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Cecilia Lee, Fun Bee Park’s Activity Consultant announced that Pearly Kee is coming to town to do a Nyonya cooking demo this weekend at Fun Bee Park. Check out details below!!

This should be interesting… What’s great about Cecilia Lee is that she likes to try to new things especially when she travels abroad. This time round she wants to share the Nyonya culture to the residents of Brunei and the activity that will take place this weekend is the Nyonya cooking workshop and the seats are limited (8 pax per session).

Did you know that the Baba Nyonya culture signifies the unity and inter-community of races in Brunei and Malaysia? I did learn some history of the Baba Nyonya culture in my trip to Malacca a few years back. I’ve always enjoyed the nyonya style cuisine and it’s good to know that Fun Bee Park will be hosting this Nyonya cuisine workshop this weekend.

They will be inviting Chef Pearly Kee, a fifth generation in the art of Nyonya cuisine, and she is a descendant of Kee Lai Huat the founder of Sungai Bakap, a small town in Sebarang Perai Selantan, Malaysia.

Want to learn more about Nyonya culture?

Cecilia Lee briefing to the local media for this weekend’s event

5 workshops this weekend on Nyonya cuisine

Friday, 5th July 5pm – 9pm. Maximum of 8 pax. Menu 1) Jiew Hu Char with sambal belacan 2) Dark sauce chicken 3) Stir fried spicy chicken. Dinner included. Go home packed with 3 hands on recipes and 1 bonus recipe. BND 80 only

Saturday, 6th July 8am to 11am. Maximum of 8 pax. Menu 1) Hong Kay 2) Sambal Udang 3) Otak Otak. Lunch included. Go home packed with 3 hands on recipes and 1 bonus recipe. BND 80 only

Saturday, 6th July 7pm to 10pm. Nyonya night. Maximum of 50 pax. 5 course sit down dinner and Nyonya cultural showcase. Menu – 1) Curry Kapitan 2) 5 spice chicken roll with chilli sauce 3) Kerabu Kay 4) Sambal Goreng 5) Bee Koe Moy BND 80 only

Sunday, 7th July 8am to 11am. Demo by Pearly with tasting session. Maximum of 50 pax. Menu – 1) Assam Laksa 2) Nasi Ulam. Tasting portions of demo dishes. Demo recipes and 2 bonus recipes given. Additional nyonya kueh and drinks provided for. BND 40 only.

Sunday, 7th July 2pm to 6pm. Maximum of 8 pax. Menu – 1) Stuffed ladies fingers 2) Assam Prawn 3) Curry Chicken with potatoes. Dinner included. Go home pack with 3 hands on recipes and 1 bonus recipe. BND 80 only.

To register or purchase tickets or for any enquires, call Fun Bee Park at 2457729 or visit the centre at Unit 6&7 Ground Floor, Sempurna Complex, Jalan Batu Bersurat.

These particular Nyonya shoes have an interesting story behind it

Potong shoes doesn’t come cheap

The beads of the shoes are sewn by hand. They are made from small beads.

The Brunei U-21 national team

I was waiting for this moment. The moment for Brunei Under 21 team to play against other countries as they were impressive in their build up into the 8th Asian Youth Netball Championship. They caught my attention when played in the Setia Motors Netball Tournament a few weeks ago. Yesterday marked a memorable moment for our netball national team. The result itself caught many by surprise as Brunei crushed Japan 48-26 in the opening match of the 8th Asian Youth Netball Championship and yes, Brunei is the host nation for this tournament.

The first quarter set the pace as Brunei U-21 as they were in scoring form, thanks to the attacking form of Eika and Syu. Farul, the center for Brunei, was instrumental as well while Fizah in goal defence made it difficult for Japan to attack. The first quarter was definitely their best performance as Brunei easily led 17-6.

Japan improved their gameplay but it was their errors and turnovers that cost them dearly. Their poor shooting percentage was also a factor in Japan’s low scoring outing and let’s not forget the great defending by F & F (Fiqah and Fizah). The only worry now is the fitness of Brunei’s star player Mar who started off from the substitute bench after recovering from injury a few weeks ago. She played in the 3rd quarter and it was good to see her in action. The coach Thilaka Jinadasa made a tactical change in the starting line up to save Mar’s energy for the vital game against Hong Kong today.

For your information, Brunei U-21 team is pitted in the same group with India, Japan, defending champion Malaysia and Hong Kong. Only the top two will go through for a semi-final spot. Hong Kong is another favourite apart from Malaysia to go through to the next round. Hence, this is a crucial game for the host nation to beat Hong Kong as the coach is aiming for 2nd place in the group. Hong Kong easily beat India 54-20 yesterday and Brunei must be wary of Hong Kong’s attacking prowess.

