Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Hj Mustafa bin Hj Sirat, Minister of Communications receiving a memento fromMr. Karam Chand, Chairman, Sabre TN Brunei cum CEO of Royal Brunei Airlines during the opening ceremony of the Brunei Travel Fair

Karam Chand gave his appreciation to all the parties involved in this far

It was officially launched this morning at the Green Quartz Multipurpose Hall 7th Floor at The Centrepoint Hotel. The guest of honour was Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Hj Mustafa bin Hj Sirat, Minister of Communications and he was accompanied by Mr. Karam Chand, Chairman, Sabre TN Brunei cum CEO of Royal Brunei Airlines.

The place was pretty packed as usual. With many vendors involved and trade partners, it will be a packed three day event with customers eyeing for great deals. The Better Catch Them All gimmick has been a huge hit among RB customers as he or she will trying to grab 5% or 15% on their next flight on RB.

Ministry of Tourism from Republic of Indonesia is making a bigger bang than last year as they are finally having their own dedicated ministry for tourism. Their big presence in the Brunei Travel Fair showed their commitment in targeting Bruneians to fly over to Indonesia.

So what are you waiting for? This is the place to be for the weekend and even for Pokemon Go players, you will be entitled to a 15% discount on RB flights. Just visit the RB pavilion at Centrepoint to find out more and it’s so easy to claim 😀

Did you know RB is in the top 10 of most loved airlines by SkyTrax 2016? Awesome!!

At the Taiwan booth

The Ellewan 😀 Catch them tonight

Busy booth at RB Pavilion

Freme booth going pretty strong

The Minister receiving a gift from the Indonesian Ambassador to Brunei

Here are lists of exhibitors:

Sabres Travel Network Brunei
Royal Brunei Airlines
Baiduri Bank Berhad
Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam
Brunei Tourism Board
Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board
Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia
Sarawak Tourism Board
Standard Chartered Bank
Tourism Authority of Thailand
Taiwan Tourism Bureau

The participating travel agents

Anthony Tours & Travel Agency
At-Taqwa Travel Tours
Century Travel Centre
Darussalam Holdings
Freme Travel Services
J J Tour & Service
Pan Bright Travel Service
Southern Cross Travel Agencies
Straits Travel Agencies

Products and services:

Attractive air fares, hotel rates and packages
Haji and Umrah
Medical Tourism products (health screening

Sabre Travel Network Brunei promotion:

Every booking or purchase made during the fair, customer has a chance to win attractive prizes such as 1 set of GoPro HERO4. If you use your Baiduri card for payment, you will get three additional chances for lucky draw.

Pierre Imhof sharing on what Baiduri has to offer during the Brunei Travel Fair

Check out the good deals offered to Baiduri customers

Lyna Mohd of Borneo Bulletin interviewing the CEO of Baiduri Bank

Promotion

On offer; tickets to all RB destinations except Kota Kinabalu and Jeddah.
Special promos include: Early Bird Specials, December Specials and London Specials.

Activities

1. RB Grand Draw
Customers who purchased RB tickets at the Brunei Travel Fair 2016 are automatically entitled for a chance to win:
02 Return Economy Class tickets to Dubai
02 Return Economy Class ticket to Melbourne
01 Return Business Class ticket to Ho Chi Minh City
01 Royal Skies membership complimentary upgrade

2. Daily Lucky Draw

Visitors who purchase RB tickets are also eligible to participate in the daily lucky draw which will be held at 2:00PM and 09:00PM on Saturday and Sunday, and 11:25AM and 09:00PM on Friday.
Participants stand a chance to win:
a. Return Economy Class tickets (to Shanghai, Bangkok, Jakarta, Bali, Manila or Surabaya)
b. One Way Complimentary upgrade award
c. Skylounge access pass
d. RB Merchandise

3. Instagram Competition

Visitors can participate in the RB Instagram competition for Brunei Travel Fair to win a Return Economy Class ticket to Jakarta. (Details will be announced on RB’s Social Media Channel)

4. Better Catch Them All

RB Customers during the BTF with a minimum spending of BND500 can participate in the Better Catch Them All game, where they will stand in a box for 10 seconds and catch as many prizes as they can.

Prizes:
a. 5% and 15% discount vouchers for their next purchase with RB to be redeemed at RB’s Customer Service Centre
b. RB Merchandise.

Better Catch Them All has been a huge hit 😀

Now you show this character at RB Pavilion and you will get awesome deals. Trust me!!

Travel Bug

1. To be eligible to participate, you must be a resident of Brunei and a Royal Skies member. If you are not a Royal Skies member, you can apply for membership at the RB Booth.
2. This game is not open to RB staff and their immediate family.
3. Catch or evolve a Flutter Free (refer image above) and collect a one-time 15% discount voucher (valid for 3 months) at the RB counter at the Brunei Travel Fair.
4. The discount voucher is to be used for your future purchase with RB to be redeemed and purchased at RB’s Customer Service Centre.
5. The game closes at 09:00PM on Sunday 04th September 2016.
6. Participants who caught or evolved their Flutter Free from 02-04 September 2016 are entitled to participate in a lucky draw to win a “rare fare”.
7. Only one Flutter Free  per lucky draw entry.
8. 03 lucky participants will win BND10, BND25 or BND50 rare fare that they can use to any RB regional destinations of their choice (except Kota Kinabalu).
9. We strongly advise that all players to be aware of their surrounding and safety whilst playing the game.

The Minister congratulated At-Taqwa on their operations and also getting a licence for the Haj and Umrah pilgrimage

Salinah Salleh from Brunei Tourism Board explaining the new packages from Temburong which was launched yesterday

BIBD also having their presence at the Brunei Travel Fair

Great deals at Pan Bright Travel and who knows you can win a car or a Birkin

Tourism Malaysia have awesome promotion for the locals.

