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You will be surprised that volunteering doesn’t really equate to a good thing unless you are aware if it leads to a good outcome. I do agree of d’ Arcy Lunn’s sharing about volunteering and he gives us a different perspective about volunteering and I would like to share with you guys.

But first, I would like to thank the Australian High Commission to Brunei Darussalam for the invitation yesterday at their residence where I had the opportunity to catch and understand d’ Arcy Lunn’s vision which is to see the world without extreme property “for everyone, everywhere and forever”. He is a teacher by profession from Australia. The best gift I’ve see in him is his passion to volunteer and he has been traveling to different countries (more than 60 countries) – including Krygyzstan, Arctic Canada and Africa.

So it’s good to him making his presence felt in Brunei especially to educational institution such as International School of Brunei where he had talks there yesterday. One of the reasons for his presence in Brunei is the current project initiated by ISB on Polio Points project. In a nutshell, this is a student rewards system supported by Standard Chartered Bank which translates effort and achievement into Polio vaccines for Pakistan.

The project was launched and patronized by Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Salleh Ab Rahaman in October 2012. ISB’s house points system encourages staff and students to be caring global citizens: every good deed and positive contribution by ISB primary and secondary students during lessons, sports competitions and various school events go towards vaccinating children in Lahore, Pakistan against contracting the polio virus in their lifetime.

This project is also not possible without the support of Global Poverty Project, the partnership between ISB, SCB and UNICEF Pakistan, UNICEF HQ in New York, the Gates Foundation, High Commissions of Pakistan, the United Kingdom and Australia in Brunei Darussalam and of course, the endorsement of Her Royal Highness.

As of now, ISB Polio Project has collected enough points which will be redeemed by Standard Chartered Bank (Brunei) equivalent to BND 10,000 which will then translated to Polio points for the benefit of the children in Pakistan. The project has been ongoing since last year and I really want to applaud ISB and SCB for making this possible and it’s good to see a school like ISB to get involved in Social Responsibility programs because this kind of education is important especially if it’s coming from the younger generation and this kind of contribution programs will raise more awareness among their age group which will be more effective.

d’ Arcy Lunn speaks to the audience at the Australian High Commission’s residence yesterday

His Excellency Todd Mercer, High Commissioner of Australia to Brunei Darussalam welcoming the invited speaker

NGOs, volunteers and representatives from SCB attended the session

The heads of the ISB student councils sharing updates on the ISB Polio Project

I could just go on and on about this project but I shall talked more in depth about ISB’s Polio Project on another day. For now, I want to focus on Mr. Lunn who is an iconic figure for volunteerism. Like I have said mentioned before, not all volunteerism can translate to a good outcome. So we have to take into accounts of a few things before getting excited to volunteer.

Mr. Lunn shared some interesting good pointers that will lead to “good aid and volunteering”. We have to be aware that when we show the passion to volunteer, it doesn’t mean that we are the expert if we are dealing with something unfamiliar. It’s important to speak to the relevant agencies and see what role you will be able to play as a volunteer.

The other habit which I feel that I have some weakness when it comes to volunteering is “Listening and Learning”. Sometimes we fail to pay attention to what is required. For instance, we keep donating clothes only to know that they needed more school bags for the under privilege students.

We have to make sure if we volunteer that it’s appropriate and collaborated with relevant agencies or organizations or non-government organisations. We also have to make sure that we volunteer, it is empowering for the country, community and the people.

Lastly, it’s also important to make the volunteerism programs have sustainable. It doesn’t just happens just once or twice. It has to be ongoing with great support from the sponsors and the community involvement to keep the momentum going and going. A good example here is Beach Bunch Brunei and they have been running volunteering campaigns on clean beaches for many years and they have bigger plans because their campaigns have been successful.

Mr. Lunn did leave some inspiring impression on me on what volunteering is. Volunteering is a rich thing to do and you don’t have to be rich in fortune. He also highlighted that you may have the best intention for volunteering but make sure the outcome is good and relevant to the receiving end. Yes, I also do agree with Mr. Lunn that volunteering is the best entry to achieve your dreams and of course, you will have to take a leap of faith and the inner courage to begin with. I believe there are many Bruneians who have those dreams.

You can check out d’ Arcy Lunn’s blog for updates and you can also follow him on twitter @darcylunn and you also can reach at darcy(a)global povertyproject.com

Pg Aki Ismasufian Pg Hj Ibrahim, SCB Head of Corporate Strategic Initiatives and Iswandy Ahmad, President of Brunei Darussalam Aids Council also attended the talk

JIS students talking about volunteerism with d’ Arcy

Pg Aki Ismasufian sharing with Adam of ISB on SCB’s involvement with ISB Polio Project

Students from Maktab Sains with the Australian High Commissioner and d’ Arcy

Photo opportunity with representatives from HEART

The stakeholders involved in the ISB Polio Project. Click image to enter website.

A great way to increase awareness on Polio. This is called the Purple Pinkie. When a child is vaccinated, they have a purple stamp put on their little finger. This is an ideal way to raise awareness. Image courtesy of Pulitzer Center.

 

As the largest and most influential hair salon in Brunei Darussalam, the IA Salon creates a much needed arena for professionals and consumers to come together to learn and exchange information about natural hair care, health and beauty products, and techniques.

IA Salon Brunei had launched series of workshops for both hair and makeup with the support of MAC cosmetics and L’Oreal hair industry. Cecilia Lee, director of IA Salon invited the ambassadors of both line to conduct in-house trainings for salon hair stylists and makeup artists, photo filming of fresh models, customer services, and makeup tutorial classes.

L’Oreal artistic ambassador Simon Koh from Malaysia has been consistently nominated to its title since 2000. He had hosted numberless hair seminars, hair talks, workshops, demonstrations, hair shows, and so forth, both within Malaysia and overseas. Established in 1986, ELLE Hair salon and academy was founded by him. With his 30 years of hairdressing experiences, Simon is leading a troop of experience leading stylists all over Malaysia. Koh is bringing his lady assistant who has been working with him for the past 7 years and graduated at Elle Academy.

MAC cosmetics leading makeup creative artist Lim Kok Leong from Malaysia has been 9 years in makeup industry. He had tied up to work with famous magazines such as Herworld, Female, Cittabella, Malaysia Tatler, Men’s UNO, Sister, and more. Lim graduated makeup art course in Tokyo Designer Gakuin, a technical school in Tokyo, Japan. He is a leading artist for Salabianca & Philosophy fashion show such as @increafible India 2007, @ China Champ 2008, @360* Melbourne 2009 and forth. He has been the personal makeup artist of Pussycat Dolls in MTV Asian awards. He has various distinctions not only in Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, and even in New Zealand.

Anna from FunBeePark, Simon Koh , L’Oreal artistic ambassador in KL, Ramlah Binti Laipu, owner and creative designer of ELLA Botique in Sabah and Lim Kok Leong, MAC cosmetics leading makeup creative artist from KL

Simon Koh , L’Oreal artistic ambassador in KL, showing the disconnect cuts and the new fashion

The before and after

Lim Kok Leong, MAC cosmetics leading makeup creative artist from KL explaining the different types of make up application

Ramlah Binti Laipu, owner and creative designer of ELLA Boutique in Sabah has been developing an image of beauty and fashion. She created her own conceptual designs and she called it “EL TUDUNG PESTA”. Mostly of her designs have the concept of tudung exclusive that is suitable to any occasions. She has been invited to do fashion shows in Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore.

