Click image to download application form

 

Click image to enter Radisson Facebook page for updates!!

 

Click image to enter website

 

Come down to KB this weekend for the travel fair

 

I’m still saddened by the news of the Tawau ordeal. The students and lecturers returned safely at Brunei International Airport yesterday and it was a very emotional atmosphere for the students and families. However, on a sadder note, the body of Muhd Azizan bin Mohd Sidek, a second year Bachelor of Science (Major in Geology) student from UBD, was found 5 km away from the scene at Sg. Balung, Tawau, Sabah. His body was flown back on a Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) CN235 Aircraft which arrived at the Royal Brunei Air Force Base in Kg. Rimba last night along with the family members.

The search still continues for the other missing student with the help of Sabah police and fire personnel as of press time. According to the press, Brunei’s Consulate General in Sabah was also there to monitor the search and rescue efforts and also taking care of the welfare of the students and lecturers then.

For your info, the 1:15 second video that has been circulated around does not relate to the Tawau incident. The actual video is taken from Patalpani waterfall which happened back in 2011. So peeps, please don’t spreading news or information that is untrue.

The atmosphere yesterday after the arrival of the UBD students and lecturers as they reunited with their families at Brunei International Airport. Image courtesy of Hakim Hayat.

The press conference held yesterday on the Tawau situation

Today I read the papers from Borneo Bulletin which had an account told from a survivor Siti Lieyana Md Azffri. She’s now being treated for minor injuries and she had an in-depth interview with Danial Norjidi of Borneo Bulletin.

So do bear with me as the words below are spoken from Siti Lieyana herself, extracted from today’s article in Sunday Bulletin.

“When we arrived and were still on the bus, we noticed the grey skies and hence, prepared our raincoats. I did not bring mine along and only wore my tudong and normal clothes.

“Since it was the last day of our trip, I became extra active. I walked at the front line with a friend who also got swept away by the currents. Twenty-eight of us were divided into groups so those in the first group ended up being swept away. We noticed that to cross the river, we had to pass through a forest amid the light showers. Making our own tracks, we followed our lecturers, Dr Bill and Binu from Sabah.”

“Half of the group gave up and returned to the bus. The rest of us, however, decided to complete the journey as we were close to our destination. All of us were in a joyful mood especially after coming across a Diarite, a volcanic rock. “As we crossed the river, rocks were still visible on the leftcorner. It was deemed safe to cross, as the other side of the river was deep. Our lecturers began their explanation as we took pictures and videos. On our way back, we realised that the once-visible rocks had submerged underwater.

“To resolve the predicament, the boys held hands to form a ‘bridge’ to ferry the girls across first. I was the second last and the other five to six girls managed to safely cross the river except us.

“When my turn came along with my friend, the water had risen from knee-level to our stomachs, very quickly. I was about a step or two away when the girl behind me slipped and fell down.

“Dr Bill asked me not to let her go. He held onto her so we slipped as well. Tragedy struck soon after as Binu, the Sabah lecturer who was hanging on to Dr Bill fell into the waters. Another person tried to save me but got swept away by the strong currents too.

“I was stuck between the rocks but then a friend pulled me down as we were both trying to help each other. I held on to another guy, and he also fell as well. Hence, there were three guys on the rock who had not crossed yet.

“We had nowhere to go, so we just stood there waiting.

“Then one of them said, ‘Okay, I don’t know how to swim, you have to help me if anything.

“The events after that became blurry as I had already fallen into the waters. My fellow friends said I fell at a deep spot and couldn’t feel the river bed due to its depth.

At this point, I hung on to dear life and tried to breathe amidst the strong currents that spun and pulled me underwater. I tried to reach the surface but kept going back into the waters up to a point where I gave up. I waited to black out and prepared for the worst but somehow, I felt something on my hands and my survival instincts told me to pull the piece of wood or branch-like thing.

“I used the ‘wood’ as support to climb out but eventually fell down. I probably attempted it five times before finally managing to climb back onto land. After reaching the river bank, I almost fainted, but told myself, ‘I can’t just stay there because no one will find me’ and it was almost getting dark.

She then repeatedly shouted for help for quite some time, in the hopes that someone would hear her. A young man then appeared and asked, “Buat apa di sini? (What are you doing here?)” and I said, “Saya hanyut (I got washed away)”.

“I immediately told him my name, age and that I was from Brunei. I told him I was about to faint.”

He then took Lieyana to a house where he lived with his parents.

The Health Minister paid a visit to see Siti Lieyana Md Azffri. Image taken from Sunday Bulletin.

The river that they were crossing. Image taken from Sunday Bulletin.

“His mother took me inside, helped me shower, changed my clothes and made me some hot drinks and even cooked cucur pisang (banana fritters) for me to eat.

“Their son, who first found me, had to buy credit for his phone so we could use it. So I just waited and when he came back, I used his phone to call my mum and told her what had happened and assured her I was safe.”

She explained that her ‘rescuers’ are the only family living there. They have an orchard and are immigrants from Bugis but are Muslims.

“I was very blessed to have met them,” she said The kind family took care of her, told her to rest and assured they would find one of the rescuers to help her.

It was an hour or two before a rescuer came as the place was isolated and a far distance from where the incident had occurred.

“I asked his mother how far away I was, and she said 30-40 minutes walking distance. “I said I couldn’t walk that far and she suggested going by motorbike as it would be faster. After 7pm, it was really dark and one of the rescuers took me on his motorbike and crossed these hills before we finally reached a road.

“We then met up with the Fire Department at a roundabout and from there, they took me all the way to the location where I met up with the rest of my group.

“It was really scary,” Siti said and she was thankful to have survived. Source: Danial Norjidi of Borneo Bulletin.

Dermot Mannion, Deputy Chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines at the Royal Brunei Airlines booth at 8th Belait Travel Fair at Dewan Bandaran (KB)

Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) and Abacus Brunei successfully launched the 8th Belait Travel which took place at Dewan Bandaran in Kuala Belait yesterday. Today will be the final day of the travel fair which saw a huge flow of crowd early in the morning. Ironically KB had to undergo a scheduled power cut for most of the day but thanks to the generator, the travel agents were able to make flight arrangements through the Abacus system.

Yesterday the event was officially launched by Dermot Mannion, Deputy Chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines, and he proudly announced the increase of flights to KL to 14 flights a week, effective 22nd May 2013. double daily flights will be departing Bandar Seri Begawan at 9am and 6.10pm every day, arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 11.15am and 8.25pm respectively. The return flights will depart KLIA at 12.45pm and 9.10pm, and arrive in Bandar Seri Begawan at 3.15pm and 11.30pm respectively.

According to Mannion, the announcement marked another important milestone in the development of RB’s services around the region. Yesterday RB also announced a special deal where you can fly to KL for only BND 222 (all-in) but the special air fare was only applicable for yesterday’s booking.

