Foo Boon Seng, founder of MARS Enterprise, saying a few words to the media of the new collaboration last week. Image courtesy of Concepts Computer.

One is competent in software (MARS Enterprise) and the other is competent in hardware (Concepts Computer). When both combined, then it is a win-win situation. Last Friday, Concepts Computer and MARS Enterprise signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop software products targeting the SMEs.

If you have a problem in your business in terms of finance and stock taking, MARS Enterprise has a successful business software that has been proven successful internationally. MARS Finance System has a unique feature of multi-dimensional chart of account allowing any start-up company, small and medium enterprise to grow using the same system all along with options of upgrade, update, or plug-in of additional modules, whichever is suitable for their business needs.

Now they have partnered with an IT giant in Brunei, Concepts Computer and this will help to attribute to the national IT Development.

Signing the agreement was Foo Boon Seng, founder of MARS Enterprise and Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer.

Recently AITI had a special subsidy for SMEs where they can purchase the software from MARS Enterprise with a subsidy up to 80%. The application for the subsidy has already ended last week and this shows that our local product is quite commendable to SMEs in Brunei.

I believe the synergy between both companies will be fruitful and beneficial to our economy and our end users.

Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer exchanging document with Foo Boon Seng

 

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Promotion from Pizza Hut

 

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With Chinese New Year less than a month away, KFC is launching the Golden Egg Crunch to mark the auspicious occasion.

Juicy chicken marinated in a rich collection of oriental spices and coated with an indulgent taste of golden yolk sprinkles, The Golden Egg Crunch takes inspiration from salted egg yolk prawn, a popular Chinese New Year banquet table dish.

The Golden Egg Crunch combo comes with two pieces of freshly fried chicken with a choice of Regular fries or chicken rice and a Regular Sjora mango drink for only B$7.60. Burger fans can also opt for the Golden Burger combo which comes with a Golden burger, regular fries and a regular sized Sjora mango drink for only B$7.50.

For a big eat, the Golden Feast comes with 9 pieces of fried chicken, a bottle of 1.5L Pepsi, a large whipped potato and one large coleslaw for only B$28.10. Collector of KFC premiums can also opt for the Golden Bucket meal which comes with 15 pieces of Golden Egg Crunch chicken, one large coleslaw, two large whipped potato, a bottle of 1.5L Pepsi and a free fortune jar.

“Gold is an auspicious Chinese New Year representation, to bring “Ong” or prosperity. We at KFC would like to take the opportunity of the Golden Egg Crunch to wish all our customers and friends a golden and prosperous upcoming Chinese New Year”, says Jonathan Bong, Senior Marketing Manager, KFC B Sdn Bhd.

Golden Egg Crunch is now available at all KFC outlets in Brunei for a limited time only while stock last.

Golden Egg Crunch. Image courtesy of Norliha Din of The Brunei Times.

Golden Egg Crunch. Image courtesy of Norliha Din of The Brunei Times.

 

Review of Project Almanac with co-host Del Goh and special guest Zul

 

Wu Chun with team RB at Manukan Island yesterday

Beaches, islands and seafood. Those were the things that Wu Chun suggested to his fans if they were to pay Sabah a visit. The celebrity is no stranger to Kota Kinabalu and he frequents the city with his family.

Yesterday though was a different matter. He visited Manukan Island in the capacity for the meet-the-fan session and over two hundred fans showed up yesterday. Wu Chun had the opportunity to address his fans and also interact with some of them.

He also presented prizes to the winners of the sand castle competition. The fans mostly come from parts of China, Taiwan and Hong Kong who bought packages using Royal Brunei Airlines. For the record, Wu Chun is Royal Brunei Airlines Brand Ambassador and he is currently enjoying his journey as the Brand Ambassador and thankful towards Brunei’s national air carrier for their support.

The meet-the-fan session was organised by Sabah Tourism and Royal Brunei Airlines with collaboration with the Sutera Harbour Resort.

Wu Chun hinted that the next scheduled trip could be to Singapore and Hong Kong. I also would like to thank Royal Brunei Airlines for making my coverage of Wu Chun possible. Till next time, KK!

Wu Chun being interviewed by media from Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Sabah and Brunei yesterday

The fans building sand castle for the competition

The fans posing for the camera

It was such a hot day yesterday

The crowd was less rowdy than the ones at Burger King

Wu Chun addressing his fans

Wu Chun presenting goodies to a fan

Wu Chun with the winners of the sand castle competition

Fanatics appearing on the stage out of nowhere

Autographed poster for the fans

The Wu Chun poster

The jellyfish at Manukan Island

 

Happening this Sunday

Have you guys already heard about Malppy’s first ever Fashion Pop Up Festival? It is happening this coming Sunday, 8th February 2015. Mark the calendar down now and bring your families and friends along to iCentre at Anggerek Desa from 9am to 6pm.

It will be a happening day as they will be displaying some of their latest fashion line from Corporate Wear to Date Night and Street Style. They will also be introducing some of their new Muslimah Fashion Collection.

To the last minute shoppers for this upcoming Chinese New Year Celebration, they will also be selling some of the new trendy dresses and shirts as well as the traditional dresses such as cheongsam for the ladies. As for the happy couples, they will also be selling some couple shirts for you to match with each other.

The highlight of that day will be announcing the winners for their IG Video & Slogan contest. There will be 3 winners for this contest. The winners will walk away with B$300, B$200 and B$200 for Best Slogan Award and the Most Liked Video for Men and Women.

Some of the famous food vendors will also join them for this event such as “The Slush Zone”, “AjwaKitchen”, “Pvintagecupcake”, and “Wing It” to please your hunger. So See you there.

