Click image to see more of Netcom Computer House from their Facebook Page

 

New and bigger things at ICON Design Store. Click to enter

 

Grand Raya Package at Peugoet and promotion ends 15th September. Click image to enter website.

 

Click image to enter website

 

Black Angus Ribeye is back!! For Two!! Only at Deals Restaurant, Raddison Brunei. Click image to enter facebook page.

Click image to enter flyroyalbrunei.com

 

Baiduri Bank, the official bank for the 10th Abacus Holiday Travel Fair, is offering fabulous deals, lucky draw prizes and much more at the 3-day event held at Dewan Pameran 1, BRIDEX Convention Centre, Jerudong from 30 August to 01 September 2013.

Visitors, who own a Baiduri credit card and plan to shop for their dream holiday at the travel fair, can enjoy easy-to-apply financing programs that can further assist to making their dream holidays come true.

The Fly Now, Pay Later program from Baiduri Bank offers Royal Brunei Airlines American Express cardholders 100% processing fee waiver while the Baiduri 0% Installment Plan offers Baiduri Visa, MasterCard and American Express cardholders 50% discount on processing fee when converting their purchases to these financing programs.

Baiduri Bank also offers its cardholders double travel points when purchasing with their Royal Brunei Airlines American Express credit cards during the 3-day event. Gold cardholders will enjoy 3 travel points to a dollar instead of the usual 1.5 travel points, while Classic cardholders will enjoy 2 travel points to a dollar instead of the usual 1 travel point. These travel points can be accumulated and converted to Royal Skies Miles, to be redeemed for air fares, excess baggage or Sky Lounge access. 

10th Abacus Holiday Travel Fair and enjoy deals with Baiduri Bank collaboration with Royal Brunei Airlines where you can win 150,000 Royal Skies Miles

In addition, Baiduri Bank offers all its cardholders 1 chance in its lucky draw for every B$200 spent during the travel fair. The lucky draw consists of air mile prizes totaling more than 250,000 Royal Skies Miles, where the first prize is 150,000 Royal Skies Miles, second prize is 80,000 Royal Skies Miles, and third prize is 40,000 Royal Skies Miles.

To further reward Baiduri cardholders, Abacus Brunei will also be offering 3 chances in the Abacus Lucky Draw for every Baiduri card transaction made at the travel fair, where cardholders stand to win amazing prizes such as Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 or a Nikon DSLR camera.

For more information about the Bank benefits during the 10th Abacus Holiday Travel Fair, customers can call the Baiduri Call Centre at 244 9666 or download the free Baiduri Deals app at App Store and Google Play to get the latest Baiduri Bank deals at your fingertips.

 

What are you waiting for?

Mind me with the low resolution pictures below as these are taken through smartphones and send through Whatsapp. The Travelmania 2013 just kicked off at 9am this morning at BRIDEX Hall and as usual, there are already plenty of crowd at the event. I am currently not there as I’m in Singapore right now. So thank you to my buddies who are now feeding me pictures while I’m updating it from Singapore.. Ah, it has been a while since I do this kind of coverage as if I am in a parallel universe.
Anyway, I just quickly recap what’s happening at BRIDEX today until Sunday. During the Travel Fair, visitors have the opportunity to take part in various promotions. Every booking or purchase made during the fair will earn you a chance in the lucky draw to win a Sony VAIO E-series, Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2 sets) and B$200 Shopping voucher (2 sets). There are also Return Business Class tickets to Melbourne, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, sponsored by Royal Brunei Airlines, up to be won.

Updating the Travelmania at Royal Plaza on Scotts.. Ah,the power of internet…

Yang Berhormat Pehin Abdullah launching Travelmania 2013 this morning at BRIDEX. The travel fair resumes later 2pm after Friday prayers. The Travelmania 2013 is until Sunday, 1st September 2013

Interesting gimmick by travel agents to get attention

The crowd earlier this morning

The crowd earlier this morning

The strike a pose at Royal Brunei booth

Check out the awesome fares!! But you have to be at BRIDEX to enjoy these fares

Now you might get a chance to fly on a Dreamliner 787. Could it be you?

T & C: Join our Instagram challenge and stand a chance to grab among the first few seats on our Dreamliner — along with other great prizes!

How:

1. Visit TravelMania 2013 at Bridex Hall 01, Jerudong #Brunei
2. Snap a great pose at RB’s booth, with our destination icons and/or at our photo booth!
3. Upload your best photo/photos on Instagram with #RBTRAVELMANIA2013and tag @royalbruneiair
4. Competition opens from 9am on 30th August 2013 until 2pm on 01st September 2013
5. Top 10 best photos will be announced and invited to our prize presentation on 01st September 2013 – main winner will be announced at the presentation.

All the best and we look forward to seeing your great photos!!

Public can come and take photo here

You get a chance to be a captain

Accolades for Royal Brunei

I can’t wait for the Boeing 787. Estimated arrival early October 😀

Now you can apply for Royal Skies

Squeezing for the fares

You can stand a chance to win lucky draws from the participating partners

Will this break the record for number of visitors?

Tourism Malaysia will also be featured in their own pavilion, where the focus is on the launch of the promotional campaign of ‘Visit Malaysia Year 2014’ in Brunei. Joining them will be Malaysian Airlines, Sabah Tourism Board, Labuan Corporation, Palm Beach Resort and Spa Labuan, Imperial Group of Hotels, Brighton Travel & Tour, Tiara Labuan Hotel and Educore Paradize, which is promoting the Looney Tunes Classroom Capers Musical LIVE in Kuching, this coming November 21-24 2013.

Visitors to the pavilion will enjoy Malaysian Cultural Performances and Sarawak Traditional Music by the famous Sape player, Jerry Kamit. There will also be Teh Tarik Demonstration, a feature on Malaysia Contemporary Art Tourism, which is a growing sector of tourism, and a Batik Demonstration.

Do check out their pavilion

Legoland promotion and also display of lego by BULAT

Check out BULAT’s display

Lego Fans and enthusiasts will be glad to hear that Malaysia Tourism is also partnering with BULAT, Brunei Usergroup Lego and Technic to put up displays to promote Legoland Malaysia. The “Find The Hidden Miniatures” contest will be held daily at the pavilion, and will have up to 3 winners daily winning a pair of adult admission tickets worth RM280 to the toy brick heaven, courtesy of Legoland Malaysia.

Additionally, Tourism Malaysia is providing RM20 Parkson Shopping Vouchers per customer purchasing any travel arrangements to Malaysia through participating agents and Malaysian sellers throughout the travel fair.

Big on Space. Small on fares. Malaysia Airlines promotion. Click image to enlarge.

 

BIBD today held a prize presentation ceremony for its monthly ‘Barakah 4’ winners. The ceremony was held in the morning, at the Gadong Mall, in front of the BIBD Barakah 4 Grand Prize of a Mercedez Benz A- Class. On hand to give away the prizes was Mohammad Yusreza Mohd Yussin, Marketing Officer of BIBD.

Muhammad Halim bin Mustaffa, Maslina bte Hj Abdullah, Haji Mohammad Noor Jaisam bin Haji Tamit, Hasmah binti Tamin and Hj Shaiful Rizal bin Dato Dr Hj Ahmad were all smiles as they were presented as the monthly winners for BIBD’s ‘Barakah 4’ campaign, each receiving a dining voucher at excapade worth $200, at the same time entitling them to become finalists for the grand prize.

Every month, until the end of the ‘Barakah 4’ promotion on 30th September, five finalists will be picked to enter the final draw for the grand prize. BIBD ‘Barakah 4’ participants will also stand a chance to win an Islamic-themed Beijing tour for four people as the runner up prize, while the third place winner will earn a 100gm Gold bar, with 99.9% purity. 300,000 Royal Skies miles awaits the fourth place winner, to spend to go to any destination of their liking, while a brand new 46” Samsung LED TV and home theatre set awaits the fifth placed winner.

Yusreza Mohd Yussin, Marketing Officer of BIBD (L) with BIBD Barakah 4 monthly winners. Image courtesy of BIBD.

The ‘Barakah 4’ campaign is open to all new and existing BIBD customers who sign up for BIBD’s financing facilities which include BIBD’s Home, Education and Naqad facility. Entries for ‘Barakah 4’ will be in entitlements of one entry for every B$ 10,000, while fifteen entries for every B$ 100,000 financed.

