Let’s do this  

As I have mentioned before, I’m currently in Kuala Lumpur for the Asean Media Bloggers Tourism Hunt 2015 and Citrawarna @ Kuala Lumpur. Yesterday the Brunei delegates attended the presentations from Tourism Malaysia and other stakeholders to showcase what Malaysia can offer to the foreigners.

Around 125 foreign travel agents and media under its Mega Fam programme attended the session. The Mega Fam participants are from Brunei, Cambodia, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Laos, Maruitius, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.

I have to salute Dato’ Haji Azizan Noordin, Deputy Director General of Malaysia Tourism because of his deep knowledge on the statistics and findings on the attraction on Malaysia. He is like the google of Tourism Malaysia and he gave a very comprehensive presentation on Malaysia’s growth. His vision is to make sure that by year 2020 that Malaysia will have 36 million tourist with RM 128 billion. Last year, Malaysia earned RM 72 Billion in revenue from tourists.

The lunch was hosted by Dato’ Mizra Mohammad Taiyab, Director General of Tourism Malaysia at Sheraton Imperial Hotel KL. He thank all the media involved for their support and assistance in promoting Malaysia during Visit Malaysia Year 2014 and the current Malaysia Year of Festivals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Citrawarna @ Kuala Lumpur  

 

Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, Minister of Tourism and Culture of Malaysia having a good time on stage while celebrity Amelia Henderson looks at the crowd 

I have been to many FAM trips but this is the first that I attended a Citrawarna event. Now what would my experience be? Totally worth it. I couldnt’ believe it was a free event too. The crowd was aplenty but it could have been more since it was held at Dataran Merdeka.

There was so much hype for last night’s Citrawarna for one reason – the involvement of Puan Sri Tiara Jacquelina, an award-winning producer, actress, singer and art enthusiast. Her direction of Citrawarna brought a different kind of flavour to the public, mixing the old and the new and making it relatable to showcase what Malaysia has to offer.

MUD the musical was excellent and I really have to salute the cast and the crew involved in this huge project. There were hardly any breaks and the energy of each acts just continued with strong momentums.

 

Datuk Aznil Nawawi, Amelia Henderson and Altimet 

 

Depicting the sports promotion in Malaysia 

The acrobatic feat by the cheerleaders 

 

Now after many years of being just the usual 3-hour parade, the producer of this year’s Citrawarna opted for a larger stage to showcase the mega event. As you know, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture is the main organizer and hence the involvement of foreign media from all over the world. This shows how much such event can be for tourists especially. I’m surprised that I didn’t come across any Bruneian apart from my counterpart media buddies.

For your information, Citrawarna 2015 was delivered in 3 acts promoting different segments of tourism products, following the theme of Culture, Nature and Future. I love all the segments but personally the final one stood out for me. It was nice to see involvements of some celebrities such as Datuk Aznil Nawawi, Amelia Henderson, Altimet and Kamrul Bahri Hussin.

The showcase itself was already dazzling enough as they masterfully teased the audience with their lighting and sound powered by massive LED screens. The performances were continuous from one act to another and it ended with a display of fireworks.

Such celebration is necessary not only to promote Malaysia as a tourism destination but also calm the negative vibe that has been spreading and in turn, lift the spirit of Malaysians.

The guest of honour was Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, Minister of Tourism and Culture of Malaysia. Thank you, Tourism Malaysia for hosting us for this colourful, vibrant event. You can browse your Instragram and check out the hashtag #citrawarna for more images and videos.

 

The first half of the show I was viewing from here 

The guy who started the selfie on stage before others followed suit 

The fireworks display to end the show 

The lady behind this year’s Citrawarna showcase – Puan Sri Tiara Jacquelina, CEO of Enfiniti Vision Media and Enfiniti Academy. She’s quite well known for producing movies such as Puteri Gunung Ledang. Good job on a spectacular show last night.  

  

 

Another trip to KL  

Ak Aziz Idris of Borneo Bulletin, Ak Md Fairol of Media Permata, Pg Hj Noorezamy Pg Hj Othman, Marketing Officer of Tourism Malaysia Brunei Darussalam, Cik Zurina And Samad, Director of Tourism Malaysia Brunei Darussalam, Faiq Airudin of The Brunei Times and myself before heading off to Kuala Lumpur for the Asean Media Bloggers Tourism Hunt 2015 yesterday 

Yay!!! I believe this is my first Malaysia FAM trip of the year. FAM means familiarization trip but the same time, I’m gonna do something quite different because it will involved treasure hunt.. or perhaps in my view, their version of Amazing Race since it involves driving to different states such as Malacca and Negri Sembilan. This trip is also to mark the launch the yearly event which is the Citrawarna in Kuala Lumpur.

I will be focused on the treasure hunt which is named the ASEAN Media Bloggers Tourism Hunt 2015 which is hosted by Tourism Malaysia. The flag off will be tomorrow Sunday, 18th October in Kuala Lumpur and it will be a 3-day tourism hunt. I heard the prizes are fantastic and there are many delegates including Brunei Darussalam in the participation list. The Tourism Hunt will require use to drive around and yes, they will be providing us cars to roam around and we will be driving a Proton sedan car.

Representing Brunei Darussalam will be Aziz Idris (Borneo Bulletin), Ak Fairol (Media Permata), Faiq Airudin (The Brunei Times) and myself. I’m not sure what the stakes are but I believe this will be a fun, challenging activity but also testing out physical and mental strength throughout the 3 day tourism hunt.

