The most sought for magazine in Thailand – GQ Thailand issue April 2016. Image courtesy of @gqthailand

 

Promotion at Loft & Co and the promotion will be until end of March 2016.

 

Hj Minorhadi, Head of Government Relations & Special Projects Division, BIBD (right) with ALAF Students for the closing ceremony of the “ALAF TA’ARUF Camp 2016. Image courtesy of BIBD.

To further support the development and progression of students under the BIBD ALAF programme, BIBD has arranged learning camps to help build their self-confidence, develop their communication capabilities, and instil a sense of appreciation of the aims of the ALAF program.

The learning camps are divided into three camps with the first, Refresher Camp, starting on 26 March. The Refresher Camp is specially organised for the latest forty-six students who were recently awarded and included into the ALAF programme for 2016.

On the other hand, the second and third camps, the H.E.L.P (Holiday English Language Programme) camps, are arranged for around eighty students. These camps are organised with the cooperation of the CfBT to deliver bespoke English training camps for the BIBD ALAF programme students.

The H.E.L.P camps include lectures, hands-on and task-based activities to promote teamwork. The camps are also designed to foster a ‘can do’ belief in their English abilities and to establish good learner training habits.

The BIBD ALAF programme currently includes more than one hundred students, whose funding are collected from efforts of BIBD’s Corporate Social Responsibility, which include BIBD Charity Expeditions for ALAF, along with generous contributions from corporate agencies as well as general public since its launch in May 2013 by Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah.

Guest of honour speaking to one of the ALAF students. Images courtesy of BIBD.

During the closing ceremony and certificate of participation for the ALAF students. Image courtesy of BIBD.

The ALAF programme was developed in close partnership with the Department of Schools, Ministry of Education, and in 2015 a Memorandum of Understanding was also signed with the Islamic Studies Department from the Ministry of Religious Affairs. This will lead to constant efforts and close collaboration between all parties to ensure the successful implementation and provision of assistance to the ALAF programme.

The ALAF programme provides the selected students with provisions for school and tuition fees, educational materials and welfare, as well as mentoring and counselling necessities amongst others. All these efforts are meant to ensure the absolute commitment of these students towards the development of their education, and prevent them from being bothered by other commitments. The ALAF programme will also continue to provide support and assistance to these students until the end of their respective educational requirements.

Through ALAF, BIBD hopes to align its support to His Majesty’s 2035 vision of obtaining a 100% level of education for everyone, which in turn is hoped to help reduce poverty. In Shaa Allah, this will lead Brunei towards a more prosperous and peaceful future, making Brunei populated with educated, highly skilful and successful individuals, in line with internationally set standards.

Donation: Members of the public wishing to contribute into the BIBD ALAF fund may do so with a minimum donation of B$1.01 into the BIBD ALAF account at 1018181811 via BIBD channels such as the BIBD Online website, BIBD Mobile app, BIBD ATM and CDMs, and BIBD branch counters. The public can also set up a BIBD Standing Instruction to ensure a monthly donation into the ALAF fund.

As an added option, BIBD account holders can also use their accumulated BIBD Hadiah Points for cash conversion into contributions into the ALAF fund account. Progresif users can also make donation to the ALAF programme via its dedicated SMS in denominations of BND 1,5,10, 15 and 20 by typing “ALAF” and entering the amount selected, and sending it to 38988.

 

Many reasons to love the Audi Q7

Audi’s new Q7 has earned a Top Safety Pick+ from IIHS, despite requirements being tightened for 2016.

To qualify, winners must earn “good” ratings in each of the IIHS’ five crash-worthiness tests, the small overlap, moderate overlap, side and roof strength and head restraints tests, and to have an “advanced” or “superior” rating on front crash prevention system.

The German SUV did “good” in the five crashworthiness evaluations and scored a “superior” rating for front crash prevention, as the model has standard Audi pre sense city with automatic emergency braking, which can detect moving and stationary vehicles as well as pedestrians, at speeds up to 52 mph (84 km/h) and initiate braking if potential collision is detected.

“This year’s Top Safety Pick+ award for the 2017 Q7 represents our brand’s longstanding commitment to bringing innovative technologies to the market.”, said President Audi of America, Scott Keogh.

The new Audi Q7 also recently earned the top 5-star rating in the Euro NCAP safety rating in January. There will be a press launch of the Audi Q7 pretty soon. Do check out my IG and Snapchats this coming Thursday.

 

Check out the new groupie chat apps by Tap Get

Chat Group Hell: We’ve all been there – stuck in a chat group that you can’t leave because it’s either rude, FOMO on juicy gossip or just not wanting to be ‘that guy’ who leaves. What Time is a new app where you’ll never get stuck in an unwanted group and it keeps conversations on topic.

It’s a simple idea: rather than having chat groups that stay open forever and get easily flooded with multiple topics going on all at the same time, it would be better to chat in groups that:
A. Only exist for as long as they’re needed, and
B. Stay on topic.