New account holders will also stand a chance to win via BIBD’s Wakalah General, tiered and foreign currency accounts (current accounts and savings account). This entitlement will allow account holders one entry for every B$ 5,000 and fifteen entries for every B$ 50,000. In addition, those who assign their salary to BIBD will also get entries and be eligible to enter the Grand Prize draw.

There will be no need for BIBD customers to manually fill in any forms or vouchers to be eligible for entries into ‘Barakah 4’ as they are automatically generated and entered into the system. The entries will be submitted automatically upon approval or activation of the facility or account.

For more information on BIBD’s ‘Barakah 4’ or any of BIBD’s other campaign and promotions, please visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bibdbrunei; get in touch with the BIBD Contact Centre at 2238181 or visit your nearest BIBD branch.

 

If you see this kind of email, please ignore

Dear Valued BIBD Customers, Please be advised that there is an email being circulated to BIBD customers requesting for Online Authentication to update their personal data, from a sender posing as a BIBD employee. Please be informed that BIBD does not request customer personal data or online authentication data through emails and customers are advised not to provide these information through emails as this could potentially be a phishing scam. For further clarifications please do not hesitate to call our Contact Centre at 2238181.

 

Sixty eight winners received their prizes as part of DST rewards’ programme for participating in  various promotions held this year such as the Easi Loyalty Program promotion, ‘Recharge & Win’ Promotion, DSTIncomm’s ‘PowerKad Ramadhan Bonanza’ and lastly, ‘DST Extravaganza’ promotion.

The prize presentation ceremony was held at DST Headquarters. Present as Guest of Honour was Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Awang Haji Hussain, Chief Executive Officer of DST. Also present was Awang Haji Marsad Haji Ismail, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of DST, Awang Haji Musa bin Metali, Director Department of Electrical Services, DST senior management and the winners.

There were 7 winners for EASI Loyalty Program, 21 winners for “Recharge & Win” Program, one winner to the most active EASI subscriber since 1999, Ms. Ang Sew Mei, one winner for the 400,000th DST subscriber, Pg Mohammad Ebnu, 50 winners for DST Incomm “Powerkad Ramadhan Bonanza and of course, the highlight of the presentation was the “DST Extravaganza” where 18 winners won.

Click image to enter flyroyalbrunei.com

 

His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam urged the public to use ICT responsibly, cautioning against its negative impacts on the society.

In his titah at the 10th annual Hari Raya celebration organised by Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (YSHHB), the monarch underlined the growing potential of ICT that influence users in all aspects of their live.

“Its power is so phenomenal that it has the potential to influence all aspects of life. If ICT is put to good use, good will come about and will be easily attainable,” he remarked.

His Majesty warned, however, that ICT will “undeniably be a potent poison” if used negatively. He reminded members of the public, particularly younger users, to be cautious about the damaging aspects of ICT.

“The abusive and undesirable use of ICT will present serious harm be it to the individual, the family and community,” he said.

Addressing the relevant agencies and related sectors, His Majesty called on them to ensure that ICT is used in the country to facilitate productivity, effectivity and efficiency towards promoting economic growth.

The monarch, citing the International Communication Union, also pointed out there is currently a total of 6.8 billion cellular mobile users worldwide, while 40 per cent of the world population, or 2.7 billion people, are Internet users.br />
“We are incapable of predicting the extent to which this trend will reach its peak. What is obvious is that it will continue to grow,” the Sultan said.

His Majesty also noted some of Brunei’s improved standing in the Network Readiness Index (NRI). The Sultanate is ranked 57 out of 133 economies in the past year, compared to its previous ranking of 63 from 2008 to 2010.br />
“This is indeed a good indication that the ICT sector is progressing well, and even expected to make further advances in the future,” the monarch said.

His Majesty the Sultan with Hj Yahkup, Chief Executive of AITI briefing the role of AITI in Brunei. AITI was being highlighted as a key driver in promoting ICT players through means of the AITI Grant Scheme.

His Majesty the Sultan at DST booth

His Majesty the Sultan with Suhaimi Hj Hussain, CEO of DST

His Majesty the Sultan at the TelBru booth

His Majesty the Sultan toured BAG Networks

His Majesty the Sultan at b•mobile booth

His Majesty the Sultan at Infocom booth

His Majesty the Sultan being briefed about iCentre by Dr. Mona

His Majesty the Sultan with Pg Hj Mohd Salleh, General Manager of BIG Sdn Bhd

His Majesty also expressed confidence that the local ICT sector will continue to flourish as a catalyst of economic growth. Observing the participation by youth in ICT competitions, the monarch commended them on their achievements at regional and international levels.

The monarch further encouraged them to continue their contributions by generating ICT products and services bearing the ‘Made in Brunei’ label to penetrate the global market.

Praise was also given to the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) and the Authority for Info-Communications Technology Industry (AITI) of Brunei Darussalam for promoting ICT through the provision of special grants.

The grants are offered to ICT and digital media companies to create products or services with commercial potential and marketability in the international market.

Over 1,200 representatives from the local ICT and digital media industry were invited to attend the event at the International Convention Centre in Berakas last Tuesday. Text by Rabiatul Kamit of The Brunei Times.

His Majesty the Sultan being briefed by Liam Janin on the Best of Halal app

His Majesty the Sultan at Halbase Company booth

His Majesty the Sultan at MediaHikmah booth

Photo opportunity with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince

His Majesty the Sultan at Ishajaya Technology booth

His Majesty the Sultan was impressed with Regalblue Production’s milestone

His Majesty the Sultan at PHMD Publishing Company

His Majesty the Sultan was handed Pesambah by Hiro of SocialBuzz Advertising

His Majesty the Sultan being briefed of SocialMart application

His Majesty the Sultan at SocialBuzz Advertising

His Majesty the Sultan at John Harith’s booth

His Royal Highness Prince Jefri being briefed by Hiro

The Paparazzi moment last Tuesday

Nice shot, Umi :p

 

One more day left for Travelmania 2013

Click image to see more of Netcom Computer House from their Facebook Page

 

New and bigger things at ICON Design Store. Click to enter

 

Grand Raya Package at Peugoet and promotion ends 15th September. Click image to enter website.

 

Click image to enter website

 

Black Angus Ribeye is back!! For Two!! Only at Deals Restaurant, Raddison Brunei. Click image to enter facebook page.

Click image to enter flyroyalbrunei.com

 

His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam graced the 10th annual Hari Raya celebration held by Yayasan SultanHaji Hassanal Bolkiah (YSHHB) yesterday at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Berakas.

His Majesty was accompanied by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik; and His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel. The royal entourage also included His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah and His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah.

This year’s event paid tribute to the local ICT and digital media industry with over 1,200 representatives invited to attend the celebration.

“They were invited in recognition of their roles within the industry,” said the YSHHB Chairman of the Board of Directors, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Abu Bakar Hj Apong, in his welcoming remarks.

He explained that the event was aimed at promoting the use of ICT in daily activities as well as encouraging collaboration within the industry towards improving quality of life and economic progress.

The YSHHB official hoped that His Majesty’s presence at the Hari Raya celebration would “inspire, stimulate and motivate” all those in attendance to carry out their roles and responsibilities.

His Majesty the Sultan presented the prize to Adam Groves of Visual Dimension for the Open Category “Reiglious”. Image by Saifulizam of The Brunei Times.

His Majesty the Sultan presented the prize to Hj Alidin Hj Momin for Open Category “Education”. Image by Saifulizam of The Brunei Times.

His Majesty the Sultan presented the prize to Zatul Karamah Hj Tajudin who won the Open Category ‘Socio-economy/Community’. Image by Saifulizam of The Brunei Times.

His Majesty the Sultan presented the prize to Dk Syazana Syafiqah Pg Mohd Suffian emerged champion of the Upper Secondary and Sixth Form Student Category. Image by Saifulizam of The Brunei Times.

His Majesty the Sultan presented the prize to Nina Abd Ghani won the Higher Educational Institution Student Category. Image by Saifulizam of The Brunei Times.

In his titah at the event, the monarch touched on recent industry developments and called on the public to utilise ICT responsibly.

His Majesty also presented prizes to the winners of a short video contest that was initiated by YSHHB with the cooperation of the Authority for Info-communication Technology Industry (AITI) of Brunei Darussalam. The contest was organised in conjunction with this year’s Hari Raya celebration.