One of the lucky family that managed to get a free luggage from Tourism Malaysia as part of the special offer for those who spend BND 1,000 for Malaysia packages. Stocks are limited.

Pretty busy at the RB Pavilion

 

Sneaky sneaky. It’s a good way though to entice people to come to the Brunei Travel Fair organized by Sabre Brunei. Many airlines especially Royal Brunei Airlines are tight lipped about their fares to the media for the upcoming travel fair. Instead they teased on really good deals especially if you are traveling on New Years.. mmmmm..

The press conference was held yesterday at Seasons Restaurant hosted by Sabre Brunei (previous known as Abacus) and it was good to see familiar faces of Irene Soon, General Manager of Sabre Brunei and Halim Abdul Rahman, Senior Manager, Sales & Marketing of Sabre Brunei.

The event itself will happen this Friday 2nd September until 4th September at Green Quartz Multipurpose Hall 7th floor of Centrepoint. Well, it’s famously known for its badminton activities. Looks like there are gonna be many unhappy badminton regulars starting Thursday till Sunday.

According to Halim, he hopes to see an increase in visitors for this travel fair, at least in the region of 15,000. That’s a pretty optimistic figure and with great deals and promotions, I won’t see a problem in the rise of visitors as compared to last year.

Now who will benefit from this travel fair? The locals, of course, the expatriates, the various airlines involved, the travel trade partners (many of them), business partners and of course the national tourist offices. With all the partners involved, it makes it easier for the event to be dynamic and very relevant to the consumer end.

Representatives from Sabre Travel Network, Royal Brunei Airlines, Baiduri Bank, Tourism Malaysia and Singapore Airlines

Irene Soon, General Manager of Sabre Travel Network, Halim Abd Rahman, Senior Manager, Sales & Marketing of Sabre Travel Network and Aariz Patrick Ng, Head, Branch Network – Sales Management and Business Banking of Baiduri Bank during the press conference

Sabres will provide more than 50 terminals to the nine Sabre-connected travel agencies participating at the fair to help them efficiently service their travelers. For your info, Sabre is a system that helps book your flights and for decades, Brunei travel agents have been using their system.

The Brunei Travel Fair would not be possible with the major involvement of our national air carrier, Royal Brunei Airlines. They have been a big supporter for the travel fair since day one and will continue to do so. Further more, RB also offers superb deals in travel fairs and they always have been the main draw for most travel fairs in Brunei.

Here are lists of exhibitors:

Sabres Travel Network Brunei
Royal Brunei Airlines
Baiduri Bank Berhad
Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam
Brunei Tourism Board
Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board
Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia
Sarawak Tourism Board
Standard Chartered Bank
Tourism Authority of Thailand
Taiwan Tourism Bureau

The participating travel agents

Anthony Tours & Travel Agency
At-Taqwa Travel Tours
Century Travel Centre
Darussalam Holdings
Freme Travel Services
J J Tour & Service
Pan Bright Travel Service
Southern Cross Travel Agencies
Straits Travel Agencies

Products and services:

Attractive air fares, hotel rates and packages
Haji and Umrah
Medical Tourism products (health screening

Sabre Travel Network Brunei promotion:

Every booking or purchase made during the fair, customer has a chance to win attractive prizes such as 1 set of GoPro HERO4. If you use your Baiduri card for payment, you will get three additional chances for lucky draw.

Evelyn Ang, Country Manager for Brunei of Royal Brunei Airlines and Ahim Rani, Marketing Manager of Royal Brunei Airlines

Promotion

On offer; tickets to all RB destinations except Kota Kinabalu and Jeddah.
Special promos include: Early Bird Specials, December Specials and London Specials.

Activities

1. RB Grand Draw
Customers who purchased RB tickets at the Brunei Travel Fair 2016 are automatically entitled for a chance to win:
02 Return Economy Class tickets to Dubai
02 Return Economy Class ticket to Melbourne
01 Return Business Class ticket to Ho Chi Minh City
01 Royal Skies membership complimentary upgrade

2. Daily Lucky Draw

Visitors who purchase RB tickets are also eligible to participate in the daily lucky draw which will be held at 2:00PM and 09:00PM on Saturday and Sunday, and 11:25AM and 09:00PM on Friday.
Participants stand a chance to win:
a. Return Economy Class tickets (to Shanghai, Bangkok, Jakarta, Bali, Manila or Surabaya)
b. One Way Complimentary upgrade award
c. Skylounge access pass
d. RB Merchandise

3. Instagram Competition

Visitors can participate in the RB Instagram competition for Brunei Travel Fair to win a Return Economy Class ticket to Jakarta. (Details will be announced on RB’s Social Media Channel)

4. Better Catch Them All

RB Customers during the BTF with a minimum spending of BND500 can participate in the Better Catch Them All game, where they will stand in a box for 10 seconds and catch as many prizes as they can.

Prizes:
a. 5% and 15% discount vouchers for their next purchase with RB to be redeemed at RB’s Customer Service Centre
b. RB Merchandise.