Only existing for as long as they’re needed. Chat groups start with a timer counting down from 24:00 hours, new messages sent to the group will add a further 10 minutes, but eventually as the conversation ends it will reach 00:00 and the group is closed.

Staying on topic. Groups are based on what ‘time’ it is, such as: “It’s Party Time”, “It’s Coffee Time” or even “It’s Sexy Time” and chat along with shared photos scrolling along the background so everyone in the group knows what everyone else is talking about.

The world does not need another social-network but group chat could be better, Tap Get CEO Keeran Janin commented, ”Groups in apps like Whatsapp and Messenger already do a great job of keeping us close with family and friends – but overuse for the wrong events spoil the experience – so rather than create a whole new platform we made What Time as an alternative app to chat about short-lived events that works with your existing social networks”.

Currently What Time works with Facebook contacts, adding support for other networks is planned for future updates.

What I feel: This is an interesting and thoughtful app especially for those with multiple group chats and some may seem redundant and unnecessary after the event is over or simply the chat group has literally gone dead. It’s good to see Keeran coming up with new ideas to make life more convenient and hassle free and still make it relevant in our everyday lives. The app is up and running on IOS. I’ve tried it and so far, it’s a great idea. This app takes two (or many) to tango but once the party gets a hang of it, this is a solid way of communicating and I love the interface as well.

For Android users, you might have to wait for a stable version as it’s still on beta. I do hope the traction of users will increase over a course of time.

Keeran Janin, CEO of Tap Get, releasing his new app called What Time. This image three years ago when he won the best logo competition for National Day. Sorry buddy, I googled and this came out :p

Now you can chat with your closed friends interactively and the inbox clears itself

Also available for iWatch

 

Bernard Vinso, Ligne Roset’s Export Director, Loan Forgeron, the French Ambassador to Brunei and Loft & Co’s Managing Director, Kheng Yeoh for the ribbon cutting to officiate the opening

Interested and intrigued visitors filled Loft and Co, a local furniture store in Batu Besurat during their Grand Opening recently.

The main feature of it was to showcase their Ligne Roset collections to the public which can be found on the second floor of the store. Ligne Roset is a French brand selling contemporary high-end furniture for homes. In the past, Bruneians who wish to own any of their pieces have to order through one of their stores in Singapore but with Loft and Co, people can now make their way there to have a look at the collections available locally and make a purchase if they wish.

During the event, a ribbon cutting ceremony was initiated by the Guest of Honour, Loan Forgeron, the French Ambassador to Brunei, Bernard Vinso, Ligne Roset’s Export Director and Loft & Co’s Managing Director, Kheng Yeoh.

I would say that furniture from Ligne Roset are masterpieces. I realised how much of a name Ligne Roset is and they over 200 stores and more than 1,000 retail distributors worldwide. As it was being quoted, the brand “offers consumers an entire lifestyle in which to live both boldly and beautifully via its furniture collections and complimentary decorative accessories, lighting, rugs, textiles and occasional items”. Mind you that the brand began way back in the 1860s. Amazing!!

My personal favourite furniture piece is the Ploum. I experienced it at the show room and I know when I have this in my living room, this will be my personal space be it my bed or my working station. Oh my, I’m just hooked.. I found out that the Ploum is a special combination of two materials – a stretchable covering and ultra-soft foam. Now this combo provides extreme comfort and accommodates different ways of sitting and of course, for my benefit, lying down. It’s so comfy that it’s able to accommodate all types of positions and body shape.

The invited guests during the launch

Bernard Vinso saying a few words before the launch

At Ligne Roset

At Ligne Roset

At Ligne Roset

This is the Fifty chair

At Ligne Roset

At Ligne Roset

At Ligne Roset

At Ligne Roset located on the 1st floor

This is an interesting table

In addition, the store has another collection on their Ground Floor from Red Apple Furniture Co., Ltd. from Hong Kong. The furniture is located on the first floor at Loft & Co and they have plentiful of choices to tailor your needs for your living room or dining room or study/bedroom. Quite a few of my social media followers visited the store a few months ago and purchased furniture for their homes. So it’s good to see that Loft & Co are bringing their items that suit the local taste and their items are quite contemporary and of high quality.

At the end of the launch of Loft & Co, Yeoh shared that some of the pieces caught the eye of some designers who viewed their Ligne Roset collection and expressed desire in possibly working together in the future. I’m pretty sure that both brands will do

Present throughout the opening as well was the Ambassador of Laos to Brunei, His Excellency Amphay Kindavong.

At Red Apple collection at Loft & Co

At Red Apple collection at Loft & Co

At Red Apple collection at Loft & Co

At Red Apple collection at Loft & Co

At Red Apple collection at Loft & Co

Listen to the podcast review of The Good Dinosaur with special guest Pranika Lama

 

A Malam Pemasaran 2015 was organized by Brunei Shell Marketing Co. Sdn Bhd in appreciation for their customers and business partners recently.

The evening kicked off with a welcoming remarks from the man at BSM steering wheel, Pg Shamhary Pg Dato Paduka Hj Mustapha, Managing Director of BSM.

