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Hougang hosts DPMM FC  

Can DPMM FC continue their scoring spree momentum tonight?

DPMM FC will be gunning for their third win in a row as they will be hosted by Hougang United FC who can prove to be a tricky customer for DPMM FC. Brunei’s only professional club scored 11 goals in the last two games against two bottom teams – Courts Young Lions and Harimau Muda and they are on a scoring spree but the most important key for Steve Kean is getting another clean sheet for DPMM FC.

“We have an appetite to go and have a few more goals and the best part about our last game is the clean sheet as well. So we are very hopeful that we can get a clean sheet and get all three points,” said Kean during the interview at the Brunei International Airport before taking off to Singapore.

Kean did admit that Hougang United has cause some surprises in the S•League this season. “I have watched some of their games on DVD and they are good at putting the ball in the box and it will be a tough game.”

However, DPMM FC will be without two key players – Rosmin Kamis (Bobby) and Sairol Sahari who scored in the last game. According to Kean, Bobby should be back for the following game next week as he was being rested, recovering from two calves strains. Sairol will be rested for some tight strain on his hip.

Kean is ready to hand Azwan Salleh and Hendra, their first start of the season, replacing the positions of Sairol and Bobby respectively. The head coach is confident of Bobby’s replacement, Hendra, and he has shown some maturity while coming off the bench in the past few matches. This will be a big game for Hendra indeed.

Rodrigo Tosi will prove to be a huge threat as he has already bagged seven goals this season. He shared how the squad this season was very much different from his previous stints and one point that he highlighted was the mentality of his team mates that has made the difference. The Brazilian is also wary of Hougang’s improvements this season and he will do his best to bring in three points for DPMM FC and of course, add to his goal tally.

Hougang United FC will host DPMM FC tonight at Hougang Stadium, Singapore. You can catch some live updates on their Twitter and instagram handle @officialdpmmfc

DPMM FC players posing after their 5-0 victory of Harimau Muda last Friday 

DPMM FC will be missing Sairol Sahari and Rosmin Kamis who are being rested 

DPMM FC’s brightest prospect, Azwan Ali, will be featured once again and he has been giving DPMM FC more attacking options. 

DPMM FC players with some fans at the Brunei International Airport yesterday 

Will Aziz Tamit and Boris Raspudic hold their defence for another clean sheet tonight? 

  

 

Parents excited for ISB campus  

The Minister of Education and The Minister of Development with the Board of Directors of ISB, management of ISB and students of ISB at the groundbreaking ceremony of ISB new campus at Kg Sg Hanching 

The Minister of Education and The Minister of Development with the architect, consultants and contractors of the new ISB campus

The comments have been flourish on my social media after my posting of the recent graphics of the newly proposed green building of ISB campus at Sg Hanching. By August 2015, ISB will relocated their school to the new proposed area. The exact location is along Jalan Utama Salambigar, Kg Sg Hanching and it is pretty big, a 22-acre site.

I remember a few years ago of the rumours that ISB can be relocated as the current land belongs to the another ministry if I’m not mistaken. Now it’s a reality after a groundbreaking ceremony a few days ago officiated by two of our ministers – Minister of Education, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong and the Minister of Development, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, who poured concrete cement into the foundation of the new ISB campus.

You may seen ISB’s branding as being eco-friendly and always giving back to the community and I was pleased that ISB’s new campus uses the green concept to reduce the usage of energy and water while creating a more conducive and healthier environment for the teachers, students and parents.

The whole project itself costs in the region of BND 30 million and it’s being financed by Baiduri Bank (Oh yeah, if you wanna apply for home loans, Baiduri Bank can help finance you too). The architect of the project is handled by Arkitek Rekajaya; Civil & Structural Consultants is Adwan & Associates Chartered Engineers; Mechanical & Electrical Consultant is Sepakat Setia Perunding; Earthwork Consultant also is done by Sepakat Setia Perunding; Quantity Surveyor is MRBC Partnership; Main Building Contractor is Walltique Sdn Bhd and Mechanical & Electrical Contractor is DHJ Electrical Sdn Bhd.

