengiran-Pengiran Peranakan, Pehin-Pehin Manteri, Manteri-Manteri Hulubalang, Manteri-Manteri Pedalaman, Heads of Diplomatic Missions, Members of the Legislative Council, Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Government Department. News courtesy of RTB and images courtesy of Information Department.

 

 

 


Members of the Royal Family
 


The Juru Laki Awang Haji Johan Areffen sought consent to carry the Nakara through the centre of the audience
 


The musicians belting traditional music to signify the opening of @hmjubliemas
 


The beating of the Nakara was accompanied by a twenty-one cannon-fire salute nearby Lapau
 

Audi quattro cup Brunei

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in audi

 


The team of Latif Ghariff & Hj Mohd Som with 43 points were declared the Championship Team for this year’s three-day Audi quattro Cup
 


Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Mejar Jeneral (B) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof – the Minister of Culture, Youth & Sports gave away the grand raffle draw to a winner of the new iPhone 8
 

T.C.Y. Motors Sdn Bhd as the sole dealer/importer of the Audi brand once again organised the Brunei edition of the Audi quattro Cup amateur golf tournament at the Royal Brunei Golf Club in Jerudong last Sunday. It was the eighth year of the Brunei edition.

The highlight of the tournament took place this afternoon with trophies and donation presentation at the venue.

The team of Latif Ghariff & Hj Mohd Som with 43 points were declared the Championship Team for this year’s three-day tournament. They will qualify for this year’s World Final in Mexico from December 1-5 at the Quivira Golf Club Los Cabos.

Pg Ahmad Zaki Pg Jambol & Kim Wonk Yang with 42 points OCB – 2nd place.

Hj Amir Osman & Pg Saiful Rizal with 42 points – 3rd place.

Trophies were presented by Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Mejar Jeneral (B) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof – the Minister of Culture, Youth & Sports.

Mainly organised by a country’s Audi importer, 51 teams from 47 countries this year will play in what has been billed as the world’s largest amateur golf tournament. Over a million golfers have played in the tournament since its inception in 1991.

Over 90 teams of golfers participated this year in the eight local edition of this global amateur tournament.

As a charity event, over B$21,000.00 was collected from all golfers’ entry fees was donated towards the National Welfare Body Fund under the Community Development Department (JAPEM) with a mock cheque presented by the Organizing Committee co-Chairman Haji Ya’akub bin Haji Jumat to Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Mejar Jeneral (B) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin accepting on behalf.

The Audi quattro Cup is a team format amateur tournament utilizing the Greensome Stableford or ‘best ball’ rule of play, this is ultimately to increase the whole golfing experience as most tournaments are played by individual golfers.

 

 


An ecstatic winner of the iPhone 8
 


One of the lucky draw winners
 


One of the lucky draw winners
 


One of the lucky draw winners
 


No one won a hole-in-one prize last weekend
 

Aziz Harun’s Jangan making waves in Malaysia

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in Youth, music, Social News

 


Aziz Harun with his constant supporters, Family, at the recent launch of his latest music video, Jangan

Sometimes I am amazed that we do have what it takes to be talented artist. But we also need to have that perseverance, hard work and dedication to make it successful. It’s never easy especially when you have to juggle with education, a high school graduate from Jerudong International School.

A very humble person, it’s no surprise that Aziz Harun has made it a name for himself in Brunei and yes, he is only 18 (now you can drive, bro). I wished I am still around that age because it’s always great to feel youthful.

Aziz Harun’s latest single, “Jangan”, has been released successfully on iTunes and also the launched of the official music video produced by Bahzi Damit @beedee.creative. So far the music video has garnered around 40,000 views in just two days into the release and now has hit over 120,000 views. Amazing!! Aziz Harun’s first single, “Senyum”, did break the milestone in terms of views on youtube (over 2 million views). Let’s see if he’s able to break his record.

