Madam Evelyn Ang, the Country Manager Brunei at Royal Brunei Airlines presenting to lucky winner Madam Tasanee who won herself a return economy class ticket to Bali sponsored by Royal Brunei Airlines with Nur Khadijah Abdullah, Sales & Business Development Manager of Pan Bright Travel Service

Pan Bright Travel Service have selected their September lucky draw winner on the 06 October 2016. The lucky coupon was drawn by Senior Sales Executive of Royal Brunei Airlines, Dayang Norhaslinda Duraman witnessed by her colleague Pg. Ma’asom Pg. Hj. Ismail.

A prize presentation was held at Pan Bright Travel’s office in Bandar Seri Begawan earlier today by Madam Evelyn Ang, the Country Manager Brunei at Royal Brunei Airlines to the lucky winner, Madam Tasanee who won herself a return economy class ticket to Bali sponsored by Royal Brunei Airlines.

This is the first of a series of monthly lucky draws where customer stands a chance to win an air ticket to either Kota Kinabalu, Saigon, Bali or Singapore from September 2016 to February 2017. The Grand prize will be either a Hyundai ‘Accent’ car OR an exclusive Hermès‘Birkin’ bag which is being sponsored by Pan Bright Travel. Other prizes up for grabs include air tickets to London, Melbourne and Tokyo are kindly sponsored by Royal Brunei Airlines & Singapore Airlines.

For more enquiries regarding the promotion, you can contact Pan Bright Travel’s offices at 2240980 for Bandar Seri Begawan, 3341154 for Kuala Belait or 3220078 for Seria.

The lucky draw promotion starts from 02 September 2016 to the 31 March 2017.

Some of the cosplayers that attended at Bintang Megamall

Two Bruneians won first and third place of the Collectors Exhibition Miri (CXM) 2016 cosplay competition which was held at Bintang Megamall Miri last Sunday.

Nio Tan, cosplaying as Saber from the animation Fate/Stay Night, won first place and Suok Jiuan, cosplaying as Junko Enoshima from the animation Dangan Ronpa, took the 2nd runners up.

Speaking of her winning first place, Nio Tan said she felt happy and tired as it took her six months to complete her costume. The competition marked her first time joining a cosplay competition outside Brunei.

Collectors Exhibition Miri (CXM) was organized by NAJA Enterprise and featured cosplay guests from Thailand and Japan. Story courtesy of Muhammad Khairi Waddin and images by SCP X Brunei Otaku.

Nio Tan receiving the Champion trophy

Suok Jiuan came 3rd in the cosplay contest

The movie plot. A stranger arrives in a little village and soon after a mysterious sickness starts spreading. A policeman is drawn into the incident and is forced to solve the mystery in order to save his daughter. Taken from IMDb.

I heard about the movie from my friend Simon Soo. He texted me out of the blue that and highly recommending me to catch it on DVD a few weeks ago. I never thought it would make it to Brunei screens until I read the papers yesterday. Yes, I’m a huge fan of Korean movies and I am amazed that Korean movies are being screened here and I love Train to Busan (9/10). So did Wailing live up to my expectations? Yes and no. Here goes.

The Good. The direction was great and there’s always this niche about Korean directors. The story itself had different dimensions and made me guess on the motives of the antagonist or in this case,the demon (hope that ain’t a spoiler). So I have to give my thumbs up to Hong-jin Na (The Chaser) who wrote and directed.

I also enjoyed how the mystery teased the audience and it kept me perplexed at same stage. Even with the dark themes involved, the director managed to inject some dark humour to it. Well, that didn’t ease me that much as I was slightly disturbed by uncomfortable scenes. This is definitely not for kids with gore and violence being portrayed.

The Bad. Though I love the idea of the plot twists, they seemed to be implausible at some points. Then again, I believe the director has an intention to create thought provoking moments for movie goers and it successfully does that. I quickly used google magic to help understand further the deep meaning of The Wailing. So to me, I was left a little bemused and I’m pretty sure my interpretation could be different from others.

