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It’s happening this weekend. Click image to find out more.

 

Deputy Chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) Dermot Mannion gave his remarks and he announced that all business class passengers will enjoy the luxury of the usage of iPad Mini as part of their inflight entertainment beginning July 2013

 

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Yahya bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, Chairman of BIBD, presented token to one of the longest serving employee of 20 years

Another long serving employee of BIBD for 20 years

Last week Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) held an “Awards Night”- themed annual dinner for all BIBD staff at the Grand Hall, Indera Samudra of The Empire Hotel and Country Club in Jerudong. The annual dinner was held to commemorate all the hard work the BIBD personnel has achieved over the past year.

The Guest of Honour of the event was the Minister of Industry and Primary Resources Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Yahya bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, who is the Chairman of BIBD.

Also present were the BIBD board members, its Shariah Advisory Body as well as the Managing Director of BIBD Javed Ahmad, amongst some 600 managers, officers and staff of BIBD and its subsidiaries; BIBD At-Tamwil and BIBD Securities.

The dinner started with a recitation of the Doa, which was then followed by a welcoming remark by Managing Director Javed Ahmad, which was continued with a speech by the Guest of Honour. The annual dinner caps off a wonderful year for BIBD, with BIBD winning several awards on the regional front such as being awarded the Best Retail Bank in Brunei from The Asian Banker, Global Finance’s “World’s Best Emerging Markets Banks 2013 in Asia-Pacific” for Brunei and Best Islamic Bank in Brunei from The Banker, Global Finance and Islamic Finance News, to name a few.

Along 2012, BIBD also managed to enhance its client-banking relationship, bringing them ever closer together via the launch of the dedicated BIBD Mobile app, upgrades to the BIBD Online and Contact Centre. All these activities and more were made in line with our ever-continuous efforts to serve our customers better.

BIBD, via its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, has also increased their efforts to further serve the community around. This is exemplified by the recent launching of their ALAF (Advocating Life-Long Learning for an Aspiring Future) programme, a programme to help bring more educational opportunities to underprivileged children, adding to their ever growing contributions to the growth of the society.

The dinner continued with an award ceremony for a total of 91 BIBD staff, who each received service awards as a token of appreciation for their years of loyalty and commitment to the bank. Press release courtesy of BIBD.

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

 

IA Salon is having a special Mother’s Day promotion until 30th June 2013. Any hair service spend $80 above with a single receipt and you will get a FREE Hair Treatment (L’Oreal product).

There is also a manicure + pedicure + foot scrub with 20% off from Monday to Thursday only. For Wash & Blow + Scalp treatment (L’Oreal product) – $30 for Men, $35 for Women.

So do come and make your appointment at IA Salon. Call 242 3232 or 8738232 and the business hours are from 10am to 8:30pm daily. IA Salon is located at the ground floor, The Mall.

Cecilia Lee of IA Salon, a very passionate hairstylist and make-up artist, always learning new trends

You can get your scalp check which reminds me I better get mine re-checked again

Hair and make-up done by IA Salon

 

Guess what peeps? Another instagram competition is being organised and this time it is by AITI who partnered with Brunika and it’s known as “AITI Instagram Competition”. This is also in conjunction with AITI 10 Years Anniversary. The first prize is an iPad Mini while second prize is a Sony Xperia.

The closing date is on 20th May 2013 by midnight and you will have to take photos that portray AITI. Example AITI buildings or anything ICT related or even activities or events related to AITI. Then make sure that you include their official hashtags #insta_a_i_t_i and #brunika to be eligible for the competition. Oh, do make sure your instagram is not priviatised, otherwise it will be hard for the judges to view your photos via hashtags.

So what are you waiting for? The deadline is by midnight tonight 😀 So this is something to keep you busy as well during the weekends. I will put up my own shots too (since I don’t mind an iPad Mini :p). Anyway, Happy 10th Year AITI.

Want to win an iPad Mini?

Please take note of the following rules:

1.    The opening date of the AITI Instagram Competition is on 6 May 2013 and the closing date will be on 20 May 2013, midnight.

2.    This competition is open to local and permanent residents in Brunei Darussalam.

3.    Participants can submit as many photos as they wish to (either old or new photos) and include both hashtags #insta_a_i_t_i and #brunika. AITI employees are disqualified to enter this competition.

4.    The selected Top 10 participants will be contacted via their Instagram account. And they must attend to the AITI 10 years anniversary carnival on 26 May 2013 to collect their prize.

5.    The Top 3 participants will be announced on the day of the carnival.

6.    Images must portray on AITI (such as AITI’s office buildings, ICT technology, any activities/events related to AITI, etc).

7.    Images must NOT express any forms of profanity, sexual and/or racist elements. Image must NOT incite religious hatred and/or phrases that may be deemed inappropriate to other races.

8.    AITI and BRUNIKA reserve the right to reuse any photo that are submitted to the official hash tag of the AITI Instagram Competition #insta_a_i_t_i

9.    Upon submission, the owner of the photo will no longer have rights to use the photos upon submission and after the competition for personal or professional use, giving AITI sole rights of the photographs in an unrestricted, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, display, publicly perform, transmit and distribute such photographs.

10.    AITI and BRUNIKA shall determine winner eligibility in its sole and absolute discretion. Decisions made by the judges are final and no forms of communications will be entertained at any time.

 

Mohammad Hasrol bin Bagol receiving the grand prize for winning the 2013 Brunei Telephone Directory Cover Design Competition from Lim Ming Doon, Chief Marketing Officer of Telekom Brunei Berhad and Dyg Mariani binti Hj Sabtu, Acting Director of Brunei Tourism Board

Mohammad Hasrol bin Bagol’s artwork made him the first-prize winner of the “2013 Brunei Telephone Directory Cover Design Competition”, winning him a cash prize of B$1,500, after it was announced last Friday at a prize presentation ceremony held at the TelBru Headquarters.

Handing over the prizes were Lim Ming Soon, Chief Marketing Officer of Telekom Brunei Berhad; James Lee, Managing Director of Tele Directories (B) Sdn Bhd; and Dayang Mariani binti Haji Sabtu, Acting Director of Brunei Tourism.

The entries for the competition which were collected since early March were recently judged by the managers from TelBru, Brunei Tourism and Tele Directories. Among the participants were customers, subscribers and students, as well as artists who were keen on displaying their talents, expressing awareness based on the theme “Kenali Negara Kitani” (KNK) to promote Brunei Tourism in their drawings.

Judging criteria were based on the most visually expressed drawing on the essence of KNK, portraying tourist attractions and activities available in the country.

Mohammad Hasrol, an Art teacher from PAP Hajah Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah Secondary School in Lumut, during an interview explained that the inspiration behind his drawing originated from his family’s trip to Brunei from oversea, who then asked to see the attractions in the country.

“The reason why it is shaped in a circular form is because it represents how easy it is to reach these landmarks in Brunei and that it is also easy for tourists to find these places in all four districts,” he said.

His artwork was chosen as the winner as it showcased the most creative piece of work that had achieved the depth of understandings of the concept.

Certificates and tokens of appreciation were also given out to 10 consolation prize winners during the prize presentation ceremony. Text courtesy of Izah Azahari of Borneo Bulletin.

