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Click image to enter website. Valid until 9th June only

 

Largest cupcake in town happening next Sunday 9th June. Click here for details.

The Awesome Truth

RA says it’s great to be back in Singapore once again and this time for a different reason – Sundown Marathon 2013 – which is one of the biggest event in Singapore. If I’m not mistaken, there are more Bruneians joining this year’s event as compared to last year. I remember there were only a handful of Bruneians that participated in 2012. This year alone I could say the numbers have tripled or even more than that. Amazing!!! Perhaps something that Singapore Tourism Board should look into 😀

I have always been covering half marathon events in Brunei for the past few years. Lately that shift has changed as I have become more involved in running/jogging in the past yea. I joined last year’s HSBC #WalkRunCycle2012 event in the 12km category (sadly there won’t be one this year) and this year’s SCB Half-Marathon event in the 10km category. This year I took a step further by joining a half marathon run (21km) in Sundown and to me, this is one of my bucket list. However, training hasn’t been that great but the motivation is still there and this will be a true testament to my physical and perhaps more to my mental strength. The run will happen in less than 15 hours and my friends and I are so excited about it.

By the way, Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam also sent one of the Charity Expedition winners to participate in this year’s Sundown. Eleyina binti Sabtu won a package to Singapore for obtaining the second runner-up spot for BIBD”s CE half-marathon in the Brunei Women’s category. She will be joining the 21KM marathon.. So let’s hope we see you there too. Her trip is also being sponsored by Royal Brunei by offering airfare packages. The other winners also won packages to Melbourne and Hong Kong. For your info, ALAF programme (Advocating Lifelong Learning for an Aspiring Future) was officially launched early May and this is part of BIBD’s SCR initiative *thumbs up*

Eleyina binti Sabtu (right) heading off to Singapore as BIBD CSR officer Dk Vivi sent her off at the airport

Anyway, I will be away for 10 days as I will be in Singapore-Ipoh-Penang. So guys, you know the drill, if you want to reach me, just whatsapp or email me. I will be switching off my Brunei line for now. I guess the fun part for Singapore will be Sundown and the Great Singapore Sale which begins on 1st June *ho ho* So quite a few reasons to fly to Singapore. It was almost a full flight on Royal Brunei on our way to Singapore and I was so happy that we were on the Boeing 777 plane *wuuhuuu* I was fortunate enough to get good rates for my Singapore trip as I bought it during the Belait Travel Fair months ago. Also on the same flight are my jogging buddies, Fina Jaafar and Lisa Masli who are also competing in the 21km category. For three of us, it will be the first time that we participated for the 21km race. As you can see, we are all excited and nervous at the same time.

This is the reflective top for this year’s Sundown

How the goodie bag looks like this year

By the way, speaking of our flight, I was bit confused yesterday upon reaching the Brunei International Airport yesterday as there were supposedly diversion especially to the departure area. There weren’t enough directions or sign boards and we ended up being at the dead end and my driver had to u-turn after dropping me off there (at the VIP departure area). It wasn’t until the police officers ushered the cars off the zone. I believe now there are more directions and sign boards to direct drivers to the right drop off zone for departure. Do refer to the map below as provided by Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB).

The Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) are closely working with BEDB in the renovation of the Brunei International Airport. BEDB and DCA would like to seek the public’s kind co-operation and understanding by observing all the rules and guidelines stated as well as follow directional signages that will be put up at the Brunei International Airport itself to ensure a smooth and easy transition. The Department of Civil Aviation and Brunei Economic Development Board would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Now the departure area for traffic flow looks like this. This is only for VIP access at departure area.

The Map for the traffic flow for departure

It was such a long queue as they were many travelers yesterday heading out of Brunei. It’s the beginning of the long weekend and payday!!

My jogging buddies – Lisa and Fina. Good luck to three of us in Sundown tonight!!

Our in-flight meal on the Boeing 777. Thank you @royalbruneiair

Lisa’s “sakai” moment using the in-flight entertainment

Yay… I saw a WWE logo and I was excited

Speaking of Royal Brunei, this is cute!!!

 

Check out their new clothes at Vernys Boutique at Citis Square starting tomorrow and enjoy some of the great deals

The Baiduri Masters is back this weekend!! This is another packed weekend where I won’t be around. This will be the first time I will be missing the Baiduri Masters 2013 event. The event will be played on consecutive weekends 31st-2nd June and 7th to 9th June. I believe you still can register for this weekend or if you miss the cut, then you can go for the next weekend.

The Baiduri Masters 2013 also features hole-in-one prizes where participants can aim to win one of three luxurious cars worth B$400,000 in total or one of two cash prizes worth B$20,000 each. Porsche Panamera is offered as prize for hole No 5, while Mini Cooper S Countryman is offered as prize for hole No 14 and BMW 520 is offered as prize for hole No 2. Two cash prizes of B$20,000 each are offered for holes No 12 and No 16.

The upcoming golf tournament is divided into four divisions: Men, Ladies, Juniors and Professionals, the latest category to be introduced in the tournament. The Men’s division will be further divided into Men’s Open and Senior Golfers categories. The Junior Golfers category is open to golfers aged 13 to 18 years old.

For those who have yet to register, deadline for the first weekend’s tournament is May 29, while the second weekend’s tournament is June 5. Registration can be carried out at the RBA Golf Club, Berakas; Baiduri Finance, Beribi; or Baiduri Bank branch in Seria.

Registration fee for the Baiduri Masters 2013 is B$120 for adults and B$60 for juniors. The registration fee is inclusive of green fee, buggy, buffet breakfast and lunch.

Players may play more than once to improve their chances of winning. Adult players will enjoy a 10 per cent discount on the registration fee on their second and subsequent rounds. The best score of any round played will be taken.

The public can also log onto www.baiduri.com for full details, where they can download the registration form.

The previous green jacket winner Khairul Khamis (right) receiving the challenge trophy from YAM Pg Muda Abdul Mumin last year

The official t-shirts for the committee members (hot pink) and also for the participants of this year’s edition of Baiduri Masters 2013 Charity Golf Tournament. Image courtesy of Bahyiah Bakir of Borneo Bulletin.

 

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In conjunction with the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD), DST has introduced a driving safely app called “Safe Safar” as part of it’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to support road safety and reduce the accident rate. The “Safe Safar” app was launched yesterday by Yang Berhormat, Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdullah bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, Minister of Communications, during the WTISD event organised by AITI at the Rizqun International Hotel, Gadong.

Also present at the event was Awang Suhaimi bin Awang Haji Hussain, Acting Chief Executive Officer of DST, directors and senior officials from various government offices and private sectors, DST management and other distinguished guests.

