An increase from last year’s intake 

Head of student representatives Muhd Romulus bin Muhd Roland speaking on behalf of the scholars

Last year it was above 40. This year, Brunei Shell Joint Venture (BSJV) awarded 54 students for scholarship programs and it is also the first time that a few scholars will be sent to Germany in August to pursue Mechanical Engineering at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.

The scholarship program has been one of the most sought program and they have been many applications as demands are increasing in these fields. In actual fact, around 234 people applied for this year’s program. Furthermore, there are many students who are taking such subjects and interests and it’s pretty evident on the increase numbers of intakes for this year’s edition. Forty students will be heading to the UK, two in the United States, two in Germany and ten in Brunei Darussalam.

Before being awarded, the scholars had to undergo a tough assessment set by BSJV. Did you know that BSJV have sent over 600 students and this is back dated from 1972. Amazing!! The scholars will also be given the opportunity to be placed for attachment during summer to gain more experience.

Present during the event were Azhar Hj Yahya, Commercial Director of Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) and the guest of honour Hjh Rosmawatty Hj Abd Mumin, Permanent Secretary (Upstream), Energy Department at the Prime Minister’s Office.

There was also tokens of appreciation to First Class Achievers and they are Lim Jong Hau, Han Wenxiu, Fiona Shim Siew Ying, Izzah Mardhiah Zulkipli and Farah Azyan binti Ali Umar Safri and they all received mini iPads :p

Congratulations to all the beneficiaries of the BSJV scholarship program and do make them proud and contribute back to the economy of Brunei 🙂

 

Azhar Hj Yahya, Commercial Director of Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) with the scholars

















Students pursuing Masters

Students pursuing Masters



Fiona Shim receiving a token as a First Class Achiever

Lim Jong Hau receiving a token as a First Class Achiever

Han Wenxiu receiving a token as a First Class Achiever 

Farah Azyan binti Ali Umar Safri receiving a token as a First Class Achiever

Izzah Mardhiah Zulkipli receiving a token as a First Class Achiever

A year journey  

Elizabeth Sim and her co-host Kevin Lo interviewing Chris Woo at Timeout with Liz last weekend

I missed the first show of Timeout with Liz and I didn’t realise it has been a year already. Good job on Elizabeth Sim to keep the show going despite the challenges that she has to go through over the period. Venue has always been a problem and it looks she has found a proper setting for her show. Last weekend she had two special guests – Chris Woo and Bridgette Ang as well as Joanna Kwan. There was also a food demo by Hip and Healthy during the 3rd segment of the show.

Overall the energy was great and so was the turn out. Great to see Zainal Bostaman and Joanne Tan to be involved in the show as well as Liz’ co-host Kevin Lo.I would like to congratulate Elizabeth on her one year anniversary of her show and things can only get better from here. I’m looking forward to your future shows this year and let’s start the 2nd year with a bang.

 

Chris Woo sharing his experience as a toastmaster and his world championship final experience 

All of them have something in common. There are all WCOPA Brunei representatives 

Joanna Kwan doing the Asian thing 

Joanne Tan helping out with the show. Good to see you again. 

Bridgette Ang, another WCOPA participant and I love her vocals 

Zainal setting the tone of the evening 

The ever charismatic Zainal 

Such a great turn out last weekend 

The couple behind Hip and Healthy 

 

Yasmine gets a DST treat  

Liyana Yus and Nadiah posed with a fan last week at the DST event

As part of DST’s “Ihsan Kasih” community program, over 30 orphans accompanied by their parents and guardians from the Tutong District between the ages of 8 and 17 were treated to movie outing to watch Brunei’s local film “Yasmine: The Movie” as well as have the opportunity to meet and greet the stars from the local Brunei film “Yasmine”.

The outing began with a welcoming reception at Dewan Kemasyarkatan in Tutong town by DST’s “Ihsan Kasih” volunteers where the children accompanied by their guardians were provided bus shuttle return transportation to the cinema in Empire Hotel & Country Club in Jerudong. At the cinema, the orphans were greeted by DST “Ihsan Kasih” volunteers.

DST also treated the children with a free popcorn and drink before they were ushered to their seats in the cinema joined by the stars themselves.

According to Elixsurian Hj Busu, Manager of Group Corporate Communications on the Ihsan Kasih initiative with Orphans, “DST have been proactive in arranging activities for orphans from fun futsal tournaments in Brunei-Muara district, educational trips to places like the Oil and Gas Discovery Centre (OGDC) in Seria, Belait District, and now a movie outing to the cinema. We are glad that we have the means and opportunity to give the orphans in Tutong a movie outing as currently Tutong does not have its own resident cineplex. At the same time, DST have the opportunity to share the enjoyable experience with the children and get to know them better”.

He also adds his positive views on the chosen film for the outing, “Feedback from many local viewers have recommended Yasmine as a movie that is universal for all ages as it also comes with various life lessons that can be learned. Also, as the movie is produced by our own local talents, it is also a means to inspiring the orphan children to believe that anything they dream of can be possible. We are fortunate that the director and actresses have taken their personal time to meet the children and to get to know them during this short time.”

After the movie the children were given the opportunity to an exclusive surprise meet and greet photo session with the stars from “Yasmine: The Movie”- Liyana Yus, Nadia Wahid, the movie director from Origin films, Siti Kamaluddin. The visit ended with DST providing DST “Ihsan Kasih” goodies to the children before their departure back to Tutong.

Also invited to the movie outing were DST’s corporate and premium clients as a token of appreciation for their loyalty and support to DST’s products and services throughout the years.

