Forget Candy Crush.. (especially for the young female teens).. I just came across a new addictive game for the girls and it’s more on wearing accessories and earning points through sharing or connecting with other owners of the particular accessories. This items that I’m talking about is no other than Charmazing (bracelets with charms).

Now Charmazing has a unique way of interacting with other Charmazing users – through means of the Charmazing App (now available on Apple Store and Google Play). You can now explore into the virtual world where you can wear, share and trade with friends and connect with other designers, simply by playing with the App. Awesome, huh? This trend has been popular outside Brunei and Best Eastern (leading bookstore in Brunei) has brought in one of the STYLE ME UP collection to the Sultanate and I believe this will be a huge hit among teenagers.

The Charmazing starter kit

The Charmazing starter kit

Check out Charmazing on Youtube

They have different range of collections to choose from Charmazing. Of course, the best to start off with the starter kit and it costs below BND 10 and you can also download the App and start connecting with other Charmazing owners. There are four sets in total and the biggest set is the Charmazing Deluxe Kit (the complete set with 6 bracelets with 12 assorted charms).

Now Best Eastern will be having a showcase starting 11th September to 13th September on the different activities from the STYLE ME UP collection and the Grand launch itself will be on the Sunday 13th September. All the activities will be hosted by Best Eastern at Times Square. You can follow Best Eastern’s Facebook page or their instagram @besteaster_bookstore

You can also check out charmazing.com for more details on how to play around with it.

Available now at Best Eastern

Mark your dates

Click image to enter website

 

Download SnapFeed app on your smartphones and check out the latest deals in Brunei and also get rewarded from respective merchants such as BurgerKing, KFC and Sushi Tei to name a few and also check out the new movie listings as well.

 

Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Amal Jefriah (left) recently attended Laksamana College of Business (LCB) graduation ceremony for her son’s (Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Muhammad Abdul Razaaq bin Pengiran Sura Negara Pengiran Anak Haji Muhammad Bey Muntassir) graduation from the University Foundation Course programme. Image courtesy of Dean Kassim.

Laksamana College of Business (LCB) held a graduation ceremony for 620 students who successfully completed their courses in business, hospitality and computing last Friday.

The ceremony was held at the Songket Ballroom, The Rizqun International Hotel.
In his welcome speech, the Minister of Education, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, highlighted the importance of equipping oneself with necessary skills for a bright future and to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.

“His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam in his titah during last year’s Teacher’s Day and 100 Years of Formal Education celebration, has mentioned Brunei Darussalam’s capacity nowadays as a human capital provider rather than a financial donor, through the provision of local English teachers to neighbouring countries, for example.

YAM Pengiran Anak Muhammad Abdul Razaaq receiving his certificate from Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, Minister of Education

The Minister with his welcoming remarks

David Campbell, British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam, giving a few words

Siti Kamaliah binti Haji Awang Damit receiving her certificate

Some of the courses fro next year’s intake

“We have been dependent on the oil and gas industry since 1929. Alhamdulillah, it has provided us with much prosperity and opportunity since then. However, it is time to grow and expand the economy; strengthen the current niche industries, and build new sustainable ones to last for more centuries to come and to ensure our economic sustainability. Therefore, the higher education sector’s support is vital to develop talents to reinforce and build up these industries,” the minister said.

Also present during the graduation ceremony were Pehin Orang Kaya Ratna Setia Dato Setia Haji Awang Abdul Hapidz bin Pehin Orang Kaya Laksamana Haji Abdul Razak and Haji Suhaimei bin Awang Haji Besar, Directors of LCB; Ian Pirie, Principal and Director of LCB/Kensington College; David Campbell, British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam; Dr Chris Haslam, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, University of Chester, UK; Dr David Balsamo, Dean of Social Science University of Chester and Garfield Southall, Associate Dean, Faculty of Science and Engineering.

The graduation ceremony began with a recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah by Awang Haji Azis @ Abdul Aziz bin Haji Mohd Yassin, a Mosque Affairs Officer from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, followed by other welcoming speeches by Ian Pirie and Dr Chris Haslam.

The graduated students were then presented with certificates and a few selected students gave speeches on their experiences at LCB.

