Yay!!! The sleepless nights begin today until Hari Raya. Why? Because of Euro 2016. I have to say that I’m not that excited for this year’s Euro 2016 tournament. Firstly not so much hype about it even among my peers. I was more concerned of the transfer market of who’s who. Secondly, I didn’t know that the opener of the Euro 2016 until 10 hours before kick-off, thinking that it will happen this Sunday. Lastly, I didn’t bother to buy any Panini stickers for Euro 2016.

My personal favourite team is still England though I doubt they will go that far in the tournament. Records haven’t been in their favour and plus they don’t have what it takes to be taken so seriously. They are simply not as consistent like other countries such as Germany and Spain. The favourites are still these two and also the host France who beat Romania 2-1 in the opening game.

It was a pretty good effort from Romania and they gave the host a few scares. In actual fact, Romania could have shared the spoils as they had two great chances that went begging. It was the efforts of two Frenchmen playing in the Premier League that settled the score – Giroud and Payet.

It’s good to see a football tournament back again! However, for the Copa America, I’m not as excited as Astro isn’t showing any live telecast of that tournament. Boohoo..

Payet scoring a screamer and the eventual winning goal against Romania. Image by Clive Rose/Getty Images.

Giroud opened the scoring with a header. Image by Darren Staples/Reuters

 

The crazy sales happening tonight until midnight at both Tungku Link and Batu Satu branches

At the Tungku Link outlet.. Don’t forget that Batu Satu also has the crazy sales in conjunction with the upcoming Hari Raya

The Crazy Sales are back and it will come back from time to time during the period of Ramadhan. Yes, Galleria YMRM are always great in doing awesome promotion and sales. Just recently last Monday, they brought back the $1 sale for the benefit of the regular customers and today (Saturday), the crazy sales are back starting from 8pm till midnight.

Ramesh Jiwatram Bhawnani, the founder of Galleria YMRM, expressed his sincerity in holding such sales and promotion and it was a gesture of giving back to the community after the many years of support they have given to the establishment. It was also another way for the local spenders to support local retailers and help to improve the local economy.

Despite the turbulent economy, Ramesh was surprised with the recent growth in sales at YMRM. The reason being is that the locals and even expats know what they are paying for – affordable and still of good quality. YMRM has become a household name for offering such great offers and not compromising on the quality. Even members of the Royal Families frequent to buy materials for baju melayu and baju kurung.

So grab this opportunity for the Happy Hour sales at YMRM Galleria (Tungku Link and Batu Satu).

One of the branded fabrics (high quality) for the ladies

They have more new collections that just came from a new shipment

A simple design with high quality material on discount

The super affordable section, a good choice for budget spenders

They even have cheaper senjangs for young boys

The below $20 range of Senjang

Sending from Trengganu and the designs are pretty unique

The high end Senjangs with delicate workmanship

They also sell Kain Songket if you wanna make baju or dress out of it

Ground Level of YMRM.. There is also the mezzanine floor

Don’t forget the lights too outside YMRM Galleria

Cucul for your home to lighten up for the festive season

 

Sungkai with Baiduri. Western 10-12 June 2016 with a 20% savings #sungkaiwithbaiduri

 

Concepts Computer, one of the largest IT retailer in Brunei, along with Kingston Beverage & Creamery Sdn. Bhd., one of the oldest canned-beverage distributor in Brunei, is signing a collaborative MOU for promoting their respective products during the holy month of Ramadhan and the festive month of Syawal.

Signing on behalf of Kingston was Mr. Valentine Hon, General Manager for Kingston Beverage & Creamery. While on behalf of Concepts Computer were Mr. Vincent Pao, General Manager, and Mr. Zul Abdul Rahman, Marketing Executive for Concepts Computer.

Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer, speaking to the media, said, “Concepts Computer has a large customer base in the Bruneian Muslim community, so it is actually the perfect decision for us to collaborate with Kingston Beverage & Creamery Sdn. Bhd. and provide a carton of canned-beverage for purchases made in out store.” He also added, “We had an overwhelming response when we did it last year, and we expect the same this year.”

Vincent Pao, General Manger of Concepts Computer (2nd from left) and Valetine Hon, General Manager of Kingston Beverage & Creamery (2nd from right)

Zul Abdul Rahman, Marketing Executive for Concepts Computer, added to the media, “Customers who have purchased $200 or more on a single receipt in our store will be able to receive a free voucher for 1 (one) carton of drinks, redeemable at Kingston’s redemption center in Beribi.” He also addded, “Customers can purchase any item under any of the brand we carry including Acer computers or projectors, Epson printers, APC power solutions, even softwares or OS from Microsoft, as long as total purchase is over $200 per receipt, they will be able to receive a drinks coupon.”