Like I mentioned before, I felt uncomfortable the scenes especially the demonic ones and if I were to mention in detail, then I would be sharing some spoilers. This also had long duration time, running at 156 minutes. It didn’t feel as draggy but I kinda felt it was a little too long. The ending was ambiguous but I still enjoyed it nonetheless.

Verdict: None of the best Korean mystery movies but it was enough to keep me interested. I’m sure others might enjoyed it more than I did. I will definitely get the blu-ray and it’s already available. If you love mystery with elements of horror and suspense, you’re in for a treat. 7.5/10

The Wailing (trailer)

One of the casts of The Wailing

The cast of The Wailing

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, greets the Emir of Kuwait His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah upon his arrival at the Brunei International Airport yesterday. Also present to welcome the Emir was HRH Prince ‘Abdul Malik (back R)

His Majesty shares a light moment with the Kuwait Emir at Istana Nurul Iman

Text by Quratul-Ain Bandial of The Brunei Times. Brunei and Kuwait have pledged to expand cooperation spanning education, tourism, trade and investment after the countries inked several agreements at Istana Nurul Iman yesterday.

The leaders of both countries welcomed the signing of two agreements and four memoranda of understanding (MoUs) as a “positive step in elevating and deepening bilateral engagement”.

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam welcomed the Emir of Kuwait His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to the capital yesterday, receiving him at the airport for a two-day state visit.

At the palace, the leaders witnessed the signing of an agreement allowing visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic, official and special passports; as well as a protocol amending a previous agreement on the avoidance of double taxation.

The four MoUs cover higher education and scientific research; tourism; training between the foreign affairs ministries of both countries; and the establishment of a joint commission on government-to-government cooperation.

In a joint statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the heads of state said the increased trade volume between the two nations reflected the “huge potential” to expand trade and investment ties, and urged their officials to explore opportunities in oil and gas, ICT, Islamic affairs, and private sector linkages.
The leaders also acknowledged the need to diversify away from a petroleum-based economy, underscoring the role of the private sector — particularly small to medium enterprises (SMEs) — in enhancing competitiveness.

The statement said the Third Joint Committee Meeting on Economic and Technical Cooperation will be held in Bandar Seri Begawan in December 2016.
Present during the audience at Istana Nurul Iman were HRH Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; HRH Prince Mohamed Bolkiah; HRH Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah; HRH Prince ‘Abdul Malik; HRH Princess Hjh Masna, Ambassador-At-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as well as other members of the royal family, cabinet ministers, and members of the Kuwaiti delegation.

The Emir was welcomed to the palace with a 21-gun royal salute, and was also introduced to senior members of His Majesty’s government.

Later in the evening, a state banquet was hosted in honour of the Emir’s first state visit to the sultanate. Text by Quratul-Ain Bandial of The Brunei Times and  Images by Khaliq Roziman and Yusri Adanan of The Brunei Times and Infofoto.

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, and the Emir of Kuwait His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah followed by HRH Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, HRH Prince ‘Abdul Malik and other members of the royal family arrive at the venue for the state banquet at the Istana Nurul Iman last night

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, Emir of Kuwait His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office during the state banquet held at Istana Nurul Iman last night

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik (C) and His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel (L) during the state banquet

Date: 23rd October 2016 (Sunday)
Venue: Sarabi Batil Ballroom, Brunei Handicraft Centre
0800hrs – Start of Registration and collection of competition apparel
0900hrs – Announcement of Theme 1 and commencement of competition
1700hrs – Announcement of winners and prize presentation (subject to change based on judging process)