Coach Thilaka was still not impressed with her team despite the 48-26 victory over Japan. She said that there is still room for improvement and this is first game for the ladies to play against a different country competitively. “The players were a bit nervous and we cannot do this against Hong Kong (today) and we are like this careless against Hong Kong, it’s going to be very tough.”

Brunei will take on Hong Kong later at 2:30pm later at the Indoor Stadium. Entrance is free so the public is more than welcome to come and support the Brunei team. Yeah, I know it’s during the working hours but if you happen to be free (or you manage to get some MC *lol*), do drop by the Indoor Stadium today.

Regardless whether Brunei U-21 made it to the 2nd round or not, they have shown major improvement as Brunei netball team. I can see a bright future indeed for our Brunei national netball team.

The Japanese team posing for the camera

Preparing to sing the national anthem for Brunei and Japan

Syu and Eika were in top form against Japan

Farul’s work rate was phenomenal

Datin Paduka Hjh Adina was happy to see Brunei’s performance yesterday. She was the guest of honour as she officiated the 8th Asian Youth Netball Championship

Mar was a substitute as a goal scorer and let’s hope that she’s fully recovered from her injury

Fizah was outstanding in defence as she had many blocks and steals against Japan

Some of the Brunei supporters that came yesterday

Some of the Brunei supporters that came yesterday

Sometimes persistence does pay

The Hong Kong team is one of the dark horses of the tournament

The friendship huddle after every game

Well done Brunei on their first competitive match

The schedules for the netball tournament

 

Click image to enter AirAsia website

Aliya Zin at AirAsia HQ. On my recent Mega Fam Colours of 1Malaysia and Visit Malaysia 2014 trip with Tourism Malaysia and AirAsia, I was fortunate enough to have a quick peek with what goes on behind the scenes of Asia’s leading and largest low-cost carrier. But besides the low prices and the awesome air crew in those lovely black and red uniforms, what is the Air Asia story? And how do they keep all those planes in the air? And is it true everyone can fly?

AirAsia’s Head Office is actually located in LCCT itself, who knew? The whole office is decked out in AA’s signature colour, and waiting in the lobby/reception area are the awesome cut outs of Tony Fernandes, Mark Lankester and Kathleen Tan from The Apprentice Asia. And of course, we managed to find a couple of pretty flight attendants to round out the picture! XD

By the way, not just anyone can check out the offices, you need to have a security pass to get around

I think most of you know about Dato’ Tony Fernandes, maybe you heard about his Billionaires Bet with none other than Richard Branson, or you know that he’s the Big Boss on The Apprentice Asia, (which I managed to catch a couple of episodes of when I was in KL. Tony seems scary in the boardroom, but super spot on with his assessments. I can see how he made AA the success story that it is!)

But how it all began is an interesting story, and in the lobby of the Air Asia offices I found an interesting piece of it..

In the picture you see above is the certificate and the symbolic RM1 that Tony Fernandes purchased Air Asia for in December 2001, with the airline heavily in debt. Under his leadership, the airline was flying high in 2002 and launched its new route that year. And that ladies and gentlemen is how you turn a failing airline into one of Asia’s biggest success stories to date. 

The waiting area with the GINORMOUS TV!! Showing episodes of what else.. The Apprentice Asia.

AirAsia merchandise

AirAsia merchandise

Look at the number of accolades that AirAsia has won and earned

I really liked this poster.. AA calls all its staff All-Stars.. and they all take their job seriously.. which is why they can turn the plane around in 25 mins. *applauds*

This is positively my favourite part of the offices! Hahaha! The Chamber of Secrets!

One of their fleet of 118 aircraft. AA has an extensive network with 85 destinations.. They believe in the no-frills, hassle-free, low fare business concept, and being efficient helps to keep costs low. Just think, their efficiency passes on the savings to us, the passengers, so that affordable air travel becomes a reality, which is why their philosophy is “Everyone Can Fly…”

Although they are a low cost airline, you can still fly in comfort. You can select the hot seats (with extra room, perfect for us long legged giraffes!) when you book your seats on AirAsia.com. One of their key strategies is Low Fare, No Frills. It does mean that there are no complimentary drinks or meals offered on board, but you can actually purchase meals for up to 20% off when you pre-purchase while booking your ticket. Yay! And trust me, the food is yummy…

One of their best sellers is the Green Curry Chicken! I could not wait to dig in!

This is their Fried Rice with Chicken Satay… I’m kinda drooling as I write this… (Hi AA.. Mind sending some food over? Hehe!)