For every purchase over $200 in a single receipt during the month of Ramadhan and Syawal, a coupon will be provided, redeemable for a carton (24 cans) of canned-beverage. Redemption of each coupon will be done at Kingston Beverage & Creamery redemption centres in Beribi.

Please note, Kingston’s redemption centre will start operating from June 15th til July 15th 2016, from 8.00am til 5.30pm. But to compensate for the Hari Raya rush, the redemption centre will be open both on Saturdays and Sundays two weeks before the start of Hari Raya.

For more information call 2233551, 2233552 or 2233553, or visit your nearest Concepts Computer showroom.

The coupon you can redeem if you purchase over $200 in a single receipt

 

 

You can also organise, protect and share with Lyve (an app). Seagate Backup Plus can transform into a Lyve backup device, protecting memories you capture from all your devices. Lyve apps for computers and mobile devices will find all the photos and video from your various devices and create a single, organised collection, which can easily be viewed from your smartphone or tablet – no matter where you are. With Lyve’s Moments Past feature, photos and videos taken on this day, week, and month throughout your collection are resurfaced, so you can rediscover your memories from years past.

What’s Included

• Seagate Backup Plus Portable Drive
• Seagate Dashboard backup software
• 200GB cloud storage with OneDrive for 2 years (must activate by June 30, 2017. May not be available in all countries.)
• 18-inch (46 cm) USB 3.0 cable, plug-and-play
• NTFS driver for Mac
• Quick start guide
So now available at Concepts Computer. Visit their showroom at Kiulap. Call 223 3551/2/3 for info.

 

Pondok Sari Wangi at Jerudong. A must visit.

Pondok Sari Wangi, renowned for their variety of Indonesian cuisine, has their Sungkai Promotion at $20 for adults and $16 for children only at Jerudong outlet. Now don’t get me wrong.. Different branches have different price range and such. The one I visited was the one at their newest branch at Jerudong (just near first area of the Jerudong Park food court).

The Jerudong branch has a bigger venue and it made a mark when it had its first wedding dinner event at the 200 plus capacity restaurant. What I love about the Jerudong branch that it has a mini aquarium where you will enjoy the freshness of the seafood items. We were in luck as we had the butter milk crab as part of their sungkai buffet.

The difference I found there from other places was that the crowd wasn’t too much in the beginning as they trickled in phases. Hence we had an easier time getting our food from the buffet line. The buffet itself had items like mee goreng telor, baby kailan (Pranika love this dish) in oyster sauce, crabs, prawns along with appropriate sides like fried tahu and tempe to accompany them.

I was especially drawn to the desserts section where traditional items were served in an appetizing manner. Among all, I tried this item which I had never had at Pondok – the kecang hitam. It was a red bean-based dessert and I liked it so much that I had two servings of it.

The people slowly started coming in around 7 and it was just a good timing so queuing was not a problem. The staff also caught my attention as they were attentive to the needs of each guest.

Great atmosphere, dedicated staff and delicious food. What else can we ask for? If you’re still deciding where to go for Sungkai tonight or tomorrow or day after, Pondok Sari Wangi (Jerudong) should be on your list. Let’s not forget my favourite dish on their ala carte menu – Beef Rendang and Telur Belado.

Pondok Sari Wangi

Ramadhan Buffet

 
Jerudong: $20 Adult $10 Child

Citis Sq, Gadong, Sengkurong: $16 Adult $8.50 Child

Jerudong: 261 0728 | Citis Sq 234 0608

Gadong 244 5043 | Sengkurong 266 1893

Tempe, tempe, tempe *yum*

Baby Kailan

Queueing up for the food

The crabs from PSW Jerudong are totally fresh

and this is what we had last night… A stealer…

Roasted chicken

The famous sambal from PSW

Beef with potato 😀

Yummy chicken

Mee goreng

The refreshments area

Interesting kueh

I had two servings of this 😀

Filterworks buddies on the job

Now if you want something off the buffet, I would recommend this Sea Bass..