Hjh Safrina Pehin Dato Hj Abdul Rahman, Manager Group Corporate Communications, DST, explained the benefits of using the Safe Safar app, “There are three main distractions that occur when a person uses their phone while driving. Visual Distraction, which is doing something that requires the driver to look away from the road, Manual Distraction, is doing something that requires the driver to take hands off the steering wheel and Mental Distraction, thinking hard about things and not concentrating on driving. By using the Safe Safar app, it will help a person to avoid these distractions.”

The functions of Safe Safar (Safar meaning journey in Arabic) app curbs the urge to call or text while driving by allowing the driver to temporarily limit the features of their mobile device to stay focus on the road. When the app is turned on, notification sounds for incoming phone calls are silenced and those who are calling or texting will receive an auto reply message letting them know that the person is driving and will get back to them later. Customised reply messages are also available as an option.

The Minister of Communications launched the Safar App at DST booth

Hjh Safrina explaining how the Safar app works

DST engaged young Bruneians to fully developed Safe Safar, supporting  it’s other CSR, The Future Fund technopreneurship development objectives, to develop young Bruneians to drive innovation and creativity in Brunei.

Awang Haji Hairol Mohd Daud, Assistant chief executive of Broadcasting Group in his capacity as Chairman of the WTISD event congratulated DST for the launch of the app. According to him, “The app is very simple and easy to use. It helps us to promote driver safety by disciplining ourselves not to use our mobile phone while driving”. He also urged the public, particularly drivers to be extra careful on the roads and not to use mobile phones while driving as it can distract your attention and may cause accidents and injuries.

On another note, Awang Hj Joharry bin Hj Abd Karim, Head of Road Safety Unit, Ministry of Communications commented, “As this is the first app for road safety it means that this effort is in line with Brunei Decade of Action for Road Safety which focuses on “Psycho-Techno” and Integrated Approach towards Road Safety Injury accident reduction on Brunei Roads. Brunei Road Safety Council welcomes DST initiative to bring forward efforts to enhance road safety awareness through this application. Don’t miss this opportunity, download it as it is free. Road Safety on your fingertips. Road Safety for All.”

DST invites all to download the app. Safe Safar is available on Google playstore and can also be downloaded via links from the DST website at www.dst-group.com and DST Facebook page. It will also be made available on Apple app store soon.

 

It’s happening this weekend!!

 

Zaman Hj Gapar, head of private school at the Ministry of Education with Aida Md Yassin, principal of Jolly Language School officiating the opening the new unit last Sunday

Finally I managed to visit the premises of Jolly Language School where it is a centre on teaching children on methods of reading by means of Jolly Phonics. The centre turned one year and in commemorating its one year anniversary, the centre has expanded its unit to cater for the growing demand of children.

The guest of honour was the head of private schools at the Ministry of Education, Zaman Hj Gapar and he was very happy that there are more students taking up these courses to improve their reading. According to Aida Md Yassin, the principal of Jolly Langauge School, the numbers increased by 8 folds ever since its establishment.

Zaman had a tour of the centre and he believes the centre will provide better education system for our children as they are our future.

So if you want to send your kids to this centre, you can head to Unit 34, First Floor, Hj Munchit & Hajah Dayang Rapiah Complex (white building), behind BT Hj Uthman Complex in front of the Times Square Shopping Centre. You can also call 2338499 or 7188499.

 

Lau Soon Hau of Hua Ho Department Store and Vincent Goh, Deputy Managing Director of Interhouse Company unveiling the EOS 100D and EOS 700D at the Hua Ho Manggis Mall recently. Image courtesy of Vincent Hong.

Interhouse Company, the sole distributor for Canon products in Brunei, unveiled the Canon EOS 100D and EOS 700D DSLR cameras recently, in a launch event held at Hua Ho Mall (lobby area) in Manggis.

Unveiling the two camera models were Deputy Managing Director of Interhouse Company Vincent Goh and Lau Soon Hau from Hua Ho Department Store.

The EOS 100D boasts improved features from its predecessor the EOS 1100D, such as an 18MP APS-C sized CMOS sensor with a DIGIC 5+ image processor, a higher ISO setting of up to 25,600, and the ability to shoot up to four frames per second. It can also shoot a full HD video (1920×1080 pixels).

Meanwhile, the EOS 700D is the predecessor of the EOS 650D, and boasts the most intuitive vari-angle touch-screen interface on the market.

The EOS 700D offers an incredible host of features for the ultimate imaging experience, including an 18MP APS-C sized CMOS sensor with a DIGIC 5+ image processor, a higher ISO setting of up to 25,600, and the ability to shoot up to five frames per second.

In addition to the two new DSLR cameras, Interhouse also showcased a number of new compact models: the PowerShot A2600 and A2500, as well as the IXUS 255, 140, 135 and 132 models. From what I heard, the Canon Powershot N should be in stock but only limited. That’s a very handy compact camera and it’s very ideal for “instagramers” like me 😀

The launch of the cameras was held in conjunction with Hua Ho Department Store’s Electrical Fair which was held at the same venue.

For more information on the new DSLRs or any other cameras, give Interhouse Company a call at 2653001 or drop by the fair at Hua Ho Mall in Manggis which is ongoing until June 9. Source: Zatty Joanda of The Brunei Times.

Now this is one small DSLR. Ideal for ladies.. It’s so light.

If you haven’t got the 650D, this is a good upgrade.

You can check out the lenses and other cameras at the counter

The new DSLR cameras will be on display at Hua Ho Manggis Mall. Do check it out!!

Interhouse Company hosted us lunch at Emperor’s Court 😀

We were talking about future photography competition for next year

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Datin Paduka Hjh Adina presented the first prize of the female category to NY13 in Setia Motors Netball Tournament VIII

Datin Paduka Hjh Adina presented the first prize of the male category to Nettiquette in Setia Motors Netball Tournament VIII

Another great tournament and great organisation by Setia Motors for running the recent netball competition for the eighth time. The event kicked off last Friday for the Male category where Nettiquette were crowned champions after defeating Spitfire in the finals. As for the female category, it was contested last Sunday where 10 teams squared in the the round robin category and the eventual champions went to the NY13 ladies team who are actually representing the Brunei Under 21 team.

The tournament took place at the Multipurpose Hall. Also participating in the tournament was HRH Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah who represented her team, G-Force. Her team came fourth in the tournament after losing to NN Speed for 3rd place play-off.

I have to say that I was super impressed with NY13 and your info, NY stands for National Youth. I will blog more about them in my next post. I just couldn’t believe their performance on the court and it was the best I’ve seen in many years. They beat finalist Ivy League

The Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Datin Paduka Hjh Adina Hj Othman, handed out the medals, trophies and cash prizes to the top three winners and she also handed out certificates to the umpires. Oh speaking of umpires, Setia Motors actually flew in professional umpires from Singapore to help officiate and referee the matches.

So until the next Setia Motors Netball tournament, adios!!!