One of the consolation prize recipients

Well done, Winnie, for making the top 10 😀

Merrick Chin was also a consolation winner

Another consolation winner

Mohammad Hasrol bin Bagol the grand winner

Winnie’s design entry 😀

One of the top 10 entries

Group photo with the Top 10 entries

 

In an effort to bring together young adults for a chance to meet new friends and socialize with old friends in a casual setting, Fun Bee Park invited the talents of an Improv Group to put up their version of ‘Who’s Line Is It Anyway?’ and conduct a short workshop to introduce the spectators to the fun world of Improv recently.

The group of Improv loving folks were pulled together by Joshua and the show was hosted by Liz.The night was filled with good laughter and also good eats. Set in a casual theme, spectators sat on cushions, munched on finger food and sipped on spritzers created by the Chef Will, the newly appointed head chef of Fun Bee Park.

Following the success of Improv Night, next in plan would be a Movie Night along with movie charades and themed dress up fun. For more info regarding the movie night, contact Fun Bee Park at 245 7729. Images below courtesy of Fun Bee Park.

 

Yugo BBQ lunch promotion from Monday to Thurs

Have you tried Yugo BBQ yet? I have made a few visits there already and the food is great.. Now they have a new lunch promotion for the Shabu-Shabu lunch whic is only $6.90.. You can choose either beef or chicken lunch set with a soup base selection of either chicken, beef, milk or curry. You can also have a choice of noodle or rice and you will be served with either cold or hot tea.

Now isn’t that a great deal for only BND 6.90 and the lunch promotion is only available from Monday to Thursday, from 11am to 2pm. For reservation, you can call 242 7790 or 878 5398 at Yugo BBQ. You can also follow updates on instagram @yugobbq

We tried the lunch set and we were kinda full but then again we ordered a few more side dishes

The lunch set comes with this

So you can either choose the chicken or beef

Do try out their home made spices

Fina loved the combo of the soup with the Kampung sauce

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Wu Chun picked this up upon cleaning the Muarha beach yesterday. He was pretty sad why mothers or caretakers would simply dump diapers on the beach. He pledged to the public not to simply throw any types of rubbish to our beautiful beaches.

 

Deputy Chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) Dermot Mannion (center) was the guest of honour for the RB’s Agent Appreciation Night 2012/2013 held last night at the Royal Berkshire Hall at Royal Brunei Polo and Riding Club last night

This is the replica model of the Dreamliner which is expected to be unveiled this August or September. I’m excited 😀

 

Registration is open and the last day will be 22nd May (Wednesday). This is limited ot only 16 players for either FIFA 13 and Super Street Fighter. Registration fee is only $5 and the cash prizes are pretty good too – BND 200 for first place for FIFA 13 and Super Street Fighter IV.

You have to register at AITI office at Spg 32-5 Kg Anggrek Desa, Jln Berakas during office hours. The contact person will be Mr. Faizullah or Ms. Hui Nee. The event is organised by AITI and managed by ITS and Counter Attack. The console competition is in conjunction with AITI’s 10th year anniversary.

 

B-Mobile will be giving their YES! Prepaid subscribers $50 free credit reward on 17th May 2013. All YES! Prepaid users are requested to keep their line on active status on or before the 17th May 2013 in order to receive the reward. Well, today’s the 18th, so let’s hope you have already activated it.

 

Thank you DST for yesterday’s event in hosting the media and social media people at yesterday’s hi-tea at Tarindak D’Cafe. The event was graced by Deputy CEO of DST, Hj Marsad Hj Ismail who gave his appreciation to the media and hope for a well-balance reporting of news and coverage. He hoped for a better relationship with DST and media and bloggers in future events.

Click image to see more of Netcom Computer House from their Facebook Page

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Click banner to enter ALAF website

Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah with the Minister of Industry and Primary Resources and BIBD management team

Remember ALAF programme that had a big impact last year? It was initially introduced during Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam’s Charity Expedition for ALAF back in October 2012. Now it has become an official programme as part of BIBD’s programme and this is one awesome initiative created by BIBD. I believe everyone children in the world must have access to education and we all deserve it 😀

So last Saturday, BIBD officially launched their flagship Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative, ALAF (Advocating Life-Long Learning for an Aspiring Future) Programme. The ALAF programme is aimed at providing education sponsorship, focusing on underpriviled and orphaned children in Brunei Darussalam. This is the first of its kind I believe and this is totally different from scholarship programmes.

The event was graced by Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah, who officially launched the programme at a ceremony held at the Indera Samudra Grand Hall at the Empire Hotel and Country Club. The launch ceremony for this goodwill programme was attended by some 400 supporters of the initiative.

The opening remarks were delivered by Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Yahya bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, Minister of Industry and Primary Resources cum BIBD Chairman. In his remarks, the Chairman shared on the success of organising the Charity Expedition held last October, the first fund-raising event for BIBD ALAF. The event, which received tremendous support from the public, collected more than B$300,000 in donations, along with the involvement of more than 6,000 participants and 800 volunteers from government and non-government agencies, as well as members of public.

Her Royal Highness Princess Sarah delivering her sabda

Signing ceremony between the Ministry of Education and BIBD

The exchange of documents between the Ministry of Education and BIBD

So now ALAF is officially open, you can be part of this contribution. How? You can make donations through BIBD Online, BIBD Mobile, Standing Instruction, Cash Deposit Machines, Hadiah Points or through BIBD counters. The ALAF Account is 01-001-01-818181-1 and you can give a minimum of BND 1. Even that one dollar can make a difference and imagine if everyone of us contribute a dollar, you are able to give a priceless and meaningful gift to every child that wants to learn and they are our future of Brunei and they will also play an important role by the time of Brunei Vision of 2035.

Hjh Nurul Akmar Hj Mohd Jaafar, BIBD’s Deputy Head of Consumer Banking and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, commented on her aspirations on the success of ALAF as she hopes the fund-raising initiative will gain momentum, hoping to see other corporates,NGOs and the public in general to come forward to show their support towards this noble cause in the investment of the development and future of these underprivileged and orphaned children.

You can view their website here or you can call 223 8181 for more details and you can also email csr@bibd.com.bn Once again, thank you to BIBD for making this program a reality and you definitely have my full support. So guys, let’s make a difference to our younger generation.

Her Royal Highness Princess Sarah with the Ministers

Choir performance from the children

Choir performance from the children

Students with their parents attending the launch of ALAF

Guess what peeps? Another instagram competition is being organised and this time it is by AITI who partnered with Brunika and it’s known as “AITI Instagram Competition”. This is also in conjunction with AITI 10 Years Anniversary. The first prize is an iPad Mini while second prize is a Sony Xperia.

The closing date is on 20th May 2013 by midnight and you will have to take photos that portray AITI. Example AITI buildings or anything ICT related or even activities or events related to AITI. Then make sure that you include their official hashtags #insta_a_i_t_i and #brunika to be eligible for the competition. Oh, do make sure your instagram is not priviatised, otherwise it will be hard for the judges to view your photos via hashtags.

So what are you waiting for? The deadline is my next Monday and you have five more days left 😀 So this is something to keep you busy as well during the weekends. I will put up my own shots too (since I don’t mind an iPad Mini :p). Anyway, Happy 10th Year AITI.