There were plenty of awards that were given out that night. In the retail sector, , the Best Operational Excellence Award 2013 goes to Stesen Minyak Perusahaan Cahaya Pakatan Tutong. The Highest Lubricant Growth 2013 title was awarded to Roxana Shell Service Station.

Another interesting thing is that it’s also the first time that Brunei Shell Marketing gave out special awards and recognitions to local workshops for their diligence and proactiveness to convert various lubricant users to Shell Lubricant.

Did you know that the workshops have converted more than 100 cars to Shell Lubricant in the last three months? The top performer is Hock Siong Hin workshop in Kuala Belait.

Retail Highest Lubricant Growth 2013 – Roxana Shell Service Station

Participation in LPG Safety Awareness 2015 – Muara Gas Company

Participation in LPG Safety Awareness 2015 – Syarikat Perkhidmatan Sungai Betia

Participation in LPG Safety Awareness 2015 – Syarikat Perniagaan Melayu (SPM)

Below are some of the awards as stated.

Operational Excellence Achievers Award 2013
a) Stesen Minyak Perusahaan Cahaya Pakatan Tutong
b) Roxana Shell Service Station
c) Koperasi Perniagaan Dan Perusahaan Melayu Berhad (KoPPMB Gadong)
d) Gadong Filling Station
e) PHA Bakar B Jambol Station

Achieving High Volume Sales Achievements for Shell Lubricants at Retail Stations 2013:
a) Stesen Minyak Hanas
b) Stesen Minyak Negalang Maju Sdn Bhd
c) Koperasi Perniagaan Dan Perusahaan Melayu Berhad (KoPPMB Gadong)
d) Syarikat Kerjasama Kampong Tanjong Nangka SATENAGA
e) Seri Chermin Filling Station
f) Stesen Minyak Perusahaan Cahaya Pakatan Tutong

LPG Safety Awareness Attendance Certificate for 2015:
a) Muara Gas Company
b) Syarikat Perkhidmatan Sungai Betia
c) Syarikat Perniagaan Melayu (SPM)
d) Perusahaan Giap On (Hup Cheong)

Certificate of Appreciation for participating in LPG Safety Walkabout 2014:
a) Muara Gas Company
b) Syarikat Haji Yaakub Awg Zainal
c) Syarikat Awg Hj Pungut bin Ajak dan Anak-Anak

Participation in LPG Safety Awareness 2015 – Perusahaan Giap On (Hup Cheong)

Industrial Top Performer Lubricant Award Winner – New Temburong Quarry

Industrial Shell Recognition Award for Lubricant Growth Winner – Fu Yun Yuan Contractor

Industrial Shell Recognition Award for Lubricant Growth Runner Up – Swee Sdn Bhd

Industrial Shell Recognition Award for Lubricant Growth First Runner Up – Massutera Engineering Sdn Bhd

SOLUS Target Achievement Award 2015 For Franchised Workshop
Bengkel Kereta Berakas Sdn Bhd
Bee Motors Sdn Bhd
Happy Motoring Company Sdn Bhd
Maju Motors Sdn Bhd
Premier Motor Co Sdn Bhd
QAF Auto QAF Eurokars
Setia Motors Sdn Bhd
Sri Sentosa Sdn Bhd
Aziz Latif & Company
Hock Guan Hin Motor Co
Hock Hin Leong
Mandarin Machinery Co Sdn Bhd

Volume Award For Industrial Sector

FU YUN YUAN CONTRACTOR – Winner
SWEE SDN BHD – 1st Runner up
MASSUTERA ENGINEERING SDN BHD – 2nd Runner up
READYMIXED CONCRETE SDN BHD – 4th place
PUI SAW SU ENTTERPRISE – 5th place

Top Performer Award For Industrial Sector
NEW TEMBURONG QUARRY – Winner
FU YUN YUAN CONTRACTOR – 1st Runner up
SOON LEE HEAVY MACHINERY SVCS – 2nd Runner up
HIEW HY CONSTRUCTION SDN BHD – 4th place
SWEE SDN BHD – 5th place

Franchised Workshop Shell Helix Ultra Award 2015 Winner – NBT (Brunei) Sdn Bhd

Franchised Workshop Shell Helix Ultra Award 2015 1st Runner Up – Jati Transport Sdn Bhd

Franchised Workshop Shell Helix Ultra Award 2015 2nd Runner Up – Maju Motors Sdn Bhd

Independent Workshop Shell Helix Ultra Award 2015 Winner and Special Award – Hock Siong Hin

Distributor Top Performer Lubricant Award 2015 – TK Asco Enterprise

Shell Helix Ultra Award 2015
NBT (BRUNEI) SDN BHD – Winner
JATI TRANSPORT SDN BHD – 1st Runner up
MAJU MOTORS SDN BHD – 2nd Runner up

Shell Helix Ultra Award 2015
HOCK SIONG HIN – Winner
KAH HUAT CAR AIRCON & SERVICE- 1st Runner up
CHUA AUTOMOBILE REPAIRING – 2nd Runner up