Both ministers were pretty impressed with the current project and they hope that more schools will adapt the concept of a greener environment even on a smaller scope.

I will see if I’m able to get more snippets during the progress of the construction over a period of time.

 

Ahmad Isa, the Chairman of ISB, delivering his welcoming remarks and highlight of ISB’s initiative of going green and conserving energy on the new green concept campus 

The pouring of the concrete to commemorate the construction of the new campus 

 

In a few months’ time, this place will have some foundation 

The Early Childhood Building 

The Early Childhood Building (Ugama) 

The overview of new ISB campus 

 

  

The Drama Night  

With M.A.S.K. 

Check out this drama event consisting of multiple short sketches with some comedic touch and a theme. Happening the following Sunday. 

  

Power up your Acer phones  

For many senior citizens, getting to grips with smartphone technology can sometimes be problematic as the small on-screen text is often difficult to read and the multitude of features and functions can lead to mistakes.

Concepts Computer Sdn Bhd has taken steps to solve the problem by introducing five different Acer smartphone models, and anyone over the age of 50 purchasing a smartphone from the company will be entitled to a special gift – a Starius 2,600mAH power-bank, which comes in a variety of colours including electric blue and striking black.

 In addition to this, students and teachers providing valid identification will be able to acquire the same deal.

Check out the Acer Liquid Z3s which only costs BND 158 and for a limited time, you can purchase any of the Acer smartphones and get a FREE Starius power bank (applicable to senior citizens, students and teachers)

 First on the list is the affordable Acer Liquid Z3s dual core 1GHz Android smart-phone priced at $158. The Z3s includes a Senior Mode which comes optimised for senior citizens with features such as magnification, quick call contacts and radio.

 These simple modes are also designed for children as the range of “Quick Mode” options available on the Z3s makes this a great first time smart-phone with parent restrictions and security locks.
Next on offer is the Acer Liquid Z5, available for the price of $238 for 512MB or $288 for 1GB. Despite its budget price, the Z5 is a smart-looking smartphone as pictures and videos are clearly portrayed in its large five-inch display. Favourite applications and camera function are also easily launched from the home screen. This model sports a front-facing high performance speaker that has clear audio, equipped with DTS sound which plays tracks beautifully.

 The next model on offer is the Acer Liquid E2, priced at $328, which has an elegant curved design with a large 4.5-inch HD screen and a camera that has a zero shutter delay that allows users to take up to eight pictures per second. This model also comes with dual metal speakers and wide stereo width enhancement for users needing an entertainment smartphone on-the-go.

 Meanwhile, the Acer Liquid S1, a perfect business smartphone, is priced at $498 and has a large 5.7-inch HD display and features the zero-air-gap design. The model comes with office applications such as Acer Docs and Acer Remote Files for that spur-of-the-moment presentation.

 Last but not least is the high-end Acer Liquid S2, available for $848, which has a 6-inch Full HD display with IPS technology. The phone sports a 13 MP, f/2.2 camera that captures breathtaking 27 MP panoramic images and records videos in 4K Ultra HD2. Users can also experience a 5.1 channel virtual sound on headphones when using the phone and the intuitive graphical tuner will adjust sounds to preferred sound quality.

 Concepts Computer Marketing Executive Zul Abdul Rahman said that the special deal is the beginning of a great expansion for the company, with hopes of aiding older citizens in Brunei as well as fulfilling the needs of consumers such as teachers and students.

 For more information on the wide selection of Acer smartphones or Starius power banks, visit the nearest Concepts Computer showroom or call 2233551 or 2233552. Text courtesy of Rebecca Oi of The Brunei Times.

