With Faza Suraj, a representative from The Bruneian. Thank you, NBT (Brunei) Sdn Bhd for this opportunity

With the bell ladies from Keio Plaza Hotel

It was definitely a great experience being invited by NBT (Brunei) Sdn Bhd to the Tokyo, Japan, for the recent Tokyo Motor Show. I could resonate to a classic movie, “Lost in Translation” because I could get truly lost whenever I was confused on which train line to catch for next destination. On a brighter note, the ground handlers from Toyota (Japan) and the logistics team were pretty awesome as they really took care of us from Day 1.

Faza Suraj from The Bruneian and I were privileged to attend the 3 day line up hosted by Toyota and Lexus (Japan). The first day was mostly a welcoming session for all the media delegates from Asia Pacific and the event took place at Hilton Tokyo Odaiba, Japan.

There was a presentation on Toyota’s stance as mobility company and electrification strategy. It was followed up by a ride experience and exhibition tour to deepen the understanding of Toyota’s electrification. Finally, a car show presentation where we got a sneak preview of Toyota’s LQ and Toyota Mirai. The day concluded with a welcome party themed, “Start Your Impossible”.

The media were also privileged to meet the Toyota ambassadors who will represent their respective countries in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics 2020. I sat next to Singapore Paralympic swimmer, Toh Wei Soong who is only 21 years old and he’s a two time gold medalist at the 2018 Asian Para Games.

Some of the Toyota Ambassadors for the Olympic and Paralympic Games

With Paralympic swimmer from Singapore, Toh Wei Soong

The latest concept car from Toyota – LQ

The interesting i-Road from Toyota

The fuel celled powered Toyota bus – Sora

I was quite intrigued with Toyota’s vision and plan for the future. Toyota always have something exciting up their sleeves and this year, it’s no different. Toyota has been very active in producing Electric Vehicle and concept cars year in, year out and the trend may not be exploding but it’s slowly catching on. Toyota has identified that there is always a gap from advanced development and production vehicle development. The gap itself can be reduced with introducing concept cars. The way of the future will also be incorporating Artificial Intelligence Agent to humanize the car so the driver and passenger can feel more connected to a vehicle than ever before.

It’s no surprise that the President of Toyota, Akio Toyoda, believes that the people are the important subject matter even with the rise of technology. Technology is just to enhance the human experience.

Toyota is also one of the official partners for Tokyo 2020 (Olympics and Paralympics) and they have an impressive line-up for next year’s prestigious event.

The e-Pallete is one of them and it’s shaped like a self-driving modular store on wheels and it’s electric powered. The e-Pallete will be used during the Games 2020 and the public and athletes can enjoy the transport offered by Toyota. The e-Palette is in line with Toyota’s vision of “Mobility for All” and this modular is fully automated meaning autonomous driving. Now, it will be exciting to see how this plans out once the Games kick in next year.

Lexus also have a presentation on their concept car and it was the first ever electric car. It is called the Lexus LF-30 Electrified. Many have been asking for years on when Lexus will have their first electric car and here we are. The Lexus LF-30 is more than just a concept vehicle. It’s a bold new vision of vehicle electrification which I will share in my future post.

In the afternoon, we had the privilege to see up close on some of the electric vehicles of Toyota and also experience some drifting on the Toyota 86 and the Toyota Supra GR. For me, I was more excited on the drifting experience in the Supra GR. Though it was short, it was still a fun, adrenalin experience. Sadly, it won’t be out in Brunei but a few have been asking me on social media if this would be brought to our market. Who knows one day it will see it happen.

The day capped off with a welcoming party themed “Start Your Impossible” and we were treated to a very fine Japanese cuisine sponsored by Toyota at the Hilton Tokyo Odaiba. The audience were also being inspired by the two Toyota Ambassadors from the Paralympics who shared their inspiring journey as an individual and as an athlete and appreciating Toyota in making their impossible possible. I hope to see both of them competing in the Paralympics 2020.

Thank you so much to Toyota and Lexus team for organizing such an event for the media. They were very punctual and organized with their agenda and make sure all the media representatives were well fed.