Cecilia Lee of IA Salon is inviting the public of Brunei Darussalam to experience this once in a lifetime chance to explore the world of beauty and furthermore gain much confidence and outshine. Makeup classes for Mr Lim will be conducted at IA Salon, The Mall, Gadong, on (today) 12th March 2014. Morning and afternoon classes will be available for registration. For reservation and more inquiries, call IA Salon customer service at 2423232 or 8738232.

There will be customer services conducted by Mr Koh to interested clients and hair enthusiasts on 12th March 2014 at IA Salon, The Mall, Gadong. Services such as hair cutting, hair design, hair colouring, perming, or rebonding are available for booking now. Appointments are limited to six customers only. Have a chance to beautify yourself with internationally distinguished L’Oreal ambassador. There will be free of charge consultation on Tudong designs and fashion with Ramlah. Special handmade tudong scarves for sale too. For reservation and more inquiries, call IA Salon customer service at 2423232 or 8738232.

New and artistic MAC cosmetics and L’Oreal Hair care products will be available for purchase at IA Salon, The Mall, Gadong with proper consultation by hair and makeup specialists.

Cecilia Lee of IA Salon explaining the “EL Tudung Pesta” while Ramlah demos on how to apply them

“EL Tudung Pesta” being demoed by the models

Ramlah with the models wearing “EL Tudung Pesta”

Group photo

If you want to enjoy maximum impact visually, you should check out the newly launched Acer home projectors and the best thing is that the Acer projectors are quite affordable. I introduce to you the Acer P1173 projector which only cost $398 instead of the usual price $568.

This affordable Acer projector has a sharp projection due to the SVGA resolutions and 3,000 lumens of brightness with HDMI Port Connectivity. This is also very ideal for presentation when you do your business presentation or sales-pitch where you can start with a customised set up screen with your corporate logo.

It’s also an eco-smart device which reduces power consumption in standby mode. Earth-friendly elements include long lamp life for lower replacement cost.

It’s also easy to use as it’s suited for beginners and also offers many useful features and connectivity.

Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer (center), Richard Soo, Miri Branch Manager of Acer (2nd from left) and Zul Abd Rahman, Marketing Manager of Concepts Computer (2nd from right) unveiling the new Acer P1173 projector

Richard Soo recommends the public to get hold of this affordable projector

The portable and eco-smart Acer P1173

Get the Purchase-with-Purchase deals so you can get the projector screen for a much cheaper price

This is Concepts Computer membership dongle and show this to enjoy the special discount for the Purchase-with-Purchase deal

Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer and Richard Soo, Miri Branch Manager of Acer unveiled the newly launched Acer P1173. It is now available at the Concepts Computer with the promotional of $398, usual price $568. Concurrently, Concepts Computer will also have a Purchase-with-Purchase promotion for 70” by 70” projector screen with tripod stand. You can get the projector screen for $100 only when you buy with the Acer P1173 projector. The price alone for the screen is $128.

Oh furthermore, if you have the Concepts Computer membership pen drive, just show it and you can get the projector screens (70” by 70”) for only $88 for the Purchase-with-Purchase promotion. Teachers will also be able to enjoy this special deal and you just need to show your teacher’s ID or confirmation letter.

For more information, you can go to the nearest Concepts Computer showroom or call 223 3551/2 for more details.

You get a casing bag for the purchase of the projector

The affordable projector is also ideal for the upcoming World Cup 2014

The media getting snippets of the projectors

So what are you waiting for? This is a great deal from Concepts Computer

 

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With a Hollywood theme, Netcom Computer House celebrated their annual dinner at Mutiara Ballroom, Radisson Hotel. The event was welcomed by Vincent Goh, Managing Director of Netcom Computer House and he shared about the vision of the company to his employees. There were lucky draws and performances by the staff.

The event also honoured long serving staff – Mary F. Yanez, Grace Q. Lamela, Jean G. Vasquez and a special mention to Jackie Lim for her 10 years service to Netcom Computer House.

For you info, Netcom Computer House have five outlets – Kiulap, The Mall (Gadong), Mulaut, Tutong and Kuala Belait. They are the largest IT retail chain store in Brunei Darussalam.

Jackie Lim receiving her 10 years service award for Netcom Computer House

Jean G. Vasquez, Mary F. Yanez and Grace Q. Lamela receiving their 5 years service award

Vincent Goh, Managing Director of Netcom Computer House giving away lucky draw prizes

Vincent Goh picking some of the lucky draw

Vincent Goh giving away lucky draw prizes

Wady posing for the camera

Group photo of Netcom Computer House

 

Following his stratosphere jump in 2012, extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner is tackling his next big challenge on the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring. The Austrian will obtain a racing license and become a race driver with the Audi race experience team on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife.


The Audi race experience makes it possible for Audi’s customers with sporting ambitions to enter racing. But never before has the program, which the Audi driving experience has been running since 2010, had as prominent a driver as this one. “It’s fantastic that we’re cooperating with Felix Baumgartner this year,” says Klaus Demel, the head of the Audi driving experience. “As an extreme athlete, Felix Baumgartner has been thrilling millions of fans around the world with his daring actions that combine ingenuity and exceptional technical demands. Now we’re familiarizing him with our sport, offer him a professional environment with our team, and are very excited about this new, joint challenge.”

As a guest entrant, Baumgartner has been gathering some racing experience in recent years during occasional runs in the one-make cups of the Volkswagen Group. The big difference in the 2014 season: the Audi R8 LMS ultra provides him with a 419 kW (570 hp) ‘pure-bred’ GT3 race car. The 44-year-old is completing an extensive preparation program before competing in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring on June 21/22, 2014. His team-mates are equally prominent: The five- time Le Mans winner Frank Biela (D), the three-time Le Mans winner Marco Werner (D) as well as the GT and sports car pro Pierre Kaffer (D) will be his colleagues in the cockpit.

“This task is totally exciting and I’m looking forward to driving races in an Audi,” says Felix Baumgartner. “During initial tests in the road-going Audi R8 I got to know the Nürburgring, and in the Audi R8 LMS ultra I’ve clocked a few kilometers on various tracks as well. I regard this task as one of the major projects in my life. The environment is perfect, the atmosphere is fantastic, and I feel really well taken care of by the Audi race experience. But it’s also clear that I’m basically starting from scratch because this sport is new for me.”

Felix Baumgartner to drive the Audi R8 at Nürburgring for 24 Hours

Former professional rally driver Josef ‘Sepp’ Haider, now the Audi race experience’s sporting director, is one of the instructors of his Austrian compatriot. “Felix is approaching his new task in exactly the manner that is the hallmark of a pro,” says Haider. “He’s eager to learn, has good judgment of the physical conditions, and is totally motivated. All team members have come to respect him in the initial tests. I’m very much looking forward to our joint journey.”