Associates of Concepts Computer holding the Acer Liquid Series smartphone and the power banks 

Perks of being a media. We get to choose one power bank 😀 

From the five models, you will get a FREE power bank. Only applicable to senior citizens, students and teachers 

Mr. Vincent Pao is also enjoying his new hobby – photography 😀 

  

Freshco Wedding Fair  

For the first time, Freshco in Plaza Abdul Razak will be organizing its own Wedding Fair, which is in collaboration with Songket Wedding Event & Co. The event will be featuring companies that provide for certain aspects of weddings from all over Brunei, and the fair will be in conjunction with the official launching of the Putera Banquest Hall in Freshco, which can accommodate up to 800 pax for wedding functions.

The fair which is open to the public will take place over 4 weeks, starting from Thursday, 17th April 2014 and officially end Sunday, 11th May 2014. Each week, different vendors will be showcasing their products according to the theme, from 11am til 9pm, (excluding 12pm to 2pm on Fridays).

The rest of the schedule will be “Wedding Photography & Videography” which will take place from 24th to 27th April, “Wedding Dresses & Make up” on 1st to 5th May, and the final week will be all about “Wedding Decorations, Pelamin & Hantaran” from 8th to 11th May.

Lucky couples who book the Putera Banquet Hall for their wedding during the fair are entered in a Lucky Draw to win a Free Honeymoon Trip to Bali for 3 days and 2 nights, which is sponsored by Songket Wedding Events & Co. More surprises will be revealed as the fair takes places, so set your sights on Freshco’s Official Facebook Page, and their Instagram @freshcobrunei to get the latest updates.

For more information, please contact 2201083, 717 4418 or 7293131

  

Happening this weekend  

The Film Festival UBD 2014 is happening this weekend. Well done to the UBD students involved in this project

You can listen to my podcast on my interview with the Marketing Director of the Film Festival UBD 2014

 

The Long Month  

It’s great to be back again but not dreading for work. I have countless piles of work pending and I don’t even know where to begin with. Probably an assistant would have suffice. I tend to be freer whenever I’m abroad and I feel under pressure whenever I’m in Brunei. Some even suggested that I get a PR status in Singapore since I was born there too. Singapore was fun. My trip was shy of a fortnight and I had a splendid time with my family especially my mom who is recovering from a minor surgery. I was also there in Singapore to celebrate her birthday earlier this week before I head back home.

A few highlights for me was the Earth Hour in Singapore, the release of the Adidas FX Flux in Singapore (though there is a big downside to that) and also the quick sneaks of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 hosted by Sony Pictures (Singapore). And of course, I was able to catch up with a few of my buddies in Singapore too. I shall be making another trip back if time permits and I hope to be there in time for the exclusive premiere of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 before it will be released the following week.

I have yet to settle here back in Brunei and I’ve been spending more time catching on my deprived rest. I know this myself that I need to organise my things to get back in shape. I’m also pretty behind in my fitness level as I have registered for the 21km race for Sundown, end of May, in Singapore. So there are many things under my checklist before mid year kicks in and time has been flying pretty fast I must say. The other guilty thing(s) that I’m aware of are my resolutions for 2014 which I pledged for myself on 1st January 2014. I would say that I’m only 2% on it and this is already mid April *lol* Talk about commitment, aye? I hope my baby steps can give a much needed boost to get me going for my resolution.

I recently attended the BIT Council meeting and I learnt quite a few things that were shared among the members of the BIT Council. This actually stands for Brunei Information Technology Council and it’s spearheaded by the Minister of Communications. We recently were given a book which has a case study on Brunei’s indices rating on technology and it is being reported that we are pretty far behind when it comes to affordability. Many of us have questioned the credibility of the findings as it contradicts the predicted patterns of the consumer ends side of the things. Perhaps there wasn’t much explanation given in-depth on the findings and I believe the government have spend quite on a fortune on it too.