The Toyota GR

The Toyota 86

The second version of the Mirai Concept from Toyota

The fully automated capable Lexus

The paralympic athletes sharing their journey during the welcome party

Enjoying the Japanese cuisine during the Welcome Party

With the customers from Jati Transport at the Mercedes-Benz Driving Experience 2019 at Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur

The Best Driver of the Day during the Mercedes-Benz Driving Experience 2019

Recently Jati Transport Sdn Bhd brought a few of the selected Mercedes-Benz customers for the Mercedes-Benz Driving Experience 2019 at Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur. As usual, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia hosted the event where the guests stayed at Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur while the driving experience itself was held at Sepang International Circuit.

This event is organized yearly to give a better experience to the customers of what the Mercedes-Benz can do. Thank you once again to Jati Transport Sdn Bhd and Mercedes-Benz Malaysia for hosting another successful event. Looking forward to next year indeed.

Patricia Li, General Manager of Laneige Brunei giving her welcoming remarks

Yoo Hyun-Bong, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Brunei Darussalam as the guest of honour (center) with the management of Laneige Brunei

I thought it has been 15 years but I am just way ahead of myself. Last weekend, Laneige (Brunei) celebrated their 14th year anniversary and currently they have 5 outlets in Brunei Darussalam. The celebration took place at their latest branch at Batu Bersurat.

Gracing the event was Yoo Hyun-Bong, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Brunei Darussalam as the guest of honour. Patricia Li, the General Manager of Laneige Brunei gave a short welcoming remarks and deeply appreciated the loyal customers of Laneige and she has been always wanting to enhance customer satisfaction and strengthen the stakeholders’ values.

Laneige Brunei has also been active in corporate social responsible projects where Patricia and her team believe in working with the community and also with NGOs. Laneige has worked closely with “Save the Children” to promote the sharing of the “Waterfall” experiences campaign. Recently also Laneige Brunei has collaborated with Sparkly Domestic Divas.

More than 200 attended the celebration where it was hosted by @gzulyusof and @rubyxchong There were some activities such as facial check and also unveiling the faces of Laneige Brunei. It can be said that Laneige Brunei is here for a long run because of the strong support from the Bruneians. Well done, Patricia and your team, for sustaining a reputable Korean brand in Brunei Darussalam. Keep up the good work 🙂

Do follow @laneigebn on Instagram for updates.

The co-emcees of the night – @gzulyusof and @rubyxchong

The enhanced version of the Audi Q5 – the SQ5

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Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister of Finance and Economy, with the BIBD SEED (Special Underprivileged Mothers Empowerment Entrepreneurship Development) at the atrium of the Ministry of Finance and Economy (MoFE) yesterday

Participants of BIBD’s Special Underprivileged Mothers Empowerment Entrepreneurship Development Programme (BIBDSEED) will now have a new marketplace to offer their products to the public after being provided with a retail space at the building of The Ministry of Finance and Economy (MoFE).

Located at the Atrium of the ministry’s building, the marketplace will be occupied by participants of the current cohort 2 of BIBDSEED.

The new space will fit three businesses at a time and the participants will rotate to occupy the space on a monthly basis.

The Minister officiating the launch of the new market place at MoFE

The Minister handing out certificates to the underprivileged mothers under the BIBD SEED programme

The Minister trying out the lok-lok stall

The Minister trying out the spaghetti

My favorite of the lot – the Rendang, cooked with no sugar and no salt. Oh yea, all vendors use QuickPay and Progresif Pay

BIBD’s Head of Government Relations and Special Projects, Haji Mohammad Yusri bin Haji Wahsalfelah, said: “This placement will provide first-hand and real-life entrepreneurship experiences to our BIBDSEED participants. Through this marketplace, they will now have a level playing field and face healthy competition from established businesses who are currently based there. This can also be a stepping stone for them to grow further.”

He added being based at the new retail space will be crucial and beneficial for the participants’ development as entrepreneurs as it will test their resolve to apply their knowledge and learning from the previous phases such as pricing, marketing, communications, sales pitching to customers and promotion of their products.