Established in Brunei as a business course provider, LCB is a subsidiary of Kensington College of Business (KCB) in London. Text courtesy of Fizah HAB of Borneo Bulletin and images courtesy of Dean Kassim of Borneo Bulletin.

You can check out their comprehensive website here for the courses and also follow them on their Facebook Page.

Good luck all of you. Do us proud 😀

They are currently in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – the band of Waht?! and D-1 with soloists Lim Ao (guitarist) and Brigette Ang (vocalist) who recently won in the competition hosted by Expression Music Brunei in association with Trinity London College. They are accompanied by Lily Chiam, founder and music director of Expression Music Brunei and the music instructors from Expression Music and also Chiam Su Lee, Trinity College London’s Brunei Representative.

All the young musicians will compete in the Regional Semi-Finals of the Asean “Be our Rock & Pop Soul” Music Competition which begins tonight (6th September). They departed to Vietnam last Friday.

It’s good to see our youngsters competing in the regional level as they will give more exposure and confidence on our local talents. Let’s hope for the best to all the performers. I have seen them performed a few weeks’ ago and I was totally impressed. On another note, I had to forgo the Vietnam trip with them as I have other commitments. Perhaps next year 😀

Lily Chiam, founder and music director of Expression Music Brunei, with all the musicians and singers who will represent Brunei in the Regional Semi-Finals of the Asean “Be our Rock & Pop Soul” Music Competition at Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. The event begins tonight (Sunday).

The musicians being interviewed by The Brunei Times

Free style posing for the camera

Loving their logos to represent the band

Group photo with the music instructors

The night that the Lim Ao wooed the judges with his solo guitar performance. He was also industrious in finding sponsors for the team. Awesome lad!!

Representing the D-1 band

Waht?! band will also represent Brunei in the semi-finals

Taken during the previous competition where D-1 won in the band category

D-1 had their sound check and practice session at Saigon Opera House, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

Waht?! band also their practice session. Good luck to all of you.

Press release from Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam. Have you heard of financial scams? They are scams involving deposits, money transfers and credit card transactions. Although some financial scams are too good to be true, there are many people that still become victims.

These are the common financial scams in Brunei:

1. Get-rich-quick scheme: a plan, which offers high returns or dividends not usually available through traditional investments. The focus of such schemes would be to obtain deposits without a valid product or services which will be used to pay returns or dividends to earlier investors. The scheme may take the following forms:

  Ponzi scheme

  Pyramid scheme

  Gold investment

  Land-banking investment

  Forex trading

2. Credit card scam: Scammers calling victim’s phone pretending to be a bank officer informing that the victim’s credit card is suspected of crime. For verification purpose, the victims will be deceived into providing their credit card details.

3. Job scam: Scammers pretending to offer a job in their organisation. However, in order to secure the job offer, the victim must pay an upfront fee.

4. Lottery and competition scam: Scammers send out an SMS blast to would-be victims informing them of prizes they have won in competitions organised by some big companies and are advised to pay an entrance fee.

5. Inheritance Scams: Scammers assume the role of lawyers or representatives for a recently deceased distant relative or wealthy benefactor leaving a large inheritance usually in cash of which is to be distributed amongst them at an agreed percentage.

6. Internet love scam: (LOL, never been duped by this before) By creating fake profiles, fraudsters have managed to exploit the other users by pretending to develop an intimate and personal relationship with their victims.

The grand prize for the Open Category to top off with the BND 1,200 cash prize

AMBD believe that it is important to educate the public and raise their awareness to protect innocent people from becoming unfortunate victims. Show your support and creativity by creating a short video on financial scams awareness!

Well, there’s a good incentive for you to join!! Because the winners will win awesome prizes. For the Open Category, first place will win BND 1,200 cash prize with a GoPro Hero 4 Silver Edition, second place will win BND 900 cash prize with Sony Handycam while third place will win BND 600 with Sony HDR. There will also be student category with cash prizes for top three winners – BND 1,000, BND 750 and BND 500 respectively.

I won’t spare much details here but you can download the PDF form for eligibility and other information. Good luck and the deadline for submission is 30th October 2015.