Want to win an iPad Mini?

Please take note of the following rules:

1.    The opening date of the AITI Instagram Competition is on 6 May 2013 and the closing date will be on 20 May 2013, midnight.

2.    This competition is open to local and permanent residents in Brunei Darussalam.

3.    Participants can submit as many photos as they wish to (either old or new photos) and include both hashtags #insta_a_i_t_i and #brunika. AITI employees are disqualified to enter this competition.

4.    The selected Top 10 participants will be contacted via their Instagram account. And they must attend to the AITI 10 years anniversary carnival on 26 May 2013 to collect their prize.

5.    The Top 3 participants will be announced on the day of the carnival.

6.    Images must portray on AITI (such as AITI’s office buildings, ICT technology, any activities/events related to AITI, etc).

7.    Images must NOT express any forms of profanity, sexual and/or racist elements. Image must NOT incite religious hatred and/or phrases that may be deemed inappropriate to other races.

8.    AITI and BRUNIKA reserve the right to reuse any photo that are submitted to the official hash tag of the AITI Instagram Competition #insta_a_i_t_i

9.    Upon submission, the owner of the photo will no longer have rights to use the photos upon submission and after the competition for personal or professional use, giving AITI sole rights of the photographs in an unrestricted, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, display, publicly perform, transmit and distribute such photographs.

10.    AITI and BRUNIKA shall determine winner eligibility in its sole and absolute discretion. Decisions made by the judges are final and no forms of communications will be entertained at any time.

 

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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. The application has just open today and will close on the 15th June 2013.

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.

Crafts and activities took over Mabohai Shopping Complex last weekend, as Event Solutions organised a Mothers’ Day event for families to participate in. Throughout the weekend, participants got to explore their creativity by trying their hands on decorating cookies, scrapbook frame-making, and t-shirt designing. Younger children also got to enjoy free face-painting sessions.

“We wanted to organise an event where families would actually sit down and do things together,” said Event Solutions Manager Aziemah Abdullah.

Each activity cost $1 and participants could bring their proud creations home.

“Today we saw one parent wearing a t-shirt that her child had designed for her yesterday,” added Aziemah. “We have had many families come through since Saturday, to take part in the many activities we have lined up.”

With this event, Event Solutions hope to let families know that the Mabohai Shopping Complex is a place for the whole family, with many retail stores available, including Supasave on the ground floor, as well as children’s toy centre ToysRUs. Text courtesy of Adib Noor of The Brunei TImes.

The committee that helped out during the weekend

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Last night AITI held a Doa Kesyukuran Ceremony and a mass prayer at the Ash-Shaleehin Mosque, Prime Minister’s Office. The ceremony was held in conjunction with the World Telecommunication & Information Society Day (WTISD) and also celebrating AITI’s 10th year anniversary. Did you know that every 17th May of the year is World Telecommunication Day? and the theme for this year is “ICTs and Improving Road Safety”.

The guest of honour was the Minister of Communications, YB Pehin Hj Abdullah with the presence of Abdul Mutalib, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications and Chairman of AITI and also Hj Yahkup Hj Menudin, the Chief Executive of AITI.

For your info, there will be a public exhibition from 1pm to 6pm at Sutra Hall, Level 4, at Rizqun Hotel and there will be essay writing and drawing competition as well. AITI will also celebrate their 10th year on the 26th May at the AITI premise.

 

Physically I’m not there yet but mentally it’s almost there. This is one of my bucket lists for 2013.

 

Shamsul Bahrin, General Manager of OGH and Jamilah Abdul Halim, Director of Tourism Malaysia with the representative of Liz Kamarudin, her mother.

The Orchid Garden Hotel had a prize presentation ceremony for the winners of the OGH Penang Food Promotion. The recent food festival was also supported by Tourism Malaysia.


The winner, Ms. Liz Kamarudin, won herself a trip to Penang for 3 Days 2 Nights Holiday Package inclusive of return air ticket BWN-KUL-PEN-KUL-BWN, an accommodation in Penang and return hotel airport transfer for 1 person. Prize was presented by Puan Jamilah Abdul Halim, Director of Tourism Malaysia and Mr. Shamsul Bahrin Pehin Hj Ahmad the General Manager of Orchid Garden Hotel.

Throughout the entire period of Penang Food Promotion, all diners were entitled to the lucky draw. It was good to see Penang food promotion coming back to OGH as it’s one of the most popular food promotion at OGH.

 

Mardi Hedus and Amy Cheong of Relentless Entertaiment before the start of the event

Hats off to Relentless Entertainment on their tireless effort in producing an enchanting performance at the Jerudong Amphithreater a few weeks ago. We, Bruneians, definitely have talent. I’ve stressed lately on the abundance of growing talent especially from our youth. It’s a matter of giving them the opportunity and being exposed to realise their potentials and Relentless Entertainment has given some opportunities to our local talent.

About 40 of them participated in the performance and they have been invested their time for a few weeks or so. The musical drama performance was themed “The Enchanted Forest” and doing it for the first time, this is a great effort from Relentless Entertainment.

Datin Paduka Hjh Adina was the guest of honour and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports is one of the supporters for the eent. The event was also sponsored by Jerudong Park Country Club, HSBC Brunei, Adison Marketing Services, Fun Bee Park, IA Salon, Patisserie Cake Shop, Misato Japanese Restaurant, Brunei Gas Carriers, Digimark, Aewon Garments, QAF Autokars Sdn Bhd, TK Asco Enterprise, KFC Brunei and Atmosphere Music Production Studio.

Of the total audience, about 1,000 seats were allocated to children from various charities in Brunei Darussalam – Pusat Ehsan, KACA, Smarter Brunei, YASKA, Learning Ladders and Children’s Welfare Home – and enjoyed the musical for free.

According to The Brunei Times’ article, The musical presents a tale inspired by classic children’s stories. It began with the introduction of Hansen and Greta, a brother and sister who had been placed under a hypnotising spell by Wilhelmina the Evil Witch. Wilhelmina kidnapped them and transported them to the Enchanted Forest, but Hansen and Greta managed to escape. They ran into the forest where they met characters such as Straws the Scarecrow, Eugene and Alicia, who showed them the way to Willow the Good Witch, who can send them home.

Thumbs up to the cast and crew and a big shout out to Mardi Hedus and Amy Cheong the co-producers of the Enchanted Forest. Will this be a yearly thing? I do hope so.

It was such a great crowd that night and this shows how caring the public in support for charity

Wilhelmina the Evil Witch

The two main cast – Hansen and Greta

Mardi checking to make sure everything run smoothly

I see you, Lily :p

The introduction of Straws

 

The 1,500 jobs up for grabs at the mini job fair, which began yesterday, will be in the retail, hospitality and tourism, to accommodate a big number of job applicants who are looking for jobs in these three sectors, according to an officer from the Local Work Agency and Workforce Development (APTK) yesterday.

The Brunei Mini Job Fair 2013 will be launched today at the Chancellor Hall at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) to boost the number of locals in the workforce.

“Based on our studies, a lot of jobseekers are looking for jobs as sales representatives and hoteliers. They are looking for jobs in these sectors,” said the officer who preferred anonymity.

