Pierre Imhof, CEO of Baiduri Bank Group holding the Baiduri Masters Trophy with Albert Lau, CEO of QAF Brunei

It’s back once more. The much highly anticipated annual golf tournament hosted by Baiduri Bank called the Baiduri Masters Charity Golf Tournament. Why is this golfing event popular? Because of many things – 1) The Green Jacket 2) It’s all for charity and numbers are always overwhelming 3) a chance to win fantastic cars

So yesterday was the official announcement of the event which will take place in two weekends of May 2016 (20th to 22nd and 27th to 29th). Yesterday was also the signing ceremony with the partners of the Baiduri Masters 2016.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the organiser, Baiduri Bank Group, and partners of the event: RBA Golf Club, QAF Group of Companies and Brunei Press. CEO of QAF Brunei Albert Lau, General Manager of Brunei Press Reggie See and General Manager of RBA Golf Club Asmadi Hj Alimustapha signed on behalf of their respective organisations  while Chief Executive Officer of Baiduri Bank Pierre Imhof signed on behalf of Baiduri Bank Group.

“The Baiduri Masters has always been centred towards supporting our community and making a difference, whether big or small. Last year, we were able to raise $80,000 for charity. The Baiduri Masters made history by being the first-ever golf tournament to have three hole-in-one in one tournament. The previous and first-ever hole-in-one during the Baiduri Masters was in 2008” said Imhof.

The Junior Golfers category is open to youth aged 13 to 18 years old.

Registration fee is $120 per adult and $60 for juniors. The fee is inclusive of green fee, buggy, goodie bag as well as buffet breakfast and lunch. Players are invited to the prize presentation dinner at the end of the tournament.

It was shared that players may play more than once to improve their chances of winning. Adult players will enjoy a discount on the registration fee on their second subsequent rounds and that the best score of any round played will be taken.

Signing of MOU with QAF Brunei and Baiduri Bank Group

Signing of MOU with Brunei Press and Baiduri Bank Group

Signing of MOU with RBA Golf Club and Baiduri Bank Group

The Porsche Cayenne for Hole 2

Mini Cooper for Hole 5

BMW 218 Active Tourer for Hole 14

 

LOL, sometimes it is really hard to predict what the message a lady is conveying.

 

Click image to enter Facebook Page

Checking out the 1,000 entries for the Red Bull Boost & Win promotion

This Friday will be the first weekly draw for the 25 lucky winners of the Red Bull Boost & Win promotion. The winners will win either a shopping voucher, Power Kad, Prepaid Top Up cards or a cluster pack of Red Bull bottle.

The draw will be held at Hua Ho Manggis Mall. Good luck to all the contestants. Don’t worry since it’s still an ongoing promotion, you can still be eligible for the next weekly lucky draw. All you have to do is buy a Red Bull can (Gold/Less Sugar) at the convenient store and fill in the entry forms and drop it at the contest box.

Drawing out 25 winners for the Weekly Lucky winners

Ivy making sure the draw runs smoothly

 

The Gavaliers and guests during the first demo inaugural Brunei Gavel Club meeting at Universiti Brunei Darussalam last Sunday

One of the guests giving comments after the meeting

Finally it has happened. A great start for the Brunei Gavel Club (national level) and it applies the same platform as Toastmasters International. The only difference is that the BGC applies to teenagers (14 yrs to 18 yrs).

I have paid a visit to in-house Gavel clubs in Maktab Sains and Chung Hwa Middle School and they have been encouraging. However, it’s only part of their curriculum activity and only happens on a temporary basis. With the BGC, it will open doors to all the youths aged 14-18 to be part of a club affiliated with Toastmasters International.

The attendance last Sunday, 17th April was overwhelming. It was actually more than the usual toastmasters meetings and furthermore, I was impressed with the quality delivered by the students from their respective schools.

The appointed club president is Mohd Farhan Jafar Ali and he had a short presentation to the audience on the objectives of the BGC. He has been a seasoned toastmasters for two years and prior to that, he has been a perpetual guest in toastmasters as he hasn’t turned 18 just yet. Four years later, he has taken a bigger role as the President for the Brunei Gavel Club.

His task now with the help of his executive committee will be to find new members before the national gavel club can be officially chartered. The required number is 20 members in the club and I’m pretty sure that’s achievable.

I do hope many corporate companies and government agencies will see the benefit in this non-profit club as the youth organisation will need some support to sustain the bi-weekly meetings and other gavel related things. I also do hope parents or guardians can also attend the gavel meetings to see the valuable learning experience from the youths in improving their communication and leadership skills.

As for now, it’s a definitely great start.

Nico (left) braved the Table Topics session and shared about his yummy ice-cream

Another confident speaker

Nabil has a great sense of humour

Jackie won her first table topics even as a first time visitor to a gavel meeting

Ahmad delivered his first speech at the Brunei Gavel Club meeting

Farhan the appointed President for Brunei Gavel Club and I am full of admiration on his growth as an individual

Iskandar giving out his evaluation on the Table Topic speakers

Toastmasters members giving support to the Gavaliers 

The Gavaliers had so much fun. The next meeting will be on 1st May 2016 at 10am at UBD

 

Register yourself now! “Save Life By Giving Blood”

Date: 21.04.2016
Time: 10 am to 4 pm
Venue: @piccolocafebn

Every Donor will be entitled to:
1) 3 months magazine subscription from @plusbrunei
2) Refreshments from @piccolocafebn
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4) Cash Vouchers from @nailsnwaxbrunei
5) 3 days complimentary gym pass from @fitnesszonebrunei

Limited slots available. Please RSVP now by emailing us at Julie@plusbrunei.com / info@piccolocafe.co or head over to Piccolo Cafe in Bandar and register yourself at the counter.