Carrying the theme Raja Yang Prihatin or The Caring Monarch, the short video contest was a platform for the public to showcase their creativity and talent. The Open Category ‘Religious’ was won by Visual Dimensions Production, while Hj Alidin Hj Momin was the winner of the Open Category ‘Education’ and Zatul Karamah Hj Tajudin won the Open Category ‘Socio-economy/Community’.

Dk Syazana Syafiqah Pg Mohd Suffian emerged champion of the Upper Secondary and Sixth Form Student Category, whereas Nina Abd Ghani won the Higher Educational Institution Student Category.

During the Hari Raya celebration, His Majesty viewed a series of musical performances and a play by 150 students from Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah School.

The monarch also took the opportunity to meet and greet with the guests, prior to touring an exhibition displaying information on 22 selected organisations in the local ICT and digital media industry at the Multipurpose Hall. Text by Rabiatul Kamit of The Brunei Times.

 

Baiduri Bank launches a new Baiduri Student Account package named the 4U Value Pack.  The package was designed to suit the needs of students currently or intending to study locally or abroad.  The Baiduri Student Account – 4U Value Pack offers 4 unique features being: Easy, Convenient, Save and Benefits. Both new and existing account holders of the Baiduri Student Account will be eligible for the exclusive privileges of the 4U Value Pack.

It is easy and hassle free to sign up for the Baiduri Student Account.  Students can visit any Baiduri Bank branch to sign up for the Baiduri Student Account.  To speed up the process, they can download the form from the website before approaching branches.  While registering for the account, students can also sign up for their student and travel insurance requirements.

Mr Ti Eng Hui, Deputy General Manager, Retail Banking and Branch Network of Baiduri Bank was especially excited about the new package.  “We have done in depth studies of the needs of students who study locally and overseas while designing the 4U Value Pack for Baiduri Student Account” said Mr Ti in a quote.

With this package, students, especially those studying overseas can access their account through Baiduri Personal i-Banking facilities available through the web and mobile banking app.  Baiduri Bank’s mobile app allows existing personal i-Banking customers to access internet banking via their smartphones without any need to use their computers. The app is available for download on App Store and Google Play allowing customers to enjoy this convenience – at no charge. Students can safely use this app while they’re overseas because the app utilises the mobile or token authentication just like the existing i-Banking.  Furthermore, students can enjoy fee waivers for local and overseas funds transfer facilities.

With the Baiduri Visa debit card also bundled in this package, students can enjoy access to over 1 million ATMs worldwide, and is accepted at over 24 million locations globally.  In addition, service fee for cash withdrawals on overseas ATMs are waived. 

Four good benefits for 4U Value Pack for Baiduri Student Account package

Aside from exclusive discounts available on their Baiduri Visa debit cards, students will also be able to enjoy special deals and e-coupons available on the Baiduri Deals app.

  “We understand that it may be difficult and a hassle to open an overseas account especially for those intending to study overseas.  So we hope that the fee waivers we have provided for overseas ATM cash withdrawals with the Baiduri Visa debit card and fee waivers for overseas funds transfer through i-Banking provides the best convenience and savings for students.”  He added, “Students, especially those currently and intending to study abroad will not need to worry about opening an overseas account as they can easily access their Baiduri Student Account using their Visa debit card.”

The Baiduri Student Account – 4U Value Pack has also built in financing packages available for parents of students, such as laptop and education loans.  Parents can rest easy and help their children transition into study life easily.

Mr Pierre Imhof, CEO of Baiduri Bank also added, “There are thousands of Brunei students studying locally and abroad.  This package was specially designed for them, so that they can focus on their studies and allow us to help them with their banking needs.  This is one way for us to contribute towards helping aspiring Bruneians to achieve their education goals.”

  An exclusive gift will also be available for new sign ups of Baiduri Student Account while stocks lasts. More information on the latest Baiduri Student Account – 4U Value Pack can be obtained via the Baiduri Call Centre at 244 9666 or online at www.baiduri.com.

 

Feeling the itch to brush off your sandals and go on an adventure? Is your passport in a drawer gathering dust? Well.. maybe you should grab your suitcase and your passport, because the Annual Abacus Holiday Fair is back!

Abacus Distributions Systems (Brunei) Sdn Bhd will be holding their Annual Abacus Holiday Fair at the Dewan 1, Bridex in Jerudong. This marks the 10th time that Abacus has organized such an event.

The three day fair, which starts on August 30th and ends on September 1st, is held in conjunction with Travelmania and will provide Abacus travel partners such as airlines, national tourist offices, hotels and travel agents a unique platform to promote and showcase their products and services. The fair aims to stimulate demand at both ends of the spectrum, providing travelers with the convenience of shopping for a wider range of great travel deals under a single roof.

Among the exhibitors will be Anthony Tours & Travel Agency, Century Travel Centre, Darussalam Holdings, Freme Travel Services, Pan Bright Travel Service, Southern Cross Travel Agencies and Straits Central Agencies.

“The Abacus Holiday Travel Fair is a well-established and highly anticipated travel fair since its inception in 2004,” said Ms Irene Soon, General Manager, Abacus Brunei. “With the support of our partners and travel agents, we are confident that we will be able to see a positive growth again this year,” Irene added. The fair will feature 7 Abacus-connected travel agents connected to over 50 Abacus terminals to assist them to efficiently service the visitors to the fair. Key national tourist organisations such as Brunei Tourism, Taiwan Visitors Association and Tourism Authority Thailand will also be present.

During the Travel Fair, visitors have the opportunity to take part in various promotions. Every booking or purchase made during the fair will earn you a chance in the lucky draw to win a Sony VAIO E-series, Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2 sets) and B$200 Shopping voucher (2 sets). There are also Return Business Class tickets to Melbourne, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, sponsored by Royal Brunei Airlines, up to be won.

The press conference for Travelmania 2013 at Dynasty Restaurant yesterday

Baiduri Bank, which is the official bank for the travel fair, is waiving fees for their financing programs for their cardholders who pay for their dream holidays at the travel fair. In addition, cardholders get 3 extra chances if purchasing tickets using their Baiduri Bank Debit or Credit cards, but they will also be enrolled in a draw to win 150,000 Royal Skies miles, which is the equivalent of a return trip to London! Second prize winner will get 80,000 Royal Skies miles and the third prize winner will get 50,000 Royal Skies miles.

“The presence of Brunei Tourism plays an important role in supporting Royal Brunei Airlines as well as travel agents to help promote domestic tourism. This travel fair provides an excellent opportunity for Brunei based travelers to shop for overseas and local packages, making it an event on the travel calendar not to be missed,” said Abd Halim Haji Abd Rahman, Sales & Marketing Manager, Abacus Brunei.

Two more days.. so mark your dates!!

By the way, for your info 😀

This year’s Abacus Holiday Travel fair aims to make a difference. “As part of Abacus Brunei Corporate Social Responsibility, Abacus Brunei with the collaboration of Cityneon Brunei will provide complimentary booths for Pusat Ehsan and SMARTER Brunei. This will provide these two organisations to have their own activities as well as a platform for the public to make contributions or donations,” Halim elaborated.

Abacus Brunei thanks its partners as well as travelers for their support in the previous travel fairs. Tourism Malaysia will also be featured in their own pavilion, where the focus is on the launch of the promotional campaign of ‘Visit Malaysia Year 2014’ in Brunei. Joining them will be Malaysian Airlines, Sabah Tourism Board, Labuan Corporation, Palm Beach Resort and Spa Labuan, Imperial Group of Hotels, Brighton Travel & Tour, Tiara Labuan Hotel and Educore Paradize, which is promoting the Looney Tunes Classroom Capers Musical LIVE in Kuching, this coming November 21-24 2013.

Visitors to the pavilion will enjoy Malaysian Cultural Performances and Sarawak Traditional Music by the famous Sape player, Jerry Kamit. There will also be Teh Tarik Demonstration, a feature on Malaysia Contemporary Art Tourism, which is a growing sector of tourism, and a Batik Demonstration.