I just bought my air fare tickets to Singapore for my March (Russell Peters) and May (Sundown Marathon) and the prices were fairly reasonable too. So do come down to Dewan Bandaran in Kuala Belait as today is the final day of the travel fair. Do drive safe too 😀

Jenny was the emcee yesterday and Happy Birthday to you which falls today 😀

Dermot Mannion announced the 14 flights to KL starting 22nd May

He officiated the launch of the travel fair

Tourism Malaysia also participated in the exhibition and they are happy of the increased flights to KL

The guys from Darussalam Holdings working hard

One of the customers playing darts to claim Royal Skies points

He managed to get a 1,000+ Royal Skies points

It was pretty packed early in the morning

Fina taking advantage of the promotional fare. Happy flying :p

Great privileges for Baiduri Cardholders too

Radisson Brunei have special deals during school holiday and the room rates are worth to check out

Mizah was excited to win prizes from the quiz yesterday

Those who booked or purchased tickets are eligible for the lucky draw

Sometimes I won’t be drawn to price gimmicks. The electronic display of prices doesn’t include tax for your info.

The organisers’ life saviour yesterday – the generator

 

 

Click image to enter Radisson Facebook page for updates!!

 

 

Click image to enter website

 

Come down to KB this weekend for the travel fair

RA says Yea… the Ugly Truth is back.. There have been many, many unfortunate incidents in Brunei and I just dunno where to start. Nonetheless I’m still grateful that we are still living in a much more peaceful environment as compared to other countries. Let’s hope all these incidents are just phases as they have been happening from day to day basis.

The mystery of the “cement case” is still under investigation where one Malaysian national was found dead. The authorities are working on the case and it will be concluded in a few weeks’ time. The cause of death is still being determined.

Then recently a robbery took place at The Mall, Gadong which involved two staff (from a popular franchise food outlet) being injured. There was a crime scene tape outside The Mall but it only lasted less than 24 hours. The case is still under investigation.

The following day, another tragic news happened. A lady lost her life in the vicinity of Jerudong and some said the elephant, residing in the JPCC Housing Area, might lead to her death. Yet another unfortunate incident and the actual cause of it is still undetermined based on reports on the paper. My deepest condolences to the family.

Last night, two more shocking news where one is on high alert as the respective personnels are in search for two representatives from UBD who went missing on Sungai Balung, near Tawau, Sabah. Apparently four representatives of the 29 on boat fell into the river but only two were rescued. As of now, the search still continues for the missing ones. I pray for the safety of those missing.

In other news, a car caught on fire before midnight near the airport highway. News were also spreading like wildfire on whatsapp, twitter and facebook. I heard there was no casualty but I can’t confirm on that. According to a witness, he couldn’t see anyone around the scene but there were a pile of cars parked by the road to witness the fire itself. It also caused a queue along the highway too.

So peeps, these are some of the unfortunate incidents that have happened in the country (and some in the span of a few days). I hope the slide won’t keep going down in terms of unfortunate situations. As for now, I hope for the search of the missing representatives will be successful and thank you to His Majesty’s Government for allowing to send five officers from UBD and the families of the 4 representatives to Sabah through Royal Brunei Airlines BI 829 last night and thank you to Royal Brunei Airlines for the convenience and accessibility.

For a happier note, I’m happy that b•mobile communications is back in business. The petition of winding-up the mobile telco that was initiated by TelBru in early February has been dismissed. And the new interesting development is the Ministry of Finance which is now involved in the management and overseeing the operations of b•mobile communications. MOF have also appointed an Executive Manager to play a role in b•mobile communications day-to-day operations.

After going through some tough times, it’s safe to say that b•mobile is back and I salute to the associates of b•mobile who have been there through thick and thin and have that self-belief in the company through difficult times. Do check out their upcoming promotion soon and I shall keep you posted on that too.

I still have a few things that I would like to express but I’m just gonna give it a rest for now. It’s not easy to just dig deep in my thoughts and express what I feel like saying. Right now my mind is pretty clouded and my eyes are drooping too *lol* and I have a two hour drive in the next few hours or so for the upcoming 8th Belait Travel Fair. I need my beauty rest and that’s it for now from me 😀

One of the angles of the car that caught on fire on the highway. Image courtesy of @mnewn

The fire caused a long jam by midnight. The fire image courtesy of @kurapak360.

 

What a goal by Hougang’s Shotton late in the first half. He canceled Shahrazen’s opening goal. Half time score 1-1.

The crowd wasn’t as much but it’s not bad for the first home game of the season. Mind you for all ticket holders, you might stand a chance to win the grand prize which is the Volkswagen Polo sponsored by Maju Motors Sdn. Bhd.

The medics on the job for the match

The personal medic for the Singapore clubs

This glancing header from Shahrazen made it 3-1 for DPMM FC in the 61st minute. However, the celebration was shortlived.

I never realised the corner flags are in DPMM FC colours

What a save by the defender!! He was on the goal line but some argued that he used his arm to prevent the ball past the goal line. I thought it was courageous of him to quickly dive down and deflected the ball for a corner. It could have been 4-1 to DPMM FC.

This was a heavily contest match between the two teams

At this time, Ivan was fouled in the box and a penalty was given. Hougang had already pulled back a goal to 3-2.

The foul in the box warranted a yellow card to a Hougang defender and apparently both coaches weren’t impressed with some of the decisions

DPMM bench was shocked that Shahrazen missed a penalty and also a chance to claim his first hat-trick of the season. Shahrazen’s effort was saved and it could have been 4-2 for DPMM FC. Two minutes later, Hougang’s Sulaiman scored the equaliser 3-3. Wow!!

The referee consulted the linesman and gave the penalty to DPMM FC again for the second time

Captain Meng of Hougang United was sent off for the foul on DPMM FC’s Joao in the box

The peace maker tried to control the reaction from his team mates of Hougang towards the referee’s decision

Since Shahrazen missed the earlier penalty, Ivan was given the opportunity. However, his effort was saved by Fadhil. In this picture, Ivan refused to shake hand with a Hougang player (smiling) before the penalty kick and perhaps that changed their luck when Fadhil saved his effort.

Though DPMM FC’s new import player Joao scored his first goal, it remains to be seen if he is the right man to partner Shahrazen

Late in the game, Joao was fouled in the box but his appeal for a penalty wasn’t successful

I took this shot because I was amazed by the moon in the distant *lol*

Simunic was the unhappier of the two and he blamed the referee for not giving more penalties. Hougang’s coach was more than happy to earn a point.

Click image to enter Radisson Facebook page for updates!!

 

Click image to enter website

Come down to KB this weekend for the travel fair

It was yearly thing where His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam celebrated the Lunar New Year with the other members of the Royal Family and the Brunei Chinese community yesterday at Indera Samudra Grand Hall, The Empire Hotel and Country Club. Usually there will be a 1,000 in attendance for this special occasion and there were performances from students from respective schools and also a solo performance by the well known local singer Pei-Pei.

This time, I didn’t stay till the end as I had other events to attend. Enjoy the pictures though I didn’t take much either. Thumbs up to the organisers and also the performers for making the event running smoothly.