One of the Chinese cuisine dishes on the PSW ala carte menu

Or maybe you have a big appetite, then go for the Seafood Platter with the Indonesian sauce.. A worth it platter

Pondok Sari Wangi

Ramadhan Buffet

 
Jerudong: $20 Adult $10 Child

Citis Sq, Gadong, Sengkurong: $16 Adult $8.50 Child

Jerudong: 261 0728 | Citis Sq 234 0608

Gadong 244 5043 | Sengkurong 266 1893

 

The Crepe Lasagne, one of Rack & Brew’s signature dishes

This is the first of its kind for Rack & Brew – Sungkai buffet. I’m a big fan of their kolo mee and their cakes but this time, Rack & Brew came up with something more attractive for the benefit of their patrons.

They have a good variety of main courses to begin with. My personal favourite is the ribs.. Or I could be just biased since I’m a sucker for ribs. If you are not settled for just ribs, R&B also serves lamb.. yum yum. Then something else caught my taste.. It was the Gado-Gado 😀 Why? Because of the spicy peanut sauce. It has this unique spicy feeling that I can’t explain and I ended up having two servings of it.

Do expect a mixture of Asian and Western cuisines such as satays, tempura, assorted sushis and many more..

There are also the healthy corner where you can enjoy the salad and vegetables. Apparently, my buddy Louis was a big fan of their mushroom soup.. He had more than two rounds of it.

All in all, the choices were just great and you will have a great time with your families and friends because R&B also has a cozy ambience.

You can also see more coverage on Thanis Lim’s post on R&B sungkai coverage.

Rack & Brew Sungkai Buffet

Adult $29.90

Children $14.9 (6 – 12 years old)

Tel: 2457886

Tel: 7299668

Starting Friday, 10th June 2016

6pm to 9pm

This might sound weird but I’m quite hooked on this particular Gado-Gado- Try out the sauce and you will know why. Image courtesy of Thanislim.com

Pauline and Jane helping to the buffet

The media from different agencies enjoying dinner at Rack & Brew

Mmmmmmmm Rosemary Honey Chicken

Lamb oh Lamb…

This is contender for one of the best ribs I’ve tried

For tempura lovers

My friends were pretty stuffed after the meal

Chicken satay 😀

Seafood Marinara.. Excellent choice. Image by thanislim.com

Mango Pudding. Image by thanislim.com

All the satisfied diners at Rack & Brew. Second round, perhaps?

For your info 😀

 

Filterworks experiencing Sungkai at Tandoor Restaurant

It is my unspoken habit to go to Tandoor at least once every month. Since it opened a buffet line during last Ramadhan, I went there three times that month for Sungkai. I wasn’t going to miss it again this year. And I sure wasn’t disappointed. The ambiance was so cozy, it was less noisy and the aroma that filled the air was amazing.

Tandoor has an exclusive mixture of Indian, Italian and Arabic cuisines on its menu. I quickly went to the main draw of this buffet – the mouth-watering Lamb Mandi, also known as Talam. It is actually a popular Arabian dish which has perfectly cooked, moist rice with very tender lamb. The lamb is flavourful and you can just taste the spices in every bite. Also, the Lamb Mandi is enough to feed the entire restaurant unless everyone decides to go for seconds. It is available every Sungkai so you won’t have to worry about it not being served when you visit.

Less known to a lot of people who go to Tandoor for Indian and Arabic food, their Italian dishes on the menu is worth trying too. I personally love the pizza there. As for desserts, their homemade ice-cream has a unique taste so I recommend that for those looking for something sweet after the main course.
$20 for adults and $12 for children is a great catch and value for money. What more? It opens until 2am for Sahur. So don’t forget to visit Tandoor for Sungkai this Ramadhan.

Tandoor buffet
Adult $20
Children $12
Tel: 882 9495
Tel: 245 0182

Restaurant opens until 2am for Sahur

Lamb Shawarma

Tikka fish

The main event – the Lamb Mandhi

Gobi Manchurian

Pasta 😀

Pepper Chicken Masala

A’aqiil helping a serving of the Lamb Mandhi

Naans

Don’t forget to use the sauces for this dish. Highly recommended.

Can Tibby finish up the whole tray? :O

There’s even pizza in the house

My Sungkai partner in crime last night

Brinjal Masala yummm

Ah, you know what this is 😀

The dessert corner

The ice-cream corner.. Home made Kulfi.. Interesting taste

The home made ice cream. Actually Kulfi is a popular frozen dairy dessert from India

Tandoor buffet
Adult $20
Children $12
Tel: 882 9495
Tel: 245 0182

Restaurant opens until 2am for Sahur

 

The $1 sale that attracted the crowd recently. More to come.