1. The Canon Photo Marathon Brunei 2016 (“Event”) is an event open to all.
2. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis subject to receipt of a valid registration.
3. All information including personal information submitted by the participant to Interhouse Company. (“Organizer”) in connection with the event shall become the property of the Organizer. The participant is deemed to have given the Organizer authorization to use such information for any purpose (including market research, planning, data-processing, statistical and risk-analysis, research, fund-raising).
4. The Organizer reserves the right to cancel the event at any time without notice. In the event of such cancellation, the Organizer shall use reasonable efforts to inform the participant prior to the date of the event.
5. The stated event timings are subject to changes.
6. Participants must abide by the competition rules, and by any decisions made by the Organizer.
7. Participants under the age of 18 must obtain parental consent
8. The Organizer reserves the right to use any submitted photograph for any purposes without compensation to the participant.
9. The Organizer reserves the right to disqualify any participant who has infringed any of the competition rules.
10. Decisions by the Organizer and competition judges are final. No queries will be entertained.
11. Only photos taken by conventional digital cameras accepted.
12. All nationalities are welcomed.
13. The Organizer will not be held responsible or liable to any damage/injuries to equipment or persons arising from this event.
14. By participating in the Event, the participant is deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions.

Canon Photomarathon 2015

Canon Photomarathon 2015

Canon Photomarathon 2015

1. Participants will receive Theme 1 at approximately 0900hrs on 23rd October, 2016 at the Event Venue.
2. Participants must submit ONE picture deemed suitable for the Theme before the assigned deadline.
3. Theme 2 will be announced immediately after the deadline for Theme 1 submission has lapsed.
4. Theme 3 will be announced immediately after the deadline for Theme 2 submission has lapsed.
5. The Top three prizes will be awarded for each Theme.
6. Grand Prize will only be awarded to participants who have submitted photos for all 3 categories and will be judged as a whole.

1. All participants must wear the Canon apparel and ID provided during the event.
2. Participants can only use conventional digital camera during the Canon Photo Marathon, Brunei 2016.
3. All photographs submitted MUST be in JPEG format and sized to approximately 5MB.
4. Storage format accepted are CF / SD / MMC / XD / MS formats. Participants using other formats must supply their own relevant adaptors / drives for use during the submission of entries during the event. The Organizers will not be held responsible for the inability to read / download images.
5. All photographs will be judged based on the following criteria:
– Relevance to theme
– Creativity in theme interpretation
– Use of colors and light / shadows
– Composition of photograph
6. All submissions for each Theme must be completed before the announced allocated deadline. The Organizer reserves the rights to reject any submission once the deadline has lapsed.
7. All submitted photographs must be taken on 23rd October 2016.
8. Submitted photographs must not be altered by any editing software.
9. Participants must submit their entries personally. No proxy submission by any participant is allowed during the Event.
10. The Organizer will not be responsible for providing photographic equipment including camera, spare batteries, lenses or additional memory cards. All participants are expected to come prepared with all their photographic equipment.

Aizuddin Fakhri, co-founder and managing director of Techbru Solutions (Get It Done app), Devin Kho, a vendor promoting his photography services on the app, Hazwan Nasar, Marketing Officer at Techbru Solutions and Sharul Supri, Marketing & Sales of Techbru Solutions

Devin Kho won himself a Meizu phone as he was drawn as the lucky winner for being a vendor at Get It Done App.

So far the responses have been encouraging after two weeks of launch. The consumers have been registering to find out to see how useful the app can be if it comes to merging sellers and buyers. You don’t have to rely on checking IG on vendors or if you happen to forget. So my suggestions, to all the vendors on social media, to tap on this service. The only downside is that it’s not available yet for IOS but don’t fret as it will be coming to IOS in a few weeks or so.

Do register since it’s FREE and it’s open for Brunei, Singapore and Malaysia market too. So if you are freelancer or even running your own business, register for free on the Get It Done App (Google Play).