Top Performer For Distributor Category
TK ASCO ENTERPRISE
ROMET PLUS MARKETING SDN BHD

For Franchised Workshop Category
NBT (BRUNEI) SDN BHD – Winner
SETIA MOTORS SDN BHD – 1st Runner up
BOUSTEAD SDN BHD – 2nd Runner up
GOH HOCK KEE MOTOR SDN BHD – 4th place
GRAND MOTORS SDN BHD – 5th place

For Independent Workshop Category
KAH HUAT CAR AIRCON & SERVICE – Winner
KIEN SING (TAN) AUTOPARTS – 1st Runner up
JOO FATT COMPANY – 2nd Runner up
HOCK HIN LEONG – 4th place
SYARIKAT AWG HJ MOHD YASSIN – 5th place

Independent Workshop Top Performer Lubricant Award 2015 Winner and Shell Helix Ultra Award 2015 Runner Up – Kah Huat Car Aircon & Service

Independent Workshop Top Performer Lubricant Award 2015 Runner Up – Kien Sing (Tan) Autoparts

Independent Workshop Top Performer Lubricant Award 2015 First Runner Up – Joo Fatt Company

Franchised Workshop Top Performer Lubricant Award 2015 Winner – NBT (Brunei) Sdn Bhd

Franchised Workshop Top Performer Lubricant Award 2015 Runner Up – Setia Motors Sdn Bhd

Franchised Workshop Top Performer Lubricant Award 2015 First Runner Up – Boustead Sdn Bhd

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Adib Noor testing out the Tomato KidZ bed

Do you want something that’s durable, lasting when it comes to children’s furniture? Now you can impressed your kids/children with Tomato KidZ concept furniture. The biggest winner here will be the parents and their children if they own a bed from Tomato KidZ.

For your info, Tomato KidZ is a revolutionary concept in children’s furniture and best thing is you can combine the designs to cater the demands of the children nowadays. Tomato KidZ is a growing brand from Malaysia and the idea came about where the brand originally started to provide quality furniture for the European market then slowly in Australia and in the US. Their biggest milestone was when Tomato KidZ were being commissioned by Walt Disney, Marvel and Hello Kitty. Awesome!!

It’s a good thing now that Tomato KidZ is expanding its business regionally and now we have one in Brunei, located at Regent Square 2, Kiulap.

When you pay a visit to their showroom, you can check out the craftsmanship on Tomato KidZ furniture. You will know where your money is spent/invested in. It’s safe, it’s sturdy and it’s quite versatile as well.

Safety is not compromised even when it comes to their ergonomic designs. Tomato KidZ ranked safety as one of their highest core values for the benefit of parents and their children. For example, with the bunk bed, they set the space between the upper and lower bunk which is carefully measured to prevent kids from knocking their heads.

Tomato KidZ also provides a study working station for kids and as they grow older, they are still able to make use of the study station. You can adjust the surface level of the desk especially when kids grow taller in the next few years. Hence the so called Intelligent Desk is very, very practical for children.

As for the warranty, the bedding parts comes with a 1 year warranty where as the Intelligent range such as the ergonomics study desk and chair and spare parts come up to a 10 year warranty. Awesome!!

You can visit their Facebook Page here for updates or pay a visit to their showroom at Unit D1, Ground Floor Block D, Regent Square 2. You can also contact them through +673 8187128.

Now a doll house can be part of your bed

Catherine Liew, Managing Director of Tomato KidZ (Malaysia) on the left with the staff at Kiulap outlet

A bunk bed and a study.

I was trying it out. How I wish I was still a kid 😀

The Intelligent Desk. The table and chair can change its level to the preference of the children

Another Intelligent Desk which caught my attention

My second periscope live feed and it was a quick review of Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. Download Periscope app on your smartphone and add me username Ranoadidas and replay my latest video feed 😀

I was checking out the office furniture at Loft and Co the other day

It has been around for a few weeks or so. A new furniture shop in town and it’s picking up pace despite the recent decline in consumer spending. Perhaps it was a timely manner when I ran an Instagram competition where the lucky winner will be walking away with a coffee table worth BND 380 from Loft and Co and their sales picked up just before Hari Raya. Even my future bro-in-law bought some items there 🙂

If you are hunting for home modern-high quality furniture, Loft and Co has it all and they will be bringing in more stock and new batches of furniture. I will talk more in details in my future post on their furniture.

You can check them out at Unit 6 to 9, Ground Floor, Little Soho at Batu Bersurat (the building after Shabulicious up the hill). You can also contact or whatsapp them at 8908778 and even follow them on instagram @loftandcobsb

From dining area to bed space at Loft and Co

Some of the customers that dropped by and bought some furniture at Loft and Co

Modern looking feel sofa for your home

This was taken a few weeks’ ago where I drew the lucky winner with Nicole from Loft and Co for the coffee table prize

And the winner was @el.23 and congratulations

Another winner from @thanislim competition with a voucher worth BND 150

Happening this Saturday until Wednesday next week at Times Square Shopping Centre

Times Square Shopping Centre will be hosting a Korean Food and Art Festival this Saturday, 1st August 2015 until Wednesday, 5th August 2015. The festival which will be held at Times Square’s atrium is organized by Times Square Shopping Centre and co-organized by Embassy of Republic Korea, Korea Argo Fisheries and Food Trade Corp, Korean Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs and Gallery DM.