Lego Fans and enthusiasts will be glad to hear that Malaysia Tourism is also partnering with BULAT, Brunei Usergroup Lego and Technic to put up displays to promote Legoland Malaysia. The “Find The Hidden Miniatures” contest will be held daily at the pavilion, and will have up to 3 winners daily winning a pair of adult admission tickets worth RM280 to the toy brick heaven, courtesy of Legoland Malaysia.

Additionally, Tourism Malaysia is providing RM20 Parkson Shopping Vouchers per customer purchasing any travel arrangements to Malaysia through participating agents and Malaysian sellers throughout the travel fair.

Recap: Travelmania 2012 at BRIDEX last year

Tourism Malaysia will be having a much bigger presence this year because of the Visit Malaysia 2014.

Baiduri Bank has been a strong supporter for Abacus and this year, they even have a better promotion

The crowd last year at Travelmania 2013 at BRIDEX

It’s not too late to prepare yourself for the Total scholarship

Recently representatives from Total visited a few schools and 6th Form Colleges around Brunei to offer more information on their scholarship scheme for Bruneians. The group was led by Muhd Rasimoon Adinin, Head of HR and Corp Communications and Zulhilmi Rambli, Corporate Communications Officer.

The Total Education Scholarship Scheme, which offers undergraduate studies in France, gives local students the opportunity to benefit from an international education and student life overseas. Students wishing to apply need at least three grade A’s at ‘A’ level, and a credit in English and Malay at ‘O’ level. Successful applicants will also have the chance to do placements and gain work experience, either locally or internationally, at Total’s offices worldwide.

Students do not need to be proficient in French before applying as they will learn the language through an intensive course prior to departure. If notice from the poster above, the opening application for the scholarship will be January/February 2014 so this gives ample time for students to prepare for their target should they aim for the scholarship.

Total Scholars Mohd Abd Malik Mahyuddin, Muhammad Aizat Hamidun, Chantelle Phung Yee Shan, Heather Lim Shin Bey and Chua Yi Sern joined the roadshow to answer questions and shared anecdotes about their studies, food and adjusting to life in France.

SFERE (Société francaise d’exportation des resources éducatives), an international consulting and training firm, will be assisting students in the course of their studies in France.

Total visited and briefed students from PTE Meragang, Maktab Duli, Maktab Sains, PTE Tutong and PTE Katok during their Mini Career Roadshow.

Total Scholars, Chantelle Phung Yee Shan (L) and Heather Lim Shin Bey (R) talking to the Pte Meragang students during the posters session

Zulhilmi of Total briefing on the students

Total Scholar, Mohd Abd Malik Mahyuddin talking to the Maktab Duli + Maktab Sains students during the posters session

Total Scholar mingling with the students

Total Scholar, Muhammad Aizat Hamidun (R) with Pte Tutong students

Group Photo: With students in Pusat Tingkatan Enam Katok

From L to R: Mohd Abd Malik Mahyuddin (Total Scholar), Zulhilmi Rambli (TEPB/TEPDOB Corporate Communications & CSR Executive), Alexander Bandang (Pte Tutong Deputy Principal Academic), Charles Lim (PTET Head of Career Unit), Chua Yi Sern (Total Scholar), Muhammad Aizat Hamidun (Total Scholar), Heather Lim Shin Bey (Total Scholar), Chantelle Phung Yee Shan (Total Scholar

Last weekend I attended an open house by BIBD hosted at Indra Samudra Grand Hall, The Empire Hotel & Country Club. Hosting the event is Mr. Javed Ahmad, Managing Director of BIBD and the associates of BIBD. The annual celebration had many guests among them senior government officials, BIBD corporate clients, SMEs and many more.

This gives an opportunity to foster stronger ties with BIBD. As of late, BIBD have been seen as one of the most enterprising bank, delivering new products and keeping up with the trend. Recently BIBD launched their latest branch at Giant Rimba which focuses more on e-Machines and ATMs for the residents of Rimba area. This shows BIBD’s concern for the accessibility in residential areas.

 

3 more days at BRIDEX. Travelmania 2013.

 

The Reebok CrossFit 673 workout area at the ASEAN Year Consumer Fair at BRIDEX drew many spectators as the second competition commenced on the last day of the Consumer Fair.

Dubbed RCF673 ‘Sprint Chipper Tournament’, the event attracted 14 contestants aged 13 to 45, where they were tasked to complete a final WOD or ‘Workout of the Day’ of 30 snatches for time, one minute rest, one minute of as many alternating pull ups and toes to bar as possible.

Winners of the tournament were Damien Brown in first place followed by second place winner Hansie Hickey while Nadzri Harif came in third.

The winners won a free month membership, CrossFit gear and apparel.

“We did it to display the variety in CrossFit; both in movements and in the types of competitors. Short intense WODs is fun to watch and the name of the game in CrossFit. We were able to display many of the CrossFit movements in a fast moving way and stay true to the sport,” said Emily Mogard, spouse of the owner of Reebok CrossFit 673 Michael Mogard. Text courtesy of Syafiq Affendy of Borneo Bulletin.

 

Elysium

Elysium. I have mixed feelings about Elysium. It’s a movie whether you will it rate better than District 9 or really lower than that. Mine’s the latter. I gave District 9 a strong 9 for my rating and it was one of my top movies of the year then. After years later, Neill Blomkamp produced Elysium and the premise looked interesting enough, judging from the trailer.

I don’t really care much for the action as I was more into Blomkamp’s direction of things and hoping he delivered a similar energy to Elysium. It wasn’t the case. The story development didn’t justify its interesting plot and I hardly had any goose bump moments from this flick. The wow factor was missing and I expected that from a Blomkamp movie. A flawed action film at best which could have explored deeper. Verdict: 7/10 Terence Han 8.5 Del Goh 9 Rottentomatoes 69%

Pusat Ehsan is organising its eighth charity bazaar, which is set to take place on Saturday, August 31 and Sunday, September 1 at the Jubilee Park in the Sultanate.

A few competitions will be held at the bazaar throughout the weekend. On Saturday, on the main stage, a cooking competition will be held, while at the grass area, Frisbee enthusiasts will be able to show off their skill in the Frisbee competition.

On Sunday morning, a colouring competition will be held at the main stage, and throughout the day, there will be a dress-up competition open to all those dressing up as their favourite character. Exciting prizes will be up for grabs for winners of the competitions.

Aerobics fans will certainly look forward to the Zumba sessions led by instructors from Susan’s Fitness Studio, scheduled on Saturday at 4.45pm, and on Sunday at 7am.

Those who enjoy solving clues and puzzles must not miss out the Walk Hunt, which will be held on Sunday afternoon (breaks will be taken during prayer times).

Coupons for the event are available for purchase at $5 per booklet, containing five coupons which can be used for the various activities set up at the bazaar. The charity bazaar is the second for the centre, and carries the slogan “I Care, You Care…We Care”.

To book a booth, please contact Rubysusanti Hj Jahli (Ruby) at 8656622. Text courtesy of Mei Fung Lee of The Brunei Times.

 

It was another typical busy day at Consumer Fair last weekend and of course, Sunday being the busiest day among the lot. I won’t spare much details about CF12 or ASEAN Year Consumer Fair but I shall leave a few images to recap some photos I took. I didn’t take much pictures during the CF as I was focusing more on Red Bull Dodgeball Championship 2013. More on that finals coverage this week on Dodgeball.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Yahya, Minister of Industry and Primary Resources officiated the opening of ASEAN Year Consumer Fair 2013 at BRIDEX

Cultural performance

Guest of honour visiting MIPR pavilion

Eric of Mr. Baker’s Bakeshop

Guest of honour at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf booth

At the BSM booth

Briefing the materials of the item at BSM booth

I bought this shampoo from PHB but now I just shaved off my hair so I won’t be shampooing for a while

Photo opportunity with the management of PHB. You should check out their products. PHB is also located at Times Square near QQ estore shop.

Sos chilli Brunei

Guest of honor touring the Indonesian pavilion

If you are looking for nice apartments to stay in, check out Armada Properties

TAP was also making their presence at CF. I might need your help on some TAP questions 😀

Guest of honour with Baiduri associates

Richard of Prima Solido explaining to guest of honour

At Ideal booth

care is now the leading roadside assist in Brunei

Visiting the Brunei Press booth

Visiting Goldmyne Hardware

Brunei Halal had special promotion on their basket package. Sold like hot cakes. I missed it out and by Sunday, it was gone!!