Click image to find out more

By the way, let’s not forget the Malppy IG Video & Slogan competition which is still ongoing and the deadline is by 7th February. Best slogan will win BND 300 shopping voucher from Malppy vouchers while the “Most like male” will win BND 200 shopping voucher and the “Most like female” will win BND 200 shopping voucher from Malppy.com

For more of the rules you can click here. Good luck to all Malppy-ers 😀

 

Meet Craig Allen, U.S. Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam. Looking forward to meet you

 

Henrik Meltesen, the regional sales manager of Scandinavian Business Seating Asia Pte Ltd from Singapore (left) with the team from Catalyst and Sejalin Enterprises Sdn Bhd during the press conference for HAG brand chairs

Who would have thought that all chairs served a general function and that is only to sit? Well, I just learnt some thing refreshing yesterday at Catalyst office. The way we sit does make a difference to our body posture and it brings a different level of energy and comfort without you realizing it. I have an office chair in the comfort of my work station and I just take for granted that any office chair that has great cushioning with arm rest and wheels is simply good enough for me to do my work on my desk. In comes a Scandinavian who educated me on how sitting can make use more efficient, inspiring and creative without compromising comfort and stability.

Henrik Meltesen, the regional sales manager of Scandinavian Business Seating Asia Pte Ltd from Singapore, is in the Sultanate to brief the local media on their line of office chairs from HAG. The press conference was organised by Inspire Living Magazine and also present was the distributor for HAG brand, Sejalin Enterprises Sdn Bhd.

The chair that caught my eye was the HAG Capisco line. The overall look feels as if there isn’t much material or surface area to support my body or weight but once you sit on it, you won’t feel any form of discomfort and Capisco allows you to sit in an appropriate manner without you having to think too much. It’s like the chair has a mind of its own. This line is actually the best selling product and I was surprised to know that it has existed since 1984. Interesting…

The HAG Capisco line reminds me of sitting on a saddle (on a horse). The idea of this concept is to allow an open hip angle when you sit down in a position as if you are half standing, half sitting if the chair is lifted in a higher position. It’s like sitting on a stool but in a more relaxed, comfortable stance. I tested the chair yesterday and while sitting down, listening to Henrik’s presentation, I didn’t feel anything was lacking even though the chair looked really simplified than a normal office chair. The open hip stance allow the spine to naturally create that S-shape curve and the leg area will have less pressure to support your lower back which is good for blood circulation especially when you are sitting.

You see, even chairs have a lot of talking points and thanks to the presentation by Henrik, I’m beginning to be aware on how I’ve been sitting all these years.

If you wish to purchase or have a look on these chairs, I suggest you drop by Catalyst Office at Jalan Muara (one simpang after Gongcha Serusop) at Simpang 94. You can reach them at 223 3630 and you can have your chairs customized as well to your preference. They have many types of HAG chairs and who know I might get one myself in a long run. You can also go direct to Sejalin Enterprises at Muluat Industrail area or call 279 0376.

Henrik Meltesen explaining the different types of HAG chairs

HAG Capisco line, I kinda like this chair actually

You can have different types of fabrications for your chair

This chair can adjust in motion according to the momentum of your posture

The durable chair from HAG

Henrik try to show how durable this particular chair is

Dean Kassim and Danial Norjidi trying out the HAG chairs

 

Abd Latif bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Hj Md Yusof, a member from Board of Directors of Jerudong Park Medical Centre. Also present were Dato Dr Isham Jaafar, the Executive and Medical Director of JPMC, Vivian Suk Kee Tie, Physiotherapist and Head of Rehabilitation Department of JPMC and Dr. Burc Bassa, Deputy Head and Head Consultant of the Brunei Neuroscience Rehabilitation Centre (BNSRC)

Last year, the Rehabilitation Department of Jerudong Park Medical Centre organised a 5 week programme for stroke and cancer patients in conjunction with Hari Raya last year. The programme allowed them to improve their physical beings and also kept them inspired and motivated that their body movements and coordinations can still function through proper therapy.

Last weekend, the Rehabilitation Department organised another activity for the stroke patients of JPMC where they sang and perform short skits to the delight of the guests who attended the event at JPMC. This is a great way to contribute back to the community and also giving the patients a sense of hope and community among themselves. This time there are more stroke patients that took part in singing and performing and these have given them more joy and fun in their life even after suffering from stroke.

Looking for the video presentation, I have to applaud the wonders of the therapists from the Rehabilitation Department – Hasleezan binti Arifin (physiotherapist), Mohd Asri bin Mohd Shah (Occupational therapist), Prasanna Venkataraman (Speech and language therapist) and Abdul Samadh Shabeer (Speech and language therapist) who is also the therapeutic group activity coordinator.

Vivian Suk Kee Tie, the Head of Rehabilitation Department of JPMC, gave an inspiring account of the stroke patients of JPMC and how such programmes have made a difference in their lives and they will continue to do more programmes to better the lives of their patients physically, mentally and emotionally. It was also nice to see the department also welcomed a patient from JPMC Gleneagles, Mumtazali Muhd Abd Aziz, who is the first left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implant patient in Brunei Darussalam. He was very curious of the development of the program, requested to be part of the program and he has been loving it ever since he joined the program.

The guest of honour of the event was Abd Latif bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Hj Md Yusof, a member from Board of Directors of Jerudong Park Medical Centre. Also present were Dato Dr Isham Jaafar, the Executive and Medical Director of JPMC, Dr. Burc Bassa, Deputy Head and Head Consultant of the Brunei Neuroscience Rehabilitation Centre (BNSRC), JPMC and Vivian Suk Kee Tie, Physiotherapist and Head of Rehabilitation Department of JPMC.

