Archive for September, 2014
IWUT
Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat (second from left) holding the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 mascot ‘The Proboscis Monkey’. Posing with Ricky are Henry Tan (second from right), Chief Operating Officer of ASTRO at the announcement of the upcoming WWE Live Tour in Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur today. Also on stage are Will Yong (far right), Assistant Vice President of ASTRO Sports Business; Tony Nagamaiah (centre), General Manager of Malaysia Major Events, and Sweesin Wu, WWE’s Vice President & General Manager, Asia Pacific
Few months ago, WWE (NYSE:WWE) and Astro announced that WWE LIVE™ will return to Malaysia for the first time since 2002, with two shows in October 2014. The shows will be held at Putra Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, October 10 and Saturday, October 11. Tickets are now available and you click here for details.
Fans will be able to see their favorite WWE Superstars® live, including John Cena®, Bray Wyatt™ and the Wyatt Family™, The Shield™, Intercontinental Champion Bad News Barrett™ and many more.*
WWE LIVE is supported by Malaysia Major Events, a division of Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau, an agency under Malaysia’s Ministry of Tourism and Culture.
WWE’s robust programming in Malaysia includes Monday Night Raw®, AfterBurn™, Vintage™, BottomLine™, NXT™, Superstars™, Main Event™ and WWE Presents™ airing on Astro SuperSport 3 channel, and all Pay-Per-View titles on Astro Box Office Sport channel.
“Astro is pleased to partner with WWE to bring world class entertainment, WWE LIVE, to its fans in the South East Asia region. Fans of WWE are set for an action-packed, entertaining event this October. We are delighted to bring the WWE experience from TV to the live stage,” said Henry Tan, Chief Operating Officer of Astro.
“WWE Live is expected to draw tourists from the South East Asia region with an estimated tourist expenditure of close to RM33 million over the two days. WWE has always been one of the favourite entertainment programmes in the region and Malaysia since it was introduced on television. Malaysia is proud to host WWE Live, adding to the roll call of many distinguished events that coincide with Visit Malaysia Year 2014,” said Tony Nagamaiah, General Manager, Malaysia Major Events.
“We are excited to return to Malaysia with WWE live events in 2014,” said Sweesin Wu, WWE’s Vice President & General Manager, Asia Pacific. “These events reflect WWE’s commitment to our growth in Malaysia, and to expanding our relationship with Astro, one of the leading media entertainment groups in market. WWE would like to extend special thanks to MME for their vision in engaging WWE, and for MME’s high level of professionalism and expediency in progressing negotiations which successfully resulted in ‘WWE Live Malaysia 2014’ coming to fruition”, he added.
Tickets are already on sale and can be purchased from www.ticketpro.com.my or by +603 7880 7999. Ticket price ranges from RM128 – RM1230. Text and images courtesy of Shekhinah PR.
Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat (back row) poses with fans after the announcement of the upcoming WWE Live Tour in Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur
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In conjunction with Royal Brunei Airlines’ 40th Anniversary, Royal Brunei (RB) will be organizing a charity race for the public called the Great Race. The Great Race will take place on Sunday 19th October 2014.
RB has appointed Green Brunei and Brunei Paralympics to be the beneficiaries for the Great Race 2014. The proceeds from The Great Race 2014 will assist Green Brunei to move forward with the Mangrove Rehabilitation Project along the Sungai Damuna at Kg Bengkurong and likewise, Brunei Paralympics with their activities.
In a statement from Aji Puteh, RB Head of Corporate Services cum Chairman of RB: The Great Race, “RB is very pleased to organized the Great Race as an anchor event for RB’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. The appointment of Green Brunei and Brunei Paralympic as the beneficiaries from the proceeds of the Great Race is a way for the airline to give back to the community in terms of support for green and health sports initiatives. It is hoped that The Great Race will be a different experience from other marathons as it is a marathon that challenges and is tailored with an aviation concept.”
RB has appointed Armtrix Enterprise as the Event Manager for the Great Race. Interested participants are able to register RB: The Great Race at thegreatrace.com.bn from today onwards until 19th September 2014 at 11pm. Good luck, peeps and well done for RB for this initiative. This is something different coming from aviation.
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Mr. Socko
Acer Liquid Smartphones
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BIBD’s latest promotion
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The contestants for tonight’s humorous and speech evaluation contest at SEAMEO VOCTECH tonight.
All are welcome! Come, sit back, and enjoy our show! Our contestants are eager to entertain as they battle it out for this year’s funny crown!
As funny bones will be tickled, contestants will also give it their all to outwit each other in how they inspire fellow members!
Contestants will each deliver 5 to 7 minutes of laugh-inducing dramas to a fully-packed hall, and will each deliver 2 to 3 minutes of inspiring messages to the audience.
Who will be crowned the Brunei Speakers’ Club 2014 humourous speech champion? Who will take home the club’s coveted 2014 speech evaluation crown?