The team will be fielding another R8 LMS ultra in the 24-hour race. The drivers of this car have already been confirmed. Already last year, Dominique Bastien (USA), Rahel Frey (CH) and Christian Bollrath (D) formed a team. Christiaan Frankenhout (NL) will be supporting the Audi race experience as a driver for the first time.
Felix Baumgartner’s 2014 Nürburgring program:

• March 21–22 VLN, test and setup runs

• April 05–06 Qualification race, Nürburgring 24 Hours

• April 26 VLN, 56th ADAC ACAS H&R Cup
•May 17 VLN, Adenauer ADAC Simfy-Trophy

• June 21–22 Nürburgring 24 Hours

 

Interested to work at McDonald’s? Check out the details on poster

DPMM FC players and the management team with the team from Maju Motors at Maju Motors showroom yesterday. Click image to enlarge.

It was great to DPMM FC fans turning up yesterday at Maju Motors new showroom at Telanai to show their support and taking photos and signing autographs on the DPMM FC poster sponsored by Maju Motors. The management team of DPMM FC and all the DPMM FC players turned up for the special occasion. Today they will have a friendly match against ABDB at the Jerudong mini stadium and this is to keep up the match practice for all the players. Steve Kean hinted that all the players will have a chance to be on the field as he intended to swap all the players in the second half.

DPMM FC’s next match will be away to Home United on the 13th March and rumoured that RTB will be airing the game live on TV for the benefit of DPMM FC fans. So far DPMM FC have won two matches and the team to have a perfect record in the S•League.

Click image to enlarge.

Pengiran Haji Mohd Suhaimi bin Pengiran Penggawa Laila Bentara Istiadat Diraja Dalam Istana Pengiran Haji Alauddin, General Manager of Setia Motors holding the International Century Quality ERA Award at the International Century Quality ERA Awards, Geneva, Switzerland

Brunei company stood out in Geneva competing among the global players. Business Initiatives Directions (BID) Group One International Convention took place in Geneva, Switzerland last weekend. The event included the presentation of the International Century Quality ERA Awards (CQE and this year, the award was held at the InterContinental Convention Center, Geneva, Switzerland. Leaders of companies and institutions from 73 countries made the journey to Geneva to receive this distinction. The Award honors an organization’s merits in Total Quality Management (TQM) which includes leadership, innovation, quality, excellence,processes and good practices.

Jose E. Prieto, Executive President of BID (Business Initiative Directions) presented the award and certificate to Pengiran Haji Mohd Suhaimi bin Pengiran Penggawa Laila Bentara Istiadat Diraja Dalam Istana Pengiran Haji Alauddin on behalf of Setia Motors Sdn Bhd in recognition of outstanding commitment to Quality and Excellence wIth merits. The International Century Quality ERA Award was evaluated in the realm of Leadership, Strategic Planning, Business Excellence, TQM implementation, Training, Quality, Profitability, Growth and Benchmarking as established in the QC100 TQM system.

Since 1986, companies in 178 countries around the world have implemented the technology of B.I.D QC100 Model in order to manage total quality. The symbol of B.I.D. adorns the corporate image of their companies as a seal of commitment to quality before their clients and the rest of their constituents.

The members of the international committee for selection of candidates are responsible for the selection of companies nominated for the BID CQE Award. The committee is made up of successful corporate leaders from more than 90 countries who meet annually in London, Paris, New York, Frankfurt, Moscow and Geneva.

Amongst the most outstanding companies from around the world that have received the award in the BID Convention since 1986 are:

•  Turner Construction, the company which managed construction of the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai;

•  Alcoa Howmet Gennevilliers, the aeronautics division of France, belonging to Alcoa, the world’s leading producer of primary aluminium, ranked at 461 in the Fortune Global 500 with turnover of $5.2 billion USD;

•  Reliance Industries Ltd, Hazira from India. Ranked 264 in the Fortune Global 500;

•  Tata Auto Elxsi and VSNL Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd., part of the Tata Group, one of India’s largest and most respective business conglomerates;

•  Indian Oil Corp. Ltd., ranked 125 in the Fortune Global 500;

•  Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, which works for the Russian Space Agency;

•  Walmex, subsidiary of Walmart, largest global retailer and #1 on the Fortune 500;

•  King Fahd Industrial Port in Jubail, Saudi Arabia;

•  Al-Yamamah Press Est “Al-Riyadh Newspaper”, Saudi Arabia;

•  ICICI Bank Ltd, India

•  Istanbul Natural Gas Distribution Co Inc – Turkey

•  SAFCO and Saudi Iron & Steel Company (HADEED) – SABIC, ranked 293 in the Fortune Global 500

•  ANKOL, Poland

•  CBA Kereskedelmi KFT, Hungary

•  LUMERO, Angola

•  Alumina do Notre do Brasil S.A, Brazil

Pengiran Haji Mohd Suhaimi receiving awards from Jose E. Prieto, Executive President of BID accompanied by Craig Miller, President of QC100

Pg Hj Mohd Suhaimi with other guests during the event

Pg Hj Mohd Suhaimi with other guests during the event

In an interview, Pg Hj Mohd Suhaimi commented that Setia Motors Sdn Bhd is committed to continue this Quality Culture with employees, suppliers, clients and the community, supported by the QC100 Total Quality Management Model and the principles of which have been practised by delivering quality, a consequence of valuing customer satisfaction and obtaining positive business results.

Another commitment is maintain and meet the quality levels established in the company in accordance with the QC 100 Points of Quality by encouraging participation and teamwork for decision-making enabling to deliver clients and customer satisfaction and needs to meet their expectations.

This practice will continue to provide human resources, both technical and economics, to achieve continuous improvement and respect for the environment while simultaneously managing human resource in the company to achieve the maximum potential by creating awareness of the importance of concentration on the most profitable areas of activity, to achieve the best business results.

The achievement of these principles by Setia Motors Sdn Bhd will foster improvement for clients, employees, suppliers and all of the other persons who make up the company. Text and images courtesy of Setia Motors.

Congratulations Setia Motors on the milestone.

Pg Hj Mohd Suhaimi with Jose E. Prieto, Executive President of BID (Business Initiative Directions)

Setia Motors winning an international award

 

The guard of honour from the Royal Brunei Police Force after being inspected by Chief Justice

Chief Justice Dato Seri Paduka Hj Kifrawi bin Dato Paduka Hj Kifli (3rd from right)

Watching the guard of honour last weekend

Heading into the High Court for the annual report by the speakers

Did you know that the Brunei legal system has the same birth as Brunei’s national day? March the 15 was the first existence of the Supreme Court building in the capital. I attended the Legal Year organised by the Judiciary. I didn’t stay long as I had other commitments but I managed to get most of the essence of the speeches shared by the Attorney General, Datin Seri Paduka Hjh Hayati binti Pehin Orang Kaya Shahbandar Dato Seri Paduka Hj Mohd Salleh, Chief Justice Dato Seri Paduka Hj Kifrawi bin Dato Paduka Hj Kifli and President of the Law Society of Brunei Darussalam, Haji Mohamad Rozaiman DSLJ Haji Abdul Rahman.

The speeches highlighted that electronic legal system has help to expedite and improve the legal systems though it will have some teething problems in the beginning. The courtrooms (Technology Courts) have computer systems in placed and even digital recording of oral testimonies. According to the Attorney General, it is at 70% in the implementation stage.

A proposed idea was introducing “E-Filing” concept as this can help reduce costs and fasten the process such reducing backlogs and delays in the administering of cases, and provide court users with a workable system all round.