The social media influencers being briefed by Muaz at Royal Brunei Head office for the upcoming Brunei Travel Fair

Instagram Competition (Winner flies to Jakarta)

1. Open to all visitors to Brunei Travel Fair 2016.
2. To participate, visitors must take a photo at the Brunei Travel Fair 2016, featuring RB in their post and upload it on Instagram with the hashtag #RBBTF2016.
3. Open to residents of Brunei only.
4. All entries must be submitted by 09:00PM on Sunday 04th September 2016.
5. The winning post will win ONE non-transferable Economy Class ticket to Jakarta, Indonesia.
6. We ask that PRIVATE accounts are made PUBLIC during the competition in order to be entered. The winner will be announced on RB’s Instagram, we appreciate your patience while we verify all the entries. We will contact you via direct message if your photo has won.
7. This competition is not open to RB staff and their immediate family.
8. In accordance with Instagram rules, we must mention this is in no way sponsored, administered, or associated with Instagram, Inc. and by entering, entrants confirm they are 13+ years of age, release Instagram of responsibility, and agree to Instagram’s term of use.
9. By entering this campaign, you agree to give RB FULL RIGHTS to use your entries for any of our campaigns.
10. RB’s decision on the winning post is FINAL.
11. RB reserves the right to amend the competition terms and conditions.

Baiduri Bank. Being the official bank for the Brunei Travel Fair, there are many reasons to swipe your purchases/bookings with Baiduri Bank cards. You will get cash rebates, lucky dip and 0% installment as some of the promotional gimmicks offered by Baiduri Bank.

Prestige Exclusive: Enjoy BND 150 rebate when you spend BND 1,500 and above on any RB fares with your Baiduri Prestige card. Limit to only first 10 Prestige members and only available for the first two days.

Smart Executive Exclusive: Enjoy BND 100 rebate when you spend BND 1,000 and above on any RB fares with your Baiduri Smart Executive card. Limit to only first 10 Prestige members and only available for the first two days.

Baiduri Credit and Debit Cardholders. Enjoy BND100 rebate at the Brunei Travel Fair when you spend BND1,000 and above on any Royal Brunei air tickets with your Baiduri Credit or Debit Card. Limited to 20 redemptions per day.

No baiduri card? Receive 3 years annual fee waiver and up to 25,000 Royal Skies Miles when you sign up for a Baiduri Credit or Debit Card successfully. Also enjoy a coffee on us when you visit our booth to enquire about our products and services.

0% installment. Enjoy full processing fee waiver when you convert your credit card purchases into an interest-free instalment plan.

Just visit their website here for more details.

Tourism Malaysia Promotion. Speaking of Malaysia, Happy Merdeka Day 😀

1) Purchase airfare and holiday packages to Malaysia from all participating agents and Malaysian sellers at Tourism Malaysia pavilion to win 1 FREE Travel Luggage Bag with a minimum spending of BN 1,000. Limited “while stock last and first come first served basis.

2) Purchase airfare and holiday packages to Malaysia from all participating agents and Malaysian sellers at Tourism Malaysia pavilion to receive RM 20 Parson Shopping Voucher each passenger. Limited “while stock last and first come first served basis.

3) Brahim’s ready-to-eat meals and ready-to-eat dishes food sampling at Brahim’s counter under Tourism Malaysia Pavilion.

4) Daily quizzes by Sabre appointed emcees to win

• 3 days 2 nights stay at Mulu Marriott Resort & Spa, Mulu National Park for 2 person contributed by SARAWAK TOURISM BOARD;
• 10% off for Classic Deluxe Room at Kingwood Boutique Hotel, Miri contributed by KINGWOOD BOUTIQUE HOTEL
• 10% off for Classic Deluxe Room at Kingwood Boutique Hotel, Miri contributed by KINGWOOD BOUTIQUE HOTEL
• 2 days 1 night stay at Superior Room with daily breakfast at Ming Garden Hotel & Residences contributed by MING GARDEN HOTEL & RESIDENCES
• 2 days 1 night stay at Superior Room with daily breakfast at Ming Garden Hotel & Residences contributed by MING GARDEN HOTEL & RESIDENCES
• Food and Beverage voucher at TH Hotel & Residence Sdn. Bhd. contributed by TH HOTEL & RESIDENCE SDN. BHD
• 2 Brahim’s food hamper contributed by Brahim’s

Click image to enter Facebook Page

At-Taqwa Travel Tours. This will be their second time participating in a travel fair. The newly established travel agent in Brunei recently had accreditation from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) where it’s a license required by Saudi Arabia for a travel agent to bring pilgrims to Mekah.

Promotion: The six packages under Al-Singafura for Umrah packages. Trip commence from December 12 to 4 January 2017. Lucky draw for those purchasing Haj and Umrah, entitled to a lucky draw.
Grand prize: an Umrah package for one
Second prize: A flight ticket to a mystery destination
Third prize: Two night stay at a hotel in Penang
Fourth prize: Three night stay at Rizqun International Hotel

Click image to enter Facebook Page

Pan Bright Travel Service. One of the travel agents that goes with a big bang with awesome lucky draws. This time the grand prize could be a Hyundai car or a Hermes Birkin. I’m not into bags as you can tell but but wow, these bags are no joke. When I googled, I’m shocked to know the Hermes Birkin can go up to USD 20,000 #shocked.

So for every $200 spent in Pan Bright Travel Service, you are entitled to get 1 lucky draw coupon. The promotion kicks off during the travel fair. The lucky draw campaign will be until 31st March 2017 and there will be a monthly draw of air ticket as well.

The viral image from whatsapp, courtesy of Century Travel

Century Travel. I bought a few air fares from them before and they have pretty good service. So far, I would say that they are the fastest in getting the news out on the air fares. I know Royal Brunei Airlines have been tight lipped but somehow word has gone out from certain travel agents on the air fares. Pretty affordable too. Just refer to the poster below.

Freme Travel. As usual, their booths are among the biggest of the lot. Not just focusing on air fights but also domestic tourism. If you want to fly on a holiday package, then Freme Travel have plentiful of choices. I was just browsing their Facebook Page and it’s amazing what cities they can come up with for their customers.

There are packages such as Morocco, Bhutan and Harbin to name a few. So something interesting for travelers to look forward to.