Miss Chiang Mai …. of 2008

Papaya Salad at Sawaddee House booth

Touring the Thailand pavilion

Entering the horror corridor of the haunted house

Now do you feel like taking a shower?

Photo opportunity with the boys behind the scene

Family pose *lol*

 

Grand opening of JualJual Shop this weekend. Ideal for mothers.

Brought to you by Lily Imani Enterprise (Motherhood, Breastfeeding and Babies)

You reach them on Facebook or instagram @jualjualsh 

 

 

Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne??

Before I proceed with my movie reviews, I want to quickly talk about the news that shocked movie-goers – the fact that Ben Affleck is being casted for the next Batman role for Man of Stell sequel under the direction of Zack Synder. Now here’s the thing. I have nothing against Ben Affleck. He’s definitely an A-star actor and I love him in The Town and Argo.

However, I’m doubting Ben replacing Christian Bale as The Dark Knight. I still salute Christian Bale for turning a counter offer reportedly USD 40 million. I know it’s pretty hard to fill in the shoes of Bale. Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer and George Clooney were wrong bets when they played Bruce Wayne/Batman. We’ll just wait and see how things turned out.

There are even thousands of film fans signing petition to drop Ben Affleck as Batman. You can listen to my new podcast on my friends’ comments to the latest news. I was already disappointed with Man of Steel despite giving an OK review. Now with Ben Affleck in the mix, I’m not pretty sure how it will turn out. They have a year and a bit to produce the movie before it hits the screens on 2015. Good luck!!

The Mortal Instruments. City of Bones.

The Mortal Instruments. City of Bones. First it was Heavenly Creatures. Now The Mortal Instruments. Why? Why? Why? Formula seems familiar. I was bored with Twilight series though I enjoyed the final episode. Enough with the triangle-threesome relationship already. This is what happened with producers or novelists run out of ideas. The CGI was mediocre at best. If you didn’t enjoy Heavenly Creatures (a huge flop), then you can give this a miss. One thing about this movie, it’s not as cheesy as The Twilight. The boys are more toned down though I chuckled at some parts of the scenes. Verdict: 6/10 Del Goh: 6/10 Rottentomatoes 13%

The Purge

The Purge. Hmmmmm I like the premise but this is a movie that you will just have to excuse as it won’t happen in reality. So prepare yourself for that mindset where for one night a year, you are able to commit crime without being punished. A thought provoking movie but it failed on so many fronts. A movie about a home invasion that lacked suspense and the violence just made up for the story. I can’t believe they are even making a sequel for this movie. I just hope James DeMonaco won’t be directing the sequel. Lena Headey the female lead seems to be busy in 2013 with Game of Thrones and recently The Mortal Instruments. Such an awesome actor but casted in poor movies. I was totally disappointed with The Purge. It was already interesting but I lost interest half way through. Verdict: 5/10 Rottentomatoes 38%

Gladiators vs Diamond

Dodgeball is hitting up!! In the latest news, Rockets just managed to squeeze through the semi-finals by beating UBD Magpie 3-2 earlier this morning. This means that Rockets pipped AK47 for the second spot to reach the semi-finals of the Red Bull Dodgeball men’s category. UBD Magpie was finally defeated after their three game winning streak but still topped the group with a better point difference.

Easyway was finally defeated last night in the Group B of the men’s category with a 3-1 loss to favourites EXCO. Despite the results, Easyway still have a better chance of reaching the semi-final spot if they beat or even draw against Cosmo Men B later, Easyway will grab the second spot. Rockets vs EXCO and the other match will be between UBD Magpie vs Easyway or either SVNR Power. Both matches will be played 12:30pm and 2pm respectively.

In female category, Thunderbirds are hot favourites after reaching the semi-finals with a 8-0 victory over Elemanators 2 earlier this morning. I’m not sure who they will be facing but it looks like if Gladiators win their quarter and semi laters, both Thunderbirds and Gladiators are destined to meet in the finals. The other hot favourites are UBD Meatballs who won had great comprehensive victories in Group X. They are most likely to face Gladiators in the semi-finals and that should be an interesting match up. All of these predictions are based on their performance and scores they have achieved in the past three days or so.

Catch the Red Bull Dodgeball 2013 which continues today at BRIDEX Hall. Who will be crowned champions of Red Bull Dodgeball Championship 2013 today?

Diamond on attack mode

Dodging the ball

Diamond being outnumbered

The cool dodge pose

Sportswomanship

Gladiators beat Diamond 5-0 and top Group Z. They are destined to meet UBD Meatballs in the semi-finals.

The results last night (Saturday)

Smokin’ Aces (gray) lost to Elemonators 1 (yellow) with a 3-2 score line

Cosmo Men A vs UBD Magpie where UBD won 5-3

Elemonators 2 (yellow) beat MTSSR Reboot Team with a 3-2 score line

Hot favourites Thunderbirds (white) beat Jaguars 6-3 last night

Black Angus Ribeye is back!! For Two!! Only at Deals Restaurant, Raddison Brunei. Click image to enter facebook page.

Royal Brunei Airlines (RB)

click image to enter website

“Dodgeballers” complain one thing about the game itself. They want more. They want more time on the court. This is because they fell in love with the sport. It’s pretty rare to see a new sport gaining a lot of interest and I’m happy that Red Bull saw a potential in this sport and they are willing to invest their energy and time in creating awareness and who knew that such sport has generated a lot of interest and I won’t be surprise there will be a demand for this sport.

Anyway, the Red Bull Dodgeball competition continued last evening at BRIDEX Hall as part of the Consumer Fair. There were nine matches in total and I missed the first two games. I’m actually looking forward to the knock-out stages which will be played tomorrow (Sunday). So you will get to see the best of the best teams vying for the championship.

It was good to see the great bond and support from the players as well as their supporters. In every sport, sometimes things can get out of hand. Dodgeball is still a new sport. Players are adapting to the mechanics game by game. It was good to see certified marshals from Malaysia to help with the umpiring. It’s a very fast pace game and marshals must be alert on every shot and moves. Hence, a lot of appreciation for them for making this tournament a success and big shout out to the supporters in their understanding that this is a relatively new game so mistakes and misunderstanding or miscommunication are bound to happen but treat them as experiences.

The best match last night for me was Cosmo Women A vs Jaguars (ladies) while for the men’s category will be MTSSR Sparta and Rockets. You can check out my 15 seconds video on instagram here. I’m also impressed with the strategy and gameplay by Exco. They have such great team work and they played as if they have been playing for years.

The Red Bull Dodgeball continues today starting 6pm and just refer to the schedules below. Good luck to all the players and let’s play for the love of the sport.

This was an interesting match up between MTSSR Sparta (yellow) and Rockets (red). Rockets won 4-1.

Even the ball gets a direct hit on your feet, you are out.

This guys is pretty athletic but he was still outnumbered and lost the battle

Another stunt from MTSSR Sparta

Paul of Rockets defended well despite being outnumbered

The handshake sportsmanship

MTSSR Sparta 1 Rockets 4

I was impressed with both team’s effort on the court. MTSSR Sparta looked promising during their warm-up with their fast throws and athleticism but it wasn’t enough as they were overpowered by Rockets who came off from a 6-0 win from Cosmo Men A in a few hours’ earlier. Sparta had chances to capitalize their advantage but it wasn’t to be their night as Rockets had a better game plan. Rockets won this game 4-1 and with two wins out of two, it looks like they are heading to the semi-finals of the tournament with two more games remaining. Sparta, on the other hand, can hope to get two more wins and hope for a miracle to reach top two in their group. My predictions for Top Two in Group A – UBD Magpie and Rockets. You can check out my video post for this match.

Exco vs SNVR Power

Exco team looked very strong and focused

They also prefer to play defensively by staying behind and allowing their opponents to attack

SVNR Power managed to get one point out of the game. They lost 4-1.

It was nice to see H.E.A.R.T Medic Support during the tournament

It was my first look of team EXCO and they looked superb on court with their strategies and teamwork. SVNR had a better night compared to their outing against Easyway last Wednesday but EXCO was just too strong to handle. The navy blue jersey team always had the numbers on the court and this made harder for SVNR Power to attack and let alone defend. SVNR showed glimmer of hope when they scored a point but that’s the best they managed to squeeze out of EXCO. With Easyway notching two wins already last Wednesday and EXCO winning two games in Group B, my prediction is that both these teams will reach the semi-finals unless a big upset happens along the way.