A big thank you to Tourism Malaysia (Brunei) for another opportunity to be part of this event. Let’s see how my team will fare. You can follow me on Snapchat and instagram @ranoadidas for updates on my journey.

 

The usual spot to buy or top up our 3G line – Digi. The Maxis and other telcos seemed quieter. 

The Awangkus taking the opportunity to take with the logo of Avenue K, located next to Corus Hotel. 

Sight seeing around KLCC yesterday and the haze level isn’t as bad as previous weeks 

Mr. Fairol and Mr. Faiq having a moment during lunch at Dondang Sayang Coffeehouse at Corus Hotel. Great lunch buffet. Love it. 

My room at Corus Hotel. I would recommend you to check this hotel out. Spacious and it’s also convenient to walk over to KLCC Suria. Only a minor setback is the slow wifi.  

Faiq trying out the Virtual reality game in the Spectre promotion roadshow at KLCC 

The welcoming dinner for the Asean delegates hosted by Yang Berbahagia Dato’ Haji Azizan Noordin, Deputy-Director of General Tourism Malaysia and he can sing too (Black Magic Women) 

I was given the chance to showcase my skills on the stage last night 

I don’t know how I fared but I managed to get the loudest cheers especially from the Philippines *lol* 

  

 

 

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Citroën Brunei  

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BIBD’s latest promotion

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ICON Design Store  

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Malppy collaborates with BIBD  

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Malppy.com has made another big appearance alongside BIBD with the launch of their latest online payment service called the ‘eBayar’ and their existing ‘eTunai’ on Malppy.com. This introduction allows BIBD customers to enjoy the convenience of paying their online purchase at Malppy.com through direct deduction of their purchase from their BIBD account or redeemable BIBD Hadiah points.

eBayar is a new online live cash transferring system where you can connect your online bank account and approve the purchase transaction right on the spot. It is not only easy but convenient and secure, enhancing one’s online shopping experience.

 

Simon Soo, Founder of Malppy.comMalppy.com is among the first online participant to have both eBayar and eTunai readily available on their website. The founder of malppy.com, Mr. Simon Soo strives to provide customers a complete e-commerce shopping experience hence this collaboration with BIBD is one of the big steps forward to enhance the efficiency and experience of online shopping at Malppy.com.

Aside from this grand launch of BIBD online payments at Malppy.com, catch their weekend promotion now as they are featuring one of their premium quality authentic Mayuki Tokyo Fashion apparels. You can now browse at their ‘NEW’ section to find out the varieties of product and promotions they have to keep up with all of their trendy style shortcuts.

Malppy.com is an online fashion and lifestyle store launched on April 2013 offering customers with a convenient way to shop, at the same time providing thousands of variety quality products to choose from, and lastly delivery Free to your doorstep at no minimum purchase. This collaboration is greatly seen as a major achievement as this type of modern payment could be a feature to our economic development in driving online and mobile-based transaction which has proven to be very popular in other nations. Press release and images by Malppy.com

 

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John Cena woos the media  

Keep Calm and Never Give Up

I’ve been away once again and for those who have been following me on instagram and Facebook, you will know that I was in Kuala Lumpur. This is my third visit to KL and this is for the recent WWE event in Kuala Lumpur which was held at Indoor Stadium Putra. I managed to get good fares during the Abacus Holiday Travel Fair two weeks ago for my KL trip (and thanks Darussalam Holdings for that) and I ended up staying at Cititel MidValley which was central for me between Kuala Lumpur city and also Stadium Putra.

Let’s cut to the chase. I managed to be a few feet away from WWE Superstar John Cena and Seth Rollins during the interview sessions prepared by the organizers. The press conference took place at The Saujana Hotel (Subang) and that’s where all the WWE superstars were staying. The feeling, alone, was surreal to be just that close to the WWE celebrities and I salute them for their professionalism, traveling thousand miles away from the US and show up their best during the interviews. I was not fortunate enough to get some time with Seth Rollins on the interview but at least I got a session with John Cena.

Mind you I’m not a John Cena fan as his character is getting on my nerves on WWE *lol* unless he is willing to turn heel which is very unlikely. I am amazed that he even spoke in Mandarin to one of the Taiwanese reporters. What amazes me about John Cena is his sportsmanship and even in public, he has become a top role model especially to those women battling breast cancer and he wore the t-shirt “Keep Calm and Never Give Up”. The Never Give Up tagline has been on his inspiring catch phrases in the WWE and he has given much inspiration to the cancer warriors and survivors.

I asked John Cena a question that if he will break Ric Flair’s 16th time World Title and he responded saying that mathematically it is possible but to him, it doesn’t matter if he didn’t break the Ric Flair’s record but more important is that he give his best in what he does and be one of the top WWE superstars before he retires.

When asked about the taunts and the boos that he got recently, he responded saying that it’s all about the energy from the fans and he is fine with all the reception he gets from the fans and he will continue to perform to his best in the WWE Universe.

I respect John Cena as an athlete and an employee of the WWE. He is one of the most hardworking WWE Superstars I’ve known and constantly appearing on every RAW episode and PPV if he is not injured. Regardless of the fans’ reactions especially the “Lets-Go-Cena-Cena-Sucks” chants, he will stay focus on what his role is as a wrestler and just entertain the crowd.