The Korean Food and Art Festival will feature fun activities for the public including; Cooking Demonstration, Eating Competition, Learning Traditional Mask Painting, Face Painting by Korean Artist, Guess the ingredient, Learning Korean Fan Calligraphy, Learning Traditional Wrapping cloth (bojagi), Dress-Up & Photo Booth and activities by ITB KCC.

Times Square Shopping Centre also has several upcoming events which include “Times Square 3rd Lucky Draw Campaign” which will take place on Sunday, 9th August 2015. Moreover, on Tuesday 11th August 2015, Times Square will be holding an Open House for the public to celebrate Hari Raya Aidil Fitri. There will be fun activities and games from Dress-Up Competition to Lip Sync Battle during the annual Open House. Registrations are free and forms can be obtained at the lucky draw counter. Let’s have an unforgettable experience at Times Square Shopping Centre; a place for everyone.

For further information, please call 2338208 or 2338006 during office hours.

Food demonstration from Silla Restaurant

 

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This is a great initiative by the Jerudong International School (JIS Design & Technology Faculty) where they have collaborated with ICON DESIGN Store and BHC Magazine to create a competition based to inspire their creativity at a very young age. We should have more of this opportunities for that particular age group because kids’ mind are so raw and unfiltered that they tend to be more creative than the adults in some aspects. They probably can visualize what we failed to capture.

Now there are two categories that you can enter and this is open to students studying in Brunei from ages 5 to 18 years old and you can fill in the form here. The submission of the design briefs will be on the 8th March 2015.

Do check below for the two categories that for the competition. The first category is simple – to create a public seating space (indoor/outdoor) and the second category is more of a product to compliment the range of designer pieces available at ICON DESIGN store.

For the first entry/category. students must use A3 paper where all the ideas and modeling of concept will be shown on the paper. This is include your sketching of ideas from the start which is more like a brainstorming session. Then chose an idea that you feel hits the mark for you and create a mock up design of the idea. Don’t forget to include a rough dimensions too.

This competition will definitely spur more creativity from the students and I’m looking forward for their ideas and concepts. The deadline once again is on Friday 6th March for the first phase.

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Acer Liquid Smartphones

Click image to enter Peugeot Brunei’s website

Click image to enter Citroën Brunei 

  

BIBD’s latest promotion

Top up tia. Click image to enter website.

 

His Majesty attends the 9th National Youth Day

His Majesty The Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday called upon the youth to understand and to know how to conduct themselves in a manner that safeguards the nation’s dignity especially in the face of challenges presented in this era of globalisation.

The call was made at the ninth National Youth Day celebration held yesterday at the Indoor Stadium where His Majesty advised youths to take heed of the challenges of the 21st century laid out before them in the form of opportunities for change.

His Majesty said that the youth, whose numbers make up almost 50 per cent of the population, are ‘Agents of Change’ and in fact they constitute the group having the most potential to shape the nation in any form they choose.

“On the subject of change, all of us, especially the youth, must be cautious and wise in evaluating and choosing our options. Because not all change is good, in fact there are even some that we need to avoid, such as those changes that bring about a negative impact or ones that contrast our national aspirations.”

Before bringing about or creating change, the character of our youth must be clear, solid and forthright with an excellent foundation which is filled (immersed) with religious and cultural values so that later on, the changes that are decided on will not be overwhelmed by undesirable elements, said His Majesty.
“If pretence is evident in a certain change, then this change is not welcomed, because its presence will not bring about any good but instead will invite harm.”

His Majesty pointed out that this is typical, in the name of change, “If it is destructive in nature, then the society that receives it will suffer because of it.”

“We in Brunei, need to be careful in this type of situation. Seek and plan for change that is constructive, not destructive. Do not study or take example from lessons that are counterproductive, but study from those and they that are worthy of being modeled.”

“This is the ideal way of conducting one self. It is important that the youth understand this. Conducting oneself also means having the ability to take command of a situation when needed.”

This is where the youth must not take lightly any challenge that is presented before them, but instead embrace the call of this year’s National Youth Day theme which is: Bersatu Menghadapi Cabaran Abad ke 21.

This century is filled with many challenges, pointed out His Majesty. “There can be no escaping from these challenges, whether constructive or destructive. If constructive, it is only right that we welcome it with passion, however, if it is destructive, then it is necessary that we successfully reject and avoid it.”

“If we are successful in rejecting this sort of challenge, then we are our own saviours; protecting ourselves; and guarding our people and our country.”

The youth must step up and rise to become this guardian. Transform the situation with the best of interests. Let it be forever peaceful and pleasant, entwined with unity, harmony and understanding.

His Majesty also expressed his heartiest congratulations to the Brunei Young Wasps for their performance during the recent Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy.