One of the popular materials for Baju Melayu using Moroccan

The Crazy Sales are back and it will come back from time to time during the period of Ramadhan. Yes, Galleria YMRM are always great in doing awesome promotion and sales. Just recently last Monday, they brought back the $1 sale for the benefit of the regular customers.

Ramesh Jiwatram Bhawnani, the founder of Galleria YMRM, expressed his sincerity in holding such sales and promotion and it was a gesture of giving back to the community after the many years of support they have given to the establishment. It was also another way for the local spenders to support local retailers and help to improve the local economy.

Despite the turbulent economy, Ramesh was surprised with the recent growth in sales at YMRM. The reason being is that the locals and even expats know what they are paying for – affordable and still of good quality. YMRM has become a household name for offering such great offers and not compromising on the quality. Even members of the Royal Families frequent to buy materials for baju melayu and baju kurung.

So do watch out this space or on my social media updates on their next promotion or crazy sales. There will be a few, leading to the Hari Raya season.

Nice lightings at YMRM

A YMRM staff busy over the counter

The nicely woven senjang also available at YMRM – ranging from $9.90 to $299

I will need to get me one of those soon

Nice collection of lace for the ladies

More choices for the baju melayu collection

Genuine senjang from BHS

 

FashionValet will be in Brunei soon. The biggest festive season is approaching! Every year, there will be an amazing FashionValet (also known affectionately as FV) campaign for the Muslim celebration, Hari Raya Aidilfitri. It’s the peak period for the internationally known e-commerce giant, as FV is popularly known to carry the hottest and biggest local and Southeast Asian brands and their Raya collections.

Having just completed a 4-day fashion show with Andrews Models called Gaya Koleksi Raya (GKR) 2016 recently, now FV is going cross-country to host exclusive tea parties. The Singapore, Indonesia and Kuala Lumpur tea parties have come and gone with much success, now FV is looking forward to Brunei next! These private events are to cater to the media and top customers and influencers in that specific region and to build a closer relationship with them. FV wants to involve themselves in more onground events especially in these countries to solidify their presence.

Brunei’s first pop-up store will open between the 11th and 17th of June at the Indera Kayangan Ballroom at The Empire Hotel & Country Club from 10am to 10pm. We hope to cater to their many loyal customers and supporters in Brunei. Standard Chartered is their official bank partner in Brunei. Their customers will be the first to preview and purchase FV’s Raya collection and they’ll also enjoy a 10% discount for online and offline purchases on the 11th of June only. It’s good to be a Standard Chartered cardholder in this case!

Alia Bastamam will be in Brunei as part of the FashionValet campaign. Click image to see their collections.

Rizman Ruzaini will be in town as well. Click image to see their collection.

On the other hand, Brunei’s private tea party will be held at the same venue on 12th of June during the fasting month as a Sungkai (or buka puasa) affair where FV will be catering to VIP customers, FV’s fashion designers, social media influencers and the media. The best part is, guests will enjoy a special 10% discount off FV’s Raya collection, which will be displayed. Guests are able to secure their favourite outfit which were showcased on the runway at GKR 2016 in early May. Brands part of FV’s exclusive Raya collection available for purchase at the Sungkai event are Alia B., Syomirizwa Gupta, nh by Nurita Harith, emel by Melinda Looi, Poplook Premium, Mimpikita and many more!

FV’s Official Loyalty Partner is Enrich by Malaysia Airlines. Apart from flight sponsorships, FV and Enrich will be working together very closely to bring customers an incredible deal. More information will be released in due time, but safe to say, it will be an exciting one! On another note, FV is currently working on their expansion programme whereby fulfilment centres have already been set up in both Jakarta and Singapore. On top of that, FV just opened their first physical store along Orchard Road in Singapore at 313@Somerset and so far has been very well received by locals! Meanwhile in Jakarta, a pop-up store is now running at North Sky Bridge, Level 2 at Pondok Indah Mall from the 31st of May till 12th of June 2016. These physical stores will enable customers to enjoy a more tangible shopping experience with FV – being able to touch and feel the fabrics and admire intricate detailing. It also helps with future online purchases at www.fashionvalet.com

This will be the biggest Raya campaign FV has worked on so far and is one of the most exciting and rewarding times for everyone at FV and their customers as the hustle and bustle of the celebrations creep in and the atmosphere builds as the month of Syawal approaches. The icing on the cake was when FV’s first billboard ad was erected in the beginning of April on Federal Highway. Look out for it! What with the new reality TV show on Astro Ria called ‘Love, Vivy’ already airing, this is definitely a time where audiences will want to keep their eyes glued to FV’s every move.