 

The Sandakan Toastmasters Division Conference. Ah, I was away and visited Sandakan, Sabah, for the first time ever. I realised how hot Sandakan is compared to Brunei. It was nice to see friends from Sandakan and our trip was to attend a toastmasters conference and also supporting our friends from Brunei in the Division Level toastmasters contest. I won’t be talking much about the trip but more into my gratitude and appreciation towards my friends who made the experience fruitful and joyful.

The Woo Factor. I don’t know how you do it but you managed to wake up in time for the contest despite having only few hours of sleep. So the theory of you needing at least 8-10 hours of sleep is inconclusive for now 😀 You had such a wonderful and energetic presence on stage that students from Sandakan were woo-ed by you. Always a pleasure to have beaten you in pool last weekend 😀 Hoping for more “woo” effects in 2016. Thank you, Chris Woo, for trusting me to introduce you to the stage.

My roomie. I’ve changed multiple partners but you don’t mind it at all *lol* Jokes aside, you are a very accommodating person and very resourceful one too. You hardly decline people’s requests unless it’s about taking up speech slots (as you need more time :p) Amran Jamaluddin, sometimes it’s okay to say “no” and like Tessa said, “Do It My Way”.

The school boy who acts like a charismatic teacher. Regardless whether you are in your toastmasters costume or not, your intention remains the same – to create a conducive environment for yourself and others to grow. How do you juggle your career, family, commuting and flying all in the same week? That’s what I call proper planning and efficiency. Furthermore, your efficiency as a decision maker has allowed us to enjoy the seafood in KK. Who needs a calculator when you have Allen Ang traveling with you. Thanks bro.

The quiet of the lot with a heart of gold. You’re such a lovely person and a supporting wife (to Allen, of course). Your presence and smiles have made our company livelier. Thank you, Fen, for reminding me of the unconditional support and love.

The JS connection. Both of you are always great supporters to the toastmasters community, giving morale support to Pranika and Julius. Good job, Jason Koo, on accommodating to be a last minute SAA speaker during the contest (and also evaluating my delivery) and Supatra Lee for showing up during the 4 day trip in Sandakan

A respected leader, not just in Brunei. It’s never easy to fly in and out and having two job positions in Brunei. How do you do it bro? Last weekend was just another great testaments on how strong our Division K has been under the guidance of you. Jerry told me how your presence during the short visit before the conference has given them confidence and hope for the Division Conference to be a success and truly it was (Now more pressure on me). Your remarks on the stage showed sincerity and how you have been attentive in the minor things that have happened during the conference. Your duck story still holds in my mind. Very true indeed. Thank you for showing up as a respectable leader in our community, Reuben Chin.

The invisible link. Though you are not around during the trip, you will still very resourceful in connecting our journey to the world through blogs, social media and media print. Let’s hope future VPPR (Vice-President of Public Relations) can emulate your initiatives and commitment in spreading the journey of toastmasters. Thank you, Gerald Goh.

Congratulations, Pranika Lama, on winning the International Speech Contest in Division Level at Sandakan, Sabah yesterday. Click image to enlarge.

A never-give up fighter. This alone has won my heart. It reminds me of a fearless wrestler Cactus Jack is known for sustaining punishments in the ring but still able to fight to the end. For such a short span of time, you are already swimming in the deepest part of the ocean with your hands out of your pockets. Not many have what you have and that’s the desire and the passion to grow as a communicator. Your continuos calls for helps in preparation for your contest showed your dedication to bring the best in you. Keep up the fight and climb the ladder but you are already a champion in our hearts, Julius. Note: He competed in the Table Topics in Division Level in Sandakan after winning in club level and national (Area) level.

The OC/PA expert. Your effort didn’t start last weekend. It began months ago and I never experienced such a meticulous coordinator (Organising Chair for logistics) in getting a dozen of us all the way to Sandakan and back to Brunei. Your constant reminders (even small ones) are crucial in making sure everyone is aligned with the programme. You have truly grown as a leader and you don’t need a CL manual to validate your contribution. We saw it and we are truly grateful for it. Oh, PA stands for personal assistance to Chris 😀 Really proud of your growth, Sandy Tan. Keep it up!

The hair-flick poser. Ah, so much I want to share about you but I will keep that offline. I still remember last year when I wanted you to win (Division) so much because I’ve never seen such a dedicated toastmasters, not just in speeches but other roles. As for now, no one come close to meeting your club attendance even in other clubs. You are living the vision. I did had a moment of tears when Kamilia announced your name. I’m always here to support you and I’m sorry if I might have offend you with my humour or nag you because I truly care for our friendship. If you win in Jakarta, I will help find resources for you. Good luck, Pranika Lama (our Division Champion in International Speech Contest).