Recent weeks have been challenging indeed. Making new friends, reconciling ones and sustaining the closer ones. I have learnt the different types of characters that I’ve gone through and it was also a great reflection of myself too. Despite the awareness that I have, the choices I have made may not be favourable in the eyes of some. I have yet to reach my highest self and give myself a kick in the butt that I can do better. My connections with my trusted ones have been haywire to say the least. I have probably judged my own being too and allow others to judge my well being and actions. For now, it’s a rebuilding journey ahead. Lessons after lessons with many distractions along the way. Well, that’s how life is, right?

I’m gonna enjoy my Sunday and recover back from my sleepy eyes. Have a great Sunday, peeps!!!

Oh, below are some of the photos that I felt like sharing with your guys.

 

During my mom’s birthday earlier this week. Thank you, mom, for being a great provider to the family and continuously supporting us since Day 1. I surprised her with some flowers I bought from Takashimaya. Though there aren’t as big as others but this small gesture has more meaning and it was the first time I actually handed a bouquet of flowers to my mom personally 😀 

Yazid Yakub what sapped me this picture earlier this afternoon and I wept a little seeing this photo. It shows how much I missed my high school years back in Geelong Grammar School, Victoria, Australia. Yesterday there was our class reunion on 94’ and sadly, I wasn’t able to join Yazid and the rest down under. The picture was taken during our final year prom night to mark the end of our high school years. Thank you for the memories 😀

A nameless soft toy given to me by @lilmopiko @timelessrealm. I have no idea why I was so attached to this toy and I carried with me wherever I went. Not until my trip to Penang in 2012, I lost it and till today, I couldn’t let go that feeling of attachment. Many lessons can be learnt here.

A match that I didn’t bother to catch live on TV but just rely on social media for updates. This was the rematch between Manny and Bradley and the Filipino managed to avenge his defeat by an unanimous decision. This is a great shot by the way.

Some billed this as a title decider. I think not. There are still plenty of points to play for. Should Liverpool beat Manchester City and Chelsea this month, it’s a high possibility the title could be virtually Liverpool’s. The season hasn’t been this exciting for many years as it has become a three horse race.

I tried these Burger King’s Drummets and I was impressed. It’s available now at our local franchise store at Bandar

I caught Wrestlemania and my reactions were pretty mixed. I love the finale though but the saddest part is to see The Undertaker’s streak to end by Brock Lesnar. Then again, it has to happen one day and Brock is a much better candidate to do so. Hulk Hogan didn’t do much to host Wrestlemania so I don’t see why the big hype. By the way, I had to fork out USD 60 for the PPV as I was watching it on WWE.com on my notebook. 

These wireless Jabra earpieces are awesome especially for my runs. The only problem which can be annoying is when it’s trying to pair with my phone device. It may take some time to detect. A few days ago, I accidentally left these earpiece on the McDonald’s tray at Singapore. There goes my Jabra piece. How careless of me!!! 

Great deals for those purchasing the Acer Smartphones at Concepts Computer. If you are senior citizen or even a teacher or a student, you can now get these Acer smartphones and you will be given a 2600 mAH powerbank (while stock lasts). Pretty cool, aye? So do drop by Concepts Computer and check them out. I shall be writing more on these special promotion by tomorrow. Stay tune!! 

Chef Cathy from Royal Brunei Catering was participating in the recent FHA 2014 Culinary Challenge. She didn’t win in her category but she really enjoyed the experience. Her colleague Chef Ahmad bagged Silver Medal under the “Class 3B Pastry Showpiece”. RBC sent 8 chefs to compete in the Culinary Challenge recently held in Singapore. 

There was quite a crowd at the recent FHA2014 held at the Singapore Expo. My feet were aching just walking through most of the halls. There were 10 halls altogether. Apparently those who attended previous FHA events said that there weren’t much difference. 

Finally it rained in Singapore after weeks of dry spell. I’m also sporting my current favourite walking shoes too – Adidas FX Flux though I’m still bummed out that I missed out the Prism Flux edition.  