Ivy League came 2nd place in female category

Former champions NN Speed came 3rd place in female category

Spitfire came 2nd place in male category

Setia Motors came 3rd place in male category

 

Representing Event Solutions, the organiser and the committee last weekend for Teddy Bears’ Tea Party at Mabohai Shopping Complex

The cutest event of the weekend took off last weekend with the launch of the “Teddy Bears’ Tea Party”.

More than 50 families turned up to the Mabohai Shopping Complex to party with the teddies, where tables and chairs had been set up and decorated with teddy bears and balloons.

Parents were treated to a free flow of coffee and tea, while the children enjoyed hot chocolate with sprinkles, along with assorted sandwiches and cupcakes.

Apart from mingling with new friends and teddies, the children could also get their face painted, as well as decorate their own glasses and t-shirts.

In addition, each child at the tea party received a new teddy bear and a goodie bag.

The event was organised by Event Solutions and supported by Mabohai Shopping Complex and Everon Sdn Bhd, according to Director of Event Solutions Aziemah Abdullah.

“This event is something out of the ordinary. It’s a day for family to have fun. We don’t restrict adults from joining in the fun either. We have quite a few bookings from ladies who want to spend time with their girlfriends, so adults are also welcome,” said Aziemah.

In a press statement, the management of Mabohai Shopping Complex said, “We are delighted to once again be hosting a family-oriented event that our community can participate in. We are sure that parents and children alike will enjoy the event, and we hope to see many happy families and their teddy bears there.”

The two-day event aspires to create a unique quality family bonding experience, and establishes the Mabohai Shopping Complex as a family-friendly centre.Text by Zatty Joanda of The Brunei Times and image courtesy of Event Solutions.

 

We paid a visit to Harajuku a few weeks ago after it was being revamped. The clothes are different from previous owner who sold the business.

There will be new stock coming every now and then

Harajuku is located in the heart of Gadong. Same row with Boba Tea and Pizza Hut Gadong.

The Minister of Communications toured the carnival at AITI last Sunday morning. He was accompanied by Chief Executive of AITI.

KapowBurger founder talking to the Minister

The Minister shaking hands with founder of Sip N Tell

Shake, shake, shake.. The guys working hard all day for Sip N Tell

The Minister asked all the vendors if they based their business online.. Almost all of them do their business online.. Amazing!!

AITI associates enjoying the afternoon at the AITI carnival

Business as usual at the carnival

Athirah was in charge of AITI carnival. Well done 😀

Nina making an appearance at AITI carnival

Face painting by Fun Bee Park

Lego Display by BULAT

FIFA 13 tournament was also held

Wanna dance?

Demo by GetFitCrossFit at AITI carnival

Quenching their thirst with Sip N Tell

Hello beautiful ladies 😀

FIFA 13 in progress

The custom made Macross Lego

Stormstroopers making an appearance

Feefy and Zatty 😀

Hello crossfitters

Happy 10 years, AITI

 

Group photo before the beach clean up at Muara Beach. Click image to enlarge.

Some 50 volunteers rolled up their sleeves and collected litter alongMuara Beach for a good cause two weeks ago.

Volunteers and representatives from the Korean Embassy in BruneiDarussalam, Fitness Zone, members of Meragang Secondary School’s Korean Language and Culture Club as well as members of the Universiti Brunei Darussalam’s (UBD) KCC participated in the event to create awareness for the upcoming World Environmental Day set to take place on June 5.

Volunteers were divided into three groups and assigned three different areas at the beach clean-up organised by Fitness Zone in collaboration with the Korean Embassy in the nation.

Among present to lend a hand were the counsellor and deputy chief of mission for the South Korean Embassy, Sung-eun Kim and Wu Chun, international movie star and owner of the Fitness Zone.

“I love beaches especially here in Brunei… Previously, Fitness Zone conducted a similar event at Bukit Shahbandar Recreational Park. The Korean Embassy heard about this and was interested. After much discussions, we finally had a chance to collaborate and invited volunteers to make the event happen today,” shared Wu Chun.

“Beaches are beautiful and natural environments and it is our responsibility to take care of it,” he added.

The awareness wave is not stopping solely at Muara Beach. In fact, the actor/owner of the fitness club shared more events to come.

“This is only a warm up, next month starting on the June 6 till June 7, Fitness Zone will hold a two-day event where we will collect un-purchased bread or baked goods from local bakeries on June 6. On June 7, we will be heading to Shahbandar to clean up the forest then right after that we will head straight to Tungku beach for a beach clean-up… It’ll be like a marathon. When all is done, we will feast on the baked goods that we had collected,” he said in reference to this year’s World Environment Day theme, “Think-Eat-Save”.

To encourage more to join the upcoming events, Fitness Zone will also be approaching schools to take part as well as members of the public, added Wu Chun.

“Those who are interested to take part in the environmentally friendly cause are welcome to register as a volunteer at Fitness Zone Kiulap,” he shared.

In addition, those who register as volunteers will receive a complimentary three-day pass at Fitness Zone. Text by Adib Noor of The Brunei Times.

Counsellor and deputy chief of mission for the South Korean Embassy, Sung-eun Kim represented the Korean Embassy to Brunei in the beach clean up

Did you know Wu Chun studied in RMIT before? Just like me 😀

Warm up exercise conducted by Fitness Zone

Members of the Universiti Brunei Darussalam’s (UBD) Korean Culture Club

This guy was pretty enthusiastic during the warm up

Students from the Meragang Secondary School’s Korean Language and Culture Club

Fitness Zone representatives involved during the clean up at Muara Beach

Kim found interesting rubbish

Wu Chun helping out too during the beach clean up

 

Boustead Sdn Bhd’s customers were recently treated to a fun movie night that paid homage to the ultimate Japanese super car, Nissan GT-R MY13.

Featured in the latest instalment of the blockbuster series, “Fast & Furious 6”, the premium edition of the legendary car was exhibited prior to the screening of the movie at Times Square Shopping Complex.

In addition, guests were treated to a delectable selection of light refreshments courtesy of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf before heading off to watch the action packed movie.

Introduced in the Sultanate by the father of GT-R, Kazutoshi Mizuno, in December 2012, the GT-R MY13 Premium Edition features many enhancements and improvements from its previous predecessors in terms of performance, ride and handling.

This can be felt in the sharper mid-range engine response, high-end acceleration as well as the chassis which gives the super car the “glued-to-the-ground” handling and “rock-solid” stability at super high speeds.

As if that is not enough to be impressed with, a greater level of customisation is possible as there are three ranges available in the market Pure Edition, Black Edition and Premium Edition.

The showcased model sports a stylish two-tone interior; amber red leather with a hint of black complements the unique blue body colour.