Boxx DT vs Cosmo Men B

Boxx DT dominated earlier in the match

Boxx DT on attack mode

Up, up in the air

Zed of Boxx DT in action

Comso Men B came back from behind to beat Boxx DT 5-1

Boxx DT had another late game on their schedule and this time they were up against Cosmo Men B. After a heavy defeat against Easyway last Wednesday, Boxx DT needed to win this match for a possibility to reach the semi-finals. Cosmo Men B needed a win too after a loss agains EXCO. In the end, Comso easily defeated Boxx DT 5-1. Boxx DT’s chances are gone for a top two finish while Cosmo Men B has a glimmer of hope but they have yet to face favourites Easyway and SVNR is also hungry for points too. A great experience for both teams nonetheless and this is pretty good, considering this is the first dodgeball tournament.

Cosmo Women A vs Jaguars

The ritual handshake before the game

Captain of the team for Cosmo Women A

One of the fast throwers for Jaguars

Dean Kassim got a direct hit but he didn’t get a high pitch after :p

Jaguars were leading but squandered their lead and lost the match

Dodge and shoot

Not sure what she was trying to tell the opponent

Reaching for the dodgeballs

A great comeback for Cosmo Woman A. They won the game 4-3 and this is the best match of the night

This match between Jaguars and Cosmo Women A was the best match so far. It was the closest game and this match also determines who will reach the quarter-finals for the ladies category. Cosmo Women A already had a crushing defeat against favourites Thunderbirds last Wednesday so it was a must win for Cosmo to reach Top two. Jaguars, on the other hand, had the best chance in this match to reach top two because there are only three teams in a group with Thunderbirds the toughest to beat.

My prediction is that Thunderbirds will top the group so which means the winner between Cosmo Women A and Jaguars will determine the second spot. I have to tell you that I thought Jaguars had this game after leading 2-0. After lapse of concentration, Cosmo Women A picked up the pace and race to a 4-2 lead. I swore it could have been a draw if Jaguars finished off their 7th game quickly and force the eight game into sudden death which will be a 4-4 scoreline. But the lack of focus cost Jaguars the match and their match-up against Thunderbirds will be a huge task.

Cosmo Women A looks like finishing second unless Thunderbirds lose their next match to make it an interesting outlook. The best match of the tournament so far. Thank you Jaguars and Cosmo Women A for the nerve wrecking match. Cosmo Women A 4 Jaguars 3.

Team Diamond coming off a 5-0 over Cosmo Women B

The designated bench area for players being hit by a dodgeball

The solo attacker from Cosmo Women B

This is how we do it~

Diamond will face Gladiators tonight at 7pm

Another solo moment for Cosmo Women B. Diamond easily won the game 5-0 against Cosmo Women B.

Someone’s recording the game last night :p

The fixtures for tonight

This was a one-sided match as Diamond beat Cosmo Women B 5-0 last night. This means that Cosmo Women B are eliminated from the tournament with two losses. Diamond and Gladiators are through to the quarter-finals but they will be vying for top spot to avoid meeting Thunderbirds in the quarter or semi-finals at least.

Diamond started off great and they looked solid on court but it took them a while to get reach 5 points. Cosmo Women B had two games so far and they had a good experience on court and I hope they continue to practice and be more aggressive on court. Kudos to Diamond for the great win but their big match against Gladiators tonight will be important as the luck of the draw will favour those who finish top of the group.

Results at glance for last night matches

 

 

Click image to see more of Netcom Computer House from their Facebook Page

 

New and bigger things at ICON Design Store. Click to enter

 

Grand Raya Package at Peugoet and promotion ends 15th September. Click image to enter website.

 

Click image to enter website

 

Black Angus Ribeye is back!! For Two!! Only at Deals Restaurant, Raddison Brunei. Click image to enter facebook page.

Royal Brunei Airlines (RB)

Click image to enter website

Pehin Yahya, Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, with Steven Tan, CEO of Ten Ten Distribution, at Alcatel booth at Consumer Fair, BRIDEX Hall

Ten Ten Distribution is one of the subsidiary companies of Ten Ten Group from Malaysia and made their presence in Brunei in 2009, bringing in Huawei products. Later on as authorised distributor of Alcatel in Malaysia and Brunei, they brought the Alcatel brand into Brunei market.

Alcatel has been in the local market since the 90’s and after a while, the brand was no longer seen until it returned with fresh looks, better technology and at affordable prices.

The Bulletin interviewed the CEO of Ten Ten, Steven Tan, during the soft-launching of the new line-up of Alcatel’s OneTouch line, the Idol X. (Check out Consumer Fair at BRIDEX for special pre-order price with a $100 deposit)

The CEO shared some of Alcatel’s products and the market trend. For a start, Ten Ten is penetrating from the mid-range working down towards the entry level as they have to capture the mid-range and below first before moving on to build up the status for Alcatel, which will be moving on to the higher range and higher specs devices.

Sales market has good potential especially the entry level of the android models such as their Alcatel Star model and Glory II, which are very marketable as this is the entry level that is affordable for individuals who want to try android but not willing to spend too much.

Consumers nowadays are not just looking at the pricing but also the specifications and what the model can provide, which will also be part of their main options for choosing the right mobile phone with suitable price and high specifications.

He further shared that through their four main business partners, which include WyWy and Dee Jay, the entry levels were promoted into the market and the response they got back has been very good with daily sales for the entry level models reaching five to 10 units and from here, they want to attract people to look into Alcatel’s mid-range and high-range models.

Alcatel entry levels are for fun youngsters while midrange models are for the young executives who are just starting their career but want to carry something fashionable, sleek and affordable.

Accessories wise, he pointed out that it is limited unlike other popular brands like Apple, Samsung and HTC as these are very successful brands worldwide, and hopefully Alcatel will follow suit, which will lead to manufacturing more accessories for Alcatel.

“But for the time being, Ten Ten will bring in the accessories to support the models that we are selling in Brunei,” he added.

Pehin Yahya being briefed on the new smartphone

Check out the new Alcatel One Touch Idol X with special price for pre-order

Group photo at Alcatel Booth

Coming back to the Huawei products, he noted that they are still the authorised distributor for Huawei products but are only focusing on modems.

For Alcatel brand, in almost every quarter there will be a new model to be launched. In the last quarter, the Idol Ultra was launched which was the model showcased in the Iron Man III blockbuster movie.

The sub model Idol Star was introduced in the last quarter and the recent launching of the OneTouch Idol X is the continuation from the Idol Ultra which marks the beginning of higher specs.

Ten Ten’s objective for the Brunei market is to strive to provide the best services and bring in the most advanced technology at affordable prices for Bruneians to enjoy with good pricing, good specs and reliable devices.

On this note, he said, “After-sales service is the most important because a lot of people are worried how long this brand will stay. We want to stay for long term and we want to make sure we can provide every single bit of services to our customers.” Source: Lyna Mohamad of Borneo Bulletin.

Pre-order one now for only $399 with one year warranty. Unit expects to reach Brunei early September

 

BIBD branch now in Giant Rimba. There won’t be any teller service though but mostly ATM services and also counters for opening accounts.

In further efforts to truly deliver a ‘Bruneian at Heart’ banking experience, Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) yesterday officially launched its newly designed e-branch plus, in line with the signature image that the bank has embraced.

The new BIBD Rimba branch is located at Lot 58865, Giant Hypermarket, Tasik Rimba. The guest of honour at the launching of the Rimba branch was Dato Paduka Awg Hj Mohd Rosli bin Hj Sabtu, the Managing Director of Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam.

Also in attendance were Awg Junaidi bin Hj Masri, the Assistant Managing Director of Brunei Investment Agency; Dr Abdul Manaf bin Hj Metussin, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, the Brunei Economic Development Board amongst other BIBD Board of Directors; as well as BIBD Managing Director, Javed Ahmad, along with the BIBD senior management and its personnel.

The new Rimba branch is open seven days a week, excluding public holidays, from 9.45am until 9.15pm on Monday through Thursday and Saturday. Fridays and Sundays will have different operating hours, which will be from 2.30pm to 9.15pm.