Organised by APTK in collaboration with the Department of Economic Planning and Development (JPKE), the Brunei Mini Job Fair 2013 includes a career exhibition, walk-in interviews and workshops, said the officer.

The mini job fair is also held to help reduce unemployment and speed up job employment procedures as well as encourage more locals to work in the private sector.

The APTK officer, who is a member of the organising committee, said that walk-in interviews at the job fair will be opened to jobseekers beginning May 17.

He added that this was the first in a series of three mini job fairs to be held this year.

“The remaining two job fairs will identify other industries as the focus industries, including automobile and construction.”

Held at UBD, the fair will be open from 9am to 12pm, and from 2pm to 5pm today, May 16 and Saturday, May 18, according to a previous report.

On Friday, the fair will be open from 9am to 11.30am and 2.30pm to 4.30pm, the report added. The job fair is one of the initiatives carried out by APTK to boost local workforce in the private sector.

The agency is also actively implementing its Training and Employment Scheme (SLP), where participants of the SLP are eligible to receive financial incentives of up to $2,500 in stages according to their job attendance and performance.

In a previous report, an official from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) said that out of over 1,000 who have participated in the scheme since it started in 2011, nearly half have resulted in the signing of employment contracts.

The SLP is aimed at providing locals with suitable job skills and experiences in a bid to make them more employable and interested to work for the private sector as well as for employers to be less reliant on foreign workers.

The call to evaluate work performance between locals and foreigners was previously made during the sixth day of the Ninth Legislative Council (LegCo) in March, during which a LegCo member suggested for a benchmark assessment of the locals against foreign workers to see where the locals have fallen short.

In response, LegCo ex-officio member and MoHA Minister Yang Berhormat Pehin Udana Khatib DatoPaduka Seri Setia Ustaz Hj Badaruddin Pengarah Dato Paduka Hj Othman advised against early judgment of the local workforce against foreign workers.

He called on businesses to be patient and committed to the government’s cause, as changes among the local workforce will not take place overnight and claimed that the SLP has achieved 80 per cent success rate.

“We have to see them (local workers) as our local entity and it is our responsibility to continue giving them jobs so that they will be able to enjoy a good quality of life as it should be in the country,” the minister said. Text courtesy of Fitri Shahminan of The Brunei Times.

Let Your Body Drive Peugeot 208

 

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The British High Commission announced the winner of the “aMaZeUs” Competition and revealed the new livery for its hybrid car. The competition organised in collaboration with the iCentre and open to everyone in Brunei’s talented design community, was to create new artwrok to decorate the High Commission’s Prius.

The theme of the competition was “Innovation and Research”.

British High Commission Rob Fenn with winner Carolyn Lee with the newly designed Prius

British High Commission Rob Fenn saying a few remarks about the competition

One of the consolation winners – Rommel A. Oliveros

2nd place winner – Richard Chin

His Excellency recording the event

Group photo with the winners and organisers and the British High Commission

This is designed by Carolyn Lee who also have won a few design competitions

 

One of the best offers is flying to Singapore via SQ for just BND 250 even by swiping with your HSBC Debit Card

For your info, the Setia Motors Netball Tournament VIII 2013 competition’s registration is extended until 15th of May and it should be done by 4pm

 

HSBC is offering hot deals on a wide range of indulgent and sumptuous culinary delights, as well as delectable baked treats this Mothers’ Day.

From May 10 to 12, HSBC Credit Card and HSBC Visa Debit Card holders will receive special discounts when they treat their loved ones at All Seasons Restaurant; Kitaro Japanese Restaurant; Nur Wanita Restaurant and Catering; and Mum’s Bakery & Cake House. Discounts range from 15 to 35 per cent when using their HSBC Credit or Visa Debit Cards.

Additionally, all HSBC Credit and Debit Card holders who swipe either their HSBC Credit or Debit cards at both local or overseas merchants from May 6 to July 6 will stand a chance of winning a prize in the Red Hot Credit Card and Debit Card promotion. One lucky credit card winner, and one lucky debit card winner will be selected every month to win the monthly prize of up to 200,000 reward points, or up to $3,000 rebate respectively (terms and conditions apply.

 

Killiney coffee. Now you can dine in at Killiney Kopitiam located at Times Square, below the escalator, nearest to HSBC ATM.

Take a journey back to the good old days by enjoying the freshly brewed coffee and tantalising aroma of warm kaya (coconut egg jam) toast at Killiney Kopitiam, newly opened at Times Square Shopping Centre.

With Killiney Kopitiam outlets in Indonesia, Hong Kong, Australia, and now Brunei, it’s hard to believe that it all began back in 1919 at the Kheng Hoe Heng Coffeeshop in a shophouse on Killiney Road, Singapore.

The visionary behind the brand is Woon Tek Seng, a Hainanese who tried his best to preserve Hainanese culture by producing quality coffee and kaya toasts.

In addition to its popular staples, Killiney Kopitiam also offers local favourites, such as Chicken Curry served with French loaf, Mee Rebus (a boiled noodle dish), Mee Siam (sweet and tangy Siamese noodles), and its famous Singaporean laksa (spicy noodle soup), which is prepared using a secret recipe that has been passed down through generations.

The menu items are also of good value, as each item is priced under $10.

According to Killiney International Pte Ltd Business Development Manager Woon Tien Wei, the eatery serves comfort food that is popular throughout Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei.

“It’s like something you would eat right after you wake up: coffee, kaya toast, half-boiled eggs and even the classics like chicken curry,” said Woon.

“It is a bit different here in Brunei and we would like to learn a little bit more so we can cook something that is in tune to the locals’ palate.”

Woon also stated that Killiney is a place where food and heritage are kept untouched, despite being contemporised.

For those who are interested, please visit Killiney Kopitiam located at the ground floor of Times Square Shopping Centre, near the ATM machines. The outlet operates from 7.30am until 8pm until further notice. Text courtesy of Ikhwan Salleh of The Brunei Times.

The cornflake fillings.. I prefer the one with kaya

I managed to catch this shot with my phone

One of the favourite dishes – currrryyyy…

Bridgette helping out at Killiney

There is also outside seating

Woon Tien Wei, Killiney International Pte Ltd Business Development Manager(2nd from left), has been training the staff during his stay in Brunei. He is related to the family who founded Killiney Kopitiam.

 

Celebrate Mother’s Day at Mabohai Shopping Complex this weekend

 

This was the second Comedy Night organised by 1stopbrunei.com supported by EAC @ UBD and ranoadidas. It was another great turn out last Sunday at The Core and the pacing of the acts were much of an improvement from the 1st Comedy Night. Will there be a part III? Thanks Jessie and Sean for the company last Sunday 😀

Anyway, sorry Shavez that I missed your final act and congratulations on your 1stopbrunei.com on hitting the 50,000 hits mark. The portal for Brunei which contains many aspects about Brunei from education, SMEs, Tourism, Wildife to entertainment was launched just late last year. The founders were in Maktab Duli at that moment and at present are in UBD . The website provides a platform for local artists as well as creative people who have an interest in Artwork, videos, Music,drama as well who are doing small businesses who can advertise themselves for free. There is also a popular Job Vacancy section.

