My MBS experience

The Brunei Tourism team organised a farewell lunch for their CEO’s retirement. Image courtesy of Sheikh Jamaluddin.

Sheikh Jamaluddin’s quote on RA upon his retirement from Brunei Tourism Board – “What I would like to say is that after 16 years, I have seen many positive changes in Brunei Tourism. Money changers, tourist buses, tour guides, souvenir shops and cultural dance groups have grown tremendously in the last 5 years. Tourist arrivals have shown on average an annual increase of 15% year on year since 2005.

However, the above sentences may be challenged by those who are against tourism. What I like to say to your readers are that they must maintain the respect to protect our environment and keep Brunei clean. What we do reflects how they perceive our country.

I also believe future job prospects for our country lies in the tourism sector. It’s the world’s number one industry and this has been realised by world leaders and they have taken steps to develop further their tourism industry, mainly to ensure a continuing stream of job opportunities for their people.

Nation building is all about our ability to create jobs for our people. Jobs in tourism sector are much preferred than say jobs in the agriculture or fishery sector where the work are harder and less glamourous and more dependent on foreign labours.”

The AITI delegates and representatives from ICT companies paid a visit at IDA

Authority for Info-communications of Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) coordinated a site visit with established companies in Singapore bringing along the participants of this year’s CommunicAsia 2012 and representative from iCentre.

The group visited Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) which has kindly arranged 3 companies to present their products.

COL (Ret) Png Bee Hin, CEO of LDR Pte Ltd, presented a mobile interactive applications that helps users to discover Singapore. Mr Bee Hin created other apps to educate the young people about the history of Singapore through a medium that is most familiar to them. The Learning-on-the-move (LOTM) tool, utilises hotspots in Singapore, and as people who are using the hotspot in every new area will be shown different info based on the landmark of the area. Informations and games of the related area will pop-up on the mobile phones. They are able to learn about history of the place through games too as a medium.

There is an opportunity for this app to be used as a tourism tool for Brunei Darussalam. For more info please visit, www.ldr.sg

The Brunei delegates at the presentations by the three companies

LDR company presented their popular mobile apps which is very educational and interactive

Eric Loh, Strategic Sales Director of G Element , showcased a smart building platform that uses a system called Nucleus which controls the ip Internet Protocol (IP) sensors that of a building that monitors fire alarms, control management system for fire alarm, humidity, temperature and CCTV of a building.

The system utilises a mix of 3D building floor plan and live feed. To date, the company has developed handles several solutions such as Smart Hospital, Smart hospitality, Smart campus and Smart city platforms.

The company had also participated in APICTA 2010. For more info, please visit www.gelement.com

Eric Loh of G Element talked about smart building platform

Mr Tan Ze Chong, Executive Director of Argentra, shared the solutions for paper printing security. They showcased tool based on helps to defined secured printing policy for sensitive information in the office. Ms Olivia Kunardi, Project Manager, explained the functionality of the software. The report printing comes with 3D secured barcode and fine print line for document authenticity. The software keeps an audit trail on all the printed documents by users in the office and also prevents unauthorized printing of classified documents.

Perhaps the session that most of us were finally in-tuned from Argentra

Hadi documenting her presentation on his Galaxy Note

My experience at MBS hotel was pretty good. I used to hear of many complains last year especially upon checking in and how it was pretty draggy then. I suppose it’s normal considering the Marina Bay Sands Hotel just opened quite recently and there was so much hype about it. Judging from the room I stayed in, I don’t think it stood up to the hype or maybe because it was still new then. The room was pretty good but I guess it’s the status of being able to stay at MBS as most people praised it for its price.

I had the special privilege to be invited by AITI to do coverage for their involvement in the CommunicAsia 2012 at Marina Bay Sands and hence I was sponsored a 5 night stay at MBS *woohoo* I didn’t have the chance to try out the gym which I heard it’s pretty good but I finally found something time to relax by the Infinity Pool, one of the perks of being a hotel guest at MBS.

My room was at Tower 3 and it’s quite a walk if you actually walk from the main entrance. By the way, I’m quite happy that there’s an MRT now at MBS – Bayfront stop – which is quite recent and this is another good factor if you are seeking for convenience of public transport. I remember back then that I have to stop by Marina Bay stop and take a bus to MBS or go for a 15 min walk to reach MBS.

In conclusion, MBS is a hotel where I would highly recommend you to try at least once if you haven’t. If price isn’t your concern, then this is As for me, I had a good experience but it wasn’t all the hype that it lived to. Like I said, it’s all about status and branding. I’m more of an Oasia or Quincy or Royal Plaza on Scotts kinda of guy *lol*. Well, you get the picture 🙂 On my next trip, it’s a coin toss between Oasia Hotel or Albert Court Village Hotel.

My work station at my room at MBS *lol* Messy as usual 😀

Every 3am I would wake up to catch Euro 2012 matches though 50% of the time, I ended up sleeping halfway.

I love how they presented the amenities of the hotel

I usually would take this home as souvenirs. I kinda forgotten to do so on this trip.

My room is quite spacious and no complains here. Wifi is also complimentary as a hotel guest.

A nice piece of artwork here on the mirror. Strangely I took this photo while I was naked *lol* TMI here

Every time when the room is being cleaned by housekeeping, this tray will be lying on your bed

Ahhh… finally the Infinity Pool on the 57th floor though I didn’t enter the pool as I was worried about my belongings