Thank you once again to the organizers, the PR agency and Tourism Malaysia (Brunei) for arranging the media access to the press conference and the first night WWE event. I truly enjoyed the experience and I can’t wait for WWE to return to Malaysia or Asia in the near future. My bucket list is still to attend at least a RAW or Smackdown episode or perhaps Wrestlemania 😀

I shall be reporting on my blog with regards to my experience at the Stadium Putra in the next post. Have a great weekend, guys!!

 

I believe they could smell what I was cooking then 

John Cena received a warm reception from the member of the media 

An Indonesian lady from the media asked a question with regards to cancer patients 

The closest thing I will get to a selfie with John Cena  

The customary salute from John Cena 

The media registration for the press conference with John Cena 

Seth Rollins looking cool before entering the interview room  

Era FM brought their own belt too 

The guys from Hitz FM waiting to interview Seth Rollns 

  

 

A reality coming true  

 

WWE coming to Kuala Lumpur

 

“Finally, Rano will return to Kuala Lumpur” once again to participate in the upcoming event which is WWE in Kuala Lumpur #WWEKualalumpur and I would like to give a big thanks to the Tourism Malaysia (Brunei) and also to Noel Boyd (Singapore) for assisting me in being part of the media for the event this Friday. I shall be covering the first night of WWE event but won’t be able for the following night as I will traveling to Kota Kinabalu by then.

Not all the WWE rosters will come up but they are still a handful of superstars that will making their presence in Kuala Lumpur. I was hoping for The Authority but only Seth Rollins will be there. I even saw The Rock on RAW last night but it is pretty far-fetched to see him actually flying all the way to KL, considering now that he is also a movie star with many schedules to fill in.

Of course, the biggest draw will be John Cena who has a love-hate relationship with the crowd in the US. However, I’m pretty sure he will earn more “pops” among the KL crowd.

The tickets are almost been sold out but there are still seats in the ringside arena and the lower and upper tier. I won’t be surprised if it will sell out pretty soon by tomorrow or Friday. I’m pretty excited and I would like to thank also Jason and Pratik from Shekhinah PR Sdn Bhd for your help and assistance in feeding me materials for the said event.

My dream one day is to attend a live RAW event in the US. Maybe by next year or so 😀 But for now, let’s take one step at a time. Kuala Lumpur, here I come.

 

The Rock appeared on RAW last Monday but he won’t be making an appearance in KL 

I impersonated The Rock in my toastmasters speech for the CC3 manual last week and the audience loved it 😀 

The WWE line up for Friday and Saturday 

The perks of being a media – I get to interview John Cena 

The lay out for WWE event at Stadium Putra 

  

BIBD celebrates Aidil Adha  

Chairman of the BIBD Shariah Advisory Body, Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Setia Raja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Awang Haji Suhaili bin Haji Mohiddin (c) handing over the Korban Meat

In light of the festive Aidil Adha celebrations, BIBD today held its annual Korban ceremony at the Sultan Sharif Ali Mosque in Sengkurong.

The event was attended by Deputy State Mufti and Chariman of the BIBD Shariah Advisory Body, Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Setia Raja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Awang Haji Suhaili bin Haji Mohiddin along with BIBD Managing Director Javed Ahmad. Also present were members of the BIBD senior management along with its staff.

The event started with prayers to initiate the distribution of the Korban meat process. The event ended with a recital of the Doa Selamat.

A total of four buffaloes and nine cows were sacrificed, with the Korban meat distributed to around 100 recipients, comprising of family members of BIBD’s ALAF program, the Welfare Home Complex (Kompleks Rumah Kebajikan) along with other underprivileged members of the community. BIBD also took this opportunity to donate 150 Yaasin and prayer books to the Mosque. Press release and image courtesy of BIBD.

 

  

The Big 50  

There’s a notice that the Gala Dinner for International School Brunei (ISB) 50th anniversary will be held on 22nd October instead of 19th October. It will be held at Indera Samudra Grand Hall, The Empire Hotel & Country Club and there are two types of tickets – Premium ($150) and Standard ($100).

Tickets are available at the main office and for those who has been to ISB as a student or play a part in ISB, this is a great opportunity to relive that moment and share those experiences and bring back those good memories of ISB. I’m pretty sure this event will be spectacular in a way because of its golden jubilee.

  

In love with BK’s Taro  

Gladys posing with the Fish’N Crisp Burger and Taro Turnover

Let’s not steal the limelight for Burger King’s new burger which is the Fish’N Crisp Burger, now available in their menu. This is because I fell in love with BK Taro Turnover.. Well, I’m a big fan of yam so that’s already a seller.

But first thing’s first – the new Fish’N Crisp Burger. This crispy fish fillet is accompanied by a whole slice of American Cheese, topped with tangy tartar sauce to accentuate the signature BK Crispy fish flavour and it’s all served between a toasted sesame bun that leaves every bite full of sensation. This also comes in a set meal which is priced at $5.20 which includes a medium drink and fries.

Now let’s talk about my favourite item on Burger King which is my new found love in BK Taro Turnover. What is inside the crispy pie crust is the sweet taro chunk and this is best served straight from the oven. I have already lured my friends and they loved it too.