 

 

National Family Day celebrations are carrying on until the weekend for Royal Brunei Catering’s (RBC) Airport Restaurant & Coffee Shop, who are offering a one-off Special Buffet Brunch this coming Sunday, May 12.

Dishes featured in the Special Buffet Brunch include sumptuous dishes such as Beef Goulash, Roasted Chicken, and Chicken Teriyaki, among others, as well as an array of international salads and desserts.

The eatery will open its buffet doors to customers from 11am to 3pm, charging $25 per adult, and $15 per child.

A special treat goes out to customers spending $200 or more on a single receipt, as they will receive a complimentary Laneige skincare gift box. Diners will also stand a chance to win a Luminox Ladies watch worth $590.

For those yet to own an RBC Dining Privilege Card, spending at least $80 on a single receipt will automatically earn them a free membership. For existing RBC DPC holders, they will receive a 10 per cent discount when dining in at any RBC restaurant.

For more information, or to make a reservation, please call Airport Restaurant & Coffee Shop at 2331853 or 2339207. Text by Zatty Joanda of The Brunei Times.

Let Your Body Drive Peugeot 208

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There were some last minute changes to the registration of The Run. Yesterday was the cut off date for registration which can only be done online. However, the last day of payment will be Saturday, 11th of May by 11am especially for those who don’t own a BIBD account. This means that you either pay through BIBD’s Cash Deposit Machines or Counter. Anyway, just click the link here on the steps to register.

As for donation card collection, you need to collect at these joints:
Pusat Ehsan Bengkurong
Pusat Ehsan Kuala Belait
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Centerpoint
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Time square
Netcom Computer House The Mall, Gadong
Netcom Computer House Kiulap
Netcom Computer House Mulaut
Netcom Computer House Tutong

Yesterday Fina dropped her receipts for The Run at the drop off box at BIBD. You can either go to the Cash Deposit Machine at BIBD or you can over to the teller to help you with all the paper work before dropping it off at the drop box

Sam, see you at the finishing line of the Fun Run :p haha

Thank you for helping out and cutting out the forms 😀

 

Finally I personally meet His Excellency Choi Byung Koo, the Korean Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam. He’s a good conversationist and humourous too. Thank you for hosting us lunch.

Last Monday I had the privilege to be invited to the residence of the Korean Embassy for luncheon together with the Korean Ambassador to Brunei and Wu Chun, our superstar celebrity and also James and Tony, representatives from Borneo Bulletin and other guests. For me, it was more of breaking the ice session as I’ve never got acquainted with the Korean Ambassador to Brunei, His Excellency Choi Byung Koo.

I will be heading to South Korea if everything goes as planned in June and this was an invitation from the Korean Embassy which gives me the opportunity to explore the wonderful things that South Korea can offer. I’ve only transited at the Seoul airport on my way to San Francisco a few years ago. So I can’t wait for this grand opportunity to experience the culture of Korea. I love Korean food and I also love Kara *lol* For your info, Kara is one of my favourite girl band from Korea whom I had a huge crush during the Samsumg Galaxy Disk Award in Kuala Lumpur last January. Anyway, thank you to the Korean Embassy for this golden opportunity.

During lunch, Wu Chun revealed he has finished writing the book on his personal experience where he rose to stardom status and also the challenges he had to overcome. Currently it is written in Chinese but he hinted that it will be translated into English to cater to a wider audience. It’s most likely that his book will released later part of 2013. Wu Chun is also appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador of the Republic of Korea since last year and he will be heading to Korea for an exchange programme.

Wu Chun with His Excellency Choi Byung Koo and his spouse (in green), Madam Kim Kyung Soo at the Korean Embassy’s residence

Our lunch was delicately prepared by Madam Kim Kyung Soo. The food was awesome and healthy too.

 

You should try this out!! I’m in love with it…

KFC PRODUCT LAUNCH: SPICY KOREAN CRUNCH. Riding on the Korean wave that’s hitting Brunei, KFC unveiled it’s latest promotion, Spicy Korean Crunch. This unique marinate features a blend of 7 chilies from around the world and the final fried chicken pieces are drizzled with a special spicy Korean sauce also called the spicy Gangnam sauce, which is a creation unique to KFC.

Imagine this scenario: It’s Sunday and you are waiting for your friend to pick you up from home for shopping. While waiting, you turn on the TV, it’s K-pop playing. Change the channel, it’s a Korean drama showing. Your TV brand is Korean. After a while, your Korean brand phone rings, your friend telling you that she is here, waiting inside a car which is also a Korean brand. You both spend the whole afternoon hopping from one Korean Brand cosmetic shop to the other. Now you both feel exhausted and hungry. Conveniently, KFC is nearby, so how about trying out the latest promotion, which is also Korean inspired?  

The Spicy Korean Crunch comes in a 2 piece combo and a 3 piece combo meal. The 2 piece Combo comes with 2 piece of Spicy Korean Crunch chicken, 1 regular potato corn salad, 4 piece potato wedges and 1 regular carbonated drink for a price of B$7.90. The 3 piece Combo comes with 3 piece of piece of Spicy Korean Crunch chicken, 1 regular potato corn salad, 4 piece potato wedges and 1 regular carbonated drink for a price of B$9.90

“In conjunction with the spicy Korean Crunch promotion, we are also working out Korean themed contest and giveaways later this month so we encourage our customers and Korean fans to keep a watch out on us,” says Jonathan Bong, Senior Marketing Manager. “An-Nyung-Ha-Se-Yo and Kam-Sa-Ham-Ni-Da,” added Del Goh, General Manager, KFC B Sdn Bhd. Press release from KFC Brunei.

My media friends trying to get the best angle for the shot

For now, it will replace the Spicy flavour if I’m not mistaken

 

In conjunction of the Family Day celebration, Casual Dining Seafood Restaurant in town, Fish & Co. invites all to come and celebrate the occasion, “The Catch” Family Day style this Saturday 11th May and Sunday 12th May 2013.

In the spirit of fostering family values by spending quality time together with your family, Fish & Co. offers a 20% discount on 5 Seafood Platter range namely Seafood Platter for 1, Seafood Platter for 2, Seafood Galore, Seafood Feast, Feather and Fins Platter and 4 types of Pizza such as the Fiery Peri-Peri Chicken Pizza, Mediterranean Pizza, Seafood Pizza; scrumptious seafood baked with mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce and Black Pepper Chicken Pizza for all valid RBC DPC members. Just simply flash your RBC Dining Privilege Card to be entitled for the discount.

Treat your mum with the Soft shell crab salad or the Clams with Curry Butter sauce, taste the freshness and sweetness of clams in the signature curry butter sauce or try the latest edition of Bombay Fish & Chips, the all time favourite Fish & Chips marinated with an Indian herbs and spices or grilled Barramundi with sambal sauce and not forgetting the chilli crab spaghetti. Now that’s 1 big happy family.

Fish & Co. also offers birthday package for those who is interested to celebrate their birthday at Fish & Co. Birthday Package starts from $15.00 per head with a minimum booking of 40 paxs.

For further enquiries or bookings, please contact Fish & Co. at 2392 666 or 8647 931. Fish & Co. is located at No 18 &19, Ground Floor, Citis Square, Kg. Jaya Setia Berakas ‘A” Brunei Darussalam. Press release from Fish & Co.