So far there are some creative freelancers and those in the beauty line that signed up for Get It Done app. One person that I know is Devin Kho, an experienced and sought for photographer, and he registered his services on Get It Done and be believes that this service is very useful especially when the consumers are looking for products and services. He also hoped for more vendors to sign up and this will give more choices for consumers. Guess what? Devin was also rewarded by the team behind Get It Done App for being one of the first subscribers as a vendor. He won himself a Meizu smartphone and this is part of the appreciation from TechBru Solutions (Get It Done) for signing up for their service.

The App itself is useful between vendors and consumers. You can chat, negotiate and order. What more can you ask for? This will help to improve the competitiveness between vendors and also bridge the connection between end users and SMEs.

Stay tune for more, follow us on Instagram @ and Facebook. Visit www.gogetitdone.com for updates!

The list of services you can post on Get It App

How it works and the steps if you choose a service or a vendor

How it looks like

His Royal Highness Prince (Dr) Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Deputy Sultan and the UBD Pro-Chancellor, officially launched the opening ceremony of the 2016 UBD Convocation Festival yesterday.

Story by Rabiatul Kamit of The Brunei Times. His Royal Highness Prince (Dr) Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Deputy Sultan and Pro-Chancellor of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), yesterday launched the 2016 UBD Convocation Festival in celebration of this year’s graduating students.

The annual event featured innovative projects and research under the theme of “Success through Harmony, Knowledge and Resilience”.

Organised by the Student Affairs Section in collaboration with the Office of Promotion and Events Management, the Convocation Festival will be open to the public from October 6 to 22 in conjunction with the Convocation Ceremony at the UBD Chancellor Hall on October 15.

Throughout the month, UBD will also hold religious activities, sporting competitions and cultural events as part of the celebration.

Among those present at the opening were Education Minister Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Suyoi Hj Osman and UBD Vice-Chancellor Datin Dr Anita Binurul Zahrina Hj Abdul Aziz alongside other government officials and foreign envoys.  To read more, click here. Images by Yusri Adanan and Ridhwan Kamarulzaman of The Brunei Times.

The Deputy Sultan being briefed by the Nuriskandar, the President of the UBD Guild of Graduates

The Deputy Sultan being greeted by the UBD students

The Deputy Sultan being briefed about bioelectricity by a Physics undergraduate student

As part of the Pesta Convo, there will be a UBD Convo Run & Cycle 2016 which will take place on 23rd October. The Deadline has been EXTENDED to 15 October 2016 😃 There is still time to register 👍👍 #Bahmaritah join the UBD Convo Run and Cycle happening on 23 October 2016 ~ visit our website for further information👍 Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Mind #ubdconvocation2016


How to register:
Step 1 : Go to http://www.ubd.edu.bn and click *Events* at the top
Step 2 : Go to *UBD Convo Run and Cycle* page and click *for more info*
Step 3 : Under *How to register* please follow the instructions and click this will direct you to UBD online payment page
Step 4 : At the UBD online payment page, select and click *UBD Convo Run and Cycle* icon and Register *UBD Convo Run and Cycle*


For UBD staff & students, you can use your UBD email username and password to login.


Alternatively, you can skip the above steps and go directly to UBD online payment page, https://ipay.ubd.edu.bn to register and pay directly for the run.

Proceeds from the event will be donated to SMARTER #ubd #ubdevents #ubdconvocation2016 #runforgoodcause#cycleforgoodcause and follow their updates on @ubdbuzz IG or Facebook Page.

Unboxing the Huawei P9 and let’s see what this beauty can do

Today I’m gonna talk about the camera of the Huawei P9. That’s the only thing I’m very familiar with when it comes to an Android phone. Mind you, I’m pro-Apple when it comes to smart phones. I’ve been an iPhone user ever since 2007/8. So to convert to Android, nah… I’m just used to Apple products and plus it connects seamlessly to my Macbook.

I have a back up smartphone Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and the camera itself takes better shots as compared to the iPhone 6. In this post, I will feature some of the shots taken on the Huawei P9, Samsung S6 Edge and iPhone 6.

Before I share my views, let me give the specs of the Huawei P9.