Taken at the High Court

One managed to caught me taking a shot 😀

A photo opportunity before the report kicked off

YAM Pengiran Anak Haji Mohammed Al-Mokhtar in attendance

Chief justice (3rd from left) reading out his report for 2013

Also present was the Police Dato Seri Pahlawan Bahrin Mohd Noor

The annual report was also presented as the Chief Justice shared the statistics of cases in limitation for both civil and criminal cases in Brunei Darussalam. Here are some quick statistics for your perusal.

Revenue collected – $5,430,245.55 in 2013 compared to $6,810,368.73 in 2012.

Bankruptcy cases – 338 recorded in 2013, 661 cases recorded in 2012 (huge drop)

Marriages – 89 in 2013, 184 in 2012

Divorces – 33 in 2013, 32 in 2012

Criminal cases (High Court) – 41 in 2013, 28 in 2012.

Civil cases (High Court) – 82 in 2013, 97 in 2012

Receiving orders – 919 in 2013, 661 in 2012

Adjudication orders – 67 in 2013, 49 in 2012

Criminal cases (Magistrate) – 574 in 2013, 852 in 2012

Civil cases (Magistrate) – 895 in 2013, 1,182 in 2012

Juvenile court – 23 in 2013, 24 in 2012

Ambassadors, High Commissioners and diplomats also attended Legal Year 2014

Ambassadors, High Commissioners and diplomats also attended Legal Year 2014

If I’m not mistaken, this is where the defendant will be situated during the hearing. I could be wrong

RBAF Commander Pehin Major General Dato Mohd Tawih also present and the Chief Justice gave many praises on the Royal Brunei Armed Forces

Haji Mohamad Rozaiman DSLJ Haji Abdul Rahman raised concerns on the Power of Attorney, Equitable Ownership and Conversion on conditions of land from perpetuity to 60 years lease and these have been a sensitive issue for the past few years and I would say that it’s in the stage of being inconclusive especially it comes to the Land Code.

He pleaded for Government Link Companies to give recognition to the local law firms and practitioners especially those members of the Brunei Bar. This issue have been put to rest or have gone off the radar. Who knows that this will be another topic to be discussed in the ongoing LegCo (Legislative Council). We shall wait and see.

You also can view last year’s coverage here of the Legal Year 2013.

Placing the podium before the Attorney General read out her report

The Attorney General highlighted about the new technology in placed to improve the efficiency and the effectiveness of the court procedures

Representatives from the Royal Brunei Police Force

Haji Mohamad Rozaiman DSLJ Haji Abdul Rahman, the President of the Law Society of Brunei Darussalam

It was good to see some smiles after some light humourous pointers by Rozaiman

The view of the High Court

They also had law books for sale at the lobby area

Hello Zubaidah 😀

 

This was the first run I did this year and I haven’t been running for quite some time. It does say a lot about my dedication to fitness and exercise *lol* Anyway, good job to the organisers and those involved in the recent White Cane Charity Run or also known as Larian Amal Tongkat Putih. More than 2,000 participated in the said event and it’s also the first competitive run event in 2014. The next run will be the National Day Run which is set for 30th March.

Below are some of the photos from the event and I will be posting more soon. This is the first time that the National Association of the Blind organised such event and this is a great awareness on the significance of the white car to the visually impaired. As you know the White Cane is the universal symbol of the access for the blind and visually impaired people. You can check out more pictures and updates on @larianamaltongkatputih on instagram and Facebook.

 

Modern Family Season 5

 

Radisson Art Showcase until Saturday 28th September

 

Fana devouring the new Samurai burger

The wait is over. Now McDonald’s is serving the much awaited Samurai Burger. It blends well with Sakura McFizz (me likes) and they also have a new special sauce from McDonald’s.

Dk Kemariah Pg Hj Duraman, General Manager of McDonald’s (Brunei) was pretty excited that Samurai burger promotion is in town as this will give more variety for patrons in terms of offerings. For you info, Samurai Burger is made of 100 percent quarter pound beef, grilled to perfection with teriyaki sauce. There is also a special sauce in the burger which gives a distinctive taste.

The Samurai Burger and Sakura McFizz will only be at McDonald’s for a limited time only. You can even have a double dosage of the Samurai Burger (Double Samurai Burger).

The Samurai Burger is sold at $6.50 ala carte and the medium McValue Meal costs $7.60. The double Samurai Burger is $8.20 alone and for the medium McValue Meal, it only costs $10.60 for a limited time only.

The double Samurai Burger

Samurai Burger McValue Meal

The local media enjoying their dosage of Samurai burger

This special sauce is yummy..

Bomi Oh of Yam Yam Sarang Korean Restaurant with the staff

Have you tried the newly open Korean food joint in Brunei? If you want the best authentic home cook Korean food, you should try Yam Yam Sarang Korean Restaurant. I’m pretty you must have heard of the restaurant previously but now they have relocated at Batu Bersurat.

The pictures below are one of my few visits recently because they just introduced new dishes in their menu and the dishes were great too. Of course, customers are always targeting their famous Yam Yam fried chicken which comes in three flavor (normal, yang-neon and ganging). This can really give a run to most of the fast food outlets out there.

Perhaps one of the best part of this restaurant is the Shik hae (Korean rice drink) which is a home-made drink. It has a sweet distinctive taste and also made from Korean made rice. Well, if you tasted a barley drink, this is somehow much more defined and tastier than barley. I wouldn’t mind ordering two of this on my visit. Oh yeah, did you know this drink takes a few hours to prepare alone? Hence the quality is there and it is also their signature drink.

They have new dishes such as the Gomtang (Thick Beef Soup), So bulgogi jeongol (stew), Chicken Katsu, Sarang udong, Ohingeo soondae (steam squid), Bing-eo tikim (fried pond smelt), Godeungeo dupbap (marinated mackerel with rice in hot stone pot), Mandu Guk (dumpling soup) and many more. Personally I like the Mandu Guk and the Godeungeo dupbap..yummmm!!!!

All I can say that you will be very full and satisfied after having your meal there. You will definitely get your value for money here and the portions are quite reasonable as well. It can get pretty crowded during lunch and dinner sometimes so it’s better to get your reservations too. I shall be posting more pictures of the other dishes in a week or two. For now, enjoy the pictures that I’ve posted.

Yam Yam Sarang Korean Restaurant is located at Batu Bersurat, next to Kang Comfortzone. The Korean restaurant was opened last April 2013 and it’s located at Block J, Unit 6. For reservations, you can call 860 7830.

Shik hae (Korean rice drink) which is a home-made drink and I highly recommend you this drink

Winnie loves the drink too

The appetizers to start with..

One of their famous dishes (rice noodle) has new flavours to it now and it’s spicier than before

I kind love this dish.. Godeungeo dupbap (marinated mackerel with rice in hot stone pot) served with vegetables and Sarang dupbap sauce. Did you know that Mackerel contains high Omega 3 and Vitamin B more than salmon? Interesting

Their trademark Yam Yam Fried Chicken. This isn’t new in the menu but their best selling dishes in the restaurant

Ohingeo soondae (steam squid). It has some stuffing inside the squid too.

Mandu Guk (dumpling soup). Korean traditional style dumpling soup with vegetables and Mandu. This is pretty good stuff!!

