Loan Forgeron, French Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam (5th from right), Marina B. Laker, High Commissioner for Canada to Brunei Darussalam (4th from right) with the organiser Alliance Française and event partner The Collective Art Events and sponsors at the press conference for the upcoming Francophonie Week 2016 held at Alliance Française at Batu Bersurat

In honor of the 2016 ‘Semaine de la Francophonie’ / “Francophone Week 2016”, which is an annual French cultural week run by Alliance Francaise organisations globally as well as the 30th Anniversary of Alliance Francaise being in Brunei, Alliance Francaise Brunei will be launching a one week program of events to run from the 12th of March to the 20th of March that will aim to promote French culture, and celebrate the good cultural relations between France and Brunei.

The week long program will also aim to showcase the capabilities of Brunei’s local talents in terms of creative industries, events and the arts. Because of the network of Alliance Francaise organisations around the world. We hope to showcase to the world the potential of Brunei as a destination and also Bruneians talents.

The event partner: The Collective Art Events (@thecollectiveartevents) and is supported by the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism, The Embassy of the Republic of France in Brunei Darussalam, the High Commission of Canada, the Switzerland Consulate, The Laotian Embassy, The Vietnam Embassy.

The companies involved are Jerudong Park Playground, Baiduri Bank, Progresif, Cityneon Brunei, Image Inx, Airfrance, Radisson Hotel, Starlodge Hotel, Expressions Music, The Sequence Music Production, Industrie Brunei.

To Book tickets and view information and prices for each event, the public can visit the website hosted by Progresif.

The organisers and head of diplomats sharing their inputs for the upcoming event

Loan Forgeron, French Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, Shinny of The Collective Art Events, Marina B. Laker, High Commissioner for Canada to Brunei Darussalam and Cecile Cassou, a French journalist and photographer with Benny and Nabil (behind) from City Neon

The French words that will be showcased during Francophonie Week 2016

From the looks of it, Francophonie Week 2016 will be a huge event, even bigger than previous ones with multiple locations involved. Kudos to the parties involved in making this possible.

Loan Forgeron, French Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, stressed the importance of such event to promote diversification of culture and language of French in Brunei Darussalam. She highlighted how both French culture and language are linked and they can’t be separated. She also thanked all the partners and sponsors of the event and hope for more residents of Brunei to experience the Francophonie Week 2016.

Also present during the press conference was Marina B. Laker, High Commissioner for Canada to Brunei Darussalam. She shared that the Canada is the 2nd biggest donor after France of the Francophonie Week internationally and Canada has a very rich French culture. Canada has always been a strong member in the Francophonie event. Marina also said the event will show many cultural diversification and one of the events she highlighted was the closing ceremony where Melaine Gall, a vocalist from Canada, will be performing.

The movies that will be screened on the huge screen. First movie will be this Saturday entitled Win Win. Click image to see poster.

Outdoor festival event titled “Cine-Cite” (“City-Cinema”)

A three day festival that will transform a location over the opening weekend of Francophonie week with the “Cine-Cite” event. This will be a never before done event concept in Brunei, that combines a unique Franco themed open air night market that showcases local creative businesses, with an outdoor cinema screening a selection of French films selected by the Swiss embassy and Alliance Francaise, and local musicians such as Do It Good Records Preservation Blues Jazz Hall Band and friends, FN DUO, Arif Zainudin, Amal Murni performing throughout the night to supplement.

Each day will feature a changing selection of local vendors, musicians and films, with a special Saturday night showcase by Swiss born musician, Noga along with her French counterpart Patrick Bebey who are cultural envoys of the French Embassy and Alliance Francaise brought in especially for the event.

All to be held at Jubilee Park, Bandar Seri Begawan.

When: 12th March- , 4.30pm -10pm

Activities: Local vendors selling a variety of products from food to crafts

Local artist music showcase

Outdoors cinema of Swiss film Win Win

Photography exhibition for French journalist Cecile Castilla

I shall be posting more actives on the blog along the week for updates. So do stay tune.

The Caffé Verve kiosk at Alliance Française

The library at Alliance Française at the mezzanine floor

The interior of Alliance Française on the ground floor

Love the flat white at Caffè Verve kiosk. They will be opening an actual cafe pretty soon.

 

Group photo of the participants of the 53rd Brunei ITF Junior Circuit 2016 with the committee and tournament referee at the National Tennis Centre. Click image to enlarge.

It’s happening starting today till Sunday, the 53rd Brunei ITF Junior Circuit 2016 at the National Tennis Centre. 64 players are slated for the title in the men’s draw with favourites Shinji Hazawa to take the title. He has the luxury of the draw because there won’t be any Koreans playing in the tournament. The Koreans dominated the tournament back in December 2015 but I am not sure why they are not participating in this tournament.

Public is more than welcome to catch some tennis action at National Tennis Centre. Brunei will be represented by Md Nurul Andi Hambali who has been training in Australia, Timothy Lim and Zen Sii.

Rahul, Arun, Tim and Zen (coached by Aiman Abdullah) taking part in the tournament. Good luck.

Jordan Unger of Australia beat Timothy Lim of Brunei 6-2 6-1 in the first round

Timothy Lim in action against Jordan

Favourite Shinji Hazawa seed No.1 beat Manuel Balce III in straight sets 6-1 6-0

 

This is it. After many months, the contest is back again for toastmasters. This time it will be International Speech (Inspirational) Contest and Table Topics Contest (the impromptu ones). With many seasoned speakers giving way for the newbies, I’m delighted to see participation from new faces of the toastmasters club that I’m currently in – Brunei Speakers’ Club.

The likes of Syatrah, Heidi, Adah, Maudena, Faiz, Jidun and the list goes on. So do come and support the contest which will be held tomorrow night (Tuesday 8th March) at Seameo Voctech and do refer to poster for details. Seameo Voctech is currently opposite the Gadong market and after the simpang of Taurean Arch. Good luck to all the contestants and I truly admire your tenacity and courage to be part of the contest.