To get a chance to view the Pure Edition of the supercar, members of the public can also drop by Boustead’s Nissan Showroom. For more information, call Boustead’s Nissan at 2431333 or add them on Facebook. Text by Ammirul Adnan of The Brunei Times.

Taken at the Nissan Beribi Showroom

Click image to enlarge. Breakfast at McDonald’s

 

Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah receiving certificate of participation from Datin Paduka Hjh Adina, the Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports. Her Royal Highness represented her netball team G-Force who came 4th in the Setia Motors Netball Tournament VIII 2013.

Her Royal Highness of G-Force against Red Butterfly

Her Royal Highness of G-Force against Red Butterfly

Her Royal Highness of G-Force against Red Butterfly

Her Royal Highness of G-Force in action

Her Royal Highness with her team-mates of G-Force

 

Guest of honour, the Minister of Communications cutting the cake to commemorate AITI’s 10 year annivesary with the board members of AITI

Established on 1 January 2003, the Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) celebrated its 10th year with a one day carnival held at the AITI premises.

Besides commemorating its 10 years of establishment, the carnival aims to promote and create public awareness on the roles and functions of AITI as Brunei Darussalam’s telecommunications regulator and promoter of the ICT industry.

The Guest of Honour that launched the AITI Carnival was Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdullah bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, Minister of Communications. Also, present at the event was the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Communications and Chairman of AITI, Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Yusof, ambassadors and high commissioners, previous and current AITI Members of Authority, senior officials from various government institutions, representatives from the ICT industry and media.

The launching ceremony today officiated with the cutting of the 10th anniversary cake by the Guest of Honour. In his welcoming remarks, the Chief Executive of AITI, Awang Hj Yahkup bin Hj Menudin, mentioned that his direction will be focusing on telecommunications regulation and growing the local ICT industry in the next three years.

At the same time, the Guest of Honour also launched AITI’s iCare program. The iCare initiative is to introduce a proactive and positive intervention culture in AITI. The objective is to instill proactive and positive intervention behavior among AITI staff to value life; to care for people around them; to care for Health, Safety, Security, the Environment and the organization.

The invited guests during the launch of AITI Carnival

Hj Yahkup, CE of AITI, delivering his welcoming remarks and the milestones achieved by AITI in the past 10 years

The Minister launched AITI’s iCare program

A special momento given to the guest of honour

The AITI Carnival was opened to public from 10.00am to 5.00pm. Also available are the AITI information booths to promote AITI’s functions and achievements. The Guest of Honour and invited guests also toured the AITI SMART Gallery showcasing the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Fibre-To-The-Home (FTTH) technologies. AITI’s industry partners such as TelBru, DST, B-Mobile and NiAT Sdn Bhd supported the event with displays and promotion of their products and services. Other stakeholders that participated in the carnival were SMARTER, Pusat Ehsan, Persatuan Gemilang Daerah Tutong and Persekutuan Radio Amatur Negara Brunei Darussalam.

Visitors enjoyed a wide selection of carnival activities from popular vendors such as Cotton Candy Mobile, Enya Bijoux, Hayaa Musfirah, Beebo’s Bakers, KaPow burger, Naforrer boutique, Shiiz Candies, Sip N Tell, The Sandwich Club and Vanilla Kitchen. The public immersed themselves in fun filled activities, games and competitions specially arranged by AITI, including magic performance by SPADES, Xbox Kinect for kids, mini-golf “3-hole-in-1 in a row game” and AITI Quiz competition. For the gaming community there were game console competitions for FIFA and Street Fighter.

Other highlights of the carnival were Lego displays by Brunei Usergroup Lego And Technic (BULAT), fitness demonstration by Getfit Crossfit, face painting, bouncer and Yoda Obstacles Course and special meet and greet appearance by the “Ada Apa Dengan Rina” casts and Nina Iskandar, the first Bruneian to sign a contract with MIG, Malaysia. Star Wars fans had the opportunity to capture a photo moment with the Star Wars – Storm Troopers. AITI also took this opportunity to spread the road safety messages through Road Safety mascots.

In conjunction with the 10th year anniversary, AITI had organized a series of activities, these include a mass prayer held on 16 May 2013, at the Ash-Shaleehin mosque and an Instagram Competition held between 6 May and 20 May 2013 with the theme “Celebrating 10 years of AITI”. The most anticipated event of this carnival was the prize-presentation ceremony for the winners of the Girls in ICT Day “Clip-IT” video-making competition, which was held from 25 April and closed on 17 May 2013, as well as AITI Instagram, Quiz and Console Competitions. It is hoped that the carnival will further unite the AITI management and staff, ICT players, key stakeholders and members of the public towards a memorable celebration that will mark another chapter of AITI’s history.

Jasmine.. Why are you so tall? :p

The happy faces of AITI

The National Broadband Network & Services Group

 

 

From May 13-30 , HSBC Debit Card holders are able to enjoy exceptionally low fares with Singapore Airlines, on selected destinations. In addition, the card holders will also be rewarded with up to 5,000 KrisFlyer miles upon completion of each round trip.

Customers can choose from over 20 destinations, with the travelling period from May 13 until November 30. Destinations include Singapore, Perth, London, Paris, Taipei, Seoul, Tokyo and Mumbai. The special all in airfare starts from as low as B$250 to Singapore and return trip to Paris costs only B$1,966.

Great response on the HSBC deals with Singapore Airlines

For enquiries, HSBC Debit Card holders can call the Singapore Airlines hotline at 2227256 or 2225808. All tickets must be purchased at Singapore Airline Office using an HSBC Debit Card by May 30.

“This promotion has been well received by our customers,” shared Lyndsay Rajah, Head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management. “For those who are looking to take a break and enjoy their dream vacation, don’t miss out and take advantage of our exclusive deals!” she further added. With HSBC Debit Card, customers are able to make their purchase transactions at local and overseas merchants with electronic payment terminals that accept VISA card as a payment mode. Cardholders can also carry the HSBC Debit card with peace of mind because of its enhanced security. It assures protection of the data stored in the card and offers user authentication facilities which protects customers’ cards from being fraudulently copied, and reduces the potential of fraud.

The last day deal will be on 30th May 2013.. So hurry!!!

 

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This is another version of the LEAP grant by the Brunei Economic Development Board and it’s called Start Up Brunei. This was recently launched in March where it aimed at introducing funds to those who are in need of funds to progress especially those with innovatives ideas. LEAP is more of creating a prototype that hopefully can translate to a revenue streamline. As for SUB, it’s more on the business and innovative ideas that you want to pursue but it’s the funds that is holding you back!!

Hence, BEDB created this programme and their objective is straight forward –> To get the startups going and on their feet. This is Daniel Leong’s baby project and he is BEDB’s Senior Manager for innovation and New Initiatives. He shared that SUB applicants can get financial assistance up to BND 50,000 and there’s also an additional relocation incentive of BND 30,000 for overseas entrepreneur. So I believe this is a great programme that also acknowledges oversea entrepreneurs.