 

Catch DPMM FC tonight against Hougang United at Hassanal Bolkiah Stadium

Tonight’s the night when DPMM FC take on Hougang United at the Hassanal Bolkiah Stadium and this is a must win for DPMM FC if they want to establish themselves as title contenders. Last season DPMM FC finished runner-up in the S•League competition and it’s an awesome feat, considering DPMM FC not being active competitively for two years.

It will also be a true testament on how the local players gel with the foreign mix. Hougang is a different outfit now compared to last season, though DPMM FC did score a double of them last season. Hougang United had a winning start to their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Courts Young Lions. DPMM FC only managed a valuable away point against strong opposition Home United.

Dino Drpic, DPMM FC latest signing import, who was nursing an injury should be back in the starting line-up. Santos, the only import to be re-signed by DPMM FC, is still recovering and he should be back in two to three weeks. DPMM FC will rely on Joao (Portuguese striker) and Shahrazen Said for goals. Pressure will be on Joao to deliver as many are expected for him to shine and build a strong partnership with Shahrazen.

So peeps.. Do catch DPMM FC tonight (kick off 8:15pm) and let’s give our support to our local club.. My prediction: 2-0 victory to DPMM FC.

Jimbo, Bobby and Shahrazen fired up for tonight’s game

Santos still recovering and he won’t be starting tonight

Yay!! My pass is ready 😀

 

Don’t be surprised if you see representatives from Rennovo Solutions Sdn Bhd come knocking on your door next week. They have been appointed by The Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) to conduct survey on ICT related questions. Not to worry that not all households will go through this process as there will be a random selection.

The survey will be carried out from 4th March to 17th March and the questions will be bi-lingual (Malay and English) and the procedure will last between 10 to 12 minutes.

The survey will be conducted soon

Recently the Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) and Rennovo Solutions Sdn. Bhd. held a signing ceremony for the consultancy services to perform the household ICT survey project. This is the second survey to be conducted after the first one back in 2010.

The objective of the project is to perform a survey to gather a set of ICT related data within the households in Brunei Darussalam. This survey shall provide data on the basic indicators of the ICT situation in households, its trends and usage.With this survey, it shall facilitate an assessment and monitoring of the extent to which the Bruneian households have access to ICT and its related facilities.

The first phase of the project will involve the design of questionnaire that are ICT related according to the International Telecommunity Union (ITU) standards.

The ceremony was officiated with the signing of the contract between Awg Hj Yahkup bin Hj Menudin, Chief Executive of AITI, and Awg Haji Sapawi bin Bolhassan, the Chairman of Rennovo Solutions Sdn. Bhd. The ceremony was held at the AITI office in Anggerek Desa.

Haji Sapawi bin Bolhassan, the Chairman of Rennovo Solutions Sdn. Bhd with Hj Yahkup bin Hj Menudin, Chief Executive of AITI

Group photo with AITI and Rennovo Solutions Sdn. Bhd.

 

Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam Berhad (BIBD) today, via their Wealth Management Unit (WMU), continued their series of Financial Literacy and Planning Talks in their efforts to raise financial awareness amongst the public. BIBD’s own Chartered Financial Consultant and qualified Islamic Financial Planner, WMU Manager, Hjh Isnora Minudin, delivered the financial literacy talk to some 200 new officers and staff from the Ministry of Finance and its Departments at the Theatre Hall of the Ministry of Finance Building.

The series progresses to a different audience such as students from the secondary schools, the public from the government as well as private sectors were addressed of the importance of financial planning. This was in order to maximise the reach of these talks as an awareness tool for the public to better their understanding of the requirements for proper financial planning for their financial well-being and security.

This initiative was also to promote the dissemination of information to the public regarding their awareness on financial literacy and planning. Hjh Isnora conveyed that financial planning is a process which helps to reach your dreams through proper financial management. She also shared a few tips in debt control and steps on how to start financial planning. With this awareness on how important financial planning is, one can be responsible without depending on others. She further stressed that every dream requires financial planning, including raising a family, getting their dream home, planning for their children’s education as well as their retirement, on top of helping to build their wealth over time.

Generally, financial planning is about preparing for our future, which can be done by making better informed money management decisions now. There are many tools available that assist in achieving the financial security that everyone desires. Therefore, there must be a shift in the way Bruneian think and highlight the importance of planning. BIBD aims to provide this by teaching, informing and providing solutions with simple explanations. As explained, being financially stable does not only mean having enough money today, but also for tomorrow and the years to come.

Hjh Isnora Minudin, the Wealth Management Unit (WMU) of BIBD, delivered financial literacy talk

 

 

 

Ok, the poster might not be updated (due to more partners involved) but just some information on Bike Week

Get your helmets ready! The Independent Motorcycle Club, in collaboration with Cityneon Brunei, is organising the third Brunei Bike Week at Jerudong Park Amphitheatre and Gardens.

The event, to be held from March 1 (today) to March 3, will see bike enthusiasts from around the region participate in a range of motorcycle-related activities, such as motorcycle custom shows, track races, and an “Ol Skol VS New Skol” car show, among others.

According to Independent Motorcycle Club President Pg Azmanishah Pg Hj Abd Rahman, who is also the chairman of the organising committee of Brunei Bike Week, the event is being organised to promote travel and tourism in Brunei Darussalam, and offers participants an extended weekend getaway filled with plenty of sun, beaches, jungles and hills.

Brunei Bike Week is an annual event that started two years ago. This year, the theme is “Unity Through Diversity”, and a diversity of bikers from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates have been confirmed to attend.

The three-day event will kick off from 2.30pm on Friday, and is open from 10am to 10pm on the following Saturday and Sunday.

Other activities of interest at Brunei Bike Week include cultural shows, a reptile show, a club showcase and performances by local artistes. Text courtesy of Ikhwan Salleh of The Brunei Times.

Reptile House will be participating as well. Image courtesy of Nabil.

Guess who’s the emcee for the third year running? Dj Dafy himself

Sound check for today’s event

Guess who’s on the Bike Week too – @pvintajcupcakes and @wondermamabn

Check out Lyn D Tattooist at Booth No.11 or if you are lost, you can text them on 890 2013. Image courtesy of Lyn D Tattooist.

the exclusive Brunei 3rd bike Week goodie bag! T-shirt, pin, keychain, sticker & BBQ ticket for BND48.00! Image courtesy of Nabil.

Click image to enter Radisson Facebook page for updates!!

 

Come down to KB this weekend for the travel fair

This time it won’t be at OGDC. It will be located at KB instead at the Dewan Bandaran in Kuala Belait. The 8th Belait Travel Fair is co-organised by Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) and Abacus Brunei and it will be held on 2nd and 3rd March 2013. This means you won’t be getting any promotions from other airlines with the exception of Royal Brunei Airlines (RB).

A press conference was held yesterday afternoon chaired by Abd Halim Hj Abd Rahman, Sales and Marketing Manager of Abacus Brunei. He said that Abacus Brunei is happy once again to work with Royal Brunei Airlines and he also thanked the supporting travel agents namely Anthony Tours, Century Travel, Freme Travel, Southern Cross Travel Agency, Darussalam Holdings and Pan Bright Travel Services will be participating in the 8th Belait Travel Fair.

