Triple H’s entrance promoting the Terminator: Genesis blockbuster movie at Wrestlemania. Image taken from WWE website

Wow, wow, wow!!!! What a Wrestlemania!!!! One of my bucket list is to watch Wrestlemania live in the US. This year it was held at San Francisco at the Levi’s Stadium and it had a WWE Wrestlemania record attendance with more than 70,000 fans. Crazy!! I watched the PPV with Jason Rumpun and we were exchanging predictions on the matches.

I won’t be spoiling the results as Wrestlemania is still one day old and some of my friends will be watching it tonight on their computers. My favourite matches are Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns surprisingly and also Sting Vs HHH. Well, the ladder match was also great and so was Randy Orton vs Seth Rollins. The in-ring promos were awesome and okay, I just almost love everything about it. Royal Rumble sucked bad time and the Fast Lane PPV was a bit of a redemption but Wrestlemania 31 was a huge improvement. I didn’t expect much initially but it exceeded expectation.

I’m definitely buying the blu-ray for this Wrestlemania. I give this a 9/10 and one of the best Wrestlemania I’ve seen in many, many years. Highly recommended.

Brock Lesnar was dominant last night and it’s not surprised that WWE offered him a new contract. Image taken from WWE website

Rusov has been giving the US title more value than before. Image taken from WWE website

One of the best matches – the ladder match for the Intercontinental title. Image taken from WWE website

Is that DX I saw last night? Image taken from WWE website

 

Follow @icentrebrunei on IG for updates

Innovate “Talking Technology & Entrepreneurship” Forum is a platform to promote a future of innovation and Entrepreneurship with a global perspective in Brunei Darussalam. The forum explores topics like emerging trends in technologies, insights on successful startups, opportunities and challenges in securing investment funding.

Over the years, iCentre has brought in international and regional speakers from recognized organizations to share their expertise and knowledge in hope to inspire others.

The speakers are Marcus Tan, co-founder of Carousell, a mobile app marketplace in Singapore, Azlan Ahmad, founder and Excecutive Creative Director of Mixmediaworx. and Wayne Chia, CEO (SE ASIA) and co-founder of Techsallor.

The event will take place on Tuesday 7th April at The Empire Hotel & Country Club. It will be a morning event and it will be concluded with a networking lunch.

 

Reuben Chin, a dedicated Toastmaster member from Brunei, earned his dual awards in both Table Topics and International Speech in Division K Contest in Labuan last Sunday. He was runner-up in both category.

What a great weekend!! I missed the cricket world cup tournament where Australia won. I missed another Earth Hour event in Brunei. I missed a few activities. It wasn’t that bad after all since I spent my weekend in Labuan to support my toastmaster buddy Reuben Chin who was eyeing for a victory in the Table Topics and International Speech Contest. Only the winner will have the ticket to the District Level to be held in Kuching.

Reuben has already mastered his speeches in Area level (Brunei) and he was the cream of the crop. I’m amazed how the numbers showed up from Brunei toastmasters (from 4 clubs) to witness to conference and supporting Reuben in Labuan. Our attendance alone showed why the toastmasters clubs in Brunei are pretty strong in Division K. The majority in attendance was mostly from Brunei toastmasters. Amazing!!

Reuben may have not won first place but it didn’t let him down. He remembered last year coming third place in Area Contest and now reaching a step higher, finishing 2nd in Division Level. Yes, we noticed the pattern and I hope he will bettered himself and I know he will because his passion is to grow as a community leader through the tools of toastmasters. You did your very best buddy and you have improved not just a speaker but as a role model leader to many including me.

Good luck and I shall see you in Area Contest perhaps 😀

Intan receiving her honors as the Division K Champion in International Speech and her speech touched the audience and great delivery as well.

Celebrating both birthday celebrants including our very own special guest Grace who joined us during the Convention trip in Labuan

Group photo of toastmasters from Division K. Click image to enlarge.

The Brunei Toastmasters attending the conference as well as supporting our Brunei representative, Reuben Chin

Allen Ang trying out Seng Yee’s cactus hat

I’m not sure how to caption this picture

The Brunei entertaining the guests during dinner

Derby and Julius during our popular Wolf game. I was labeled as the professional wolf.

The Brunei gang on the ferry on the way to Labuan

 

I’ve blogged about Divina before and the business’ primary focus is renting out dresses especially related to fairy tales to cater for the kids. Divina has been around for many years and the previous location of the shop was in Yayasan and now it has moved to Menglait which provides a better space because now Divina has introduced a new service for photo shoots especially for family portraits. Now you can dress up elegantly from renting from Divina and use their backdrops to make the picture more surreal while wearing elegant dresses.

Last Sunday, Divina feted the winners for the three categories of the Divina’s Dress-Up Contest. In Category A, baby girl Nayla Arissa binti My Azeli won first place followed by Nur Faiza and Stephenie Wong. In Category B, Thian Siao Fen @ Samantha took first place and first runner-up was Dayangku Nur Atiyyah Azzahra while Siti Nur Aziah binti Yunos came third. As for Category C (for the boys), Dario Ling Yi Hao claiming first place, Mohd Azrin bin Shadanan came second and Christopher Wong came third.

The winners walked home with vouchers worth $100 for first prize, $80 voucher for first runner-up and $50 voucher for second runner-up.

The top three winners of the Divina Dress-Up Competition. The prize presentation took place last Sunday

Nayla Arissa binti My Azeli won first place in the first category. Image courtesy of Borneo Bulletin.

Dario Ling Yi Hao won first place in Category C for the boys section. Image courtesy of Borneo Bulletin.

Christopher Wong came third in Category C

Mohd Azrin bin Shadanan came second in Category C

The winners last weekend

Divina now also introduced a newer service where mothers can also dress up to compliment their daughters and sons. They have brought in some beautiful dresses for rent for the adults. Do check out the images below for details.

Divina Brunei Sdn Bhd rents out accessories such as hair veil, tiara, hair accessories. For those who want packages, Divina has different packages. Refer below for details.

Premium Set 1 $48

1 Dress, 1 Hair Accessory, 1 Cardigan/Shawl, 1 Hair Veil, 1 Petticoat

Premium Set 2 $88

2 Dress, 2 Hair Accessories, 2 Cardigans/Shawls, 2 Hair Veils, 2 Petticoats

Premium Set 3 $168

4 Dress, 4 Hair Accessories, 4 Cardigans/Shawls, 4 Hair Veils, 4 Petticoats

Premium Set 4 $228

6 Dress, 6 Hair Accessories, 6 Cardigans/Shawls, 6 Hair Veils, 6 Petticoats

Divina Brunei Sdn Bhd closes every Monday. Otherwise the business is open daily from 10am to 6pm. It is located at Unit 4, 1st Floor, Bangunan Hj Hassan Abdullah, Spg 32 Kg Menglait, Jalan Gadong. You can check out their Facebook page or call 223 0759 or 872 2028.

Now even mothers can dress up 😀

Some of the backdrops that can be used

Chin Wei had fun during the photo shoot

Now mothers and young female adults can dress up too

The young emcees announcing the winners

The interior view of Divina

The map of Divina at Menglait

 

Relentless Entertainment (Relentless) is all set to bring a beloved tale of a magical nanny to the stage with Poppins The Musical this Saturday and Sunday at the Jerudong Park Amphitheatre.

Sharing the stage alongside the actors and dancers from the entertainment and events management company on the first night of the show will be 30 special stars from Pusat Ehsan, who will delighting audiences with an opening number.

The special needs centre is also one of a handful of local non-profit organisations that were given complimentary tickets to attend the show.

Other special needs organisations include Yayasan Kanser Kanak-Kanak (YASKA), the Centre for Children with Special Needs (KACA), Learning Ladder and the Society for the Management of Autism Related Issues in Training, Education and Resources Brunei (SMARTER Brunei).

In a press statement by the Relentless, the company has given 1,000 out of the 4,000 seats to special needs centres.

“Every child from the organisations will be given a goodie bag,” said the company’s founder, Mardi Hedus.

Tickets for the two-day event, which starts at 7.30pm, are still available at various locations such as Patisserie Cake Shop at Mata-Mata Gadong, Misato Japanese Restaurant both at Kiulap and Mabohai, Laneige at The Mall and in Kuala Belait, and at Fitness Zone both in Kiulap and Serusop.