“We would like to express our appreciation to the Brunei Government for their strong support and providing the opportunity for us to further develop the BIBDSEED programme. The programme is already a multi-agency initiative actively supported by the government through the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sport.”

“The provision of this new retail space symbolises the huge support of the Ministry of Finance and Economy in collaborating with BIBD to empowering the underprivileged to become successful entrepreneurs. This also reflects our commitment and dedication to become the nation’s partner in progress.”

The launch of the new marketplace was officiated by Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister of Finance and Economy, who also presented certificates to the ten participants of BIBDSEED cohort 2 to mark the completion of Phase 5 of the programme.

Also attending the launching ceremony were permanent and deputy permanent secretaries at MoFE, BIBD’s Deputy Managing Director Hjh Noraini binti Haji Sulaiman, as well as other senior management and officials from the ministry and BIBD.

The enhanced version of the Audi Q5 – the SQ5

The popular Q5 is Audi Brunei’s top selling mid-sized SUV and now a performance enhanced version is available in the SQ5.

The 3.0 litre V6 TFSI high-performance engine with 260 kW hits the 100 km/h mark after a mere 5.4 seconds. Accompanied by the striking sound of the S-specific exhaust system with dual-branch twin tailpipe look. Underpinned by the turbocharger for impressive driving dynamics. Thanks to the quattro drive with self-locking center differential and sports suspension with damper control, the SQ5 is in top form even on bends and uneven roads.

Like every S model from Audi, the SQ5 comes standard with quattro permanent all-wheel drive. In normal driving conditions, its self-locking center differential distributes torque between the front and rear axle in a 40:60 ratio. When slip is detected, the majority of the power is directed to the axle with the better traction. Depending on the driving situation, a maximum of 70 percent can flow to the front or 85 percent to the rear.

The new Audi SQ5 offers a broad portfolio of driver assistance systems. The predictive efficiency assistant provides specific tips to help the driver save fuel. Audi side assist also enhance safety in everyday driving. The same applies to the pre sense systems; Audi pre sense rear comes as standard.

Numerous exterior design details hint at the sporty character of the Audi SQ5. The bold bumpers feature strongly contoured air inlets up front and a diffuser insert with a honeycomb grille at the rear. The Singleframe grille features double aluminium slats and contrasting trim elements in twilight gray matt. The S logo with red rhombus is used in numerous locations to set additional accents.

The headlights and rear lights of the Audi SQ5 come standard in LED technology; the dynamic turn signals at the front and rear send unmistakable signals. The exterior mirror housings and the clasp on the diffuser sport a shining, aluminium-look finish. Door trim strips in the body color underscore the sportiness.

Standard equipment for Brunei includes 21-inch cast aluminium wheels in a 5-twin-spoke V design, Matrix LED headlights and suspension with S-specific damper control. The eight-speed tiptronic transmission, quattro permanent all-wheel drive, sport seats in leather/Alcantara and a three-spoke, leather-covered multifunction steering wheel are also standard equipment. B&O Premium is also standard.

Just a few weeks after unveiling the GLC SUV, Mercedes-Benz is presenting the GLC Coupé worldwide. But I am glad Jati Transport brought both the GLC SUV and the GLC Coupé together this time. Both are available for viewing at the Mercedes Autohaus at Beribi from today till Sunday.

The next generation of the successful model skillflully and intricately combines the sportiness of a coupé with the functionality of an SUV. The result is a vehicle for individualists who attach maximum importance to extraordinary looks, the greatest possible freedom and pioneering technology. Innovative technologies, intelligent driving assistance systems and a new engine line-up make the Coupé a paragon of sportiness, safety and efficiency.

All in all, both Mercedes-Benz GLCs have a facelift from the previous GLC 200 and 250 models and both GLCs are the 300 model too. The horsepower for both GLCs is 258 which is 30 more than the previous model. After facelift includes the LED High Performance headlamps and the rear lights as well. There is one version of the GLC Coupé 300 that sports an LED Multi-Beam headlight where there is extra lights when cornering.