Come to SEAMEO VOCTECH on Tuesday the 16th of September 2014 at 7:30 sharp and find out! Well, it’s better to reach there by 7:15pm before the door closes. Good luck to all my friends who are competing and it’s gonna be one awesome evening!!
Minister of Communications Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdullah Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar launching the rebranding of Royal Skies while Dermot Mannion, deputy chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines looked on
The rebranding happened. And the funny thing was I just received my first ever Royal Skies card from Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) which is quite unusual because I’m quite a frequent traveler myself and only weeks ago, I am officially a member of Royal Skies *lol*
Last Saturday, Royal Skies launched their rebranding program and invited elite Royal Skies members to attend the special occasion at the Indera Samudra Hall, The Empire Hotel & Country Club.
It was announced that there will be rewards and benefits such as instant flight redemptions, the ability to purchase tickets using cash and miles, availability of redemptions at participating Royal Skies partners.
Previously we won’t be able to have instant flight redemptions until the passenger has completed his/her flight destination. Now we can instantly get flight redemptions.
Royal Skies also have revamped their membership cards and it comes in blue, silver and gold.
Elite Gold card members will benefit immediately from non-expiring of miles and complimentary Elite Gold status extension. It also said that eligibility to earn miles will shortly be extended to a wider variety of fare categories which will benefit Royal Skies members in all tiers.
The rebranding process also includes the transformation of Royal Skies Service Centre and new heritage uniform collection used by Commercial, Royal Skies and Ground staff.
In 2014, the national flag carrier received distinction in the 2014 REBRAND 100 Global Awards, which honour the most successful brand transformations worldwide. The gala event saw the presentation of awards to a number of Royal Skies loyal elite members namely in Best High Flyer Award, Best Elite Newcomer, Best Junior Elite Traveller and Best International High Flyer Award.
Present as the guest of honour was the Minister of Communications Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdullah Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar.
Also in attendance was Dato Paduka Hj Bahrin Abdullah, deputy minister of finance and chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines and Dermot Mannion, deputy chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines and also board of directors for Royal Brunei Airlines.
Elite Royal Skies being awarded
Elite Royal Skies being awarded
Elite Royal Skies being awarded
Elite Royal Skies being awarded
The new uniform for Royal Skies personnel. Don’t get mistaken for cabin crew.
The newly revamped membership cards for Royal Skies
The VIPs
Guests enjoying their dinner
The set up last Saturday
Jazz Hayat entertaining the crowd
The hosts for the night – the Malai Alis
Tiffany, the youngest cabin crew, also has talent in singing
Wu Chun made a video entrance as the Royal Brunei ambassador couldn’t make it to the event
The VIPs welcoming the elite members of Royal Skies
The welcoming party
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Preview: DPMM FC vs Home United
Steve Kean is confident that DPMM FC will get all three points as the players are raring to play after a mini-break in the S•League competition. DPMM FC had dropped a few important points at home previously but managed to grab other points and have a five point gap in the league. Kean was not surprised that the other contenders were also dropping points in the last few games as they could have overtaken the lead from DPMM FC.
Kean was very happy with how the lads have shown on the training pitch and he shared how the performance of both the first and the second team wasn’t much of a difference compared to the beginning of the season. The squad’s depth is stronger than before and this will give better options for the coach during the match.
He did show a slight concern that the lack of match practice might affect the momentum but it did give the coach plenty of time to work of tactics and fitness during the mini-break. Furthermore, Roy O’Donovan is still nursing a slight hamstring injury but he should be featured in tomorrow’s match.
The key player here will be Adi Said who have been in scoring form in the past few games for DPMM FC. But will the mini-break slow down his momentum? His presence had added more dimension in DPMM FC’s attack especially with Rodrigo Tosi and Roy O’Donovan upfront.
So peeps, do catch DPMM FC tomorrow against Home United at the Hassanal Bolkiah Stadium.
DPMM FC players in training session yesterday at Jerudong Mini Stadium
It was good to see all the players hungry for action during training
Steve Kean shared that the difference between the first and the second team’s performance is getting smaller which is great for the squad
Shooting practice session
Steve Kean is so eager for the match tomorrow against Home United FC
The fixtures for DPMM FC to determine which team will lift the S•League trophy
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Nooooo…
Acer Liquid Smartphones
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BIBD’s latest promotion
Top up tia. Click image to enter website.
Our podcast review of Summer Box Office with my co-host Del Goh
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Progresif Cellular is giving away a brand new Huawei MediaPad X1 for FREE. To join, you can simply go their Facebook Page and ‘Like’ Progresif Cellular Page (www.facebook.com/progresifcellular). This is open to all Facebook users in Brunei. The contest will run from 15th September to 30th September 2014. There will only be one winner, and judges’ decision is final. To make it fair, there is only once per Facebook account.
Want to know more about the Huawei MediaPad X1. It looks to be a strong contender against the likes of the Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire HDX who currently dominate the small form factor tablet market. The MediaPad X1 packs in a 1.6GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, microSD slot, 4G connectivity and a 5000mAh battery – far bigger than the 3950mAh offering in the Nexus 7. The IPS screen is up to scratch, boasting a full HD 1200 x 1920 resolution with 322 ppi pixel density keeping it in line with its competitors.