The mother of Area K6. I am truly grateful how you are always calm during the storm and that energy spreads among us and without realising, we feel calmer too. Your presence alone breaks the invisible tension and your care for all your “children” is unconditional. A mother icon that we can trust with our challenges and opportunities. Keep calm and thank you, Ruey 😀

Mr. Backbone of Area AK6. ¥ou have earned the legacy from Brunei toastmasters and groomed us to be leaders of our own. This is something that I see in you day in, day out, without fail. You have given me the platform to learn from mistakes and allow me to grow at the same time. I might be scared of you sometimes for not meeting your expectations but that’s just my mind toying with me because I aspire to be a great leader. I can’t imagine this journey without you and thank you in believing in all of us. Thank you, Shawn.

Self appreciation. I’m truly grateful that I feel the growth in me as a communicator and a leader. It’s time to trust in myself that I am capable of being a leader for the betterment of myself and the community. There are times of doubt and that’s just my monkey mind playing with me. This trip have definitely spurred more fire and my passion to carry out my mission. I am a man on a mission 🙂

Notable mentions: Thank you, Jerry, for helping me with the little things that I requested. Thank you, Laurence, for showing up once again though it was a quick one. I shall see both of you in Brunei in October. Also to Jonathan and Joseph for your hospitality in Sandakan.

 

BIBD recently held a closing ceremony for its learning camps at the Orchid Garden Hotel for its Holiday English Language Program (HELP) Camps organised for the BIBD ALAF programme students. The learning camps also included a refresher camp for this year’s forty-six students recently introduced into the ALAF programme.

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

The HELP camps were organised with the cooperation of CfBT to deliver bespoke English training camps for BIBD ALAF programme students. The HELP camps also included lectures, debate sessions, hands-on and task-based activities to promote teamwork. The camps are also designed to foster a ‘can do’ belief in their English abilities and to establish good learner training habits.

The BIBD ALAF programme currently includes more than one hundred students, whose funds are collected from a variety of sources. These include the BIBD charity expeditions for ALAF, generous contributions from corporate agencies as well as the general public since its launch in May 2013 by Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah.

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

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

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

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

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

 

The winners of Area K6 Toastmasters International Speech Contest and Table Topics Contest with UBD Toastmasters members

Allen Ang, Area K6 Director, Rahman Tarsat of Brunei Speakers’ Club (2nd runner up), Pranika Lama of UBD Toastmasters Club (winner), Pooja Shivanand of Brunei Speakers’ Club (1st runner-up) and Sandy Siew Fun Tan, Co-organizing Chair of the contest. The winners are for the Area K6 International Speech contest.

Two UBD Toastmasters have recently emerged as champions in Toastmasters speech Contest. 1st place winner for International Speech, Pranika Lama shared the about gratitude, the moment you open your eyes. It was followed by Pooja Shivanand in second place, talked about “The Middle Way”, which is a balanced higher way between two extreme choices help us make better decisions. Between humility and arrogance, there can be modesty; between fear and rashness there can be courage. In third place, Rahmat Tarsat drew on her mother’s experiences to demonstrate the detrimental effect of negative thinking in her speech, ‘Believe and You Can’.

Meanwhile in Table Topic Category, Julius Hong won 1st place, followed by Yong Shih Ching in 2nd place and Hazwan Kamarulzaman in 3rd place for speaking on the same impromptu topic “Cherish Yesterday, Dream Tomorrow, Live Today”.

The contest took place at the Multipurpose Hall, Universiti Brunei Darusalam, where 8 participants competed in International Speech Category while 7 participants competed in Table Topics category. The objective of the contests are to provide an opportunity for speakers to improve their speaking abilities and to provide an opportunity to learn by observing the more proficient speakers who have benefited from their toastmasters training. Competition begins with club contests and winners continue competing through the area, division and district levels.

In Brunei, top 2 speakers from Brunei Speakers Club, Oil Town Talkers Club, Brunei Advanced Speakers Club & UBD Toastmasters Club vie for a chance to compete with Toastmasters from Sabah and Labuan. This year, Pranika Lama and Julius Hong will represent Brunei on Division K level in Sandakan, Sabah on 10th April.

At the end of the contest, each contestants received certificate of participation whilst winning certificates and trophies were presented by Area K6 Director Allen Ang.

Allen Ang, Area K6 Director, Yong Shih Ching of OTTERS Toastmasters Club (1st runner-up), Julius Hong of UBD Toastmasters Club (winner), Hazwan Kamarulzaman of Brunei Advanced Speakers’ Club (2nd runner-up) and Gerald Goh, co-organizer of the contest

Nina Kifrawi during the International Speech Contest

Yong Shih Ching during the Table Topics Contest

Pooja Shivanand during the International Speech Contest

Supatra Lee during the Table Topics Contest

Philip during the International Speech Contest

Rahul giving a warm hug to his wife before heading on stage

Still brothers after the contest

With the co-organizer contest, Sandy

Rahul being the Contest Chair (the host) during the International Speech category

 

Who’s gonna represent Brunei in April? Do come to multipurpose hall today and find out

The Challenge Trophy

 

I’ve been busy with car launches and the latest one will be the eye catching one for many. It was the official launch of the four models of the Porsche Cayenne. Firstly it’s the Porsche Cayenne Diesel, Porsche Cayenne V6, Porsche Cayenne S and Porsche Cayenne Turbo S.