Rizman Ruzaini latest collection

A collection from nh by Nurita Harith

Latest collection from Syomirizwa Gupta

 

Filterworks experiencing Sungkai at Excapade

Many starters to choose from

My favourite area because of the salmon sashimi

Excapade does it again! It is my annual trend to break my fast on the first day of Ramadhan at Excapade. And it has never failed to wow me with its selection of Japanese cuisines. Priced at $33.80 for adults and $17 for children, the Sungkai Buffet at their branch in Regent Square Kiulap is a definite must-go.

I was there at around 6 and I could already see tables reserved for social media persons as well as the print media. Some of them had begun to take pictures already. As always, the sushi and sashimi section took the cake. The crab legs begged to be eaten too. The wooden signboard labels of the dishes added to the Japanese feel of Excapade.

I am a light eater but I’m a sucker for salmon sashimi. As always, there was a section full of assorted sashimis and my plate was filled with them. I was there with my friend, Pranika, and she was hovering around all the three sections of the buffet. I could see items ranging from sushis to tempuras to edamame to meshi on her plate. She said she was so happy that the queuing didn’t take long, the food was yummy and the staff attended to tables very quickly. I agree with that. The dessert section also had multiple choices. Even the icecream had 3 flavours to choose from along with 4 different toppings and I couldn’t help but take a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Excapade has always been a huge hit among sungkai lovers. It was no different this year. Amazing quality in terms of food, hygiene and service. The place was quite packed on the first day itself so I recommend making bookings before going there. Their 1st booking can be done between 6:30 – 8:00pm while the 2nd booking between 8:00 – 10:00pm. For bookings, call 223 4011 / 875 9866.

Some more good news! If you’ve been to Giant recently, you must have noticed that Excapade is starting a branch there. This Rimba branch will be opened hopefully this month. So sushi-lovers – follow their IG @excapade or FB page for updates.

Kiulap Regent Square

Adult $33.80
Children $17 (6 – 12 years old)

Tel: 223 4011
Tel: 875 9866

1st booking 6:30pm to 8:00pm
2nd booking 8:00pm to 10:00pm

The popular garlic rice is always being served 😀

The greens of the Excapade menu

Sushi, sushi, sushi…

and more sushi… Let’s see how much your tummy can handle

Salmon aplenty

Prawns are aplenty too

Salmon asparagus

The healthy corner

My sungkai partner in crime

The cold appetizers. Nicely presented.

I forgot to get some servings of Edamame

Scallop with cheese… Nice combo

Chicken bites which I would recommend

The Excapade crew

Gindara Teriyaki

Have you tried the skewers?

Lamb Misoyaki

The drinks and refreshment section

Pudding galore

Condiments for ice-cream

A’aqiil on the job last night

Kiulap Regent Square

Adult $33.80
Children $17 (6 – 12 years old)

Tel: 223 4011
Tel: 875 9866

1st booking 6:30pm to 8:00pm
2nd booking 8:00pm to 10:00pm

 

iKoncert 2016 “SHOWTIME TOUR” promo spot

Press release: The hottest and most anticipated Korean rookie group, iKON is set to make their debut appearance in Malaysia! Organised by IME Productions and supported by Malaysia Major Events (MME), a division of Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), an agency under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, iKONCERT 2016: SHOWTIME Tour in Kuala Lumpur lands at the iconic Stadium Negara on 13 August at 7.30pm.

Hosting of this concert will emphasise the Government’s effort to strengthen Malaysia’s global appeal as a leading Asian destination for major live entertainment performances. K-pop is currently one of the hottest performance genres to hit the global stage, and with iKONCERT 2016: Showtime Tour, it is expected to meet the growing need of K-pop fans around the region. This concert is hoped to attract neighbouring fans to participate and treat themselves not only to the entertainment presented but also to the various tourism attractions that Malaysia has to offer.

Tickets priced at VIP RM588 (Numbered seat), Rock Zone RM548 (Standing zone), Cat 1 RM488 (Numbered seat), Cat 2 RM388 (Numbered seat), Cat 3 RM288 (Free seating), Cat 4 RM188 (Free seating). Ticket prices stated includes 6% GST but excludes RM4 processing fee. Fans who purchase VIP and rock zone ticket stand a chance to win sound check passes (600pax by lucky draw based on ticket barcode). Fans are thrilled to see iKON for the first time in Malaysia that more than half of the tickets were sold at the ticket launch held on May 22.