Great promotion from BIBD as well during the Brunei Travel Fair

 

Mr. Li Dian Chun, CEO of Hong Kong Airlines accepting a token from Mr. Karam Chand, CEO of Royal Brunei Airlines

Mr. Tokuro Ambe, The First Secretary of Economics from the Embassy of Japan in Brunei Darussalam, Her Excellency Ms. Noriko Iki, Japanese Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, Mr. Li Dian Chun, CEO of Hong Kong Airlines, Mr. Karam Chand, CEO of Royal Brunei Airlines, Mr Fu Fengsha, Charge’d Affairs of China Embassy and Dayah Hjh Airah Hj Abdullah, Director of Transport, Ministry of Communications

I’m kinda excited that Royal Brunei Airlines have a codeshare agreement with Hong Kong Airlines and this is one of the first of many connecting flights that will be favourable for both parties. This afternoon, Hong Kong Airlines and Royal Brunei Airlines signed on the dotted line where Hong Kong Airlines will be used connect flights exiting Hong Kong from in-coming flight from Brunei Darussalam.

So the first city outside Hong Kong that will be utlizing the codeshare will be Tokyo. Woohoo!! It is still not operating just yet and ti will be launched sometime in November but pre-sale will begin early September. So under the agreement, Hong Kong Airlines “HX” code will be placed on RB daily flights between HK and BSB.

Here’s the flight itinerary to Tokyo via HK.

BWN to HKG – Flight No. HX 1635/BI365 Departure 10:30am Arrival 13:35pm

HKG to Tokyo – HX 610/BI3403 Departure 15:30pm Arrival 20:55pm

Tokyo to HKG – HX611/BI3404 Departure 9:30am Arrival 13:30pm

HKG to BSB – HX610/BI3403 Departure 15:30pm Arrival 20:55pm

So far this is a pretty reasonable connection. With Hong Kong being an international hub, it does make economical sense to have connecting flights to other parts of Asia especially Japan. I traveled earlier this year to Taipei via HK. So hopefully there will be more connecting flights under Hong Kong Airlines which will be in the future stages.

Mr. Li Dian Chun, CEO of Hong Kong Airlines, said that, “The commencement of our codeshare partnership with RB is great news for the passengers of both airlines. It’s a win-win situation for both parties. This will give more choices for the passengers for traveling within Asia.”

He added that the influx of foreigners to HK has increased year by year and this will be a good opportunity for them to also flight to Brunei to experience a city with a beautiful culture.

Mr. Karam Chand, CEO of RB, shared that this is an important collaboration with Hong Kong Airlines as a codeshare partner. He believe that there is a great demand for passengers heading to Japan especially Tokyo. Passengers will benefit from this codeshare flight with better networks and of course, choices for passengers.

Good job for RB on making this possible and let’s hope for some good promotion along the way to lure in more passengers.

Mr. Li Dian Chun, CEO of Hong Kong Airlines is excited with the collaboration with RB

Mr. Karam Chand, CEO of RB speaking to the press

Mr. Li Dian Chun speaking to the press

The first official codeshare trip will be in November 2016

My last trip to HK was in March. Now with more routes through codeshare, who knows I will frequent HK more

 

Happening next weekend and I shall be there to promote the event on my social media too 😀

 

Happening today

The British Universities Brunei Association (BUBA) will be hosting its fourth annual UK Education Fair on August 24, with 24 UK universities participating.

The fair is aimed at students who are considering studying in the UK in 2017 or 2018, but also offers a final opportunity for students still looking for a place in the September 2016 intake.

BUBA in a statement said the fair will be held at the Indera Samudra Grand Hall 1, The Empire Hotel and Country Club.

British High Commissioner to Brunei David Campbell said: “The UK’s summer education fair is a great opportunity for students to hear directly from representatives of a wide range of British universities about course options and life as a student.

“We are delighted that the UK remains the favoured option for the majority of Bruneians who plan to study abroad.”

The fair will be held from 2pm to 7pm. Some of the participating varsities are Aberystwyth University, King’s College London, University of Surrey, University of Kent, Loughborough University and University of Manchester.

BUBA said the Higher Education Division at the Ministry of Education will also be at the fair to answer queries about education loans for overseas study.

Students are advised to bring in copies of qualifications and transcripts when they come to the fair.
Further details and names of participating institutions can be found at www.buba.ac.uk/he-fair. Press release from The Brunei Times.

 

Finally I’m back in Brunei after 10 days of holiday and it seemed like a long time. I miss being active with my coverage and furthermore, I miss the familiar faces I see now and then (you know who you are). I’m almost out of shape.. Well, it was more of a reference to my fitness level where tennis is mostly involved. The tennis group recently had a short trip to Miri yesterday for a friendly match between our tennis group and from the Miri side.

I’m kinda out of touch but thanks to The Brunei Times social media updates and the multiple sharing on my Facebook feeds on The Brunei Times’ articles, I feel that I’m in the loop of the happenings in Brunei.

The cycling event was, of course, the highlight of the week. It was rare to see His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam participating in a cycling event and it was lead by over 800 cyclists. Amazing feat indeed and I’ve never known that there are many cycling enthusiasts in Brunei alone. His Majesty cycled in the 15 km bicycle ride to mark his 70th birthday. All I can say is 70 and still going strong.. Amazing!!!

In other news, Pokemon Go seems to have taken Brunei by storm or Asia for that matter. When I was outstation, my social media feeds were dominated by Pokemon statuses and images. Is this a good thing or a negative thing? There’s nothing wrong for sure but just make you don’t drive and PoGo or escape work time to level up on your game. The question is how long will the phase last for? The developers had already made a few hundred millions through their purchase add-ins and in the first 5 weeks, they have earned more than USD 268 million. Amazing!! So for now, Pokemon Go is here to stay and no, I’m not one of them players huhu.