Winnie my lunch partner

Bing-eo tikim (fried pond smelt) which is a fried pond smelt, a famous dish during the winter season in Korea. Rich in amino acid and calcium.

Bomi Oh and Mr. Oh of Yam Yam Sarang Korean Restaurant

 

New stock of iPhone 5s coming later this afternoon – 16G, 32G and 64G at Lara Corp. Price won’t be as stated on apple.com.sg (which is only available by October 2013) but these models are in stock and prices are relatively reasonable. So drop by Lara Corp at Airport Mall

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Clearance stock at ICON Design Store. Click to enter

 

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Bomi Oh of Yam Yam Sarang Korean Restaurant with the staff

Have you tried the newly open Korean food joint in Brunei? If you want the best authentic home cook Korean food, you should try Yam Yam Sarang Korean Restaurant. I’m pretty you must have heard of the restaurant previously but now they have relocated at Batu Bersurat.

The pictures below are one of my few visits recently because they just introduced new dishes in their menu and the dishes were great too. Of course, customers are always targeting their famous Yam Yam fried chicken which comes in three flavor (normal, yang-neon and ganging). This can really give a run to most of the fast food outlets out there.

Perhaps one of the best part of this restaurant is the Shik hae (Korean rice drink) which is a home-made drink. It has a sweet distinctive taste and also made from Korean made rice. Well, if you tasted a barley drink, this is somehow much more defined and tastier than barley. I wouldn’t mind ordering two of this on my visit. Oh yeah, did you know this drink takes a few hours to prepare alone? Hence the quality is there and it is also their signature drink.

They have new dishes such as the Gomtang (Thick Beef Soup), So bulgogi jeongol (stew), Chicken Katsu, Sarang udong, Ohingeo soondae (steam squid), Bing-eo tikim (fried pond smelt), Godeungeo dupbap (marinated mackerel with rice in hot stone pot), Mandu Guk (dumpling soup) and many more. Personally I like the Mandu Guk and the Godeungeo dupbap..yummmm!!!!

All I can say that you will be very full and satisfied after having your meal there. You will definitely get your value for money here and the portions are quite reasonable as well. It can get pretty crowded during lunch and dinner sometimes so it’s better to get your reservations too. I shall be posting more pictures of the other dishes in a week or two. For now, enjoy the pictures that I’ve posted.

Yam Yam Sarang Korean Restaurant is located at Batu Bersurat, next to Kang Comfortzone. The Korean restaurant was opened last April 2013 and it’s located at Block J, Unit 6. For reservations, you can call 860 7830.

Shik hae (Korean rice drink) which is a home-made drink and I highly recommend you this drink

Winnie loves the drink too

The appetizers to start with..

One of their famous dishes (rice noodle) has new flavours to it now and it’s spicier than before

I kind love this dish.. Godeungeo dupbap (marinated mackerel with rice in hot stone pot) served with vegetables and Sarang dupbap sauce. Did you know that Mackerel contains high Omega 3 and Vitamin B more than salmon? Interesting

Their trademark Yam Yam Fried Chicken. This isn’t new in the menu but their best selling dishes in the restaurant

Ohingeo soondae (steam squid). It has some stuffing inside the squid too.

Mandu Guk (dumpling soup). Korean traditional style dumpling soup with vegetables and Mandu. This is pretty good stuff!!

Winnie my lunch partner

Bing-eo tikim (fried pond smelt) which is a fried pond smelt, a famous dish during the winter season in Korea. Rich in amino acid and calcium.

Bomi Oh and Mr. Oh of Yam Yam Sarang Korean Restaurant

 

New stock of iPhone 5s coming later this afternoon – 16G, 32G and 64G at Lara Corp. Price won’t be as stated on apple.com.sg (which is only available by October 2013) but these models are in stock and prices are relatively reasonable. So drop by Lara Corp at Airport Mall

 

Fana devouring the new Samurai burger

The wait is over. Now McDonald’s is serving the much awaited Samurai Burger. It blends well with Sakura McFizz (me likes) and they also have a new special sauce from McDonald’s.

Dk Kemariah Pg Hj Duraman, General Manager of McDonald’s (Brunei) was pretty excited that Samurai burger promotion is in town as this will give more variety for patrons in terms of offerings. For you info, Samurai Burger is made of 100 percent quarter pound beef, grilled to perfection with teriyaki sauce. There is also a special sauce in the burger which gives a distinctive taste.

The Samurai Burger and Sakura McFizz will only be at McDonald’s for a limited time only. You can even have a double dosage of the Samurai Burger (Double Samurai Burger).

The Samurai Burger is sold at $6.50 ala carte and the medium McValue Meal costs $7.60. The double Samurai Burger is $8.20 alone and for the medium McValue Meal, it only costs $10.60 for a limited time only.

The double Samurai Burger

Samurai Burger McValue Meal

The local media enjoying their dosage of Samurai burger

This special sauce is yummy..

 

Modern Family Season 5

 

Radisson Art Showcase until Saturday 28th September<

 

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His Majesty the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah accompanied by His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel during the tour of MISC briefed by Pengiran Mohd Suffian, Acting MiSC Manager

The Media and In-Service Centre (MiSC), a key building block of the Ministry of Education’s e-Hijrah initiative to be officially launched later this year, was presented at ICC during the Majlis Sambutan Hari Guru Kali KE-23 Tahun 2013.  The interactive presentation allowed teachers to preview the vision of how MiSC will support educators in nurturing Bruneian students to meet the challenges of economic and social development in a rapidly changing and increasingly digital world.

The vision of MiSC is to be a world-class digital learning hub for the Ministry of Education that brings together the wonders of digital technology with traditional Bruneian values under MIB. MiSC will develop a range of digital learning resources for children that are of high quality and designed to capture their interest while improving learning outcomes.  The Centre will also carry out extensive programmes of teacher training to ensure that teachers can use these digital resources properly with their students.

The state-of-the-art centre is designed to help meet the goals of Wawasan 2035 and accelerate the changes in the education system that were initiated under SPN21.  A key critical goal of MiSC is to provide culturally appropriate digital learning resources that ensure effective learning outcomes to meet the nation’s social and economic needs.   

Young people across the world are using digital media and the internet in all aspects of their personal lives.  As recently highlighted by His Majesty, this can have both negative and positive influences and impacts.  MiSC is a pro-active step being taken by the Ministry of Education to harness the positive potential of digital learning through the use of materials designed on the basis of Bruneian culture and values. 

MiSC will also include a teacher in-service collaboration and training facility that will assist teachers in learning techniques for the effective use of these digital learning resources.  This in-service facility utilizes an approach that is designed to provoke discussion, feedback loops and research & development which will help to ensure teachers receive opportunities for professional learning programmes that meet their individual needs.

Acting MiSC Manager, Pengiran Mohd Suffian bin Pengiran Hj Mohd Said acknowledges that “students seem to have a natural inclination for anything digital, especially devices and gadgets.  This provides us educators with both challenges and new opportunities to develop effective student outcomes utilizing content that we design and develop on the basis of our values.” MiSC will play a critical role in supporting teachers through the difficult process of change and adapting to new ways of teaching. Press release courtesy of MiSC.