The other variances of the GLCs are the diamond grille upfront for the standard and AMG version and let’s not forget that all the newer GLCs are equipped with the MBUX, the combination of touchscreen displays, navigation with augmented reality and of course, the voice command operated by saying “Hey Mercedes” which is now available in the GLCs. Only in the GLC Coupé 300, they have two digital panels including the cockpit whereas the GLC SUV 300 has one digital panel in the middle and an analog cockpit.

So make yourself available this weekend (Friday to Sunday) to view the latest GLC SUV 300 and the GLC Coupé 300. The only one available for test drive is the GLC SUV 300. It will be open from 9am to 5pm and refreshments will be provided.

The GLC SUV 300 Night Package

The GLC SUV 300 Night Package and the GLC SUV 300 AMG

Sitting inside the GLC Coupé 300

The GLC Coupé at a glance

• Expressive design: The stylish appearance of the new Coupé generation encapsulates the Sensual Purity design philosophy and combines the flexibility of an SUV with the sense of style and sportiness of a coupé. The A-pillars have a more pronounced slope, which lowers the roof silhouette. The model owes much of its extraordinary character to the diamond radiator grille, which is available in silver as standard or black in conjunction with the Night package, featuring a chrome trim incorporating formal elements of the underride guard. Further eye-catching features include the standard-fit LED High Performance headlamps with their torch design and unmistakable light signature. The elegant lines are drawn to a successful conclusion by the compact rear end featuring a new-look diffuser with underride guard and tailpipe trims as well as full-LED tail lamps.

• MBUX – Innovative telematics: The combination of the touchscreen displays, navigation with augmented reality, intelligent voice control via the talk button or the “Hey Mercedes” prompt, connectivity and the user interface makes the GLC Coupé state of the art.

• Suspension: As an alternative to the standard sports suspension with adaptive damping, DYNAMIC BODY CONTROL with infinitely adjustable dampers for the steel springs on the front and rear axle is available as an option. Depending on the driving situation, speed and condition of the road, the damping is controlled individually for each wheel in interaction with the engine, transmission and steering characteristics.

• Advanced assistance systems: Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC and Active Steer Assist provide even more comfortable support to help the driver to keep a safe distance and steer. The speed is adjusted automatically ahead of bends or junctions. Active Steer Assist helps with forming an emergency corridor and with changing lanes. The risk of potential collisions can be reduced by the turn-off function of Active Brake Assist by braking if the driver fails to see oncoming traffic.

• Drive system: The GLC Coupé comes with a choice of efficient four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines from the latest generation. The diesel engines already meet the requirements of the Euro 6d standard. The petrol engines are electrified by the integration of a 48-volt on-board electrical system (EQ Boost).

The new-generation GLC Coupé is a blend of exceptional and sophisticated features, further underlining its leading position with this combination of style and ability. At present, Mercedes-Benz has a very successful presence in the SUV segment with seven models (GLA, GLC, GLC Coupé, GLE, GLE Coupé, GLS, G-Class).

The GLC Coupé 300

Only this version of the GLC Coupé 300 has the multi-beam LED head lamps as compared to the other models that have LED High Performance headlamps

This colour looks beautiful on the GLC Coupé 300

The signing ceremony between BIBD and Progresif with Universiti Teknologi Brunei for the cashless service at the university premise with the Deputy Minister of Education as the witness.

Group photo after the MOU

Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam Berhad (BIBD) and Progresif Cellular Sendirian Berhad (Progresif) at the Lecture Theatre 2, Library Complex, UTB.

Present as the Guest of Honour at the event was Yang Mulia Datin Seri Paduka Dr. Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh, Deputy Minister of Education, Ministry of Education. Also present were Yang Mulia Dr Awang Haji Azman bin Haji Ahad, Permanent Secretary (Higher Education) at the Ministry of Education as well as Yang Mulia Dr Awang Chin Wei Keh, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Higher Education) at the Ministry of Education.