With measurements of 183.5 x 103.9 x 7.18mm it’s one of the smallest 7-inch tablets out there, increasing its portability and you will find it comfortable in your palms.
So peeps.. You have nothing to lose and just like their Progresif Cellular Page and stand a chance to win this amazing phone.
Do you want to win this awesome gadget?
Late post: Below are some of the pictures taken during my recent trip to Singapore for the Singapore Toy Games Comic Convention 2014 which took place at the Sands Expo & Convention, Marina Bay Sands. It was another fun-packed event though I could see a drop in Marvel presence apart from the popular hit Guardians of the Galaxy. I almost bought a collectible which was a mini figurine of Transformers Megatron and I regretted that decision of not purchasing it.
This year, @delgoh and I were supposed to dress up for the occasion in our alter egos but that didn’t materialise in the end. Most likely, it will be an assurance that both of us will be cosplaying 😀 However, we might need to find an assistant or a chaperon to help us carry our stuff *lol*
Enjoy the first batch of pictures and I wished I stayed longer to take more pictures of cosplay people.
Scholarship recipient Dk Nur Farhanah Pg Hj Roslan (2nd L) and PETRONAS country manager, Ahmad Faisal Bakar, holding the signed scholarship document, while Permanent Secretary (Upstream) of the Energy Department at the Prime Minister’s Office Hjh Rosmawatty Hj Abdul Mumin (R) looks on during the PETRONAS scholarship signing ceremony. Image courtesy of Asdeny Yakub of The Brunei Times.
Dk Nur Farhanah said she was selected out of 30 applicants for the PETRONAS Education Sponsorship Programme.
“We were told that about 30 students had applied and 12 were shortlisted to undergo written examinations and interviews,” said the 18-year-old who will be studying Petroleum Geoscience.
The recipient said she could apply for work at other places once she finished her studies, as she is not bonded under the programme and due to the possibility of no job vacancies at the company.
Another recipient, Nur Fatin, said PETRONAS would allow her to work at other companies if there are no job openings.
“At the university, they have sponsors like Halliburton Co,” said the scholar who will be studying Petroleum Engineering.
She hoped to apply for industrial attachment at the company during the summer holidays.
PETRONAS country manager, Ahmad Faisal Bakar, said Bruneians made up 62 per cent of the total 45 staff working at the company.
“The pool of staff at PCBL has grown from a modest 27 in 2011 to 45 staff today. Out of this number, 28 staff are Bruneians,” he said.
The country manager added that the sponsorship programme received an 80 per cent increase in applications from Bruneian students.
Witnessing the signing ceremony between the recipients and PETRONAS Carigali Brunei Ltd yesterday were Permanent Secretary (Upstream) of the Energy Department at the Prime Minister’s Office Hjh Rosmawatty Hj Abdul Mumin and Managing Director of PetroleumBRUNEI Dato Paduka Matsatejo Sokiaw.
PETRONAS Carigali Brunei is one of the subsidiary companies of Petroliam Nasional Berhad Malaysia. Text by Ak Md Khairuddin Pg Harun of The Brunei Times and images courtesy of Md Asdeny Yakub of The Brunei Times.
Scholarship recipient Nur Fatin ‘Izzati Hj Abdul Rahim (2nd L) and PETRONAS country manager, Ahmad Faisal Bakar. Image courtesy of Asdeny Yakub of The Brunei Times.
It’s happening on 17th to 19th October. Registration to open soon.
Hamdi Metussin aka NJ, creative director of Mixmediaworx and Keeran Janin, founder of #CHRENDS with Hadi Shafie, the co-founder of Tru Synergy at The Knowledge Hub last August
Late post: This was another Startup Founder 101 activity that took place late August at The Knowledge Hub. It was such a great turn out probably because they were treated to two charming speakers – Keeran Janin of #CHRENDS and Hamdi Metussin (NJ), Creative Director of Mixmediaworx. The event was organised by Tru Synergy who are championing to charter the Founder Institute in Brunei. The Founder Institute is the world’s largest training and startup launch program which helps aspiring founders across the globe to build enduring technology companies.
This program has been successful where Tru Synergy have created numerous forums and dialogues by inviting founders and speakers to share their experiences and their journey so the audience can benefit from the discussions.
Both lads gave an insightful presentation and I was more intrigued by NJ’s delivery because we hardly take into account the design of business or logo or marketing material. We just take for granted that “designs” are secondary and they don’t matter much. To me, design in an integral part of your brand and it’s always vital to invest in design if not your branding.
I look forward to more forums and dialogues hosted by Tru Synergy.
It was good to see such young enthusiastic students in attendance
NJ with the attendees
NJ sharing some tips on design with Ida of Mars Enterprise
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Blue is the warmest colour indeed
His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office handing over the “Royal Patron Award” to Julian Johari of Teleconsult Sdn Bhd. He previously won the Royal Patron Award back in 2010. Images courtesy of The Brunei Times.