The tickets are priced at $10, $15 and $20, and a portion of the proceeds will be given to charity.

For more information, please contact Mardi at 8235455 or 8243222 or emailrelentless.brunei@gmail.com. You can also follow Relentless on its Facebook at facebook.com/relentlessstudiosbrunei and Instagram@relentlessbrunei. Text courtesy of Michelle Tan of The Brunei Times.

The cast posing for the media. Image courtesy of Michelle Tan of The Brunei Times.

A new sneak preview of Poppins the Musical. Image courtesy of Michelle Tan of The Brunei Times.

The cast and crew are ready for the weekend

 

The vice chairman of SCOT Khairul Azmi Hj Salleh with the committee of the SCOT Run 2015. Image courtesy of Analisa Amu of The Brunei Times.

The Society for Community Outreach and Training (SCOT) announced its inaugural charity run ‘The SCOT Run 2015 – Fight Poverty through Education’ recently at the Youth Centre.

The run is slated to be held on May 10 at Taman Haji Sir Omar Ali Saifuddien in the capital.

The vice chairman of SCOT Khairul Azmi Hj Salleh, at the announcement ceremony, said that the run will put an emphasis on the ongoing SCOT Education project.

“Majority of the funds to be raised (from the run) will be channeled to serve an additional commitment to provide scholarships of empowerment to deserving and most progressive students for the phase 2 of SCOT Education,” he said.

In an interview with The Brunei Times, Noor Faezatul Iradah Mohd Ali, the project manager of SCOT Run 2015, said that they are expecting more than 3,000 participants for the run.

“With the funds collected, we will use it for training students that we are yet to choose from various institutional organisations who then will be teaching English in Cambodia for the underprivileged,” she said.

In 2013, the SCOT Education programme under SCOT comprised of 11 weeks of volunteering activity in teaching English to about 120 students at the Youth Development Centre (YDC). It was then followed by a two-week volunteering activity in teaching English to underprivileged students in Cambodia.

In a press statement, it stated that the objective of the SCOT Education is to empower and build confidence of trainers through English language skills training so as to equip them with better employment opportunities.
The online registration for the SCOT Run will be opened from March 21 to April 5 at www.fightpovertywithus.org/scot-run.

There are three categories opened for the public namely: 3km fun run “Hopeful Fighter”, 5km “Passionate Fighter” and 10km “Knowledgeable Fighter” with registration fees at $25, $30 and $35 respectively.

The payment for the registration will be opened from April 3 to 5.

Venue for registration payment will be updated through the website including dates and venue for kit collection. SCOT also announced that any companies that wish to support, sponsor and be a part of the SCOT Run 2015 are welcome to email them at info@fightpovertywithus.org.

Click image to enter website

 

Mabohai Shopping Complex is proud to announce that David Atthowe, founder of Nomadic Lion, will be joining our Earth Hour Event on Saturday, 28 March 2015 at 8:00 pm.

In 2014, David, along with his partner and Indonesian friend Yusep Sukmana walked 3,350 km all the way from Malaysia to Brunei. They walked to raise awareness about the Rainforest and people of Borneo.

During our Earth Hour Event on Saturday 28th March, David will give a special talk on the topic “Walking change: connecting with the earth and how we can all use our own art to create change.”

Nomadic Lion founder David Atthowe, who hails from Norwich, England, and Yusep Sukmana from Ciamis, Indonesia, have visited a number of landmarks in Brunei and other tourist hotspots including the Ulu Temburong National Park in Bukit Patoi in their 2014 ‘Walk of Borneo’ expedition which commenced in Sabah last August 2014. The Brunei Tourism Development Department supported the effort of the duo by raising awareness of their project and how it could help as a catalyst for people to protect their environment.

The nature-loving duo initiated their first project in 2014 by walking the entire length of Peninsular Malaysia to raise awareness on the environment and its people who live in harmony with nature. A documentary of their journey will describe the current situation of the local environment and the organizations working to protect it.

The Management of Mabohai Shopping Complex said:

“ We are delighted to have Mr David Atthowe join us and share his experience and how he has used his “own power” so to speak, to help raise awareness on protecting and preserving nature. We invite the public, especially those who would like to learn more about his experience to join us on the 28 March 2015 and be part of the Earth Hour experience at Mabohai Shopping Complex.“

 

Zairani Munching won two return tickets to London and received the prize from Nicky Wong

Out of 100 shortlisted entries, Zairani Munching was the lucky lady who took the Shop, Dine and Fly grand prize – taking home two return tickets to London for two with a $2,000 travel voucher.

The lucky draw took place at the Mahligai Hall of The Airport Mall, where the lucky participants were treated to drinks from Gong Cha and food from Cheezbox. The prizes from the lucky draw also included luxury and household items, such as mobile phones, BBQ sets, blenders and coffeemakers.

Winning the first prize was Md Azlan Seruji, who  a return air ticket to Hong Kong with $1,000 travel voucher for two. The second prize was won by Evelyn Salius which was return air tickets for two to Singapore with a $800 travel voucher.

The Shop, Dine and Fly grand draw was a collaboration between QQeStore.com, QQ Mobile Shop, Gong Cha, OHSO Premium Kids Wear and CheezBox Café and Restaurant as a way to thank their loyal customers for their endless support.

Md Azlan Seruji won  a return air ticket to Hong Kong with $1,000 travel voucher for two

Evelyn Salius won return air tickets for two to Singapore with a $800 travel voucher

Top ten winners of the Shop, Dine and Fly promotion

 

Kamarul Dzaman Ajimain @Marul69 presenting a Dining Privilege Card to one of the followers of @Bruneifoodies. Image courtesy of Norliha Din of The Brunei Times.

For their love of food, lucky followers of a local blog dedicated to gastronomic delights each recently won a dining privilege card, worth $88, from Royal Brunei Catering (RBC).

The food lovers were the first 50 to submit their names and details at the Brunei Foodies’ App as part of an RBC Dining Privilege Card (DPC) give away competition.

Presenting the prizes to the winners at Seasons Restaurant was the Assistant Manager for RBC Corporate Sales and Marketing, Ivy Chong and on behalf Brunei Foodies was Kamarul Dzaman Ajimain or Marul. Also present to witness the event were the management of RBC and the restaurant.

The Give Away competition was in conjunction with the food bloggers’ achievements in reaching more than 11, 700 followers on Instagram as well a way of thanking their loyal fans for their support for their Instagram account and the Brunei Foodie Mobile App.

Aside from prizes, guests and winners were treated to dinner at Seasons Restaurant. Text courtesy of Norliha Din of The Brunei Times.

Group photo of the winners

 

Pierre Imhof, CEO of Baiduri Bank Group with the senior management

Pierre Imhof presented red packets to underprivileged students

In celebration of Chinese New Year 2015,  Baiduri Bank Group belatedly held a lavish eight-course dinner at Indera Samudra Grand Hall, The Empire Hotel & Country Club recently. Standing in the front line was CEO of the group Pierre Imhof as well as the management committee and senior executives who greeted 1,500 guests who are based in Brunei-Muara and Tutong districts.

Present too was Yang Berhormat Pehin Kapitan Lela Diraja Dato Paduka Goh King Chin along with foreign dignitaries, prominent businessmen, customers, business partners and associates of the group.

The evening began with a cultural performance by talented students from the Chung Hwa Middle School Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB). Imhof then proceeded to deliver his opening speech, welcoming attendees and highlighting the major progresses and achievements of the group during the past year. He applauded Baiduri Bank in achieving three awards – Domestic Retail Bank for Brunei 2014, for the second time from Asian Banking and Finance; Best Banking Group for Brunei 2014 for the sixth time from World Finance; and Brunei’s Safest Bank 2014 from Global Finance, New York.

In addition, Baiduri Bank became the only bank in the Sultanate to receive Standard & Poor’s credit rating of BBB+/A-2 by an international rating agency.

In keeping up with the Chinese New Year tradition, Baiduri Bank Group donated ‘red packets’ to underprivileged students in order to provide financial support. The donations were presented by Imhof and received by respective principals and students from St Andrew’s, St George’s, Chung Hwa Middle School and Seri Mulia Sarjana School. The night was further painted red with a line-up of local performances and lucky draw prizes as well as best wishes toast by the management to the guests.