Click image to enlarge

iKON is made up of 7 members, namely B.I, Jinhwan, Bobby, Yunhyeong, Ju-ne, Donghyuk and Chanwoo. The “C” in “ICON” was replaced with “K” in envisioning them to become an icon of Korea. Having just debuted in September 2015, they were already starting a fandom as TEAM B while contesting in reality TV shows WIN: Who is Next and Mix & Match. They opened for BIGBANG in Japan and were part of the line-up for YG Family Concert 2014 alongside Psy, 2NE1, Lee Hi and Epik High even before officially debuting as iKON.

iKON’s first album Welcome Back, written by themselves, was released in half version and full version with both ranked No.1 on iTunes upon release in 11 countries. A concert held in Korea in support of the album was sold out within minutes.

Despite being a new group, iKON has been recognised as Best New Artiste at Seoul Music Awards, Golden Disk Awards and Mnet Asian Music Awards. The group was even acknowledged in China by receiving the NetEase Attitude Awards for Best Group and QQ Music Awards for Best New Group and Media Recommendation award, proving their popularity outside of Korea.

After hosting a series world-class events, Malaysia continues to be part of the Korean wave and one of the leading destinations in the world to host international events. Being the 2nd most visited country in Asia Pacific and the most Muslim friendly destination, Malaysia offers a diversity of exciting wonders at an affordable rate with state-of-the-art facilities for visitors to get in and around the nation.

Tickets to the show are available via TicketCharge at www.ticketcharge.com.my or +60392228811. For further updates, visit iKON’s official Facebook  or IME Asia’s official Facebook .

 

An official looks through a telescope as Acting Minister of Development Dato Hj Suhaimi (L) looks on during the moon sighting to determine the first day of Ramadhan at the DST headquarters yesterday. As predicted, Ramadhan will fall tomorrow Tuesday 7th June 2016. The moon sighting was held at DST headquarters, another at Bukit Agok in Jerudong, Bukit Ambok in Tutong and Bukit Lumut in Belait. Image courtesy of Zaim Kasmat of The Brunei Times.

 

Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Mohammad Yasmin Hj Umar, the Minister of Energy and Industry at the Prime Minister’s Office touring the cooking demo using bruneihalal products and he said how simple it was to make a healthy meal

It’s always great to know a local brand being recognized internationally. One of them brand is bruneihalal. After being in existence for many years (9 years), there is a sudden change in progress as Ghanim International Corporation (that handles bruneihalal) has been introducing many new products to bring more traction for the brand.

Last weekend, the invited guests were feted to delicious meals using bruneihalal products such as a the bruneihalal chicken (imported from the UK) and provia and cremvia (both natural sweeteners) to name a few.

The event was organised by bruneihalal and the guest of honour was Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Mohammad Yasmin Hj Umar, the Minister of Energy and Industry at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Before the food sampling, the guest of honour delivered his welcoming remarks and praised the global direction that Ghanim International Corporation is heading. For your info, the said company also has an office in the UK and the chicken products in the UK are from a Brunei certified abattoir in the UK and the items are certified by the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Brunei Darussalam. Interesting.

Also present were the Dato Paduka Dr Hj Mohd Amin Liew Abdullah, chairman of Ghanim International Corporation and Dr Nur Rahman, CEO of Ghanim International Corporation who both are instrumental in the recent surge of growth of the bruneihalal brand.

Last weekend also saw 25 new bruneihalal products being unveiled by Ghanim and these products were made through collaboration with the local SMES in Brunei which includes Sabli Food Industries Sdn Bhd, Sahamada Corporation Sdn Bhd, Hana Soy & World Sdn Bhd and Superwater Marketing Sdn Bhd.

Four local companies being feted in collaboration with bruneihalal (Ghanim International Corporation)

The bruneihalal cordial

Let’s hope the local brand is well received among the locals

Food sampling after the launch of the event

Yummmm…

The Minister mingling with the invited guests

Food preparation for the guests

The Energy Kitchen used the sweetener for their tarts. Oh it’s a natural sweetener and it’s also ideal for those with diabetes.

The Minister was full of praises of Ghanim’s direction and the key component he shared was being “innovative” for bruneihalal brand to be sustainable and bigger. The halal food industry is a multi-billion industry and hence, Ghanim can ride on these opportunities along the value chain of the halal food industry. He also hopes that the bruneihalal brand can help spur the local and international economy through means of distribution and production.