Dato Paduka Awg Hj Mohd Rosli bin Hj Sabtu, the Managing Director of Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (right) talking to BIBD’s Managing Director Javed Ahmad

Guest of honour officiating the opening of BIBD Rimba branch

Signing the plaque

A memento for the guest of honour

The new BIBD branch design philosophy is aimed to further promote the usage of its electronic channels, whereby every day over the counter physical financial transactions can only be performed on its two in-house ATMs, along with a cash deposit machine for speedy and seamless cash withdrawals and deposits.

This new marriage of technological advancements and constant upgrading in its customer services is better streamlined to quickly accommodate the needs and requirements of BIBD customers. The new branch will also be able to accommodate any financing requests, BIBD account openings, E-Banking Services, BIBD card collection along with other general services with the presence of BIBD Service Executives, Service Ambassadors and Personal Bankers.

The launching of the new branch follows in the footsteps of BIBD’s newly adopted corporate image which highlights uniquely Bruneian values that signify the Brunei and Islamic visual canvas. The upgrading of BIBD’s branch network is in line with the strategic efforts embarked by BIBD on its transformation journey.

Meanwhile, the emphasis on being ‘Brunei at Heart’ brings out BIBD’s commitment to the Bruneian aspirations and values, as well as its roots in Brunei and Islamic values.

For further information about BIBD and any of its products and services, visit BIBD’s home page at www.bibd.com.bn, get in touch with the BIBD Contact Centre at 2238181 or visit your nearest BIBD branch.

Electronic displays are awesome!!

Now you can play with gadgets while waiting

Guest of honour touring the premise

Guest of honour with the Board of Directors of BIBD, Dr Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin and Junaidi bin Haji Masri

Javed emphasized “Bruneian at Heart” initiative by BIBD

The ATM machines at BIBD Giant Rimba

How the interior looks like

 

The activities so far at ASEAN Year Consumer Fair at BRIDEX Hall

Officially launched yesterday at BRIDEX in Jerudong, the ASEAN Year Consumer Fair has already seen hordes of visitors stream through the two halls of the expansive exhibition centre eager to take advantage of the exclusive significant bargains and offers on a wide range of local and international products and services as well as to take part in the many activities (many of them giving the chance to win great prizes or walk away with freebies just for taking part).

One of the activities that is hard to miss due to the enticingly eerie advertisements found around BRIDEX and the specially-constructed area is the haunted house labelled “The Rise of the Living Dead – Bloody Journey”, an indication of what visitors can expect to find within. Step inside and be immediately transported into dark and dingy surroundings complete with horrific sights and sounds, and startling encounters with the ghouls roaming about the area. Visitors to the haunted house are rewarded for their courage upon managing to emerge from the confusing mirror maze with an attractive free plush animal (a minion from “Despicable Me” or a character from “Monsters Inc.”). To see what the fuss is all about, go visit the haunted house in Hall 1 at the ground floor today!

The Rise of the Living Dead – Bloody Journey

Are you ready for the cheap thrill?

Another hard-to-miss activity due to its prominent play area (an international-sized court) in Hall 1 is the Red Bull Dodgeball Championship 2013. 12 ladies’ teams and 10 men’s teams began competing last night at the Fair to be crowned the overall champions and go home with prizes worth more than B$3,000. The next games will be held tomorrow until Sunday. This is the first tournament of its kind, and is organised by Red Bull which is distributed by Kingston Beverage and Creamery Sdn Bhd. The Red Bull Championship 2013 is supported by Allswell and managed by GreenCity Concept. It is sponsored by Aewon Garment and Embroidery.

The tournament receives assistance from the Malaysia Association of Dodgeball (MAD), an association which was set up officially under Malaysia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports in August 2008.

Easyway dominated last Wednesday with 2 wins out of 2 games

How far will UBD Meatballs go in the Red Bull Dodgeball tournament?

Red Bull is also conducting a daily instant lucky draw for each of the five days of the ASEAN Year Consumer Fair. To enter, customers simply need to purchase one cluster of Red Bull Original or Red Bull Less Sugar or one alter pack of SunSnack of any flavour at a price of only $5 during the Fair to receive an instant scratch ticket which could see you winning exciting gadgets daily, including a Samsung Galaxy S4, Apple iPad Mini and Apple iPhone 5. Terms and conditions apply, and all queries can be directed to the friendly Red Bull staff manning the booths scattered around the Fair.

There are many stations of Red Bull around BRIDEX. Try your luck!!

My friend Hanisham was the first winner of the competition when he only bought $10 worth of Red Bull. Good one, bro

To enter the ASEAN Year Consumer Fair lucky draw with the grand prize of a Toyota Vios, runner-up prizes of air tickets to the ASEAN member countries (departing from Brunei) and more, all visitors have to do is make a purchase from participating vendors (except for Food Court and Kiosk) to receive a sticker making them eligible for entry. With these fantastic prizes available to be won, and faced with the many great time-limited special prices coupled with attractive offers at the Fair, do you really need further reasons to shop to your heart’s content at the ASEAN Year Consumer Fair? The prize presentation will be made on the last day of the Fair, Sunday 25 August.

Toyota VIOS up for grabs. Image taken from TigerLim.com

The Indomie Green Chilli (Cabe Ijo) Mi Goreng Eating Competition has received a great response so far, with plenty of willing participants seen trying to down as much of the spicy noodles as possible within three minutes using spoons. Up for grabs in this eating challenge are mobile telephones and other devices as well as Indofood hampers. To enter, simply buy an alter pack of the new flavour of noodles at the Syarikat Aliia booth at W110, W112 at the Fair, and fill up the registration form if they meet the terms and conditions that apply. The first three days of the Fair will see the qualifying rounds of a maximum of 30 contestants per day, and the semi-finals will be held on Saturday 24 August. The finalists will battle against each other on the last day of the Fair, Sunday 25 August.

IndoMie eating competition which starts this Sunday at 1.30pm

The fascinating set-up of exercise machines in Hall 2 by Michael Mogard, recently crowned “The Fittest Man in Asia” promoting Reebok Crossfit training has also been gaining a lot of public interest. Mr. Mogard is the prime walking example of what he teaches, and he will be sharing his experiences and expertise with those interested via fitness demonstrations (for all ages and levels), a nutrition seminar, and competitions.

Mike Mogard doing a quick demo jump

It looks easy but it’s pretty challenging. Check them out at BRIDEX hall this weekend.

Younger visitors (and older accompanying persons) are also catered to at the ASEAN Year Consumer Fair courtesy of Fun Bee Park which is running a host of varied activities. Last night saw paper crafts being taught as part of “Craftpalooza”, tonight will see a “Paint Your Parent’s Face Competition”, and future activities will include “Craftpalooza: Jewellery” and a “Know Your Consumer Fair Hunt”.

Prizes can also be won by entering the ASEAN Year Consumer Fair themed Photography Competition. All you have to do is take great pictures of the Fair, submit them to facebook@sunlitadvertising.com, and to be judged on by the public on the Sunlit Brunei Fan Page on Facebook. The pictures with the most “likes” will win their photographers attractive prizes such as $300 for first place. The latest submission will be by 10pm 24th August Saturday. Good luck!!

Photo contest and all are welcome to participate

Fans of the winning artistes who bagged the top prizes as part of Team Brunei Darussalam during the World Championships of Performing Arts 2013 will get the chance to meet their idols during the ASEAN Year Consumer Fair. Maria Grace Koh, Fakhrul Razi and Kevin Lo will be appearing at BRIDEX on 24 August from 5.00pm to 6.00pm at the outdoor stage for a meet and greet session with their fans. These guys have done Brunei proud on their achievements by bringing more than 15 medals/awards which is a huge ratio for Brunei if compared to other countries.

Guest of Honour of the Consumer Fair, Pehin Yahya and his spouse giving support for WCOPA

Hjh Mariani Director of Tourism at the WCOPA booth

You can buy their concert tickets at BRIDEX and support our local talents who made it big in the States. More them soon!

The “Be Bold! Go Bald!” head-shaving activity in support of the Brunei Breast Cancer Support Group is gaining great momentum in the run-up to the on-stage grand event on Sunday 25 August. So far, more than 40 people – both men and women – have signed up to have their heads shaved for the breast cancer cause and to collect donations via sponsorships for doing so. Direct donations to the support group are also coming in steadily thanks to generous members of the public through a donation box set up at the Organizer’s Information Counter at the Fair’s reception area in Hall 2. Registration is still open for those willing to show their compassion for breast cancer awareness by going bald temporarily, so head on over to the Information Counter at the Fair to be part of this significant event! Head shaving ceremony will be conducted on the stage this coming Sunday 25 Aug at 10.30am.