Performances

Entertainment during the event

The winner of the singing competition

A night full of red

 

Fitness Zone, in collaboration with Shooting Stars Basketball and The Energy Kitchen, will be hosting the first ever Fitness Zone Holiday Basketball Camp for 5 days from 30 March 2015 to 3 April 2015, during the school holiday week.

Shooting Stars has been conducting weekly basketball clinics for kids of all skill levels from age 7 to 17 with the aim of promoting a healthy lifestyle for kids and learning teamwork skills through the game of basketball.

This camp will focus on intensive basketball drills and exercises but what is really interesting is that there is a focus on nutrition and healthy eating for the participants. Lunch will be provided each day by The Energy Kitchen and there will be a Fitness Zone Dietician to provide nutrition information.

So to the parents, this is ideal for your children to balance out between studies and extra curriculum activities. This is a great avenue for kids to interact with one another and also with young adults.

If you are interested, please emailshootingstarsbn@gmail.com or contact +673 7290011 for more information and also follow them on instagram @shootingstarsbn

 

Chef Ben Wu doing some cooking demo for the guests at Fun Bee Park last Sunday

A great turn out last Sunday

A celebrity chef all the way from Malaysia hosted an exclusive cooking demonstration to the public of the Sultanate. Chef Ben Wu, a renowned chef originally from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia has been airing in the Malaysia’s local radio sharing food preparation and healthy eating habits. He has been followed by the local media during his cooking demo and expo shows due to his fun character and smooth flow of entertainment to his guests. He has been one of the in-house featured Chefs over “Y3K” magazines every edition whereby he has been sharing his winning recipes from rice and noodles to meats to desserts.

In cooperation with Fun Bee Park and IA Salon, a total of 42 guests enjoyed the cooking show which highlighted traditional recipes locally and infused dishes. Chef Ben titled his show: “The Lost Recipes” which featured mostly the local taste of past years dishes. Ten amazingly quick and easy recipes from soup, rice, cake, meat, juices, and ice cream were personally prepared by the chef for the attending guests.

Soup recipes such as ABC soup which chicken bones was boiled with cut potatoes, carrots, and tomatoes. Another mouth watering soup was the Tom Yam soup with chicken meat marinated with savory spices perfected to taste.

Ikan Asam was also a hit to the guests which were prepared and fully cooked in quick minutes. The fish dish was filled up with seasonings and organic spices to infused local taste with modern recipes.

Other lost recipes were popcorn, Kuih bakar, Kuih Ketayap, and Sos Chilli. Fruity juices were served to its freshest qualities, such as the creamy mango shake and Jus Vitamin King, a concoction of pineapple, honey, and sour plum.

The cooking demonstration ended up with food tasting of all traditional recipes that the hosting chef has prepared. In addition to the courses, Chef Ben’s team people cooked dishes that were local favorites such as Pumpkin chicken curry, Tom yam mee hoon, Patin fish with durian, and Nasi goreng with salted fish and pineapples. A group photo with Chef Ben, organizers, and invited guests sealed up the event and everyone was looking forward to the future demonstrations and cooking show.

Chef Ben Wu with some guests

Both of us were given ostrich eggs.. Unique…

The kitchen area at Fun Bee Park

The trademark pose of Chef Ben Wu

Guests trying out some food

 

There are no words to conveniently describe or do justice to the fabulous Showcase Concert at Jerudong International School (JIS) last weekend.

Held in the institution’s auditorium, the room reverberated with endless applause as philharmonic attendees enjoyed the spectacle performed by students and directed by Paul Edgeler and which covered a wide spectrum of popular music styles.

From lush, richly orchestrated Broadway numbers and beautiful acoustic ballads to catchy jazz standards and unapologetically loud, high-energy dance numbers, this year’s concert catered to everyone’s taste.

The audience was further enthralled by a gripping performance by violinist Shian Li Esther Chiam, who won the Junior World Champion Instrumentalist award for Brunei in the World Championships of Performing Arts in 2014.

Her solo performance of Smooth Criminal, accompanied by the orchestra, was simply dazzling.

Smiles further widened as JIS Year 11 pupil Aziz Harun took to the stage to perform Senyum, which was written and produced by Faizal Tahir and Mike Chan and received over 900,000 views on YouTube (amazing).

The concert was divided into two parts – the morning session for invited schools and members of Pusat Ehsan, while the nighttime performance was for guests who purchased tickets. Text by Ikhwan Salleh of The Brunei Times and images provided by Lily Chiam unless stated.

She can sing too. Thumbs up to you Shian Li

A special rendition of Smooth Criminal by Shian Li

Trio performance by Azemah Abdul Rahman, Eden Chiam and Yi Ping Sim. Image courtesy of James Kon of Borneo Bulletin.

Eden Chiam belting some notes

Aziz Harun with his popular song, “Senyum”. Image courtesy of James Kon of Borneo Bulletin.

Image courtesy of The Brunei Times.

The finale

 

Trying out different Chinese tea at Tea-Fu Chinese Tea Shop located at Gadong Central

Many selections to choose from at Tea-Fu Chinese Tea Shop

A few years ago, I had an outing with my friend in Penang and we had a great conversation by the beach and he brought along a travel tea pot where we had endless drinking of Chinese tea in small portions. Without realizing, I actually drank more than usual because the conversation with my friend Tungie was great and the Chinese tea complimented well with the setting.

Fast forward to this year, I was impressed that Brunei has a Chinese tea shop which located at Gadong Central. It is called the Tea-Fu Chinese Tea Shop. They sell the authentic Chinese tea sachets and not only that but also assorted accessories and ornaments that are made from Chinese tea. For your info, they are imported from China and Chinese Taipei.

What I like about Tea-Fu Chinese Tea Shop is that you are able to taste the samples from the wide variety of Chinese tea and depends on what you really want to benefit from drinking Chinese. Apparently different Chinese teas have different functions and it does cater to the needs of the individuals.

Hence the customers can sit down at a dedicated table behind the shop and you can sit down and mingle with the managers or the staff at Tea-Fu who can guide you on what suits you.

Did you know that Chinese tea is not just about consuming it but also the preparation in a much traditional way in moderation. I have a friend from Singapore who actually takes up tea lessons where they will teach you techniques of brewing and even pouring the tea to the mini cups. So it’s cool that the owners of Tea-Fu are able to educate their customers on brewing tea the right way to get the most out of the (essence) tea.

The prices vary from different types of teas and like I’ve mentioned before, each tea caters to different benefits.

There’s the White Tea, Green Tea and Black Tea.

The White Tea reduces risks of cancer, blood pressure, cholesterol level and cardiovascular diseases and strengthens our bones and teeth as well as our immunity. The Green Tea reduces cardiovascular disease, cancer and you will have lower risk of getting Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease as well as reducing the risk of diabetes. The good thing about the Green Tea is that it helps to burn fats and boost your metabolic rate. As for the Black Tea, it reduces cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. Drinking lots of Green Tea will give you healthier skin and hair and good immunity.

You can visit Tea-Fu Chinese Tea Shop at No.37, Ground Floor at Gadong Central (same row with Sushi Tei and Mr. Baker’s Bakeshop) and you can also call 242 8979 for more details.

Brewing tea to get that authentic taste

Tea is ready to be served

The art of pouring tea

Before the tea is being brewed

This is actually made of tea. Interesting and it’s for sale too

Located at No.37 Floor Floor at Gadong Central.

 

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, and Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hjh Saleha yesterday paid their final respects to Lee Kuan Yew at Sri Temasek with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the son of Lee Kuan Yew. Image taken from The Brunei Times.

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, and Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hjh Saleha yesterday paid their final respects to Lee Kuan Yew at Sri Temasek.

During his brief visit to the city-state, the monarch also signed a condolence book and spoke to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to extend his condolences.

The Singapore founding father passed away aged 91 at the Singapore General Hospital yesterday. Lee left behind three children including the current prime minister.

Their Majesties were greeted by the prime minister and his spouse, Ho Ching, upon their arrival at Sri Temasek, which is located within the Istana grounds.

Prior to visiting the official residence, Their Majesties were greeted by Foreign Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam and his wife, Dr Seetha Shanmugam, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

Image taken from The Brunei Times.

