Our podcast review of Yasmine the movie with my special guest Seng Yee. Find out what is my best scene of the movie.

 

The media and bloggers heading to Singapore for the test drive organised by Volkswagen Singapore earlier this month

That’s the beauty of driving Volkswagen. You will be spoilt for choices on what model to buy. A few months ago, I test drove the Volkswagen GTI and it is an awesome car indeed. Recently I test drive other models of Volkswagen (Golf Polo 1.2 and 1.4, Tiguan TSI and Golf R) in Singapore. Maybe the right word for that is “sakai” because it was my first experience driving on Singapore roads 😀 It seemed like an unexpected bucket list and I thank you Volkswagen Singapore for making that opportunity a reality.

Today I’m gonna share my experience of driving the new Volkswagen Tiguan TSI. If you know of the Touareg series, then Tiguan has similar design and features. Actually when I drove this particular car, I already have thoughts on replacing my 11-year old car 😀 The Tiguan TSI is almost a perfect SUV car for my liking and it’s also one practical car which is also ideal for my profession. I currently drive an SUV so it would make sense if my next car will be an SUV.

So what are the impressive factors about the Volkswagen Tiguan?

Firstly, the drawing factor for me is that the fact that it is an SUV. I actually don’t mind driving a saloon car but it’s always a bonus if I drive an SUV. Hence, among all the cars that I drove from Volkswagen, the new Tiguan caught my eye. The size is not as big as the Touareg and that’s how I preferred it to be. If you are opting for a mid-size range SUV, this is my recommendation.

Secondly, I’m always concerned about safety measures when it comes to driving. I know my close friends will find me annoying because I drive with caution sometimes. I’m not a fast driver per se but I still make sure that my car is in fine condition on the road. The plus points about the Tiguan is that safety level of this particular model. This Tiguan series have been named the SUV as its “Top Safety Pick” by New Car Assessment Program. For the record, this evaluation covers extensive measures in the areas of active and passive safety. There is so much that I can blabber on especially the multiple airbags and the seatbelt force limiters but I think you will get the gist of my hints about the safety.

Thirdly, the drive factor. Of course, I didn’t really drive full force like I did with the Golf R *lol* The latest Tiguan driving experience was simply worth the drive. It makes my current SUV feel so inferior but then again, it’s an 11-year old car. I drove this among the hills of Singapore and it was just amazing the power it has for the size of the car. It makes me want to test drive the Tiguan TSI once more in Brunei. The handling was also great during the curves of the hills and it felt that I was bonded with the Tiguan for such a long time, considering it was my first drive on the Tiguan.

Fourthly, the price of Volkswagen Tiguan TSI. I won’t reveal the price as yet but wow, I’m amazed how a quality European brand can make produce such an affordable price and I can guarantee you that this model will be a big hit in Brunei considering that it kinda caters to different markets such as the young crowd and also families. Of course, my category is the young one for sure :p

The Volkswagen Tiguan TSI will be launched this Friday so stay tune for updates on that. I highly recommend you to drop by Maju Motors showroom at Telanai this Friday and guess what? They will be having an open house also for the public on that day.

A few Volkswagen cars that I managed to test drive

The Tiguan TSI that I test drove in Singapore

My companions – Dionne of Volkswagen Singapore and Nasroul of The Brunei Times

This is an awesome car – Volkswagen Tiguan TSI

The other models that we had to test drive

Now available at Sin Hup Huat Company

 

Chairman and Co-Partner of the TEDxGadong team Abd Malik Omar (C), Shavez Cheema (L) one of the inspiring speakers and the rest of the team posing for a picture after the press conference recently. Image taken by Nadzri Zailani of The Brunei Times.

A group of youths have banded together to bring in the first TEDx conference in Brunei titled ‘TEDxGadong’ to help inspire youths of the nation in making a difference.

During a press conference at a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf branch in the capital, the TEDxGadong team spoke to The Brunei Times about hosting the first ever TEDx in Brunei at the SEAMEO VOCTECH Building in Gadong on August 24, 2014.

With a team comprising mostly volunteer youths between ages 18 and 22, the chairman and co-partner of the group Abd Malik Omar said that they hope when other youths see them bring in the TEDx brand, they would be inspired.

“TEDx is about unearthing and exploring new ideas so it’s about time that we had our own TEDx conference. Despite us having the lack of resource and most of us being students, we still managed to do it. Showing that where there is a will there is a way,” said Abd Malik.

TED means Technology, Entertainment and Design, which is a non-profit organisation devoted to ideas worth spreading. TED has encompassed the corners of the world spreading ideas and bringing innovation leaders together to inspire the young and old, according to a statement by TEDxGadong.

TEDx is a programme for local and self-organised events, where the x stands for the independently organised TED events.

For the first TEDx conference in Brunei, there will only be 100 tickets for the event ranging from $5 to $20 which will be available for the public on Thursday August 21 at the Core, Universiti Brunei Darussalam Residential College.

Eight local speakers which includes Delwin Keasberry, Denny Ambuyart and Keeran Janin will be speaking about separate topics, and there will also be mystery speakers which will only be announced during the event itself.

“The speakers we chose have the ideas, energy and passion to be able to share their story with the audience. Their passionate about what they do and their contribution to the economy. For us it’s not a matter of age, it’s a matter of ideas,” added the Chairman.

According to the Chairman, helping to inspire the youth is a way for them to actively contribute to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s aim for Vision 2035 as they believe that the youths are the future.

The Chairman added that “through the TEDx event, we may not be able to change the world, but if we can make a one per cent difference to the society we live in, then we have to.” Text courtesy of Nadzri Zailani of The Brunei Times.

