Ahh.. Could this be the final entry for 2014? Well, depends on my mood. I’m just back from a 10 day break and spent it in Singapore with my family. This is one reason why I simply took a rest from blogging and just enjoy my mini break. A well deserved mini break and preparing myself for 2015. This is also the first time I’ve been away in the month of December and only a total of 5 days I’m in Brunei. Yes, I definitely missed home and my friends and of course, toastmasters which I ended up going last night at UBD toastmasters meeting.

Though it was a 10 day trip, I packed myself meeting tons of friends from Singapore bloggers Tiffany Yong, Renzze and Adrian to local Singaporeans to friends in Brunei working and residing in Singapore. I also visited Madam Tussaud’s wax museum at Resorts World Sentosa with my siblings though they compared it with the UK and preferred the London version which is way bigger and better. We only lasted last less than one hour at Singapore’s so that really says a lot.

Movie wise, I surprisingly only caught two movies which was Annie 2014 (6/10) and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (6/10). There were simply not much interesting releases in the final third of December 2014. I could have watched another viewing of Gone Girl (8.5/10) which is totally uncensored as compared to the Malaysian version but gave it a pass. Do check out my full review of my Top Ten movies of 2014 on The Popcorn Panel (podcast) with my regular co-host @delgoh.

Perhaps the saddest part of December is the recent tragedy of AirAsia flight QZ8051 which is still reporting missing for the past two days. It was supposed to arrive on last Sunday morning in Singapore from Surabaya and the AirAsia Airbus lost contact a few minutes later after the pilot requested to divert the stormy path. My prayers to the 162 people on board and their family members and next of kin and friends.

I was a bit traumatized as I was catching the evening flight back to Brunei from Singapore and that’s just a trigger reaction after this becomes the fifth major airline crash in 2014. First it was the mysterious MH370, the MH17 being shot down, Tranasia Airways Flight 222 in Taiwan, Air Algerie Flight 5017 and now AirAsia QZ8051. I do hope the search of the QZ8051 will be conclusive. As of now, there are many speculations rather than conclusive findings.

On a high note, my year will end with two of my good friends getting hitched. First up is the couple of Tahir Abdullah (aka Terence Han) and Melati Dato Paduka Hj Yussof who had their nikah recently and I shall be seeing you guys early next year for your wedding celebration. The other couple is Richard To and Joanne Tan whom will be celebrating their wedding later tonight. I had the privilege to be one of the Heng Tais (brothers) and it was my first experience as well. It was pretty interesting because we all had to suit up in Power Rangers outfit *lol* Definitely something for me to remember in 2014.

If this is my final entry for 2014, I wish you all a great year ahead in 2015. Come to think of it, I still remember my resolution for 2014 but only done like 10% of it. Looks like 2015 will be an affirmation for my 2014’s resolution 😀 Happy new year to my readers and thank you for supporting me all this while.

Spend time with my siblings playing FIFA 15 on the Xbox One in Singapore. I’m surprised my younger brother is pretty good in the game.

Tiffany Yong enjoyed more of Annie 2014 than I did. The chemistry was lacking and it didn’t carry enough emotional impact like it did for me when I saw the original Annie.

Had a good dinner with Singapore bloggers Renzze (aka Karen) and Raphael at Le Steak. I suggest to order the lamb rack.

Guess who I bumped into? Oprah Winfrey 😀 … But at Madam Tuassaud’s ho ho ho

A great catch up with Yazid in Singapore. Thanks for the advanced gift bro. I shall see you in January InsyaAllah.

I didn’t foresee this coming at Orchard Road and this was taken an hour after December turned 25th.

I caught PeterPan Musical Broadway at Resorts World Sentosa. My verdict: Only a 7. Winnie enjoyed it more and it was also her first musical show experience.

The headlines to remind the public for future incidents

The Krispy Kreme colour trademark matches my Adidas outfit 😀

Congratulations Terence and Mel 😀

The missing plane AirAsia flight QZ8501

My final toastmasters meeting of 2014 at UBD last night

My first Heng Tai experience at #trickyjotowedding Check out the hashtag on IG for more updates.

 

 

Dato Timothy Ong, Chairman of Asia Inc Forum, sharing his thoughts on AEC 2015

The Asean Economic Community (AEC) is an achievable vision but it won’t happen by 2015 according to Dato Timothy Ong, the Chairman of Asia Inc Forum, who was the speaker at the event organised by the Britain Brunei Business Forum (BBBF), entitled “The Asean Economic Community: A Business Perspective”. Dato Timothy Ong is no stranger to the business economics of the Asean region and to me, he is the google human of economics who studies and understands the different kinds of factors that influences policies and the business environments especially among Asean countries.

I still remember of the Asean Summit last year where Brunei was championing the event and the highlight of the Summit was the Asean Economic Community which they envision to be ready by 2015. Dato Timothy Ong believes that such target will be reached but not by 2015. This is because of the different policies, cultures, level of developments (developed and developing countries) and many more. But these factors alone will take some time before all the Asean countries can come to a consensus on AEC.