I bumped into an old friend at the Changi Airport and she was transiting from her Umrah trip via Singapore. We kinda have matching head covers 😀 

BIBD presentation for the final monthly “Barakah 5” winners presented by Caitlina Hj Haliluddin, Assistant Managers of Products & Segments, BIBD. Each of the winners received 100,000 Hadiah Points. The winners will join all the previous monthly winners for the grand prize of the Jaguar XF.  

There will be a garage sale today. From 9am to 2pm. Venue: Simpang 38 House No. 22 Jalan Chempaka. Call 8989132 for details. Expect some toys, books, home decor and many more. The earlier the better. Who knows you will find some classic gems 😀 

My podcast review of The Grand Budapest Hotel with my co-host Del Goh. Guess our movie prediction for this movie. It’s showing now at The Mall Cineplex

 

The UBD Spectacle 2014 is here.. I shall be paying this a visit pretty soon 😀 

Some of the art installation at the UBD Spectacle 2014. Image courtesy of The Brunei Times. 

Fiona the podiatrist was trimming my new customized insole for my running Adidas shoes and thank you so much for the great service. I shall talk about this soon and share with you my experience at The Sole Clinic at SOHO2, Singapore. I would definitely recommend you to try this place if you have problems with your feet or leg especially for runners. 

The interesting phenomena that took Brunei by storm. This was the most trending picture last Tuesday. This image belongs to Rachael Yeo 😀 

If you happen to be in Singapore, do visit Pasarbella. Interesting place with  

Such a sad news to know that the Ultimate Warrior passed away. He was just on Wrestlemania 30 and came on RAW and passed away a day later. He is definitely a legend superstar for WWE and it was good to see him being inducted in the Hall of Fame 

Another friend I bumped into in Singapore and we did a quick shopping at Zara. Happy belated Aziimah 😀 

Mom bought a stack of this iTunes card at Qisahn at Far East Shopping Centre, Orchard Road. A USD 15 card only costs BND 20. Good deal, aye? 

I miss this place already. This was my regular jogging spot at the Singapore Botanics Garden. The only place that I can appreciate nature and the green while burning my calories. The swing does bring some childhood memories. 

A failed attempt to join the tai chi group at the Singapore Botanics Garden 

Kristal FM taking snippets of the new menu at Sapphira bandar branch. More on that soon. 

Gundam fans out there? Well, this special promotion is only at ISETAN at Shaw House, Singapore until 17th April 

My Adidas haul in Singapore recently. Thanks Mom 😀

 

  

DPMM FC vs Tampines Rovers FC

 

Catch DPMM FC this Sunday as they take on Tampines Rovers. Both have perfect records but DPMM FC has yet to concede a goal.    

Acer Liquid Smartphones

 

Check out Acer Liquid smartphones 

 

  

HSBC Personal Internet Banking

 
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BIBD – Let’s Go Mobile!

 
Let’s go mobile? Click more to find out!!    

Icon Design Store

 

 
Click to enter website  

 

EPL Masters making a comeback  

Steven Leslie Black, the CEO of EPL Masters and Eunice Cespedes Capalad, Marketing Manager of S-Team Solutions exchanging documents as Dato Paduka Awang Hj Mohd Hamid bin Hj Mohd Jaafar, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports looks on

After a year of hiatus, the EPL Masters is back. We have experienced two of these events so far in Brunei making its debut back in 2011. It will be called the EPL Masters Football Brunei 2014 which is bound to happen in September 2014. The signing ceremony for the event took place between S-Team Solutions and EPL Masters at the office of S-Team Solutions. Present as the guest of honour was Dato Paduka Awang Hj Mohd Hamid bin Hj Mohd Jaafar, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

The sponsors of the event have yet to be announced but more details will be given in the near future.

Representing the EPL Masters were Steven Leslie Black, the CEO of EPL Masters and also John Ian Holahan who were in the Sultanate. During his welcoming remarks, Steven Black said that he will do his best to bring more familiar faces mostly from Manchester United and Liverpool. He mentioned name such as Lee Sharp, Nicky Barmby, Luis Garcia, Louis Saha and even Paul Scholes to name a few. Black also hinted that they will deliver something different this year too.