Pehin Yahya and his spouse with the committee of the Brunei Breast Cancer Support Group

The pre-show of the Go Bald activity. It’s happening on Sunday starting 10:30am

There are many other activities during the ASEAN Year Consumer Fair such as “Like the Sunlit Brunei Facebook Page to get prizes” and “Scan the QR code and log on to Facebook to get a souvenir” activities, so don’t delay and check out the ASEAN Year Consumer Fair for yourself at BRIDEX until this Sunday!

Opening hours for the Fair are 10am – 10pm daily except for Friday where the fair will close from 12noon to 2pm for Friday prayers. A free shuttle bus service picks up passengers from the Jerudong Park Amphitheatre car park. Entrance to the fair is free of charge.

 

Great Eastern Life held an open office last Wednesday (sorry, I couldn’t make it) at their Kiulap office to celebrate Hari Raya Aidil Fitri together with their staff, agency leaders, distribution representatives and walk-in customers.

The Great Eastern Life team, led by Caroline Sim, acting head of Brunei Branch, mingled with customers over a sumptuous buffet hi-tea. Customers were also given red and green apples at the end of the event to highlight the importance of healthy living.

Great Eastern Life also celebrated its 105th anniversary with a cake-cutting ceremony by the team. This is the first year Great Eastern Life has organised such an event in line with its Live Great programme. Text and images courtesy of Great Eastern Life (Brunei).

Caroline Sim, Acting Head of Brunei Branch (3rd from the right) and Helen Yeo, Senior Consultant (4th from the right) together with Agency Leaders on the 105th Birthday cake-cutting ceremony

Management and staff of Great Eastern Life (Brunei)

The management with Agency Leaders of Great Eastern Life (Brunei)

Click image to see more of Netcom Computer House from their Facebook Page

 

New and bigger things at ICON Design Store. Click to enter

 

Grand Raya Package at Peugoet and promotion ends 15th September. Click image to enter website.

 

Click image to enter website

 

Black Angus Ribeye is back!! For Two!! Only at Deals Restaurant, Raddison Brunei. Click image to enter facebook page.

 

Royal Brunei Airlines (RB)

Click image to enter website

First it’s the Consumer Fair at BRIDEX. Next weekend will be the Travelmania 2013 which will be one of the events to look forward too. Also part of this year’s Travelmania 2013 is the 10th Abacus Holiday Travel Fair and this usually means one thing – cheap and affordable fairs.

As Dermot Mannion, Deputy Chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) said, “This is the right place to plan your dream vacations.” All in one spot. At the Travelmania 2013. Another great thing that he highlighted is the upcoming carrier which is Boeing 787 Dreamliner and this is something I couldn’t wait either.

The signing ceremony took place yesterday between the partners and related airlines at the Airport Restaurant. There were signings of MoU between Dermot Mannion, Deputy Chairman of RB and Dato’ Jack Ting, Managing Director of Cityneon Displays & Construction Sdn Bhd, Irene Soon, General Manager of Abacus Brunei Sdn Bhd and Zurina Abdul Samad, Director of Tourism Malaysia.

Another batch of MoU signings were between Abacus and their partners. The signatories were Irene Soon, General Manager of Abacus Brunei Sdn Bhd and Ti Eng Hui, Deputy General Manager Retail Banking of Baiduri Bank; Zainal Abidin Sulaiman, District Manager (Brunei) of Malaysia Airlines as well as Alvin Leong, Acting General Manager Brunei, Sabah & Sarawak at Singapore Airlines.

Can they top 33,000 visitors last year? Tourism Malaysia apparently will have a bigger presence because of their “Visit Malaysia Year 2014” and they will be will be presenting Malaysian Cultural Performance, Sarawak Traditional Music – Sape, The Tank & Batik Demonstration, Malaysia Contemporary Art Tourism and Lego Display by Brunei Usergroup Lego & Technic (BULAT).

So peeps!!! Book your dates next weekend.. The earlier the better 😀

Group photo with the partners for the Travelmania 2013

Dermot Mannion gave some short remarks on Travelmania 2013

Dermot Mannion, Deputy Chairman of RB and Dato’ Jack Ting, Managing Director of Cityneon Displays & Construction Sdn Bhd signing MoU

Exchange of documents

Dermot Mannion and Irene Soon, GM of Abacus Brunei Sdn Bhd

Dermot Mannion and new director of Tourism Malaysia (Brunei) Zurina Abdul Samad

Irene Soon with Zainal Abidin Sulaiman, the new District Manager of Malaysia Airlines (Brunei) signing Mr. Eng Hui, Deputy General Manager Retail Banking of Baiduri Bank with

Irene Soon with Mr. Eng Hui, Deputy General Manager Retail Banking of Baiduri Bank

Alvin Leong, Acting General Manager Brunei, Sabah & Sarawak at Singapore Airlines

Zainal Abidin Sulaiman mingling with the guests

 

The tournament has begun and it kicked off or literally “throw off” last evening at the BRIDEX as part of the ASEAN Year Consumer Fair 2013. There are 22 teams that are taking part in the tournament with 12 female teams and 10 male teams but I am expecting this competition to grow in interest in the future because it’s a newly introduced sport in Brunei.

Perhaps the novelty aspect of the game has made it easier for the locals to accept and the most importantly having fun in that sport. I know of a friend who can’t enough of dodgeball and craving more of it :p

So far the hot favourites for the ladies are Thunderbirds and Gladiators while for the men, Easyway looks solid with 2 wins but the best match so far was between EXCO and Cosmo Men B. There will be no matches tonight on Thursday and the tournament continues tomorrow evening. Good luck to all the players and keep entertaining the audience with your dodging skills.

Some of the results last night:

Ladies:
Thunderbirds 8 Cosmo Women A
Smokin’ Aces 1 UBD Meatballs 7
Elemonators 2 UBD Queens
Gladiators 7 Cosmo Women B 0

Mens:
Easyway 4 SVNR Power
Boxx DT 0 Easyway 8

Smokin’ Aces vs UBD Meatballs

Before every match, a briefing will be done. This is good to remind players especially since this sport is still pretty new to many

UBD Meatballs won their first game comprehensively

The only to get eliminated is when a ball hits any part of your body or clothing unless you catch the ball

Easyway vs SVNR Power

SVNR Power in action

SVNR outnumbered by Easyway

Dodging the attacks when solo can be difficult and you can only get back your team player one by one if you catch the ball

Cosmo Women B vs Gladiators

In every round, this is how the game starts

Cosmo Women B

Easyway vs Boxx DT

You can grab as many balls as you want to attack

This guy has a good throw

Ben Sim of Easyway being eliminated because he crossed the yellow line

Easyway looked pretty strong for the tournament

Cosmo Men A vs AK-47

 

There are those who blog or take pictures to express themselves. Elizabeth Sim, also known as Liz, uses her gift of gab in her talk show believing that it will be a positive contribution to society. Liz is an experienced entertainer in her many roles as an event host/emcee, moderator, facilitator and actress. She is also an active Toastmaster, a public speaking organisation with a mission (To create a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills which in turns fosters self confidence and personal growth). On 31 August 2013, Liz will put all her skills, talents and training to display in a talk show.

The talk show focuses on people who are inspirational in their own ways and hopes to serve as a platform where audiences will have an opportunity to learn from them their stories of struggles, breakthroughs and successes on a personal level.

“I want to have inspirational people inspire others through dialogue” says Liz. Her talk show also hopes to showcase local talents to as a way to help them grow as an artist while sharing their gifts with others.

In the upcoming pilot, the audience will get a chance to meet and learn from the champions from the World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA 2013) and stand a chance to walk away with goodies/prizes, enjoy a live cooking demonstration and so much more. 

Tickets are limited to maximum of 50 pax. So get your tickets reserved now by texting 8826013 and Text “Time Out, name and number of tickets. Tickets are sold at $5 each for early birds. After the 26th August, tickets will be sold at $10. So hurry 😀

Happening at Fun Bee Park 31st August 7pm