So enjoy your week, peeps and stay in touch through my social media feeds. Oh yea, thanks the Bluehost support team for scanning and cleaning my site. It was attacked by some unwanted Viiiirrruuussss… 🙁 So I’m glad it’s back and running.

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, yesterday led over 800 people in an unprecedented 15 kilometre bicycle ride to mark his 70th birthday. Accompanying His Majesty was His Royal Highness Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office. Image courtesy of Vincent Hong.

This could be one of the reasons why bicycle sales have increased

My final day in Malaysia before heading back. I’ve been lacking sleep but enjoyed my break so far in Ipoh, Penang and Kuala Lumpur

A successful event hosted by Honey Carsmart last weekend for their Grand Sale weekend and also getting involved with charities

The tennis friendly match between our tennis group (Aiman’s students) and players from Miri. It was held at Miri yesterday. Too bad I couldn’t make it and it was great exposure for the young players to play abroad.

It was first time staying in an AirBnB apartment in Kuala Lumpur and it was pretty good. I love the room and the host, Melvyn, is friendly and helpful. I also met a new friend from AirBnB and she’s staying in the other room of the apartment. I’m impressed with her resume as she has worked in Malta before. It was nice knowing you, Michiko. I hope you visit Brunei one day and we both have something in common. We support Liverpool 😀

My third Kpop concert and I kinda like the energy of the boy band, iKon. The concert took place at Indoor Stadium Negara. Kuala Lumpur last weekend. I had the privilege to cover the event (many postings on Snapchat). Congratulations to Kelly Wee and Vili Tee on winning the tickets and big thanks to Yuslin for arranging the tickets and my media pass.

The second consolation prize draw was held last Friday for the “Win the Helix” promotion. So far they had 5,925 entries for the month of July alone. The promotion ends 31st August. So you still have a chance to win the grand prize – Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4 TSI. Image above are the members of the press who drew the names and witnessed by the management of Brunei Shell Marketing.

I caught a record of 6 movies in my recent trip. Suicide Squad and Bad Moms twice actually *lol* You can tell how much of a movie buff I am 😀

Though I complained too much about Batman v Superman, I still caught again from the in-flight entertainment on Royal Brunei Airlines. Thank you, Aunty Jacky for the upgrade 😀 It was nice catching up again and see you this Friday

 

Check the interview by Aljazeera’s The Stream on the Royal Brunei’s women pilot.

Captain Shari’ah Czarena, Senior First Officer Dk Nadiah and Senior First Officer Sariana being featured on Aljazeera’s The Stream two nights ago

What a milestone for our female pilots from Royal Brunei Airlines! They have already made headlines through social media and worldwide news after the viral picture of the Captain Shari’ah Czarena, Senior First Officer Dk Nadiah and Senior First Officer Sariana in the flight deck operating a Royal Brunei flight from Brunei to Jeddah during the Brunei National Day.

The image itself have reach to the masses and the millions because it’s such as a rare feat in other countries to have women pilots. The irony also came when the female pilots flew to Jeddah where the country doesn’t permit women to drive on the road.

The comments have been very positive and this is a good image and reputation for Royal Brunei Airlines to be acknowledged and also making an impact globally that yes, women should be given the opportunity to take the role as pilots.

According to statistics, the female commercial pilots are only made up of 5% worldwide. That’s pretty low.

It was awesome to know that the Brunei female pilots were given the platform at Aljeezra’s The Stream to share their experiences and also inspire others that there are opportunities to be like them.

I set my alarm for the 2am segment but it was delayed until 3:30am but it was worth the wake. It must be a surreal feeling for all of them to be featured on an international news on The Stream #AJStream and the comments have been commendable and positive.

Good job also to the hosts of the segment from The Stream – Femi Oke and Malika Bilal. Let’s not forget to mention Azhani Abu Daniel, Head of Corporate Communications of Royal Brunei, who made the shot featured on the Royal Brunei’s Facebook page and also currently in London, organizing the interview sessions for the trio.

Girl power

Captain Czarena

Some of her personal shots being featured

The other female pilots being interviewed

Loving the host for The Stream

Azhani Abu Daniel (2nd from right) with the famous trio

 

Students from KB being educated on activities during the Science Week at KBSentral

Something to look forward to Sentral Shopping Centre (KBSentral) as they are having science week which features mini interactive exhibits from the Oil and Gas Discovery Centre such as Finger Tingler, Link and Unlink, T or Tree, Balancing Nails, Jacobs Ladder and Einstein Head.

There will be some science demonstration as well today at KBSentral. It’s good to see so many activities happening at KBSentral. Keep it up!! You can follow their Facebook for updates.

It was also good to know that all eight of KBSentral eateries have been given Grade A for their cleanliness. The award was given last week from the Kuala Belait and Seria Municipal Board. I have to say that it’s never an easy feat to achieve Grade A status. Kudos to the eateries and also to the management of KBSentral for maintaining the cleanliness and standards.

Many reasons to shop at KBSentral. 3 cars and 1 house to be won.

 

Are you catching Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice? I just got my tickets at The Mall Cineplex. It’s gonna be epic 😀

 

Katie Alice. Kitchen Kraft. Ginger. And many more.. These are the popular brands from the UK for plates, cups and cutlery and not forgetting the utensils you used behind the scenes in the kitchen. Normally we have the normal standard ones that we see at our local departmental stores. Now we have a dedicated cutlery and kitchen utensil physical store called “The Potters”.

It’s opening tomorrow officially to the public and it’s located at Unit 8, Setia Kenangan 2, Kiulap (opposite Pepper Lunch) and it’s open from 10am to 9pm and you can also follow their IG @thepotters_bn or contact them at 242 4000.