News feed: His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, last night graced the Brunei Info-Communication Technology Awards (BICTA) Gala Night held at the International Convention Centre in Berakas.
Also present at the event was His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik.
Upon arrival, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was greeted by the Minister of Communications Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdullah Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar; Deputy Secretary General of International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Zhao Houlin; Secretary General of the Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT) Toshiyuki Yamada; and other senior officials at the Ministry of Communications (MinComm).
His Royal Highness presented prizes to the various BICTA 2014 category winners.
Tying for third place in the “School Project” category were Chung Hwa Middle School, BSB and Chung Hua Middle School, KB. Meanwhile, another team from Chung Hwa Middle School, BSB placed second in this category. Although Seria Mulia Sarjana International School took home the “Young Developers Award”, the judges deemed no overall winner for the “School Project” category.
In the “Tertiary School Project” category, a team from Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB) took home the third prize. Another ITB team, and a team from the Nakhoda Ragam Vocational School, tied for second places. Winning first place in this category was a team from IGS.
Meanwhile, the “ICT Industry” category saw PHMD Publishing Company and MeSixty Sdn Bhd winning second and third places.
Teleconsult Sdn Bhd took home the first place in this category. The company was also awarded the prestigious biennial “Royal Patron Award” for their project.
Teams from Sultan Saiful Rijal Technical College and ITB received the “Islamic ICT Award” , while Itsbytes Company received the “Community Services Award” for their e-learning project. Text courtesy of Amanda Yap of The Brunei Times and images courtesy of The Brunei Times.
His Royal Highness presenting first place winner in ICT Industry category to Teleconsult for its project, SkyEye. It’s a project that utilises drons to develop high definition aerial capture and producing high definition videography of mobile cell towers. He walked away with a mock cheque of BND 10,000. Images courtesy of The Brunei Times.
His Royal Highness presenting second place winner in ICT Industry category, PHMD Publishing Company, for its project, Salam Halal and earned BND 5,000 for second place . Images courtesy of The Brunei Times.
His Royal Highness presenting first place winner in Tertiary School Project from IGS for its project “Virtual Watch Fitting” and earned BND 7,500. Images courtesy of The Brunei Times.
His Royal Highness presenting second place winner in School Project category to Chung Hwa Middle School BSB for its project “Heritage of South East Asia” . Images courtesy of The Brunei Times.
His Royal Highness presenting third place winner in School Project category to Chung Hwa Middle School KB for its project “HeDGes” . Images courtesy of The Brunei Times.
May she rest in peace
Firstly, my deepest condolences to Adrian Tan and the late family of Ms Chin Mei Fong. May she rest in peace. The burial took place this morning at the Berakas Cemetery this morning.
Her body was found in a ravine stretching 20m in depth at one of the hills at Bukit Shahbandar a day after she was reported missing on September 7. It was reported that the incident happened between 4pm to 6pm. Those who have information relating to the case are advised to either contact Assistant Superintendent of Police Pg Hj Abu Naba’a Pg Hj Yusof at 2322004, 2322005 and 2322006, Police hotline 993 or to report to any nearby police stations in support of the ongoing investigation.
It is also advisable for members of the public especially women not to carry out sporting activities alone and when out of their homes, they need to inform their family members on their whereabouts and to always have with them any communication devices for the ease of contact.
In today’s The Brunei Times
Yes, we all heard it from Social Media on incident where 37 students from Perpindahan Lambak Kanan Jalan 10 vomited and complaining of abdominal pain. This is a serious matter as it can be viral if not attended quickly. It was good to know that the school contacted the relevant parties and the paramedics responded promptly as well as getting in touch with their parents. The great news is that all the 37 students are in stable condition and that’s what is important. The students were treated in RIPAS and some went under observation as well.
It is yet to be known was the actual cause of the incident and the Ministry of Education urged the public not to spread speculations on the cause on the incident. I was alerted on Whatsapp that the incident was sparked from food poisoning after consuming a beverage. The strange thing is that the students only vomited and experience abdominal pain but no diarrhea. One of my friends also experienced the same case so it could possibly be a bug that is going around.
Let’s hope the doctors are able to locate the source of the bug and prevent such symptoms to spread to others.
TCY Motors is gearing up to hold its inaugural Audi Urban Driving Experience soon with an international Audi instructor invited to oversee the event to ensure the utmost safety for participants.
Among the models featured will include the Audi A4, A5, A6, A7 Sportback, and the all-new Audi A3 Sedan which was recently launched, participants can experience the A3 Sedan in the Road Drive exercise where the 5-mode Audi Drive Select will be highlighted. Other exercises will include ABS braking and gymkhana/slalom. These exercises will benefit Audi owners as it will showcase how their Audis can perform in normal and extreme conditions which can occur in everyday driving situations.
The exclusive invitation only event will only cater to Audi owners in the sultanate to show them appreciation and only limited spots will be allocated on a ‘first come first serve’ basis. Audi owners can call 2442333 ext28 or visit the Audi Kiarong showroom during office hours for further details.