The sneak preview of “Jangan” took place at Bang & Olufsen signature store at Sejalin Living last Wednesday, attended by Aziz Harun’s family and friends and of course, the social influencers. Sorry that I wasn’t able to attend your mini gig then.

Aziz Harun is currently in Malaysia for a mini tour to promote his latest single “Jangan” as he has been making appearances at malls within cities and also at university along with Warner Music artists. So far, the responses have been encouraging and overwhelming as the fans were singing along the chorus when Aziz performed. As he mentioned, he will be taking a gap year to gain experience outside Brunei and performing more live gigs in Malaysia. At the same time, he wants to learn to compose and write song as well as writing for others. He is very grateful that his latest single hit the top chart in Brunei’s iTunes and it will motivate him to constantly work hard and make new music.

Aziz Harun is now being managed by his sister Molly Harun while his previous manager, Bahzi Damit, has focused more on producing videos. The latest music video “Jangan” was produced by Bahzi’s company @beedee.creative. All the scenes were shot in Brunei. The pre-production took 3 weeks while the shooting lasted 3 days with one week of editing. According to Bahzi, this is the second music video that was shot in Brunei after his previous single, “Mama”. For Bahzi, the music video was more of a social experiment kind of video and he hinted that there was a story for which you will need to watch to understand.

Once again, good luck to Aziz Harun on his latest venture and hopefully you will gain more exposure and success.

 

 


Aziz Harun with the crew of Scoop
 


Aziz taking a selfie with his fans in one of the shopping malls at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia recently
 


Aziz Harun performing at a gig at Kuala Lumpur lately
 

 


The responses have been overwhelming
 


Aziz constantly smiling for every shot taken by his fans
 


A strong presence in the Malaysian charts, jumping to No.26 from a debut number 46. Let’s hope it keeps rising to the Top 10.
 


No surprise it topped the Brunei chart on iTunes
 


Behind the scene of producing the music video of Jangan
 

The Audi A5 and Audi S5

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in audi, Audi Sport, lifestyle, Social News

 

 

Last night T.C.Y. Motors exclusively hosted invited customers and prospects to celebrate Audi’s success year in the Formula E series. It’s good to know that Audi drive Lucas di Grassi (Brazilian) was crowned the new champion of the worldwide Formula E electric racing series back in July.

Audi is the first German automobile manufacturer to race in Formula E. Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler started the fourth Formula E season in Hong Kong in December last year and captured the second place in the team’s standings this season.

For the Audi dealer/importer, T.C.Y. Motors, it was also a great opportunity to launch a few models – the new Audi A5 quattro and the sexy Audi S5 at its showroom/headquarters in Kiarong last night.

John Tan, the Marketing Manager of T.C.Y. Motors (Audi), was very engaging and descriptive in teasing the audience in unveiling the new Audi A5 and the new Audi S5.

For Brunei, the refreshed Audi A5 (available in 2 and 4 door versions) is the most “car tech” packed vehicle on offer featuring the Audi Virtual Cockpit, the navigation with voice command, Smartphone interface including Apple’s CarPlay and an impressive Bang & Olufsen sound system.

The new A5 also features a new petrol engine (252hp/370Nm) with exhaust turbocharger. Both 2-door coupe and 4-door Sportback models come with quattro permanent all wheel drive as standard for Brunei.

 

 


Check out the Audi A5 Sportsback
 


John Tan gave away an Audi fidget spinner to a young fan
 


An Audi A4 driver won herself an Audi phone charger
 


Quite a crowd at Audi Showroom at Kiarong last night
 

The Audi S5 has much sexier appeal – quick, nimble and stylish. The Audi S5 combines quattro all-wheel drive with precise steering, adept brakes and sharp handling. It is powered by a 354-hp turbocharged 3.0 litre V-6 engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The S5 has a more sporty design and design than the Audi A5. The wheels are more exclusive for the 5S edition.

It also comes with the Audi Virtual Cockpit and similarities with the Audi A5 – be it the Smartphone interface and the Bang & Olufsen sound system.