Dai Kichiji, Senior Manager, Consumer Imaging & Information Group, Regional ICP Sales & Marketing Division, Canon, Her Excellency Madam Noriko IKI, the Ambassador of Japan and Vincent Goh, Deputy Managing Director of Interhouse Company (Canon Brunei)

Guest of honour having a tour of the revamped showroom at Canon

Interhouse Company, the sole distributor of Canon in Brunei, launched their revamped showroom at Jalan Tutong this morning. The highlight for me was definitely trying out the Canon EOS 5Ds *wowwieeee* This camera packs a punch and you will need a bigger memory for your SD or CF card because it can shoot up to 50 megs. The only downside is I don’t have the budget for the new EOS 5Ds and I’m still content with the 5D Mark III which has been useful for the past two years.

During the launch this morning was the guest of honour, Her Excellency Madam Noriko IKI, the Ambassador of Japan to Brunei Darussalam. Also present were Dai Kichiji, Senior Manager, Consumer Imaging & Information Group, Regional ICP Sales & Marketing Division, Canon and Vincent Goh, Deputy Managing Director of Interhouse Company (Canon Brunei).

Among the invitees were the business partners of Interhouse Company such as Brunei Press Sdn Bhd, Hua Ho and Plus+ Magazine to name a few and not forgetting the loyal users of Canon photographers.

The ribbon cutting was performed before entering the newly renovated showroom. You will be able to see the new Canon DSLRs, the Canon lenses, printers, compact cameras, calculators and many more.

What most of you will be looking forward to is the upcoming Canon Photomarathon 2015 which will take place on 27th September 2015 and the venue will be at Star Lodge Hotel. For more information, you can click here and don’t forget to register because the first prize is a Canon 7D and there will be a grand winner where you will attend a photo clinic in Japan.

Congratulations to Interhouse Company on the showroom.

With the senior management of Interhouse Company and invited guests

Looking for a PIXMA printer?

You can try out the Selphy printer too.

The ladies checking out the compact Canon cameras

My busy industrious friend who also works at Interhouse Company

The durable and reliable printers from Canon

I have yet to try this beast – Canon EOS 5Dsr

I’ve been eyeing on this camera. Yes or no? But I’m still happy with my 5D Mark III.

Hasmin testing the Canon EOS 5Ds. What a beauty!!

Check out the calculators too from Canon

So ladies and gents. Start registering for the Canon Photomarathon 2015.

Group photo of Interhouse Company with loyal customers

Dermot Mannion, chairman of Abacus Brunei with Aji Hj Puteh, Director of Abacus Brunei, Irene Soon, General Manager of Abacus Brunei and Abd Halim Hj Abd Rahman, Senior Manager, Sales & Marketing of Abacus Brunei and the management of Abacus Brunei during the cake cutting ceremony to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of Abacus Distribution System (Brunei)

Dermot Mannion with representatives of the Top Travel Agents in Brunei

This is a delayed post. This took place last weekend at the Royal Brunei Recreation Club. Abacus Distribution System (Brunei) Sdn Bhd celebrated their 25th anniversary – the Silver Jubilee, and they are currently Brunei’s leading travel technology provider. For instance, all those travel bookings you make at travel agents using the Abacus system.

The guest of honour was Dermot Mannion, chairman of Abacus Brunei. Also present were Aji Hj Puteh, Director of Abacus Brunei, Irene Soon, General Manager of Abacus Brunei and Abd Halim Hj Abd Rahman, Senior Manager, Sales & Marketing of Abacus Brunei and the management of Abacus Brunei.

Among those who attended were representatives of shareholders of Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) and Sabre, also include partners from Malaysia airlines, Singapore Airlines, TTCO, Tourism Malaysia, Baiduri Bank Sdn Bhd, Cityneon Brunei and Royal Brunei Catering (RBC).

Dermot Mannion expressed his gratitude towards the travel partners for their continuous support. He highlighted how applications such as RoomDeal, ETPIR, Reissuance are now fully integrated with Abacus Workspace to boost efficiency and productivity for travel agents.

Now with advanced technology, travel agents are able to access Abacus Worklite via their mobile devices and provide 24/7 service to their customer with Abacus WebStart and online booking solutions.

Do you know that Royal Brunei Airlines owns 85% shares in Abacus Brunei while the remaining shares are owned by Sabre?