QAF Eurokars Sdn Bhd, the official importer of Porsche vehicles in Brunei, unveiled the models at their showroom yesterday. Guests and the media had the privileged to witness the event as the models were unveiled by Mr. Roger Fletcher, General Manager of QAF Motor Group and Mr. Clement Chong, Deputy General Manager of QAF Eurokars Sdn Bhd.

According to Roger Fletcher, the success story of the Cayenne began in 2002, and continued to be contributing to Porsche’s growth significantly. The Cayenne made the idea of an everyday sports car into reality, allowing the Porsche drivers to maximise the everyday driveability. The company believe that Cayenne will continue to be a strong performer among the other models.

So what’s the difference with the previous models? It has 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 Porsche Cayenne are now available in the Brunei market, members of the public who are interested to take a closer look at the sports car in the SUV segment can head down to the Porsche showroom in Beribi. For now, if you are interested for a test drive, then pop by their showroom tomorrow Sunday 26th March from 10am to 4pm and their lovely assistants will be able to help you.

Here are some specs for your perusal.

Cayenne Diesel. Three-litre V6 turbodiesel with 262 hp (193 kW); eight-speed Tiptro- nic S; acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds; top speed 221 km/h; fuel consumption 6.8–6.6 l/100 km; 179–173 g/km CO2.

Six-cylinder V engine; cylinder angle 90 degrees; grey cast iron engine block; aluminium cylinder heads; four overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder; hydraulic valve lifter; common rail diesel direct injection (2,000 bar) via piezo-controlled injectors; one turbocharger with variable turbine geometry (VTG); two inter- coolers; controlled exhaust gas recirculation with cooler; air in- take system with map-controlled swirl flap; two-stage pressurised lubrication control with wet sump; engine oil volume 9.3 litres; emissions control system with oxidation catalytic converter, SCR system and diesel particulate filter; thermal management for engine and gearbox coolant circulation; extended auto start/stop function Plus.

Cayenne S. 3.6 litre V6 bi-turbo with 420 hp (309 kW); eight-speed Tiptronic S; acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds; top speed 259 km/h; fuel consumption 9.8–9.5 l/100 km; 229–223 g/km CO2.

The Cayenne S with a 3.6 litre V6 bi-turbo engine is new. This engine was specially developed for Porsche SUVs and was initially fitted in the Macan. In the Cayenne S it surpasses the previous V8 engine in all key data. The bi-turbo charging and downsizing via a reduction of the engine capacity and the number of cylinders enable a clear efficiency increase coupled with improved driving performance. For example, the power output has increased by 20 hp to 420 hp and the torque has increased by 50 Nm to 550 Nm, whilst the fuel consumption has fallen by 0.9 litres to less than ten litres per 100 kilometres.
The power output of the top model Cayenne Turbo has also increased by 20 hp to 520 hp and the torque by 50 Nm to 750 Nm. It therefore accelerates three tenths of a second more quickly than its predecessor and reaches a top speed of 279 km/h. Nevertheless, fuel con- sumption has been reduced by 0.3 l/100 km.

Cayenne Turbo S. 4.8 litre V8 bi-turbo with 520 hp (382 kW); eight-speed Tiptronic S; acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, top speed 279 km/h; fuel consumption 11.5–11.2 l/100 km; 267–261 g/km CO2.

Eight-cylinder V engine; cylinder angle 90 degrees; aluminium engine block and cylinder heads; four overhead camshafts; four valves per cylinder; continuous inlet valve control by variable valve timing and lift (VarioCam Plus); hydraulic valve lifter; direct petrol injection; biturbo charging; integrated dry sump lubrica- tion; engine oil 11.55 litres, two three-way catalytic converter per cylinder bank, each with two oxygen sensors; electronic ignition with eight individual ignition coils; thermal management for en- gine and gearbox coolant circulation; variable overrun fuel cut- off; extended auto start/stop function Plus.

Power transmission. Engine and transmission bolted to form one drive unit; Porsche Traction Management (PTM): active hang-on all-wheel drive with electronically controlled, map-controlled multi-plate clutch; per- manently driven rear axle, fully variable distribution of power to the front axle; eight-speed Tiptronic S.

New LEDs at the front and rear.

The completely new LED main headlights including Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus (PDLS Plus) combine state-of-the-art lighting technology with intelligent additional functions. In addition to the static and dynamic cornering light of the PDLS (standard for the Cayenne Turbo), PDLS Plus additionally includes dynamic main beam: this is put on and dipped de- pending on the traffic situation. Furthermore, PDLS Plus has an intersection light that recog- nises the intersecting roads and T-junctions stored in the navigation system of the PCM, and illuminates the area to the left and the right with simultaneous activation of the static inter- section light. What’s more, LED headlights are much more energy efficient and their daylight- like light colour resulting in increased perception of contrasts can prevent driver tiredness.

Styling and body.

The Porsche designers have given the Cayenne a sharper and clearer design in its latest guise. At the same time the design emphasises the proximity of the Cayenne to the road and underlines its sports car character.