Signing on behalf of UTB was the Acting Vice- Chancellor, Yang Mulia Awang Haji Ady Syarmin bin Haji Mohd Taib, witnessed by the Registrar and Secretary, Mr. Lim Chui Hua. Representing BIBD were the Deputy Managing Director, Yang Mulia Dayang Noraini binti Haji Sulaiman and the Head of BIBD’s Retail Banking Group, Yang Mulia Dayang Hajah Nurul Akmar binti Haji Mohd Jaafar as witness. Yang Mulia Mr. Paul Taylor, the Chief Executive Officer signed on behalf of Progresif with Yang Mulia Dayang Nurul Haniah binti Haji Mohd Jaafar, Chief Administration Officer witnessed the signing.

With a younger generation that is more likely to carry a smartphone than cash, this partnership hopes to be a driver for digital innovation by developing new digital banking products and services that will enhance the student’s banking experience.

Students will now be able to use Progresif Pay, which is powered by the BIBD NEXGEN platform, to make cashless payments across the entire campus. Businesses based at the campus will benefit from increased security and efficiency as they no longer need to manage large sums of cash.

Progresif’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Paul Taylor said, “Progresif PAY is a key part of the driving process for a digital economy. The signing of the agreement with UTB is set to turn the university into the second cashless university in Brunei.”

Meanwhile BIBD Managing Director and CEO, Mubashar Khokhar welcomed the partnership saying, “Again, we are taking branchless banking to yet another level by FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ` providing access to financial services without the need to physically come to a BIBD branch. Today’s collaborative effort illustrates BIBD’s commitment to being Brunei’s economic partner of growth. Our aim has been to partner with industries beyond the financial sector, and to empower these sectors with banking and payment capabilities for better financial inclusion. This is in full support of Brunei Darussalam’s Smart Nation initiative and the goals of Brunei Vision 2035”.

UTB, acclaimed for being at the forefront of engineering and technological knowledge, welcomed the partnership with BIBD and Progresif. The implementation of the cashless campus initiative is aimed at providing greater convenience to students who can now transact without the need to bring cash, and paves the way towards a new digital lifestyle as the younger generation prepares for the Industrial Revolution 4.0 mindset.

Acting Vice- Chancellor, Yang Mulia Awang Haji Ady Syarmin bin Haji Mohd Taib With Progresif Cellular’s CEO Paul Taylor

Acting Vice- Chancellor, Yang Mulia Awang Haji Ady Syarmin bin Haji Mohd Taib With BIBD’s Deputy Managing Director, Yang Mulia Dayang Noraini binti Haji Sulaiman

Demo-ing Progresif Pay to the guest of honour

BIBD’s QuickPay

Progresif Pay

It was a good short, test drive of the newest Audi Q8 3.0 and hoping more test drive in the future

Leading Audi’s new design and technologies
The new Audi Q8 3.0 TFSI V6 quattro tiptronic 340hp/500Nm

The new Audi Q8 delivers a new interpretation of a large four-door SUV coupé with its striking design and excellent adaptability. It constitutes the new full-size class in the brand’s product portfolio. With their extensive package of innovative technologies, the full-size models once again underscore “Vorsprung durch Technik” and offer customers a great deal of utility value.

With the permanent quattro all-wheel drive and a ground clearance of up to 254 millimetres (10.0 in), the SUV coupe can continue when paved roads end. The Audi Q8, which is manufactured at the Bratislava plant, is now available for Brunei.

Mild hybrid – 100 % broad-based electrification

Audi’s full-size class is also innovative in terms of engines. To enhance comfort and efficiency, the Audi Q8 is fitted standard with mild hybrid technology (MHEV, mild hybrid electric vehicles). The Audi engineers have linked the MHEV drive to the vehicle’s sensors, thus ensuring anticipatory, predictive control along with enhanced efficiency.

The six cylinder engine uses a 48V MHEV system. At the heart of the 48V system is a belt alternator starter, which instantly and smoothly restarts the combustion engine. At the same time, it extends the start-stop system to up to 22 km/h (13.7 mph).