In a nutshell, the Audi S5 is a levelled up performance equivalent of the Audi A5.

Guess what? The 3 units of the Audi S5 were quickly bought even before the unveiling. Now that’s an encouraging news for Audi and its dealer.

So much to love about the Audi S5 and if you want to view the Audi A5 and the Audi S5, do drop by the Audi showroom at Kiarong. The sales person will be there to assist to your inquiry and hopefully you will be able to test drive both cars.

 

 


Check out the Audi S5
 


The Audi Virtual Cockpit
 


The Smartphone interface and the Bang & Olufsen sound system
 


Many have been eyeing the Audi S5 and three have been sold so far as we speak
 


Great food by @e.a.t_bn last night. Impressive!!
 


Apart from the A5 and the S5, the big hit Audi Q2 still looks damn sexy and affordable too
 

Kumon Diligent awards students’ achievements

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in Youth, education, Social News

 


Congratulations to 123 students on achieving medals on your Kumon journey
 


Caley Lim, Chief Instructor of Kumon Diligent, thanked the parents for their belief and support. She’s also expecting her first child in December. Congratulations to you and Chris 😀
 

Kumon Diligent welcomed over 300 parents and students at its Advanced Student Award Ceremony held on Sunday September 24, 2017 at the Indera Kayangan Ballroom, Empire Hotel & Country Club. The event was officiated by Mr. Allan Menagh, General Manager of Kumon Asia & Oceania who flew into town to celebrate the effort and success of Kumon Diligent’s students. The award ceremony acknowledges students currently working on material that are above their current school grade level.

“Our mission in Kumon is to discover each child’s innate and infinite potential and then help him or her pursue it”, shared Chief Instructor Caley Lim. “Students who can advance to a high level of Mathematics or English proficiency extend their thinking abilities; they gain creative thinking skills to develop the ability to tackle and solve problems in the future, without explicitly being taught.”

In two years, Kumon Diligent has seen over 300 students through its doors. Kumon Diligent accepts students of all ages and abilities; with the support of its parent community, it has seen the Kumon Method transform children into more confident, motivated and independent learners. Caley was also grateful with the full time and part-time assistants that have been instrumental in the growth of the students.

Kumon is the world’s leading after-school enrichment programme for students from preschool through university. Kumon enables students to actively develop their self-learning skills rather than passively receive instructions from Instructors. Kumon students study independently at a level that is appropriate to their ability. By progressing in small steps, they gain the confidence and knowledge to solve challenging problems. This individualised self-learning method has effectively improved the study skills of millions of students worldwide, maximised their potential and nurtured them to be the best they can be. As of June 2017, over 4,310,000 students have been enrolled under the Kumon Method in 50 countries around the world.

Kumon Diligent is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and is located at Unit 31, Ground Floor, BT Complex, Kg Jaya Setia, Bandar Seri Begawan BB2713, Brunei Darussalam. Kumon Diligent can be contacted on 719 3231, by email at kumondiligent@outlook.com or through its social media pages on Facebook and Instagram @kumondiligent

 

 


Rhyanna receiving her medal award during her birthday last Sunday
 


Matthias, Rhyanna’s cousin bagged two medal awards for both Math and English
 


Mr. Allan Menagh, General Manager of Kumon Asia & Oceania gave away the medals to all the recipients
 

 

 


Parents were proud to see their children reaching milestones
 


The adorable twins
 


The VIPs of the day – the students
 


A proud mother accompany her daughter
 


A student who commutes from Seria to attend Kumon Diligent
 


Harris Aditya queuing up for the medal honour
 


This is such an adorable sight
 


Intrigued by our events this past weekend? Join us this Saturday evening if you want to find out how we work with our Students and Parents to try and get the best out of them! Contact 719 3231 to let us know you’re coming.
 

Recap: Before September ends

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in Youth, music, bank, culture, movies, lifestyle, Social News

 


9 more days to go. Golden Jubilee Celebration 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’s Accession to the Throne. Click image to enter the official website.
 