You want to know more then click here and view the details on their official website and you can also click here for the presentation slide. The application has just open today and the closing date has extended until 28th June. Start Up Brunei will also be showcasing in this year’s CommunicAsia in Singapore.

Daniel Leong, BEDB’s Senior Manager for innovation and New Initiatives, briefed about Start Up Brunei, during the launch of the program back in March. Click image to enter website for more details.

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Great deals from Gloria Jean’s Coffee, Century Travel Centre, Fitness Zone, Savy’s Brasserie, Triple Star Enterprise and many more. Check out the special deals on the poster. All you need is an HSBC Credit Card 😀

 

Crazy about K – Pop and Korean Drama? Been told that you look like a Korean Artiste?  Then join KFC’s K-Pop Makeover contest, brought to you by KFC’s Spicy Korean Crunch. The grand winner will receive a return ticket for two to South Korea. There are also other great prizes from our event partners.

To join the contest, interested parties just need to purchase any Spicy Korean Crunch Combo meal where they will receive a registration form. All they need to do is to fill in the forms, attach their receipt of purchase and also a photo of them doing their best Korean star impression. Shortlisted participants will be notified via phone calls that they qualified to the next round and their next to do tasks.

Interested participants from the age of 13 and above can join the main category where the winning prize is the above mentioned tickets to Korea. Children from age 5 to 12 can join the Kid’s category.  

“Beside the K-Pop makeover contest, customers that purchase the 3 piece Spicy Korean Crunch combo meal will also receive extra goodies from our event partners,” says Jonathan Bong, Senior Marketing Manager, KFC B Sdn Bhd. These extra goodies range from discount vouchers from The FaceShop, IA Saloon and Fun Bee Park to Kimchi, from Seoul Garden. These extra goodies are on a while stock last basis.

Registration period for the Spicy Korean Crunch K-Pop Makeover Contest is from 20th May to 2nd June. For more information, customers can check out KFC Brunei on facebook and mobile phone apps.

I’m already suggesting one of my best friends to join since Korea is one of her destinations *lol* Anyway this is open to those with a valid Brunei IC (Yellow, Red and Green). You can check out more details on their KFC page. So good luck to the participants.

This is the KFC Korean Crunch.. It’s spicy and I love it 😀

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Two days ago I sent off my new reporter for RA off to Malaysia for her first oversea assignment under the Tourism Malaysia FAM trip which is also sponsored by AirAsia. Not many of you are aware that Aliya Zin is now helping me out in covering events which also gives me time for myself and also focus on the business aspect of my career.

I couldn’t make it for the Colours of 1 Malaysia MegaFam trip as it will clash with my upcoming itinerary which is the most anticipated race of my life so far – Sundown in Singapore. Three more reporters are also invited for the FAM trip (FAM btw means familiarisation). Nabilah Haris of The Brunei Times, Loh of United Daily and Emelda of Media Permata were invited to experience the Colours of 1 Malaysia in the next few days.

Jamilah Abdul Halim, the director of Tourism Malaysia (Brunei) sent the reporters off at the Brunei International Airport and thanked them for their support. As quoted by Mariani Hj Sabtu, the Acting director of Tourism Development Board (Brunei) that there are more than 1 million passengers that visit Malaysia and I believe it’s merely for shopping purposes. Now our role here is to spread the news that there are many places of interest in Malaysia apart from shopping 😀

So do check out RA for the updates on the happenings and places of interest in Malaysia and most of the report and pictures are courtesy of Aliya Zin.

Jamilah Abdul Halim the director of Tourism Malaysia (third from right) with Cindy of AirAsia Brunei (2nd from right) with the local media and representatives from Tourism Malaysia (Brunei)

Jamilah speaking to the media before sending them off to KL via AirAsia

Jamilah and Jessie having a conversation about Tourism Malaysia in general

Aliya Zin in KL & Pahang. Day One of Colours of 1 Malaysia MegaFam.

After arriving on AirAsia’s afternoon flight on Thursday, we were taken to the Royale Chulan Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

It’s a public holiday today in KL, so the streets were strangely empty, as most people tend to leave the city during public holidays and long weekends, so traffic was non-existent and we sped towards Pahang, and arrived at Berjaya Hills in just over an hour. We were visiting the Colmar Tropicale, a charming is a unique and charming French-themed attraction resort. It’s located  about 2,700 feet above sea-level amidst 80 acres of ancient rain forests, the cool weather was just enormously refreshing from the pace of the city. The resort is inspired by the famous 16th century Colmar Village in Alsace, France.  

When we arrived, the resort was still relatively quiet, with few people walking around, and we were taken to see the rooms, which have incredible views of the surrounding rain forests, and the nearby golf course.

The resort has a total of 235 rooms and suites, offers 8 food & beverage outlets / lounges with excellent food variety ranging from local & international cuisine to an authentic French fine dining restaurant. It also offers meeting rooms and banqueting facilities, and the activities offered there are good for families who want a different experience, or for team building and leadership activities. One of the things I found quite amazing was that they had an organic farm nearby, which grew the vegetables for the resort, and also for the Prime Minister’s table. No chemicals are used on the farm, and even the food waste from the resort is recycled into compost which is then used as fertilizer. It’s a great example of going green, which was significant given the gorgeous green setting.

Animals also play a big role at Colmar Tropicale, as a couple of their attractions are a small animal park, where you can pet and feed animals such as deer and rabbits (I had a total Disney Princess moment where there were 5 deer trying to grab food out of my hands!), and see peacocks and guinea pigs running around. There’s also a horse-riding stable run by an equestrian professional, who happened to train one of the coaches at Jerudong Park not so long ago. All of the experiences are subject to fees, but if you’re staying at the resort, these will be refunded to you.

If you are more into action though, you NEED to check out the Adventure Park. Paintballers get a real jungle experience, as they have to trek a bit of the way in to get to the game grounds. Unfortunately we didn’t get to see it, but one of the best (AND SCARIEST!) experiences of my life was to ride South East Asia’s longest Flying Fox! A harrowing 900 meter ride above amazing rainforest views, and even though I was overwhelmed a couple of times while climbing up to the flying fox, the excellent team really assuaged my fears and were so encouraging. I wholeheartedly recommend it, and as someone who is totally terrified of heights, I can honestly say, that even though my legs were jelly for the rest of the day, it was so totally worth it! There is also an awesome canopy walk which we got to experience during the flying fox, and rock climbing.

If the adventure stuff is not your thing, there’s also an authentic Japanese Village just further up the way. Designed in a rustic style to address the rugged hills and mountains, the Japanese Village boasts a stone walkway, Zen garden, waterfall, koi pond, rock formations, beautifully carved stone lanterns and a delightful teahouse.