Audi instructor during a previous Audi driving event in Sepang where Brunei customers participated a few months ago
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Black with white
Acer Liquid Smartphones
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BIBD’s latest promotion
Top up tia. Click image to enter website.
Our podcast review of Summer Box Office with my co-host Del Goh
Click image to enter ICON Design Store website
Click image to find out more from Butra HeidelbergCement
Just around a turn of Jalan Keriam, you can spot the newly refurbished home of 64-year-old Kalsum binti Haji Jafar who has strengthened the pillars of her humble abode for more than 50 years. Living alone under the support of fellow neighbours, friends and family, the widower has done a remarkable job at sustaining what was left of her wooden structured home.
“I had to suffer with termites eating through my walls at times and even when it rains, I have to take out the buckets so that my house wouldn’t get drenched.”
Now splashed with a new cream coloured exterior, Kalsum’s home gets a fresh look both on the inside and out with a little help from those around her.
You can’t help but appreciate the staircase for its nostalgic feel of traditional Malay home. From the solid wooden structure of the handrails to the mild tone of the tiles in each step, the renovations of the home sets the scene; judging from its common misleading exterior.
Stepping into the balcony leads you to the front door where we find Kalsum welcoming us into her refreshed home, citing her humble gratitude in the positive changes made to her home. Guests to her home can expect a simple seating area with wooden framed chairs, cushioned with vintage flora designs.
The main living room shares similar designs to its furniture as the mixture of both wooden chairs and modern texture sofas, taking your eyes away from the vast amount of space.
“These sofas were donated to me after they finished fixing my home”, she said, comforted in the thought of knowing her family, friends and neighbours were looking out for her.
So do check out RTB 1 every Friday at 7:30pm on the program entitled “Membina Harapan”.
The previous conditions of the home of 64-year-old Kalsum binti Haji Jafar at Jalan Keriam
Shiela the Contest Chair (left) with Ruey Narcis the Area Governor (4th from left) and Ruebin Chin the Organizing Chair (right) and the top 3 winners for Humourous Speech Contest and Evaluation Speech Contest for OTTERS Toastmasters Club at Oil & Gas Discovery Centre
It was tough for me to predict on both categories but it was well deserved for Allen Ang who won in both categories – Humourous Speech Contest and Evaluation Contest. In the Humourous Speech Contest, he was pitted against six other contestants from the OTTERS Toastmaster Club where as in the Evaluation Contest, he competed against eight contestants in the Otters’ Club. The contest was opened to members of the OTTERS members and the participation was quite encouraging.
I was quite impressed with the performance of all the speakers as they were entertaining and got the audience engaged as well. Good job to all the committee involved especially Ruebin Chin the organising chair of the competition last Wednesday and Sheila as the contest chair of the evening. It was difficult to choose between Allen and Ching who were simply hilarious from the beginning. I just realised how tough it is to deliver a humourous speech because there are many things that need to be put into account and it’s not same as preparing a normal speech. You need the wit and also that x-factor to not only win the heart of the audience but the judges as well.
Now this kinda give me the pressure because I will be competing for my club, the Brunei Speakers’ Club next Tuesday at Seameo Voctech in both categories. It will be interesting because this will be the first time I will be competing for speeches ever in my life and some of my mentors told me that for a first timer like me, just go out there and have fun.
I also learnt something from the evaluation competition and prompted me to take up the challenge next week. So guys, if you want to see the real deal of toastmasters, do check out the Brunei Speakers’ Club next Tuesday at 7:30pm and make sure you come a tad early as next Tuesday is the competition period for Brunei Speakers’ Club at Seameo Voctech.
Here are the list of winners from last Wednesday:
Humourous Speech Contest:
Champion – Allen Ang
1st Runner-up – Yong Shih Ching
2nd Runner-up – Jason Khoo
Evaluation Speech Contest:
Champion – Allen Ang
1st Runner-up – Melati Yussof
2nd Runner-up – Hazwan Kamarulzaman
The prizes were presented by the President of OTTERS Toastmaster Club Allen Ang and also Area Governor Ruey Narcis. The first two winners from OTTERS will represent the club to complete at Area Contest (against the top winners of Brunei Speakers’ Club and Brunei Advanced Speakers’ Club) on September 28.
Melati Yussof, Allen Ang and Hazwan Kamarulzaman the top three winners in the Evaluation Speech Contest
Yong Shih Ching, Allen Ang and Jason Khoo the top three winners in the Humourous Speech Contest
Hazwan presenting his Humourous Speech Contest
Melati sharing her purpose in life
Ching sharing his humourous speech on how to “Suck up” to your bosses
Nina Kifrawi shared her experiences with love
Jordan Yau was the test speaker for the Evaluation Contestants and his speech was entitled “On Call Bro”
Georgina Watson was one of the contestants for the Evaluation Speech Contest
The audience enjoying the speeches from OTTERS
The nervous situation for the contestants before the competition began
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Unveiling iPhone 6
Unveiling the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus
So what’s my first impression? Definitely getting one for myself. But not the iPhone 6 Plus just yet. My primary target is the iPhone 6 and I must say that though the features are not as innovative as we expected from Apple but it’s a massive improvement from the previous model iPhone 5s.
