Check out the latest podcast of the Dugout Treble with co-host Jason Rumpun and producer Abu

I’m qute disappointed so far with Brazil. Yes, the host nation as they were pushed to the brink against Chile last night. Being the host nation, this is a very disappointing display by Brazil and if they were to have the same performance like last night, they won’t stand a chance against Colombia who beat Uruguay 2-0. Chile was pretty close from snatching the victory if it wasn’t for the bar that saved the blushes of Brazil from an excellent Pinilla’s strike near the end.

Probably the worrying factor are the strikers at Brazil’s disposal – Jo and Fred who haven’t yet to impress in the tournament and further more, Hulk was just showing his brilliance on the pitch after a lackluster performance in the first three matches. I don’t see Brazil heading as far to the finals with France and Germany also breathing down their necks.

Now Colombia is one team that many have not taken account for. They are a compact team with many creativity in attack with the likes of star player James Rodriguez, and Juan Cuadrado and they even topped the group stage with 9 points. Though the group stage didn’t possess much threat, they shone where other competent teams failed to when going against weaker opponents. I can see Colombia reaching the semi-finals but it will be a harder test either against France or Germany if one of them reaches the semis.

Of course, the biggest news that have faded away is the banning of Luiz Suarez for his biting incident in the Uruguay-Italy match. I believe the suspension given to him by FIFA is still kinda lenient considering the fact that this is the third time Suarez has been fined and suspended for similar incidents. As a Liverpool player, I am disappointed and this shows old habits die hard. I’m not sure what’s the future lies now for Luis Suarez and Liverpool.

So who are my picks for the rest? Germany to win, France to win, Netherlands to beat Mexico, Costa Rica to go through, Argentina to beat Swiss while Belgium will edge USA.

Chiellini bitten by the ever hungry Suarez

Suarez claims that he lost his balance *Yea right*

Neymar might need his other 10 to show up

James Rodriguez was simply awesome and he has now scored 5 goals

The most animated coach on the pitch – Miguel Herrara and he is one of the lowest paid coach

The expensive flops – Cesare Prandelli, Coach of Italy, Fabio Capello of Russia and Roy Hodgson of England – the top three highest paid coaches that failed to bring the team past the group stage

 

Do check out the new Shell Helix Ultra with PurePlus Technology at Brunei Shell Marketing booth at Plenary Hall. The new product will be in the market by July I believe and BSM will be having a special promotion on their existing products soon.

This new Shell Helix Ultra is compatible for both petrol and diesel and it will make your engine feel brand new too

Congratulations to Regalblue Production for managing to sell off 1,000 DVD copies of Apa Ada Dengan Rina, a Brunei film hit, and the DVD stock will be back by next week according to Regalblue

There was a blood donation yesterday at Consumer Fair

Books selling at reasonable price at Dbookhaus

Photo pop with Liyana of Yasmine the movie and future celebrity Hui Chiet :p

Still drawing a huge crowd as usual

Wanna get your hanna done?

More people downloading Snapfeed and visiting their booth for free gifts

Wanna cook your egg and sausage and blend them together? This does it

Maggi galore at Jasra Harrisons booth

Want a selfie stick?

Marshmallow chocolates

 

Check out our predictions for the final round of the Group A and B of the World Cup 2014 with my co-host Jason Rumpun

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Hj Abu Bakar Hj Ibrahim, Chairman of Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd (center) with Mozart Hj Ibrahim and Hjh Rena Azlina binti Dato Paduka Hj Abdul Aziz, directors of Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd and Ang Han Kee, Head of Network Management & Planning, Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd at the press conference yesterday at Radisson Hotel

The past is the past. Now it’s about moving forward. You may have heard or seen in the news about the new developments that B-Mobile Communications Sdn Bhd was going through a few months ago. A new company under the name of Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd will run the operations of B-Mobile Communications effective 1st July 2014. This would mean the name of B-Mobile won’t be used anymore and it will be known as Progresif Cellular from 1st of July 2014.

A press conference was held yesterday, led by the chairman of Progresif Cellular, Hj Abu Bakar Hj Ibrahim. Also present during the press conference were the board of directors of Progresif Cellular, Mozart Hj Ibrahim and Hjh Rena Azlina binti Dato Paduka Hj Abdul Aziz.