After the event, certificates of participation were given to the stroke patients by the guest of honour. Keep it up, JPMC!! It’s always nice to have a heart warming activity especially from a hospital.

Vivien Suk Kee Tie, Physiotherapist and Head of Rehabilitation Department of JPMC, in her welcoming remarks

Some of the performances from the patients and therapists

A short skit performance

Group singing by the stroke patients

The opening act by the therapists and the rehabilitation assistants

The traditional dance

Certificate presentation

Certificate presentation

Certificate presentation

Certificate presentation

Certificate presentation

Group photo with Mumtazali Muhd Abd Aziz, Brunei’s first left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implant patient

Group photo. Click to enlarge.

 

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Wu Chun with some VIPs during the official launch of Centrepoint’s Burger King last night at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Wu Chun will also be Wu Chun. People always say how popular I am just because I’m a social blogger. But if you are an entertainer or a celebrity, it’s a different ball game. I caught a flight through Royal Brunei to Kota Kinabalu and wow, the flight was packed with Wu Chun’s fan. This is no surprise that Wu Chun is the Royal Brunei Airlines Brand Ambassador, able to draw fans from all around the world with his presence. If I was not mistaken, some of the passengers were Wu Chun’s fans. Amazing!!

Anyway, my trip to Kota Kinabalu was by invitation to cover Wu Chun’s event and one of them is the opening of the Burger King outlet at Centrepoint, Kota Kinabalu. He was one of the special guest to officiate the opening of Burger King’s outlet at Centrepoint. To update you, the centrepoint outlet is owned by Brunei shareholders. Congratulations on the milestone and this is such a great opportunity to expand their business outside Brunei and furthermore, it’s in KK market which is bigger than Brunei definitely.

As for Wu Chun’s fans who came over for the opening night, wow, wow and wow… I have never seen such a huge crowd and I remembered the crowd in Brunei for Wu Chun’s movie Saving General Yang and that was already considered hectic. But last night at Burger King’s opening, it was very tricky to handle the crowd. Perhaps there weren’t enough security available and even Burger King’s staff had to help control the young crowd. I was surprised there were also male fans.

Before I end this post, thank you Royal Brunei for making this coverage possible and thank you Burger King for the hospitality.

Wu Chun took out his phone to take a picture of his fans

I was pretending to be a big fan of Wu Chun but actually I was asking for help to get away from the crowd

Wu Chun taking a selfie with me and his fans.. Woohoo #winall

Members of the media preparing for the arrival of the superstar

Deno Goh ushering Wu Chun

I took a selfie but no one noticed *Sad* LOL

Wu Chun posing with a burger on his hand

What a crowd last night at Centrepoint

 

Now a permanent menu on Burger King

To celebrate the success of BK Mushroom Swiss Burgers as well as reminding everyone our signature product has grown to become one of Brunei’s favourite burger, Sinofood Express, the franchisee of the BURGER KING ® franchise will officially launch the new BK Mushroom Swiss Tendergrill Chicken Burger under its permanent menu.

What makes the Mushroom Swiss Tendergrill Chicken Burger? The succulent and tender 100% flame-grilled premium chicken thigh meat patty is enveloped in the full-bodied flavor of melted Swiss cheese; the all-time favourite silky mushroom sauce unique only to BK with fresh lettuce and a generous spread of creamy mayonnaise. Succumb to the seduction of Mushroom Swiss Tendergrill Chicken Burger… you will surely come back for more!

The BK Mushroom Swiss Tendergrill Chicken Burger is available at only $8.00 for the Meal and $6.50 for the sandwich only.

To complete your meal with a tasty treat, we are also offering a buy 1 free 1 soft serve promo for a limited time only for our guest to share with a loved one.

As for all our guests who are curious about the opening for our upcoming branches, we just opened our fourth branch in Belait Town,

For further updates on Burger King® Brunei, visits our Instagram page @burgerkingbrunei and Facebook at www.facebook.com/bkbrunei.

BK Mushroom Swiss Tendergrill Chicken Burger

Had mine during the break of a toastmasters meeting 😀

 

The Brunei talents for this year’s WCOPA 2015

Can Brunei top what they did last year in the World Championships of Performing Acts (WCOPA)? Then again, it’s not about reaching or raising the benchmark. Last year, Brunei have proven what it takes to be on top with the rest of the talents worldwide after winning several medals. This year, there will be new fresh faces and this is the third time that Bruneians will be featuring at WCOPA event to be held from July 10th-19th in Long Beach, California.

They will be competing in the Senior Acting category, Senior Vocal category, Senior Dance Group category, Senior Vocal with Instrument (Duo/Group) category, Senior Dance Solo category and Senior Vocal with Instrument (Solo) category.

Now it’s boiled down to training for the Brunei delegates until the actual day. Perhaps the biggest hurdle for the delegates is financial resources as it will take at least BND 10,000 per delegate to part of the WCOPA 2015 edition. The said price will include the registration for WCOPA which is about 2/5 of the budget, the flight and accommodation for the 10 day trip trip. The organizer and the delegates will do what it takes to raise funds for their cause and they will not let this opportunity slip away easily.

All the participants are first timers and this will also be the first time that Brunei will be participating in the Senior Vocal with Instrument (Duo/Group) category, Senior Dance Group category and Senior Dance Solo category.