His Majesty the Sultan mingling with the students playing with IT educational tools

Students conversing with His Majesty

HRH Prince Jefri Bolkiah touring around the MiSC booth

His Majesty signing with a stylus on the tablet

Students were in awe while conversing with His Majesty

His Majesty viewing new educational facilities that will be in placed in the future

How Sekolah Menengah Rimba II will look like by December 2013

 

‘flick!’ is an Instagram Contest in conjunction with the Hyundai Athos Open 2013 Fencing Championship. Fencing is one of the oldest Olympic sports and is also known as the physical chess. We often associate what we see in the movies to the modern sport, movies such as Princess Bride, Zorro, Puss In Boots and obviously the Three Musketeers; also we stereotype the sport, assuming it is a sport for only the elites.

‘flick!’ derived from a fencing move and also carry hints of photography, the contest name was picked by a group of local creative individuals.

The contest aims to bring fencing to the public and demonstrate the true beauty of this fast-pace and exciting modern combat sport. Public are invited to come to the venue, watch the competition, learn more about the sport and take part in ‘flick!’.

The prizes for the contest are provided by Athos Fencing, 365estore and KFC Brunei.

Please take note of the following rules:

  1.    The opening date of the Hyundai Athos Open 2013 Fencing Championship – flick! Instagram Contest is on 28th Sep 2013 and the closing date will be on 29th Sep 2013, midnight.

  2.    This contest is open to all residing in Brunei Darussalam. Participations have to ensure their Instagram profiles are not set to private.

  3.    Participants can submit as many photos as they wish to and include both hashtags #athosfencing and #hyundaibrunei. Fencers registered with the Brunei Darussalam Fencing Federation are automatically disqualified.

  4.    Prizes to be awarded include
  • Grand Prize – Galaxy Camera x 1
  • Second Prize – Nokia Mobile Phone x 1
  • Third Prize – Portable HDD x 1
  • Fourth Prize – 3G USB modem x 1
  • Consolation Prizes – Basic OhMyCard! x 5
  • Participation Prizes – KFC Meal Vouchers x 4

And they must attend the prize-giving event on Sunday, 5th Oct 2013 at Athos Fencing Studio at 2pm.
   
  5.    The images shall be shared on Athos Fencing’s facebook page and winners announced via Athos Fencing’s facebook page.
 
   6.    Images must be taken between 28th and 29th Sep 2013 at the contest venue (Bola Bola Indoor Futsal Court, Times Square). The subject must be fencing related. Instagram Video entries are allowed.
   
  7.    Images/Videos must NOT express any forms of profanity, sexual and/or racist elements. Image/Videos must NOT incite religious hatred and/or phrases that may be deemed inappropriate to other races.
 
   8.    Setia Motors and Athos Fencing reserve the right to reuse any photos that are submitted to the official hash tags of the Instagram Contest.
 
   9.    Upon submission, the owner of the photo will no longer have rights to use the photos upon submission and after the contest for personal or professional use, giving Setia Motors and Athos Fencing sole rights of the photographs in an unrestricted, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty- free license to use, reproduce, display, publicly perform, transmit and distribute such photographs.
 
   10.    Setia Motors and Athos Fencing shall determine winner eligibility in its sole and absolute discretion. Decisions made by the judges are final and no forms of communications will be entertained at any time.
   

 

Bigger is better! KFC Brunei would like to offer their valued customers a big eat meal today! KFC Brunei is launching the New HotBox with their four KFC signature burgers for the young and surfing generation. This New HotBox includes the new addition of a scrumptious crispy hash brown and creamy jalapeno cheese sauce.

The KFC New HotBox features four of the favourite KFC signature burgers, namely, Colonel Burger, Colonel Fish Burger, Zinger Burger and Cheezy Zinger Burger. The New HotBox comes with a piece of succulent chicken, the crispy hash brown to scoop up the delicious creamy jalapeno cheese sauce and a regular carbonated drink as part of the combo. Customers can choose between the Colonel Burger HotBox (BND$6.50), the Colonel Fish Burger HotBox (BND$7.50), the Zinger Burger HotBox(BND$8.50), and the Cheezy Zinger Burger HotBox (BND$9.50).

The New HotBox is now available at all outlets in Brunei. Get them today and do not miss out!.

KFC HotBox

 

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam (L), presenting an award to Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Lela Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abd Rahman Dato Setia Haji Mohamed Taib, during the 23rd Teachers’ Day 2013 celebration at the International Convention Centre in Berakas. Image taken by Saiful Omar of The Brunei Times.

More than 1,000 teachers packed the International Convention Centre yesterday to celebrate Brunei’s 23rd Teachers’ Day with His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam as the special guest.

The monarch was on hand to present special awards to 11 teachers, including former minister of education Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Lela Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdul Rahman Dato Setia Hj Mohamed Taib, who received the prestigious Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien (SOAS) Education Award.

Pehin Dato Hj Rahman began his career as a teacher at SOAS College in the 1960s, and after holding a series of cabinet positions in the ’80s and ’90s, went on to lead the education ministry from 2005 to 2010.

Recipients of the SOAS Education Award receive $20,000 as well as a lifetime of free medical treatment in a first-class ward at any government hospital.

His Majesty the Sultan with the Royal Family at yesterday’s Teacher’s Day

His Majesty the Sultan with the students from the Robotics Olympiad competition using Lego Mindstorms

His Majesty looking at the demo on Lego Mindstorms arranged by the students

His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam said yesterday the government will continue to invest in teacher education, stressing that an education system is only as good as the quality of its teachers.

Speaking to over 1,000 educators at Brunei’s annual Teachers’ Day celebrations, the monarch the importance of cultivating a reading culture and a thirst for knowledge.

“Educators are the key to success of Brunei Vision 2035… There’s no doubt that teachers play a big role in producing a highly skilled and knowledgeable population,” he said in a titah at the International Convention Centre.

“Teachers have a major role in producing an excellent education system. In this regard, my government will remain committed to a large investment to develop the professionalism of teachers in the country.” Source: Quratul-Ain Bandial of The Brunei Times.

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Get your tickets now and catch them live on stage

A theatrical adaptation of Pride and Prejudice will be staged on September 27 at The Empire Hotel & Country Club Theatre and at Jerudong Park Amphitheatre on September 28. The play will showcase young talents from Sains Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan College (Maktab Sains) and Berakas Secondary School.

A total of 28 students will be bringing Jane Austen’s beloved story to life, with 21 of them in the main cast and the remaining seven as supporting cast.

Out of the 28, one student is from Berakas Secondary School and the rest are from Maktab Sains. The cast were chosen during auditions organised by Maktab Sains.

“Pride and Prejudice” revolves around the trials and tribulations of the two main characters, Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet, and is set in the19th century.

Organisers for the play held a press conference yesterday, including Maktab Sains Principal Dk Sarimah Pg Hj Ahmad, in her capacity as the chairperson; Ministry of Education (MoE) Department of Schools Special Duties Officer Cheong Huat Joo; Politeknik Brunei Director Dennis Ho Mun Tai; Jerudong Park Country Club (JPCC) Head of Sales and Business Development Department Dk Rose Pg Hitam; and Pride and Prejudice Secretariat Dr Malai Zeiti Sheikh Abd Hamid.

Sponsors such as The British High Commission, Easy Way, Fitness Zone, Asia Printers, The Face Shop, AL Hairstylist Group, Cafe Au Lait, Wisa Enterprise, and Showcase Advertising were also present.