He hopes to bring other new players from the EPL such as former players from Tottenham and other European clubs. Other related activities will be held which are inclusive of football clinics and meet the fan sessions. Black shared that it’s not that hard to entice former EPL players to the tournament. He gave an example of Steve McManaman who came to Brunei two years ago and it was the first time he felt comfortable and relaxed despite it being a competition but with less pressure and he was also able to mingle with his former rival team mates such as Andy Cole. He wasn’t able to do that back in his footballing years with Liverpool. So from here, you can see that the EPL Masters is not only about showcasing football at the highest level but also a heart warming environment for all the footballers involved.

Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Hamid was impressed that the EPL Masters is back. He hopes that this will help boost the football as well as the sports development in the country. This is an opportunity to improve sports tourism in the country. For your info, the Permanent Secretary used to be a national football player and he’s a Tottenham Hotspurs fan.

I’m excited for the upcoming EPL Masters Football Brunei 2014. Though it’s bound for September this year, time does fly quickly. Good luck to the organizer in making this a successful event.

 

Dato Paduka Awang Hj Mohd Hamid bin Hj Mohd Jaafar, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, hope this event will elevate the sports industry and also the football industry in Brunei Darussalam 

Signing the agreements between EPL Masters and S-Team Solutions 

The guest of honour with representatives from S-Team Solutions and EPL Masters 

Ian Pearce with the youth during a football clinic back in 2012 

Ian Pearce with young enthusiastic footballers back in 2012 

Guess who were playing back in 2012? Frank Lebeouf and Robbie Fowler. Will they be back this year? We shall find out. 

  

Acer Liquid | S2  

Have your tried the Acer smartphones just yet?You probably haven’t heard people use the word Phablet that often. Well, it’s like a phone and tablet combined. We have seen this successfully received with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and Note 3. Now Acer has released their now version of Phablet called the Acer Liquid S1 and S2. The Liquid S2 is the newer version with a size of almost a 6” smartphone. The market price is BND848 for the Acer Liquid S2. The first version is much cheaper, almost have the price of the Liquid S2.

So what does the BND 848 smartphone packed with? It’s entirely made of synthetic material. The Acer Liquid S2 has a combined headphone/microphone jack, which can be found on the top of the device. The USB 2.0 port on the side is primarily for charging the phablet but it can also be used to connect external storage devices or charging the device.

It uses Google Android 4.2.2 and of course, the features that I like are the Float UI (float caller, float apps etc). This means you can play your apps and not be interrupted by incoming calls as it will create another split screen for you (Ideal for Candy Crush, Flappybird players).

The webcam of the Acer Liquid S2 has a 1.2 MP resolution (1280×960 pixels) and offers decent results in good lighting. The main camera on the back of the device is a 13 MP sensor, which captures 16:9 (resolution of 4128×2322 pixels) and 4:3 pictures (4128×3096 pixels).

Perhaps the other strong point about the Acer Liquid S2 is the Ultra HD Video Capture which uses 4k technology. The Acer Liquid S2 has 16 GB storage. The Acer Liquid S2 has a 3,300 mAh battery which is pretty high.

There are many things to like about the Acer Liquid S2. I’m not a big fan of big size smartphones though. But for those familiar with the Samsung Note series, you might like what the Liquid S2 can do. I believe this is the only phablet that has LTE technology too.

Now it’s available at Concepts Computer and you can also visit their showroom for more details.

 

The five models that Concepts Computer and other resellers are selling for Acer smartphones 

The Acer Liquid S2 

The Acer Liquid S2. Click image to enlarge poster.