Below are just some of the events that have been happening in relating to toastmasters. In Brunei Darussalam, we have four toastmasters club. It could have been five but the HSBC speakers’ club is now defunct. The existing ones are Brunei Speakers’ Club (the mother club for Brunei), OTTERS (Oil Town Talkers) Club in Seria, UBD Toastmasters Club, the youngest club of them all and finally the Brunei Advanced Speakers’ Club.

Recently there was a joint meeting (collaboration) with Brunei toastmasters and Miri toastmasters which was held at OGDC in late February. It was led by new member of OTTERS, Naj Tarif, who was the organizing chair for this event. It was very courageous of him to take this heavy role especially since he is still a new member. The joint meeting went pretty well and the members from Miri truly learnt something from the Brunei toastmasters. I do hope for more collaboration between Brunei and Miri to further strengthen the bonds and relations while learning from each other.

Recently Delwin Keasberry, popularly known as @bruneitweet, gave an insightful presentation on being a good public speaker. He is currently a member of the Brunei Advanced Speakers’ Club and he is also an accomplished speaker, involving in many conferences locally and abroad. Keep it up, dude.

Congratulations to our newest member Afwa Mawawi for her first speech ice-breaker last week too and yes, I do agree with your points in your speech about “Embracing Change” for the betterment of our future. You can read more of the recaps of our Brunei Speakers’ Club meeting and who knows one day you can experience being a member of toastmasters.

The joint meeting between Brunei and Miri toastmasters held at OGDC in late February.

The toastmasters from Brunei Darussalam. Image by Reuben Chin.

The toastmasters from Miri. Image by Reuben Chin.

Shawn documenting the speeches during the joint meeting

Delwin Keasberry, a member of Brunei Advanced Toastmasters Club, delivering a talk on being a public speaker during a meeting at Brunei Speakers’ Club at Seameo Voctech

Afwa Mamawi breaking the ice with her first speech last week at Brunei Speakers’ Club.

 

The winners and consolation winners of the Brunei Darussalam Tennis Association Open Singles first leg with John Chia, BDTA Treasurer and Rasheed Abdullah, Tournament Secretary of BDTA at the National Tennis Centre

Aiman Abdullah taking a wefie with his tennis buddies

Late post: Last week, Aiman Abdullah claimed another trophy to add to his many list of collection when he dominated his young opponent Rajvir Jutla from the UK 6-0 6-0 in the finals of the Brunei Darussalam Tennis Association Open Singles first leg. He had a tougher encounter against Billy Wong in semis but he was mentally prepared for the finals and he congratulated Rajvir for making it this far.

The best part for the tournament was the emerging of younger tennis players and they showed that they can play in a competitive environment, giving them more confidence and exposure. For instance, Ben Sii (13 years old) won the consolation bracket against Darlin Sia in straight sets and now Ben Sii is currently in Sri Lanka for the the ITF World Junior Tennis Competition in Sri Lanka. Over there, he lost to his Iraqi opponent 6-0 6-2.

In the ladies’ open, powerhouse Australian Leah Gander dominated the tournament with convincing victories in the semi-finals and finals. She beat Japanese Hiromi Okochi 6-1 6-1 to claim her first title of the BDTA Open Singles. Lena Ang won the consolation trophy as she overcome her opponent Sharon in tie breaker after finishing in a 1-1 set.

BDTA treasurer John Chia handed the prizes to all the top winners of the tournament. The competition consisted of 22 players in the mens and 7 players in the ladies.

In other tennis news, there will be a Junior ITF tournament hosted at National Tennis Centre which started yesterday. Hence, the courts won’t be available until 13th March after the conclusion of the tournament. Good luck to the Brunei representatives in the Junior ITF tournament.

Ben Sii and Lena Ang winning their consolation matches last week. Well done 😀

Monica and Ben supporting Lena’s match

Darlin Sia played his consolation match against Ben Sii. He has a strong first serve.

Ian volunteering to be a temporary ball boy in Lena-Sharon’s match

Hiromi Okochi in action

The women finalist – Leah Gander and Hiromi Okochi

The men finalist – Rajvir Jutla and Aiman Abdullah

 

Congratulations to Hj Saifullah Hj Ramli for finishing 2nd int he 2016 60km Ultra Marathon Sabah. He is also an ambassador for Tri-ULTRA, a sporting local stor in Brunei Darussalam.

Haji Saifullah Haji Ramli #gpul made the nation proud after he finished second at the 2016 60km Ultra Marathon Sabah yesterday.

The Bruneian ultra-marathoner completed the 60km race with a time of five hrs 52 mins 20 seconds behind the champion from Malaysia Jifree Pulok who recorded a time of five hours 27 mins 29 seconds.

The Ultra Marathon attracted a total of 140 runners from – the hosts Malaysia, Australia, Singapore, Sweden, USA, United Kingdom including 16 from Brunei – competed for the top honours.

You can read more of his comments here from The Brunei Times. Image courtesy of Yaty Yassin and story by Azri Metussin of The Brunei Times.

 

The management unveiling the logo of Swoop Dart’s, a newly established for electronic darts in Brunei. Congratulations.

Dart has become a new trend in Brunei Darussalam. Ever since the emergence of the soft tip darts. It has become popular hobby and I know a few of my friends who have taken up the hobby with the introduction of the soft tip electronic dart game.

Yesterday was the launch of a newly opened dart establishment called Swoop Dart’s which is located just behind Taurean Arch and it’s located on the first floor.

The management unveiled the logo to officiate the opening of the business and also present were the management of VSPhoenix Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Brunei Dart Association. The machines used are from VSPhoenix made in Korea. The Managing Director of VSPhoneix Malaysia Sdn Bhd talked briefly about the VSPhoenix Electronic Dart machines and its benefits.