The Black Ribbon to commemorate the late Lee Kuan Yew

The Prime Minister’s Office of Brunei said Singapore was successfully transformed and recognised worldwide as one of the most developed countries in the region under Lee’s 31 years of leadership. Brunei and Singapore have a strong bilateral relationship with extensive cooperation covering finance, economy, defence, education and health.

In 1990, His Majesty conferred Lee with the decoration of ‘Darjah Kerabat Laila Utama Yang Amat Dihormati’ (The Most Esteemed Family Order Laila Utama), which carries the title Dato Laila Utama.

Lee was the first prime minister of the republic from 1959 to 1990 before he was appointed senior minister until 2004 and later, minister mentor until 2011.

The late leader was born in Singapore on 16 September 1923 and graduated in Law from Cambridge University’s Fitzwilliam College in 1949. He was then admitted to the English Bar in 1950. Their Majesties were accompanied to the city-state by Second Finance Minister at Prime Minister’s Office YB Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Hj Abd Rahman Hj Ibrahim.

Also present were Second Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister YB Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng and Energy Minister at PMO YB Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Mohd Yasmin Hj Umar. Text courtesy of Rabiatul Kamat of The Brunei Times.

 

Pg Laila Kanun Diraja Pg Hj Bahrin, Aman Pg Izad-Ryan, Datin Hjh Masni, Sarina Hj Masri, Shazali Dato Sulaiman (former Honorary Consul), His Excellency Ambassador Thomas Kupfer, the Swiss Ambassador to Singapore, Rinawaty binti Abdullah @ Suzanne Rahaman Aeby, Pg Salleh Ab Rahaman bin Pg Hj Damit, Pg Pg Izad-Ryan bin PLKDR Pg Hj Bahrin (new Honorary Consul), Azhani Abu Daniel and Pg Irwan Pg Salleh Ab Rahaman

The handover of the official credentials to Pg Izad-Ryan from Shazali Dato Sulaiman while His Excellency Ambassador Thomas Kupfer looks on

Yesterday was a milestone for my neighbour, Pg Izad-Ryan bin PLKDR Pg Hj Bahrin, partner in the Brunei law firm Pengiran Izad and Lee. He was appointed as the new Honorary Consul of the Swiss Confederation in Brunei Darussalam. Earlier in the month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade presented Pg Izad-Ryan with the Exequatur, authorizing him to act or carry out certain duties in Brunei on behalf of Switzerland.

The previous honorary Honorary Consul was Shazali Sulaiman who served in that position for a good long 14 years. He was very appreciative towards the Switzerland Embassy in Singapore for their guidance and support. He also thanked Pg Salleh Ab Rahaman bin Pg Hj Damit and especially Rinawaty binti Abdullah @ Suzanne Rahaman Aeby, a Swiss, for being not only a good friend to Shazali but also a great mentor while serving as an Honorary Consul. Shazali also went on to thank his wife, Sarina Hj Masri and lastly his secretary, Yvonne. He wished Pg Izad-Ryan the best in his new role as Honorary Consul.

Pg Izad-Ryan hopes to strengthen the bilateral ties between Switzerland and Brunei Darussalam in terms of travel, education and commerce. He thanked his predecessor Shazali and also to His Excellency Ambassador Thomas Kupfer, the Swiss Ambassador to Singapore for considering his new position. He ended his welcoming remarks in thanking his wife Azhani Abu Daniel and his family for the support.

Also present during the appreciation and appointment ceremony was Shaikh Hj Fadilah Shaikh Hj Ahmad, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, government officials, members of the diplomatic corp, private sector and friends.

H.E. Thomas Kupfer said he was very pleased with the appointment of the Exequatur for Switzerland and looked forward to the cultural and economic opportunities that could be created between Brunei Darussalam and Switzerland. He also emphasized the appointment “serves to underline the warm relations between the two countries”.

It is always great to know someone that I’m familiar with taking such a high position that can create value to the nation and also globally. Shazali is a person whom I got acquainted many years ago and he has such a humble character that goes along with his cheerfulness. The funny thing is that Shazali is an accountant by profession while Pg Izad-Ryan practices law. As for my neighbour, Pg Izad-Ryan, he will definitely do his best to fill in the shoes left by Shazali. I’m very proud of you, Pg Izad-Ryan, and I look forward to your new journey as Honorary Consul of the Swiss Confederation in Brunei Darussalam.

Shaikh Hj Fadilah Shaikh Hj Ahmad, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (left) among the invited the guests

His Excellency Todd Mercer, Australian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam speaking to the crew of Origin Films

Hitesh Ramesh Bhawani, Director of YMRM Galleria, was happy about the appointment and applauded Pg Izad-Ryan, saying how he has a very good background and he believes that Pg Izad-Ryan is suited for this position.

Ken Han having a chat with the new Honorary Consul of Switzerland to Brunei

Posing with the flags of Brunei Darussalam and Switzerland

Behind a successful man like Shazali, there’s always a supportive family.

Shawn Cassidy Narcis, Manager of McHouse Interior Decor Sdn Bhd, said that he has know Pg Izad-Ryan for a few years and he has a lot of audacity to do what he wants to do. He has build his name and career in the past few years and for Shawn, he has looked up to him and he is a very good mentor and great supporter.

The smiles from Origin Films with Yasmine casts 

 

SPEECH BY MR LEE KUAN YEW, MINISTER MENTOR, AT THE SULTAN SIR HAJI OMAR ALI SAIFUDDIEN MEMORIAL LECTURE, 25 FEBRUARY 2009, AT BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien and Lee Kuan Yew.

I am honoured that, with the consent of His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam, the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation has invited me to deliver the first of the Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Memorial Lectures. It is fitting and proper that the Seri Begawan should be commemorated. At a turning point in its history, the Brunei Sultanate would have ceased to exist as an independent state without him. In August 1963, Indonesia was opposing the proposed Federation of Malaysia and confronting Malaya and Singapore. Only eight months earlier, on 8 December 1962, Brunei had faced a revolt by Sheikh Azahari of the Partai Rakyat Brunei (PRB) and British forces from Singapore put down the rebellion. It was a time of great peril when the Sultan decided not to join the proposed Federation. Singapore went ahead and joined the Federation. Sultan Omar Ali was under great pressure from the British who had hinted that they would be leaving the region soon. But he stood firm. He put his position as Sultan and the fate of his people on the line. His judgment was that the British would be responsible enough to give him some time to get his country in better shape before British forces left.

Let me briefly recount his personal history. Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien the Third was born on 23 September 1914 in Kampong Sultan Lama, a ward in Kampong Ayer. He was the second surviving son of Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam the Second, the 26th Sultan of Brunei and the Rajah Isteri Fatimah, seventh in a family of ten. He received an informal traditional Islamic education based on the study of the Quran. He was taught good manners, respect for elders and Islamic prayers. He was interested in traditional Malay literature and was familiar with the text of the Hikayat and Syair. He had a bent for Malay poetry and wrote four works of poetry. That earned him the accolade “Penyair Diraja” or “Royal Poet”.

In 1932, at the age of 18, he left with two of his cousins to enrol at the Malay College in Kuala Kangsar, Malaya. He studied there for four years and returned with a Standard 4 examination certificate. He then entered the State Administrative Service with the encouragement of the British Resident, later Governor of North Borneo, R E Turnbull. He was stationed in Kuala Belait for a year, lived and worked in the jungle in Ulu Belait. After a year, he joined the Legal Department as a cadet officer, and learned aspects of civil and criminal law, understudying H Hughes-Hallet, the Assistant British Resident.

In 1938, he left the legal department and devoted his time to study religion under well-known religious teachers. In 1941, he joined the Resident’s Office. On 6 September 1941, he married Pengiran Anak Damit, the daughter of the Pengiran Bendahara. Brunei was occupied by the Japanese military in early 1942. He was nominated to the State Council from 29 June 1942 and worked at the Governor’s office at the request of the Japanese military administration.

His brother, the Sultan, Ahmad Tajuddin, died on 4 June 1950, and Omar Ali was proclaimed Sultan on 6 June 1950. He was crowned on 31 May 1951 as Brunei’s 28th Sultan at the age of 35. He was made a Knight by the British monarch.
I first met him in September 1960 when he had invited the Yang Di-Pertuan Negara of Singapore, Yusof bin Ishak, me as the new Prime Minister and our wives to Bandar Brunei for his 46th birthday celebrations. He had gathered some Malay literary figures from the Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka in Kuala Lumpur, including Syed Nazir, the then-President of the Dewan. He spent time the next few days discussing Malay literary works.