Abacus Brunei will be providing 20 Abacus terminals for the six Abacus-connected travel agents during the two-day travel fair. According to Joan Lim, Head of Commercial of Royal Brunei Airlines, said that there will be fantastic prizes for those who purchased tickets during the fair. They stand a chance to win a flight to Melbourne or Hong Kong or KL.

Evelyn Ang, Sales Manager of Royal Brunei Airlines, didn’t spare much details on the fare promotion and she encouraged readers to come and visit the travel fair in KB this weekend. She did share that you can buy tickets in advance especially those not during the peak season. Another great promotional deal is the upgrade for KL, Jakarta and Bangkok sector where you just need to add $99 for a business class seat (one way only). Another great promotion from RB is the London December flight which is $1500++

According to Jamilah Abdul Halim, Director of Tourism Malaysia, there will be a few great deals on F1 packages for those F1 lovers. You can also enquire during the travel fair from travel agents (Pan Bright and Century Travel).

So peeps… Do pen down these dates 😀

Dato Jack Ting, Managing Director of Cityneon Displays and Constructions Sdn Bhd, Abd Halim Hj Abd Rahman, Sales and Marketing Manager of Abacus Brunei, Irene Soon, General Manager of Abacus Brunei, Joan Lim, Head of Commercial of Royal Brunei Airlines and Evelyn Ang, Sales Manager of Royal Brunei Airlines

Evelyn Ang, Sales Manager of Royal Brunei Airlines, tight lipped about the promotional fares and encouraged the public to visit the Belait Travel Fair

 

Click image to enter website

The Circus Firemen and Trick Ponies will entertaining the public in Brunei from 27th March to 2nd April at the Indoor Stadium. This event is brought to you by Forevershine Events, Media and Management Services and also Rakan Tiga Media.

So what can you expect from this show? Well, you will be able to witness a highly skilful comedic acrobatic action. The team is composed of Balancing, Juggling and Comedy Specialists Joshua Phillips and Idris Stanton; Teeter Totter, Hand stands and Tempo Acrobatics expert Vince van Berkel; German Wheel and Duo Trapeze Specialist Hannah Cryle;  Rola Bola and Trapeze Specialist Caz Walsh; and Aerial Ring, Trapeze and Hoops artist Kali Retallack. All members of the Circus team are from Australia.

Along the way, the organisers have brought in new partners for the event. As of late, DST is now an official partner and Kristal FM is the official radio of the event. The official hotel will be The Orchid Garden Hotel where the artistes will be staying and of course, Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) as the official airline carrier for bringing the performers from Melbourne and back. S-Team Solutions is the exclusive marketing partner and there is also support from Brunei Tourism Development Department.

The Circus Firemen performance in Australia

Forevershine Office, DST Counters (for specific dates only @ Tanjung Bunut, Yayasan, Giant, Tutong and KB), The Orchid Garden Hotel, Deejay Home Video Branches (The Mall and Abdul Razak Holdings, Tanjung Bunut, Serusop, and Times Square), Fabrica Interior (Gadong Property, Beribi, Kiarong and Kuala Belait), Fitness Zone, All Giant Branches, All Soon Lee Branches, Supa Save Mabohai Branch, Bossini (Mabohai and Kiulap) Utama Grand, and West Park at the Mall.

An added treat is the chance for viewers to win an Ipad.  There will be a lucky draw at the end of each show where a lucky viewer can a get a chance to win a 4thGeneration Ipad. Terms and conditions apply. 

For more details and bookings, please call Forevershine EMMS at 265-5208 or 879-9055,  S Teams Solutions at 234-5999 or 889-7999. You can also book online at www.forevershinebrunei.com and get updates on Facebook – Forevereshine EMMS.

 

8

 

One of the model houses at Subok. Click image to enter website

It’s always a dream for me to own a home one day. This for me is more important than perhaps getting a new car though my friends kept insisting I invest in a new car *lol* Anyway, it’s good to see another project from Rumaku Real Estate who will be launching a new upcoming unique residential development known as Impian.

Some of the pictures below are from several locations such as Kilanas, Subok, Jln Muara and Serasa. There’s an option as well if you want a complete kitchen which comes with a warranty period. In actual fact, all Impian home owners will receive a 2 year warranty period from the day the occupational permit is granted.

With such warranty, this will the first of its kind for private residential developments. This shows the high quality of the respective homes under the Impian project.

You might be discouraged by the overall price tag of residential homes in general but Rumahku will provide a better pricing structure (do contact them for more details 8722 249 or 875 3330) and the price range starts from BND 257,000. They will also be providing after sales service during the construction period right through to the end of the warranty period. Awesome!!

For your info, the Impian project will be launched on the 9th and 10th March at The Empire Hotel & Country Club from 9am to 6pm. Do check out their website www.impianbrunei.com for further details.

A model home along Jln Muara

A sample view of the family area

A sample view of the dining area

 

Stunning performances by an art troupe from China entertained the crowd at Jerudong Park Amphitheatre last week.

“Cultures of China, Festival Of Spring”, a large-scale cultural performance showcased a number of China’s highly skilled artiste delighting the crowd with songs, dances, a puppet show and other displays of unique skills.

The event was jointly organised by the People’s Republic of China Embassy in Brunei Darussalam, China Overseas Exchange Association, and Guang Xi Overseas Exchange Association and the Hockian Association, Brunei Darussalam.

Prior to the highlights of the night, the People’s Republic of China Ambassador to Brunei, His Excellency Zheng Xianglin, gave a speech.

In his speech, he he hoped that through this cultural exchange, cooperation and friendship between Brunei Darussalam and China will continue to blossom.

This was followed by a speech from The Head of Art Troupe, Feng Zuhua, who expressed his appreciation to be given the chance to perform a list of traditional Chinese performance in Brunei, especially for all celebrating Chinese New Year.

According to an official from China Embassy, 400 VIP seats for special guests and 2000 seats for the public, which was on a first-come-first-serve basis were prepared for the event.

Present at the event was Deputy Defence Minister Dato Paduka Hj Mustappha Hj Sirat and his spouse, Deputy Minister of Culture Youth and Sports Datin Hjh Adina Othman, the Chairman of HockianAssociation Brunei, Lim Han Chiong. Text courtesy of Mei Fung Lee of The Brunei Times

 

A new rising star in the making – Yursina Abdullah – has been making waves with her home-based jewellery which she started a year ago and recently Yusrina celebrated Enya Bijoux first anniversary held at Riverview Poolside. The anniversary event was to mark a milestone as well as appreciating Enya Bijoux’ customers for their support.

I love her idea on making home made jewellery and I shall be interviewing her pretty soon on her Enya Bijoux journey. Oh for those who wants to see her finished product (and they are beautifully gorgeous), just check @enyabijoux on instagram or if you don’t have instagram, then you can view her collections here :)) Sorry I couldn’t make it to your event. Images courtesy of Aiman Besar.