So who are the representatives? Zainal Bostaman, my friend and the founder of Bruhaha Comedy (Senior Acting category), Nadia Halim aka Yaya (Senior Vocal category), Ak Muhd Yazakka (Senior Vocal Category), Hill Zaini (Senior Vocal category), Amy Cheong, Ainul Marzuki, Sarah Jane Ward and Shannon Osman representatives from Relentless Entertainment (Senior Dance Group category), Erwan Mugit and Michelle Tan the singing duo The Ellewan (Senior Vocal with instrument for duo or group), Mardi Hedus (Senior Dance Solo category) and Kala Karwanamurthi (Senior Vocal with instrument category).

Present during the event were Jeffrey E. Cadayong, National Director of WCOPA Brunei Darussalam, Maria Grace Koh (Eia), the official hostess for this year’s WCOPA 2015 and Joanna Kwan, finalists for last year’s WCOPA 2015.

For the public, who are willing to help and assist the delegates to achieve their dreams, you can contact the organiser at brunei(a)wcopa.tv

Hill Zaini

Mardi Hedus of Relentless Entertainment

Michelle Tan and Erwan Mugit, The Ellewan

Ainul Marzuki, Shannon Osman, Amy Cheong and Sarah Jane Ward of Relentless Entertainment

Kala Karwanamurthi

Ak Muhd Yazakka

Nadia Halim aka Yaya

Zainal Bostaman

Maria Grace Koh (Eia), the official hostess for this year’s WCOPA 2015

Jeffrey E. Cadayong, National Director of WCOPA Brunei Darussalam

The Brunei delegates with Eia, Joanna and Jeffrey during the preview showcase of Brunei delegates of WCOPA 2015

 

Mathien Malan Kasim and Ryan Nicholas Elicay winning second and first respectively at the ASEAN Universities International English Speech Competition that was held at Thepsatri Rajabhat University in Lopburi, Thailand

Two students from Universiti Brunei Darussalam battled out 34 other contestants to capture the first and second place at the ASEAN Universities International English Speech Competition that was held at Thepsatri Rajabhat University in Lopburi, Thailand two weeks ago.

Ryan Nicholas Elicay emerged as the champion of the competition and Mathien Malan Kasim finished as the first runner-up. Both the students are Professional Communications and the Media majors from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

Ryan, whose speech was entitled ‘What single ASEAN country could you learn the most from’ quoted, “It was definitely one of the best moments in my life. I would like to thank Dr. Chris Woo, our coach, for his tremendous efforts in ensuring that we had winning speeches, spending so many hours perfecting our speeches and our delivery. And of course the University for giving us the opportunity to take part in the competition. We hope we have made the University and the country proud.”

With the experience that the two students have gained from the competition, they would wish to represent UBD in many other competitions that will be held in the future. Image courtesy of Dr. Chris Woo.

Ryan Nicholas Elicay receiving the first place for the competition

The representative finalists from ASEAN for the competition

 

From 30-31 January 9am to 5pm, you are eligible for a $100 service voucher for participating a customer feedback session at Volkswagen Brunei (Maju Motors Sdn Bhd)

 

Click image to register and find out more

For the first time ever, Bruneians will have a chance to get a ticket to Anfield (Liverpool’s home ground) and play against the best of the best in the world in the Standard Chartered Trophy 2015. It’s a futsal tournament format and it will be a 5 a-side format.

This is made possible by Standard Chartered Bank (Brunei) and this tournament opened to everyone even if you are not a Liverpool fan. For your info, SCB is the official sponsor for Liverpool FC club. The announcement was made yesterday at SCB’s Priority Banking Centre.

So do check out Brunei’s time line for the event below and the winners of the Brunei contingent will be sent to Kuala Lumpur for the regional competition in late March. If your team managed to beat both Malaysia and Thailand, your team will be given the green light to Anfield. By the way, all these trips will be all expenses paid by SCB.

The qualifiers are open to Brunei citizens and permanent residents (phew, I have a chance). They must be over 18 years old and are neither professional/semi-professional players. SCB Brunei has allocated 14 berths to their key stakeholders and 10 more slots are up for grabs.

Each team shall consist of seven players, and those selected will have to pay a registration fee of $100 – which will go to the Humanitarian Fund of the Malaysian Flood Disaster. So this means that if they are more than 24 slots, SCB Brunei organising team will go through the selection process and based the selection on the short essay on why you want to be part of this event. Once you are selected, the $100 registration will be come into play. So if you are registering online, you won’t be charged $100 straight away. Good luck in registering your team.

You can click here for the registration. The closing date is 10th February 2015.

This event is made possible by SCB Brunei and they are very grateful with the support by inistry of Culture, Youth and Sports and endorsed by the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) in assisting SCB Brunei with the upcoming event.

Ng Yick Wei, Head of Brand and Marketing at SCB Brunei, Marilyn Graeme, Head of Corporate Affairs at SCB, Hj Mohd Noor Hj Hamid, Department of Youth and Sports official, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and also a NFABD committee, Hj Aslan Hj Tengah, Supervisor Sport Organisation, Sports Department, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports during the announcement of Standard Chartered Trophy 2015 at SCB’s Priority Banking yesterday

Yay, we were given Liverpool goodies from SCB Brunei

 

Mr. Pierre Imhof, CEO of Baiduri Bank, giving his welcoming remarks

Guests during the relaunch of Baiduri Bank

Baiduri Bank recently officially re-launched its branch at The Mall, Gadong following recent major renovation and upgrading works. The opening ceremony was officiated by the Bank’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Pierre Imhof, who was joined by 11 of the Bank’s pioneer customers in the symbolic cutting of the ribbon.