Between 55 and 160 km/h (34.2 – 99.4 mph) the full-size models can coast fuel-efficiently with the combustion engine shut off. The drive management decides on the suitable strategy. The lithium-ion battery housed in the rear stores the recovered energy and passes this onto auxiliary consumers such as the air conditioning or the oil pump in the transmission.

In real-world driving, fuel savings of up to 0.7 litres (0.2 US gal) are possible.

Versatile, sporty, elegant: the dimensional and space concept

With its large luggage compartment and generously sized storage compartments and tray areas, the Q8 is ideal for longer journeys. The luggage compartment of the SUV holds 605 litres (21.4 cu ft) as a standard, which increases to 1,755 litres (62 cu ft) with the rear backrests folded down. Two golf bags can easily fit in crosswise. The tailgate can be opened and closed electrically as standard, with a foot gesture option available on request. The electric luggage compartment cover is another convenience option. Guided on rails, it automatically retracts when the tailgate is opened and is extended again upon closing.

A new face for the Q family: the exterior design

With the imposing Singleframe in octagonal design, the Audi Q8 is the new face of the Q family. Six vertical chrome fins make the radiator grille appear upright and solid. A wide, optionally colored mask connects the Singleframe to the distinctive headlights. The spoiler, which is pulled towards the front, and the large, strongly contoured air intakes additionally highlight the aggressive look.

Thanks to the frameless doors, the coupe-type roof line stretches low across the vehicle body visually, ending in a long roof spoiler. The roof line arches slightly towards the flat sloping, strong D-pillars, which are supported by wide, muscular contours – the quattro blisters, reminiscent of the original Audi quattro. The shoulder line stretches the SUV, elegantly connecting the powerful wheel housings.

What a beaut!!

Spacious in the Audi Q8

The 3D camera view. Awesome!!

Digital character: lighting technology and design

From afar, the two-part lights appear very flat. Their top part integrates the daytime running light and the low beam, among other functions. The high beam is positioned underneath, darkened and offset to the back. In the standard for Brunei HD matrix LED headlights, each consists of 24 individual LEDs.

In connection with the HD matrix LED technology, headlights and taillights do not only feature the dynamic turn signal, but are also set in scene impressively during locking and unlocking. Their harmonious interplay gives the SUV a dynamic character.

Simplicity is the new premium: the interior design

The upper MMI touch response display is the central element of the interior of the Audi Q8. With its black-panel look, it almost dissolves into a large, black surface when switched off. Simple, easy-to-understand symbols stand for the digital precision from Audi and for the high level of integration of the architecture and operation – simplicity replaces complexity. All fundamental lines originate from the large display, for example the continuous air vent strip with integrated chrome fins and an elegant aluminium-look strip.

The slender dashboard and the calm lines with a strong horizontal focus highlight the impression of width conveyed by the interior of the Audi Q8. The styling in the interior is deliberately clean and simple. All elements have a logical connection and harmonize with one another: from the “wrap around” – the large arch running from the front doors across the instrument panel – to the operating unit for the light, which is available in black-panel look and with a touch surface. All this combined gives the interior a feeling of calm.

Designed as an independent geometric body, the console of the center tunnel with its generous area visualizes the robust character of the SUV. In the dark, the contour light traces the distinctive design lines of the interior and provides backlight for the three-dimensionally lasered quattro badge above the glove compartment – an example for the love of detail at Audi.

Clear and distinct: controls and displays

The operating concept in the Audi Q8 needs almost no buttons or knobs. It focuses on two high-resolution touch displays. This allows the brand to demonstrate how it transfers its uncompromising quality claim to the digital world. The upper display with 10.1 inch screen diagonal is used for controlling the infotainment and the navigation system. The lower 8.6 inch display allows the driver to manage the heating, ventilation and air conditioning as well as comfort functions and text input. The driver’s wrist can rest comfortably on the tiptronic selector lever during operation. The MMI touch response concept allows fast and reliable operation. A confirmation click can be felt and heard when a function is selected with a finger tap. The menu structure is intuitively logical and flat like on a smartphone, including freely configurable favourites and start screens.