The official poster of TEDxGadong

Apparently the tickets are fully booked

 

Our podcast review of Yasmine the movie with my special guest Seng Yee. Find out what is my best scene of the movie.

 

Acer Liquid Smartphones

Sales at Icon Design Store

Click image to enter Peugeot Brunei’s website

Click image to enter Citroën Brunei 

  

Click image to learn more about SCB Facebook Scanvenger Hunt 2014

Hey guys, it’s the moment to reveal what I teased you about! Standard Chartered Bank Brunei are launching their first Facebook Scavenger Hunt! It’s a chance for you to take on a virtual adventure and win Apple products and other fun prizes! All you have to do is click on the link and it will direct you to all the information you would need to find out how to win! Good luck hunters!

 

Catch Brunei tonight against Malaysia and it looks like Brunei must win by 2 goals to go through to the semi-finals

It’s a tall order but I believe Brunei can do it. Adi Said and Hendra will be so important for this match against Malaysia tonight in the group stage of the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy 2014. It’s the final game of the group stage and Brunei need at least to win by two goals to guarantee themselves in the semi-finals.

Adi Said and Hendra are both familiar with Malaysia as most of them represent Harimau Muda in the S•League and they know what it is like to face the Malaysia U-21 team. Brunei recently drew with Vietnam 2-2 last Friday and it could have been worst for Brunei if they didn’t earn any points at all against Vietnam. The hero that game was Adi Said who clawed Brunei back twice with two excellent goals.

It seems that Brunei will have to work their game play around Adi who is the game changer. It will be tough if Adi won’t be playing for Brunei and the head coach will have to come up with Plan B to gain maximum points against Malaysia tonight.

It’s a free entrance match with no tickets involved. So do come early to get the best seats in town. I’m pretty sure it will be a packed house because we want as many supporters as possible to give that needed much support for Brunei to beat Malaysia. To beat Malaysia is a tall order because they are undefeated and not only Brunei has to beat them but with a 2 goal cushion.

Brunei needs you – the 12th man

Want to catch another Mexican wave?

A familiar face among the fans during Brunei vs Vietnam match

A sea of yellow 😀

Merchandise from Arin’s Enterprise

HBT merchandise from Aewon

HBT merchandise from Armtrix Enterprise

 

Brunei toastmasters representatives from Brunei Speakers Club, Oil Town Talkers and Brunei Advanced Speakers’ Club recently at a Toastmasters Leadership training at Kota Kinabalu. Image courtesy of Brunei Speakers Club.

Organised for Toastmasters clubs of District 87 which consists of Brunei Darussalam, East Malaysia, and Indonesia, the Bruneian delegates, comprising members from Brunei Speakers’ Club, Oil Town Talkers, and the Brunei Advanced Speakers’ Club along with their Malaysian and Indonesian counterparts gained knowledge in leadership skills, and in identifying and achieving goals.

Toastmasters clubs are non-profit, educational organisations that provide opportunities for members to learn, develop, and enhance leadership and public speaking skills in encouraging and supportive environment.

Every club wants to offer the best quality environment for their members, so that everyone can learn and thrive. Through this session, members learned how to implement effective key performance indicators to enhance an organization’s performance. In addition, executive member from each club also shared experiences and perspectives on their organisation success plan.

Allen Ang, president of Oil Town Talkers said in the session, “We do not focus on membership growth in terms of numbers, we are more concerned with helping individual member grow and achieve their personal goals. That is why we cater tour individual members’ needs.”

He included nurturing successful individuals through productive mentor and mentee relationships are characteristics of a successful leader. Successful Toastmasters know that mentoring is a crucial element in developing skills through the Toastmasters program. In Brunei, different clubs work together to help each other to grow.

Last year, Stuart Lee from the Brunei Advanced Speakers’ Club made history when he won the Toastmasters humorous speech contest in District 87. This year, Chris Woo from Brunei Advanced Speakers’ Club, after winning the International Speech category in the division and district level, will also be the first to represent Brunei and District 87 to compete against the best speakers in the world at Toastmasters International Convention which will take place in August in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Today, members of the public can continue to learn and develop leadership and public speaking skills in Brunei Darussalam’s Toastmasters clubs. Further information can be found at www.bruneispeakersclub.com

Allen Ang, the President of Oil Town Talkers (Otters), at the Leadership Training

The faces of our own toastmasters from Brunei

 

Get your Logitech peripherals at Concepts Computer. Call 223 3551/2/3

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

The official trailer for Yasmine

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

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

Such a crowd last night

Waiting the arrival of the trio of the main event 😀

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

Representing Kristal FM, the official radio for Yasmine

Coey, Ben and Wendy at the Gala Night

My regular special guest of The Popcorn Panel, Seng Yee

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

 

#yasminepose instagram contest

So the #yasminepose instagram contest is in full force. Get the chance to attend the first ever gala premiere in Brunei, meet the stars of yasmine and win exclusive origin merchandise by instagram-ing your best yasmine pose. Don’t forget the hashtag!

Contest runs from the 3rd -30th June 2014!

 

Early birds get to enjoy complimentary engine oil change! Terms and conditions apply.

Hurry, please call 6732391000 or 6732390123 to book now! Slots are limited. By appointment only.”

Complimentary 30-point Vehicle Health Screening and Consultation at Inderea Motors Sdn Bhd

 

Kia Motors hands over vehicle fleet for 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™

Kia Motors, a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart, conducted a handover ceremony today at Arena de Sao Paulo in Sao Paulo, Brazil for the supply of a fleet of official vehicles to ensure the smooth and efficient transportation of teams, officials, delegates and official VIP visitors from all over the world during the upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™

 

Free 25-points vehicle check, 30% discount on original parts and 20% discount on labour. Check out the dates for the Mazda Privilege campaign.