In his welcome remarks, Mr. Imhof thanked the guests for their loyalty and confidence in Baiduri Bank, adding “It is an honour for us to have our pioneer customers who are still active with us here today. They have been a part of us throughout our 20 year journey, and we look forward to continuing our journey together with them into the future”.

The Bank’s Mall Branch first began operations in 2004, setting the record as the first bank in Brunei with an in-mall outlet as well as operating 7 days a week.

Elaborating on the branch upgrade, Mr. Imhof said, “Our branch network configuration project is a part of our initiatives to enhance customer experience. We constantly upgrade our branches to meet evolving customer needs. The investments we are making to this branch will make for a more welcoming environment for customers to carry out their banking transactions as well as a conducive working environment for our staff. This, we believe, is key to enhancing overall customer experience.”

The refurbished branch features modern and contemporary décor to reflect the dynamism and innovative spirit of Baiduri Bank and offers full banking services to individuals and businesses as well as complimentary personal financial planning consultation. The upgraded premises also have free Wi-Fi as well as more ATMs to cater to the growing number of customers transacting electronically.

Following the launch, guests were taken on a tour of the branch premises led by Ms. Alvina Chung, Regional Manager of Brunei-Muara District and Dayang Vivi Rudynanissmah Hj Mamud, Manager of the Mall Branch.

Also present at the ceremony were Mr. Ti Eng Hui, Deputy CEO of Baiduri Bank, Mr. Andrew Young, Deputy General Manager – Operations Management Division, Diversification & Strategic Development, Haji Haliluddin bin Dato Haji Talib, General Manager of Baiduri Finance, Pengiran Azaleen bin Pengiran Dato Haji Mustapha, Head of Retail Banking and Branch Network and a host of senior executives from the Bank. Images courtesy of Vincent Hong.

 

Rano’s take of 2014 movies with special guest @delgoh and Zul

 

Click image to see Consumer Fair 15 schedule for the weekend

 

12 Art toys bearing the Peugeot emblem – Léo’z Art toys. Now available at Peugeot Boutique in Kiarong showroom

Peugeot has unveiled at Peugeot Boutique in Kiarong showroom its first series of 12 Art toys bearing the Peugeot emblem: lions known as Léo’z. This series developed with PEUGEOT DESIGN LAB, in partnership with the company ARTOYZ, is available from Peugeot showroom starting January 28, 2015.

The series consists of 12 lions, 6 of which were designed by internationally renowned artists: Huck Gee (UK), 64 Colors (USA), Bunka (France), DGPH (Argentina), Tikka NG (Hong Kong), Koralie (France), and the other 6 by the PEUGEOT DESIGN LAB designers: Claire Panel (France), Thomas Josson (France), Damian O’ Hara (Ireland), Hossein Borojeni (France), Flora Tai & Guillaume Daniel (France). The adorable lions measure at 3 inches or 8 cm, and are perfect for Vinyl Figure enthusiasts or car memorabilia lovers.

Léo’z Art toys will be sold at Peugeot Kiarong showroom. Two additional versions, less common and in smaller quantity, have also found their way into this collection.

Each Art Toy on sale is the fruit of an artistic process, and involving lengthy and painstaking work, drawing inspiration from worlds as diverse as contemporary art, poetry, chemistry, origami, architecture, fashion…These unique objects form a link between the world of childhood, by adopting the design of the brand’s lion soft toy mascot created by Christophe Pialat (France), and the grown-up world.

Check out the vLéo’z Art toys

 

Laksamana College now offering degree programmes from the University of Chester

Finally after years of waiting, Laksamana College of Business (LCB) is able to provide a degree course under the programme from the University of Chester. Some of the courses included are such as BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance (3 years), BA (Hons) Business Management (3 years), BA (Hons) Marketing (3 years) and BSc (Hons) Computer Science (3 years).

Late last year, LCB Chief Operating Officer S Sivarajah said the college received the approval letter from the Brunei Darussalam National Accreditation Council.

This would mean that you won’t have to travel all the way to the UK to get a degree and still get certified by a university and endorsed by Brunei Darussalam National Accreditation Council.

LCB currently has more than a thousand active students. Sivarajah said that he expects a high demand from both parents and students as the course offers them an alternative route to receiving a British university education. Sivarajah said the annual cost of the degree programme in the UK is about £10,000 ( BND 20,369) on average, whereas the college is able to offer the courses at BND 9,500. Now that is an affordable fee (almost 50 percent off).

Now LCB is opening for registration for February 2015 intake. A good way to start your undergraduate programme at Laksamana College of Business. For more info, you can call 223 8816 or 223 8818.

 

Have you registered yourself at Snapfeed booth at Consumer Fair? Stand a chance to win these wonderful gadgets from Samsung

Recapped: Six months ago, Snapfeed launched their apps on IOS and Android. Six months later (now), they have totally revamped the mobile apps for the convenience of the users. Now you can browse with ease and the app looks more structured and easy to follow.

The new interface allows you to browse to content such as deals being offered, information such news and movie times (and even movie trailers). Other exciting stuff are such as their digital loyalty cards with the use of QR codes. For the moment, Snapfeed has dealt with their current merchants such as KFC, Freshco, Burgerking and I Love Yoo to name a few. Do download the Snapfeed app and see what’s on offer.

For those who registered at their Snapfeed booth at the Consumer Fair this week, you can stand a chance to win a Samsung Galaxy Note or a Samsung Galaxy S5. This is only applicable if you signed up at their booth this week till Sunday. They will also provide a free photo session featuring the me-in-a-box booth.

Snapfeed booth is easy to find and it’s located in front of the Plenary Hall at the Orange Zone. I guess that’s the best location as it’s the central part of the Consumer Fair. Have fun browsing through the app.