There are many modes to choose from such as fun-goers, amateurs and even up to the professional level. What makes it interesting is the “Global” mode where you can challenge others and the webcam makes it more interesting so you won’t be caught cheating *lol* I kinda like the idea that the value of the Phoenix Card starts at $1 dollar and it can be topped up by using tokens which are available at the store.

The mission of the Swoop Dart’s is also to bring our local talents to abroad to compete in the international level which is a great sign indeed.

The Swoop Dart’s company is opened daily from 12pm to 10pm. So Hui Chiet, let’s play some darts, shall we? 😀

The crowd yesterday at the opening

A Malaysian darter being invited to play

Angus of Panacom doing the honour as being the emcee for the opening ceremony. Nice one.

The VSPhoenix Electronic Dart Machine.

 

Notice from At-Taqwa Travel Tours

Check out their booth at 11th RB Belait Travel Fair at Pusat Insani

Some of the promotional fares

 

The national junior tennis team before their departure to the ITF World Junior Tennis Competition in Sri Lanka in a group photo with BDTA officials. Brunei last participated in the tournament in 1996 when they were hosts.

Written by Yee Chun Leong of The Brunei Times. Brunei headed off to the ITF (International Tennis Federation) World Junior Tennis Competition in Sri Lanka with no expectations last Wednesday.

The trio of Ben Sii, Harry Kwang and Kieran Lai will contest in the pre-qualifiers of both the singles and doubles events and are accompanied by their coach Mohd Aiman Abdullah at the March 4-9 competition.

It will be a long-awaited return to the competition for Brunei, which last participated in the tournament in 1996 when they were hosts.

Aiman had previously told The Brunei Times that he has no expectations and that it is more important the players get some much needed exposure at this young age.

With their families before sending them off at the Brunei International Airport

Ben Sii being interviewed by Yee Chun Leong

Kieran was all smiles during the interview

Photo opportunity with the coach and Brunei players. Thank you Armtrix Enterprise for sponsoring the attire.

The players prepping for the opening ceremony in Sri Lanka. All the best.

Sii knows the level of difficulty but hopes that he will be able to at least win a game.

“I’m feeling a bit nervous but I will try to get at least one game,” said Sii before the team’s departure at the Brunei International Airport in Berakas.

“It will be a challenge for me because the players from the other countries are more prepared.

“We started training last year while others would have been doing that for at least two years now. But I’m ready to play as training got tougher as the date got closer to the tournament,” he added.

Lai, who started out in the sport two years ago, is hoping for the best.

“I’m prepared for it and I’m going there more for the experience,” said Lai. “I’m looking to score some points, and my fitness is still low but it is getting better,” added the 13-year-old.

On the other hand, Kwang hopes to be able to learn more from his stronger opponents.
“I’m going there to have fun. Training was very intense and I believe that it has paid off,” said Kwang. “I’m just a bit nervous and I have no expectations but I’m feeling confident.

“I want to gain as much experience and exposure from this trip and looking forward to making some new friends to learn more about tennis,” he concluded.

Also present at the Brunei International Airport to send the team off were BDTA secretary general Hj Zuraimi Hj Abd Sani, treasurer John Chia and tournament secretary Abd Rasheed Abdullah.

Meanwhile, the 53rd Brunei ITF Junior Circuit will be held from March 8-13 at the National Tennis Centre of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas.

The previous edition in December saw the trio of Timothy Lim, Zen Sii and Mohd Nurul Andi Hambali represent the Sultanate and they all stumbled in the first round.

South Korea’s Jeong Yeongseok and Chinese-Taipei’s Shih Hsin-Yuan won the boys’ and girls’ titles at the 52nd edition of the tournament in December.

 

The 2014 “Car of the Year” Peugeot 308 made its debut in Brunei Darussalam and it has been showcased to the public. So yesterday, I had the privilege to test drive the Peugeot 308 on the road with the other local press.

We drove along the highway to check out its dynamic cruise control. I have to say this is my first experience using cruise control and I am amazed on how the intelligent the AI of the Peugeot 308 is. It’s able to detect the speed of the car in front of you and it will maintained at the speed and distance automatically along the highway. This means you don’t have to use the accelerator (again, useful for long journeys to KB or Muara) while driving on the highway. This function can be activated form 40km/h and manages a speed delta between vehicles of 30km/h maximum. The “Dynamic Cruise Control” is only available on the hi spec version of Peugeot 308.

The parking assist is also the highlight of the Peugeot 308. It can do reverse parking as well as parallel parking. All you have do is play around with the brakes and shifting of the gears. Again, this car is very ideal for those who don’t favour parking manually.

The i-cockpit of the Peugeot 308 is also very ideal for the driver where all the information is displayed on one screen which makes it very convenient for the driver especially while driving. You might be wondering why a smaller feel of the compact steering wheel. Well, one reason is that so you can have a better view of the Head-up Instrument Panel. The LED lights inside the Peugeot 308 gives it an interesting feel when night falls. This feature is only available on the hi spec version though.

There is so many things to love about the Peugeot 308 and it has been receiving quite well in Brunei market. This will be a great buy especially for the young executives. There’s the standard spec version and also the hi spec version. You can follow their Facebook page for updates or their official website for other models.

You can visit the Peugeot Showroom at Kiarong (near roundabout).

Check out the LED lights

Test driving the Peugeot 308 on the road yesterday

The parking assist

Good indicators on the status of the Peugeot 308

 

Taken of the MIXEL Brunei Facebook page. So you know the locations, you know who to look out for… Let the search begin everyone! The Finding MIXEL contest has officially begun.

You’ve got a whole month to search for your favourite characters – from now until 31st March 2016 – so start looking!!

To take part, simply snap a photo of yourself (or your friends/family) with any MIXEL that has a hidden character inside and follow the rules below!