And of course.. Must have picture with my fellow travelers! Hi Jan Sun, Nabilah and Imelda! We all look kinda tired because we had a long day.. But here we are posing in the Hot Seats.. haha

Posing in front of the plane like I own it. LOL.

For your convenience, AirAsia has flights twice a day from Brunei International Airport to LCCT. You have the convenience of booking online at AirAsia.com or even on their AirAsia app! (As seen here on my iphone!) and it’s available in the Google Play store as well.

How it looks like booking through a mobile app

You can even book your flight up to 4 hours before scheduled departure time, but of course, the earlier you purchase your ticket, the better deal you get! You can even check in online, and just drop off your luggage at the Baggage Drop when you get to the airport.

Flying with AirAsia was an awesome experience! It’s so affordable, and with flights to many of Bruneians favourite destinations in Asia, like Manila, Singapore, Bangkok, Seoul and Tokyo, it is simply the smartest way to fly.. I want to thank AirAsia and Tourism Malaysia for this awesome unforgettable trip.. I would also like to thank Ivan Ong for looking after us in Johor and Aarti Doshi for the tour of the AA offices and indulging my curiousity! 

So what are you waiting for? Now is the time to Fly!

 

Aliya Zin at Concepts Computer. After the successful launch of the Acer Iconia B1-A71 in April by Concepts Computer and Acer, demand for the affordable tablet has been high.

The tablet, a budget minded slate running the Android Jelly Bean, is targeted at young and new users or families looking for good quality tablet for their household. It’s also ideal for busy individuals seeking a convenient mobile companion to take with them on the go. With its 7” screen, which is about the size of a paperback, the Iconia B1-A71 has a display that’s comfortable for e-reading, web browsing, playing games and watching videos. The size is perfect to sit in one hand nicely, while you can sip your coffee or take notes with your other hand.

Gaming, web browsing and video are super-fast on the device, thanks to the 1.2 GHz dual-core processor. With the Android Jelly Bean operating system, it improves system wide performance, speeding up Google searches and queries done with Voice Search, are spoken back almost instantly.

You can access tons of free online magazines from hundreds of top publishers from the Google currents app and also download beautiful e-book editions to your tablet. With around 700,000 games and apps available from the Google Play store, you will have plenty to entertain you on the go. Enjoy staying in touch with friends and family via fun video chats with the front facing 0.3 megapixel camera.

Concepts Computer introducing the Iconia B1-A71 with accessories

A great demand for this tablet

You can get the accessories too

The tablets storage is expandable up to 32 GB, with the handy microSD™ card reader so you can take important files with you. It only weighs 320 grams and is small enough to slip into a handbag or a commuting bag, yet big enough to provide a fine view of your favourite media. You can even kit out your tablet with covers and touch pens in a multitude of colours. They have special deals on with purchases with the Iconia B7-A71. m

“ Concepts Computer will always listen to the needs of Bruneian consumers, which is why we are ordering more and bringing in thousands of units to fulfill the needs of local IT-enthusiasts,” said Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer. “This is also in step with our policy of offering highly affordable products and services to our customers without sacrificing quality.”

According to Zul Abdul Rahman, Marketing Executive, Concepts Computers, the new tablet has been in high demand since its arrival. “The last two launches, we sold all the units in less than a week, which is why we ordered more units this time around to serve the demands of the public.”

Great promotion from Concepts Computer and The Brunei Times

 

Professional fighting game players EG.Justin Wong (L) of America and Tokido of Japan (2nd from R) with Bruneians Amir Noor, Denyze Veronique and Hilmi Shah.

Amir Noor’s report on SEAM 2013. Three Bruneians take on the international arena at the Southeast Asia Majors 2013 (SEAM2013) in Singapore 21-23 June, the region’s biggest fighting game tournament of the year.

The tournament was hosted at the Alienware Arena of Lucky Chinatown where more than 170 players from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan, Hong Kong as well as Australia and America.

Some of the world’s biggest players attended to compete namely EG.Justin Wong, Tokido, Kazunoko, AVM.Gamerbee, Mike Ross and DM.MCZ.Xian; as many have known them to be top competitors around the world.

Players competed in popular titles such as Super Street Fighter 4 Arcade Edition 2012, Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3, Injustice – Gods Among Us, Street Fighter X Tekken, King of Fighters XIII, Soul Calibur V, Persona 4 Arena and Blaze Blue: Continuum Shift Extend.

Brunei was represented by three players; Shane Goh, Hilmi Shah and Counter Attack’s Amir Noor. Shane competed in Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Soul Calibur V and Injustice; Amir joined Injustice and Street Fighter while Hilmi only took part in Street Fighter.

Impressively, Amir and Shane placed Top 10 for Injustice despite the tough competition against Australians and Indonesians but ultimately, the Singaporeans dominated the game all the way through Top 4.