The late Sultan was a modest man. He was soft-spoken, with a frequent smile when speaking to his friends. He lived a simple and frugal life. For his birthday, he had built an annexe to the old Istana. It was not air-conditioned. He did not like air-conditioning. The room that my wife and I stayed in within this newly-built annexe was very hot, like an oven even at night. The sun would shine on the building in the afternoon and there was not enough ventilation. So I quietly moved out to stay at the rest-house in a room with a window-model air-conditioner. It was during this visit to Brunei that we struck up a friendship that was to grow and endure the rest of his life.

On 27 May 1961, Tunku Abdul Rahman, the Malayan Prime Minister, at an address to the Foreign Correspondents Association in Singapore, mooted the formation of Malaysia, to include Brunei, Sarawak, North Borneo (subsequently to be named Sabah), Singapore and Malaya. On 5 December 1961, Sultan Sir Omar Ali described the Malaysia proposal as very attractive. In January 1962, he appointed a Brunei-Malaysia Commission to report on the opinion of the people. On 18 July 1962, the Sultan stated that he accepted the Malaysia proposal in principle, but that it did not necessarily mean it was final. If agreement could not be reached on important conditions affecting benefits to the people and the state, Brunei would not participate in the Malaysia plan.

In August 1962, the Partai Rakyat Brunei (PRB) won a landslide victory in four District Councils which in turn would choose 16 members for the Legislative Council (LegCo). The PRB won 54 seats and had all the 16 members required for the LegCo. But they could not form the government. The 17 government nominees outnumbered the PRB in the 33-member Council. Sheikh Azahari, Leader of the PRB, rejected the proposal that Brunei join the proposed Malaysian Federation. Azahari put forward three motions at the Legco meeting, for 5 December 1962: first, to reject the proposal of a Malaysian Federation; second, to request the restoration of Brunei’s sovereignty over Sarawak and North Borneo and the installation of the Sultan as constitutional monarch of the North Borneo Federation; and, third, a request to the British to grant independence to Brunei not later than 1963.

The Speaker of the LegCo disallowed the motions because the issues fell within the purview of the British government under the 1959 British-Brunei Agreement. Sheikh Azahari, the PRB leader, decided to resort to a military solution and staged a rebellion led by its military wing, Tentera Nasional Kalimantan Utara (TNKU). The revolt began on 8 December. It was put down in short order by British forces flown in from Singapore. On 20 December, Sultan Omar Ali declared a State of Emergency, suspended the Constitution, dissolved the LegCo, and appointed a 14-member Emergency Council comprising four ex-officio members, including the British High Commissioner, Sir Denis White, and 10 members nominated by the Sultan.

Negotiations on Malaysia were resumed in earnest following the end of the rebellion. The Sultan did not accept the terms that Malaya offered him. When the Malaysia Agreement was signed on 9 July 1963 in London, Singapore, North Borneo and Sarawak signed on. Brunei did not. I had been in frequent touch with the Sultan in London, then staying at Grosvenor House. He was very firm in his decision not to join. As a result, after Malaysia was formed on 16 September 1963, Tunku Abdul Rahman, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, recalled hundreds of Malaysian teachers and government officers seconded to serve the Brunei administration. Their departure caused a temporary dislocation in Brunei.

Several accounts were given to explain the reasons for Brunei’s decision not to join the Malaysian Federation. One account cited disagreement over oil revenues as the primary cause. Kuala Lumpur wanted Brunei to hand over control of its oil to the Federal government after 10 years. Kuala Lumpur also wanted to immediately tax any new oil and mineral finds discovered after Brunei joined Malaysia and to make the Sultan’s contribution of $40 million to federal revenues compulsory rather than voluntary. The Sultan was said to have found these terms unacceptable.

Another account from Kuala Lumpur alluded to the Sultan’s unhappiness over the issue of royal precedence. However, I believe Sir Omar was neither willing to compromise Brunei’s control over its oil revenues nor ready to have his privileges as the Ruler of Brunei curtailed. More to the point, the vibes that Sultan Omar Ali felt during the negotiations were that he would become subordinate to Kuala Lumpur’s leaders and he would rank behind Malaysia’s nine Sultans in seniority, besides giving up a chunk of this oil wealth to KL. When we met soon after Singapore was asked to leave Malaysia in August 1965, he nodded with satisfaction that his decision not to join was wiser than Singapore’s acceptance of Malaysia.

Just over two months after Malaysia was formed, on 1 December 1963, the British Colonial Office cut its long-term connection with Brunei. The British High Commissioner in Brunei, no longer called the British Resident, henceforth would deal with the Secretary of State for Commonwealth.

When the Labour Government took office in October 1964, it became clear that sooner or later they would withdraw their forces from east of Suez. This would jeopardise Brunei’s secure position as a protectorate. British advisers pressed the Sultan to hasten the implementation of constitutional reforms so that there could be a democratic government in place. In March 1965, a second general election was held for District and Legislative Councillors. 36 candidates contested for 10 LegCo seats in the 21-member LegCo that would comprise six ex-officio members and five members nominated by the Sultan. 88 candidates fought for seats in four District Councils. A large number of candidates contesting under political parties were defeated by independents because the political parties were weak.

On 4 October 1967, Sultan Omar Ali, then aged only 53, abdicated in favour of his 21-year-old eldest son, Hassanal Bolkiah, born on 15 July 1946. It was a strategic move he made to buy time before a British withdrawal. I was invited to the coronation of his son in 1968. Protracted negotiations with the British on Brunei’s future continued following the abdication. The Sultan, now the Seri Begawan, dragged out the discussions. He wanted his son to get familiar with the administration. Moreover, his son was only 21 years old. He deflected pressure to adopt the British adversarial Parliamentary system.

He argued with the British that he needed a few years for the young Sultan to learn the ropes and strengthen the domestic situation ahead of any constitutional changes. He bought time from 1963 to 1983, over 20 years, when the British finally withdrew, and Brunei became an independent state. Without the skilful and determined stand taken by Sultan Omar Ali in the full knowledge that he was risking the future of his Sultanate if the British were to leave precipitately, he saved his dynasty, delayed majority rule before Brunei was ready, and he secured Brunei’s continued defence by an agreement to pay for one British Gurkha battalion that would stay in Brunei under British control. A discreet British presence remained.

The Seri Begawan had preserved Brunei’s oil wealth. He left the bulk of his country’s reserves with the Crown Agents to manage. He was fortunate that Britain acted with responsibility. Most of all, the Seri Begawan played his hand with considerable skill. He pleaded for time to educate enough local Bruneians who could manage the administration of the country.

Way back in the 1960s, he and I had become close friends. He trusted me because I never took advantage of his friendship to ask for favours. On one occasion, he asked his sons to sit in when I met him and he told them that I was a friend who could be relied upon. He wanted the friendship between us to continue with his sons. It has. The close ties continue between the Sultan and his brothers with the present PM and other leaders of Singapore. Less than three years after independence, on 7 September 1986, he passed away. He was deeply mourned by the people of Brunei. They knew that he had saved their independence and are able to live as they wish, keeping their oil wealth. It was Sir Omar’s statecraft. He built the infrastructure of state. By the 1980s, he had given the sultanate’s 200,000 people a high per capita income of US$20,000, among the world’s most privileged. He strengthened Brunei’s Islamic institutions.

Sultan Omar Ali took calculated risks with courage. He had a keen sense of what was politically possible. During the 17 years from 1950 to 1967, he brought economic, social and political developments to Brunei. With two Five-Year Development Plans, he provided for an education system throughout the state. He built schools to teach English, gave scholarships to promising young students to study in overseas institutions. He provided school children with at least one free meal a day. Religious schools were given high priority. Hospitals, clinics were set up and dental services to schools were provided. He eradicated dysentery and malaria. He provided electricity for the whole state. He developed the roads and telecommunication systems. He reclaimed swamp lands and resettled people.