Check out the youtube video for the Acer Liquid S2

  

Nankang at Sin Hup Huat  

Nankang tyros. Big savings on sports car gyres. Available at Sin Hup Huat Co 

  

 

DPMM FC vs Tampines Rovers 

 

Catch DPMM FC this Sunday as they take on Tampines Rovers. Both have perfect records but DPMM FC has yet to concede a goal.
 

 

Serasa Beach officially reopens  

His Royal Highness The Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah with the Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Permanent Secretaries and senior officers at the launch of the upgraded Serasa Beach yesterday. Click image to enlarge. Image courtesy of Dean Kassim.Six weeks ago, the Ministry of Development announced a major uplift at Serasa Beach for the benefit of the community and families. The 3 million dollar project was aimed at beautifying the popular Serasa Beach and upgrade its facilities such as playgrounds, toilets, surau, shop vendors and many others.

Once you enter Serasa Beach, it won’t be the same as before and this is a very much efficient project that have made praises from the public and mind you, this was just six weeks ago before the beach went through a major facelift.

The launching ceremony took place yesterday, officiated by His Royal Highness The Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah. The tour was led by the Minister of Development Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Suyoi Hj Osman.

Also present were the Minister of Finance II, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdul Rahman Hj Ibrahim, the Minister of Industry and Primary Resources Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar and the Minister of Home Affairs Yang Berhormat Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Hj Awang Badaruddin Pengarah Dato Paduka Hj Othman.

There were accompanied by the Deputy Ministers and Permanent Secretaries from the relevant ministries.

His Royal Highness The Crown Prince at the official launch 

His Royal Highness The Crown Prince upon arrival at the Serasa Beach 

His Royal Highness The Crown Prince signing the plaque  

His Royal Highness The Crown Prince touring the retail vendors 

His Royal Highness The Crown Prince touring the retail vendors 

One of the local vendors selling fabrics and clothes 

One of the vendors talking to the Crown Prince 

Photo opportunity with the Crown Prince 

One of the vendors displaying antiques

Six weeks ago, Permanent Secretary (Administration and Finance) at the Ministry of Development Awang Haji Muhd Lutfi bin Haji Abdullah as the personal representative of Minister of Development in an interview said the project aimed to further enhance the area which is prone to flooding during heavy rains and high tide. The said project is under the direction of The Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation, Ministry of Development.

The project’s scope of work includes building a car park, a cycling track, a playground, gazebos, sports facilities, toilet/shower facilities, surau and landscaping. The beach now has an entrance for vehicles along with a separate pathway for pedestrians.

There are also some water recreational sports activities such as parasailing, banana boat and sailing to name a few.

Now let’s hope that the beach can be maintained and be taken care of and we, the community, have the responsibility of taking care of what is being provided and not take things for granted. Let’s not put to waste what the government has offered and delivered.

One thing that worries me is the mindset of the beach goers (well, not all) who are bound to litter at will which will spoil the image of the newly revamped Serasa Recreational Beach.

The Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation, Ministry of Development, has already installed a signboard with a warning to the culprits. You can be fined BND 1,000 for the first offense and BND 3,000 for the subsequent charges and imprisonment not more than 3 months. So let’s hope the enforcers play their part also to create this awareness for the public.

Congratulations to the Ministry of Development and the relevant stakeholders involved in this project and I will definitely have my visit one of these weekends.

So peeps, the Serasa Beach is officially open to the public and this is such a timely manner because of the current school holidays. Images courtesy of Dean Kassim and Hock Sim.

Check out the video made by Rudolf Portillo of The Brunei Times

A great facelift on this area. I can’t seem to picture how the old area looked like. 

The new look for the retail vendors 

A surau at the Serasa Beach 

A good time to visit Serasa beach during school holidays 

The kids playground area 

Some of the F&B retailer vendor 

Sailing anyone? 

I never tried this before 

I know many people will love parasailing 

The overview of the facelift on Serasa Beach. Click image to enlarge. 

Let’s hope the enforcement will change the mindset and educate the public especially when it comes to littering 

  

Time to switch to Liquid series?  