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 in his capacity as Patron of the Golden Jubilee Celebration Advisory Committee; and His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah, member of the Golden Jubilee Celebration Advisory Committee during the full dress rehearsal last Sunday. Image courtesy of Infofoto.
 


Congratulations to Aziz Haru on his latest single and music video, “Jangan” and it’s currently No.1 in Brunei’s iTunes chart. More on Aziz soon.
 


Applications for the 2018 Australia-ASEAN Emerging Leaders Program are now open! A2ELP is a three month leadership program for social entrepreneurs from ASEAN and Australia. The program includes a ten-day intensive program in Melbourne and Sydney with workshops, networking events, field visits and cultural activities. Applications close 13 October 2017. Click image to read more.
 


Awesome deals from SugarBun. I managed to get a free meal by using my Baiduri Platinum Debit Card on Paywave. Terms and conditions apply.
 

 


The children were the VIPs during the medal award ceremony held by @kumondilligent
 


Congratulations Rhyanna on receiving a medal from Kumon and hope you enjoyed your birthday celebration 😀
 

"
The newly open T•K Restaurant and I love the food too. Serving seafood as well. Located at the same building as Thien-Thien Gadong.
 


The app for The Mall Cineplex is quite convenient now. I believe this is the first of its kind for Brunei to use barcode to enter the cinema. Kudos, Mall Cineplex on this feature.
 


Rafhanah Salleh’s thought of Kingsman: The Golden Circle. I believe even my peers felt the same way and so did I. Apparently one person loved it so much he watched it three times. My final verdict: 6.5/10
 

 


So the censorship board has enforced this ruling and cinema operators have been playing their best to not allow kids or children below 17 years to watch movies for matured audiences. This can be a bit tricky but it will be a culture that families will be accustomed to. I do agree with the ruling and it’s just a bit more of awareness and publicity for parents to be aware of the ruling of catching movies with children in the cinemas.
 


Epipeople Consultants had their first sneak at It’s A Grind at Citis Square. The responses have been great so far and more workshops to come in the near future.
 


Game On’s PS4 FIFA 17 Tournament will take place at The Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium from the 29th September to 1st October 2017. This tournament alone will be the BIGGEST prize pool in our eSports history, at over BND1,000 – all thanks to @battlepromms Will the current champion (Hanif Hamzah) successfully defend his title or will we be seeing a new champion for FIFA 17? We’ll find out together on 1st October 2017 during The Festival Hari Belia 2017. Image taken from ETA Games @ Cineplex.
 


Something I can’t wait – FIFA18 will be out this weekend while W2K18 will be sometime in October. Check out ETA Games for updates.
 

"
Nuriskandar was a bit sakai when he saw the new facelift of KFC at Giant, Rimba.
 

 


I saw this yesterday in the papers and I thought it was quite unnecessary since he was not involved in any business transaction as his role was purely a photographer. I know of some people who even have higher positions or even dealing with clients from that company and had left but never been published in this manner. What gives? I do support the paper but this one thing that I don’t support.
 

 


My favourite dish at Sate House – Chicken satay. Very tender and juicy 😀
 


For your information at Bang & Olufsen (Brunei).
 


Something I learnt as a speaker and an evaluator on stage. If I take things seriously, I can see my growth. Thankful for the people around me who have helped and supported me all these years.
 


Taken during our recording greetings for the #HMjubliemas few weeks ago. Catch us on RTB on our greetings to His Majesty the Sultan.
 

Contact RA

ranoadidas (a) gmail.com
Instagram & Snapchat @ranoadidas
Contact: +6738677773

About RA

A blogger since 2002, using platforms from blogspot, joomla and now currently wordpress. A readership that stands on average of 20,000 visits per month. Also on active on social media platform on IG, Facebook and Snapchat (@ranoadidas)

Advertisement rates

You can email me for your interest in advertisement packages. There's also a bundle package with social media postings.