The rear of the new Cayenne in particular has been clearly modified. The rear lights now have a flatter and more precise design. Like the LED daytime running lights at the front, the brake lights have a four-part design. Registration plate recess, handle strip and lighting are integrated even more elegantly in the tailgate. What’s more, the new tailgate takes up the shape of the rear lights and continues it via a precise horizontal light-refracting edge. This emphasises the width of the vehicle and gives it a more powerful road stance. The new de- sign of the exhaust tailpipes that are integrated in the lower rear panel also contributes to this. All Cayenne S models now also feature a double-pipe design. The roof spoiler no longer has a step which means that it continues the basic line of the roof even more consistently and has a more powerful appearance.

 

Being slow is the only constant too. That’s how I feel lately. Things are just heading at a slow pace. The only difference is when I travel. Being away in a short span of time gives me a sense of excitement and thrill. Now I’m back in Brunei, it’s back to square one. I can feel it. The worrying signs, perhaps, of what’s in store for the country (economically). The headlines in the local media hasn’t help either but it’s good thing that it’s being identified because we cannot simply ignore it. It’s about time we step and see what we can do for the country in times of troubles.

I have two mutual friends who sought for help to see if I could connect them to the relevant authorities with regards to their termination of contracts. In recent headlines, it was stated that a major company (government linked) are carrying out “redundancy exercise” to cut costs and reducing “non-essential staff”. Of course, what we read in headlines will spark that fear that haven’t been teased for a very long, long time. We were in the comfort zone and now we are slowly getting a taste of reality checks.

Now with the ongoing LegCo, it’s an indication where our country will be heading for the next year or so, in reaching the Vision 2035 (which is in 19 years’ time). It was noted that government spending will be reduced in times of lower revenues and we will still be running in a deficit.

I still see hope in this country and I trust in the Brunei Government in overcoming the challenges. The transitional period will take some time but it’s a good start. The relevant government agencies have been pro-active in creating new bodies to see how Brunei can diversify and get out of the mentality of heavily depending on oil and gas as our revenue stream for the Brunei economy.

I’ve seen new bodies with government support being created such as DARe (Darussalam Enterprise), a statutory body that will help to empower local entrepreneurs in contributing to the local economy. The newly established is recognized in the LegCo recently and it is spearheaded by the Minister of Energy and Industry Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Mohammad Yasmin Hj Umar. DARe recently held a dialogue with local e-vendors in terms of helping them to set up a physical store and also issues with labour quotas and so on. With this guidance, it will hope to see how the e-vendors grow and create a more business friendly environment for a win-win situation.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Mohammad Yasmin Hj Umar, Minister of Energy and Industry, chairman of the board for Darussalam Enterprise (DARe) with other committee having a conversation with the e-vendors held at Design & Technology Building (opposite iCentre) last week. You can even visit their Business Support centre every Monday to Friday or call/sms via 836 3442. Image courtesy of @govbn

 

The winner of the Mitsubishi Lancer 1.6 Auto, Mah Wai Keun (left), as part of the “The Big Shopping Win”, a collaboration between Baiduri Bank and Hua Ho. Presenting the mock key were Michelle Lo (center), Manager of Card Brand Relationship & Business Banking Support and Lau Soon Lin, Director of Hua Ho. The event was held at Hua Ho Kiulap yesterday. You can website Baiduri website by clicking the image or you can download “Baiduri Deals” on your smartphone or follow their Facebook or IG @baiduribank. Image courtesy of Adib Noor of The Brunei Times.

Costume party at a friend’s place for Himari and Takumi’s farewell gathering. Both are my tennis buddies whom we trained under coach Aiman. It was also great to see Mr. Okochi after such a very long time. Thanks for the hospitality and great food.

My room mate for the past three nights at Taipei for our @mrbrownbrunei coverage trip with the winners of the Mr. Brown contest. We had this mini competition between us on making fun of each other on social media. It seems I’m dominating so far but we won’t have more opportunities until our next trip perhaps. Thank you, Aiking Sdn Bhd on giving us the opportunity to do coverage on the trip to Taiwan.

The Francophonie Week 2016 kicked off last Saturday and it will be ongoing for another week. Many events and activities to look forward too. This image was taken during the screening of the French movie “Win Win” at Taman Jubilee. The event is organised by Alliance Française and The Collective Arts Event. Click image to know more what’s in store for Francophonie Week 2016

The past week or so, I’ve been amazed with the stories that are being shared by my friends in their toastmasters journey. Many surprises in terms of content and I’m truly amazed by the growth of my friends. I’m still impressed with the ending of the “Helping Hand” story. Very impactful and witty. Congratulations to the winners of the UBD Toastmasters Club contest yesterday. Nice shot too, Sandy 😀

Last week, Inspire Magazine launched a new website to provide a better access to their stories. Back then, there were only magazines and PDF formats. This is a great step to reach more readers globally as well. Shaun Hoon (2nd from left), founder of Inspire Magazine, with his team during the launch of the website. You can visit www.yesinpire.com to access Inspire or click on the image. Image courtesy of Shaun Hoon.