His Majesty revealed that, “this championship was also recognised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) as the greatest youth football championship in the region. Undeniably this is a great achievement in the World’s Sports for Peace and Development agenda.” Text courtesy of Nadzri Zailani and Amanda Yap of The Brunei Times. Images courtesy of Fazizul Haqimie.

The Youth Day ceremony taking place at Indoor Stadium

His Majesty the Sultan touring the booths

His Majesty talking to a youth

Three individuals and a youth association were honoured with the annual youth awards during the Ninth National Youth Day celebrations yesterday.

This year’s awards included the “Youth Leader Award for Distinguished Service”, “Youth Service Award”, “Excellent Youth Award” and the “Youth Association Award”.

The “Youth Leader Award for Distinguished Service” was bagged by Mohd Zefri Ariff Mohd Zain Ariff.

The award is annually given to a candidate, contributing significantly to youth progress, and development. It is also awarded in recognition of efforts in shaping Bruneian youth to become competent, visionary and ethical.

According to his award citation, Md Zefri is actively involved in youth movements and has held senior positions with various associations in the country since 1996, including the post of Secretary-General of the Brunei Youth Council and group head of the Putra Seni Group (KPS).

He has also held positions outside the country, such as the Vice-President of the Asian Youth Council, and Treasurer of the Committee for ASEAN Youth Cooperation (CAYC). Md Zefri’s involvement in youth movements focuses mainly on arts, particularly in the field of theatre and drama, including writing scripts which see the participation of many youth. This year’s “Youth Service Award” went to Anwar Mohammad, founder and chairman of the Society for Community Outreach and Training (SCOT), a non-government organisation.

SCOT was first established in 2011, and while relatively new, the association has actively progressed through Anwar’s leadership, who has shown persistence, responsibility and commitment in promoting youth efforts in the country up to the international level. Based on his award citation, Anwar is also actively involved in the operation of community-based programmes which intend to create environmental awareness, and excels academically, having received numerous awards while studying at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD).

Speaking to The Brunei Times, the SCOT Chairman thanked the government of His Majesty for recognising the organisation’s contributions throughout these years.

“InsyaAllah, we will continue to contribute towards the nation-building, especially towards youth, through our projects at SCOT.

“Through our projects, we will help the underprivileged – any vulnerable groups within the community – so they can get out of the cycle of poverty,” Anwar said.The “Excellent Youth Award” went to national athlete Lee Ying Shi, well-known for being part of the wushu team, which brought home the country’s first gold medal for wushu at the 27th Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar last year.

This award is given to an active youth, contributing outstanding service as well as bringing honour to the country. It also recognises those who excel and put in hard work with determination.

Lee said that receiving the award was not a surprise to her. She said that she was a bit nervous and felt honoured while receiving the award from His Majesty, and intends to keep contributing to the country via wushu.

All the three recipients of the awards received plaques, certificates, woven fabric (kain tenunan) and $3,000 in cash.

Meanwhile, the “Youth Association Award” was given to the Putra Seni Group (KPS). KPS additionally received a plaque, a certificate and $5,000 in cash. Text courtesy of Nadzri Zailani and Amanda Yap of The Brunei Times. Images courtesy of Fazizul Haqimie.

His Majesty at one of the booths

Good smart, Benny and Shavez

His Royal Highness Prince Abdul Malik Bolkiah

His Royal Highness Prince Abdul Mateen Bolkiah

 

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New arrivals at ICON Design Store

 

Volkswagen Brunei is currently holding a roadshow which began yesterday and goes on until Sunday, September 7. The roadshow is held at The Mall, Atrium, in Gadong, featuring three of Volkswagen’s latest models; The new Tiguan TSI, the affordable German-engineered Vento and the iconic Beetle.

Each of these model cater to different walks of life. The Tiguan TSI is a compact SUV capable of going through almost all terrains. After its recent launch, it has proven to become a favourite among those who are shopping for a reliable and quality SUV, especially because the Tiguan TSI is packed with features that should make the car cost a lot more than what it costs now.

The German-engineered Vento on the other hand, is the cheapest Volkswagen model to date. Powered by a 1.6-litre engine putting out about 105 horsepowers, this car is the best choice for anyone that wants to own a Volkswagen at a cheaper than normal price. This car was introduced into the Brunei market a few months back to help cater to everyone and to prove that there truly is a Volkswagen for everyone.

The iconic Beetle needs no introduction. The redesigned Beetle just portrays so much more than just a new Beetle. It portrays what a Beetle should look like and it brings back memories to some. With its low roof-line, the Beetle is also no longer a girl’s car, it is now a much sportier and more masculine car that can be driven by anyone. The Beetle which is available in Brunei now comes with leather seats giving the icon a much more luxurious look and feel.

So if any of these cars are in your wishlist, head on down to the roadshow at The Mall in Gadong and ask any of the knowledgeable sales executives to give you a quote on your new Volkswagen.