I do have to agree on one strong point Dato raised and that is the level of urgency from different state leaders. Yes, all the state leaders are heading for AEC but perhaps the level of urgency ain’t the same. So this could affect the target of having AEC by 2015.

After Dato Ong’s delivery on his business perspective, he went on to answer questions raised by the invited guests ranging from deputy permanent secretaries, ambassadors, high commissioners, government officials to entrepreneurs. I have to admit the questions were ongoing until the end of the session and Dato Timothy was the right candidate to respond due to his vast knowledge of Asean policies and business culture.

I really learned more about Asean in that one hour than my history classes back in high school *lol* Thank you to BBBF for the invitation.

Lyndsay Rajah, chair of BBBF

During the Q & A session

Royal Brunei Airlines

Click to enter website

Can DPMM FC continue their scoring spree momentum tonight?

DPMM FC will be gunning for their third win in a row as they will be hosted by Hougang United FC who can prove to be a tricky customer for DPMM FC. Brunei’s only professional club scored 11 goals in the last two games against two bottom teams – Courts Young Lions and Harimau Muda and they are on a scoring spree but the most important key for Steve Kean is getting another clean sheet for DPMM FC.

“We have an appetite to go and have a few more goals and the best part about our last game is the clean sheet as well. So we are very hopeful that we can get a clean sheet and get all three points,” said Kean during the interview at the Brunei International Airport before taking off to Singapore.

Kean did admit that Hougang United has cause some surprises in the S•League this season. “I have watched some of their games on DVD and they are good at putting the ball in the box and it will be a tough game.”

However, DPMM FC will be without two key players – Rosmin Kamis (Bobby) and Sairol Sahari who scored in the last game. According to Kean, Bobby should be back for the following game next week as he was being rested, recovering from two calves strains. Sairol will be rested for some tight strain on his hip.

Kean is ready to hand Azwan Salleh and Hendra, their first start of the season, replacing the positions of Sairol and Bobby respectively. The head coach is confident of Bobby’s replacement, Hendra, and he has shown some maturity while coming off the bench in the past few matches. This will be a big game for Hendra indeed.

Rodrigo Tosi will prove to be a huge threat as he has already bagged seven goals this season. He shared how the squad this season was very much different from his previous stints and one point that he highlighted was the mentality of his team mates that has made the difference. The Brazilian is also wary of Hougang’s improvements this season and he will do his best to bring in three points for DPMM FC and of course, add to his goal tally.

Hougang United FC will host DPMM FC tonight at Hougang Stadium, Singapore. You can catch some live updates on their Twitter and instagram handle @officialdpmmfc

DPMM FC players posing after their 5-0 victory of Harimau Muda last Friday

DPMM FC will be missing Sairol Sahari and Rosmin Kamis who are being rested

DPMM FC’s brightest prospect, Azwan Ali, will be featured once again and he has been giving DPMM FC more attacking options.

DPMM FC players with some fans at the Brunei International Airport yesterday

Will Aziz Tamit and Boris Raspudic hold their defence for another clean sheet tonight?

 

The Minister of Education and The Minister of Development with the Board of Directors of ISB, management of ISB and students of ISB at the groundbreaking ceremony of ISB new campus at Kg Sg Hanching

The Minister of Education and The Minister of Development with the architect, consultants and contractors of the new ISB campus

The comments have been flourish on my social media after my posting of the recent graphics of the newly proposed green building of ISB campus at Sg Hanching. By August 2015, ISB will relocated their school to the new proposed area. The exact location is along Jalan Utama Salambigar, Kg Sg Hanching and it is pretty big, a 22-acre site.

I remember a few years ago of the rumours that ISB can be relocated as the current land belongs to the another ministry if I’m not mistaken. Now it’s a reality after a groundbreaking ceremony a few days ago officiated by two of our ministers – Minister of Education, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong and the Minister of Development, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, who poured concrete cement into the foundation of the new ISB campus.

You may seen ISB’s branding as being eco-friendly and always giving back to the community and I was pleased that ISB’s new campus uses the green concept to reduce the usage of energy and water while creating a more conducive and healthier environment for the teachers, students and parents.

The whole project itself costs in the region of BND 30 million and it’s being financed by Baiduri Bank (Oh yeah, if you wanna apply for home loans, Baiduri Bank can help finance you too). The architect of the project is handled by Arkitek Rekajaya; Civil & Structural Consultants is Adwan & Associates Chartered Engineers; Mechanical & Electrical Consultant is Sepakat Setia Perunding; Earthwork Consultant also is done by Sepakat Setia Perunding; Quantity Surveyor is MRBC Partnership; Main Building Contractor is Walltique Sdn Bhd and Mechanical & Electrical Contractor is DHJ Electrical Sdn Bhd.

Both ministers were pretty impressed with the current project and they hope that more schools will adapt the concept of a greener environment even on a smaller scope.

I will see if I’m able to get more snippets during the progress of the construction over a period of time.