If you are interested in making sambal, this is convenient 😀

 

Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Awang Haji Bahrin bin Abdullah, the Minister of Development and Chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines (5th from left) with board of directors of Royal Brunei, representatives from Darussalam Assets and Department of Civil Aviation during the launch of Operations Control Centre at Brunei International Airport last week

Outgoing Deputy Chairman of Royal Brunei Dermot Mannion in his welcoming remarks. This was also his final working visit in Royal Brunei Airlines.

Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) officially launched its Operations Control Centre (OCC) at Brunei International Airport last week.

On hand to officiate the launch as the guest of honour was YB Dato Paduka Awang Haji Bahrin bin Abdullah, the Minister of Development and Chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines.

As RB explained, at the Operations Control Centre the Corporate Business Unit and Operational Department handle the task of managing and coordinating execution of daily schedules as planned, while the OCC also houses the processes and personnel responsible for managing real-time operational decisions.

Its roles and responsibilities include proactively managing the impact of unplanned changes to schedules, providing quality service to the maximum number of passengers and directing the most cost-effective plan to return to published schedules.

Speaking at the event, Captain Saiful Bahrin Awang Bahar, Chief Pilot at RB Flight Operations called the launching “an important milestone”.

“As we are all aware, airline schedules typically do not operate as planned,” he said. “Hence, it is in every airline’s best interests to ensure that there is a proper management process in place to manage and coordinate the execution of daily schedules.”

Captain Saiful Bahrin Awang Bahar, Chief Pilot at RB Flight Operations delivering his remarks

Ribbon cutting to officiate the opening of the Operations Control Centre (OCC)

Viewing the OCC

This room is vital for monitoring flights. I’ve been one at Seattle and it’s huge.

Group photo at the OCC

Dermot greeting the pilots at OCC area

“OCC plays this important role for the day-to-day operations of all scheduled flights departing in and out of the Brunei International Airport.”

The newly structured OCC will see the integration of all the different but relevant departments involved, ranging from Ramp Handling, Reservations, MCC and Engineering Line Maintenance, in the same physical location, which they previously were not, Captain Saiful explained.

“In doing so, this will enable a more cohesive and coordinated workflow, as well as a faster and more informative decision-making process to help ensure the smooth operations of all scheduled flights.”

He added that, as and when required, the OCC can also function as a mini crisis centre able to handle disruptions far more effectively with all the affected departments in close proximity.

Speaking to reporters after the launch, RB’s new Chief Executive Officer, Karam Chand said, “The idea here is to get everybody into the same room and take advantage of all the technologies that are available.”

“I think by having people of all the key disciplines represented in the room, it helps in terms of decision-making. You can get to make a decision quicker, you can consider different scenarios. This is a live environment, you are doing your very best to have your aircraft flying as quick as possible. So by having all the disciplines, it really helps.”

“It’s really to make sure that we are looking after our customers,” he explained. “For example, in an operational environment, you would not normally see a commercial person, so now we are going to put a commercial person in this room as well. We’re always thinking about our customers ahead of everything.”

The outgoing Deputy Chairman and CEO of Royal Brunei Airlines, Dermot Mannion also spoke at the event, saying, “This is a state-of-the-art facility. Any airline in the world would be very proud to have the facility that we’ve now got, and as Karam says, in one area now, we have all of our key operations people present, which means they can monitor all of our activity across the network and do so very effectively.”

“It’s operating 24/7, so there could be 20 people operating in that area at any one time. In addition to the permanent staff in there, we have all the crews visit the area when they’re preparing for flights, so it’s a very active area all through the day and all through the night,” he added.

Also in attendance to witness the opening of the OCC were the RB Board of Directors and Darussalam Asset representatives as well as RB senior management and staff. Text by Danial Norjidi of Borneo Bulletin.

The photo of Captain Sharifah Czarena, Senior First Officer Dayangku Nadiah binti Pengiran Khashiem and Senior First Officer Sariana binti Nordin that spread around the world. Image courtesy of Royal Brunei Airlines’ Facebook Page.

There are so many things that I wanna talk about this picture. It went so viral that even big names such as Mashable and the newspapers in the UK were talking about it. The sharing of the image on Facebook reached into the millions of viewers with thousands of shares. It’s just phenomenal reach especially for a small country like Brunei.

The image of the three female pilots was taken during their flight from Brunei Darussalam to Jeddah during the 23rd February, the National Day. It was stated by former Deputy Chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines, Dermot Mannion, that it was coincidental that the roster featured three female pilots then.

Dermot was very proud that the RB brand has become viral even after weeks of posting. This is also a testament that there is an increasing number of female associates in the company namely engineering and also in the management team.

The incoming CEO of RB Karam Chand hopes the number of female representatives in the RB’s work force will improve to 50-50 especially in the management section. Currently it stands in the region of 40% of female employment.

Keep up the good job, RB! I’ve always been proud being a passenger of Royal Brunei.

 

The dance performance in closing the Japanese Language and Culture Week

Ms Bella won first place and the prize was presented by Ms Yuki IIDA from the Embassy of Japan in Brunei Darussalam

Times Square Shopping Centre ended its Japanese Language and Culture Week last Sunday, 20th March 2016. The event was held on 18th March, Friday until 20th March, Sunday at 10:00am till 10:00pm. The event was organized by Embassy of Japan in Brunei Darussalam, Times Square Shopping Centre and Japan Foundation. The co-organizers include Brunei Association of Japan Alumni (BAJA), Community Education & training Division (CET), BERSATU/SEAYP and supported by Japan Brunei Friendship Association (JBFA), The Japanese Association Brunei Darussalam, Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), The Japan Council of Local Authorities Relations (CLAIR), BJFA-UBD chapters, Language Centre, University Brunei Darussalam, Youth & Sport Department in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Brunei Kendo Alliance, Tsuburaya Production Co Ltd, Human Capacity Building Consultancy Services (HCBC) and One Universal Production Sdn Bhd (OUP).