As for the food sampling session of the bruneihalal new products, YB Pehin Dato Hj Mohd Yasmin was impressed and he urged the locals to support the bruneihalal products for their daily cooking needs. I actually had the bruneihalal chicken and I’m amazed of the quality (tenderness and taste) even though the chicken came in a packed form. So far, the bruneihalal chicken and other products are being sold at Tesco and Asda stores in the UK. So I’m hoping for the bruneihalal chicken to make its way to the Brunei market soon.

Do watch out for this space on bruneihalal products. They are certainly riding the wave and now, the awareness campaign begins in reaching the eyes of the locals to appreciate our own local brand, bruneihalal.

Fina trying out the bruneihalal product

Valentine and Jonathan helping with their servings during the food sampling

The Minister being interviewed by the local press

 

The tutu kurungs now available at Bajoo

Heard of Tutu Kurungs? It’s something new to me and I recently attended a launch at Sugar Sugar by Bajoo (located at Mata-Mata Complex). I believe this will be a big hit among the girls and it’s something new and fashionable too.

It’s a combination of pettitskirt and a baju knurl. This is their second collection inspired by My Little Pony characters and hence it’s called tutu kurungs.

There are ready-to-wear tutu kurungs and starts from 1 years old to 9 years old. Bajoo also caters for custom made ones too.

The said brand have been doing quite well in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore under the label of sugar sugar.

So what are your waiting for parents? Want your daughters to look impressive in the tutu kurungs? They only costs BND 98 per piece and this will be ideal for Hari Raya festive season.

Thank you, both of you, for the invite and congratulations 😀

The lady behind the fashion wear of the Tutu Kurungs 😀

 

Malaysia celebrities with YAM Pg Anak Siti Radhiah and friends at KLIHF 2016 event. The final day will be this Sunday (tomorrow)

Sazzy Zalak, one of the main draws for the KLIHF 2016 event, is in town and also having a hi-tea session at Holiday Lodge tomorrow (Sunday)

A fan giving some delicacy to Sazzy yesterday

Sazzy Zalak is going through a rebranding process and having more belief in her name and brand for urban fashion line

Fans of Sazzy listening to her interview on stage

Don Dona booth a big hit

Another popular figure Umie Aida

Another celebrity taking photos with her fans

 

Dr Chan Sui Kia, Managing Director of Maju Motors, Bernd Siffling, General Manager of Maju Motors and Shahrain Zulkifli, Sales Manager of Maju Motors during the launch of Volkswagen Sportsvan at Maju Motors Showroom last evening. Image courtesy of Yusri Adanan of The Brunei Times.

Check out the price for the Volkswagen Sportsvan.. Good deal for early birds 😀

A week ago, we had the opportunity to drive the Volkswagen Sportsvan in Singapore before it launches in Brunei. Last evening, it was the official launch for the Sportsvan and it was a great turn out as well, considering the wet evening.

The new car was launched at Maju Motors Showroom at Telanai. Present was the Berrnd Siffling, Maju Motors’ General Manager.

Volkswagen is continuing its product offensive, this time in the segment of compact MPVs. The new Sportsvan is equipped with an interior that is as sophisticated as it is versatile (rear bench seat has 180 mm longitudinal adjustment), it offers a maximum cargo capacity of 1,520 litres and it impresses with its sporty charisma.

Technically, the Sportsvan follows the layout of the modular transverse matrix (MQB) from Volkswagen. And so it inherits significant advantages from this technologically advanced toolkit – the Sportsvan is very dynamic, with a short front overhang and a long wheelbase. Innovative lightweight design has kept vehicle weight extremely low, while the interior packaging also benefits from the MQB, with optimised utility.

The driver and front passenger enjoy an elevated seating position in the Sportsvan, yet the feeling is more of sitting in an elegant and sporty SUV than in an MPV. Special attention has been paid to the cockpit’s ergonomics, with a clean layout and sophisticated look being the result. In this Volkswagen, the worlds of compacts and MPVs meld together into a new type of car that offers more space for active recreation, family and the job.

DJ Daffy the emcee for the night trying out the back seat of the Sportsvan

The cool logo of Volkswagen

The star of the night being covered before the official launch

Styling with extraordinary precision

With a bumper-to-bumper length of 4,338 mm, the Sportsvan is 83 mm longer than the Golf. It is also 126 mm taller, and marginally (8 mm) wider. These dimensions show that the Sportsvan has a clear positioning within the Volkswagen range – it is lower (-56 mm) and shorter (-59 mm) than the Touran, which follows a classic MPV concept with its three rows of seats.