Yusrina Abdullah, founder of @enyabijoux (right) with her invited guests during the anniversary

 

A few more days left

In conjunction with celebrating our Brunei Darussalam’s 29th National Day 2013, they are conducting their first 2013 Instagram competition to celebrate and honour our history and heritage through means of Instagram.

Theme: Yellow & Black

Official Hash-Tag of the BRUNIKA National Day Instagram Competition: #kuninghitam2013

Prize: The Top FOUR (4) finalists will win one (1) pack of iPhone App Fridge Magnets each.

Please take note of the following rules:

1⃣ This competition is open to all local and permanent residents of Brunei Darussalam of any age and are based and living in Brunei only.

2⃣ You can submit as many photos as you like (old and new) from 21st February to 1st March 2013.

The closing date for the BRUNIKA National Day Instagram Competition: Friday 1st March 2013 at 4:00PM.

3⃣ The Top FOUR (4) Winners will be announced by BRUNIKA and will be contacted individually via their Instagram account with further instructions on how to claim their prize(s).

4⃣ Photo must NOT express any forms of profanity, sexual and/or racist elements. Image must NOT incite religious hatred and/or phrases that may be deemed inappropriate to other races.

5⃣ BRUNIKA reserves the right to reuse any photo that are submitted to the official hash tag of the BRUNIKA National Day Instagram Competition #kuninghitam2013

6⃣ BRUNIKA shall determine winner eligibility in its sole and absolute discretion. Decisions made by the judges are final and no forms of communications will be entertained at any time during the judging of the winner.

One Love, One Community.

Image courtesy of @momoh360

Image courtesy of @tiniest_smurf

Image courtesy of @ninahasnani

Image courtesy of @raffiyy

Image courtesy of @naimamirul

The 8th Belait Travel Fair this March. Click image to check out updates on Facebook.

 

Dato Paduka Haji Awang Alaihuddin, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Communications and Hj Yahkup, Chief Executive of AITI, with the grant recipients standing behind. Congratulations!!

The Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) recently held a grant award ceremony for four successful recipients of the “AITI GRANT for Development of Local ICT and Digital Media Industries”.

The event took place at Seri Kerna Hall of AITI Building in Kg. Anggerek Desa and was officiated with the contract signing between Awang Haji Yahkup bin Haji Menudin, Chief Executive of AITI and all four (4) grant recipients, namely Awangku Mohd Khairi bin Pengiran Haji Metusin of PHMD Publishing Company, Tien Kai Ping of SocialBuzz Advertising, Haji Kairulazhar bin Haji Rosli of Cinematicpro Services and Haji Suhardi bin Haji Suhaimi of Media Hikmah.

This important event was witnessed by the Guest of Honor, Yang Mulia Dato Paduka Haji Awang Alaihuddin bin Pehin Orang Kaya DiGadong Seri Lela Dato Seri Utama Haji Awg Mohammad Taha, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications who is also the Chairman of AITI; Yang Mulia Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Yusof, Members of Authority of AITI and representatives from various stakeholders from the ICT and digital media industries.

PHMD Publishing Company was granted with B$152,000 for their “Salam Halal” project which is an enhancement of its Salam Halal Verification and Tracking System using Augmented Reality Technology.

Meanwhile, SocialBuzz Advertising was awarded with B$198,000 for their project called “The Gigland”. It is a unique project on global geo-location based online marketplace for buyers and sellers of online mini/micro services. Their product will be made available on website, mobile apps and as a Facebook application.

The third successful recipient was Cinematicpro Services with grant of B$66,640 for the business to develop and produce a 3D animation trailer for “Sam, the Inventorbot”.

Media Hikmah was the last recipient who received B$48,160 for their 3D animation trailer “The Little Warrior”.

Guests witnessing the signing ceremony for the grant recipients

Mr. Hiro of Socialbuzz Advertising receiving the grant from Hj Yakhup, Chief Executive of AITI

Media Hikmah receiving the grant from Hj Yakhup, Chief Executive of AITI

One of the grant recipients

Since its inception in 2010, AITI has, to date, awarded grant to eight local ICT businesses for development of products ranging from various ICT solutions, digital animation and e-learning, with an overall amount of B$1.2 million funded under the 9th National Development Plan. These recipients are MARS Enterprise, Crescent Sdn Bhd, John Harith Technology Sdn Bhd, Alif Technologies Sdn Bhd, BruGPS Technologies Sdn Bhd, Syarikat Indah Sejahtera Development and Services Sdn Bhd, ZimacSilicon Technologies Sdn Bhd and Ambuyart Animations Company.

According to the Chief Executive of AITI in his opening remarks, “For this round of grant application, we have expanded our scope of financial assistance to cover not only ICT but also the digital multimedia area, as we see there are also equal needs to support the development of local contents for Brunei especially in the area of creative digital multimedia.” He further added that AITI has received 21 applications and shortlisted 9 of them.  The project proposals were evaluated based on four main criteria; technical merits, commercial potential, financial resources, project plan and capacity to deliver. Further evaluation also emphasized on Brunei-Made elements of the proposed product.

AITI’s Grant was initiated to assist the local ICT companies to further develop their ICT products and encourage Research and Development activities and capabilities in producing local innovative Brunei Made products with commercial potential through Government funding.

There are four types of AITI GRANT that an applicant can apply, namely:

1. Product Development  – for developing prototypes or concept testing;
2. Product Enhancement – for improving and upgrading existing products;
3. Product Ownership – for obtaining certification and quality management systems; and
4. Product Marketing Grant – for marketing and improving existing packaging, design or labeling.

The Grant amount varies depending on the type of Grant applied and the classification of the business. Each applicant is allowed to apply for more than one Grant type for the same product within two years’ project duration.
 
I’m not sure when is the next batch for application. It could be in the later half of the year. For more details and guidelines about the AITI Grant Scheme, information is available for download at AITI’s website www.aiti.gov.bn/AITIGRANT, and for further enquiries, interested parties can contact Ms Farihah Haji Md Said or the ICT Industry Development Group at 2323232 (during office hours).

One of the previous grant recipients, BruGPS showing his progress from the grant
 

One of the most successful rising star in the past year and now he’s concentrating on his new project, Gigland
 

The Salam Halal project should be very interesting too. Can’t wait!!

 

Last Sunday, Brunei Hot Wheel lovers organised the first Die-cast exhibition and there were 14 vendors who participated in the event. It was also another great avenue to showcase the talents of Die-Cast enthusiasts. I missed the event but thanks to Hadi Iskandar and the organiser, Zulhazmi Azhan for the pictures. Let’s hope for more of these events in the near future.

One of the custom made models to commemorate Brunei Darussalam’s 29th National Day.

The organisers of Die-Cast exhibition

 

Printer development is showing no signs of slowing down in the technology-savvy Brunei market as Concepts Computers continues to introduce new models of its Epson range of all-in-one printers to compete with third-party alternatives. It unveiled the Epson L550, an all-in-one original integrated ink tank system printer, which will go on sale in the consumer and business markets in Brunei.