On a side note, the airport branch has been doing pretty well. Actually it has been overwhelming. The only thing is that even with full manpower going at full capacity, the demand is just too high to match. This shows how powerful Burger King is in Brunei alone and the management of Burger King is doing their best to serve their customers and this is not an overnight process.

Well done, Burger King on keeping the momentum and introducing new items on the menu for the choices of their patrons. I just wish the Satay Burger will make its way to Brunei soon 😀

Do follow @burgerkingbrunei (instagram) and their Facbeook page too.

 

The star of the moment as she poses for the media 

That was a filling hi-tea indeed 

Yummmmy… 

My new favourite – BK Taro Turnover 

This is tasty too – Rock It Fries 

  

 

The Interview: Seth Rollins  

He has come a long way to be one of the elite wrestlers in WWE. He climbed the ranks of WWE NEXT and entered WWE under The Shield (partnering with Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns). They were simply formidable as a trio and they kept winning six-man tag team matches in RAW, Smackdown and Pay-Per-Views. It wasn’t until they all split up when he joined The Authority and having feud against Dean Ambrose. He is now currently Mr. Money in the Bank where he is given the chance for the WWE title shot anytime he wants.

Seth Rollins is scheduled to perform and wrestle in Kuala Lumpur next week and it will be awesome to see him live in person too after watching him numerous times on Astro while catching WWE’s RAW.

 

WWE coming to Kuala Lumpur next weekend. Woohoo!! Click image to find out more of the availability of the tickets

Below are some of the interview questions given to him prior to his visit to Malaysia.

Question: WWE Live is finally back in Malaysia after 12 long years, what can fans expect from the show?

Seth Rollins: They can expect the absolute best in sports entertainment and WWE brings a product unlike any other in the world.

Question: As this is your first visit to Malaysia, are you excited about it? What are your looking forward to the most?

Seth Rollins: I’m stoked about it. Never been to Malaysia and I look forward to experiencing the culture. I really enjoy trying local food whenever I’m outside the US.

Question: You will be going head-to-head with former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, John Cena, at the live show here in Malaysia, how are you preparing for that?

Seth Rollins: John Cena is widely recognized as the top star in the company and preparing for him is like preparing to fight a lion; he’s strong, fast and clever. But I have all the confidence in the world that I am on the same level as Cena and the WWE Universe in Malaysia will soon experience that in person.

Question: How did you rivalry with Cena begin?
Seth Rollins: Well it all started a few days at Night of Champions when I interfered in Cena’s championship match with Brock Lesnar. I saw an opportunity with the champion (Lesnar) down and I tried to cash in my briefcase for a shot at the title. John Cena took it personally that I interfered in the match and now we have a problem.

Question: Your fans from Malaysia can’t wait to see you in action this October; do you have any special message for them?
Seth Rollins: Don’t sell out, buy in…

Question: What inspired you to be a WWE Superstar?
Seth Rollins: I guess my main inspiration has to do with the way it felt when I was a kid and saw a WWE live event. It was so exciting and I never experienced something like that before and I wanted to be in that ring and give that same feeling back.

Question: How did your family and friends react to your decision of being a professional wrestler?
Seth Rollins: Most of them thought I was crazy. My family was very cautious about it and thought it was something I would try for a little bit but then get back to the real world. My friends were very supportive as we all loved WWE, but I was the only one with the drive. But whether family or friends didn’t agree with my career path, everyone was very supportive of me.

Question: Who were your favourite wrestlers growing up, how did they influence you to be a WWE Superstar?

Seth Rollins: Some of my favorites were Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Mr. Perfect, Eddie Guerrero and Rob Van Dam.

Hogan was the pinnacle of entertainment when I was young. He was the closest thing to a real life superhero. The other guys made me think that I could be a wrestler; they weren’t the biggest guys but they had charisma, they moved well around in the ring and were great technical wrestlers.

Question: What was your ‘plan B’ if you were not a professional wrestler?

Seth Rollins: What “Plan B”….there was never a “Plan B” in my mind.

 

WWE’s Seth Rollins with Money in the Bank briefcase 

Question: Your WWE debut came at Survivor Series 2012 alongside Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns, talk us through that experience.
Seth Rollins: It was very nerve racking but also a major relief to finally make our big debut and have an immediate impact. This was the opportunity I was waiting for after years of training.

Question: Why did you ‘turn your back’ on The Shield to join The Authority? What was going through your mind moments before you attacked Reigns and Ambrose?

Seth Rollins: I knew that I wanted to be “the” top guy in WWE, not “one of the” top guys. I didn’t want to share the spotlight with Reigns & Ambrose either. The Shield was a great starting point but I was the only one with the guts to branch out. It’s time to sink or swim and see who really has it as a singles competitor.

Question: There has been a lot of negative feedback from the fans since you left The Shield, how do you deal with that?
Seth Rollins: You just let that stuff go in one ear and out the other. That’s my motivation to get better, move forward and prove that I’m a top guy in the WWE.

Question: What is your routine before a match?
Seth Rollins: No specific routine. I just try to get as loose and as warmed up as possible.

Question: What is your favourite type of match and why?
Seth Rollins: I like the chaos of a TLC (Tables, Ladders & Chairs) match. Anything can happen and there’s a lot of creatively goes into a match like that.

Question: Your signature move is the Curb Stomp, what is the story behind that?
Seth Rollins: Not much of a story really. I saw it first by a Japanese wrestler and I really liked it so I adapted it as my own.