Ahmad Isa, the Chairman of ISB, delivering his welcoming remarks and highlight of ISB’s initiative of going green and conserving energy on the new green concept campus

The pouring of the concrete to commemorate the construction of the new campus

In a few months’ time, this place will have some foundation

The Early Childhood Building

The Early Childhood Building (Ugama)

The overview of new ISB campus

 

Check out this drama event consisting of multiple short sketches with some comedic touch and a theme. Happening the following Sunday.

 

For many senior citizens, getting to grips with smartphone technology can sometimes be problematic as the small on-screen text is often difficult to read and the multitude of features and functions can lead to mistakes.

Concepts Computer Sdn Bhd has taken steps to solve the problem by introducing five different Acer smartphone models, and anyone over the age of 50 purchasing a smartphone from the company will be entitled to a special gift – a Starius 2,600mAH power-bank, which comes in a variety of colours including electric blue and striking black.

 In addition to this, students and teachers providing valid identification will be able to acquire the same deal.

Check out the Acer Liquid Z3s which only costs BND 158 and for a limited time, you can purchase any of the Acer smartphones and get a FREE Starius power bank (applicable to senior citizens, students and teachers)

 First on the list is the affordable Acer Liquid Z3s dual core 1GHz Android smart-phone priced at $158. The Z3s includes a Senior Mode which comes optimised for senior citizens with features such as magnification, quick call contacts and radio.

 These simple modes are also designed for children as the range of “Quick Mode” options available on the Z3s makes this a great first time smart-phone with parent restrictions and security locks.
Next on offer is the Acer Liquid Z5, available for the price of $238 for 512MB or $288 for 1GB. Despite its budget price, the Z5 is a smart-looking smartphone as pictures and videos are clearly portrayed in its large five-inch display. Favourite applications and camera function are also easily launched from the home screen. This model sports a front-facing high performance speaker that has clear audio, equipped with DTS sound which plays tracks beautifully.

 The next model on offer is the Acer Liquid E2, priced at $328, which has an elegant curved design with a large 4.5-inch HD screen and a camera that has a zero shutter delay that allows users to take up to eight pictures per second. This model also comes with dual metal speakers and wide stereo width enhancement for users needing an entertainment smartphone on-the-go.

 Meanwhile, the Acer Liquid S1, a perfect business smartphone, is priced at $498 and has a large 5.7-inch HD display and features the zero-air-gap design. The model comes with office applications such as Acer Docs and Acer Remote Files for that spur-of-the-moment presentation.

 Last but not least is the high-end Acer Liquid S2, available for $848, which has a 6-inch Full HD display with IPS technology. The phone sports a 13 MP, f/2.2 camera that captures breathtaking 27 MP panoramic images and records videos in 4K Ultra HD2. Users can also experience a 5.1 channel virtual sound on headphones when using the phone and the intuitive graphical tuner will adjust sounds to preferred sound quality.

 Concepts Computer Marketing Executive Zul Abdul Rahman said that the special deal is the beginning of a great expansion for the company, with hopes of aiding older citizens in Brunei as well as fulfilling the needs of consumers such as teachers and students.

 For more information on the wide selection of Acer smartphones or Starius power banks, visit the nearest Concepts Computer showroom or call 2233551 or 2233552. Text courtesy of Rebecca Oi of The Brunei Times.

Associates of Concepts Computer holding the Acer Liquid Series smartphone and the power banks

Perks of being a media. We get to choose one power bank 😀

From the five models, you will get a FREE power bank. Only applicable to senior citizens, students and teachers

Mr. Vincent Pao is also enjoying his new hobby – photography 😀

 

For the first time, Freshco in Plaza Abdul Razak will be organizing its own Wedding Fair, which is in collaboration with Songket Wedding Event & Co. The event will be featuring companies that provide for certain aspects of weddings from all over Brunei, and the fair will be in conjunction with the official launching of the Putera Banquest Hall in Freshco, which can accommodate up to 800 pax for wedding functions.

The fair which is open to the public will take place over 4 weeks, starting from Thursday, 17th April 2014 and officially end Sunday, 11th May 2014. Each week, different vendors will be showcasing their products according to the theme, from 11am til 9pm, (excluding 12pm to 2pm on Fridays).

The rest of the schedule will be “Wedding Photography & Videography” which will take place from 24th to 27th April, “Wedding Dresses & Make up” on 1st to 5th May, and the final week will be all about “Wedding Decorations, Pelamin & Hantaran” from 8th to 11th May.

Lucky couples who book the Putera Banquet Hall for their wedding during the fair are entered in a Lucky Draw to win a Free Honeymoon Trip to Bali for 3 days and 2 nights, which is sponsored by Songket Wedding Events & Co. More surprises will be revealed as the fair takes places, so set your sights on Freshco’s Official Facebook Page, and their Instagram @freshcobrunei to get the latest updates.

For more information, please contact 2201083, 717 4418 or 7293131

 

The Film Festival UBD 2014 is happening this weekend. Well done to the UBD students involved in this project

You can listen to my podcast on my interview with the Marketing Director of the Film Festival UBD 2014