A huge crowd at Consumer Fair today

The Minister of Industry and Primary Resources visiting Snapfeed booth during the opening

Don’t forget to download Snapfeed app on your IOS and Android

 

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2.       Promo rates only apply to the countries and cities listed throughout the Promotion period from 1st to 28th February 2015.

3.       East Malaysia cities include Lutong, Bintulu, Kapit, Kuala Baram, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Labuan, Lawas, Limbang, Miri, Sri Aman, Sandakan, Sibu and Tawau.

4.       Promo rates apply at any hour of the day during the promo period, regardless of weekends or reduced rate periods.

5.       *Australia excludes Christmas Island and Cocos island

 

You can view today (Saturday) and tomorrow (Sunday) from 10am to 5pm. It’s located at Spg 1202 Jalan Tutong, Tanjung Bunut.

The Residence made some great noise in the past week or so. The newly exclusive lifestyle apartments known as “The Residence” made an impact among potential buyers during the preview weekend. I had a privilege by Valor Property Agency to tour the apartment and I was quite impressed. Back then, there was one block still available but I’m pretty sure it has been snapped up by now.

It was developed by ISBI Development and Trading Sdn Bhd which was completed back in November 2014. The apartment itself has a classy feel with a great landscape and a swimming pool.

The size of the apartment is about 1,690 square foot and it has four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a kitchen which connects to a terrace outside.

The apartment is located at Jalan Tutong, near Tanjung Bunut and it’s quite an ideal location too.

Following the overwhelming success of the developer’s sales, Valor Property Agency has secured a further sales release of units from investment owners looking to capitalise on the demand.

You can view today (Saturday) and tomorrow (Sunday) from 10am to 5pm. It’s located at Spg 1202 Jalan Tutong, Tanjung Bunut. For interested tenants, buyers or investors, you can call 222 2288, 242 2511, 875 2263 and 877 2263 for details.

The view inside the Residence

How the living room looks like. Mind you this is just a model room so it doesn’t come with furniture and fittings

Nice view, innit?

The view at night

It’s quite a good deal actually for its quality and location.

 

Berluti, the bootmaker since 1895, branched out into clothes last season under the watchful eye of LVMH-owner Bernard Arnault’s powerful son, Antoine, who is CEO. There’s certainly a lot of money backing this fashion horse, but that’s not to say the project was destined to be a success.

So hats off to the designer, Alessandro Sartori, who pulled of a luxuriant coup, improving on the last collection to give this nascent house a voice in the fashion conversation. Berluti, it said, is the luxuriant dandy. Sartori’s 49-piece-strong collection displayed perfect mastery in color. According to Wu Chun, ” I am a fans of Berluti’s shoes but after attending their fashion show this time and meeting with the designer, Mr. Sartori,  I was totally impressed by the Fall/Winter collection.”

Hues such as terre verte, sienna brown, Venetian red, soft plum, ultramarine, dark blue and gray blue melted together in beautiful harmony, in loose leather trenches, double breasted jackets, tailored pants, classy mottled brogue shoes or bright Dandy-like cravates.

Wu Chun together with the British Formula One driver and 2014 Championship driver, Lewis Hamilton and British pop singer Brian Ferry are among the front row guests of the Berluti’s fall-winter 2015/2016 fashion collection presented in at Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris, France.

Besides Berluti’s show, Wu Chun was also invited to attend the Lanvin Menswear Fall/Winter 2015-2016 show. Lanvin owner Shaw-Lan Wang revealed she defied doctor’s orders to attend the luxury house’s men’s show in Paris on Sunday. “I have dizzy spells,” she confided.That did not prevent the sprightly seventy something from chatting up a storm with front-row guest Wu Chun. According to Wu Chun, “Lanvin Men’s Winter ’15/’16 Collection is still one of the strongest brand in menswear. They were the first re-introduce those wide legs trousers and that popular silhouette. I still love this raw edge. It’s a great collection! Good outerwear, good pants, good shoes.” The former member of Taiwanese boy band Fahrenheit said he would soon hit screens in “Dynasty Woman,” an epic Chinese romance starring Fan Bingbing as the 8th-century Tang Dynasty consort Yang Guifei.

Wu Chun Added, ” Attending the Lanvin show allowed me to meet Lanvins artistic director, one of the Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world, Alber Elbaz and Lanvin men fashion designer Lucas Ossendrijver. It was also super exciting to watch the men’s model at the runway because thats also one of the reasons why i started weight lifting when i was 16years old and i am glad those models had inspired me because if not, i might not have started Fitness Zone and create a fitness revolution in Brunei.”

Celebrity Wu Chun at Berluti Show

Wu Chun with Berluti Designer Alessandro Sartori at backstage

Wu Chun with Lanvin’s artistic director Alber Elbaz

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton, Bryan Ferry and Wu Chun are among some of the guests at Front row seat of Berluti Show

Wu Chun touring the Arc de Triomphe Paris during his off day

 

 

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar holding the Acer Iconia Tab 8W at the Concepts Computer booth at Consumer Fair

I lost track already on how many versions have been released by Acer on their Iconia Tab. This time, this is the Acer Iconia Tab 8W which is ideal for business and pleasure. Now it operates on a Windows 8.1 OS and the good thing is that it is bundled with a Microsoft Office 365 (where you can do your work offline and online.

It is powered by an Intel Atom Quad Core Processor and ideal for multitasking whether you are playing games or video browsing or even surfing. This is lighter and thinner as well and what’s impressive is the sound it emits from the dual stereo speakers.