Abacus Brunei hinted that they will be a travel fair coming this month. So stay tune to my updates on social media. I will be making my traveling plans again 😀 Thank you for the invitation, Abacus. Enjoyed the evening and some entertainment as well. Too bad I didn’t win any prizes on the lucky draw :p

Dermot Mannion giving his welcoming remarks

Top Travel Agent 2014/15 – 1st goes to Century Travel Centre (BSB)

Top Travel Agent 2014/15 – 2nd goes to Pan Bright Travel Service (KB)

Top Travel Agent 2014/15 – 3rd goes to Freme Travel Services Sdn Bhd (BSB)

Top Travel Agent 2014/15 – 4th goes to Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd (BSB)

Top Travel Agent 2014/15 – 5th goes to Anthony Tours & Travel Agency (BSB)

Top Travel Agent 2014/15 – 6th goes to Pan Bright Travel Service (BSB)

Top Travel Agent 2014/15 – 7th goes to Syarikat Straits Central Agencies (B) Sdn Bhd (BSB)

Top Travel Agent 2014/15 – 8th goes to Southern Cross Travel Agencies Sdn Bhd (Seria)

Top Travel Agent 2014/15 – 9th goes to Freme Travel Services Sdn Bhd (KB)

Top Travel Agent 2014/15 – 10th goes to JJ Tour Service (B) Sdn Bhd (BSB)

Around 200 guests showed up last weekend

I’m amazed by Annabelle Pei Pei. Keep it up!!

Audi A4 S Line

T.C.Y. Motors as the sole Audi dealer/importer introduces another exciting variant in its Audi A4 line up- the S line Competition.

Exclusive from quattro GmbH which specializes in Audi’s high performance S/RS models and components, the S line Competition offers an enhanced sportier character to the A4 range with dynamic highlights from the exterior to the interior.

The S line Competition for both Sedan and Avant features the side mirrors, Singleframe radiator grille, roof frame, side skirts and rear diffuser frame in glossy black. The roof rails for the Avant (station wagon) model will also be featured in glossy black.

The interior features the main instrument cluster in piano black finish with aluminium gear-shift paddles behind the S line multifunctional steering wheel and stainless steel pedals (brake and accelerator). The S line Competition is complemented with the quattro GmbH exclusive Audi Sport aluminium wheels in 5-V-spoke design in matt titanium look, gloss turned finish.

The Audi A4 S line Competition is now available for viewing at the Audi Kiarong showroom which is now also open on Sundays 10.00am to 2.00pm.

Kids are creative indeed. Taken at Paddington House of Pancakes (Berakas branch)

As part of the celebrations for their second year anniversary, Paddington House of Pancakes held an event for their Kids club at the Berakas branch.

Members of the kids club participated in activities such as colouring and extending their creativity with play-dough with their parents watching on and some some even joining in on the fun.

As part of the event, PHOP also created a special pancake set meal, with fun character pancakes such as minions and Spongebob Squarepants,which comes with a drink and ice cream which is specially priced at $5 just for Kids Club members.

You can sign up for the Kids club at both the Gadong or the Berakas branch. Privileges include invitations to monthly gatherings, 10% off the kids menu at every visit and exclusive offers during kids club activities.

Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Muda Omar Ali, Curator of Natural History at the Museums Department; Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Qudduus bin Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Peng-iran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz, Special Duties Officer at the Museums Department; and Datin Paduka Hajah Adina binti Othman, Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, in a group photo with the winners of the Museums Race Brunei

The Museums Race Brunei 2015, organised to explore the Sultanate’s rich history and cultural heritage, concluded with a ceremony held in Jerudong Park last Sunday.

Over the span of three consecutive Sundays, hundreds of Bruneians, majority of them youths from across the country, took to some of Brunei’s most historic streets and locations as they vied for prominence that could only be attained through knowledge and experience.

As part of the Museums Department’s initiative towards sharing with the people, especially the younger generation, the importance of learning local history, the past three Sundays witnessed 89 teams comprising 364 individuals exploring the country’s historical background for the inaugural Museums Race Brunei 2015.

The race was based on the concept of the popular TV show ‘Amazing Race’ and saw the teams racing to collect clues and solve puzzles hidden at various historical sites under the Museums Department’s jurisdiction.