I believe the great news about the press conference is the assurance that B-Mobile will not ceased its operation. Instead the service will be sustained and the everyday operations will be under a new management of Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd. Acquiring an existing telco company is never an easy feat as they have to deal with many issues and paperwork. So it’s no surprise that the acquisition process took many months before it can be a successful one.

Hj Abu Bakar highlighted three important points which are important as their core values in achieving their vision as the most innovative mobile service provider in Brunei Darussalam. The first point he stated is the “People” which means the customers and their employees. It’s important to understand the needs and wants of customers and at the same time, it is important to train and develop the associates of Progresif Cellular so they can meet the demands of the customers in the best and most efficient ways possible.

The second point he shared was improving the network. This is no surprise that the existing subscribers of B-Mobile are experiencing inconsistent connectivity. He reassured that this issue will be put on a priority list and they have put on many countless hours in examining the problems that have been affecting the current network. Hj Abu Bakar hinted that the improvements of the network will be done in a gradual pace (in phases) and not instantly. I believe this is a great move by Progresif Cellular as I’ve seen telcos which focused too much on new services and products but forgetting the fundamental basics which is sustaining a good network.

The third point Hj Abu Bakar pointed out is building their brand. To me, it’s always important to create and make an impact, just by branding because it has a lasting impact and impression on consumers and that’s every entrepreneurs’ dream – to have a strong brand. From what I heard from the chairman’s speech is that the Progresif Cellular is very customer oriented and it wants to position itself to bridge that connection with its customers. Though this will take time to achieve such synergy and branding awareness to their customers, this is already a positive move by the company.

When asked about the 4G services, the chairman’s reply was simple – improve the existing network before upgrading their services and products. I’m quite excited what Progresif Cellular will be offering in the coming months and this will give a good competitive edge to their rival and of course, the winner here will be the consumers.

I’m also touched and honoured that the media was able to mingle with the chairman and the board of directors of Progresif Cellular after the press conference and this shows the trust they have on us and it’s also a good reflection of their vision and mission to create that relationship with their customers. In Brunei, it’s quite rare that we have an informal conversation during refreshments with directors of an organization. So I thank you for that opportunity and I’m sensing better things to come from Progresif Cellular.

Members of the media invited for the special press conference

If you see the balloons, I believe that’s the corporate colours of Progresif Cellular

 

$0.20 only mini chicken wings

 

Present to officiate the opening were Chairman of Taiwan Business Association in Brunei Darussalam Lien Kon Sien, Executive Director of Planet Popcorn Ben Lee, Executive Director of Gecko Enterprise Alan Liew and Property Manager of Abdul Razak Holdings Muhammad Fadzillah

Planet Popcorn is the latest food trend to invade The Mall. Just as their name states, their selection of gourmet popcorn that will thrill your taste buds. The franchise from Taiwan was brought in by Gecko Enterprise opened it’s doors on Saturday and was a big hit with several customers queuing up to get their first taste.

With almost 50 stores in Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, China and Hong Kong, Planet Popcorn wins over their customers with a variety of flavours ranging from savoury to sweet, In their current line up, they have Original, which is slighty sweet and salty, Seaweed, Kimchi and Caramel, but that’s not all.. coming soon will be Double Cheese and Double Chocolate.

How does Planet Popcorn differ from others? According to Ben Lee, the Executive Director of the Planet Popcorn Franchise, that there are two kinds of popcorn, butterfly, which is the kind sold in cinemas and in the microwave packs, and mushroom, a premium kind. In addition, the popcorn is picked specially so that when popped each popcorn measures to about 1 cm. Add to that some delicious seasonings and flavours, and you have the perfect snack to enjoy while watching the world cup, while hanging out with friends, or any occasion. The popcorn is sold in two sizes, a vacuum sealed pack and buckets, with prices starting at $6.90 for a pack. And while visiting the store, you have the opportunity to taste test the different flavours

Check out their Facebook : Planet Popcorn Brunei and their Instagram @PlanetPopcornBrunei to keep apprised of the latest promotions and to know when their latest flavours are coming in.

They had a special promotion during the opening day

Fans of the Planet Popcorn queueing up

I believe they have four flavours to choose from

The ladies at your service at Planet Popcorn

 

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Want to win a GoPro Hero 3+? Check out #kickItBrazil Peugeot Brunei competition. Competition starts 12th May. Click image to enter Facebook page for more details.