Question: How do you find the balance between your WWE and you free time?
Seth Rollins: For me, I try to separate those two worlds as much as possible. When I’m on the road with WWE nothing else matters and when I’m home I try to relax and keep my mind clear.

Question: What is your best and worst moment so far in WWE?
Seth Rollins: Best: First WrestleMania (WM 29 in Miami) because you only get one first WrestleMania and that’s something no one can ever take away from you.Worst: Losing to Heather Slater a few weeks ago; that was embarrassing.

Question: You are the current ‘Money in the Bank’ winner, when do you plan to cash-in for a shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship?
Seth Rollins: Well, I tried at Night of Champions but that didn’t work out too well. But whenever I see an opportunity, I won’t hesitate to take advantage; and that could be any place, any time.

Question: What are the perks of being ‘Mr. Money in the Bank’?
Seth Rollins: Most obvious one is that I can cash in for a title shot any time I want. I’ll keep that briefcase in my back pocket and I have until July to take advantage of it.

Question: What does the future hold for Seth Rollins?
Seth Rollins: The future holds a championship title cash in and title reign. After that, the sky is the limit.

 

Almost all the tiers are sold out.. Unless you want to get access to the Premier Seats and you will catch one or two of the WWE Superstars 

 

 

Recently I did my toastmasters speech on WWE and managed to entertain the audience too 😀 

 

 

 

Acer Liquid Smartphones

Check out Acer Liquid smartphones 

 

Sales at Icon Design Store

 

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Peugeot Hari Raya Promotion  

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Citroën Brunei  

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BIBD’s latest promotion

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ISB celebrates Hari Raya 

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel during the Hari Raya celebration at ISB. Image courtesy of Dean Kassim of Borneo Bulletin. 

Her Royal Highness Princess Ameerah Wardatul Bolkiah during the Hari Raya celebration at ISBLate post: International School Brunei (ISB) last week held special assemblies for its kindergarten and primary pupils to celebrate Hari Raya. That’s the great thing I like about ISB is that they have these activities to keep the atmosphere livelier in the said school.

In attendance were members of the Royal Family, His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel, Her Royal Highness Princess Ameerah Wardatul Bolkiah, His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Muntaqim, Her Royal Highness Princess Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah and YAM Pengiran Anak ‘Abdul Haseeb.

It was amazing to see kids performing while their parents attended to support the Hari Raya celebration and it was entertaining too. It’s never easy to be on stage to perform but they did quite well nonetheless.

The pupils were from Year 2 to Year 5 of ISB. The event conducted with a fashion show featuring primary students donned in “Malay costumes” and the distribution of Malay cookies to the pupils.

 

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel and Her Royal Highness Princess Ameerah Wardatul Bolkiah during the Hari Raya celebration at ISB. Image courtesy of Dean Kassim of Borneo Bulletin. 

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Muntaqim. Image courtesy of ISB Facebook Page. 

This performer was quite entertaining. Image courtesy of ISB Facebook Page. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mariah Carey in KL  

After 10 years, Mariah Carey is back to Malaysia brings us more hit songs to share not only with her Malaysian fans but also fans from all over the world! Mariah Carey “The Elusive Chanteuse” Tour In Malaysia 2014 is organized by IME Productions and supported by Malaysia Major Events, an agency under the Ministry of Tourism & Culture, Malaysia will be kicking off on 22nd October 2014 at 8pm at Stadium Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur.

“We are excited to have Mariah Carey to perform here in Malaysia in October. Mariah’s live concert in Malaysia 2014 is a wonderful way to bring people together and we are very proud to be able to support it. Such event will further complement arrivals for Visit Malaysia Year, especially from the fans from the region and it also complements Malaysia’s position as a favourite destination for live entertainment in South East Asia. This event is expected to bring in approximately 3,000 fans from across the region with an estimated tourist spend of over RM15 million. Malaysia Major Events is glad to reward fans with this priceless opportunity to meet their favourite idol and hear to her sing their favourite songs.” said Tony Nagamaiah, General Manager, Malaysia Major Events.

 

It’s good to see her back in the music scene

Mariah’s concert in Kuala Lumpur is expected to draw a huge international attention. Wherever fans are, they are very welcome to catch her in Kuala Lumpur and grab an opportunity visiting attractions of Malaysia while staying in the country. The ticket prices are categorised into VVIP RM680 (number seat), RM580 (number seat), RM480 (number seat), RM380 (number seat), RM280 (free seating) and RM120 (free seating). Online tickets purchase are through official ticketing agency website www.ticketcharge.com.my or call for TicketCharge hotline +603 92228811 or IME Productions hotline +603 21666166 for ticket and concert information. I shall be running quizzes on my instagram @ranoadidas pretty soon so stay tune for that.

An iconic artiste that needs no introduction, Mariah Carey is the best-selling female artiste of all time with more than 250 million albums sold to date and eighteen Billboard #1 singles (seventeen self-penned) including ‘Fantasy’, ‘Always Be My Baby’, ‘Hero’, ‘Touch My Body’, ‘One Sweet Day’, ‘Without You’, ‘We Belong Together’ and the global smash hit Christmas single ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’, more than any solo artiste in history. With her distinct five-octave vocal range, prolific song writing, and producing talent, Mariah has defined the modern pop performance. As a singer, songwriter and producer, she has been recognized with five Grammy Awards, nine American Music Awards, Billboard’s “Artist of the Decade” Award, the World Music Award for “World’s Best Selling Female Artiste of the Millennium,” and BMI’s “Icon Award” to name a few.