In an interview, the members of the top two teams expressed enthusiasm for having been part of the Museums Department’s Golden Jubilee and shared that the experience opened their senses to the beauty that is Brunei Darussalam.

Team Alacrety was announced as the winner of the grand prize of the event – air tickets to Bali, Indonesia – that were presented by guest of honour Datin Paduka Hajah Adina binti Othman, Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports.

The team, which also won prizes in two other categories, explained that the race provided them with an opportunity to venture beyond the confines of mainstream activities that took them to, among others, Tasek Merimbun in Tutong and museums in Kota Batu and the capital as well as encouraged them to learn more of what the Abode of Peace and the Kingdom of Unexpected Treasures, has to offer in terms of its culture, nature, art and practices.

Their success, it was shared, was attributed to team work, research and, more so, patience, considering the complexities and challenges of the race.

For second place winners, Dayang Semaun, the journey across the country was as unique as Brunei markets itself to be. The team, which won themselves air tickets to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, shared that other youths in Brunei should consider taking part should organisers arrange for a similarly themed event in the future, indicating that the response from the public has been positive.

“We learned a lot from our experience and the young people of Brunei should reach for these forms of opportunities if they are given the chance,” they said.

In his closing remarks, Pengiran Dr Karim bin Pengiran Haji Osman, Director of Museums and also the Museums Race’s Chairman, commended all participating teams for their support and effort in making the race a success as he acknowledged the camaraderie that was witnessed over the course of the event.

Apart from enriching the perspective of those who took part, the race collected funds and the mock cheques of $3,587.28 each were presented to Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam, Smarter Brunei and the Children’s Cancer Foundation (Yaska).
The closing ceremony was also attended by Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Muda Omar Ali, Curator of Natural History at the Museums Department; Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Qudduus bin Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz, Special Duties Officer at the Museums Department; and the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Dato Paduka Dr Haji Affendy bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin. Text courtesy of Siti Hajar and images taken from Jabatan Muzium-Muzium Brunei Facebook Page.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar, Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, guest of honour during the launch, with Hj Mahadi Hj Taib, owner of Mangrove Paradise Resort, and Hajah Normah Suria Hayati Pehin Dato Haji Md Jamil, permanent secretary at Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources and Khairuddin bin Abd Hamid, deputy permanent secretary at Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources at the new villas of Mangrove Paradise Resort. Image courtesy of Vincent Hong.

I’ve stayed there before many years ago with my group of friends. Yes, it’s a great place to free your mind and be away from the hustle and bustle of eeer… Gadong and Kiulap. My last visit there was for a BIT Council meeting at a meeting hall and we had lunch there as well.

Fast forward to this date, the management of Mangrove Paradise Resort has extended with their 2nd phase which are the villas. For your info, this is located at Kota-Batu (quite a fair ride) and of course, what I love about the resort is the view of the Brunei River. If I were to detox with the busyness of my hectic schedule, this would be the best bet in Brunei in terms of logistics and convenience. My second choice would be the lodges in Temburong.

The 10 newly-built villas are each ideal for a family of six to 10. Each villa includes three ensuite bedrooms, two of which are located on the first floor, a spacious living room, a kitchen and a dining area, which are located on the ground floor. In addition, each villa comes with a jacuzzi, ideal for unwinding the body while basking in the scenic view. (As quoted by Rara :p)

Now with the school holidays kicking in, families can take advantage of the special promotional prices. During weekdays, it will be BND 250 while on weekends, it will be BND 300 per night. The deal will be until the end of the month and it includes complimentary breakfast for six people.

The resort is located at Simpang 912, Kg Sungai Belukut, Jalan Kota Batu. For any enquiries or booking, please call 2786868. For updates, check out Mangrove Paradise Resort’s Facebook Fan Page at ‘Mangrove Paradise Resort Brunei’ or its Instagram at @MangroveParadiseResort. Images courtesy of Vincent Hong.

The view of the newly built villas at Mangrove Paradise Resort

The bedroom at the villas

The pantry area of the villas

The TV room of the villas

The close up view outside the villa. Image taken from Mangrove Paradise Resort Facebook page.

I see a jet ski 😀

It’s happening next weekend from 11th to 13th September at the Hua Ho Manggis Mall. That should be interesting as the venue provided is at Hua Ho Manggis Mall. There will be four categories if you refer to the posters and this is open to both male and female. The tournament is organised by Shooting Stars.