How can you win?
1) Take a photo with your favourite character in the MIXEL
2) Tag MIXEL Brunei page on your photo with#findingMIXEL
3) The MIXEL logo and the artwork must be visible in your photo
4) Make sure your profile is public and visible to MIXEL’s page
5) Only one entry is allowed per person
6) You must complete all the conditions above to be eligible for the Lucky Draw on 1st April 2016

Prizes are sponsored by The Brunei Hotel, GLOT Lifestyle, Takaful Brunei, Jerudong Park Playground, Sweet Nonya, FoodPanda and Euroclassic Collection

 

The all new Audi Q7. Lighter by over 325kg over the precious model #TheGreatQ

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

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

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

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

The new Audi Q7 also recently earned the top 5-star rating in the Euro NCAP safety rating in January.

The new Audi Q7

 

Photography by Toby Canham. Image from Getty Images.

Who’s gonna take the major awards in the Oscars today? So far Mad Max has six wins out of 10 with two more left to go – Best Direction and Best Picture. I’m hoping it gets another two. I don’t mind Revenant taking the awards too especially for Leonardo DiCaprio for Best Actor. This will be his fourth nomination in the Oscars but he failed to win any. His previous ones were in The Aviator, Blood Diamond and The Wolf of Wall Street. I believe he deserved this moment to win his performance in the Revenant.

It’s a bit awkward though the atmosphere in the Oscars as it has been some controversy due to the whites versus blacks situation in the nominees. Chris Rock is the host of the Oscars and the #OscarsSoWhite is trending on social media. Let’s hope for more coloured representatives in the next Oscars.

 

Royal Brunei (RB) is set to host its 11th travel fair, featuring various promotions, packages and activities.

The news was announced yesterday, in a press conference at the Royal Brunei Recreational Club (RBRC), which was chaired by Ali Rahim bin Haji Abdul Rani, the Marketing Manager of RB.

Seven travel agents are participating in this year’s fair: Pan Bright Travel Services, Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd, At-Taqwa Travel Tours Sdn Bhd, Anthony Tours and Travel Agency Sdn Bhd, Century Travel Centre Sdn Bhd, Freme Travel Sdn Bhd and Southern Cross Travel Agencies
Visitors purchasing RB fares at the two-day Belait Travel fair are automatically eligible for RB’s Grand Draw, with a chance to win two return economy-class tickets to Dubai and Melbourne.

Meanwhile, visitors purchasing RB tickets with full payments are eligible for the lucky draw held at 12pm and 8pm on both days. Winners will receive prizes in the form of an economy-class ticket to Shanghai, Bangkok, Jakarta or Bali; and some RB merchandise.

Ali Rahim Hj Abdul Rani, Marketing Manager of Royal Brunei, (2nd from right), chairing the press conference last week

And those purchasing RB tickets in full payment, and a minimum spending of $500, are eligible for “The Betterfly Game”, with a chance of winning a five per cent discount voucher.

In the meantime, one of the exhibitors at the fair, Pan Bright Travel Service, has lined up attractive deals for customers, which will last until March 27. Among the prizes on offer during the promotional period will be a Hyundai Accent, and RB-sponsored flights to London, Melbourne and Bali.

Among the other exhibitors at the 11th Belait Travel Fair are Baiduri Bank, Tourism Malaysia, Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD), Data Stream Technologies (DST) and Sabre (formerly Abacus).

The Belait Travel Fair will be open to the public at the Pusat Insani in Seria, from 9am to 8pm on March 5-6. Text by Rokiah Mahmud of Borneo Bulletin.

Meanwhile, this picture became viral on social media as it was being shared from Royal Brunei’s Facebook Page. They are RB’s first ever female trio at the flight deck: Captain Sharifah Czarena, Senior First Officer Sariana and Senior First Officer Dk Nadiah in the flight deck prior to operating flight BI081 from Brunei to Jeddah. The image has reached at least 2 million views.

RB associates during the National Day parade last week

The photo opp for both Australian Leah Gander and her opponent Chong Ming Rui. The Australian won her semifinal match last night

The semi finals ended on a high note for all the participants. It was the first time I watched a top billing match between Aiman Abdullah and Billy Wong. I have heard many good reviews of their previous matches and to date, Billy Wong is Aiman’s toughest opponent to date.

It was the first time that I’ve seen Aiman (my unofficial coach) in a competitive match and yes, he was stretched to the limit by 4th seed Billy Wong. The rallies were just awesome to watch and it reminds me of the rivalry between Pete Sampras and Jimmy Courier in the 90s. End to end stuff and I do agree with Aiman that the scores 6-1 6-2 in favour of Aiman wasn’t a proper reflection of the match display by Billy. He had great ground strokes and not forgetting his powerful backhand. Good job to both players and I can’t wait to see more matches like this.

In the other semi-finals, Rajvir Jutla needed three sets to overcome Filipino Juliano Licup 1-6 7-6 (4) 6-2 last night. He will now face No.1 seed Aiman Abdullah in the finals tonight. Both have met on a few occasions but Aiman is the man to beat for the tournament. The match will be slated for tonight’s game at 7pm at the National Tennis Centre.

In the ladies’ semi-finals of the Brunei Darussalam Tennis Association Open Singles 1st Leg, Australian Leah Gander beat Chong Ming Rui while Japanese Hiromi Okochi beat Sin Yi. The ladies’ finals will take place tonight also at the same venue.

Chong Ming Rui and Monica Okochi

Rajvir Jutla in action in the semi-finals

Sin Yi in her semi-final match

Hiromi Okochi wining her semi-final match last night

Lena Ang won her maiden match in the consolation category

Ben Sii also winning his consolation match

Aiman Abdullah upped his game against a tough opponent

Billy Wong giving his best he could last night. Love his powerful ground strokes and back hand too.

 

Drop by The Mall, Gadong, to check out the new Peugeot 308

The soft launch of the Peugeot 308 was marked with a mini Roadshow at The Mall, Gadong. Experience the new hatchback’s modern aerodynamic shape and detailing, with its compact dimensions and a much reduced weight compared to its predecessor.