“Ihsan Kasih” is DST’s community program aimed to gather DSTians for voluntary work and to do beautiful things out of love, to help the less fortunate Bruneian, orphans and special needs community.

 

A great turn out from the DST event last Friday 

Radin Sufri of DST with the crew of Origin Films and the stars of Yasmine 

Photo opportunity with the stars 

Siti Kamaluddin appreciating DST and the audience  

The screening of Yasmine 

A great turn out last Friday 

Gotcha Liyana :p 

  

 

Just like the Oscars  

Nadiah Wahid, Siti Kamaluddin and Liyana Yus at the Gala Night Premiere of Yasmine at The Times Cineplex @ The Empire last night

What an interesting night!! For the first time in Brunei, I experienced what it is like to be in a movie premiere. Well, this is the Brunei version and I hope there will be more when we have more locally produced featured film from Brunei Darussalam. Of course, with the right sponsors and support, such gala night premiere will be easier to pull off. This is just the closest thing that we can experience to how other regional countries would do and even so more in Hollywood.

Origin Films the producers of Yasmine the movie have been creating major waves in Brunei Darussalam and outside Brunei. Yasmine recently won an award in Switzerland as it won the Best Asian Film in the Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival 2014. The crew have been busy promoting the movie through the local schools and also being featured in talk shows and on radio. Perhaps the viral effect of Yasmine the movie was the actual Yasmine Pose on social media which gave more branding awareness on Yasmine to the public.

I believe the marketing campaign struck the right chord and it was evident last night on the impact it created during the Gala Night or what we call the Premiere of Yasmine. Hundreds of people showed up during the event and it was a very much engaging crowd who showed much enthusiasm on our locally produced movie. The preview screenings for Yasmine today in both The Mall Cineplex and Times Cineplex are almost filled up and I’m pretty sure once it opens this Thursday, it will be a box office hit in Brunei.

I’m quite happy that Yasmine will also be screening in Indonesia and Singapore starting on the 21st of August. I’m not too sure about the other international release dates for now but whatever it is, the three markets mentioned show how much impact Yasmine has made, coming from Brunei alone. Indonesia is a huge market and that could potentially draw more box office revenue alone and hopefully recover the costs of the movie alone.

It was great to see other international celebrities who attended the Gala Night but the show belonged to the trio ladies – Siti Kamaluddin the director, Liyana Yus the main lead actor and Nadiah Wadih the supporting actress in Yasmine. Congratulations to Origin Films on making this into a reality and with the positive buzz that it has been receiving, Yasmine is a sure hit among the locals. More review on Yasmine the movie next week and of course, an episode of The Popcorn Panel (podcast).

 

 

The official trailer for Yasmine

 

Liyana looking gorgeous in her dress done by IKAT Indonesia @ikat_ind 

Siti Kamaluddin expressed her thanks to the sponsors and supporters who believed in this project 

Such a crowd last night  

Waiting the arrival of the trio of the main event 😀 

With the associates of BEDB and also those behind the BEDB LEAP grant which helped to fund some of Yasmine’s movie 

Representing Kristal FM, the official radio for Yasmine 

Coey, Ben and Wendy at the Gala Night 

My regular special guest of The Popcorn Panel, Seng Yee 

Happy to see my social media buddies at the Gala Night too 

  

 

For tomorrow  

Nationwide prayers for Palestine at 13 mosques at 10:45am tomorrow 

  

Yasmine bags first award  

Siti Kamaluddin receiving the award for Yasmine as the Best Asian Film in the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival 2014. Image courtesy of @NIFFFCongratulations to Siti Kamaluddin and her crew for winning the Best Asian Film in the recent Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival 2014 in Switzerland. Yasmine the movie has yet to be released in Brunei Darussalam and it has already been nominated for some awards regionally. The release date for Yasmine will be on 21st August 2014 in Brunei Darussalam and the same date will be released in Singapore and Indonesia as well.

Siti Kamaluddin who was recently in Switzerland to receive the award was very grateful for her team and she didn’t expect to win anything and furthermore, she was already contented on just being nominated among the other Asian movies. What amazed me is that Yasmine even managed to pip The Raid 2: Berandal in that same category and I truly love the Raid 2 because of its pure execution and artistic violence. Siti shared that Yasmine has the heart warming storyline as compared to The Raid 2.

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Siti was also shocked that it also beat out her favourite director Tsui Hark who directed Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon 3D in the award. Other movies listed in the Asian Film category were Kung Fu Divas (the Philippines), Live (Japan), Monsoon Shootout (India), That Demon Within (Hong-Kong), The Raid 2: Berandal (Indonesia), The Suspect (South Korea) and Young Detective Dee (China).

Congratulations once again to the Siti, Din and the whole crew of Origins Film in reaching a new milestone even if the movie isn’t even out yet in Brunei. Let’s not put pressure here now on what to expect on Yasmine the movie but let’s embrace the fact that we Bruneians are able to compete with other foreign talents given the opportunity.

The crew has making round visits to private and government schools in Brunei to a very warm reception. Currently Liyana the main star and her co-star Nadia are in Jakarta for a similar roadshow to increase awareness of Yasmine. With this news, I’m super excited and I can’t wait to attend the Premiere night of Yasmine the movie in August.

At the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival 2014 yesterday. Image courtesy of @NIFFF 

Siti Kamaluddin and Man Ching with the writer of Game of Thrones – George RR Martin at the film award. Image courtesy of @sitikamaluddin 

Meanwhile in Indonesia, Liyana and the gang made some visits to the local schools and talked about Yasmine. Image courtesy of @yasminethemovie