Colmar Tropicale is best experienced in a 3 day/2 night package. Bookings can be made online on their websitecolmartropicale.com.my. The staff can even tailor special packages for you. Currently there are shuttle services from Berjaya Times Square, but they can also provide transport direct from LCCT to the resort when you make your reservation.

That was only the first day, I can only imagine what’s going to happen next!

The entrance of the Colmar Tropicale

Doesn’t this place look unique?

Emelda gearing up for some flying fox action

Loh made to the other side

Nabilah capturing some moments while suspended in mid-air

 

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From the 24th to the 28th of May, BIBD will be organizing the BIBD Home Showcase 2 which is a follow up to last year’s event. It will be held at The Mall Gadong from 10am to 10pm and visitors will be able to :-

• find out about BIBD home financing and improvement products

• home interiors exhibition by companies like Ikon Designworks, Signature Kitchen, Luzzone, Happy Star and others

• view properties on sale locally and internationally by a number of property agencies

• receive assured gifts when signing up for BIBD financing services

• convert their ATM card to BIBD Debit Card and many more

So whether you’re improving your current home or getting a house, come and drop by for the right financing solution. For more information call BIBD’s Contact Centre at 2238181 or visit www.bibd.com.bn/homeshowcase

Guest of honour, the Ministry of Development, Permanent Secretary (Administration and Finance) Hj Muhammad Lufti and Acting Commissioner of Town and Country Planning Shahron Suhaimi officiating the BIBD Home Showcase 2 while BIBD Managing Director Javen Ahmed looked on

Hj Muhammad Lufti receiving token of appreciation from Javen Ahmed

 

It’s happening this Sunday

The programme for AITI Carnival

 

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The Management of the Mabohai Shopping Complex is pleased to announce that it will be hosting yet another exciting family event this weekend, Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 May.

The Mabohai Shopping Complex Teddy Bears’ Tea Party will be a high-tea event with a teddy bear oriented theme. There will be a free flow of coffee and tea for parents, and hot chocolate with sprinkles for children, along with assorted sandwiches and cupcakes. Children and the young at heart are encouraged to join in the fun by bringing along their favourite teddy bear!

The Management of the Mabohai Shopping Complex said: “We are delighted to once again be hosting a family oriented event that our community can participate in. We are sure that parents and children alike will enjoy having high-tea with a teddy bear twist, and we hope to see many happy families and their teddy bears there.”

The event, to be held on the 1st floor of the Mabohai Shopping Complex from 2pm – 6pm on Sat, 25th & Sun, 26th May, aspires to create a unique quality family bonding experience and projects the Mabohai Shopping Complex as the place for families to shop in, with activities to enjoy together.

The Management adds, “The Teddy Bears’ Tea Party is just one of many family-friendly events that we have planned for the year. Look out for more fun and colourful events for the entire family at the Mabohai Shopping Complex soon!”

For more information on participating in this event and future events, please call MABOHAI SHOPPING COMPLEX Manager on 8111623 or 7250110 or Event Solutions on 8722249. Or find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

 

Are you ready??

 

Group photo with guest of honour Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Hj Mohd Rozan Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Yunos with the sponsors, NGOs and the cast and crew of Enchanted Forest. Click image to enlarge.

Relentless Entertainment Brunei will be continuing their efforts to improve performing arts in the Sultanate.

Following the success of its ‘Enchanted Forest’ musical recently, Managing director of Relentless Entertainment Brunei Amy Cheongyesterday presented selected charities with a sum of $3,000 collected from proceeds of the musical.

The donation and certificate presentation ceremony, held at the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports, was officiated by Permanent Secretary HjMohd Rozan Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Yunos.

The managing director of Relentless Entertainment Brunei, in her opening remarks, also announced another production in the works scheduled for the end of the year.

The donations were handed over by the guest of honour were President of SMARTER (Society for the Management of Autism Related Issues in Training, Education and Resources) Malai Hj Abdullah Hj Malai Othman, Assistant Director of Welfare Home Complex (Kompleks Rumah Kebajikan) Pg Mahdi Pg Salleh, Acting Head of Administration at Pusat Ehsan Nurul Huda Hj Muhin, Vice President of the Centre for Children for Special Needs (KACA) HjAbdul Alim Othman, Derek Wong of Learning Ladders and Children’s Cancer Foundations (YASKA) Treasurer Tsara Nawwarah Abdullah Chen receiving on behalf of their respective organisations.

Each organisation received $500 out of the total amount which consisted of the earnings from their musical performance which debuts on 4 May 2013 at the Jerudong Park Amphitheatre with a successful turnout of an almost full house.

Handover donation to Pusat Ehsan

Handover donation to Yaska

Handover donation to Learning Ladders

Handover donation to SMARTER Brunei

Handover donation to KACA

More than a quarter of the 4000 seats were allocated to the children from various children charities in the Sultanate who were fortunate enough the two hour musical for free.

Yesterday’s ceremony was attended by members of Relentless Entertainment Brunei as well as the musical cast members and volunteers of the production.

Among the list of sponsors and supporters for the musical include the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports, Jerudong Park Country Club, HSBC Brunei, Rai’atul Al-adawiyah Enterprise, Digimark, Adison Marketing Services, Ban Lee Hua Company Sdn Bhd, Fun Bee Park, Patisserie Cake Shop, Misato Japanese Restaurant, Brunei Gas Carriers, Aewon Brunei QAF Eurokars Sdn Bhd, TK Asco Enterprise, Atmosphere Music Production Studio, Ranoadidas, Brunei Buzz and Brunei Tweet. Text courtesy of The Brunei Times.

Appreciation token to Adison Marketing

Handover donation to Patisserie Cake Shop

Handover donation to KFC

Handover donation to TK Asco Enterprise

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The Fisheries Department under the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources (MIPR) officially launched the Local Shoot Out and International Shoot Out competitions last Friday, May 17.

The competitions, which were officially launched by Acting Deputy Director of the Fisheries Department Ranimah Hj Wahab, comprise of both local and overseas photographers, with a total of nine participants competing.

Photographers will be shooting in selected diving spots in Brunei: the Australian Wreck, Abana Rocks and Brunei Patches. The winners for the competitions will also known as the Most Influential Underwater Photographer, as their winning images will be used for education and conservation of the region.

Apart from the prestigious title, the winners of the Portfolio, Digital Portfolio and Best Marco categories will receive amazing prizes.The winner of the Portfolio category, which is the contestant to produce the 10 best images, will receive $2,500, as well as a medal and a certificate. Meanwhile, the winner of the Digital Portfolio of the best three images will win $800, along with a medal and a certificate, and the winner for the Best Macro category will also win $800, with a medal and certificate.