Its driving experience is unprecedented and its CO2 emissions represent a record by leading the market sector (from 82g/km and 3.1 l/100 km / 91.1mpg). The aerodynamic properties, like the effect of weight, are key factors for reducing the vehicle’s environmental footprint.

Sleek and dynamic, the new Peugeot 308 has well-balanced proportions. Pure lines which follow the engineering structure create a sturdy appearance and a precise balance between elegance, sportiness and high-quality.

At the front, a large centrally-placed grille, surrounded with chrome, emphasises the upmarketelegance of the new PEUGEOT 308. Full LED headlamps are specified as standard on the higher levels of finish.

It also prioritises safety with features such as cruise control, emergency collision alert and braking system, park-assist function and blind spot monitoring. A highlight is its i-Cockpit, which includes the head-up instrument panel. This feature, based on the Peugeot website, displays the necessary information while helping to ‘keep eyes on the road’.

For more information, sales representatives of the sole distributor of Peugeot in the nation, TCY Motors Sdn Bhd will be at the showcase, which ends March 2. The company is also giving a five-year free service to anyone who purchase the Peugeot 208 and 408.

The back rear view of the Peugeot 308

The interior view of the Peugeot 308

 

New dishes at Pepper Lunch

As part of the celebrations for their official launch, Pepper Lunch has launched a new dish on the menu, the Cheesy Teppan Risotto.

The rich delicious dish, available from now til the end of April comes in two varieties, a choice of salmon and prawn or chicken and prawn. Priced at $13.90, the risotto is a hearty and decadent meal for your tummy, and for a top-up of $3, you can enjoy it with a drink and a side dish.

Pepper Lunch is located Setia Kenangan 2 Building, Kiulap and operates from 10am to 10pm daily. You can follow ‘Pepper Lunch Brunei’ on Facebook or Instagram @pepperlunchbn

 

 

Click image to enter website

The Education UK Exhibition taken last year.

Interested in furthering your studies in the UK?

The Education UK Exhibition enables you to meet representatives from 40 UK Universities, attend super helpful seminars, chat with UK alumni and find plenty of useful information. Plus, there will be amazing goodies to bring back home too!

You’ll also get plenty of advice from representatives of the participating institution such as course fees and accommodation and perhaps more tips while studying abroad. I’ve never been to the UK for studies and it’s the most popular destination for Bruneians to further their studies. With the A results being released recently, this is a great opportunity for students to scout for the right course. Also involved is the Ministry of Education to cater for Scholarship prospects from Brunei. Hence the Scholarship Unit and the National Accreditation Council will be there for assistance. I would highly recommend The Education UK Exhibition hosted by the British Council.

So remember to join us on Sunday, 21 February 2016 at the Indera Samudra Grand Hall, The Empire Hotel from 2pm to 7pm.

Don’t forget to pre-register at https://bn.edukexhibition.org and stand a chance to win a SMART TV – we’ve got two up for grabs! See you this Sunday!

 

The National Day march practice earlier this morning. Associates of BIBD taking part in the march. Image courtesy of @marul69

The Ikrar team practising at the Taman SOAS

About 21,000 people are expected to participate in the 32nd National Day celebrations at Taman Hj Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien in the capital.

Permanent Secretary of Culture, Youth and Sports Dato Paduka Dr Hj Affendy Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Hj Abidin said 126 teams will be involved in the parade including 7,000 students, 5,000 people in the march past while 500 people will make up thehadrah team.

Speaking during a press conference yesterday, he said uniformed personnel, government agencies, the private sector and non-profit organisations will take part in the march past.

In his capacity as co-secretary of the celebration’s executive committee, Dato Dr Hj Affendy said the National Day theme of “Generasi Berwawasan” (Visionary Generation) has been retained this year.

He added that the full dress rehearsal for the celebrations will take place on February 20.

Assistant Chief of Adat Istiadat Pg Dr Hj Hidup Pg Hj Samsuddin reminded guests to confirm their attendance to the department as soon as possible.

He said invitations are non-transferrable and guests must adhere to the prescribed dress code.

Members of the the public were urged to attend the thanksgiving prayers and recitation of Surah Yaasin that will take place in the afternoon of February 22 at all mosques and prayer halls across the country, with the focal point at Masjid Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien in the capital.

Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) Senior Superintendent Hj Md Hassan Pehin Penyurat Hj Ahmad, acting director of the Traffic Investigation and Control Department (JSKLL) said several car park areas need to be vacated before the National Day parade begins starting today till February 23. These areas include the Madrasah car park, the car park area along Jln Kianggeh, Jln McArthur, Jln Sultan, Jln Stoney, Jln Sumbiling, Jln Pehin Isa, Jln Pengiran Shahbandar, and Jln Istana Darussalam. Motorists can use alternative car park areas including the road along Jln Kianggeh towards Jubilee Hotel leading to Jln Subok and along Jln Residency towards the Arts and Handicrafts Centre leading to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

He said four locations have been identified as drop-off points for participants from education institutions, government agencies and private sector that use buses. These locations are the bus terminal on Jln Cator, Jln Bendahara, Jln Pehin Dato Isa and Jln Sumbiling. Text courtesy of Rafidah Hamit of The Brunei Times.

The Brunei youth practising their ikrar at a car park area

The ladies representatives for the ikrar practising at Tennis National Centre

Team RB march practice in town earlier today

 

Wow, our friend Derby Teo @derbilicious made a surprise visit to her old club, Brunei Speakers’ Club, last week. She’s currently studying in Seoul, Korea, under a scholarship program. Kudos for winning Table Topics last week. To read more, you can click on the image.