Their motto “Bigger Than Bigger” says it all. I’m not sure how many of you stayed up to watch the Key Note address by team Apple but they always know how to put on a great show and I’m pretty sure some followed the announcement last night. I remember Debbie Too’s rant on previous announcements or key notes made by Tim Cook were pretty disappointing when iPhone 5 and 5s were announced back then. This is because we always expected some thing better or some thing more innovative from Apple but most of the time it’s just an enhancement from the previous model.
This time round I can safely say that this announcement a few hours ago is also just enhancements of the iPhone 5s hence the motto “Bigger than Bigger”. The screen has increased by 0.7 inches but sadly the screen is not a sapphire-protected screen but uses an ion-strengthened display.
The iPhone 6 is thinner than the 5s so it feels like an air version of the 5s. Now what’s impressive about the iPhone 6 is the camera. Though it still stick to the 8MP sensor, it packs a bigger pixels with detection focus which will result in snappier shots. Even now the camera is able to record at a super slow-motion video at 240fps as compared to the previous model. Awesome!!! This will give me some ideas for my IG videos in the near future too. Can’t wait.
Battery life, well, of course it has improved but not significantly better. I believe it just improved by an hour or so which still comes in handy. Graphics wise its 50% more powerful than the 5s and the new A8 processor is 25% faster than the iPhone 5s’ A7 chip.
Now with the iPhone 6, you are able to use Apple Pay which turns your phone into an e-wallet and you can store all your credit cards inside your phone and yet it is fully secured as it only detects the owner’s fingerprint to make payment. Neat stuff there.
The best part about the iPhone 6, for me, is the storage size options. They have finally introduced the 128GB version for both iPhone 6 and 6 Plus but they have scrapped off the 32GB option entirely. So now both iPhones will come in 16GB, 64GB and 128GB.
The price is out already and you can pre-order from the Apple website. I just checked from Singapore Apple website that you can start your pre-orders on 12th September 2014. You can click here for more details.
Prices for iPhone 6: 16GB $988, 64GB $1,148 and 128GB $1,288
Prices for iPhone 6 Plus: 16GB $1,1148, 64GB $1,288 and 128GB $1,448
Sorry, I didn’t talk much about the iPhone 6 Plus because I’m more interested in the iPhone 6 instead 😀 The images taken from the screen shots of Apple.com
Improved battery life, camera and processor
Improved camera as usual on every announcement
The new processor A8 chip
The different sizes of the iPhones so far
You can start pre-ordering by Friday 😀
Now next is the Apple Watch. Yes, people might be ranting that the Pebble watch came in first and Samsung also introduced their own first of a smart watch. But hey, Apple has hit the mark this time by making the watch pretty sleek and innovative at the same time. Judging from the key note presentation, the Apple Watch will be a big hit among consumers and I don’t know where to start with the Apple Watch. It seems revolutionary and the things the watch is able to do is quite interesting.
I just love how the interface works on the Apple Watch and though the screen is small (since it’s a watch), it still able to make the interface user friendly and the dial of the Appel Watch called the “crown” makes navigation much simpler. I guess it is true what Tim Cook said last night that this is the most personal Apple product to date and it will have an impact on our daily lives.
The thing is I don’t sport a watch apart from the Garmin watch if I do my runs. I’m not a watch person even. But with this interesting Apple Watch, I might have a change of heart of wearing a watch. However, the Apple Watch will only be released early 2015.
I won’t be talking in depth about the Apple Watch but you can click here to find out more and what it does. Awesome!!
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Our podcast review of Summer Box Office with my co-host Del Goh
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In a press statement, the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) said the cause of death is still under investigation while waiting for the post-mortem results. The body was found by personnel from the Gurkha Reserve Unit after a missing person report about the woman was lodged to the police on Sunday. Police did not name the woman, but provided a picture of her to the media.
The woman was last seen wearing a blue Adidas shirt, blue shorts and a pair of light-brown coloured shoes as well as a black and yellow waist pouch. The news of woman’s death was circulated on social media, prompting the police to issue a warning to members of the public not to spread any information that is baseless and can affect the investigation.
The RBPF further stated that Bukit Shahbandar and its surrounding area is closed until investigations have been completed.
Police are seeking public assistance to share information on the incident, which was believed to have happened on Sunday around 3pm to 7pm. Anyone with information can contact the police hotline 993 or 2232001 and 2232007.
Skechers was recently named the Best Lifestyle Brand of the Year and they are renowned for their Memory Foam insoles which is the ultra soft insole that instantly contours to your foot so it adds pressure relief and elevates everyday comfort from morning to night.
Who says nice shoes can’t be comfortable so be sure to check them out. Skechers has branches in Kiulap, Seria and KB town. Check out their Facebook page here for more info.