You can download the form here and submit it to the SMJA office. As for the registration fees, you can submit them on the day of the event. The registration is BND 60 per team. You can also send your registration and email to shootingstarsbn@gmail.com and for more information, you can text 729 0011 or 885 5089.

The closing date for the registration is 5th September 2015. So peeps, gather your team and get your GAME ON for the SMJA 3×3 Basketball Challenge.

The registration form. Click image to download the PDF form

The rules of the tournament

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, HRH Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, and HRH Prince ‘Abdul Malik, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Hj Hazair Hj Abdullah, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports and Datin Paduka Hjh Adina. Standing behind are Nurliyana Fatin Ariffin, Khairul Azmi Salleh, Datin Hjh Siti Hajar Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Yusof, and Goh Kiat Chun (Wu Chun) at the 10th National Youth Day celebration. Image courtesy of Ridhwan Kamarulzaman of The Brunei Times.

Don’t forget your heritage. Preserve it and give it a new breath of life. His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam advised the Brunei youth that this is our responsibility to do so during the 10th National Youth Day celebration. The youth are our agents of society and it’s important for them to have an identity. An identity on its original form (not copied or imitated from others).

The monarch was also full of praises for youth, saying he had seen a growing number of young professionals and entrepreneurs.

Youth are starting to get involved in less popular fields such as padi cultivation and hard work, such as driving or operating heavy vehicles and scaffolding, the monarch said.

The monarch awarded three youths and one NGO. Goh Kiat Chun also known as Wu Chun, Datin Hjh Siti Hajar Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Yusof, president of Pertiwi Association and Nurliyana Fatin Ariffin, a member of the Young Entrepreneurs Association of Brunei (YEAB). The NGO being awarded is SCOT (Society for Community Outreach) and Training.

It was a packed house yesterday at the 10th National Youth Day celebration held at the Indoor Stadium.

His Majesty the Sultan delivering the titah yesterday

At the booth of Snapfeed

His Majesty being briefed by Ting See Chung, Managing Director of Snapfeed

With the Ak Mohammad Khairi, founder of PHMD Publishing (3rd from left) with Hjh Hannah binti Ibrahim, Acting CEO of BEDB and other senior management of BEDB

The Royalties at Songket Wedding booth

His Majesty signing on a memento for Songket Wedding

His Majesty the Sultan with Denise Chai, the owner of Paddington House of Pancakes

Group photo with the Royalties

Hiro Tien shared his journey on social deals

Group photo with SPHI Foods management

Group photo with Ambuyart Animations

Group photo with Armtrix Enterprise and Heroes BN

His Majesty the Sultan receiving a memento from Aaron Goh, founder of Armtrix Enterprise

His Majesty the Sultan presented the award to Wu Chun yesterday. Image courtesy of Ridhwan Kamarulzaman of The Brunei Times.

The Exciting Wedding Fair and Photogenic Bride Contest Are Coming Back with a Bang for 2015!

Ah, a wedding. To most people it means love and romance and a beautiful bride; to newly-weds it means a whole lot of work and worry to find the best make-up artist, the best photographer, the best caterer, the best venue decorator…

But it doesn’t have to be that hard.

The exciting wedding fair is back. Organized by Solution By Designz, this fantastic event will be held at The Mall Shopping Complex, Gadong, from the 28th October to 1st November 2015. Our theme this year: ‘Wedding by the Bay’, and what can be better to accentuate the magic of a wedding than tiffany blue decorations with the sensuous appeal of pearl and turquoise green?

Want only the very best for your wedding? Why look any further? At our fair we will be bringing to you the best of the best in bridal studios, photographers, make-up professionals, flower arrangers, venue decorators, caterers, bakeries and everything in between. You can walk into our fair having no clue what you want for your wedding, and you’ll come out again with the perfect wedding plan already in your and everyone else’s heads.

We know this year’s wedding fair is going to be the most exciting we have ever seen, but we want you to help us make it even more amazing. Booths are open for rental for any company which caters for newly-weds. Bridal studios, dress designers, hairstylists, bakeries…As long as you are wedding related services then you are all welcome to hire a booth with us to make some happy couples’ dreams come true.