▪ Display: 5.2in display with a 1920×1080-pixel resolution at 423ppi
▪ Dimensions: 145mm  x 70.9 mm x 6.95 mm
▪ Weight: 144 grams
▪ Storage: 32 or 64, plus support for microSD cards up to 128GB
▪ Memory: 3 or 4 GB RAM
▪ Processors: Kirin 955 2.5GHz 64-bit ARM-based processor
▪ Front camera: 8 MP with laser auto focus
▪ Rear camera: Dual 12 MP with laser auto focus
▪ Battery life: 3000 mAh
▪ Colours: Rose Gold, Prestige Gold, Titanium Grey and Mystic Silver

I love the fact that there are many functions on camera mode

It can also take close up or macro shots

Just look at the options on camera mode

What I truly love is the camera. Hands down. It is powered by Leica lens and hence the result of the photos are sharp and crisp. Furthermore, I love how it capture all the colours to make a photo stand out.

Besides that, the camera options are aplenty. It even has a DSLR setting such as the ISO setting and even aperture and the speed shutter. Now that’s an amazing feat for camera in a smartphone and I have yet to fully utilize the functions.

So yes the camera is the best package of the lot. No doubt. Sometimes it’s troublesome that I send my photos to my primary phone, the iPhone6 after taking photos on the P9. Lately my photos on my IG are taken using the P9 since it takes awesome shots.

Now the question is, will an Android phone make me convert from an iPhone just because it takes better photos? No.. for a few reasons. I believe the processor of the iPhone 6 is still better than the P9. I’m always fussy when it comes to speed. So yea, I can’t compromise speed with awesome camera. The other factor being is music. I download all my music on iTunes and supporting creativity. Android makes it trickier to buy music, the fact that I’m already familiar with iTunes.

But peeps, if you are hunting for a good camera phone, I would suggest the Huawei P9 #forthewin You can get a set at Progresif store if I’m not mistaken. I like the battery life too. A few things to love about the P9.

Taken using the iPhone 6. You can notice the glare at the back

Taken using the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. Slightly better than the previous one but the glare is still visible.

Taken using the Huawei P9. Now this shot has better result. Not only it’s sharper in colour but there is no glare at the back. The camera somehow ables to eliminate the glare. Amazing!

Taken using the Huawei P9

Taken using the iPhone 6

Jonathan Chua won a BND 10 rare fare while Thanis Lim won a BND 50 rare fare sponsored by Royal Brunei Airlines. Azhani Daniel, Head of Corporate Communications of Royal Brunei presented the prizes. The finalists were one of the 300 entries that took part in the pokemon challenge during the Brunei Travel Fair 2016 at Centrepoint Hotel.

Last week, Sabre Travel Network (Brunei) Sdn Bhd held a prize presentation to fete the winners of the Brunei Travel Fair 2016 which took place at Dynasty Restaurant. The travel fair itself drew more than 12,000 visitors in early September.

There were many categories that many travellers are entitled to win. Two categories from Royal Brunei Airlines, one from Sabre Travel Network and one of Tourism Malaysia Brunei.

Present during the prize presentation was Abd Halim Hj Abd Rahman, Senior Manager, Sales and Marketing of Sabre Travel Network. He highlighted that even though there was a reduction in number of visitors, there was an increase of bookings during the three day period.

The youngest winner was Arisdiana Amran who is 11 years old. She won herself a two return ticket to Melbourne. Woohoo. She was a lucky winner who purchased a ticket from Century Travel Centre.

Dk Siti Khairunisa Akmal Pg Kamaludin won a business class return ticket to Ho Chi Minh and Lim Siong Ngoh won a two economy class return tickets to Dubai. Hasrinie Awang Sayang won a three-day and two-night stay at Riani Deluxe at Turi Beach Resort in Batam, while Rabiatul Adawiyah Hj Damit received one Royal Skies membership upgrade.