 

Be Right Back, guys!! I will be flying with the winners of the Mr. Brown contest to Taipei. Follow updates on my Snapchat and on my instagram @ranoadidas and also @mrbrownbrunei

@kurapak also part of the entourage, waiting for us at Taiwan International Airport

The bus is still very cold inside and the weather is at the average of 14 degrees. Grrrrr…

Dinner at Tajin last night.. Awesome Moroccon food.

 

It was one of those days again when the Brunei Speakers’ Club organised a speech contest – International speech and table topics contest. It has been a long time ever since BSC had many participants, hitting the mark of 16 contestants for Table Topics and 8 for International Speech category.

It was indeed a fruitful evening. Thank you for those who attended and especially those who contested. I’m very honoured to witness my mentorees, participating in the contest and that to me is very rewarding.

The OTTERS Club contest have just completed but I wasn’t able to attend since I’m outstation. The next contest will from UBD toastmasters club, happening this Sunday at the UBD Inspiring Hall if I’m not mistaken. Good luck to all contestants. There are many favourites to look out for 😀

Another improvement from our member in BSC

I’m proud of my mentee, Heidi Rahman. You’ve showed so much growth and courage and the willingness to learn

 

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.

 

 

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

 

A new travel agent in town

 

Ultramar brings cheers at Children’s Ward at RIPAS

Happening this Friday and Saturday

Synopsis of Jong Sarat: Each struggles between duty and desire: pragmatic Razak, who wants to support his family; dreamy Nur, who is torn between her father’s wishes and her own yearnings; frustrated Asmali, who always feels like second best; and loyal Salmah, who wants only to nurture the friendships around her as carefully as she nurtures her parents’ Jong Sarat business.

One more until their second original production ‘Jong Sarat’! Get your tickets *TODAY* for either of these production nights:

Friday, 22nd January 2016, 7pm
Saturday, 23rd January 2016, 7pm

Tickets are available at SM Yayasan SHHB Primary School Hall this week from 4pm – 9.30pm. You’ll also be able to grab them at The Library Cafe @thelibrarycafebwn and Caffé Verve @ Alliance Francaise de Brunei @vervespresso. You can view more on their info at their website

Check the map for our venue and ticket collection point! Kindly contact for more information (via message only).

Telegram:telegram.me/seedsjongsarat
Whatsapp: +6738678673 for tickets updates.

Some of the cast of Jong Sarat. Image by Ikhwan Salleh of The Brunei Times.

One of the many characters in Jong Sarat, the second original production by Seeds Brunei, during a rehearsal held recently. Image by Ikhwan Salleh of The Brunei Times.

 

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim highlighted and acknowledged that the country needs to stimulate economic growth through SMEs as the current oil prices have impacted the Brunei revenue stream during the launch of the Enterprise Open Day for Small and Medium Enterprises at Design and Technology Building located in the Anggerek Desa Technology Park

The Energy and Industry Department at the Prime Minister’s Office (“EIDPMO”) organised an Enterprise Open Day for Small and Medium Enterprises (“SMEs”). Today (Thursday) will be the final day for the event.

The Enterprise Open Day event is aimed at increasing awareness of the various enterprise support services available as well as identifying issues faced by existing and upcoming by entrepreneurs in Brunei Darussalam.

 Held at the Design and Technology Building located in the Anggerek Desa Technology Park, the event opened on Tuesday, 19 January 2015 and will continue on Wednesday and Thursday from 8am to 5pm. The Enterprise Open Day is based around the theme, “Leading Economic Growth and Contributing to GDP for Brunei Darussalam” and was officiated by the Guest of Honour, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister of Finance at the Prime Minister’s Office, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim.

Also in attendance were Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Singamanteri Kolonel (B) Dato Seri Setia (Dr.) Awang Haji Mohammad Yasmin bin Haji Umar, Minister of Energy and Industry at the Prime Minister’s Office, Yang Mulia Dato Paduka Awang Haji Hamdan bin Haji Abu Bakar, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, Yang Mulia Dato Paduka Awang Haji Mohd Roselan bin Haji Mohd Daud, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, Yang Mulia Dato Paduka Awang Haji Hisham bin Haji Mohd Hanifah, Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Finance, Yang Mulia Dato Paduka Dr. Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah, Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Finance, Permanent Secretaries, Deputy Permanent Secretaries from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as well as directors of all the participating agencies.

After a brief opening ceremony, Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Rahman took a tour of the booths set up by both government agencies and financial institutions as well as the ‘Enterprise Issues’ log in desk and Business Advisory Clinics.

Businesses planning to utilise any of these services, should bring their form 16 and 17 and company chop.

Also in conjunction with The Enterprise Open Day, is the launch of the business.gov.bn website and the Central Payment System (“CPS”). The business.gov.bn is a portal providing a single source of information of business-related government services across various Ministries and agencies. The CPS is a payment module under the E-Government Platform enabling customers to pay via online for Government e-services.

One biz will be the first e-service to use CPS with the long term goal of expanding this payment service to other Government e-services. The ‘Enterprise Issues’ log in desk is made available to collect information on any issues or challenges met by local SMEs in Brunei Darussalam.