To rent a booth or for more information please go to our Facebook Page at Solution By Designz, or feel free to contact/whatsapp us at +673 811 8866.

Remember when you were a little girl and you used to put on your mother’s gowns pretending to look like a bride? Who says you can’t have that dream come true now?

We are on the search for the most photogenic bride of the year. Everybody has their own uniqueness that only can be picked up with a camera. It doesn’t matter whether you’re married, engaged, single…as long as you look your best in a photo-shoot, just snap that camera today.

Send in the best photo of yourself to us at solutionbydesignz@gmail.com. Include some basic information such as your name, age, date of birth, IC number, occupation and your Facebook name.
Kind of scary to send a photo of you to a contest? Let us tell you what you could win.

Winner for The Most Photogenic Bride will be granted a Portrait-Photography by Devin Kho Photography and styling session by EaHui Makeup Artistry worth BND688.

So hurry and send in your entries today because the submission closes on this Sunday, 6th September 2015. Ten contestants will be shortlisted and notified after the closing date.

For more information, visit our Facebook Page at Solution By Designz, or feel free to contact/whatsapp us at +673 811 8866. Please LIKE our page to stay tune for more activities and giveaways!
See you there! <3

Click image to enter register

Registration is still ongoing. Organised by the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam, BIBD Charity Expedition 2015 is our 4th initiative in their sporting calendar to raise funds for donations.

Let’s rewind for a bit. Back in 2011, their 1st initiative in the BIBD Charity Expedition was held to raise funds for the victims of the Tsunami in Japan. Now, as an extension towards BIBD’s ALAF initiative, the contributions will play a pivoting role in the importance of early childhood education. ALAF is the abbreviation for Advocating Life-Long Learning for an Aspiring Future.

Do check out the number of categories available. The only one missing is the full marathon. The 5km run will be a competitive one with the regular categories. Of course, let’s not forget the 3km fun run.

Registration closes by 31st September 2015 but if you sign up now, you will stand a better chance of being the first 1,500 registrants and you will be entitled to a FREE limited edition Charity Expedition merchandise from BIBD.

Do follow them on instagram @bibdcealaf for updates as well.

BIBD CE ALAF in 2012

BIBD CE ALAF in 2012

BIBD CE ALAF in 2012

BIBD CE ALAF in 2013

BIBD CE ALAF in 2013

The categories for this year’s event

I’m always impressed with the younger generation nowadays because of their creativity and logic when it comes to providing solution for the betterment of the environment using technology in the recent Brunei Robotics Olympiad 2015. Well, in this case, the students were using Lego Mindstorms (series of kits contain software and hardware to create customizable, programmable robots) to come up with possible solutions and tasks.

Last week, the competition among schools concluded and the winners were feted for their creativity and efforts. Sarah Abu Bakar, Acting Head of the Science, Technology and Environment Partnership (STEP) Centre, shared that there weren’t any outstanding solutions and still lacking that consistency and satisfactory level. However, overall there is an improvements as compared to last year’s entries.

For your information, one of the Brunei team made it to the Top 10 in last year’s World Robotic Olympiad 2014 in Sochi, Russia and I had a great experience, covering the event (Thanks Bluebox Services and STEP). Let’s hope for a similar feat or perhaps a better placing for this year’s WRO 2015 which will be held in Doha, Qatar.

A total of 177 students from 35 schools competed in the Regular Category, which required participants to build robots for challenges titled Pearl Diving, Treasure Hunt and Mountaineering. The competition was organised by the STEP Centre in collaboration with Bluebox Services and supported by Brunei Economic Development Board together with Sasbadi Holdings Bhd. The guest of honour was Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) Acting CEO Hjh Hasnah Hj Ibrahim.

I was also happy that St. Andrew’s School won in both categories that it participated in (Open category for Primary and Secondary) since it was my former school 😀 Even my friend Heidi is a proud parent as her daughter bagged first place.