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Click banner to enter website. Btw, the deadline registration is on the 9th of May and do make sure that all payments to be made by then as well to be eligible 😀

 

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What a great achievement for Sir Alex Ferguson!! His presence will surely be missed!

He has two more games left as Sir Alex Ferguson has called it quits after a 26 year stint with Manchester United. He led Manchester United to 20th league title and he has two European cup. He will still be part of Manchester United in the role of director and ambassador. The huge question mark remains – who will succeed him? There has been odds that David Moyes will be taking charge. We will know in the next day or two. I don’t think any manager will come close of Sir Alex’ achievement as a football club manager.

 

A press conference was held recently to announce a few interesting competitions in conjunction with World Ocean Day 2013 and yes, Brunei will be celebrating the occasion as well. So just bear with me since there will be one or two competitions that might be of interest to you.

The press conference was represented by Astera Consultant and Pentagram Design Sdn Bhd and one of the competition is the Children’s Art competition, which is the first activity for the festival. With the theme “Sharks are Friends”, the competition is currently ongoing, with the last submission date for entry set which will be 14th May (next week).

There are two categories to the competition: Category A, for ages 8 to 9; and Category B, for ages 10 to 12. The paintings can be in any medium (water colour, paint, pencil and so) and it must be done on an A4 or A3-sized paper or canvas.

The prizes for Category A are cash prizes of $400, $250 and $150 for the first, second and third places respectively. All three of the winners will also receive medals and certificates. Meanwhile, prizes for Category B are cash prizes of $500, $300 and $200 for the first, second and third places respectively. All three of the winners will also receive medals and certificates.

So who’s eligible? Well, it’s open to all students residing or studying in Brunei. How to submit? You will have to hand in by hand to the “Celebrate the Sea” Children’s Art Competition headquarters at MIPR (fishery department) or at the Serasa Firsheries Department. If you need more info, you can email to asterabrunei @gmail.com

A total of 25 entries from each category will be shortlisted for the preliminary round, which will be held on Friday, June 7 at The Empire Hotel & Country Club from 2.30pm to 4pm. The winners for the competition will be announced on Sunday, June 9. For your info, 7 to 9 of June is where Brunei will celebrate World Ocean Day 2013 and Brunei will organise the 12th “Celebrate the Sea” festival at The Empire Hotel in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, Astera Consultant and OceanNEnvironment (Australia).

Sofia Eleni Theologou with Hjh Faridah representing Astera Consultant in the recent press conference

Now here come’s the big one… This also relates to “Celebrate the Sea” festival and it is open to everyone. This will be the first Brunei Shoot Out Competition. Well, technically there are two if you are keen to join. One is the Brunei Shoot Out Competition (open to locals and foreigners) and the other one is Local Brunei Shoot Out (only for residents of Brunei). Both these competitions are Underwater Photography competition and it will be selected Brunei Diving Spots. If you want more information, I suggest you attend the briefing this Saturday,11th May 9am on the 3rd floor of MIPR at the Fisheries Department. You can email to asterabrunei @gmail.com for more details.

The Local Brunei Shoot Out for Bruneian shutterbugs, scheduled from May 17 until 22 so you have at least a week to take underwater shots. If you plan to join the bigger one, Brunei Shoot Out Competition (which includes foreigners), that will be on 4th to 7th of June 2013. The winning images will be used for education and conservation of the region.

The cash prize for Brunei Shoot Out Competition will be USD 3,000 and for Local Brunei Shoot Out will be BND 2,500. There are many categories to join, just refer to the poster below.

 

Javed Ahmad, Managing Director of BIBD, with his opening remarks on property investment last week

Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam Berhad (BIBD) today held a property investment talk, for all its loyal Perdana Banking (PB) customers. The event was organised to preview to all of BIBD’s PB members just some of the many privileges and benefits they will have the opportunity to experience, as the event showcases the first of many scheduled events over the year.

A BIBD official highlighted that the “Key focus of today’s event ultimately strengthening our relationship with the clients, while at the same time to illustrate BIBD’s appreciation to the unyielding support BIBD’s Perdana members has demonstrated towards BIBD over the years”.

The property investment talk, held at the Indera Kayangan Hall at the Empire Hotel and Country Club, was attended by some 250 Perdana members, with the opening remarks delivered by Javed Ahmad, Managing Director of BIBD. The managing director took this opportunity to share the upcoming plans and initiatives for PB, as he noted that these are exciting times for the bank with all these efforts to grow BIBD up to its full potential.

The event served as a platform for knowledge dissemination amongst customers for basic knowledge of property investments and how property investment can be used as of the best ways to grow wealth. These property advices covered vital information on local and overseas property investments, capital appreciation, rental yields, and also to give an insight on the choices of properties available readily.

The morning ceremony was continued by a briefing by Yusuf Flynn of Rumahku Real Estate, at the same time introducing an array of properties for investment at prime locations such as Jln Muara, Subok, Serasa, Sungai Liang, Kilanas. Hairani of Primeland Real Estate continued in the afternoon as they shared their local and overseas property especially the London portfolio and how property represents a sound form of wealth investment.

The event also provided the Perdana members with an opportunity to browse for an ideal property investments from an extensive range offered by both Rumahku and Primeland. Images courtesy of BIBD.

Yusuf Flynn of Rumahku Real Estate talked about the properties along Jln Muara, Subok and many more

The invited guests at the investment property talk

 

It was very rare to see such flood happening at the Brunei International Airport (BIA). Then again, to be fair that there was still an ongoing construction led by the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) and the Brunei Economic Developoment board (BEDB). It was good thing that the matter was attended with urgency after the arrival hall area had a mini flood which caused inconvenience to the arriving passengers on the late night flight. By 2am, the BIA operation was back to normal on the 8th of May. It was due to the heavy rainfall that started around 11pm that flooded the area. Good thing that it didn’t affect any delays or disruptions.

According to the press release isused by BEDB, the Airport Modernization Project Team had identified that the flooding, which lasted for about one and half hours was caused by ingress of water through the existing sump/outlet within the arrival hall. The flooding however caused no significant damage to existing property and equipment within the arrival hall. Swift actions by the airport authorities and other agencies including the Fire and Rescue Department, representatives of Department of Drainage and Sewerage, PWD and the contractors have enabled the arrival hall to resume normal operation by 2:00am.

The arrival hall scene at the Brunei International Airport last night around midnight on the 8th of May. Image courtesy of @dil122

In consultation with the Ministry of Communications and Department of Civil Aviation, the BEDB will be carrying out remedial measures to avoid such incidents from happening in the future. This includes widening and deepening the temporary drain network around the arrival hall and providing temporary pumps to drain rainwater from the affected area.

The BEDB and DCA would like to apologize for the inconvenience experienced by the arriving passengers and their family members as well as other airport users.

The country experienced one of the heaviest rain falls on the evening of 7 May 2013 when 181 millimetres of rain was recorded in Bandar Seri Begawan which have also caused flooding in certain parts of the highways as well as areas in Sengkurong, Mulaut and Kilanas.

