Click image to download application form

 

Click image to enter Radisson Facebook page for updates!!

 

Click image to enter website

 

Come down to KB this weekend for the travel fair

 

I’m still saddened by the news of the Tawau ordeal. The students and lecturers returned safely at Brunei International Airport yesterday and it was a very emotional atmosphere for the students and families. However, on a sadder note, the body of Muhd Azizan bin Mohd Sidek, a second year Bachelor of Science (Major in Geology) student from UBD, was found 5 km away from the scene at Sg. Balung, Tawau, Sabah. His body was flown back on a Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) CN235 Aircraft which arrived at the Royal Brunei Air Force Base in Kg. Rimba last night along with the family members.

The search still continues for the other missing student with the help of Sabah police and fire personnel as of press time. According to the press, Brunei’s Consulate General in Sabah was also there to monitor the search and rescue efforts and also taking care of the welfare of the students and lecturers then.

For your info, the 1:15 second video that has been circulated around does not relate to the Tawau incident. The actual video is taken from Patalpani waterfall which happened back in 2011. So peeps, please don’t spreading news or information that is untrue.

The atmosphere yesterday after the arrival of the UBD students and lecturers as they reunited with their families at Brunei International Airport. Image courtesy of Hakim Hayat.

The press conference held yesterday on the Tawau situation

Today I read the papers from Borneo Bulletin which had an account told from a survivor Siti Lieyana Md Azffri. She’s now being treated for minor injuries and she had an in-depth interview with Danial Norjidi of Borneo Bulletin.

So do bear with me as the words below are spoken from Siti Lieyana herself, extracted from today’s article in Sunday Bulletin.

“When we arrived and were still on the bus, we noticed the grey skies and hence, prepared our raincoats. I did not bring mine along and only wore my tudong and normal clothes.

“Since it was the last day of our trip, I became extra active. I walked at the front line with a friend who also got swept away by the currents. Twenty-eight of us were divided into groups so those in the first group ended up being swept away. We noticed that to cross the river, we had to pass through a forest amid the light showers. Making our own tracks, we followed our lecturers, Dr Bill and Binu from Sabah.”

“Half of the group gave up and returned to the bus. The rest of us, however, decided to complete the journey as we were close to our destination. All of us were in a joyful mood especially after coming across a Diarite, a volcanic rock. “As we crossed the river, rocks were still visible on the leftcorner. It was deemed safe to cross, as the other side of the river was deep. Our lecturers began their explanation as we took pictures and videos. On our way back, we realised that the once-visible rocks had submerged underwater.

“To resolve the predicament, the boys held hands to form a ‘bridge’ to ferry the girls across first. I was the second last and the other five to six girls managed to safely cross the river except us.

“When my turn came along with my friend, the water had risen from knee-level to our stomachs, very quickly. I was about a step or two away when the girl behind me slipped and fell down.

“Dr Bill asked me not to let her go. He held onto her so we slipped as well. Tragedy struck soon after as Binu, the Sabah lecturer who was hanging on to Dr Bill fell into the waters. Another person tried to save me but got swept away by the strong currents too.

“I was stuck between the rocks but then a friend pulled me down as we were both trying to help each other. I held on to another guy, and he also fell as well. Hence, there were three guys on the rock who had not crossed yet.

“We had nowhere to go, so we just stood there waiting.

“Then one of them said, ‘Okay, I don’t know how to swim, you have to help me if anything.

“The events after that became blurry as I had already fallen into the waters. My fellow friends said I fell at a deep spot and couldn’t feel the river bed due to its depth.

At this point, I hung on to dear life and tried to breathe amidst the strong currents that spun and pulled me underwater. I tried to reach the surface but kept going back into the waters up to a point where I gave up. I waited to black out and prepared for the worst but somehow, I felt something on my hands and my survival instincts told me to pull the piece of wood or branch-like thing.

“I used the ‘wood’ as support to climb out but eventually fell down. I probably attempted it five times before finally managing to climb back onto land. After reaching the river bank, I almost fainted, but told myself, ‘I can’t just stay there because no one will find me’ and it was almost getting dark.