Did you know that we actually have a blog for recaps on our Brunei Speakers’ Club (toastmasters) weekly meetings? It’s not just one person behind the scene that keeps the blog updated on a weekly basis and I’m happy to be one of the contributors. We are divided into three roles per week – the copy writer, photographer and proof reading. The club’s Vice-President of Public Relations, Gerald Goh, has been the main person manning the club’s website for this term and he has done a tremendous job so far. And the same can be said for his team players for helping the tasks needed to maintain the blog/recaps. Keep it up..

For those interested to attend our Toastmasters meeting, it’s every Tuesday evening 7:30pm at Seameo Voctech. There will be guest fees of BND 5 and for students, it will be BND 3. The membership presence have been very encouraging and one of the highest for Brunei Speakers’ Club in many years. It’s always great to know my fellow friends willing to learn of being a leader and a communicator. So far my mentees are Shafiq (UBD Toastmasters), Heidi and our new member Syatrah 🙂 Thank you in believing in me to help you guide in your journey as a toastmaster.

If you want to read our recap meeting for last week, you can click here for the blog entry.

The faces of Table Topics Speakers last week at Brunei Speakers’ Club

 

Yee Chun Leong of The Brunei Times taking photo of the Brunei delegates heading to Sri Lanka in March 2016.

Mohd Aiman Abdullah (C) with Kieran Lai (L) and Harry Kwang at the National Tennis Centre of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas. Lai and Kwang will be joined by Ben Sii at next month’s ITF World Junior Tennis Competition in Sri Lanka, where they will be coached by Aiman. Image courtesy of Yee Chun Leong of The Brunei Times.

Definitely not me (for Sri Lanka). I just follow Aiman’s training session with the youngsters on a daily basis. As you may have read today’s paper in The Brunei Times, Brunei will making a presence in the ITF (International Tennis Federation) World Junior Tennis Competition in Sri Lanka this coming March.

Three Bruneians will be presented by Ben Sii, Harry Kwang and Kieran Lai and they will compete in the pre-qualifiers for both singles and doubles. They have been very busy will the training sessions as a group and also have individual sessions with Aiman Abdullah, their head coach. This is a great move for the juniors to participate as it will give them a sense of exposure in terms of competing among the best juniors around the world. For the your info, it has been a while since Brunei took part in the competition overseas and I know the juniors are pretty excited and nervous at the same time. All in all, it will be a great experience for them regardless of the outcome of the matches.

Aiman has been approaching his training methods to accommodate the standards of the our juniors. We may not be the level where regional players are but it’s a good start that tennis is slowly becoming a growing sports in the country and thumbs up to Aiman for his dedication, commitment and contribution to the tennis community in Brunei.

Also big thanks to the parents and families of the participants for allowing them to travel with Aiman for the competition in Sri Lanka. Special thanks to Armtrix Enterprise for sponsoring the tracksuits. They will be heading to Sri Lanka on 2nd of March for at least a week.

Apart from the usual training, Aiman also dedicated a special slot for juniors especially the newbies ages 5 and above every Friday from 5 to 6pm. The responses have been encouraging and hopefully we can find new talent in the making in tennis. I may be in my early 40s but man, tennis is still my passionate sport. So you can catch me there most of the late afternoons at the Brunei National Centre. A big thank you to Aiman for training me and the juniors too. It does make me feel much younger minus my fitness level 😀

Ben Sii will be joining as well

Group photo yesterday with Aiman Abdullah, Brunei’s No.1 tennis player, Ian Chok (grey top), national tennis player, and the trainees – Sin Yi, Henry, RA, Rahul, Zen, Kieran, Tim and Harry

Aiman helping out with the session with the beginners every Friday at Tennis National Centre

Rahul taking some time to pose as a tennis umpire but only for show :p

 

Kicking off the new year with a beach gathering with my tennis buddies and coach Aiman Abdullah at Muara Beach

It feels great to be back on the court. I really love tennis, even at this age of reaching the four zero, my passion will override my physical being. I have many deadlines but only little to do with blog related. Though I have many stories to share, I shall be focusing more on my final draft to complete my 10th speech project.

Toastmasters. My final speech project for toastmasters (Competent Communicator) is scheduled for next Tuesday, 12th January. If you are interested to catch and be inspired, you are more than welcome to catch me live at Brunei Speakers’ Club meeting at SEAMEO Voctech at 7:30pm. As a toastmaster, I’ve learnt not only to be an affluent speaker but learning the ropes of a true leadership in guiding and mentoring members along the way. It’s always difficult to break the stigma that many thought that toastmasters is all about “talking/speaking” in public and that has become their biggest fear than taking a ride on a rollercoaster. So it is always nice to hear guests’ comments that they benefited from being a spectator, witnessing how role players played important roles in helping others to grow with positive criticism.

It took me three years to realise this as I wasn’t being present (in my mind) during toastmasters meeting back in 2011. After returning back to the arena, I rediscovered a whole new game and only then, I saw the true core values that I aspired to be and I never looked back since. Hence, I’m here as a toastmaster to make a difference, be the difference, in aspiring others to take the first step to grow as a leader and we have many qualified mentors to guide you through that journey. A big thank you to Shawn Narcis for seeing and believing in me and now I have a huge responsibility as I’m the organizing chair for the upcoming Brunei Toastmasters Conference in October 2016. I’m excited and also nervous.

Employment. Today’s headlines seems to be bring some hope to our community. It read – “Unemployment declines by 7% in October”. This data was issued by JPKE (Department of Economic Planning and Development). But then again, they have reported that these figures doesn’t really represent that the decline means that the jobseekers have a job. There are factors relating such as the previous registered jobseekers have left for further studies and also a handful have not renewed their registration as job seekers. Hence, it’s not a complete data representation but it’s the most comprehensive data to date. I’m pretty sure that not all jobseekers registered themselves as “jobseekers” to give a more accurate assessment on the level of unemployment in Brunei. With the decline of oil prices, there have been a major shake up in the oil and gas industry with some private companies forced to downsize their operations, hence low employment opportunities as compared to before.