He set up the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment in 1961, which evolved into the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. The Currency Board was established in 1967. Sultan Omar Ali had ensured the survival of an independent Malay Muslim monarchy at the end of the 20th century. He had built a strong foundation before passing the mantle to his eldest son. His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has guided Brunei since independence in 1984, a 25-year period, during which Brunei has progressed in material and social terms. The old Sultan would have been happy to know that an independent Sultanate in Brunei has progressed in the quarter century after independence. His son, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, has preserved his heritage. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has continued to expand the numbers of abler Bruneians who are educated abroad, and created a thicker layer of the higher educated and well-informed elite.

It was good for Brunei that at the time it became independent, the leader of ASEAN was President Soeharto of Indonesia. He knew that I was a good friend of the Seri Begawan. So he asked me to invite Brunei to join ASEAN. Brunei did join and became a member of the family of ASEAN states. This consolidated Brunei’s sovereign status, especially when it was recognised by its neighbours. Joining ASEAN also reduced the dangers of conflict between Brunei and its neighbours.

The close friendship and mutual trust that the father established with me have continued in the leaders of the next generation. This is a special relationship. We are the two smallest countries in ASEAN. One natural area of cooperation is defence, where our two countries have a longstanding, deep and extensive relationship that goes back to 1976. There are extensive interactions between the two Defence Ministries and the Armed Forces at all levels, from the Ministers to the younger officers.

All Singapore Prime Ministers and Ministers have scrupulously followed my policy of never taking advantage of our close friendships with the Brunei Royal Family, their Ministers and officials.

The two Armed Forces train together in Singapore and Brunei on a regular basis. They conduct seven joint exercises annually. The Singapore Armed Forces is particularly grateful for the opportunity to conduct some of its training in Brunei, given Singapore’s land constraints.

RBAF officers and soldiers attend a wide range of military courses in Singapore, together with their Singaporean counterparts. These range from technical courses to Officer Cadet School and the Command and Staff Course. Likewise, SAF officers attend courses in Brunei, such as the Executive Development Programme and the RBAF Junior Staff Course. A recent addition is the Scholars Exchange Programme for scholars from the defence establishments of both countries before they depart for their studies. These exchanges have enabled the officers to enhance their military knowledge. More importantly, they get to know one another at a personal level. Such interactions provide the foundation for ensuring that the relationship between our two armed forces remains strong in the coming years.

Another important area of collaboration is the Currency Interchangeability Agreement. In December 1964, a year after Malaysia was formed, the Malaysian government decided to terminate the Board of Commissioners of Currency and to issue a new currency for Malaya, Singapore and the Borneo territories, including Brunei. The Malaya-British Borneo Currency Agreement was terminated two years later. The Malaysian government in Kuala Lumpur declined Brunei’s request that it be given a seat on the policy-making body. Also, Malaysia opposed Brunei’s request that the portrait of the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia should not appear on the new notes. Hence, Brunei enacted legislation in January 1967 to form its own Currency Board. Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore adopted a Currency Interchangeability Agreement, which allowed our currencies to be accepted inter-changeably in the three countries. Although Malaysia withdrew from the Agreement in May 1973, Brunei and Singapore have maintained the arrangement till today. In June 2007, His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong celebrated the 40th anniversary of this Agreement and jointly launched two $20 polymer commemorative notes in Bandar Seri Begawan to commemorate the event. This Agreement reflects our long-standing friendship and mutual trust, and has deepened economic ties between Brunei and Singapore.

Singapore’s leaders have continued the close ties with Brunei after my long association with the Seri Begawan and his sons. This association has endured and flourished because it is based on mutual respect and trust, and utmost good faith. Future generations of leaders and officials should build upon and enrich this special relationship.

The history of Brunei has been a most unlikely story of a Sultanate that has survived into the 21st century as an independent oil-rich state in a turbulent part of the world. Singapore and Brunei share fundamental similarities. I remember during one of the Seri Begawan’s visits to Singapore after our independence, he had smiled broadly and, with his eyes twinkling and his moustache twitching, said “You are now like Brunei. It is better for you.” As small states surrounded by bigger neighbours in an increasingly uncertain and complex world, we share similar aspirations and concerns. We can complement on our respective strengths to enhance our development and growth. Both bilaterally and multilaterally with our other partners in ASEAN, we can help ASEAN become an integrated, stable and thriving regional association at peace with one another and with our larger neighbours, including China and India.

Text courtesy of Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore.

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, and Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hjh Saleha leaving Brunei for the coronation of Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar as the state’s fifth Sultan in the history of Modern Johor. Image courtesy of The Brunei Times.

Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar to be coronated today

The coronation of Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar as the state’s fifth Sultan in the history of Modern Johor will be held at Istana Besar Johor on March 23. This is the first coronation ceremony in 55 years. Today is a public holiday in Johor and it is considered a huge event for the people of Johor.

Our own royalties, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, and Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hjh Saleha will be witnessing the coronation of Johor’s fifth Sultan. Also accompanying their Majesties are His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik, HRH Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel, HRH Princess Hjh Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah, HRH Princess Hjh Muta-Wakkilah Hayatul Bolkiah, HRH Princess Hjh Majeedah Nuurul Bulqiah and HRH Princess Ameerah Wardatul Bolkiah.

The crowd gathered as early as 7am today around the city centre on Johor. Sultan Ibrahim will join the parade along a 7.95km route from Istana Besar along Jalan Ibrahim, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Jalan Gereja, Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Persiaran Abu Bakar Sultan before ending at Istana Bukit Serene.

I’m currently watching the coronation live on TV1 on Astro to see behind the scenes and thank you Azim Kassim of The Brunei Times for sharing me some photos as well.

Crowd of people gathered around Johor Baru for the coronation. Image courtesy of The Star.

The plate number stands for Sultan Ibrahim Johor. Image courtesy of Abdul Azim Kassim of The Brunei Times.

@zizi_ahmad of RTB reporting live from Johor. Image courtesy of Abdul Azim Kassim of The Brunei Times.

The public showed up to support the coronation. Image courtesy of Abdul Azim Kassim of The Brunei Times.

 

The founder of #CHRENDS, Keeran Janin and I’m pretty sure he will come up with something innovative and this isn’t his first hurdle. Looking forward to your new adventure.

Announcement: Chrends will be going offline.

It is with a heavy heart that I have to announce that Chrends will be going offline. Due to sudden circumstances out of our control, the resources and support required for us to continue providing Chrends have been made unavailable.

We knew our mission was always going to be an uphill battle in gaining the trust of users, support for our cause and traction in spreading freedom of expression to regions and cultures that have never experienced it. These factors along with the usual challenges faced by startups have made us choose to cease work on Chrends.

This was a difficult decision as we’ve really enjoyed building this company and being part of such a great community of loyal users. Although we’ll never know you who you really are; through sharing our honest opinions, thoughts and laughter on almost every topic under the sun, we’ve all built true friendships that transcend real-life identity.

These are powerful personal connections and I’m certain that everyone will be disappointed to lose them. Even with my best efforts I have failed to find a way to see this through to the end, where our community could be appreciated globally as it truly deserves to be.

We will be able to keep Chrends online until midnight March 31st, so that the community members who may want to exchange real-life contacts to maintain their friendships have the chance to do so. You can be assured that all chats will still be as secure and untraceable as always.

At this point I would also like to acknowledge our supporters that have been involved in our story, there are too many of you to mention but you know who you are. For everything you’ve done to support us, I am truly grateful.

Yours sincerely,

Keeran Janin

Founder, Chrends.

I had an exclusive cap from #CHRENDS a few months ago

The latest #CHRENDS meet up at It’s a Grind Coffee a few weeks ago. Image courtesy of @luxvous

 

The Manchester United fans posing for the camera before the kick-off last night

General Manager of Chevrolet Brunei, Noormala Othman, speaking to the supporters of Manchester United Supporters’ Club Brunei

Chevrolet Brunei with Manchester United Supporters Club Brunei last night hosted a gathering for the Battle of the Reds match between Manchester United and their main rival, Liverpool. It was a match where Manchester United scored a famous victory over Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield.

General Manager of Chevrolet Brunei, Noormala Othman, when interviewed said that it was a great opportunity to have the Manchester United Supporters Club Brunei to gather at the Chevrolet Showroom as it creates a good relationship between the two and to recognize that Chevrolet as the worldwide official sponsor for Manchester United team. The Manchester United Supporters Club Brunei cheered upon the Manchester United team, who was on their away match last night at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool. The Manchester United Supporters Club Brunei, lead by the president, Md Syazni bin Md Hadi came with more than 120 supporters to the Chevrolet Showroom at Sumbangsih Bahagia, Jalan Gadong from as early as 8pm.