Throughout the event there was a Manga workshop by a Manga artist from Japan, Ms Manaru Tenkawa, as well as a Calligraphy competition. The closing ceremony that was held yesterday started with the appearance of the heroes from Japan, Ultraman. The prize presentation then followed and was presented by Ms Yuki IIDA from the Embassy of Japan in Brunei Darussalam. For the Manga competition, the third place went to Khairul Anwar bin Abdul Aziz, whereas Justine Lim came second. Ms Bella won first place, walking home with two tickets to the Ultraman show. All the winners were also presented with manga related prizes sponsored by Ms Tenkawa.

The top 3 winners for Calligraphy competition were Redzwan Haji Nasir who came as first place, bringing home a CANON digital camera, whereas Lim Nyuk Lan came second, walking home with a G-Shock watch Afwan Jali won third place, bringing home $100 Kaizen food voucher. The event ended with a dance performance of “Soranbushi” by UBD, JENESYS and SSEAYP.

Moreover, Times Square Shopping Centre will be having a DC-themed Mini Carnival: 9th edition on 23rd March to 29th March 2016, followed with a Wedding Fair on 7th April to 10th April 2016. For further information, please call 2338208 or 2338006 during office hours. Press release by Times Square Shopping Centre.

One of the winners of the Calligraphy competition last weekend

 

Wu Chun as the ambassador for BMW China

Very few people in the world had the chance to be a brand ambassador for world-class brands such as Coca-Cola, Levis, Guerlain, Canon, Osim, Mido Swiss watch, Disneyland, Gatsby, Seven-Eleven and few others. BMW China has recently chosen Brunei’s second biggest export after oil and gas, Wu Chun, our very own international superstar as their spokesperson, who is also a brand ambassador for Royal Brunei Airlines.

A new car for the modern family— the first-ever BMW 2 Series Tourer was officially launched in the China market. Its also the first time BMW China has appointed a celebrity as their brand ambassador and they have chosen Wu Chun mainly because of his signature cool-trendy, inspiring and healthy family man image in the eyes of the public which BMW needed for this new target market.

In the BMW Group centenary year, the launch of the fourth localized BMW product – BMW 2 Series Tourer is another important milestone, a marker of BMW Brilliance’s localization process and commitment in China. This new car addresses a new customer group, strengthening the leading position of BMW brand in the premium car market, taking on a full vitality for “The Next 100 Years.”

Anton Heiss, president and CEO of BMW Brilliance remarked, “The first-ever BMW 2 Series Tourer marks a significant milestone of BMW Group’s commitment to China. This car precisely captured the new consumer trend in China.”

Wu Chun who recently did a TV commercial shooting for BMW just right after he wraps up his first Hollywood movie in Australia shared,” During my TVC shooting, I have the chance to drive the first-ever BMW 2 Series Tourer and this car comes with an innovative concept, combining BMW’s signature driving pleasure and versatility, and how customer-oriented BMW is.”

The award-winning BMW 2 Series (iF Design Award 2015), stands out as the most dynamic tourer car in the class. The extreme dynamic bodylines add a cool and sporty harmony, illustrating the signature look of a BMW car.

Jochen Goller, Dr. Anton Heiss, President and CEO of BMW China, Wu Chun and Olaf Kastner

Dr. Michael Liu, Kun Ling, Wu Chun, Dr. Anton Heiss and Jochen Goller

 

 

Even more efficient and dynamic: the new Porsche Cayenne

QAF Eurokars Sdn Bhd, the official importer of Porsche vehicles in Brunei, introduce the new Porsche Cayenne models to the Brunei market. A sharper design, boosted efficiency and extensive set of standard features: Those are the key characteristics of the new Porsche Cayenne. As a sports car among sport utility vehicles (SUVs), besides offering five seats and extensive high-end features, it primarily offers a lot of room for a lot of driving fun. With high performance and typical Porsche design DNA.

The new generation of the Cayenne will launch on the market: namely the Cayenne, Cayenne S, Cayenne Diesel, and the top-of-the-line Cayenne Turbo S. All Cayenne engine versions show improved performance figures as well as better fuel economy than comparable previous versions. A new engine is the 3.6-litre V6 biturbo of the Cayenne S that was fully developed by Porsche.

The Cayenne is a unique success story at Porsche. The company introduced the first generation in 2002. This vehicle made the idea of a sports car in the SUV segment a reality – and it set standards right from the start. Sales have exceeded all expectations: Over 276,000 first generation vehicles were produced (2002 to 2010), and around 303,000 units of the second generation, which was introduced in 2010, have already been produced so far. So the Cayenne is not only boosting profitable growth at Porsche, it is also creating a solid economic foundation for investments in future generations of sports cars.

Sharpened exterior design

In its latest version, Porsche designers have given the Cayenne an even sharper design with precise lines and purposefully placed light refracting edges. Entirely new are the design of the front body, the front wings and the bonnet. Also new are the airblades: These air fins on the right and left of the vehicle’s front end efficiently guide cooling air to the intercoolers and also make a strong visual statement.

At first glance, the new Cayenne can be clearly made out as a Porsche by its bi-xenon head-lights, which are standard in the base and S models, with “hovering” four-point LED daytime running lights that are typical of Porsche. The high performance standard of the top model, the Cayenne Turbo S, is emphasised by standard LED headlights with the Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS).