The finalists for the Royal Brunei Airlines return ticket.

The youngest winner won herself a flight to Melbourne for two

Ms. Muthu Muhammad Nachiar Mohideen Maraicair won a flight to Denpasar

Mood Sahriman Md Salleh won the GoPro Hero4 sponsored by Sabre Travel Network

For the GoPro Hero4 and Dfavors Exclusive Travel Luggage, the prizes were sponsored by Sabre Travel Network Brunei. Mood Sahriman Md Salleh won the GoPro Hero4 and he bought his ticket from Pan Bright Travel Service.

Julia Morel, Noorhayati Zabidi and Nurul Adila Othman won the luggage.

As for the Pokemon draw, the flights were sponsored by Royal Brunei Airlines and they had what they call rare fares worth BDN 10, BND 25 and BND 50 to any regional destination of choice. Interesting.

Thanis Lim won a BND 50 fare, Imaduddin Mumin won a BND 25 fare while Jonathan Chua won a BND 10 fare.

Malaysia Airlines also have their lucky draw and Mr. Ventakesh Marakutty Santhanam won a flight to Phuket while Ms. Muthu Muhammad Nachiar Mohideen Maraicair won a flight to Denpasar.

Noor Khadijah Hj Omarali won the Royal Brunei Airlines instagram competition and she won herself a flight to Jakarta.

Julia Morel won a luggage

Nur of Pan Bright Travel Service receiving a shopping voucher for being the top travel agent during the Brunei Travel Fair 2016

The PEUGEOT 2008 entered the ring in 2013 with strong arguments. The customers particularly appreciated its elegance and dynamic performance. It has enjoyed continuous growth in sales volumes, with production over 500,000 units[1] worldwide. In Europe, this success is illustrated by a podium place in the segment which has been firmly established since launch.

To amplify this performance, the PEUGEOT 2008 is taking on an assertive, powerful and appealing SUV design. Its wheel arch extensions, new vertical front grille and scuff plates confirm its robustness, designed for everyday use.

The PEUGEOT 2008 offers appealing and unique sensations of control. They are addictive. The PEUGEOT i-Cockpit® is unique to PEUGEOT and embodies the driving characteristics of the PEUGEOT 2008, being: intuitive, agile, flexible and safer to drive.

The PEUGEOT 2008 is equipped with Mirror Screen, based on MirrorLinkTM and Apple Carplay®, along with the reversing camera and Park Assist, a rarity in this segment.

The wheel arch extensions, new vertical front grille and scuff plates protect the bodywork and the occupants. The wave roof and roof bars, the rear door moulding and the spoiler are characterised by their sophisticated design.

Black and chrome headlamps and 3D claws illustrate the embedded technology from the outside. Inside, the lighting highlights the luxury of the materials and attention to detail which is apparent in every item.

The ⅓ – ⅔ modular back seats means the boot volume can vary from 410 to 1400 litres in an instant.

The PEUGEOT i-Cockpit® ensures a unique sensations in the segment. The driver enjoys an intuitive, agile, flexible and safe driving experience.

On-board connectivity includes the Mirror Screen feature which allows the driver to link their MirrorLinkTM[2] or Apple Carplay®[3] compatible smartphone to the touch screen.

The PEUGEOT 2008 makes urban travel easier. The Park Assist technology automatises the parking process. The reversing camera shows the vehicle’s dimensions on the screen to facilitate manoeuvring.

The new 2008 SUV comes with 1.2L PureTech engine, which won the ‘International engine of the year 2016’ award in the 1.0L to1.4L category.

This 3-cylinder petrol engine technology delivers energetic drive and performance, excellent fuel economy and low CO2 emissions. It’s the result of intelligent, innovative engineering, which combines reduced weight materials with the efficiency of direct fuel injection to give you maximum pleasure behind the wheel, at any speed, for less.

You can visit their Peugeot Showroom in Kiarong and visit their Facebook Page for more info.