There will also be presentations by Wawasan Secretariat, Monetary Authority of Brunei Darussalam (“AMBD”) and Brunei Intellectual Property (“BruIPO”) conducted on Wednesday and Thursday to provide insights and information for those attending Enterprise Open Day. Business advisory clinics will also be made available by various agencies including EIDPMO, various banks, BruIPO and LiveWire. Enterprise Open Day saw the participation of agencies both from government and financial institutions setting up support service and information counters to assist enterprises to better understand the assistance provided by the sultanate.

These include Wawasan 2035 Secretariat, Ease of Doing Business, FDI Centre, Registry of Companies and Business Names from Ministry of Finance, Revenue Division from Ministry of Finance, BruIPO, E-Government National Centre (“EGNC”), Labour Department, Royal Customs and Excise Department, Tabung Amanah Pekerja (“TAP”), AMBD, BAG Networks Sdn Bhd, Authority for Building Control & Construction Industry (“ABCi”) and banks.

 

Borneo Insider’s Guide (BiG) is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year with The BiG 10th Anniversary Picnic Festival at the Jerudong Park Colonnade this Sunday, 24th January 2016, from 2pm – 10pm. There will be open-air picnic spots; 8 live music performances by Maria ‘Eia’ Grace Koh, Kala K, with support from DIG Records Preservation Blues Jazz Hall Band and friends; lucky draws, an adult colouring competition and a photo competition with prizes to be won, great food and creative crafts on sale by 50 local and regional vendors. The BiG anniversary event is not just a celebration of BiG magazine’s 10th year in print, but it is also to raise money for two local charities: Majlis Kesejahteraan Masyarakat (MKM) and Care and Actions for Strays (CAS).

 

It’s always fun traveling in groups because it gives a different sense of fun and bonding. This time, 20 from Brunei Toastmasters (BSC, UBD, BASC and Otters) traveled to Kota Kinabalu for a joint meeting with KK toastmasters, its first ever to be conducted. The toastmasters meeting followed the Brunei agenda and format to share experience with the KK toastmasters on how it is being conducted in Brunei.

I noticed some differences from Brunei and KK in terms of the agenda. Firstly, the table topic speeches take place in the first half of the meeting. Brunei toastmasters had this practice for many years until they change the format a few years ago and it has been very effective for speech evaluators and time management.

Secondly, the KK toastmasters have an invocator to kick off the meeting, toasting to Yang Di Pertain Agong and Yang Di Pertua Negeri Sabah and lastly to Toastmasters International. Interesting. We don’t practice that in Brunei.

Lastly, just a few things such as a Humour Master for KK side for a max of 5 minutes to entertain the audience and the different role of the Table Topics Evaluator where he or she focuses more on the Table Topics Master then briefly on the Table Topics speakers.

On Sunday, we had a leadership training on how to improve the clubs and also to retrain the executive committees (Exco) of the various toastmasters club from KK and Brunei. This training is normally carried out at least twice a year in hoping the Excos that attended can share their knowledge to their respective clubs.

Overall, a fruitful weekend I had and a big thank you to my KK friends, Phylicia, Laurence and Jerry, for bring me around last weekend. I’m also glad that Brunei Speakers’ Club has two new members now – Satra and Alfa. Our club is definitely growing but let’s not forget the older members who have played an important role in sustaining the club.

 

Netcom associates with a Hua Ho staff (in red) at the new Netcom IT department located at Hua Ho Manggis

Razer products at discounted price until 8th February

In a partnership to better serve their customers, Netcom have opened their 2nd IT Department collaboration with Hua Ho Department Store. Situated at Hua Ho Manggis, the new IT Department is a strategic location to serve the residents of Jalan Muara.

This collaboration is an extension of the business partnership between Hua Ho and Netcom, with the success of the IT Department in the Hua Ho Yayasan Branch.

The Hua Ho Manggis IT Department is open daily from 10am – 10pm and is located on the 2nd Floor. It features a full range of Razer and Dell products, as well as gaming gear such as Kingston, HyperX, Logitech and Prolink. Other available products include networking solutions, pen drives, cartridges and also a full range of consumer printers from Canon.

Mr. Vincent Goh, Managing Director of Netcom, said ” We deeply appreciate the trust and the strong support from our business partner, Hua Ho. We are thankful to Netcom customers for supporting us all these years, and we are committed to providing excellent services, quality products and competitive prices to the public.”

To celebrate the opening, Netcom is offering slashed prices for Razer and other selected products until February 8th. For every purchase of $100 and over in a single receipt, customers will receive an exclusive Dell umbrella.