Other streams of opportunities. So much emphasis has been given on SMEs. Let me spell it out – Small Medium Enterprises. It was good news to hear that His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’zzaddin Waddaulah and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam said in his titah to call for a new body to handle SME. This highlights how we are too reliant on the Oil and Gas sector and did you know that almost 90% of our revenue generates from that sector alone. There were also changes in the some of the SME divisions in the Brunei Economic Development Board. Some of the divisions/departments from BEDB have been transferred to the Ministry of Energy and Industries. I’m not sure how the governing body of SMEs will run the system but it will be nice if all the separate bodies of SMEs to work under one-roof and bring out the best in our entrepreneurs. Let’s see how 2016 will unfold for them.

The new eye of Kiulap. There is so much difference when you compare Setia Kenangan I and Setia Kenanga II buildings. The latter is located next to Regent Square and it’s picking up pace in terms of retailers. It’s quite amazing how shops and brands are popping up in times of the depreciating oil prices. We have the likes of Pepperlunch, Tomato KidZ (kids furniture), Wrap in a Box, Nerdee Cafe, Games & Latte cafe, two Escape rooms, WoMen salon (co-owned by Wu Chun), Alsa Living, Yugo Desserts (coming soon), De Cottage and the newly relocated Euro Classic which hasn’t been opened yet. I’m beginning to like the selection and choices of shops at Setia Kenangan II. The only problem is that there will be more road congestion leading to Regent Square and Setia Kenangan II.

Wu Chun officially launched the opening of the WoMen salon in Setia Kenangan II, Kiulap last Sunday. Image courtesy of Vincent Hong.

Wu Chun with his daughter during the opening of the salon. Image courtesy of Vincent Hong.

At the cutting edge of the rising global beauty industry, WoMen Hair, a unisex hair salon which started their first outlet in Taiwan, is a dream team of talents who are driven to create a new revolution in re-defining the real power of Asian beauty.

Behind the curtain of Women Hair is a team of award winning stylists and international celebrities. WoMen hair creates a state-of-the-art technology with top-end platform for aspiring trendsetters and successful figures that pursue an artistic taste of a cosmopolitan lifestyle.

The WoMen Hair salon is now officially opened in Brunei and this is an extension of Wu Chun’s personal philosophy. Wu Chun shared, “Our end goal is to deliver happiness to our clients. WoMen Hair is both hip and incredibly relaxed – the perfect environment for exceptional consultation, styling and attention. It is more about being private than about being exclusive.“

Coined the ‘anti-salon’, WoMen Hair is an ever evolving space with art collaborations and a 2 floors of super chic yet vintage interior with unique features such as container built-up box and a vibrant trendsetting lounge fully designed by Wu Chun.

According to Wu Chun, “We push the boundaries of hairdressing, delivering creativity, quality and consistency to every client. I have to admit our services are a bit pricy but with such good level of standards, its not easily available elsewhere in South East Asia and even if there is, it might be more costly.”

WoMen Hair contributes on a wealth of high profile international campaigns and editorial features in some of the world’s leading publications. Highlights have included Elle, Bazaar, Esquire, Men’s Health, Marie Claire, Madame Figaro, Vogue, Cosmopolitan and more.

WoMen Hair Salon has now opened its door and is located at Kiulap’s new commercial shop lot – Kenangan II shopping complex is situated right behind Regent Square.; (Behind Excapade Restaurant). They are currently having an introductory offer for first-time customers to enjoy a 30% off on all their services.

For all the beauty enthusiasts who wants to have a new great look for 2016, please call 2236262 for the appointment that will re-define your beauty. Images courtesy of Vincent Hong.

Wu Chun with his invited guests

Wu Chun sporting a new hair cut

Wu Chun with the international hair stylists

A celebrity with an entrepreneurial spirit

Check out the Acer monitors to enhance your gaming experience

@ennelynn (left) bought 5 pieces of the the NEW ERA STAR WARS™ limited edition collection at Cap City last Saturday. Image courtesy of @thecapcity.

The snapbacks are gone. During the first day launch of the @thecapcity NEW ERA STAR WARS™ limited edition collection last Saturday, many showed up and chose their favourite caps and some even bought in numbers as collections. With the huge hype of Star Wars movie releasing next week, the Star Wars fever has arrived and this shows how much impact the brand has in the community.

According to the franchise owner Soon Wing, over half the stock are gone after two days of release. I bought my Darth Vader version and I’m happy with my purchase.

Cap City is located on the 2nd floor at the arcade area of The Mall, Gadong. Cap City is an authorised distributor for well-known brands such as Dope, Huf, New Era, Obey and also Negative.

R2D2 caps

Darth Vader (my favourite)

Huge turnout last Saturday at Cap City (Brunei)

Posing with Wil at Cap City

Familiar faces with purchases of the NEW ERA STAR WARS™ limited edition collection

The best-selling original ink tank system printer in Southeast Asia. Now available at Concepts Computer

South Korean top seed Jeong Yeongseok (2nd L) the boys’ singles champion with Acting Senior Special Duties Officer at the Department of Youth and Sports, Mariam Ulat (L) and Brunei Darussalam Tennis Association officials John Chia (2nd R) and Hj Zuraimi Abdul Sani during the presentation of the 52nd ITF Junior Circuit Group 5 at the Brunei National Tennis Centre of the Hassanal Bolkiah Sports Complex.

Chinese-Taipei’s Shih Hsin-Yuan with her singles title in the 52nd ITF Junior Circuit Group 5.

All the finals were played in the final two days of the 52nd ITF Junior Circuit Group 5 which took place at the Brunei National Tennis Centre. The Koreans blew away their chances to sweep all the trophies in the singles and doubles. Only the top seeded player from South Korea Jeong Yeongseok clinched one title in the boys’ draw where he beat his compatriot Hong Seung Heon (6th seed) in one sided final 6-0 6-0.

