His Excellency Dato Paduka Hj Rosli bin Hj Sabtu and his spouse, Datin Rohana Ering hosted an open house at their residence of the Brunei Embassy to Republic of Korea last Sunday. Korea celebrated Eid Mubarak a day earlier than Brunei. Thank you once again for your awesome hospitality.

Group photo with the Brunei Embassy and students currently studying in Korea. Click image to enlarge.

It’s been a while since I’m away from Brunei Darussalam during Eid Mubarak/Hari Raya season. Of course, in Brunei, the celebration will last for the whole month and the significant times will be the first few days of Aidilfitri.

I accepted the offer (from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Korea) to be granted a slot at the Asian Cultural Youth Leaders’ Camp 2017 in Seoul, Republic of Korea and the timings coincided with the Hari Raya celebration. A big thank you also to the Korean Embassy in Brunei Darussalam for recommending me to attend the 5 day program which was fully sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea.

Funnily enough upon my arrival in Seoul, Siti Han whatsapp me as I reached Koreana Hotel early in the morning and I was fortunate that I had no agenda when she offered me to join them for Brunei Embassy’s open house at the residence. Of course, why not 😀

I was warmly greeted and I was truly amazed by the hospitality of His Excellency Dato Paduka Hj Rosli bin Hj Sabtu and his spouse, Datin Rohana Ering. The ambassador also welcomed Bruneians residing in the country and hence most of them made up of UBD students who are under the exchange program (Discovery Year) while the rest are made up of post graduate and scholarship students.

It definitely felt like home and I managed to learn more about the culture of Korea through our conversations. It was also great to see familiar faces – Anna (Nurfauzanna) binti Abu Bakar and Hjh Rosni bin Hj Mohd Yassin who are posted currently at the Brunei Embassy in Seoul.

Thank you once more for the kind hospitality and I’m sure the Bruneians who were in the vicinity felt blessed and appreciative of your hospitality.

To my family back home and my friends, Selamat Hari Raya Maaf Zahir Batin adn do buckle up while driving.

Photo opportunity with some of the students

His Excellency Dato Paduka Hj Rosli bin Hj Sabtu was a former Managing Director of AMBD before he is being posted to Korea back in July 2015

Taken just outside the embassy’s residence. Very cozy and a safe neighborhood too.

Fitness Zone Managing Director Wu Chun led his team to give back to the community in celebration of Mother’s Day. Read more below for the full story.

Once a year, Fitness Zone Managing Director Wu Chun, embarks on a charity project specifically in commemoration of Mother’s Day, and as a great tribute and gift to his mother on mother’s day.

This year Wu Chun with his Fitness Zone team, turned an agent of change for a family of a single mother and Nurhidayat Jafardam, her 13 years old child, who is suffering from Spina Bifida, a permanently disabling birth defect. This medical condition occurs when a baby is in the womb and the spina column does not close all the way so the child has to be on wheelchair since birth.

The Team will spend 3 days fixing the very run down one bedroom house situated near Kuala Lurah. Problems such as leaking roofs, broken windows and doors and defective plumbing are all fixed within these 3 days. On top of that, Wu Chun also ensure the single mother and her 2 children aged 16 and 13 can live more comfortable so sufficient lighting throughout the house was added, and also to repaint the whole house with their children favorite colors and also an additional air conditioned bedroom was created for his 16 years old son who has been staying with her mother and sister in a small bedroom since birth. With this, Wu Chun wishes that this family will have a more comfortable place to live with, and a happier Hari Raya in the upcoming month.

After the 3 days changeover, Fitness Zone team also celebrate Mother’s day with the single mother. According to Nurhidayat Jafardam’s mother, “ Wu Chun was sweating all over to make sure everything was taken care of. He painted the house, clean the floors and keep asking me what I needed to make sure we can live comfortably and safely. This is the best mother’s day gift for me and we are truly grateful for this arrangement that really helps change our life.”

Fitness Zone Managing Director Wu Chun led his team to give back to the community in celebration of Mother’s Day. Read more below for the full story.

Fitness Zone Managing Director Wu Chun led his team to give back to the community in celebration of Mother’s Day. Read more below for the full story.

Doing charity works, and reaching out to those who need help, is one way of giving flesh to Fitness Zone vision and mission, and that is to give back to the community, to give care and compassion to those who need it. Fitness Zone, who won the APEA Corporate Social Responsibility award is constantly encouraging its staffs and members to care for our communities.

It is through these social and charitable activities, that we are able to fundamentally grow and be better physically and spiritually and learn, value, and cherish life. In addition, Wu Chun said, “It is my intention to raise awareness so the public, who is keen to help out those who are in need will reach out to institutions such as JAPEM, Yaska, and others, to support to those who greatly need the assistance. A small act or gesture of goodwill can really create a big impact on lives of those that is really in need.”

In closing, Wu Chun imparted “ Since young, my mother always involved me in charitable project. Caring and changing people’s life is always a great part in my life, and i hope that with a little act of kindness, we can all make this world a better place.