The tickets for the show at Jerudong Park Amphitheater are currently on sale for $15 and $30, and can be purchased at Fitness Zone, Showcase Advertising and Cafe Au Lait.

The tickets for the show at The Empire Hotel & Country Club Theatre can also be bought from these sponsors at $40 each.

The speakers stated their hopes that the show will contribute to the growth of the creative industry in the Sultanate. You can check out their details on their website and also their promotional video. Source: Ammirul Adnan of The Brunei Times.

Maktab Sains Principal Dk Sarimah Pg Hj Ahmad was so excited about the play and encouraged the public to watch our local talents on stage

Pride and Prejudice Secretariat Dr Malai Zeiti Sheikh Abd Hamid has been working in coordinating and preparing the spectacle this weekend

Jerudong Park Country Club (JPCC) Head of Sales and Business Development Department Dk Rose Pg Hitam hopes there will be more events happening at the said venue and she’s more than happy to help bring more local presence at the venue. Last Sunday was the WCOPA 2013 concert.

The FaceShop has been very busy with recent projects and it’s no surprise that they are willing to be involved in this project for the students. Kudos!

The sponsors and media during the press conference

Politeknik Brunei Director Dennis Ho Mun Tai was more than happy to support Maktab Sains in this project and he hopes for more collaboration especially in the creative industries

A huge support from Asia Printers for the said event

Group photo after the press conference

Some of the costumes that will be used during the play this weekend

The main casts for Pride and Prejudice

There were on Kristal FM a few months back to promote the event

Behind the scenes. Good luck to all those involved.

 

Yang Mulia Dato Seri Setia Haji Yusoff Bin Haji Ismail who officiated the cutting of the ribbon for the 2nd floor of LCB last week

Last week, Laksamana College of Business (LCB) launched its Second Floor at the college premises. The second floor signifies an expansion of the college, adding to its already existing Third Floor, and two Rooftop Floors.

Established in 2003, LCB started off with 25 local students with lesser course options. Now turns years after, LCB has over 850 existing full-time and part-time, local and international students. With the growing number of students, it is no surprise that LCB provides a wider range of courses and LCB has added its Hospitality Program due to its growing demand.

Present as guest of honour was the Deputy Minister of Education, Yang Mulia Dato Seri Setia Haji Yusoff Bin Haji Ismail who officiated the cutting of the ribbon for the 2nd floor of LCB.

Also in attendance during the launch were the Permanent Secretaries of MOE, the Deputy Permanent Secretaries of MOE, Director of LCB, Awang Haji Suhaimei Bin Awang Haji Besar, Principal and Director of LCB, Mr Ian Pirie, Ministry of Education Officers, other invited guests, lecturers and staff of LCB.

One of the programs that LCB offers is the Academic Pathway where students can take the University Foundation Course (UFC) and BA Common Year 1 over the duration of two years in Brunei and continue for two years in the UK. This pathway allows them to complete a degree in Business Studies, Marketing, Business Information Management and Accounting and Finance.

  Students can also opt for the Professional Pathway instead and take the Kensington College of Business Diplomas in Business Studies whereby a qualification is awarded at each stage of the course. LCB has also ventured into corporate training, specifically focusing on IT professional certifications since 2008 and launched the BTEC Higher National Certificate and Higher National Diploma Computing programs in 2010.

Just last year, LCB started offering BTEC EDEXCEL courses for National Diploma and Higher National Diploma in Business and also launched a Hospitality Program for National Diploma and Higher National Diploma courses. Upon completion of the Hospitality Program courses, students can choose to further their studies at the Glion Institute of Higher Education in Switzerland, whereby LCB has links with. The Glion Institute of Higher Education in Switzerland is among the top three hospitality management schools in the world.

Siva Sivarajah, COO of LCB explaining the new facilities to the guest of honour at LCB

Students taking a small “smile” break during the impromptu visits

I saw my cousin there :p

New cafeteria managed by Axtivo Cafe management

Group photo with representatives of Beach Bunch and volunteers at Tungku Beach last Sunday morning

Now that’s a lot of rubbish if you ask me. This was another great initiative by the Beach Bunch and the event was carried out at six different beaches in Brunei-Muara, Tutong and Kuala Belait. A total of 580 volunteers showed up and a total of 1,722kg of rubbish was collected.

According to Beach Bunch, every September, more than half a million volunteers worldwide participate in this activity to create more awareness on our oceans as the beach clean up activity was in conjunction with International Coastal Cleanup.

Maktab Sains, Politeknik Brunei, Petroleum Brunei, Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP), Jerudong International School (JIS), International School Brunei (ISB), Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA), Pusat Tingkatan Enam Tutong, Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB), Sufri Bolkiah Secondary School, Roomz Hotel, Swiss Hotel, and Advance Diploma Well Engineering were involved as volunteers last Sunday.

The data collected of the rubbish will be shared with Ocean Conservancy. I believe that some of the rubbish from the beaches came from different sources. Don’t be surprised if the rubbish that appeared at the Tungku beach or Meragang beach actually came from the Kg Ayer river.

People may think it’s not a serious matter to pollute or simply throw rubbish to our Brunei water. The implications are damaging and it will be in a long run. So it’s good to see Beach Bunch continuously carrying out these initiatives and keep reminding the public on the cleanliness of our beaches and oceans.

All the pictures here were taken at Tungku Beach.

 

Christian Dior has inspired the inimitable look of the most elegant women in the world since 1947. Dior is the epitome of elegance and style, breathtakingly modern yet timeless, inimitable yet always avant-garde.

Dior is the magic of a creative genius who sought always to glorify female beauty, dreaming only of “making women happier and more beautiful.” But the conjurer who forged a planetary style and in- vented today’s notion of luxury had to nurture this ability by absorbing the most innovative cultural and artistic influences of his time. 

Our very own local celebrity Wu Chun was invited as the Celebrity Guest for the Opening Ceremony of the ‘1st in the world’ Christian Dior Boutique dedicated to perfume and beauty which is located at the Shanghai International Financial Centre shopping mall recently.  Another celebrity guest that was invited during the event was Louise Bourgoin, a French actress, Cesar Award for Most Promising Actress, a rising movie star in France. 

Christian Dior has appointed Wu Chun as their activity’s spokesperson a number of times in these past years. Wu Chun added, ” Being an old friend of Christian Dior, I slowly get to understand Dior’s behind-the-scene story, culture and the ‘Pursuing Greatness’ spirit that makes them so successful. I really cherished this opportunity to work so closely with them all these years and its such a pleasure to receive a Christian Dior’s Perfume with my autograph engraved onto it.”

Wu Chun with Louise Bourgoin, a rising French actor at the opening ceremony of Christian Dior Boutique at Shanghai International Financial Centre Shopping Mall recently

Also presence is the Christian Dior Global CEO, Claude Martinez and Christian Dior China Managing Director, Richard Xu.

According to Claude Martinez, China holds a dominant position not only because China is such an immense country, but because the future is being played out here. China is changing all the time, just like the House of Dior, which has never stopped reinventing itself and perpetuating the heritage of the New Look revolution of 1947. In an international context, China is perhaps the most stimulating and the most visionary country.