The exterior dimensions of the Sportsvan, together with its completely new and sharply contoured styling, give it an independent and sophisticated look. With its taut body shapes, precisely drawn lines and large 17-inch alloy wheels, the Sportsvan transfers the Volkswagen design DNA to the class of compact MPVs. The Sportsvan also expresses dynamic proportions in its long wheelbase, and its extremely prominent character line unites functionalism and elegance.

Great variability in the cabin
Interior designers of the Sportsvan created a cabin that is as high-end and stylistically sophisticated as it is clean and fresh. While some of the instruments and controls may be familiar to drivers of other Volkswagen models, the design of the dashboard, in which all of these elements are embedded, was redesigned down to the last millimetre specifically for the Sportsvan.

The Sportsvan is a car which focuses on maximum on-board comfort. The vehicle is already very comfortable to enter, thanks to the wide-opening doors and the elevated seats. What is known as the H-point (hip point) of the front seats is 59 to 85 mm above the H-point of the Golf, depending on the seat height setting.

There is also very generous space for rear seat passengers, thanks to the extended wheelbase. Even people measuring 1.90 metres can sit comfortably, one in front of the other. Storage pockets and folding tables integrated in the backs of the front seats give practicality a further boost, and there are also three additional cupholders (two for standard size cups and one for narrower cups) in the rear centre armrest that folds up.

Another key feature is the 60:40 split rear bench seat that features individual adjustment of its sections. The entire three-seat bench can be adjusted up to 180 mm in a fore-aft direction; as an alternative, the seat on the right side of the vehicle (40 per cent) and the double-seat on the left side (60 per cent) can be individually adjusted over a range of 180 mm. In addition, rear passengers can adjust the angle of their backrests. The backrest elements are split 40:20:40, giving even greater loading versatility.

Cargo capacity is a very generous 500 litres with the rear bench seat in its standard position. When the two separately adjustable sections of the rear bench seat are moved to their front-most positions, up to 590 litres of cargo fit into the luggage compartment of the Sportsvan. With the rear folded down, a maximum storage capacity of 1,520 litres is available.

Dionne Lim, Marketing and Communications Volkswagen Group Singapore with Shahrain Zulkifli, Sales Manager of Maju Motors during the media presentation of the Volkswagen Sportsvan

Thanks for the goodie bag

The crowd last night during the launch

Guest during the launch of the Sportsvan

Louis and Gzul in attendance

The General Manager mingling with the guests last night

Opening remarks by the GM before the launch

Technologically advanced features
The Sportsvan comes as standard with features like LED licence plate lights, an electronic parking brake with Auto Hold, cruise control with speed limiter, a touchscreen in-car entertainment system and a variable cargo floor. In addition, the car is of course also equipped with safety features that include seven airbags, ESP electronic stabilisation programme and safety-optimised head restraints in front (protects against whiplash injury).

Some other highlights include:
Proactive occupant protection system. If the system detects a potential accident situation – such as by the initiation of hard braking – the seatbelts of the driver and front passenger are automatically pre-tensioned to ensure the best possible protection by the airbag and belt system. When a highly critical and unstable driving situation is detected – such as severe oversteer or understeer with ESP intervention – the side windows are closed (except for a small gap). The underlying reason: When the windows are nearly closed, the head and side airbags offer optimal energy absorption and thereby achieve their best possible effectiveness.

Driving profile selector. A total of four programmes are available in the driving profile selector. They are: Eco, Sport, Normal and Individual. In the Eco driving mode, engine control, the air conditioning unit and other auxiliary systems are controlled for optimal fuel-efficiency. A coasting function on the DSG can also be used with the Eco mode; when the driver releases the accelerator pedal – such as on route sections with a descent – the transmission decouples, and the engine runs at idle. This optimally utilises the kinetic energy of the car. In the Sport mode, on the other hand, engine response and shifting points of the DSG are configured to be more dynamic.

Dynamic and efficient drivetrain. The Sportsvan is fitted as standard with a stop-start system and a range of BlueMotion Technology efficiency improvement measures that lower fuel consumption. Its new 1.4-litre TSI engine with 125 PS produces an impressive 200 Nm of torque from only 1,400 rpm. It enables a top speed of 200 km/h and a sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 9.9 seconds. At the same time, fuel consumption is extremely low at just 5.4 litres/100km in the combined cycle.

Check out the Volkswagen Sportsvan

Check out the Volkswagen Sportsvan

The advanced airbags inside the Sportsvan

The compartments inside the Sportsvan

Whilst in Singapore recently for the test drive of the Sportsvan