In the girls’ finals, Chinese-Taipei’s Shih Hsin-Yuan overpowered another Korean finalist Gwak Mi Ryung 6-3 6-1. It must be a gruelling affair for Gwak as she had to endure hours of tennis, being involved in both doubles and single matches. She also had another runner-ups trophy in doubles losing in straight sets the Japanese duo of Hiyori Ito and Funa Koazaki 6-3 7-6.

The boy’s doubles event also produced some great tennis but it was the Japanese duo that prevailed and held their serve through the match. James Kent Trotter and Shinji Hazawa erased their miseries in singles (quarter-final and semi-final respectively) and overcame the Koreans, Jeong Yeongseok and Hong Seung Heon 6-4 6-4.

It was such a wonderful display of tennis last week and it shows that Brunei is far away from the standards set by the regional contestants. I could see that our young players have the desire and will power to learn and they have the fundamentals of being on the courts with the guidance of the self-employed tennis coach Aiman Abdullah who has dedicated his time and efforts to the students.

I’m an avid player myself and regularly join Aiman’s tennis session from time to time. Thank you for your contribution and I hope for the bright future of tennis in the Sultanate. Keep up the great work!

Izzanie Abu Bakar, BDTA’s assistant secretary general, with James Kent Trotter and Shinji Hazawa with their boy’s doubles trophies

The girl’s doubles runners-up Suh Yuseung and Gwak Mi Ryung

The girl’s doubles champions Hiyori Ito and Funa Koazaki

The boy’s doubles runners-up Hong Seung Heon and Jeong Yeongseok

Group photo with the guest of honour, winners, organisers and helpers

The ball boys and girls of the finals

Aiman’s students

Gwak Mi Ryung serving during the girl’s finals. She lost 6-3 6-1 to Shih Hsin-Yuan.

Some of the spectators during the finals

Shih Hsin-Yuan was seeded 16th and she won the girl’s singles tournament against Gwak Mi Ryung

The girl’s doubles final last Saturday

Aiman Abdullah played the role of a linesman in the finals

Most of the matches he played, top seed Jeong Yeongseok cracked a smile or two

The junior participants of the 50th Brunei International Tennis Federation Circuit with the committee of Brunei Darussalam Tennis Association at the Brunei National Tennis Centre. The tournament kicks off today and the finals is slated for Sunday, 6th December 2015. All are welcome to watch.

 

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Press release. Mercedes-Benz has maintained its lead in the readers’ poll “Auto Trophy 2015 World’s Best Cars”: the brand with the star secured first place in four categories. Like last year, the C and S-Class won the categories “Best mid-size car” and “Best luxury saloon”. In addition, Mercedes-Benz was voted the world’s best brand and the brand with the fewest complaints in the “Quality Trophy”. The award was presented last night at the Cruise Center in Hamburg-Altona.

Readers of the car magazine “Auto Zeitung” chose the C-Class and the S-Class for the second time: like in 2014, this year, too, the Mercedes models won the categories “Best mid-size car” and “Best luxury saloon”.

The Mercedes-Benz brand also took two first places in the Auto Trophy 2015:

The Stuttgart automotive manufacturer won the category “World’s best brand” and the “Quality trophy for the brand with the fewest complaints”. This innovation prize was jointly awarded by international editorial teams and the technical inspection agency GTÜ.

In 2015 the Auto Trophy took place for the 28th time. Readers were able to vote on 441 different models in 23 categories and numerous brands. A total of almost 75,000 readers and online users of Auto Zeitung and international car magazines from the Bauer Media Group participated.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

 

The Brunei Neuroscience, Stroke and Rehabilitation Centre (BNSRC) Executive Director Professor Datin Dr Uta Meyding-Lamade (2nd L) and stroke survivor Hj Noorkhan (2nd R) presenting a mock cheque to BIBD ALAF representative. Image courtesy of Izzati Jalil of The Brunei Times.

The Brunei Neuroscience, Stroke and Rehabilitation Centre (BNSRC) donated $9,705 to Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam’s (BIBD) Advocating Life-Long Learning for an Aspiring Future (ALAF) programme on last Saturday.

The amount was from the proceeds of the ticket sales of the centre’s recent musical, “Sebuah Perjalanan”, featuring stroke and cancer patients.

Present to hand over the cheque to BIBD ALAF representatives were Executive Director of BNSRC at Jerudong Park Medical Centre, Professor Datin Seri Laila Jasa Dr Uta Meyding-Lamade, and a stroke survivor who took part in the musical, Hj Noorkhan Hj Ahmad. Also present were representatives from sponsors and supporters of the musical.

In a brief speech before the handover, Professor Datin Dr Uta Meyding-Lamade said that Brunei has one of the biggest neurology and rehabilitation centre in Southeast Asia, and could be the future ‘hub’ for neuroscience and rehabilitation.

The Head of Rehabilitation Department at JPMC, Vivian Suk Kee Tie said in her speech during the ceremony held at Universiti Brunei Darussalam that the proceeds will go to the students under BIBD ALAF’s care. She also presented a medal to Hj Abu Bakar Bin Md Salleh, who was a patient with the centre since 2013, and participated in all the therapeutic group activities with great enthusiasm and motivation.
On her social media account, Vivian thanked all the sponsors, supporters, the inspiring patients and their families and lastly her wonderful colleagues from the department. She shared that it won’t be possible without the contribution from the said parties. They have shown that to the community that the word impossible is truly two words “I’m Possible” where we work together towards a brighter future.

Group photo with the organizers and sponsors

Professor Datin Dr Uta Meyding-Lamade

Vivian Suk Kee Tie presenting a medal to Hj Noorkhan Hj Ahmad, a stroke survivor and also a participant in the “Sebuah Perjalanan” musical

The recent musical that took place last November

Vivian the lady behind the project. She has a great team and I applaud her for her dedication and passion in realizing the possible within the “impossible”. Keep it up!!