Fans can prepare themselves for some mesmerising great time as the unparalleled American songstress showers her love, greatest hits and remarkable new singles to millions of people who have adored her widely acclaimed songs. For more information, please log on to IME Facebook http://www.facebook.com/imepmy or TicketCharge website www.ticketcharge.com.my

 

  

STGCC 2014  

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Oh yeah… The Singapore Toy, Game and Comic Convention is back again. This will be the third year running that I will be attending the event. However, this convention won’t be Marvel driven as compared to last year. There will be a dozen of pop culture personalities that will take the stage this weekend in Singapore. I shall be flying to Singapore for this trip and it will be a short one.

My co-host of The Popcorn Panel @delgoh will be flying as well and we shall be updating you guys on my website and do wait for our experience that we will be sharing on our podcast for The Popcorn Panel.

My focus probably will be more on the cosplay people and the exhibitors. I’m not quite familiar with the comic artists or writers as I’ve been so outdated when it comes to comics. Will STGCC be more interesting than last year? We shall wait and see. My bucket list one day is to attend the Comic-Con in the States. For now, the minor Asia version of Comic-Con will do.

You can check out the line up here for more details.

 

Let’s see if they are any interesting cosplay this year 

Some of the pictures taken from last year’s edition 

Let’s see if they are any interesting cosplay this year 

Let’s see if they are any interesting cosplay this year 

 

The new C-Class  

Taking the new C-Class for a test drive last Sunday. Verdict: I love it. Click image to read more of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class

The new C-Class is pretty awesome!!! I recently did a test drive and it’s one of the best cars I’ve driven this year *hands down* Even the royal blue colour that I test drove was excellent. My old car was a C180 back then but that was history. Fast forward 15 years later, the C180 now is much more transformed car.

The all-new C-Class is 100 kilos lighter and provides better aerodynamic and new economical engine. Of course, safety has been the priority of Mercedes-Benz and they are of high standard.

I kinda enjoyed the suspension while giving it a quick drive along the bump stretched road and the car does speak for itself. It’s also one of the most innovative luxury car to date.

In terms of appearance the new C-Class adopts a progressive approach with its clear yet emotional design and its high-class interior.

To me, it’s the best C-Class design from previous models. It’s very striking with a dynamic design Those who own this car will have an emotional feel to it and you will be impressed with the technology and its engineering.

It’s quite spacious as well and the interior feels luxurious and sporty at the same time. There have been quite a few interested parties as well for this car and I won’t be surprised that this model will sell quite well in Brunei.

You want to read the new C-Class in full details, you can click here. You can also drop by Jati Transport in Beribi to find out more about the C-Class (standard, AMG and the 250).

 

Driving like a bawse 

A great ride indeed.. I can’t wait to further test drive the car 

Love the colour of the C-Class 

This is the C-Class 250 which was sold already. My brother was too late :p 

Public viewing at Jati Transport 

The public getting a sneak peak of the new C-Class  

Taking a photo opportunity with the new General Manager of Jati Transport, Alfred So and of course, my brother who is eyeing on the Mercedes-Benz GLA 

  

 

Wooed by Chris  

Chris Woo being interviewed after the finals of Toastmasters International Speech in Kuala Lumpur two Saturdays ago

Recently, close to two thousand Toastmasters from around the world met at the prestigious Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. For the first time in its history, Toastmasters International had organised its annual International Convention outside North America. Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through practical hands-on experiences.

More than 30,000 people from 126 countries compete each year in the prestigious and soul-stirring World Championship of Public Speaking. Chris Woo has reached this milestone by reaching the finals of the World Championship of Public Speaking. He is the first Toastmaster from Brunei Darussalam as well as from Toastmasters’ district 87 (which consists of Brunei Darussalam, East Malaysia and Indonesia) to reach the semi-finals of the contest. His speech entitled, ‘Listen’ took the stage and Chris Woo prevailed in one of nine semi-final rounds and competed as a finalist in the World Championship of Public Speaking. Criteria used in judging includes speech content, originality, organization, voice quality and body language.

Chris Woo, representing Brunei Darussalam and Toastmasters’ district 87 received standing ovations for his heart-felt speech in the finals. After several months of elimination process through club, area, district and semi-final competitions, Chris Woo is the first Toastmaster in Brunei Darussalam and District 87 to compete in the World Championship of Public Speaking.

Toastmasters from Brunei Darussalam have also participated in the convention to learn from world class public speakers, and network with like-minded people. One of the keynote speakers, Robin Sieger, a former Head of Development at BBC Television and the author of the best-selling book ‘Natural Born Winners’, shared with everyone how people can create true success in life. Other prestigious international speakers were Jana Barnhill, Mark Brown, Douglas Kruger, Lance Miller, Florian Mueck and Rory Vaden, who have all established well-renowned careers in leading and inspiring people.

The annual Toastmasters International Convention in Kuala Lumpur have inspired all who attended to become better public speakers and leaders in today’s world. For further information on Toastmasters in Brunei Darussalam, please visit www.bruneispeakersclub.com. Press courtesy of Brunei Speakers Club.