Amidst the influx of external ink printers on the market over the years, the shop, which distributes Epson-branded printers, is hoping the L550 printer will bring back customers that have been looking at third-party solutions.

Zul Abdul Rahman, the marketing executive at Concepts, said the L550 is Epson’s answer to years of defective third-party ink tank modifications to its printers.

“In the past, we normally discouraged the use of external ink printers because they will easily ruin the printer, but now Epson has made it safe and affordable,” he said.

Zul said manufacturers would continue to improve on printers by introducing cost-efficient solutions so that they remain relevant to the market.

For a long time, consumers have considered printer ink cartridges to be expensive, which led many to turn to third-party ink tank refill solutions.

The Epson L550 will be selling for $418, inclusive of six 70ml bottles of original ink.

Zul said the low cost of consumables $10 per bottle and with an expected print yield of 4,000 pages ensured low-cost high-volume printing.

“We believe our customers will be very happy with the $10 price tag we put on these original ink bottles,” he added.

While the industry is going paperless with the advent of digital documents and digital publishing, Zul said the printer market was still going strong in Brunei, particularly in the education sector where students were still required to produce hard copies of their project work.

“There is still strong demand here. We constantly replenish our stock of black inks as students keep coming back to buy them,” Zul said.

Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer and Zul Abdual Rahman, Marketing Executive of Concepts Computer displaying the new Epson printers

The most cost effective printer – Epson L550 – and very ideal for SMEs

Vincent Pao, Concepts general manager, said sales of Epson-branded printers from his store had been very good over the years due to the brand’s value-for-money price point.

Its previous printer, the Epson L210, the first to introduce the original ink tank system, has sold over 1,000 units in Brunei, Pao said.

The shop yesterday also launched two new Epson laser printers, the $338 AcuLaster C1700 colour laser printer for home and small office users, and the high-end $668 Aculaser CX17N for medium and large enterprises.

Replacement toners for the printers cost $98 per cartridge per colour.

With the launch of the new printers, Pao said that Epson and Concepts would be expanding its range to offer wider selections of printers to cater to schools and businesses looking to chose the most suitable model for their low-cost printing needs in Brunei.

“Epson is not only catering to the needs of everyday users but also to the needs of SMEs. This will ensure that Epson will have a high market range when it comes to choices so that customers can perfectly purchase a printer exactly to their needs,” Pao said.

“Printers that offer big savings is the key point that we are trying to share, and we hope local SMEs understand what Concepts Computer and Epson have to offer.” Text courtesy of Al-Haadi Abu Bakar of The Brunei Times.

Click image to enter Radisson Facebook page for updates!!

 

Click image to enter official website and book tickets online

 

The 8th Belait Travel Fair this March. Click image to check out updates on Facebook.

 

Traffic lights will be in operational soon according to Eddie Dato Paduka Hj Sunny, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Development. Reviews have been mixed according to comments on my social media platforms.

Hmmmmm this is a tough answer for such a question.. Everyone has their own views on this and we won’t actually know until it has been implemented. This will be the first time that a traffic light will be operational on a three-lane roundabout.. The ones in Beribi and Berakas seemed to work though those are only two lanes.

My prediction will be that these traffic lights at the Kiulap roundabout will be operational during peak hours. There have been many motorists who have misused the use of the big roundabout and even having constant awareness doesn’t help.

I have seen people’s complain about congestions on the road. However, let me point out that the traffic congestion is not as bad as other countries and I do appreciate the country we are living in. Road congestions doesn’t last more than an hour (max) which is still acceptable but still can be improved. What I’m more concerned is the road conditions such as uneven roads and pot holes in some populated areas.

Of course, we have to think ahead of the future.. Having wider roads or fly-overs would be useful in the next 5 to 10 years given the rate of population of cars increasing time after time. So peeps, if you want to share your comments, do click here or here.

Some of the comments from my instagram. Click image to read more.

 

Offers ends on 15th March 2013

 

Love this capture. Click the image and check out Brunei Times Extra on their in-depth coverage of the National Day. Awesome pictures too. Image taken from bruneitimesextra.com/national-day-2013

 

I present to you the ladies that made it possible for the Wing-It event last weekend – @muffinsparadisebrunei @pvintajcupcakes @wingitbrunei @sweet_as_sara @wondermanabn

All you need is great food, good branding and an instagram and of course, this must follow with good customer service. The food business is always a growing industry despite the small market or volume and some even joked that eating is our past time in Brunei because we don’t have much really (of things to do).

Last weekend see a strong response from the community as they flocked to to Simpang 35 at Mabohai for the Wing-It event with the theme “Wingin’, Bakin’ and Shakin’ n Singin'”and the event was held for two days. Three vendors had their items all sold out in the space of two hours and I interviewed @sweet_as_sara (instagram) that 600 of their cupcakes were gone in two hours. I would have predicted that they would have swept all of it in less than two hours should there wasn’t a long queue to begin with.

The vendors that joined forces with @wingitbrunei were @muffinsparadisebrunei @sweet_as_sara @pvintajcupcake and @wondermambn and there were also Shakecolate and Cakes & Crafts. There were performances from Aziz Harun and Damai Heroes.

Well done to the lady entrepreneurs and also to the Brunei community for supporting their part-time businesses. Oh yeah, one of them ladies wears a fire fighter suit to work.. Cool, aye?

Maurina posing with the Brunei flag

The @muffinsparadisebrunei lady in action

This was the crowd then around 3pm last Saturday

@wondermambn was so busy attending customers’ orders

It was such a long queue but the crowd went back satisfied

Lovely brownies from @wondermamabn

We had the ribs from @wingitbrunei

Hmmmmm chocolate….

More muffins and cupcakes

Great colours and design and taste great too

Natalie Sisson was sugar high!!

Damai Heroes performing some numbers

The queue during the Wing-It event

Natalie Sisson in a frame

Simpang 33 was pretty packed

The car parked along the road

I love watching NBA and my favourite team of the moment is Miami Heat and main reason is LeBron James. I always thought what it would be like to be a spectator in one of the regular NBA season games. Tickets don’t come cheap either too.

However, one Bruneian managed to be part of a spectacle of the NBA All-Stars game as Wu Chun, being the endorser of Coca-Cola, was invited to catch the weekend game. For your info, this is the 5th time he has watched a live NBA game but he never attended an NBA All-Stars game so this trip was perhaps the most memorable one among the lot. It was long haul flight paid off with 26 hours in the air transitting from Singapore to Los Angeles to Houston.

Of course, he was excited because legendary Michael Jordan was scheduled to be there and MJ is Wu Chun’s biggest idol. Sometimes being an endorser of Coca-Cola has its perks and one of them is getting good seats at the NBA matches. His dream was to play in NBA but the closest dream he got was watching it live and getting close to the action.

He even bought a limited edition Air Jordan t-shirt despite the 5 hour queue which started at 7 in the morning!! It was a nice touch to see Wu Chun bringing our Bruneian flag to the Houston NASA Johnston Space Centre where the NBA All-Stars game was held.