In addition to all this, the natural language voice control turns the Audi Q8 into an intelligent dialog partner. The system processes all questions and commands in two ways – with information stored onboard and with detailed knowledge from the cloud. Drivers can word their commands freely. The voice control can, for example, understand the sentence “I am hungry” and accordingly offer suggestions for restaurants close by.

MMI navigation plus also includes the Audi virtual cockpit. Its high-resolution 12.3 inch display can be switched between two views – classic and navigation – with the multifunction steering wheel. After market launch, the Audi virtual cockpit plus option will offer a third interface with a particularly sporty look. The head-up display, another optional feature, projects important information onto the windshield, including detailed lane guidance for navigation.

Group photo with the guest of honour and participants of the Porsche Road Tour in commemorating His Majesty’s 73rd Birthday at the Porsche Centre Brunei two Sundays ago

Pengiran Mohd Amirrizal bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud, Permanent Secretary (Administration, Finance and Estate) at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports the guest of honour with Lahiru de Silva, Acting Deputy General Manager of QAF Eurokars, posing with Porsche GT2RS

It has been a while since such activity was done – a convoy among Porsche owners organised by QAF Eurokars, the official importer and deal of Porsche vehicles in Brunei Darussalam. Two Sundays ago, it was made possible by QAF Eurokars and Porsche Owner Group and the convoy event was in commemoration on His Majesty’s 73rd Birthday celebration.

The event lasted 7 hours where more than 30 classic and new Porsche owners showed up and it was inclusive of breakfast, lunch, lucky draws, back-and-forth ride from Bandar to Kuala Belait and certificate presentation.
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It was kinda cool to even see Pengiran Mohd Amirrizal bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud, Permanent Secretary (Administration, Finance and Estate) at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, the guest of honour, to attend the whole session of the event. He drove the much new powerful Porsche Panamera. I test drove it before and it was such a ride.

Lahiru de Silva, Acting Deputy General Manager of QAF Eurokars, was very pleased that such event was a success as the road tour brought different eras of the Porsche brand with its cultural values which are pioneering spirit, passion, sportiness and family. The Porsche road tour also help to gather the community that is an extension to the Porsche family.

It was raining cats and dogs prior to the flag off but it didn’t dampen the spirit of the Porsche owners as they were quite anticipating the 178-kilometre convoy from Bandar to Kuala Belait and back.

The breakfast and briefing took place at Porsche Centre Brunei at Beribi Light Industrial Area. Participants were also given event T-shirts and caps to commemorate the event.

The flag off was initiated by the guest of honour followed by the Acting Deputy General Manager of QAK Eurokars.

The convoy’s first landmark was Jame’ ‘Asr Hassanil Bolkiah where a group was taken with the participants. Then the convoy drove along Batu Satu to drive pass another significant landmark, Istana Nurul Iman, the official residence of His Majesty. Along the way, the convoy drove pass Jerudong Park’s iconic Crystal Arch in Jerudong before settling for a drive cruise along the highway, heading to Kuala Belait.

Upon arriving the Belait District, the convoy drove by the Tea Pot Monument before reaching V-Plaza Hotel by the Belait River. Lunch was served at the said hotel and lucky draw was also held where the grand winner walked away with a Porsche duffle bag.

By 3pm, the convoy drove back to Porsche Centre Brunei where the guest of honour presented the participants certificates for being part of the Porsche Road Tour in commemorating His Majesty’s 73rd Birthday celebration.

Participants listening to the briefing

Breakfast was served before the convoy

The token of appreciation for the guest of honour

Flag off by the guest of honour

The tailgate of the convoy at the Beribi Light Industrial Area

The Porsche Boxster and the Porsche Panamera

The photo opp at Jame’ ‘Asr Hassanil Bolkiah

The convoy along the highway

Driving past Istana Nurul Iman

Tea Pot at Kuala Belait

Luncheon at V-Plaza Hotel

Certificate of participation to the Porsche convoys