SKECHERS with Memory Foam insoles now available in our local stores
Check out the menu for this weekend. Let’s dine for a good cause. Click image to enlarge.
The very first restaurant in dark originated in Zurich, Switzerland in 1999. The idea of dining in the dark originated in 1998 during the “Dialogue in the Dark” exhibition at the Zurich Museum of Design. The focus was to give the sighted people an insight into the experience of being blind. This idea emerged because of the great enthusiasm shown by visitors and the opportunity to create jobs for visually impaired people. In 1998 the Blind-Liecht foundation was founded by visually impaired people, and in 1999 a restaurant, bar and platform for education and culture in the dark was created in a former Methodist chapel in Zurich Seefeld.
WHY DINING IN THE DARK?
With the complete loss of vision — and the resulting heightening of the other four senses — an evening of Dining in the Dark is an extraordinary culinary adventure. The meal feels like more of a discovery for guests and servers.
WHAT TO EXPECT?
You will be warmly welcomed by your hostess who will guide you through the evening while you enjoy the most extraordinary course meal. When you are comfortable you will adjust your mask and be guided to your table where the fun really begins. Your evening will be a combination of fine food, inspiring music and a story that ties everything together. You’ll laugh and enjoy, you’ll guess what you are eating and you will focus on the food and each other. A dinner in total darkness, a completely new sensory experience is a worth to try. The optic nerve is overridden while your other senses take over. Every sound, every taste, and every breath is an adventure!
HOW DO WE SERVE?
Guided by “Darkness Experts”, all you have to do is relax and trust. Then, enjoy the great tasting food specially designed by Sorriso Restaurant Owner / Head Chef and team. Our service staff may consist of visually impaired and blind persons who lead their daily life without or with minimal light and special kid with Down syndrome.
CONTACT
For tickets inquiries, you can call 245 7729 or 242 3232. The event is brought to you by IA Salon, Fun Bee Park and Sorriso Restaurant & Pizzeria. This is a fund raising event for Brunei Darussalam National Association of the Blind.
Fun Bee Park’s Artistic Directress Cecilia Lee (Standing, L) explains the concept of ‘Dining in the Dark’ to the media invited to the menu preview while Chef Salvo of Sorriso (Standing, R), holds a list of dishes to be served during the September 13 and 14 event. Image courtesy of Azli Azney of The Brunei Times.
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Woof, woof
Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Abdul Fattaah ibni Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Perdana Wazir Sahibul Himmah Wal Waqar Pengiran Muda Mohamed Bolkiah, a member of the Board of Directors at Baiduri Bank Berhad with Mr. Pierre Imhof, the CEO of Baiduri Bank Berhad at Baiduri Bank Group’s Malam Silaturrahim
Late post: The Indera Samudra Grand Hall at the Empire Hotel and Country Club was a night of colourful and entertaining performances as the Baiduri Bank Group hosted their annual Malam Silaturrahim. The night was held to reconnect and strengthen ties with their customers and corporate clients who have been instrumental to the success and identity of Baiduri Bank.
The guest of honour for the event was Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Abdul Fattaah ibni Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Perdana Wazir Sahibul Himmah Wal Waqar Pengiran Muda Mohamed Bolkiah, who is a member of the Board of Directors at Baiduri Bank.
The event, which kicked off with a dance number choreographed and performed by staff of Baiduri Bank Group. also showcased performances by the Bruneian World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA) delegates; Dayat Ahim, Maria Grace Koh and Shian Li who performed their selected pieces from their recent WCOPA competition in Hollywood.
Mr. Pierre Imhof, CEO of Baiduri Bank, in his welcoming address expressed his thanks and appreciation to the guests for their continuous support during the past year and headlined the events that have shaped Baiduri Bank Group over the past year.
“Without the continuous support of our customers and associates, we will not have been able to achieve this, and for this, I would like to once again express our appreciation to all of you for the support and confidence given to us over the years,” said Imhof.
Around 1500 guests attended the event which included members of the royal family, ministers, senior government officials and prominent local business leaders and professionals. The guests also had the chance to be part of a lucky draw where a total of 40 lucky draw prizes were given away.
Datin Rosminah Hj Abd Hamid, wife of Police Commissioner, launched the event last weekend
Starlodge, in collaboration with Songket Wedding hosted a mini wedding showcase dubbed “Jom Kahwin”, a two-day event that has attracted a number of high profile exhibitors including local and Malaysian fashion designers and wedding professionals last weekend.
Launched by the wife of the Police Commissioner, Datin Rosminah Hj Abd Hamid, who was also the guest of honour, at Momo Restaurant of the hotel, the showcase is aimed at providing couples a one-stop place for their wedding needs.
“Starlodge has been revamped and newly refurbished. It has already become a venue for a variety of special occasions and events. The purpose of the wedding showcase is to cater for those looking to celebrate their big day in a newly refurbished venue,” said Starlodge Hotel Manager Christina Baker.