I hope one day I get to see a live NBA game. For now, I’m sticking to Astro to catch the games 😀 Images below are courtesy of Wu Chun.

Wu Chun was so excited to catch the NBA All-Stars game which the West won and he also brought the Brunei flag along to the Houston basketball centre

Wu Chun in the arena where the NBA All-Stars game was held

 

Click image to enter Radisson Facebook page for updates!!

 

Click image to enter official website and book tickets online

 

The 8th Belait Travel Fair this March. Click image to check out updates on Facebook.

 

His Royal Highness Pengiran Muda ‘Abdul Muntaqim Ibni Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah participated in a silat performance yesterday at the closing ceremony of the National Pencak Silat Championship , which was held at the Multipurpose Hall of the Tutong Sports Complex.

Also present to witness the closing ceremony was Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah.

HRH Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah with HRH Pengiran Muda ‘Abdul Muntaqim with Datin Paduka Hjh Adina, Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports at the silat closing ceremony

Present to officiate the closing ceremony of the National Pencak Silat Championship was the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Hj Hazair bin Haji Abdullah.

In the first of two finas to be contested yesterday, Tutong’s Mohd Azril bin Mohd Ali beat Ak Mohd Saiful Azwan bin Pg Iskandar 5-0 in Class B.

Meanwhile, in Class D final, Muhammad At-Tarmimi bin Hamid of Sarawak beat Brunei-Muara’s Mohd Zulfauzi bin Zainidi 5-0.

Tutong emerged as the champions of the National Pencak Silat Championship with a total of 17 medals; six gold medals, eight silver medals and three bronze medals.

Brunei-Muara finished in second with three gold medals, four silver medals and five bronze medals, whilst the Schools’ Sports Council completed the top three with a record of three gold medals, one silver medal and three bronze medals. Images and text courtesy of Jake Ten of Borneo Bulletin.

HRH Pengiran Muda ‘Abdul Muntaqim posing a silat posture with the silat performers

Class D final between Muhammad of Sarawak and Brunei-Muara’s Mohd Zulfauzi

 

 

Both DST and Ministry of Education support the initiative known as “Innovative Learning through Mobile Interactive Technologies” and recently they launched a new ICT educational program at Sekolah Rendah Panaga. So what did the school receive? Well, DST contributed 35 iPad Mini tablets.

DST is no stranger to corporate social responsibility programmes and they have been very keen in promoting technology through education. Previously DST’s community relations project involved providing students in 10 schools with high-speed mobile broadband internet connectivity and laptops, for more enhanced e-learning experiences.

It is good to see the Ministry of Education having this initiative as well and using some of the schools as “Model Schools” to see the improvement in learning using technology. So let’s hope for more collaboration with other companies with MOE and also for DST to see more potential avenue for ICT learning in schools.

Dato Seri Setia Hj Yusof bin Hj Ismail, Deputy Minister of Education officiating the launch of the programme while Suhaimi Hj Hussain, Acting CEO of DST looked on

The guest of honour looking on the students with the headmistress of Sekolah Rendah Panaga and Abdul Latiff, a member of DST Board of Directors

A student playing with the iPad Mini

 

Fes Retro and Bola Bola Pro-Shop will be having a National Day promotion at their stores. From 23rd February to 3rd March, they will having a 29% discount on their items sold at Fes Retro and Bola Bola Pro-Shop. Their shop is located on 1st floor of Times Square.

 

Mr Teng Chee Khiong, Director of Grand Motors Sdn Bhd, Mr Teng Chee How, Mr Frankie Ho, Managing Director of Grand Motors Sdn Bhd, Mr Teng Chin Ying, Chairman of Grand Motors Sdn Bhd, Mr Choi Byung Koo, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Mr T J Park, President of Kia Asia Pacific, Kia Motors Corp, Hj Shaiful Rizal Hj Ahmad, Executive Director of Grand Motors Sdn Bhd and Pg Hj Abd Qahar Pg Ibnu, Director of Grand Motors Sdn Bhd at launch of Kia showroom and F/L Sorento.

This morning I witnessed I attended the official launch of the revamped showroom of Grand Motors for Kia. It was also the official launch of F/L Sorento which is a pretty good SUV I must say. Even my friend recommended me to get one since my Korean car has gone passed its prime *lol* The guest of honour was Mr. Choi Byung Koo, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Brunei Darussalam. Also present were Mr. T J Park, President of Kia Asia Pacific, Kia Motors Corp and Mr. Teng Chin Ying, Chairman of Grand Motors Sdn Bhd). For more updates, you can view their Facebook page.

The new look of the building and it looks like a cube too

Cutting the ribbon to officiate the opening of the building

Unveiling the new F/L Sorento

The F/L Sorento price starts below BND 40,000

Mr Teng Chin Ying, Chairman of Grand Motors Sdn Bhd, seated in the F/L Sorento

He brought so much energy, considering it was early in the morning

The interior feel of the new building

Do check out the new models for Sorento

 

So the campaign continues as the H.I.T Hoop Teams visited another school and this time at Yayasan Sultan Hj Hassanal Bolkiah School which took place this morning. The guys from KFC and Fitness Zone notably Wu Chun were greeted by teachers and students. A welcoming address was given by Hjh Mariam bte Hj Ladi, the school’s principal.

Jonathan Bong, Senior Marketing Manager of KFC, talked briefly about thei intention of the upcoming KFC Fitness Zone 3 on 3 Streetball Challenge is now open for registration. The actual event will take place at The Airport Mall. For those interested to take part in the challenge, the forms are available at all Fitness Zone outlets and specific KFC outlets (Gadong Central, Airport Mall, Seria and The Mall).

The closing dates for registration is 10th March but I suggest you register early because based on my experience, you might need some time as well to make your jerseys for the tournament. This year the official jerseys will be a special one because it will be both dry fit and also reversible. Interesting!!

Below are pictures courtesy of Trinity Advertising & Event Management.

Hjh Mariam bte Hj Ladi, Yayasan School’s principal with Wu Chun, the founder of Fitness Zone

Hjh Mariam bte Hj Ladi, Yayasan School’s principal with Wu Chun, the founder of Fitness Zone

Teachers and students attending the basketball clinic

Representing Fitness Zone, KFC, Good Game Event Management and Trinity Advertising & Event Management

 

It’s happening this Sunday. The 1st Brunei Diecast Sales and Exhibition 2013

 

It has to start somewhere and it’s good to see AITI and John Harith Technology teaming up with the help of the Ministry of Religious Affairs in having local meat being electronically traced to make sure the authenticity of the “halalness” and also inventory of the item at the supermarket, in this case, Hua Ho.

So all you have do is use your smart phone and download the QR code application and you can scan the selected items at the cold storage of Hua Ho Bunut though only the chicken items are computed to the system for RFID. Then you scan the QR code and you will be able to get details on the supplier and as well as the person who slaughtered the chicken with a halal certification to go along with it. The information will be displayed on the monitor for your viewing.