 

 

Green Brunei, one of the most prominent non-profit organizations in Brunei, is organizing environmental-centric camps for impassioned youth environmental leaders in Brunei this coming summer holidays. Believing that disconnect with the environment often arise from the lack of constant interactions with nature, all GB YEL classes are held at the fringe of the Brunei’s own pristine green treasures, at Rainforest School in Temburong.

This program includes teaching participants the basics of environmental youth reporting, learning from environmental science and issues’ classes, and also involving students to have hands-on experiences with nature by having activities such as picking their own vegetables and short treks into the rainforest, all of which are conducted by trained and experienced environmentalists, tour guides and locals. 

In greater details, one can expect both educational indoor and outdoor classes and activities. The YEL Programme is expected to be an experiential learning course suitable for all aged 13-25 with an interest in environmental conservation. Participants are promised to learn in greater depth the different aspects of environmental conservation: how to practise composting, the richness of Brunei’s and the region’s biodiversity, as well as hands-on activities such as cooking your own meals in the heart of the rainforest.

YEL alumni will have the opportunity to attend workshops and conferences with leading experts in the field of sustainability, network with other youth environmental leaders, develop relevant project management skils, public speaking skills as well as event management skills. Also, YEL alumni will have the opportunity to work with Green Brunei on environment campaigns, events and projects.

The program is jointly organized by Green Brunei, the Education Provider, and Borneo Guide, the Project and Venue Partner. Educational Resource Partners include United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as well as Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE). [Press release from Green Brunei]

The dates of the programme are:
Intake 1: 10th – 12th June
Intake 2: 12th to 14th June
Intake 3: 19th to 21st June

The deadline of registration is 27th May 2013.

About Green Brunei
Green Brunei aims to be the ‘largest green community in Brunei, with the goal of providing free green educational, green resources and an enabler of youth-initiated environment projects’.

Green Brunei has an intrinsic focus in promoting environmental education and creating awareness on environmental conservation and clean technology through media platforms, online and offline activities and projects.

About GB YEL
The first pioneering run of GB YEL saw a congregation of 26 youths, each with their ideals and hopes for the environment, come together for 3 days of intensive yet enjoyable learning beyond the classroom in the heart of Brunei’s own lush green treasures.

It serves to inculcate in participants the skills of critical analyses as well as environmental reporting, yet ensuring that learning more about the environment is never too boring an activity. GB YEL Programme is planned to run every quarter in the year.

For more information, please visit: http://www.green-brunei.com/yel/

To apply or for any enquiries contact Amanda at amanda.tew@green-brunei.com or Greg at greg@green-brunei.com with your questions.

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Click banner to enter website. Btw, the deadline registration is on the 9th of May and do make sure that all payments to be made by then as well to be eligible 😀

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The members of the Brunei Numismatics Club that gathered on their 2nd meet last Sunday

Money, money, money… Recently I have been helping a friend in promoting and selling old currency on my instagram and the responses were pretty good too. For your info, there is an unofficial club where enthusiasts and collectors of old currency gather from time to time and share their knowledge or trade-ins or buy/sell old currencies. Last Sunday, the members of Kelab Numismatic Brunei (KNB) had their second gathering as part of their monthly activities at Gadong properties food court.

Erik of Brunei Numismatics Club said that this is a non-profit group that started out on Facebook group early this year and it garnered some interests from hobbyists. The objectives of the group/club is to promote numismatic as a hobby and also to serve as a platform for numismatists in Brunei Darussalam. For your info, numismatics means a study or collection of currency and you will be surprised that there are quite a lot of them in Brunei.

So far there are about 400 members on Facebook and I’m pretty sure it’s a growing number. Majority of them are from Brunei and also making up from Singapore and Malaysia. The club has also came up with a member card if you are interested.

They also want to educate the public on the selling of old notes at a reasonable, market price. There are some who will sell at a higher price which is discourage.

Numismatics also provides a good investment opportunity such as the values of uncirculated (UNC) Begawan $1, $5, $10, $50 and $100 notes (year 1967) are now worth B$85, B$200, B$210, B$900 and B$1,250.

A piece of Malaya and British Borneo year 1953 $100 note with the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II (which was used in Brunei before Begawan notes) is now worth B$2,100 (VF grade) and B$8,000 (EF grade) in the current numismatics market.

This is a rare pitis, the currency of Brunei which was circulated three hundred years ago

A hobbyist looking at the details of the pitis

The logo of the group is designed in a unique octagon-shaped pitis with a central hole (Reference no: SS 3E) of Sultan Hussin Kamaluddin (1710-1730 & 1737-1740), the 16th Sultan of Brunei, with the picture of a cat facing right.

Interesting book on the history in coinage

This handbook is useful to check the market value of old currency based on the year and the condition of the old notes

 

This ain’t true. It’s a photoshop-ed image.

A message from RB’s Facebook page: Royal Brunei Airlines has been made aware that this image was uploaded and circulated via social media after last evening’s flash flood at the Brunei International Airport. Please be aware that the image of RB’s aircraft partially submerged in water is edited.

Please understand that creating and circulating an allegation such as this is considered a crime. Thus we seek the assistance from the public to stop circulating this false image.

 

It was quite happening during family day at the Royal Wharf last Sunday

Do you guys know much about Family Day? This is the second time that Brunei celebrates Family Day with the theme “Keluargaku, Haparanku” (My Family, My Hope). Last Sunday, there were four zones for family day in Brunei-Muara district. All together there were 9 zones across the country and leading the event were ministers and senior government officers.

I know of one school, SMSS, that organised their own family day at Jerudong Park. I just ended up covering the one at the Royal Wharf where the event was mostly sponsored by oil and gas companies.

The celebration’s main purpose, according to the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports in a committee meeting held prior to yesterday’s event, was to foster understanding in the community regarding the importance of reinforcing and strengthening family institutions for the development of society and the state.

A collaboration of efforts among the ministries of Culture, Youth and Sports, Home Affairs and Religious Affairs, the nationwide event was allocated a $500, 000 budget for programmes that emphasised on the reinforcement of the family institution.

I’m pretty sure next year will be bigger and better. Such event will need more publicity and awareness prior to the day itself. It was nice to see families participating in activities. Kudos to the ministries that made this possible.

 

Registration is now open

Another great news for the futsal enthusiasts in Brunei Darussalam, Proman Auto Care & Carwash will be organising a 3-aside futsal tournament on 26th May 2013. The registration is now open until 24th May 2013. Forms can be obtained from Proman Auto Care & Carwash, Spg 145, Kg Lambak as well as from Bola Bola Indoor Futsal Courts, 2nd floor Times Zone, Times Square Shopping Centre Berakas. For further informations, interested parties can contact Bola Bola at 2338730. The registration fee is BND80 for a team of maximum 6 players and is open to a maximum of 32 teams.

The Champion of Proman Autocare Cup will walk away with BND600 plus 6 free carwash, 1st runner up will receive BND300 plus 6 free carwash and 2nd runner up will receive BND200 plus 6 free carwash.

The 1-day tournament will be held at Bola Bola Indoor Futsal Courts, Times Square Shopping Centre, Berakas, the first commercial indoor futsal courts in a shopping complex.

I had a great experience playing at Bola Bola Indoor Futsal Court few months back!!