The International Brunei Shoot Out also carries the same three categories, however, the winner of the Portfolio category will receive US$3,000 (about $3,778), as well as a medal and a certificate, while the winners of the Digital Portfolio and Best Macro categories will each receive US$1,000 (about $1,259) and a medal and certificate.

Activities such as these hope to unearth new talent in underwater photography, while simultaneously promoting awareness of the beauty of the ocean floor and marine life, and the importance of keeping the waters clean and protecting the endangered species of the deep blue sea.

The competitions are held in conjunction with the Fisheries Department’s World Ocean Day 2013 event, which will be held from June 7 to 9, alongside the 12th “Celebrate the Sea” festival at The Empire Hotel & Country Club, Jerudong.

For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/asterabrunei or emailcontact@asteraconsultant.com. Text courtesy of Zatty Joanda of The Brunei Times.

 

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The Ministry of Health (MoH) yesterday issued a list of recalled products containing maleic acid, a type of additives that are not permitted for use in food, based on the information obtained from Taiwan Food and Drug Administration.

The list of products includes fish paste (oden), flat rice noodle, taro/yam balls and also tapioca balls under the Sunright brand which is often used in the making bubble tea.

Maleic acid is a crystalline material to make unsaturated polyester resin which are often used in fibre reinforced plastic used in making industrial boats, automobiles and construction. When incorporated in food, it will provide elasticity in the food but it is harmful to health.

The MoH has been conducting surveys and inspections as a result of this information. The importer and dealer in question is directed to recall the affected products from the marketplace and deliver it to the Quality Control and Food Safety Services Department to be destroyed.

Users are advised to return the affected products to the store where the product was purchased or surrender them to the Food Safety and Quality Control, Department of Health Services or Health Offices in each district.

Importers, traders and consumers in this country are reminded that under Brunei law, anyone who provides, sells or import food harmful to health can be jailed for five years or a fine or both. Source: The Brunei Times

Sunright tapioca balls

By the way peeps, don’t panic too much about the bubble tea phenomena in Brunei. From what I understand and feel from the comments after my posting on Instagram that bubble tea lovers are now skeptical or having doubts now about whether it’s safe to drink their favourite bubble tea out there. I can assure you that some of the franchisors are cleared from this issue as they don’t use Sunright brands to begin with.

Sunright products are most likely accessible through supermarkets and normally individuals and perhaps restaurant or cafe owners might buy these so called pearls for their home use or their establishments respectively.

It was also reported in the Singapore media that the Sunright brand tapioca balls might contain substance that might cause kidney damage in the long term. So don’t panic and jump straight to conclusion that all bubble teas are hazardous. Anyway, such panic just shows how mindful and alert you are when it comes to your health. That I find interesting 😀

 

The Setia Motors Netball VIII Tournament is set to tip off on Friday. A managers meeting for the competition was held at the Asma Hotel in Jerudong last night. The meeting started off with the confirmation of the teams competing in the tournament.

It was also announced that the first game of the tournament will be between Setia Motors and Netiquette in the women’s category. The men’s category introduced for the first time in the competition will follow the opener.

The rest of the women’s games will be played on Sunday. Setia Motors, G-Force, Nextz, Spitfire, Sonic, Netballisus, MMA and Netiquette will fight for top honours in the men’s competition.

They will be playing in a round-robin format of seven minutes per-half at the Multipurpose Hall of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex.

The eventual champions would be the team sitting on top of the table by day’s end.

In group A for the the women’s division are NY 13 (Under-21 national netball team), NB, Red Butterfly, BSRC and G-Force. The teams forming group B are Setia Motors, Ivy League, Netiquette, Strivers XOXO and last year’s winners NN Speed who boast national players.

The format of play will be 10-minute halves in the group stages, followed by 15 minute halves in the next round. They will play 10-minute quarters for the final.

NN Speed were crowned champions after winning four of their games last year. The main change of this year’s tournament is there will be only be one category played unlike the previous novice and advance groups. Text courtesy of Syarif Rasani of The Brunei Times.

 

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Iron Man 3. This movie has been out for two weeks already and it still doing great business. It has already raked in USD 1 billion worldwide in box office receipts. Isn’t that amazing? Iron Man 2 only earned below USD 700 million and that is already considered an overwhelming success. Now that we know how marketable Robert Downey Jr is whenever he is playing a role as man behind the iron. He even demanded a pay cheque of USD 100 million for the two sequels of “The Avengers”… Hmmmm…. That perhaps is the minus point from him.. Anyway, here’s the review.

What an awesome movie!! I watched it twice actually. This was way better than the disappointing Iron Man 2 which felt a bit clunky and I was trying to hard to like and appreciate it too. Gwen Paltrow was amazing too and she has a bit more screen presence than previous movies. I just thought the movie’s execution and pacing were just nice. I began to believe in Iron Man again but sadly this is the final trilogy of the Iron Man movie. If you haven’t caught it, I suggest you do. It’s still showing in the cinemas. Verdict: 8/10.

Identity Thief. It’s good to see Jason Bateman with another hit movie. However, I wasn’t impressed at all. It become to a point where it got too ridiculous my ratings generally was affected. I definitely had my laughing moments but it wasn’t enough to save me from feeling restless. There are some good lessons to be learned so at least that’s a good consolation for my review. You are looking for a no-brainer movie and some cheap laughs, I’m not sure if it’s still showing but I’m not caring too much for this movie *lol* Verdict: 6/10.

Star Trek: Into Darkness. Holy cow!!! I was blown away from the start till the end. I was already on a high for the first reboot of Star Trek and the sequel was even better than the first. The chemistry between Captain Kirk and Spock was still the highlight for me and not to worry, if you haven’t seen the first one, it won’t matter too much. Cheelin and Aziimah praised the movie without seeing the first. So there you go. Oh, I even caught the movie twice because I was so impressed. This was slightly better than Iron Man 3 and the best movie I’ve seen so far. I can’t wait for the summer movies and it’s good to know that Iron Man 3 and Star Trek have started the ball rolling and they are still satisfying movies as compared to last year’s summer movies. Verdict: 8.5/10.

The Great Gatsby. I’ve been hearing many rave reviews about this movie. Some even said it’s the most beautiful story ever told. I watched it for myself to see what’s the big fuss about it. I would say I don’t completely agree with my peers. It was still an enjoyable movie but I won’t rate it as highly. Reason being, the dialogue wasn’t that sharp to begin with. I wasn’t even emotionally driven which would have made my movie experience worthwhile. Maybe they caught me on a bad day *lol* The scenes and cinematography were amazing though and I quite enjoyed the soundtrack. It was also another great performance by Leonardo DiCaprio and I’m also a fan of Carey Mulligan. Don’t be influenced by my review. This is just my perspective and plus I have seen better stories than this. Verdict: 7/10.