She added, “Every wedding is different and every wedding venue is different, and this is why we felt showcasing the Starlodge Wedding is key. We want to show people what a wedding setting against a uniquely beautiful refurbished property will look like.”
You can check out more postings from webstagram with the hashtag #jomkahwinbn2014 or you can click here for more pictures from the event.
Taken from #jomkahwinbn2014
Taken from #jomkahwinbn2014
Taken from #jomkahwinbn2014
Taken from #jomkahwinbn2014
Taken from #jomkahwinbn2014
A great turn out at the pot luck event at Fun Bee Park. Images courtesy of Fun Bee Park.
A night where the radio listeners with the Pilihan FM on Woman Vitamin and Food Talk Segment radio program speakers gathered together with passion and harmony. Every attendee brought their own dishes cooked and prepared with personal touch. This kind of set up is often called potluck dinner.
A potluck is a gathering of people where each person or group of people contributes a dish of food prepared by the person or the group of people, to be shared among the larger gathered group.
Cecilia Lee, artistic directress of Fun Bee Park and D Mei Ting of RTB invited all the radio listeners who are passionate in cooking to show off their skills and interests in both traditional and foreign cuisines. Attendees came in as a family and gathered together to meet everyone and got a chance to try the best tasting dishes available in the table.
The aim of potluck dinner not only concerned on the festive of cuisines but more importantly is the opportunity to meet new people, exchange culture and traditions, and build self confidence to one another.
Food blogger Thanis Lim even shared one of his secret recipes to the diners. The night was filled with different shared stories, laughter, and exceptional dishes.
Indeed the radio program of Lee and DJ Mei Ting had built more fruitful relationship outside the station room. The said program continues to strive for reaching public through essential topics on food, health, and beauty. Watch out for further story sharing every Tuesdays from 10:20 am to 11 am at Pilihan FM under Woman Vitamin segment and every Saturday 10:30am to 11am under Food Talk segment. Text and images courtesy of Fun Bee Park.
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Curiousity still killed the cat
I finally made use of my Royal Skies and earning points for my travels. I should have done five years ago when I’m starting to frequently fly here and there. I was told that the Dreamliner for Royal Brunei will go to Singapore on Friday and Sunday afternoons.
The Brunei national netball team were also on the same flight as they will be competing in the Asian Netball Championship in Singapore. Good luck!!
This competition looks interesting and let’s see how our Brunei team will do.
The most talked about run in my instagram because of its novelty. It’s happening in Singapore on 1st November.
Caught up with Lily Chiam at Nana’s Cafe and they served awesome Maccha drinks and ice-cream
Del’s a happy camper when he purchased the Sandcrawler Star Wars Lego. Costs a fortune too 😀
Staying at this hotel for the 2nd time and liking it so far
Doing my blog here and I feel more imaginative in this kind of setting
Something that cinemas in Brunei should do and I’m sure this will be a big hit 😀
I’m devastated that my Sam the Tennis Machine is damaged *boohoo* I’ve spent a fortune on it of the love of tennis and so eager to play but it didn’t turn out as expected. I bought the machine from a newly found friend Kenny Chea who is another passionate tennis player and he already gave me a good deal for the machine.
I believe the machine was mishandled at the cargo area (either in Singapore or Brunei) and this must have caused the components to be faulty. The wires were disconnected and the batteries fell out from the deck. Oh well.. That’s partly me to blame for not double checking and making sure the box was probably handled with much care at the cargo area.
Now I’m back in Singapore and I brought the 22 kilo machine with me to be sent for repair. I wonder how much it will cost me but at this point of time, I just felt devastated. It’s like owning your first iMac but it just won’t start at the first attempt.
My tennis buddies are already too eager to play with the machine so I apologize for the delay due to this misfortunate event. We will get a taste of “Sam” but for now, let the humans do the work 😀
A month ago when I was testing out Sam the tennis machine and I was impressed. I bought the machine on the spot back in Singapore.
Fast forward a month later, it’s back in Singapore and I never got the chance to even play with the machine. It seems so troublesome to bring this heavy machine back to Singapore and I’m glad I didn’t have to pay excess baggage but still….
The components inside were not in placed and this must have been resulted from a huge impact during handling of the box. I’m yet to find out the cost repair for this.
Another event that I just missed today is the UBD Convocation 2014 which just took place at 9am today at the Chancellor Hall. I will definitely cover but just that I’m currently not in Brunei at the moment. It’s the biggest calendar of the year for UBD and it is very special as well since His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam present the certificates to all the graduates of UBD. Awesome!!
A big shout out to Ruebin Chin, Nina Kifwari, Rebecca, Jordine, Winnie Sia, Ismah Ismail, Alicia, Nadia and a few more. Any of you who wants to contribute their selfies, you can email to ranoadidas gmail 😀 Congratulations once again to all my friends. You have done our King and our country proud. Keep it up!!
The graduates of 2014
The graduates of 2014
The graduates of 2014
Don’t forget to send your pictures to ranoadidas(8)gmail 😀
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