My experience: It was such a great exposure for me even as a spectator, to see people expressing their thoughts and sharing meaningful stories with conviction and enthusiasm. I’ve learnt so much about public speaking and we just don’t simply say it, we have to deliver in an impactful way to get the message across. I always thought that I can speak quite well in public but I realised that there is so much to learn and I’m still far behind on being a proficient speaker. This can be learned and it takes practice, practice and more practice.

The Toastmasters International Convention 2014 meet in KL was definitely worth the trip and I doubt it will make to Asia again as it is usually held in North America. And of course, most of the toastmasters from Brunei came to support our very own toastmaster Chris Woo whom I look up to as a role model for public speaking. His spontaneity and vocal variety, to me, are his strength and whenever he speaks, he is able to to draw the audience to his attention.

Of course, the other great part about the trip was the closer bond that we had among Brunei toastmasters from Brunei Speakers’ Club, Otters Club (Seria) and Brunei Advanced Speakers’ Club. Around 17 of us traveled to Kuala Lumpur to attend the convention. Thank you, peeps, for everything and this experience lists in my top ten of 2014. Awesome!!!

 

District 87 where our country Brunei is part of it. Other countries sharing the same district are Indonesia and East Malaysia.  

Ladies represent 

I’m proud of you dude for making to the semi-finals but for you to win the semi-finals was simply amazing!!  

Seng Yee and I supporting Chris Woo during the finals of the International Speech Contest 

Will I be up here one day? *lol* Keep dreaming, Rano 

One of the speakers, Rory Vadan that made a huge impact with three words – Take the Stairs 

Representing District 87 and it was nice to see you again, Fern 

Zainal, Hazwan and I had fun during the Toastmasters International Convention 2014 

I was honoured to play the timer role at Maxis Toastmasters Club 

Tons of Toastmasters International goodies and merchandise on sale at Kuala Lumpur 

Hmmmm… I realised how easy it was to buy the pin badges of Toastmasters 

Girl bonding in Kuala Lumpur 

The backbone of Toastmasters from Brunei and Brunei Speakers’ Club 

Chris Woo as a special guest at Elizabeth’s Timeout with Liz 1st anniversary show last Saturday 

Brunei Speakers’ Club 

Now you might be wondering how to be part of toastmasters – an avenue where you enrich your speaking skills and building up the confidence in you. I was a former member of Brunei Speakers’ Club back in 2011 and I only lasted a few months before disappearing and this year, I have made a comeback and one reason is to contribute, to contribute my knowledge and experience to other members and guests and also to learn from the members and guests during our weekly meetings at Seameo Voctech (Tuesday evenings).

Brunei Speakers’ Club is a great avenue to learn all these tools of being a public speaker and it’s the best place to start because the community is quite allowing and welcoming. There are no judgment (only positive criticism) and we are able to grow faster through encouragement and experience. I have always have concerned about showing my weaknesses as a speaker because I don’t like to be analysed or being advised on what I should improve. Well, that was my ego speaking for a long time and it’s never easy to break that wall. Now I’ve embraced my weakness and I can only go upwards from here. A big thanks for Seng Yee for that minor push and also to the other members of BSC. My vision is here to contribute in any possible means (doesn’t have to be monetary) to make a difference and this is one channel where I believe you can benefit as well.

If you want to know more about toastmasters, you can drop me a message here or you can email me directly if you shy to ask them ranoadidas(8)gmail and of course, you can check out their Facebook Page and also their main website which have updates on weekly meetings so you will be able to get that feel. I can guarantee you that you will have a great time during the meetings and I have also invited a few of my friends to show up for the meeting. You are more than welcome to come as a guest and it starts every Tuesday from 7:30pm to 9:30pm at Seameo Voctech (Gadong). I shall be there tomorrow evening too 😀

 

Last Tuesday’s meeting at Seameo Voctech for Brunei Speakers’ Club. You are more than welcomed to be part as a guest to learn observe and learn 😀 

Chris Woo and Shawn Narcis having a laugh 

I finally did my second prepared speech and it was about my journey as a toastmasters 😀 

Ching is a great supporter of our club and he is an executive committee for Otters Club 

It’s not just about learning but we also can have some fun along the way 

Gary (in blue) given a task during Table Topics 

A great environment to be at  

Clovis Lai, the man that made it possible for Brunei Speakers’ Club 

Stuart Lee, the President of Brunei Advanced Speakers’ Club, contributing continuously to BSC 

Seng Yee playing the role as General Evaluator 

Standing ovation for Chris from the members and guests on his achievements at Toastmasters International Speech Contest in Kuala Lumpur recently

 

The Popcorn Panel  

Our podcast review of Yasmine the movie with my special guest Seng Yee. Find out what is my best scene of the movie. Yasmine will be officially be released on 21st August 2014.

 

 

 

Good luck, Chris Woo  

Chris W.H. Woo, a member of Brunei Speakers’ Club, will represent Brunei in the World Championship of Public Speaking. Good luck, buddy!

Chris W.H. Woo, a Senior Lecturer at Universiti Brunei Darussalam will represent the Toastmaster’s District 87 (Brunei, Indonesia and East Malaysia) in the World Championship of Public Speaking. The competition will be held from 20th to 23rd August at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Chris Woo snatched the coveted trophy and title of District 87 International Speech Champion in Surabaya on the 11th May 2014.