 

Special promotion at At-Taqwa Travel & Tour

 

The BB Trail Challenge. It’s happening at the end of February, the first ever Trail Challenge Run organised by The Beach Bunch. There will be two categories – 21km and 42km. Registration has been closed and The Beach Bunch have been conducting practice runs from Tungku Beach to Berakas Forest Reserve Beach. This is to prep up the registrants before the actual Beach Bunch’s Trail Challenge. If you want to follow updates, you can check out their website beachbunch.net or follow them on IG @thebeachbunch #bbtc2016 #beachbunchbrunei and one more thing, Happy Birthday Rizan Latif, the man behind The Beach Bunch 😀

Last Sunday, 50 runners turned up for the practice session for the upcoming Beach Bunch’s Trial Challenge 2016. Image courtesy of @thebeachbunch

There will be free Yoga during the Beach Bunch’s Trial Challenge on 28th February

The 2nd manhunt. Here it is. The second manhunt, happening today at Universiti Brunei Darussalam. Justin Hong was the winner a few weeks’ ago where he won a pair of tickets to Taiwan to visit Mr. Brown’s Castle (factory) at Gadong. Today will be a special occasion as it is only opened for UBD students and the manhunt will be in the vicinity of UBD. Collection of bibs starts at 1pm and make sure you register yourself at mrbrownbrunei.com to be eligible. There will also be consolation prizes in a form of lucky draw. Good luck, UBD-ians. So who will be the next contestant to join Justin this March to Taiwan? Results to be revealed this afternoon.

The game area for this afternoon

5th time. Well deserved. He was snubbed twice in the past two years and it has always been between Leo Messi and Cristian Ronaldo. Both are such great talents but if I were to chose, it will be Messi for many reasons. He’s a clinical finisher, a monster of a dribbler, a great team player and humble off the field. He is even in a dream team with Neymar and Suarez as his attacking partners. The only trophy that has been eluding him is the World Cup trophy. 2018 will be his final chance. Let’s see if he has got what is left by then.

Congratulations Messi

LOL. I love this caption 😀

RIP Bowie. Such a tragedy that David Bowie has passed away due to cancer. A very talented individual and out-of-the-box artist when it comes to music and his attire. My favourite single of Bowie is Let’s Dance. Not many of my friends would have heard of David Bowie because he was popular back in the 70s and 80s. My first recollection of him was when I watch the movie Labyrinth when I was a kid. Now his latest album – Blackstar – has topped the iTunes Chart and I’ve heard some of his songs. It was stated that the album he made was experimental and this genre is not for everyone but its artistic value is very much appreciated. Rest in peace, Bowie.

My first viewing of David Bowie in a movie

Audi Q7. Something for Audi fans to look forward to – the awesome Q. Coming soon to Brunei will be the all new Audi Q7. I just read some news online and apparently the 2017 Audi Q7 3.0T is ranked the top in the Three-row Luxury Crossovers and SUVs and the market price is pretty reasonable and affordable too. I’m not sure when it will be making its way to Brunei but T.C.Y. Motors have already teased the fans with a brief look of the Audi Q7. Then again, I’m also not sure if it will be the 2017 Audi Q7 that will be released in Brunei. For now, I know it’s the newer version of the Q7. We shall wait and see.

Coming soon. The Audi Q7

Check out the A4lution – the versatile Audi A4 model range, starting from BND 49,000

Triple CL. After a year and a half, I have reached a milestone that I thought I couldn’t even be bothered to achieve. I was a member of Brunei Speakers’ Club back in 2011 but contribution was very minimal. Perhaps I didn’t see the value back then and plus I wasn’t even being present and focus. Today, I am very grateful and proud of how far I’ve been as a member of Brunei Speakers’ Club. I have just achieved my Competent Communicator and Competent Leader pins last night. Hence I will have the title of CC and CL as a toastmaster.

After delivering my 10th speech (inspirational objective based speech) last night, I was just mentally drained after hours of refining and practising my speech. Was I happy with my delivery? Well, it could have been better and I knew the moment I finished my speech, something was just amiss. Was I happy with my progress? 110% yes. I’m beginning to learn to advice on my friends on how to improve, the dos and the donts and don’t let my ego get in the way. A big shout out to my friends who came last night – Sophia, Abby, Hui Chiet, Ming Rui, Huaida and Faten. Not forgetting Gary (who hardly comes to BSC meetings) and members of OTTERS. Thank you to my mentors – Shawn, Allen, Reuben, Pranika, Clovis, Ling Ling and those have helped me along the way and my partner in crime, Ciara. Now I’m ready for the next level – Advanced speeches.

My previous mentor and my speech evaluator, Lai Ling Ling, who pinned me for completing my first 10 projects as a Competent Communicator

The toastmasters badge collection

Fancy a haircut. It’s the time of the year before Chinese New Year that you will want to beautify your hair. Do check out Inspiration Alan Salon at their relocated outlet at Seri Q-Lap Mall. One of the top stylist, Michelle, will be in Brunei on the 20th January to 26th January 2016. She has 18 years experience in hair dressing and she has been a regular visiting hair stylist in Brunei. With many accolades under her belt, you will be in for a treat and hopefully you will like the end result. So do make your bookings at Inspiration Alan Salon during Michelle’s visit next week.

Michelle, the experienced hair stylist, will be in Brunei from 20th to 26th January. Do visit Inspiration Alan Salon at Seri Q-Lap Mall for appointments and her service.

Relationship problems. I received this on the whatsapp group and it’s something for us to ponder upon. This could not just apply on lovers but also to close friends to certain extent, families and even colleagues. It’s never easy if you have someone close to you because there’s a level of expectation, be it small or big. Practising unconditional love or care has been my priority but I don’t expect the other party to do the same. It’s important for me to focus on my well being, otherwise I will spend more time pleasing others and draining my energy at the same time. I’m pretty sure many of us can relate to the items below. It’s how you rise from it is what matters.

re