From 1947, the most beautiful women in the world, ranging from actresses to royalty, flocked to Paris to be dressed in the outrageously poetic new Dior chic. Christian Dior’s only concern was to enhance their beauty, sculpt their silhouette and make them ever more radiant. The greatest stars of Hollywood’s golden age — Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth — knew better than any that the empathic couturier could help shape their destiny and fulfil their dreams of splendour.

The House of Dior’s intimate relationship with these ambassadresses of elegance has never waned, from Sophia Loren to Brigitte Bardot, Grace Kelly and Lady Diana. But the list of radiant muses goes on: today’s most talented stars — Charlize Theron, Marion Cotillard, Natalie Portman, Mélanie Laurent, Jennifer Lawrence — are now gracing the Dior firmament with their timeless aura.

Wu Chun shared further, “I have such a tight schedule for remaining months of this year. There are 2 films which I am working on right now, one will be shot in Inner Mongolia, China and the other film will be shot in Japan. By early october, I will go to taiwan for the release of my new book. It can go really stressful and tiring at times but at the end of the day, I know it will be an experience that is worth fighting for.”

Wu Chun holding a Dior Homme Sport with his autograph engraved on it

 

BIBD has announced the selection of the 25 runners who have qualified for the BIBD CE-ALAF (Charity Expedition Advocating Life-Long Learning For An Aspiring Future) Midnight Marathon that will take place on November 24.

The announcement was made at the Goldiana Lounge of the Orchid Garden Hotel (OGH), Berakas yesterday during a briefing session delivered by CE-ALAF Project Manager, Ahmad Nazmie Hj Omar, who presented a run-through of the 42km run.

The selected runners are Norliza Abdul Jalil, Nurul Hasibah Hj Mohamad, Gpul Ramli, Jeffrei Mohamad, Rizan Latif, Hassan Kamis, Hapish H Hassanuddin, Khairul Ibrahim, Zulfadli Ali, Anis Ahmad, Faizal Hj Ahmad, Matnarudin Ibrahim, Baharudin Nordin, Dedeq Drahman, Harrisman Ashady Bin Hj Ali, Haji Ahmad Nur’al Hj Abdul Rahman, Muhammad Ali Hj Hamran, Asli Tengah, Pg Mohammad Jefri Pg Hj Aliuddin, Hjh Nabilah Pehin Dato Hj Abas, Rohana Pg Hj Malek, Kai Teng Koh, Masri Daud, Zulfadli Abu Bakar and Mai Ahmad.

During the briefing, BIBD was happy to announce OGH as the official hotel partner for the CE-ALAF 2013. To show its support, OGH is introducing a special hospitality package which includes dinner, breakfast and other benefits for all the participants.

The selected participants were also briefed on and encouraged to run a sponsorship programme whereby they can look for sponsorships. Corporate organisations and individuals will also be given the chance to sponsor their efforts in which the contribution made will go into the CE-ALAF programme fund for every kilometre taken by the runners.

The runners will be trained for four weeks under the care of BIBD’s own Marathon Des Sables (MDS) runners, Hamsul Sulaiman and Ahmad Fathi Junaidi, who ran the toughest footrace held at the Sahara Dessert earlier this year.

It was also announced that these runners will be provided with run clinics on a weekly basis to further help in their training. This will provide them with an avenue for the runners to share their weekly report on their progress, converse and gain invaluable experiences with the MDS runners. The marathon runners will furthermore be provided with a disciplined running exercise plan, crafted by the coaches, to help them prepare for the BIBD CE-ALAF Midnight Marathon

Present during the briefing at OGH was the Managing Director of BIBD, Javed Ahmad, who delivered a speech thanking everyone for making the BIBD CE-ALAF a success and he highlighted how the runners will play a role in creating more opportunities for underprivileged children to access better education opportunities.

BIBD officially announcing the 25 shortlisted runners for the 42 KM category

The event took place last Sunday at The Orchid Garden

Group photo with the shortlisted runners

The registration for other categories, such as the competitive 21km and 10km race along with fun runs of 5km and 2.5km, as well as the 40km cycling expedition are still available. Participants may submit their completed registrations to any BIBD branch throughout the Sultanate with fee payments made through any of BIBD’s channels of BIBD Online, BIBD Mobile or at any BIBD ATM or CDM to the account number 1010400011. Fees vary for each category, and more details can be found on the website. More conveniently, participants can complete the entire CE-ALAF registration process online via www.bibd.com.bn using a credit or debit card, and receive a 5% discount off from the registration fee. The closing date for registration is 24th October 2013.

The competitive races will also give participants a chance to win cash prizes worth up to $2,000, as well as travel packages to Singapore. The top three winners will also receive exclusive winners’ t-shirts and medals.

For sponsoring any of the 25 runners, interested parties can email the BIBD CE-ALAF team at info@bibdcharityexpedition.com or contact the BIBD CE-ALAF hotline at 8222110 for any enquiries on sponsoring the BIBD CE-ALAF Midnight marathon runners or to become a partner for the entire BIBD CE-ALAF event.

Details on the 25 runners will be put on the BIBD CE-ALAF website for individuals or organisations to sponsor, visit www.bibdcharityexpedition.com or email the BIBD CE-ALAF team at info@bibdcharityexpedition.comor call the BIBD CE-ALAF hotline at 8222110.

The Charity Expedition (CE ) is one of the fund raising activities under the ALAF initiative. ALAF or “Advocating  Life-Long Learning for an Aspiring Future” is BIBD’s flagship Corporate Social Responsibility programme.

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Shanon Osman the winner of the KFC Spicy Korean Crunch K-Pop Makeover Contest

10 finalists compete for the top in the KFC Spicy Korean Crunch K-Pop Makeover Contest that took place last Sunday at Airport Mall. The top 10 finalist are as follow; Diana Yii, Diyana Rasidah, Elisa Goh, Ellen Wong, Erni Norsurianah, Janice Wee, Lim Fen Yee, Ruby Ang, Shanon Osman and Sylvester Shim (the only male).

The finalists were given a time limit of 1 minute to impress the audience and judges as one of the activity. Shannon Osman emerged as the grand winner of the competition, walking away with a return air ticket for two people to South Korea and the other contestants receiving consolation prizes with Elisa Goh coming 2nd.

Special invited guest, Miss Kim Sung Eun, Counsellor of the Korean Embassy were present to officiate the event and also one of the competition judges. Other judge includes KFC’s Vice President Mr Del Goh, Leah May Villamin, Deputy Head of Retail of The Faceshop, Miss Cecillia Lee, General Manager of IA Salon and Crystalyn De Guzman of Fun Bee Park.

KFC would like to congratulate the 10 contestants that made it to the finals and would like to thank their partners, IA Salon, Fun Bee Park, Seoul Garden, Bingo and Face Shop and all those that helped made the event possible. Cecilia also announced some additional prizes for some of the contestants.

Devon was one of the emcees last Sunday. Nice Korean outfit :p

A consolation winner of the competition

Shanon Osman danced with KFC nuggets

Sylvester the only male in the Top 10

The judges of the competition

Del Goh giving an impression of KFC

One of the consolation winners

Janice made to the Top 10 too

Elisa Goh came 2nd in the competition

The Top 10 finalists of KFC Spicy Korean Crunch K-Pop Makeover Contest with the judges