The pilot project will be run for 6 months and so far it is being tested with a local abattoir Golden Chick Sdn Bhd who are collaborating with Hua Ho Tanjung Bunut. This is a good initiative and I believe you may have heard about the recent situation where an imported food product from China beared a Halal logo only to find out it has pork DNA in it. So this is where RFID on halal status on food might come in handy in the future.

The Guests of Honour to officiate the soft launching of the system were Dato Paduka Haji Awang Alaihuddin bin Pehin Orang Kaya Digadong Seri Lela Dato Seri Utama Haji Awang Mohamad Taha, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications and Awang Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Yussof, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Also present was Chief Executive of AITI, Hj Yahkup Hj Menudin and Deputy Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Communications, Abdul Mutalib Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Hj Mohd Yusof.

The event took place at Hua Ho Tanjung Bunut.

Hj Yahkup Hj Menudin, Chief Executive of AITI gave his welcoming remarks

John Lim of John Harith Technology explaining to the guests of honour on how the scanning works

Haji Abdul Aziz, the Permanent Secretary of Religious Affairs, scanning the chicken

John was also multitasking but no, he doesn’t work at Hua Ho

The information will be displayed on the monitor for your personal viewing

It will even show you who was the slaughterer of the chicken from Golden Chick Sdn Bhd

This is the most talked about photo on my Instagram and Facebook this week!! One of the Borneo Bulletin photographers took a priceless moment shot of His Majesty the Sultan with a heart warming smile, arm-in-arm with the house recipients at Kuala Belait. This image was taken from today’s Borneo Bulletin front page. Well done, guys!!

 

So will you guys be showing up for the big day in town on National Day? I know I will and it’s another packed day for me with a few more events to cover. Now the question is what will be a good hashtag for National Day for Twitter and Instagram purposes? Some suggested #Brunei29th which had the most say. What are your suggestions? Do reply to my twitter @ranoadidas. Below are pictures from this morning’s rehearsal for National Day. Images courtesy of @anakbrunei @marul69

A panaromic shot taken by Tuan Hj Rozan Yunos

 

 

Last season DPMM FC had the best result in the S•League and they are ready to improve and better this season. Tonight they will take on Home United which have brought in new players notably former South Korea international Lee Kwan Woo. Vjeran Simunic, coach of DPMM FC, is aware of the new players for Home United and he said it won’t be easy but DPMM FC are aiming for 3 away points against Home tonight. He did admit that Home is the toughest opponent for DPMM FC based on previous results.

Simunic is hoping that Santos (defender) will be fully fit in the next few weeks. Santos is the only player left from the last year’s import player roster. It was a surprise that the talisman midfielder Jerkovic’s contract was not renewed. Instead DPMM FC have brought in four more additional imports including one international Croatian player who had a short stint in one of the World Cups. However, Simunic said the players has not gelled yet as a team.

We shall and wait and see how the import players gel with the local lads. For your info, the import players are Croatian forward Ivan Bosnjak, Portuguese striker Joao Vitor Rocha De Carvalho Moreira, Guadeloupean midfielder Stephane Auvray, Brazilian centre-back Tales Ricarte dos Santos and Croatian defender Dino Drpic.

It’s a pity Sairol won’t be playing in the first game due to suspension. Hence Pg Sallehuddin will be taking his spot. All eyes will be on DPMM FC top scorer last season, Shahrazen Said, who scored 14 goals last season. His partnership with Portuguese striker have yet to be proven but let’s hope for the best this season.

Good luck to all the players of DPMM FC tonight. The match will take place at Bishan Stadium.

DPMM FC next home game will be on 1st March when they take on Hougang United FC.

DPMM FC players during the training session last Monday

Shahrazen Jr. watchin his dad training on the pitch

DPMM FC’s two new import players. Will they deliver?

The warm-up run

Santos won’t be featuring for DPMM FC for the next few weeks as he will recovering from injury

Santos, Nabilah and Sairol at the Crown Prince’s birthday celebration

Santos, Nabilah and Sairol at the Crown Prince’s birthday celebration

 

Brunei has a good literacy rate but I’m pretty sure that literacy rate in ICT is also increasing. Most job scopes now do involve the use of technology one way or another and now it’s an advantage if you have a basic ICT knowledge and your resume would be good too.

Lately Infomars Training and Technology Solutions Sdn Bhd who has been awarded as the training provider to conduct basic ICT training courses under the Basic ICT Literacy and Professional Training Program Phase I. The agreement of their services was signed between the Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) and Informars Training and Technology Solutions Sdn Bhd.

Signing on behalf of AITI was the Chief Executive, Haji Yahkup bin Haji Menudin, while Infomars Traning and Technology Solutions Sdn Bhd was represented by its Director, Haji Abd Ghani bin Haji Omar.

  Under this training program, Infomars Training and Technology Solutions will be conducting four ICT training courses namely – Basic ICT Literacy, IC Citizen Training and Certification, Internet & Computing Core Certification (IC3) and CompTIA A+.

Hj Ghani, Director of Informars Training and Technology Solutions with Hj Yahkup, Chief Executive of AITI

So how does AITI play a role here? Well, AITI will be subsiding a minimum 50% of the training fees. To be eligible, participants must be Brunei citizens or permanent residents above 17 years of age who is seeking for a job or working in the private sector. The participants can either opt for full-time or part-time courses depending on the training package offered.

According to Hj Yahkup, more than 1,300 participants have been trained and certified with various ICT-related courses under AITI’s ICT Competency Program. The training program is set to begin in April this year.

Click image to enter Radisson Facebook page for updates!!

 

Click image to enter official website and book tickets online

The 8th Belait Travel Fair this March. Click image to check out updates on Facebook.

Click image to enter High Speed Broadband site for more details

Woohooo… After weeks of waiting, we are finally connected to High Speed Broadband (HSBB) or what was previously branded at FTTH (fibe to the home). For those who are not aware, HSBB is the latest product from TelBru the provider of our local eSpeed. The recent launch of HSBB on 1st February was a milestone where 1,000 homes are connected to SHBB.

David Kay, CEO of TelBru, mentioned that there will be another 1,000 homes connected with HSBB. However, only three areas in Brunei-Muara District are ready for deployment – Madang, Gadong and Bandar.

There will be an unfront fee for the modem and registration fee ($150 all in) for new applicants. I’m not sure if it meant for new applicants of HSBB or new applicants of TelBru/eSpeed. But you can call their Customer Care at 111 for more details.

Currently my speed for download is 17 megs per second *wuuhuu* (after using the bandwidth speed test). Now that’s a healthy speed for downloading and surfiing. But I thought our home had a subscription for the 10 meg package. Strange….

Anyway, thanks to TelBru especially to Abang and Azmirul for following up with the installation and the guys from MecTech for installing the modem to our home. Now surfing is super awesome!!! For more details, you can click here or if you want more FAQ, click here.

Pehin Abdullah, the Minister of Communications, in the recent launch of HSBB at Times Square

The new modem for HSBB

Thanks to the guys from MecTech for installing the modem

MecTech guys on the job

The rates for HSBB

Want to know more of the FAQs? Click image to find out more.