 

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Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Abdullah graced the ceremony of Royal Brunei Airlines double daily flight to KL. Also in the picture are Jamilah Abdul Halim, Director of Tourism Malaysia (Brunei), Abd Mutalib, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications, Dato Paduka Hj Bahrin, Deputy Minister of Finance and Chairman of RB, Dermot Mannion, Deputy Chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines and Mariani Hj Sabtu, Acting Director of Tourism Development Board (Brunei) yesterday held at the Muhibah room, Airport Restaurant

A moment for the guest of honour from RB. The event took place yesterday morning prior to our flight to KL where the program continued

Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) are in the process of rebranding and they have created some presence in the UK lately and also in the region and wow, I’m pretty impressed with their rebranded products and services. Tomorrow will be a milestone for RB as they will be flying to Kuala Lumpur twice daily from Brunei. This is good news because of the high traffic of Bruneians flying over to KL. It was noted by Dayang Mariani binti Hj Sabtu, Acting Director of Tourism Development Board, that there is a figure of over a million visits alone from Brunei to Malaysia. That’s like 3 times more than our population. Perhaps it’s also safe to say that most of the frequency takes place between Brunei and Miri.

Of yesterday’s multiple events, I have to salute Dermot Mannion, Deputy Chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines, for his great leadership under RB ever since his appointment in 2009 and how he has turned the national carrier around step by step. Some of the new things introduced was the revamped online booking system and this year was the rebranding of Royal Brunei Airlines with their new logo and also a new theme carrying the message of “A Redefined Journey”.

I could feel the previous leaders or CEOs of the airline did their best but I honestly felt the stagnancy in the direction they were heading then. To tell you frankly, a few years ago, I had this feeling where I would make RB my second preference for flight bookings. It was more of a confidence thing and slowly after seeing the changes and the new direction it is heading, I began to believe in RB. Now with this being said, this shows how these small little steps can slowly change one’s mindset and made that difference.

After seeing Dermot’s presentation last night dinner event, I’m much more excited about the new things to come for RB. The rebranding process has slowly paid off and I truly agree that it’s not about the destination but the experience of the journey that makes a difference. Yes, there may still be complains here and there but RB has taken things more serious now and I could see the improvements over the past year or so.

RB’s presence of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and instagram (@royalbruneiair) have also made communication easier and accessible and it also have played an important role in reaching to a bigger community especially through sharing information.

What I’m truly looking forward to is the the Dreamliner Boeing 787 which will make its debut insyaAllah by September 2013. The Dreamliner will be flown from Seattle and I hope I’m able to experience the new livery in September. The other tentative dates for 2nd, 3rd and 4th Dreamliner are October 2013, February 2014 and March 2014. For the record, RB will be the first airline in ASEAN to own a Dreamliner. That really shows of RB’s vision of moving forward and taking that extra step. I remember such news of Dreamliner was even announced back in year 2007 and supposedly scheduled for delivery in 2009 which didn’t materialized. So this time, it’s for real.

So what’s impressive about the Boeing 787 Dreamliner? It’s fuel efficient by 20% and that will help to reduce cost in a long run. In fact, it’s the most fuel-efficient airline. They have bigger seats even in economy section and this also means more leg room. You also won’t feel as suffocated (not saying that you will *lol*) but because you will leave the airline feeling fresher because the cabin pressure allows more oxygen to be absorbed into your blood. Did you know also that the Dreamliner generate 60% less noise than the standard planes especially during take-off and landing? So just imagine once you are on air.. it will be quieter than usual.

Dato Sri Mohd Effendi Morwawi with his spouse Datin Seri Tiara Jacquelina looking at the RB’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner model at last night’s event

This is a planned appearance of how the interior of 787 Dreamliner looks like. Image taken from http://dreamliner.thomson.col.uk

Anyway, enough about the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Let’s focus on the main subject here and that is the RB’s moving forward in terms of the double daily flight to Kuala Lumpur. This is a good indication for Brunei Tourism Development as well as Tourism Malaysia to explore more opportunities and work on the synergies and each other’s strengths.

Last night event also made a significant impact on the journalists and the media in Malaysia. Some said it’s the first time they have seen Royal Brunei organizing such event or dinner for their milestones and rebranding phase. This shows that RB is not taking this campaign lightly and they want to create an impact and branding awareness of RB’s vision and objectives and make make one’s journey a “redefined” one.

After a slightly turbulent phase back in 2011 (where routes such as Brisbane, Perth, Kuching, Auckland and Ho Chi Minh City were cut off and also the restructuring of the company began), RB is gaining back its momentum, thanks to the direction of Dermot Mannion who has a solid track record of achievement in airline operations, characterized by strong cash flow, improved productivity, low unit costs, excellent customer service and high staff morale. So far, he has a planted new seeds and give it a few more years and you will probably see how much different and improved RB has been since its restructuring phase.

Hats off to Dermot Mannion and his team of their new era and keep it up!!! Oh thank you to Royal Brunei Airlines also for inviting me exclusively for the coverage of this important milestone in Kuala Lumpur.

Upon arrival at the KLIA where our flight was blessed. Thank you @emmagoodegg for the wonderful moment shot

The traditional dance performance for the special guests

Another cake cutting ceremony held at the boarding room at KLIA. Also present during the press conference were Syed Yahya Syed Othman, Director of Tourism Malaysia, Dato Paduka Hj Ishaaq, Brunei High Commissioner to Malaysia, Dato’ Azmi Murad, Senior General Manager of Operations Services Malaysia Airports, Dermot Mannion, Deputy Chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines and Karam Chand, Chief Commercial and Planning Officer at Royal Brunei Airlines

Group photo with the guests

Karam Chand at the press conference yesterday upon arrival at KLIA

Members of the local media from KL

This is a special privilege –> To actually dine in inside a boarding room *lol*

Dermot took the KLIA Express train to KL Central. More on this service later on. It’s very ideal if you want to reach the city in less than an hour 😀

Muaz preparing for the evening’s event

On my right, Mr. David Hogan, founder of MalaysiaAsia and I love his job because he travels (more than me). Next to him is his Chinese editor of MalaysiaAsia, Janice Wong. Do check the website out!!!

This is to be launched by July in business class. Now you can watch movies or play games or listen to music through means of iPad. Of course, you won’t be able to access the internet. The experience alone using iPad Minis on a plane is just a first step.

Dermot appreciating the RB management team based in KL

Ok, this is the finale of the cake cutting ceremony which took place last night at Hotel Istana

Another press conference held last night and a lot of focus targeted on RB’s rebranding program. Dermot announced that RB invested USD 1 million in their rebranding journey.

Datin Seri Tiara Jacquilena who is famously known for her big role in Puteri Gunung Ledang had a photo opportunity with RB air steward and stewardess. Also in the picture is Jamilah Abd Rahman

Datin said service is the most important and she would like to fly RB one day.