When asked how he feels about the upcoming competition, Woo says, “It’s been a psychologically grueling few months for me. Never a week goes by that I don’t think about the competition. But I am very lucky to have so many supportive Toastmaster friends and, honestly, the Brunei Speaker’s Club has become a family to me. I don’t know what will happen at the World Championship. There are so many variables to the judging and success of a speech. But what I do know with certainty is that I will give it my absolute best.”

After emerging as Champion from The Brunei Speakers’ Club, and subsequently Area K6 (Brunei), Woo went on to defeat some of the best speakers in Brunei, East Malaysia and Indonesia. As a representative for District 87, Woo will be pitting his skills against the best speakers in the world.

“Chris is dedicated, he is committed, and he has now achieved so much. He inspires all our members in Brunei to realize our potential,” says Hazwan Kamarulzaman, President of The Brunei Speakers’ Club. His sentiments are shared by Ruey Chong-Narcis, the Area Governor of Area K6 (Brunei), “‘Since it’s inception by the grace of His Majesty 16 years ago, this is the first time that Brunei is representing the district in the World Championship of Public Speaking. We are extremely proud as it shows the quality and support that each Toastmaster gives their fellow members. Together with 14 other Toastmasters from Brunei, we will be there to proudly represent Brunei and cheering Chris as he takes his rightful place up on centre-stage.’

 

Supporters of Chris in KL  

Some of the toastmasters from Brunei Speakers’ Club are currently in Kuala Lumpur for the convention and also to support Chris Woo. Last night we had the privilege to attend one of the toastmasters club in KL and we were at Maxis Toastmasters Club and met a number of toastmasters around the world. Awesome!! 

We registered our names so we can get ourselves some goodies from the club 

I volunteered myself to be the Timer for last evening’s meeting at Maxis Toastmaster Club. Great experience! 

Distinguished Toastmaster Richard Cummins from Houston, Texas, Seng Yee, Zul (from Labuan) and our area-governor Ruey Narcis 

Having a few words with the most passionate toastmaster from Brunei and an awesome role model for Brunei Speakers’ Club. His passion never dies. 

Proud that Ling Ling won best table topics of the evening 

Some of the books for sale at Toastmasters Convention at KLCC 

The Word of the Day 

 

It rained yesterday at Kuala Lumpur. It’s great to be back. I have been there since Sunday. 

 

BUBA UK HE Fair  

It’s that time of the year again as students will be scouting and sourcing for their respective courses and university of choice for their future studies in the UK. Twenty-eight universities and colleges from the United Kingdom will be participating in the third UK Education Fair on August 20 (today) at Members Grill & Lounge, The Empire Hotel and Country Club.

The event, which is organised by the British Universities Brunei Association (BUBA) and coordinated by the universities, will be held from 2pm to 7pm.
The institutions participating in the event include University of Aberdeen, University of Bradford, Cardiff University, University College London, University of East Anglia, University of Essex, University of Hull, University of Kent and Writtle College.

”The fair is aimed at students who are considering studying in the UK in September 2015 but also presents a final opportunity for any students still looking for a place for September 2014 entry to speak with university representatives,” said a statement issued by the British High Commission.

Students are also advised to bring copies of qualifications and transcript when they come to the fair, it added.

So do drop by the Members Grlll & Lounge from 2pm to 7pm later. Good luck in hunting for your future education. For more info, you can click here.

 

  

Butra Home Concept (BHC) Magazine is now under a new direction handled by Mixmediaworx

Butra Home Concept Magazine will now turn its pages under Mixmediaworx – the local based creative agency, retaining its focus on home improvement and lifestyle for Brunei. I remember this magazine being under the direction of Catalyst and now the creativity and publishing duties were given to Mixmediaworx.

Mixmediaworx promises to continue the magazine’s monthly tradition as part of Butra HeidelbergCement’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) in promoting local home lifestyle and industries.

Mixmediaworx’s executive director Azlan Ahmad shared that the magazine will still continue its current direction in line with Butra HeidelbergCement’s CSR aims with a few improvements and additions to the content and design of the two year old publication.

“We are very happy to continue this great initiative by Butra HeidelbergCement and will improve whatever needed for the magazine to stay relevant to the nation. We have outlined a few fresh ideas in promoting the magazine and created sustainable strategy to make sure it remains a preferred platform for the related industries.”

The BHC is part of Butra HeidelbergCement’s Building a Nation campaign, emphasizing on the contributions made towards the development of the nation. It invokes collaboration and cooperation amongst the Sultanate to inspire change, challenge convention and to make a difference: their unique approach towards nationwide progress while encouraging the sense of forward thinking to the community.

The next BHC issue will continue to be distributed soon with the theme “A New Hope” highlighing some of the CSR initiatives carried out by Butra HeidelbergCement as well as contributions by the new editorial team by the magazines.

Mixmediaworx also announced that BHC will be available as digital copies on iOS  via the App store , and android users can expect their integration for the magazine soon.

Stuart Lee, Project Director of BHC Magazine with Amir Noor, editor of BHC Magazine during the press conference at Radisson Hotel 

Hamdi Metussin, Creative Director of Mixmediaworx 

Amir Noor sharing a few things about BHC’s new direction 

Mei asking some questions from the floor  

HBT Semi-finals  

So close yet so far. Brunei Darussalam just missed out by one goal to reach the semi-finals. Today is the line-up for today’s matches in the semi-finals of the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy 2014. No tickets required and it’s free as well.