She then repeatedly shouted for help for quite some time, in the hopes that someone would hear her. A young man then appeared and asked, “Buat apa di sini? (What are you doing here?)” and I said, “Saya hanyut (I got washed away)”.

“I immediately told him my name, age and that I was from Brunei. I told him I was about to faint.”

He then took Lieyana to a house where he lived with his parents.

The Health Minister paid a visit to see Siti Lieyana Md Azffri. Image taken from Sunday Bulletin.

The river that they were crossing. Image taken from Sunday Bulletin.

“His mother took me inside, helped me shower, changed my clothes and made me some hot drinks and even cooked cucur pisang (banana fritters) for me to eat.

“Their son, who first found me, had to buy credit for his phone so we could use it. So I just waited and when he came back, I used his phone to call my mum and told her what had happened and assured her I was safe.”

She explained that her ‘rescuers’ are the only family living there. They have an orchard and are immigrants from Bugis but are Muslims.

“I was very blessed to have met them,” she said The kind family took care of her, told her to rest and assured they would find one of the rescuers to help her.

It was an hour or two before a rescuer came as the place was isolated and a far distance from where the incident had occurred.

“I asked his mother how far away I was, and she said 30-40 minutes walking distance. “I said I couldn’t walk that far and she suggested going by motorbike as it would be faster. After 7pm, it was really dark and one of the rescuers took me on his motorbike and crossed these hills before we finally reached a road.

“We then met up with the Fire Department at a roundabout and from there, they took me all the way to the location where I met up with the rest of my group.

“It was really scary,” Siti said and she was thankful to have survived. Source: Danial Norjidi of Borneo Bulletin.

Dermot Mannion, Deputy Chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines at the Royal Brunei Airlines booth at 8th Belait Travel Fair at Dewan Bandaran (KB)

Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) and Abacus Brunei successfully launched the 8th Belait Travel which took place at Dewan Bandaran in Kuala Belait yesterday. Today will be the final day of the travel fair which saw a huge flow of crowd early in the morning. Ironically KB had to undergo a scheduled power cut for most of the day but thanks to the generator, the travel agents were able to make flight arrangements through the Abacus system.

Yesterday the event was officially launched by Dermot Mannion, Deputy Chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines, and he proudly announced the increase of flights to KL to 14 flights a week, effective 22nd May 2013. double daily flights will be departing Bandar Seri Begawan at 9am and 6.10pm every day, arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 11.15am and 8.25pm respectively. The return flights will depart KLIA at 12.45pm and 9.10pm, and arrive in Bandar Seri Begawan at 3.15pm and 11.30pm respectively.

According to Mannion, the announcement marked another important milestone in the development of RB’s services around the region. Yesterday RB also announced a special deal where you can fly to KL for only BND 222 (all-in) but the special air fare was only applicable for yesterday’s booking.

I just bought my air fare tickets to Singapore for my March (Russell Peters) and May (Sundown Marathon) and the prices were fairly reasonable too. So do come down to Dewan Bandaran in Kuala Belait as today is the final day of the travel fair. Do drive safe too 😀

Jenny was the emcee yesterday and Happy Birthday to you which falls today 😀

Dermot Mannion announced the 14 flights to KL starting 22nd May

He officiated the launch of the travel fair

Tourism Malaysia also participated in the exhibition and they are happy of the increased flights to KL

The guys from Darussalam Holdings working hard

One of the customers playing darts to claim Royal Skies points

He managed to get a 1,000+ Royal Skies points

It was pretty packed early in the morning

Fina taking advantage of the promotional fare. Happy flying :p

Great privileges for Baiduri Cardholders too

Radisson Brunei have special deals during school holiday and the room rates are worth to check out

Mizah was excited to win prizes from the quiz yesterday

Those who booked or purchased tickets are eligible for the lucky draw

Sometimes I won’t be drawn to price gimmicks. The electronic display of prices doesn’t include tax for your info.

The organisers’ life saviour yesterday – the generator