Prior to the match, the event kicked off with a quiz session about Chevrolet models in Brunei and Manchester United players and football activities. Foods and drinks were provided throughout the event with winners with the correct answers get to take away Chevrolet merchandises which also include five pieces of original Manchester United jerseys to the Top 5 winners.

Image courtesy of @streetcandid_brunei

Image courtesy of @streetcandid_brunei

Image courtesy of @aimanbesar

Chevrolet Brunei also took the opportunity to promote their second quarter campaign for Orlando and Captiva which will start from 1 April 2015 to 30 June 2015 to the Manchester United Supporters Club Brunei. Members of the MU Supporters Club Brunei are entitled for a $500 discount when they purchased any Chevrolet models on the match night ie 22 March 2015. Eventhough the promotion will only starts from 1 April 2015, members who purchased the 7-seater MPV, Chevrolet Orlando, they will walk away with FREE reverse sensor, reverse camera and headrest DVD. The promotion also involved the 7-seater SUV, the Chevrolet Captiva that comes with FREE reverse camera, headrest DVD and side steps. The announcement on this promotion will be done soon but for members of the Manchester United Supporters Club Brunei, they are able to enjoy the promotions earlier as long as they are registered members of the Manchester United Supporters Club Brunei.

Chevrolet Brunei has a comprehensive range of vehicles, including the 1.0 L Spark, 1.4LSonic Hatchback and Sedan, 1.5L 7-seater Spin, 1.6L Cruze, 2.4L Captiva, 1.8L Orlando, 2.8LColorado and 2.8L Trailblazer. Chevrolet Brunei is committed to offering the best cars to its customers in terms of quality, performance and fuel economy.

More exciting information about Chevrolet Brunei may be obtained at www.ghkmotors.com and https://www.facebook.com/chevrolet.ghk

 

Standard Chartered Bank Brunei presented the kits for the winners of the recent Standard Chartered Trophy Brunei 2015 Tournament yesterday afternoon at the bank’s Priority Banking Centre premises in Gadong. On hand to present the kits to the team was Rino “Donny” Donosepoetro, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank Brunei.

Matahari FC, which emerged as the winners of the Standard Chartered Trophy Brunei Tournament held earlier in February this year, will go on to represent Brunei in the second phase of the tournament in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this coming 28 March.

Team Matahari FC, the winner of the Standard Chartered Trophy Brunei, with Rino “Donny” Donosepoetro, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank Brunei (center) with Pengiran Aki Ismasufian bin Pengiran Haji Ibrahim, Head of Corporate Strategic Initiatives (5th from left), Marilyn Graeme, Head of Corporate Affairs (right) and Ng Yick Wei, Head of Brand and Marketing (left) during the handover ceremony and briefing before the team departs to Kuala Lumpur. Image courtesy of Standard Chartered Brunei.

Ng Yick Wei, Head of Brand and Marketing said:

“The partnership between Standard Chartered Bank and Liverpool Football Club has enabled us to provide such a unique experience for the markets that we are in. This is the first time that Brunei Darussalam is participating in the Standard Chartered Trophy five-a-side football tournament, which brings people from all over the world together with a common passion: football. The Standard Chartered Trophy provides a great platform for our local players to showcase their talents on an international stage and we would like to wish Matahari FC the best of luck for the upcoming regional tournament.”

The Standard Chartered Trophy Brunei Tournament was held on 16, 17, 20 and 21 of February. The tournament saw 24 teams compete for the chance to represent Brunei in the upcoming regional tournament. During the closing ceremony of the tournament, a mock cheque of BND2400 was handed over to JAPEM on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports for the Humanitarian Fund of the Malaysian Flood Disaster. The funds were raised from registration fees collected from the participating teams, 100% of which was donated.

19 countries have been globally selected to run the local qualifying tournaments and select winning teams. The winning teams will then advance to the regional stages to compete against other countries. The winning teams from the regional stage of the SC Trophy will then go on to the finals, held at Anfield Stadium in the United Kingdom. This is the fourth year that the Standard Chartered Trophy tournament has been organised and this season sees Vietnam defending their title from last season.

Rino “Donny” Donosepoetro, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank Brunei handing over the football kit to the Hj Mohamad Bahrin bin Hj Tuah, Captain of Matahari FC. Image courtesy of Standard Chartered Brunei.

Marilyn Graeme, Head of Corporate Affairs briefing to the team of Matahari FC. Image courtesy of Standard Chartered Brunei.

Phase 2 – Regional tournament

The winning team from the Brunei tournament will go on to compete in the regional tournament which will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 28 March against representatives from Malaysia and Thailand. Standard Chartered Bank will be sponsoring all expenses for the trip.

Phase 3 – Finals

Winners from the regional tournaments will advance for the final prize – a once in a lifetime experience – of playing the SC Trophy finals in Anfield competing and representing their countries for their final prize of the trophy. In addition to the tournament, participants can also look forward to a training session at the Liverpool FC Academy with the club’s coaches and LFC Legends.

The Standard Chartered Trophy Brunei 2015 was supported by The Ministry of Culture Youth & Sports and endorsed by the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam.

To find out more about the Standard Chartered Trophy and follow live feed updates of the tournament, follow the bank’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/StandardCharteredBN.

The Minister of Youth, Culture and Sports with Rino “Donny” Donosepoetro, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank Brunei and Matahari FC. Image courtesy of Standard Chartered Brunei Facebook Page.

 

Something new is being introduced at KFC Brunei. Now for those who something light but with a meal combo, KFC has finally introduced a pocket saver combo meal and it’s only BND 3.50 – you get yourself a chicken (spicy or original), a rice, a mushroom sauce and a drink of your choice. Now that’s really a great deal from KFC.

So drop by KFC and enjoy KFC’s Pocket Savers Combo for only BND 3.50. The deal is available in all outlets of KFC. So good…..!!!

I can fit all in one plate 😀

 

BIBD’s Wealth Management Unit (WMU) today, as part of its goal to raise awareness on the benefits of better financial management, delivered a financial planning talk to around forty personnel of the Ministry of Defence. The talk was delivered by BIBD’s own WMU Officer and Islamic Financial Planner, Rozielawati bti Hj Jamil.

One of the motives of these talks was to create awareness among the public on the advantages of current and future wealth management. This is also to support His Majesty’s Titah in conjunction with his birthday on 15th July 2006, “…additional revenue which will be received by the officers and employees of the Government, may be used prudently, while also trying to save through financial planning for future needs.”

Rozielawati started by asking what their financial goals were and commented that one of the basic strategies to achieving it was to manage and plan their finances properly. She continued that every individual will have different financial commitments and concerns throughout different stages of their lives.

She mentions, “When you’re single, you only pay for your personal commitments such as car financing, credit card and personal expenses. However, these commitments change when you get married and have children as you have to consider the expenses of your dependents, takaful/insurance plans, home financing, on top of your own personal commitments.”

Personnel from the Ministry of Defence attending a financial management talk from BIBD’s own Wealth Management Unit officer and Islamic Financial Planner

She also explained that financial commitments shift towards pre-retirement and retirement to include their retirement and medical plans. She also shared how to manage earnings with an ideal financial diet on top of TAP and SCP. An example of an ideal financial diet is to save a minimum of ten percent of basic salary for savings, a maximum of fifteen percent for car financing, a maximum of thirty-five percent for house financing, and a combined fifteen percent for personal financing and credit card.

“It is also recommended to have an additional fund which will only be used in case of any emergencies,” she added. This fund, she advised, should have a provision of at least three to six months of monthly expenses. She shared a few tips on how to maintain the emergency fund such as how to budget and allocate for a consistent monthly saving amount until the emergency fund amount for the account has been reached (the more the better). This includes setting up a standing instruction for periodic transfer of funds and to increase the fund amount to reflect any increments in earnings.

Additionally, she also discussed about their spending requirements during retirement with their old age pension of $250 and a minimum of $150 for SCP. Together they calculated how much they needed to save beforehand in order to live comfortably during their retirement days.