 

Check out the debut podcast of Dugout Treble which is dedicated to World Cup highlights, news and opinions starring Rano Iskandar and co-host Jason Rumpun.

Not a convincing performance from Argentina as a whole but sometimes when you have a world class player like Lionel Messi, that’s all you need. He finally scored his World Cup goal and it has been 8 years since he broke the duck in the World Cup. A great goal too but loads of homework for Argentina if they want to get pass the group stage. Argentina beat Bosnia 2-1.

Karim Benzema has done it. He scored twice, one from the a penalty as they beat Honduras 3-0 in their group match. It seems France won’t be missing Frank Ribery as much who couldn’t make it to the big stage due to injury. I’m also glad that he is my captain on my fantasy league (McDonald’s FIFA) and he has 28 points for his effort last night.

A very entertaining match between Switzerland and Ecuador but it was the Swiss who stole the final laugh when substitute Haris Seferovic scored in the dying minutes of extra time for an important 2-1 victory over Ecuador. The match could have gone either way. Very entertaining indeed.

A match that needed spark when Ivory Coast was searching for an equalizer after Honda had scored an early goal. In comes Drogba but though he didn’t score or assist, his presence changed the flow of play and gave the team more confidence and in the end, Ivory Coast came out victorious with a 2-1 score line against Japan. Amazing what one man can do!!

Joe Hart fell into the net after Balotelli scored a header from close range. It proved to be the winner but my favourite team England showed lots of promise especially with a very young team which lacked experience. Apart from captain Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, the first 11 were pretty much a very young team. Pirlo, Italy’s maestro proved his class once again despite being 35 and Italy prevailed in another exciting clash. Italy won 2-1.

A Costa Rican fan enjoying his moment as Costa Rica caused a major upset against Uruguay with a 3-1 victory. It will be interesting if Suarez will be back in time for the match against England.

 

The Minister of Education, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong officiating the BIBD Perdana Lounge

BIBD launched its new “Perdana” Privilege Banking experience at the new BIBD Perdana Lounge, located at the first level of BIBD’s Kiulap branch in Komplex Setia Kenangan. The new “Perdana” banking segment will further enhance the banking experience of BIBD’s affluent cutomers by providing them with exclusive new products, banking facilities and services.

The new Perdana lounge allows members access to public and private meeting rooms, conference room. e-magazines, a dedicated parking service, concierge services among other amenities – all supplemented with Perdana’s warm hospitality.

Javed Ahmad, Managing Director of BIBD said “The new BIBD Perdana banking proposition aims to enrich the banking experience of our affluent clients through dynamic banking solutions and experiences. The market was always expectant from BIBD to offer a competitive proposition to this segment and we have heeded that call. The Perdana Privilege Banking platform is second to none and we believe that it provides affluent banking customers in Brunei with the best solutions to their banking needs as well as preserving and enhancing their wealth.”

In his speech, the Minister of Education, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, “The new Perdana branch symbolises the great efforts made by BIBD to always have the capability and capacity to cater for a specific market segment in Brunei Darussalam. Their Bruneian at Heart tagline anchors them to what is important, yet their ambitions pave the way for their future success.”

Apart from having a dedicated Relationship Manager to cater for their needs, each Perdana customer will benefit from the new product range which includes Perdana Platinum Debit and Credit Cards, access to the exclusive Perdana Contact Centre hotline and website, access to airport lounges worldwide through complimentary Priority Pass membership, and a list of other features.

The event was officiated by  the Minister of Education, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong in the presence of BIBD’s Board of Directors and Shariah Advisory Body, along with its Managing Director, senior officers and staff. Also in attendance was previous BIBD Chairmen, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haj Awg Abdullah bin Begawan Mudim Haji Bakar, Minister of Communications, and Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Yahya bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, Minister of Industry and Primary Resources.

Also present was Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haj Awg Abdullah who was the previous BIBD Chairman

Javed Ahmad, Managing Director of BIBD, in his welcoming remarks

The associates handling BIBD Perdana customers

The interior of BIBD Perdana at BIBD’s Kiulap branch

 

This week, Galleria YMRM will have crazy sales this week at both branches – Batu Satu and Tungku Link. These prices especially for textiles will be sold at ridiculously low prices