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Click banner to enter website. Btw, the deadline registration is on the 9th of May 

 

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The star of the day – Nuratiqah Nabila – who bagged both Best Vocal and Best Actress Award at Laneige Broadway Musical Competition 2013

Sorry for the late post, Pat *huhu* I’ve been wanting to post this article few days ago. So here it is.. I missed the morning session of Laneige Broadway Musical Charity Competition 2013 because of my participation of the National Day Run. There were 10 schools involved in this year’s competition and according to Pat Li, the competition went smoothly and even finished ahead of schedule especially in the morning session.

Over 350 students from 10 secondary schools participated and they have worked very hard and put a lot of effort in the performance. The event was held at Hua Ho Manggis Ballroom.

The guest of honour was the chairlady of the Yayasan Kanser Kanak-Kanak (YASKA), Dr Norehan Hj Johari. Also present were Cheong Huat Joo, Senior Special Duties Officer (Secondary), Department of Schools; and Brunei English Language Teachers Association (BELTA) President, Datin Hjh Khadijah Hj Akhbar.

My favourite was definitely the last one – PAP Hjh Masna Secondary School. They won first place and deservedly so. They also bagged the Best Choreography, Best Vocal, Best Costume and Best Actress Award. The star of the day belonged to Nuratiqah Nabila who played Pocahontas and it was her vocal that stood among the rest. I was almost in tears listening to her rendition of “Colours of the Wind” and even the audience felt connected to her performance. And yes, Nuratiqah bagged both Best Vocal and Best Actress Award for her performance.

For your info, she also came 2nd in last year’s RTB Bintang Kecil and also a presenter for RTB 2 “Minggu Ceria” programme. Guess what? I didn’t even know that she’s popular on Youtube.. Her youtube views are amazing for a Bruneian. If you want to hear her voice, click here and here. She’s definitely a talent that can bring so much for our country. I foresee a bright future ahead for Nuratiqah.

The panel of judges during the competition

The first runner-up of the competition was Sayyidina Hasan Secondary School winning $300 and a trophy. The school also won an additional $200 after winning Best Stage Presentation and Best Actor awards.

Best Actor, Aiman Hafizul Irfan of Year 11, was thrilled and said that he has the passion for music since childhood and plays many music instruments. He added that his decision to venture into acting and singing and ultimately the competition was right.

The second runner-up of the competition was PAP Hjh Rashidah Lumut. The school received $200 and a trophy. The Best Creative Adaptation award was won by Sharif Ali Secondary School.

Pat Li was happy that the event turned out as a success and she appreciated the committee, the coaches and the volunteers that helped out since Day 1. She said that we all share the mutual belief that all kids are gifts to us. When When they grow up, they are our future in sustaining and managing the country. It is our passion to nurture our youths’ development with positive thinking, by being supportive, giving and loving.

The supporters of the Laneige Broadway Musical Charity Competition 2013 are HSBC, Royal Brunei Catering Sdn Bhd, Syarikat Shalim (B) Sdn Bhd, Ranoadidas, Red Dot Studio, CFBT, JPMC Fitness Centre, BELTA and Great Eastern Life Assurance Co Ltd.

The panel of judges were Albert Polita, Phyllis Thin, Siti Badriyah Hj Md Yusof, Genevieve Lai and Nurhisyam Al Muiz bin Abdul Rahman Ampil.

The cheering squad from PAP Hjh Masna School

Another cheering section for PAP Hjh Masna School

PAP Hjh Masna Secondary School won Best Costume

Sayyidina Hasan Secondary School won Best Stage Presentation

Aiman Hafizul Irfan of Sayyidina Hasan Secondary School won Best Actor

Nuratiqah Nabila of PAP Hjh Masna Secondary School won Best Vocal and Best Actress

PAP Hjh Rashidah Lumut came 3rd overall

Sayyidina Hasan Secondary School came 2nd overall

Nuratiqah Nabila of PAP Hjh Masna Secondary School won the competition

Handing over of donation to YASKA

Handing over of donation to BELTA

 

Enough said…

I’ve never been a fan of politics and though I don’t really follow minute-to-minute on the 13th General Election, I keep tab by following news on the social media and blogs and even tuned in to TV1 on Astro to see the latest update.

If you ask my opinion, I was hoping for a change. Most of my friends residing in Brunei shared the same sentiment. Most of them even flew back to their home town to vote and this shows how determined they are to make a change in the government.

Guess what, Barisan National (BN) under the leadership of Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, lost the popularity vote in the General Election 2013 but BN returned to power because they won 133 seats from the 222-seat Parliament. With all results in, BN polled 5.220 million votes to Pakatan Rakyat’s 5.489 million, for a deficit of 269,130 votes based on calculations by The Malaysian Insider. The Election Commission has yet to release the official results.

Though the opposition might have lost the war, I can see a transition. The Prime Minister has become aware of the “Chinese Tsunami” which voted for “change” (the opposition) and he didn’t seem to happy about it. He blamed the Pakatan Rakyat (the opposition) led by de factor leaeder Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who believed the electoral election was a fraud (well, many of friends thought so too).

All in all, BN scored poorly in the most Chinese-majority seats nationwide, indicating a massive swing in the community’s support towards the opposition.

There was even a 10-minute blackout that happened last night (not sure of the time) and I did a hashtag search on my instagram and it was flooded with “blackout” pictures, condemning the tactics by the government. I also came across this blog which shared about the darkest day in Malaysia. Check it out!!

I’m not suprised with the results because of the other factors that came into question. But I’m quite content that there’s a shift that’s happening and this is just first step – planting the new seeds.

Do you think BN won it fair and square? Your thoughts.

It was quite rare that I watch TV1 *lol*

I wonder who Siti Nurhaliza voted for. Taken from her instagram

One of the cast from Yasmine the Final Fist flew back to her home town to vote (for a change)

Carol’s family also voted for a change. Their home town Sibu and majority voted against BN and won a seat.

Carol managed to wash off the blue mark on her index finger using detergent. Hmmmm…

It was a clear winner which party will govern Malaysia for another term

The hashtag of #GE13 are populated with this on instagram

The hashtag of #GE13 are populated with this on instagram

There are gonna be many jokes about blackouts now

 

Sairol (left) questioning why his team mate didn’t square to him in the box and instead falling down to claim for a penalty. DPMM FC lost 2-0 to SAF Warriors FC last night at Hassanal Bolkiah Stadium.

I was there last night to witness only the first half of the match. DPMM FC lacked the creativity and the motivation they usually have when playing on home ground. Yes, there are missing a few key players notably Azwan Salleh and their top striker Jo. However, that shouldn’t be an excuse for DPMM FC’s poor performance last night.

They could have lost more than 2 goals to tell you honestly. DPMM FC have their chances too but they still looked far from convincing. Something tells me that DPMM FC is missing one key player that made a difference last season. The departure of Ivan Jerkovic has definitely affected the recent gameplay of DPMM FC. He was so industrious in midfield and his distribution is top notch.

The new import players are nothing of spectacular and they have yet to show any sign of brilliance or dominance in their presence with the exception of Jo who is DPMM FC’s top scorer. DPMM FC will be hosting Home United this Friday. Will they redeem themselves or will it be their 3rd consecutive loss in the S•League? Read more of the report here from The Brunei Times.