The talk ended with Rozielawati informing the participants on financial planning from an Islamic perspective, which included zakat and the distribution of wealth such as Islamic Will (Wassiyah), gift (Hibah), trust (Amanah) and endowment (Waqaf). To learn more about BIBD’s

To learn more about BIBD’s financial literacy and planning talks, please contact the BIBD Contact Centre at 2238181 or email them directly at wmu@bibd.com.bn.

 

It’s the sneaks for the upcoming UBD Spectacle 2015 edition. It has been happening every year organised by the Final Year undergraduates from Art & Design, UBD and they will be showcasing their talents. The opening will be on the 8th April at the Art Gallery, Chancellor Hall, UBD and it will be from Monday to Thursday and Saturday from 9am to 7pm. You can check out their Facebook Page and their instagram @ubdspectacle2015 for updates. Images taken from their Facebook Page.

 

The Baiduri Smart Executive Programme (SEP) rewarded its newest members with Smart Executive branded merchandise as well as Empire Hotel and Country Club vouchers at an event at the Smart Executive Centre, Times Square.

The month of February saw a steady influx of new members comprising new sign-ups and upgraded members. On hand to present the prizes were Hjh Maripaz Abdullah, Business Development Manager, Retail Banking and Smart Executive Programme Manager, Baiduri Bank as well as Mr. Evan Wong, Manager of the Times Square branch.

Speaking on the programme, Hjh Maripaz Abdullah said, “The Smart Executive Programme was launched about 2 years ago at this very same location so it only felt right to use this Smart Executive Centre to hold our reward presentation for our newest members. We created this Centre to cater specifically to our members and to hold events such as this.”

Hjh Maripaz Abdullah, Business Development Manager, Retail Banking and Smart Executive Programme Manager, Baiduri Bank as well as Mr. Evan Wong, Manager of the Times Square branch with new members and upgraded members of Baiduri Smart Executive Programme (SEP)

The Smart Executive Helps U Make the Smart Move promotion was launched in December 2014 in conjunction with Baiduri Bank’s 20th Anniversary to show its appreciation to its growing SEP customer base by offering lifestyle prizes such as hire purchase instalments and Empire Hotel and Country Club vouchers.

Baiduri’s Smart Executive Programme is a unique programme offered by Baiduri Bank which offers a multitude of benefits geared towards the busy, working professional. The benefits include smart banking solutions and special rates across a range of banking products. Smart Executive customers stand to receive exclusive Smart Executive Visa Platinum Credit Cards and Smart Executive MasterCard Premium Debit Cards, subject to Terms & Conditions. More information on the Smart Executive Programme is available on www.baiduri.com or from the Baiduri Deals mobile app. Press release and image courtesy of Baiduri Bank.

 

Her Excellency, Madam Loan Forgeron, French Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam talking to the press with regards to Good France and Francophonie

Edna Boqueo, the chef of the French Embassy residence, Philipina chef, Edna Boqueo and Frederic Gardien, A French chef talking to the media

Good France, to be held on 19th March (today), is a celebration of excellence of French cuisine and French style dinner throughout the world. 1000 chefs, 1500 restaurants and all French embassies will be involved in the event.

Her Excellency, Madam Loan Forgeron, French Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam will together with all other French ambassadors globally, invite distinguished guests to a French dinner on the 19 March at their residences. Through a meal savoured together, Mdm Loan Forgeron mentioned that it would foster the values of sharing a French culture that is close to the heart of all French, and of which UNESCO has listed as a World Cultural Heritage.

In  respect to the cultures, tradition & religion, the meals prepared during the evening are halal, and prepared and cooked without any alcohol of course.

The 19 March is also the opening of the week of Francophonie. France shares so many cultures with French-speaking countries, from Africa to Asia through Canada …. and gastronomy represents a pillar of Francophonie.

Guest of honour for the event is Yang Mulia Datin Paduka Hajah Adina binti Haji Othman, Deputy Minister of Culture Youth and Sports.

Two chefs, a French chef, Frederic Gardien, and the chef of the residence, Philipina chef, Edna Boqueo, who was trained in Paris by the executive chef of the Ministry of foreign affairs and trade, will showcase French culinary flair with a six course menu.

Her Excellency, with the collaboration of Voon, consultant for BusinessFrance, has jointly organized this event in the hope that through this, Bruneians will find France a more attractive destination and that this will be a start of a journey of discovering and appreciating French produce and products.

 In conclusion, HE Mdm Loan Forgeron made mention of the famous French cook in 19th century, Auguste Escoffier, who told that “the art of cuisine is the most elaborate way of diplomacy”.

 

Late post: I always enjoy the sound of music and a few weeks ago, I experienced a room filled with jazz music and soothing vocals. It was also the first time I saw Serunai Singers performing. I wish to see more of this in the future. Kudos to the team behind it in making an avenue to showcase their talents to music lovers like myself. Keep up the great work!! Just one thing though – make it slightly longer 😀 Thank you, Rebecca, for letting me know of the music showcase.

Young kids belting out some numbers

The Serunai Singers

It was a packed crowd that night

Rachel Drew on the saxophone *me likes*

Eia also wooed the audience

Now I’m impressed with Mercedes who sang the Girl from Ipanema

I love their segment

Serunai Singers and friends

Eia and Rebecca Chin

 

The first team line-up last night. Image courtesy of Fazizul Haqimie.

Close but no cigar. Brunei was pretty close. Well, result based yes but performance wise, Brunei still have more rooms for improvement. As Mike Wong, interim head coach of Brunei Darussalam, said that Brunei need more international matches even friendly ones. Last night Brunei failed to capitalize on their home soil advantage as they went down to Chinese Taipei 2-0 and lost out on aggregate 2-1. Brunei Darussalam initially had a slim away lead after winning 1-0 in Chinese Taipei, giving our country a much needed hope to qualify for the next round of the qualifying group stage for the World Cup 2018.

Brunei Darussalam started pretty well and it was the influence of Ak Fakharazzi that create Brunei earlier chances. But Brunei’s shape changed and their performance dipped as a whole when he was taken off early in the game due to a back injury. Brunei’s attacking force was then depleted with Azwan Ali not being featured due to injury as well. It was a performance below average from Brunei and let this be a good lesson for Brunei and also NFABD that more international matches would have benefited the team’s performance.

Chinese Taipei were more composed of the two teams and they didn’t seem troubled by the huge turnout (more than 10,000 spectators). They played a possession game and controlled the match in different patches and looked more solid as a team whereas Brunei struggled to get 5 to 6 passes together. The visitors could have bagged in more goals if it wasn’t for the heroics of Wardun Yussof in goal. He kept the scoreline more respectable and he did the best he could for the team.

Mike Wong didn’t want to fault his players individually and he was happy with the team as a whole with the short given time to gel as a unit. He shared how Chinese Taipei were more experienced and they had more matches and hence looked more composed than Brunei. The bright point for the two performances from Brunei is that the head coach saw the level increased from the team as compared to five years ago. He advised that Brunei should move forward and see the development in the next six months for the national team and sought for long term goals.

Chinese Taipei head coach Chen Kuei-Jen looked happier during the press conference and he was confident that his team can beat Brunei at their own soil ground. He was disappointed that his team couldn’t muster any goals despite dominating in the first leg. He wasn’t surprised when Brunei opted for a defensive approach to shield Brunei’s one goal lead. On a good note, he was impressed with Brunei’s progress in the football scene and it was his first taste of what Brunei is capable of.

Goals by Wang Ruei and Turkish born Chun En-Le sealed the victory for the visitors while Brunei will have to wait till 2019 for another opportunity for a pre-World Cup qualifying spot. Nonetheless it was a great experience for Brunei national team and also the spectators. We are still 100% behind you.

Adi Said couldn’t make an impact last night. Image courtesy of Fazizul Haqimie.

A minor scuffle. Image courtesy of Fazizul Haqimie.

Brunei Darussalam vs Chinese Taipei. Image courtesy of Fazizul Haqimie.

Brunei Darussalam vs Chinese Taipei. Image courtesy of Fazizul Haqimie.

I saw my friends from a distance

Players not happy with a referee decision

Wardun kicking a souvenir ball to a spectator after the final whistle

Hello my friend 😀

Chinese Taipei head coach lifted by his players. Image courtesy of Fazizul Haqimie.

Chinese Taipei head coach in jubilant mood during the post match interview

Mike Wong, interim head coach, wished for more friendly international matches for more experience