Another reason why you should visit the roadshow is that Volkswagen is giving away two (2) CBTL vouchers each day to the winner of the selfie contest. How do you do it? Check out the Volkswagen social media sites; Instagram @volkswagenbrunei and Facebook.com/volkswagenbrunei. See you at the Volkswagen roadshow.

Check out the Volkswagen Vento

Check out the Volkswagen iconic Beetle

 

Marketing Executive of Concepts Computer Zul Abdul Rahman with the staff of Concepts Computer showcasing the Epson L-Series promotion

The most trending printers in the country – the Epson L-series. Why? It’s economical and it fits just perfect especially for teachers and students when it comes to their assignments. So I’m not surprised that Concepts Computer are bringing in plenty of stocks due to great demand and recommendations from others. The L series, which come in four models — L210, L355, L550 and L1300 — utilise low cost consumables which in turn ensures low cost high volume printing. With two sets of bottled inks, a print yield of 8,000 pages A4 sized prints is expected.

Good thing about the Epson printers is their durability and the refillable inks. Of course, the most affordable one is the L210 series which is valued at $228 and you can print, scan and photocopy. The great deal if you buy from Concepts Computer, you will get another extra set of genuine Espon bottled inks (worth at least $40 while stock last). So every purchase of the selected models ( L210, L355, L550 and L1300), you will get two sets of bottled inks. Awesome deal!!

Marketing Executive of Concepts Computer Zul Abdul Rahman added that third party modifications of printers are one of the main concerns for printing solution providers as it affects print quality, machine durability and unfamiliar refillable inks can be toxic, therefore Epson is putting long term effort in its research and development to curb the problem. Hence, this is a great awareness program to spread the disadvantages of using third party inks. Concepts Computer will not honour the warranty should their customers resort to using third party inks. If you are uncertain about the third party or having doubts whether the bottled inks are legit, you can drop by the Concepts Computer showroom for clarification.

So do remember to claim your free set of original Epson bottled inks when you purchase the selected L-Series. This is definitely a great buy for teachers and students alike.

Buy any of the selected Epson L-Series and get an extra set of bottled inks

 

Acer Liquid Smartphones

Sales at Icon Design Store

Click image to enter Peugeot Brunei’s website

Click image to enter Citroën Brunei 

 

Ramadhan Special for SKECHERS until 30th July

Have you seen the glow in the dark running shoes by SKECHERS for their performance shoes? SKECHERS Brunei has the latest Nite Owl Performance Shoes for Men and Women with photo luminescent technology. Go check them out especially for runners who enjoy running at night. You won’t need those blinking mini lights attached to your running shoes anymore. Won’t that be totally cool to see a glowing shoes especially when you jog around the stadium area?

Primarily known for their fashion and lifestyle shoes, SKECHERS is now slowly making their mark in performance footwear with the renowned Runner’s World Magazine recently awarding the SKECHERS GOrun Ride 3 as the “Best Buy”. Also, their top spokesman, Meb Keflezighi, became the first American male to win the Boston Marathon in 2014.  We are starting to see other top marathoners slowly joining the SKECHERS Performance Team.

Brunei market has been seeing a steady increase in sales and this shows the branding of SKECHERS is getting its reach among the public. Those who haven’t tried SKECHERS, you won’t really know the experience but once you tried it on, you will think twice about owning another sneaker brand because SKECHERS are just plain comfy and it does the job too when you are running.

And for all you last minute Raya shoppers, make sure you check out the current Ramadan promotion. From now until 30 July 2014 (a week left), all SKECHERS members will receive 20% off all regular price items. Membership is free and available upon purchase.

Visit their branches in Kiulap (8744689), Seria Plaza (8733435) or Kuala Belait (7198355). More info can be found on their Facebook page (Skechers Brunei) or their Instagram (@skechersbrunei).

The latest SKECHERS store in KB

The Night Owl for Mens

How it glows for the Mens Night Owl

The Night Owl for Womens

How it glows

Meb Keflezighi, became the first American male to win the Boston Marathon in 2014 and he’s a spokesman for SKECHERS

What a beautiful wedding of Zheng and Jelphine last weekend at Indera Samudra Grand Hall. Click image to see other pictures of #ZHENGJELFTR from Devin Kho’s blog. Image courtesy of Devin Kho.

It was a full house at the wedding

Nice deco and props too. Apparently most of the designs come from Jelphine and it paid off

The happening table of No.37 and these ladies are taken *lol*

Adeline and Eve

A photobombed pic

The entrance of the wedding event

Another popular area for the guests at the photo booth

The guys also wanted to be part of the memorial wedding

Nice prop indeed

Thank you Zheng and Jelphine for the invite and I wish you both the best. Amazing slides and effort by you and your team and I enjoyed it so much

 

Check out the store

Are you guys into car accessories? I recommend you to check out Brubaystore Savanna which has now been relocated to Berakas area at Spg 145, Jalan Pasir Berakas. Previously it was located in Serusop.