The rear section of the new Cayenne was also thoroughly updated: the layout of the rear lights creates a three-dimensional effect; the brake lights – like the LED daytime running lights in front – are designed in four elements. The license plate recess, boot handle and lights are now integrated more elegantly into the boot lid. Designers also re-designed the car’s horizontal lines, giving the vehicle an even fuller stance on the road. The newly designed exhaust tailpipes are now integrated in the lower rear section. An automatically activating boot lid is a standard feature.

In the interior, designers devoted much of their effort to the driver’s space – the driver now gets a new multifunction sport steering wheel with shift paddles as standard; its look and functions are based on the steering wheel of the 918 Spyder. They also made the rear seating system even more comfortable, and seat ventilation can now be ordered as an option for the rear seats.

Better efficiency

Power and torque were boosted while improving fuel economy: for Porsche these are not incompatible or contradictory goals; they were enabled by numerous individual modifications to the entire drivetrain. For instance, all new Cayenne models consume significantly less fuel, because of a coasting function, the further advanced “auto stop-start function plus” and optimised thermal management. Active cooling air flaps are now being used for the first time in the Cayenne models. They are located behind the middle air inlet and are controlled by engine management. They are opened or closed according to the specific driving situation and cooling needs; this way they adjust the air volume that is available for cooling. When they are closed they improve aerodynamics, which reduces air drag and thereby improves fuel economy.

The new 3.6-litre V6 biturbo engine of the Cayenne S, which was developed entirely at Porsche, is another example of how downsizing with reduced engine displacement and fewer cylinders does not compromise core values: the engine’s NEDC fuel consumption is between 9.5 and 9.8 l/100 km (223-229 g/km CO2), which is one litre less than with the previous V8 engine. The biturbo V6 develops a maximum power of 420 hp (309 kW) at 6,000 rpm – a gain of 20 hp/15 kW. The car’s torque of 550 Newton metres is available from 1,350 to 4,500 rpm (gain of 50 Newton metres). The previous power density of 83 hp (61 kW) per litre engine displacement was increased to 117 hp (86 kW) (gain of around 40 percent). With its standard eight-speed Tiptronic S transmission, the Cayenne S accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in just 5.5 seconds (5.4 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono package) – 0.4 seconds faster than the previous Cayenne S. The vehicle’s top speed is now 259 km/h (gain of one km/h).

The new Cayenne Turbo S – the top model of the sporty SUV model series. Its re-engineered 4.8- liter V8 biturbo engine now develops 570 hp (419 kW) and 800 Nm (590 ft lb) of torque. A chassis that is tuned for maximum driving dynamics and packs a wide range of control systems also makes the Cayenne Turbo S a genuine top athlete. It can turn a lap of the North Loop of the Nürburgring in 7:59.74 minutes. The Cayenne sets a new record for SUVs here, and it also proves that every Porsche is a genuine sports car – even in this vehicle segment.

The more spontaneous response of the biturbo engine is primarily a benefit of the integral turbochargers, which are now housed directly in the exhaust manifolds. This new approach also improves combustion. The high-performance engine offers 20 hp more power and 50 Nm (36.8 ft lb) more torque than the previous engine. The Cayenne Turbo S accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds – which is 0.4 seconds faster than the previous model (0 – 60 mph in 3.8 seconds). Its top speed is now 284 km/h (176 mph).

The Cayenne Turbo S also underscores its position as a top athlete in its chassis systems. Its standard Porsche Composite Ceramic Brakes (PCCB) include 420 mm front brake discs and, for the first time, ten-piston calipers. The rear brakes have 370 mm discs and four-piston calipers. The active roll stabilization system, Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) proactively reduces side tilt when driving through curves early on. Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) increases dynamic handling and stability by making specific brake interventions at the right or left rear wheel – this noticeably improves steering into curves and steering precision. The active hang-on all-wheel drive system Porsche Traction Management (PTM) permanently drives the rear wheels while offering fully variable power distribution to the front wheels. Some advantages of the interplay between all systems: excellent driving dynamics and traction as well as a high level of agility at any speed.

Standard features of the Cayenne Turbo S reflect the top level of this model. They include 21-inch wheels in distinctive 911 Turbo design with black painted edges, LED headlights including Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus (PDLS Plus), full-leather interior with Porsche logo embossed on all head restraints as well as interior carbon accents. Interior styling in a black/creme color combination is making its debut in the Cayenne Turbo S. Creating exterior visual accents are the air inlet surround at the front of the vehicle that is painted in high-gloss black, the undersides of the door mirrors in the same color and the roof spoiler and wheel arch moldings in car color. A sport exhaust system is available as an option in combination with a switchable sound symposer, which optimally transmits the V8 sound experience into the interior.

The diesel versions of the Cayenne combine sportiness with even better fuel efficiency. For example, the three-litre V6 engine in the Cayenne Diesel produces 262 hp (193 kW) at 4,000 rpm and has a fuel consumption of 6.6 to 6.8 l/100 km (173-179 g/km CO2). Thanks to its SCR system, the car already conforms to the EU6 emissions standard. In interplay with its torque of 580 Newton metres, from 1,750 to 2,500 rpm, the car can accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds (7.2 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono package), and its top speed is 221 km/h. The 4.2-litre V8 engine of the Cayenne S Diesel produces 385 hp (283 kW) at 3,750 rpm and a torque of 850 Newton metres from 2,000 to 2,750 rpm. From a standstill, it reaches 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds (5.3 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono package). Its top speed is 252 km/h, and its NEDC fuel consumption is 8.0 l/100 km (209 g/km CO2).

Chassis tuning of the new Cayenne was optimised for even greater comfort, naturally without compromising its dynamic pace. This makes the spread between comfort and sportiness even greater than before – and it validates the Cayenne claim to being the sports car in the SUV segment. Press release from QAF Eurokars Sdn Bhd.