Shane also got Top 10 in Soul Calibur V.

Things didn’t go so well for the other games as Amir and Hilmi barely made it past their early matches for Street Fighter.

Despite our losses, SEAM2013 has been a wake up call for our players in experiencing the level of skill and play of international players. What we were able to take back from the adventure was more friendships and ties with other international players along with the knowledge that Brunei’s Fighting Game Community needs to do more to be better at what they love.

Brunei left its mark at the SEAM2013 as communities from other countries now know of its players and potential to rise up to the challenge of facing their players. The next Southeast Asia Majors has yet to be set but more Bruneians are ready to rally and do their country proud.

SEAM2013 is one of the ‘Road to EVO’ events lined up for players in this region of the world. It allows players who are unable to attend majors in other parts of the world and earn ‘seed points’ for EVO, the world’s biggest tournament for fighting games.

EVO is considered the Olympics of fighting games where hundreds of fighting game players from all over the globe head to America for a chance to be dubbed the World’s Champion. The titles are stretched from all the different fighting games and takes place annually at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, USA.

EVO2013 will take place on July 12-14.

The SEAM2013 tournament in Singapore

The SEAM2013 tournament in Singapore

The audience watching the tournament

Amin Noor of Counter Attack had a good experience at SEAM2013. Image courtesy of Sol Abdo of Australia. You can click the image to view more of pictures of the tournament.

A supporter celebrates while watching the tournament. Image courtesy of Sol Abdo of Australia. You can click the image to view more of pictures of the tournament.

 

A young rider in action in the annual Dressage and Show-Jumping Competition. Image courtesy of Bahyiah Bakir of Borneo Bulletin.

Brunei Equestrian Centre Sdn Bhd (BEQ) held its annual Dressage and Show-Jumping Competition yesterday at its stables in Jerudong.

The event saw the participation of 82 riders from BEQ, Brunei Shell Recreation Club, and Berakas Saddle Club for both the Dressage and Show-Jumping classes.

In the Introduction Walk & Trot category, Luana Capelao rode into first place with the horse Canablanca. Meanwhile, the Walk the Course Introduction 30/40cm (Junior) category saw Luca Cresta Turner atop Solomon as the winner. Solomon also came in as the winner with riderHamizah Abd Malek in the Introduction 30/40cm (Senior) category.

The crowd of supporters were generous with their cheers and support as they applauded all those in that won their respective categories, displaying a positive air of showmanship.

Another competitor in action. Image courtesy of Bahyiah Bakir of Borneo Bulletin.

The competition’s Walk the Course Preliminary rounds saw a spectacular display of riding from both riders and horses.

In the Preliminary 40/50cm (Junior) category, Willy Wee came in first place atop Taquila, joined by the winner of the Preliminary 40/50cm(Senior) category, Sharon Ong atop Bluetooth.

Representing Berakas Saddle Club, Pg Anak Hj Ahmad Rapae Pg Anak Hanafiah atop Gypsland Girl came in first in the Novice 60/80cm(Senior), while BEQ rider Annabel Stanley atop Bluetooth came in first place for the Novice 60/80cm (Junior).

“I’ve noticed a lot of improvement in the riders this year and I am happy to see a lot of younger riders taking part in the competition. But for me, as long as all the riders are having fun and enjoying the experience, that’s all that matters,” said Brunei Darussalam’s own national rider, Pg Mohd Nasir Pg Anak Hj Ja’afar, who was present at the competition as a judge for the Show Jumping events.

In the Dressage classes, Nisa Khairul and Aarahi Vardhan came in first place for the Introduction I (Junior) and Introduction II (Junior) respectively. However, for the Introduction II (Senior) category, there was a tie in the first place spot, which went to Nur Atiah Hj Rosli and Nurul Shela Hj Jamalat.

Dawn Chai and Hamizah Abd Malek came in first place for the Preliminary Junior and Senior categories respectively. Meanwhile, Annabel Stanley and Annika Murism placed in the Novice junior and Senior categories respectively.

The competition concluded with a prize presentation by BEQ founder Nasrin Ja’afar, Pg Mohd Nasir PgAnak Hj Ja’afar, Brunei Shell Recreation Club Riding Section Chairman Paul Savelli and Berakas Saddle Club Stable Manager Pg Anak Hj Ahmad Rapae Pg Anak Hanafiah. Text courtesy of Zatty Joanda of The Brunei Times and images by Bahyiah Bakir of Borneo Bulletin.

Nasrin Jaafar, founder of BEQ presented prizes to the winners

Pg Mohd Nasir, a national rider with the winners

Pg Mohd Nasir, a national rider with the winners