Check out Acer Liquid smartphones 

Jeffrey Lai, Product Manager, Acer Sales and Services (Kuala Lumpur), Ting Meng Hung, Regional Manager, Acer Sales and Services (Sarawak Region), Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer and Richard Soo, Branch Manager from Acer Sales and Services showcasing the complete family of the Acer Liquid seriesBehold the first Android phone that I might eventually use – the Acer Liquid Z5. Thank you, firstly to Concepts Computer, for your kind token and I shall be trying it out pretty soon and do a full review of the phone (hopefully in two weeks’ time). For let me talk about the event launch of the series of models that Acer has to offer. You may thought that Acer only concentrates on computers and projectors. Now they have taken a whole new ball game and into the smartphones flagship.

It was good to see Acer representatives from Malaysia, flying in to Brunei to showcase the features of the Acer Liquid smartphones at the Rizqun International Hotel. The size of the Acer Z5 is pretty handy – 5.7 inches wide and it’s pretty light too (150g). This is an ideal phone as a secondary phone and especially when I fly abroad.

You can slot up to 32GB on your microSD. The camera is only 5MP but uses an LED flash. It’s powered by Android Jelly Bean with a dual core processor.

Battery wise, it packs a 2,000mAh battery and it’s not interchangeable like other Acer smartphones. However, you might be impressed with the price – it only costs BND 238. Not bad, right, for a smart phone.

I guess the great thing I saw during the presentation was the Float Apps where you can do multitasking (from 3 to 5 apps) and the Float Caller where your running app won’t be closed when an incoming call is made. The screen will be split and giving you to the option to call or reject the incoming call while your app or game is still running simultaneously. Genius!!

So now you can get them at Concepts Computer (Acer distributor in Brunei) and other authorized resellers such as AV Audio & Video, Boulevard IT, DeeJay, QQ eStore and Yappe Enterprise.

I won’t be talking much about the other high end Acer Liquid S series but you can check out the Acer Liquid S1 and the Acer Liquid S2 on GSM Arena website for their specs and they have good ratings too.

Jeffrey Lai showing the features of Acer Liquid Z5 and the Acer Liquid S2 and also the features of the Acer technology in the smartphones 

Members of the media and resellers were invited for the product presentation. Zee Yursi of Borneo Bulletin taking down notes and you should read her article today at Borneo Bulletin. 

Guess what? Each of us were given an Acer Liquid Z5 smartphone 😀 

Lai, you don’t have to win a lucky draw this time :p 

Representative from QQ eStore receiving one as well

The Acer Liquid Z3s smartphone is a dual-core smartphone that is ultra-affordable for everyone’s everyday use.

Weighing in at 115g with a 3.5-inch HVGA (320 x 480) screen, the Acer Liquid Z3s packs a whopping 5MP camera. It is the perfect, unobtrusive but efficient companion that allows users to snap away anywhere, anytime without burning a hole in their pocket!

It also comes with the Acer Active Flip that sees quick access to its home screen once the cover is flipped open and automatically turns off the screen when the cover is closed.

The Acer Liquid Z3s comes with Acer Quick Modes with different UI (User Interface) that works to suit its users – Basic Mode, Senior Mode, Classic Mode and Keypad Mode.

The Acer Liquid Z3s maintains most of the features of its predecessor, the Acer Liquid Z3 that was introduced last year. The size, weight, dual-sim support and other well-loved functionalities are retained in the Acer Liquid Z3s.

Priced at BND158, this compact yet powerful entry smartphone is suitable for people of all ages.

Representatives from Acer (Malaysia) with General Manager of Concepts Computer and authorized resellers 

Group photo with the media as well 

The Acer Liquid Z3s, The Acer Liquid Z5, The Acer Liquid E2, The Acer Liquid S1 and The Acer Liquid S2. Take your pick!! 

Some of the batteries of the phones are interchangeable 

My unboxed Acer Liquid Z5