According to Zul Abdul Rahman, Marketing Executive of Concepts Computer, the latest Acer Iconia Tab 8W, unveiled the device which uses low-voltage RAM and Intel Atom Processor. This allows to conserve power and makes the battery life longer (7 hours).

It’s good to see Concepts Computer keeping up to date with the trends and if you buy from them, you will enjoy premium after-sale service. If you haven’t own a tab or tablet, this could be an ice-breaker gadget.

The Acer Iconia Tab 8W is available at Concepts Computer for $218. For more information call 223 3551, 223 3552 or 223 553.

Check out the video of the Acer Iconia Tab W8

Acer Iconia Tab 8W is quite affordable for a tablet

Zul Abdul Rahman, Marketing Executive of Concepts Computer (right) holding the new gadget launch at Concepts Computer. You can get them also at Consumer Fair this weekend at ICC.

The new tab is also available as part of the CNY hamper package which comes with a memory card, pen drive and a battery pack. Awesome gift for CNY.

 

It’s back again. The time of the year, the time of the month. When Consumer Fair clashes with pay day, you will bound to have a hit event. Consumer Fair reached its 15th edition and it was already drawing crowds on the first day.

It was great to know that Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar officially graced the opening ceremony yesterday at the International Convention Centre. There was a welcoming remarks by Dato Paduka Hj Danial bin Hj Hanafiah, Executive Director of D’Sunlit Sdn Bhd.

The Minister led the tour around the Consumer Fair which consists over 400 booths. The CF is like a one-stop centre for goods and services. There are also great participation from other countries such as Cambodia, Taipei, India, the Philippines, Singapore and the UAE, showcasing their items.

There are other activities as well – Kingston ice cream eating competition, Dairy Queen Hot Dog eating competition and Malar Setia pratta eating competition.

There will be a blood donation drive organised by the Mobile Blood Bank of the RIPAS it will be held on 31st January from 10-12pm and 2pm to 4pm.

 

For all Ranaodidas readers, you will get an exclusive 25% off Zalora and the final day is today. I posted this recently on my social media. You have a few hours left now 😀 Click image to enter website.

Below is the voucher terms and conditions:

Terms and Conditions:

1. Valid only at www.zalora.com.bn

2. Valid till 28th January 2015.

3. Brand and item exclusions apply. Not valid for Marketplace items, with other promo codes and promotions, unless otherwise stated.

4. Free delivery is only applicable on paid price BND 60 and above.

5. ZALORA Malaysia reserves the right to change the terms and conditions or cancel any promotion at any time without notice.

 

Team Snapfeed briefing the local media

Six months ago, Snapfeed launched their apps on IOS and Android. Six months later (now), they have totally revamped the mobile apps for the convenience of the users. Now you can browse with ease and the app looks more structured and easy to follow.

The new interface allows you to browse to content such as deals being offered, information such news and movie times (and even movie trailers). Other exciting stuff are such as their digital loyalty cards with the use of QR codes. For the moment, Snapfeed has dealt with their current merchants such as KFC, Freshco, Burgerking and I Love Yoo to name a few. Do download the Snapfeed app and see what’s on offer.

For those who registered at their Snapfeed booth at the Consumer Fair this week, you can stand a chance to win a Samsung Galaxy Note or a Samsung Galaxy S5. This is only applicable if you signed up at their booth this week till Sunday. They will also provide a free photo session featuring the me-in-a-box booth.

Snapfeed booth is easy to find and it’s located in front of the Plenary Hall at the Orange Zone. I guess that’s the best location as it’s the central part of the Consumer Fair. Have fun browsing through the app.

You can stand a chance to win this when you sign up at their booth

You can get their latest update now

News feed on events happening in Brunei

The ongoing deals ONLY exclusive to Snapfeed users

Movie updates on timings and venue. Quite handy.

Check out the Snapfeed booth at CF15

 

Check out Bruneihalal booth at Consumer Fair this week

Goodies to be won too at Consumer Fair. Do follow them on social media – Facebook and instagram @bruneihalal

Check out items from Bruneihalal booth at CF15

Check out items from Bruneihalal booth at CF15

Check out items from Bruneihalal booth at CF15

 

Their Pappa Char Kuey Teow is one of their best sellers among the patrons of Papparich located in Gadong. I recently “tapau-ed” a few dishes for a dinner function and let’s not forget one of my favourites now – the Pappa Deep Fried Crispy Chicken Skin.. Yummeehh….

Good thing now is Papparich is having their 1st anniversary promotion where you can enjoy 10% everything until 31st January. So you have a few more days to go. I will probably pop down this week to satisfy my craving for the Pappa Deep Fried Crispy Chicken Skin and their curry laksa..

Papparich is located at Block G of Abdul Razak Complex and you won’t miss it because their signage is the biggest one in Gadong if I’m not mistaken. You can check out more of their menus here but not all the new dishes are included just yet.

Pappa Deep Fried Crispy Chicken Skin, new dish

Try this too, another new dish, highly recommended

One of the drinks I kept on refilling. Herbal Tea with Citrus. Another one that hits the spot for me.

Try out their breakfast menu

My all time favourite from Papparich

 

It’s the 15th time that D’Sunlit has organised such event and it has become a Brunei household name ever since its inception since 2008. This time it will take place on January 31st (tomorrow) till Sunday, 1st February at the International Convention Centre from 10am to 10pm.

This time, there will plenty of activities for the public as compared to last time and many activity partners as well involved. Event partners include Kingston Beverage and Creamery Sdn Bhd, Oregon Systems, IBIC Sdn Bhd, RIPAS Hospital, Braun Sdn Bhd, Ho Tai Company Sdn Bhd and MagicLee Entertertainment.