If you are looking for rims of different sorts, Brubaystore also brings them in different sizes and colours. I also learned some new which is the Samco Sport hoses which are silicon base and this item is pretty popular and this is even used in F1 and NASCAR racing. So these hoses are vital for your radiators and Samco Sport brands are pretty durable and lasting and you are paying quality as well.

At the store, you can find gauge meters for your car. You don’t have to be a racer to have too but just looks ultra cool to install one. Brubaystore brought in a few different brands for your liking.

The store is also popular for their wheel nuts and it comes in different colours and sizes if you want to beautify your rims. They carry the Blox brand too and they looked pretty cool.

Brubaystore is also known for its car wrapping and you can choose different types of design to your liking. Depending on the type of car your drive, the price for car wrap varies. So if you want to feel unique while driving, have your car wrapped by Brubaystore 🙂

It was cool to know how the story of Brubaysotre Savanna came about. It started from a hobby by the owner Pg Musmahbobyhardi (Bobby) who has a passion on car accessories. Once in a while he will order accessories and parts for him and his friends and suddenly the demand just kept coming when he started the business online. Hence he though it will useful to open up a small shop to make it convenient for his friends and customers to view the product before purchasing.

Previously the shop was located at Serusop before it was relocated at Berakas. The Brubaystore now has bigger space and this is also ideal for the business owner as they can store more accessories and products for display as they feel that they are ready for expansion.

I admire Bobby’s passion and he is one of the few bumiputras that is in this particular line and he surely can pull it off. This shows if you have the passion and the trust of people, that’s already a good business formula.

You can also follow Brubaystore on Facebook by going to Facebook.com/BruBayStore for updates on products and promotions. You can also follow them on instagram @brubaystoresavanna

By the way, they are also hiring and they are looking for sales assistance.

Plenty of accessories to look for at Brubaystore

Samco Sports silicon hoses ideal for radiators and they are durable

Gauge meters are popular too

Buffer is one of the most sought accessories for many and it makes your suspension last longer

How the buffer fits in the spring

Something for your rims

Blox Wheel Nuts

Rims for your car

Brubaystore got a distributorship for this brand

Phone accessories also there

The look of the new store

The different types of car wraps

The different types of car wraps

Check out the car wrap by Brubaystore

The map of Brubaystore Savanna

 

Lim Han Lie taking items from the shelves during the Nissan Almera Shopping Dash Challenge. Image courtesy of James Kon of Borneo Bulletin

Last Sunday, Boustead Sdn Bhd showed off the spacious trunk of its affordable Nissan Almera after three lucky winners managed to fill the car’s trunk with loads of shopping items in the Nissan Almera Shopping Dash Challenge held at the Beribi Supa Save.

The three lucky individuals that were picked last Friday for the Nissan Almera Shopping Dash Challenge were Siti Ajeerah binti Awang Rosli, Lim Han Lie and Siti Aqilah Mohamad. Each participant had to complete the shopping dash within eight minutes and also fit all the shopping items inside the trunk of a Nissan Almera.
Siti Ajeerah binti Awang Rosli who hauled in around $1,300 worth of items thanked Boustead Sdn Bhd for the promotion.

Looking exhausted after the shopping dash, she said “I just grabbed whatever I could from the shelves. I was surprised I managed to collect such an amount.”

The promotion aimed not only to reward Nissan’s customers who have test-driven or purchased a Nissan Almera but also to give them a better understanding of the Almera’s 490-litre trunk space capabilities. Another Nissan Almera Shopping Dash promotion will commence from July 16 to August 31. Members of the public will need to visit Boustead’s showroom in Beribi or Kuala Belait to purchase or go for a test-drive in order to be eligible to be picked for the shopping dash. Text by James Kon of Borneo Bulletin.

Participants trying to fit their shopping items into the trunk of a Nissan Almera. Image courtesy of James Kon of Borneo Bulletin.

Drawing for the selected participants a few days earlier

The witnesses during the draw

 

Located at Units 2, 3 and 4, Ground Floor, Simpang 41-1-12 in Jalan Kiarong (Blue Building)

A new furniture shop just opened its door and if you think that Brunei is lacking in variety, then I advise you to explore at this new furniture store, located at Kiarong Complex. A good idea for home deco and if you also hunting for quality mattresses, this is the place.

Madam Kong, General Manager of Winmotion Trading, has been in this field for more than a decade and now she’s running the show at Dreamz Living Concept. She shared about the awesomeness of the Dreamz Mattresses since they are made of 100% memory foam which doesn’t use the typical springs. Awesome, right?

The Dreamz products are made of natural latex and memory foam. Sleeping on advanced turn-free technology pillow top mattress, for example, will not affect or wake your sleeping partner while you turn in your sleep.

This is also ideal for those with back problems and also eliminates the risk of injury to the spine. The best part of this product is that it responds to your weight and shape of the body and you will get the sense of comfortness.

The store also sells bed from single to queen sizes. There’s even on single bed that allows storage underneath. Different types of sofas are also available as well as wardrobes.

For now, as part of their opening promotion, they are giving discounts up to 20% of selected products. It’s open from 10am to 9pm during Ramadhan and you can contact 242 8879 for details.