The winner of Open category (Year 10 to Year 12) – Team Wise – St. Andrew’s School with Hjh Hasnah Hj Ibrahim, Acting CEO of Brunei Economic Development Board (2nd from right) and Sarah Abu Bakar, Acting Head of the Science, Technology and Environment Partnership (STEP) Centre (right)

2nd place of Open category (Year 10 to Year 12) – SAMSUA Technobot 2.1 – SM Sayyidina Umar Al-Khattab

3rd place of Open category (Year 10 to Year 12) – Unknown Paradox – SM Pg Isteri Hjh Mariam

The winner of Open category (Year 7 to Year 9) – The Oracle – Sekolah Menegah Berakas

2nd place of Open category (Year 10 to Year 12) – SAMSUA Technobot 2.0 – SM Sayyidina Umar Al-Khattab

3rd place of Open category (Year 10 to Year 12) – Robokids – Sekolah Menengah Sayyidina Husin

The winner of Open category (Year 4 to Year 6) – YOLO – St. Andrew’s School

2nd place of Open category (Year 4 to Year 6) – Banaatal-Jazari – Sekolah Persedian Arab

3rd place of Open category (Year 4 to Year 6) – Nafaha Explorer – Sekolah Rendah Junjongan

Winner of the Pearl Diving Category (Primary School) – Srat Diver – Sekolah Rendah Ahmad Tajuddin

Creative award for Pearl Diving – Deceptikons the 7th – Sekolah Rendah Muhammad Alam, Seria

Winner of the Treasure Hunt Category – SMSB’s Huntress – Sekolah Menengah Sufri Bolkiah

Guest of honour inspecting the team from Yayasan School

A demo from Sekolah Menengah Berakas

A demo from SOAS student

Team W.I.S.E from St. Andrew’s School

Julian Fung, BEDB’s Assistant CEO and Head of Infrastructure Development with students from Sekolah Rendah Sengkurong

From Sekolah Rendah Muhammad Alam, Seria

From Sekolah Rendah Sungai Tali

The #McWhopperProposal

Press release from Miami, USA: It’s official. Burger King is extending an olive branch to McDonald’s, calling for a one-day ‘burger wars’ ceasefire on their longstanding rivalry. Burger King proposes that on Peace Day, September 21st, 2015, the two restaurants set aside their differences and unite to create the ‘McWhopper’ – a burger that combines all the tastiest ingredients from their signature sandwiches, the Big Mac® and the WHOPPER®, in one delicious, peace-loving burger.

A detailed exploration of Burger King’s proposal to McDonald’s can be found at www.mcwhopper.com. The ‘McWhopper’ would be available for one-day, a t one location in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A, with the objective of raising awareness of Peace Day. As with any proposal, McDonald’s is free to accept or decline the offer. If they choose not to participate, no harm done – after all, peace isn’t always easy to achieve. Should they say yes, burger fans will get to experience the culinary mash-up of a lifetime, and walk away inspired by the mouthwatering taste of peace.

“Our proposal is designed to generate the most attention and awareness possible for Peace Day and the work of the non-profit organization Peace One Day,” said Fernando Machado, Senior Vice President for Global Brand Management at Burger King Corporation. “We’re being completely transparent with our approach because we want them to take this seriously. It would be amazing if McDonald’s agrees to do this. Let’s make history and generate a lot of noise around Peace Day. If they say no, we’ll hopefully have, at the very least, raised much-needed financial support and consciousness for the great cause that is Peace One Day. And both are well worth the effort.”

Peace Day, September 21st, is a United Nations-recognized annual day of global unity, successfully advocated by the non-profit organization Peace One Day. “Our short term goal is to expose three billion people to Peace Day by 2016. It’s a big target but it’s very possible, particularly with the support of the corporate sector – they have the resources and ability to raise awareness on a massive scale. That awareness creates action, and that action saves lives,” said Jeremy Gilley, founder of Peace One Day.
“This proposal from Burger King is the corporate sector at its best – coming together, putting their differences aside and saying: ‘come on; let’s do something to manifest a more peaceful, sustainable world’.”

For more information, visit www.mcwhopper.com and www.peaceoneday.org. End of press release.

On that note, it’s up to Makan Ceria Sdn Bhd (the business operator of McDonald’s Brunei) to respond on this particular press release (since Burger King is not allowed to approach). We shall see if such proposal will be materialised and it will definitely be a win-win situation for the consumers 😀 Now it’s just the waiting game from McDonald’s Brunei. Let’s make history. Furthermore, let’s make history in Brunei.

The McWhopper Packaging Proposal