During the five-day fair, various activities such as a unique theme park, lucky draws, and entertainment for children will be held as well as charitable activities such as a blood donation drive.

According to Ting Chui San, Marketing Executive of D’Sunlit, the consumer fair will help to promote SMEs in Brunei and of course, CF is always a good platform to expose businesses. The CF will boast at least 430 booths and you will also enjoy goods and services from ASEAN countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and The Philippines.

The event is also made possible with the help of the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources.

I shall be posting more news and stories, tying to the CF15 this week and you can also catch updates on my IG @ranoadidas. So where will the momentum of the crowd be this week? Definitely ICC.

Snapfeed is going pretty aggressive this week and relaunching their App. Do download the app at the booth and stand a chance to win a Samsung Note 4. Exciting things to come from Snapfeed in the next few months.

A wondrous selection of Cambodian precious gems and intricately-crafted jewellery featuring rubies, sapphires, and many more beautiful sparklers

Interesting educational stuff from Play N Learn Singapore booth

The recent Brunei Edutainment Wonderland is back to showcase the dinosaurs. The NBT Jurassic Journey tickets are priced at $10 for adults and $6 for children. You will be eligible for a 15% discount with a group of 4 or above.

The Android box is sure to be hit though it’s selling below BND 300. A direct rival to Astro but also those with limited bandwidth capacity on TelBru will struggle to cope with the content. The Android box is able stream many channels.

Get a taste of what the Philippines has to offer. Fruits, fruits and vegetables

Sign up for any of BIBD’s financing products such as Home, Home Financing, Home Improvement, and Education Financing can stand a chance to win lucky draw prizes such as LED TVs, iPhone 6, iPhone 6+, Thomson vouchers, air tickets to KK, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf coffee machines, fruit juicers and many more

I was stuck playing the “Flying Coupon Machine” organised by @redbullbn

Aziz did a mini test

All are welcomed to visit the CF15 at the ICC.

Brunei Halal also participating in the CF15

 

BIBD customers who sign up for any of BIBD’s financing products such as Home, Home Financing, Home Improvement, and Education Financing can stand a chance to win lucky draw prizes such as LED TVs, iPhone 6, iPhone 6+, Thomson vouchers, air tickets to KK, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf coffee machines, fruit juicers and many more.

Also as part of its promotion, BIBD will also be giving out a 50% fee waiver on its financing products such as the BIBD Rumah Plus Home Financing, Home Improvement Financing, and Education Financing.

This great BIBD promotion is available at the 15th edition of the Consumer Fair, from the 28th January until the 1st of February, where BIBD service ambassadors at booth C7 will be on hand to personally assist with, and answer any queries regarding any of BIBD’s products and services.

BIBD’s Home Financing Specialists will also be on hand to assist and provide advice on Home Financing solutions that best suit the customers. For those interested in purchasing their first or next dream home, BIBD will be offering its attractive Home Financing Rumah Plus package, which has a financing entitlement of up to 100% of the OMV(Open Market Value) or Property Purchase Price, a repayment period of up to 25 years along with a lower repayment schedule and attractive profit rates from as low as 4.5% (subject to terms and conditions). Customers may also choose to include the start-up costs of the financing such as legal document fees, MRTA takaful and valuation fees into the overall financing entitlement, allowing complete control of their budget, and providing them a sense of security, knowing that their dream home is one step closer to becoming a reality.

Drop by BIBD booth at Consumer Fair and check out their financing products available

Drop by BIBD booth at Consumer Fair

Drop by BIBD booth at Consumer Fair

This also represents an ideal opportunity for home owners to start considering options on how best to enhance their homes, especially as with the festive time period only a few months away. Also, as an additional benefit, BIBD’s Home Improvement Financing also allows for a flexible repayment period of up to ten years, with up to 100% of renovation costs.

The BIBD team will also be available to talk about their Education Financing package whereby interested parties can obtain a financing of up to BND 200,000 with a maximum financing period of up to 10 years. The package can be used for students undergoing their education at either local or overseas institutions. The financing package includes a wide range of coverage such as registration fees, education or tuition fees, cost of living, accommodation and travel expenses along with educational needs such as clothing, books and stationery.

All these promotions on BIBD’s products and services highlights BIBD’s “Bruneian at Heart” commitment to always understand and be intuitive to the needs of its customers, by providing suitable solutions that can help them to achieve their dreams. For more information on any of BIBD’s products or services, please log on to the BIBD website at www.bibd.com.bn, visit your nearest BIBD branch or get in touch with the BIBD Contact Centre at 2238181.

 

Richard Soo, Acer Branch Manager at Miri, holding the Acer Aspire Switch 12 while Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer, holding the Acer Aspire R13

Aspire Switch 12. Something to tickle your fancy. This will give Microssoft Surface Pro 3 a run for their money. This is what we call a hybrid model where it can have multipurpose functions as a notebook, a tablet, a tent, a display or even a desktop by using the keyboard wirelessly. Awesome, innit?

The latest model just arrived at Concepts Computer and it was demoed last weekend by Richard Soo, Acer Branch Manager at Miri. Acer will always come up with a better, sharper and powerful device in its category and the Switch 12 is definitely better than the Switch 10 and Switch 11.

It sports a 12.5 inch Gorilla Glass screen with a full HD resolution 1920 x 1080. As usual, the notebook has a detachable magnetic keyboard but the great thing about the Switch 12 is that even you detach the keyboard, the screen turns into a desktop with a rear kickstand. Awesome!! This is definitely ideal for travelers.

The Switch 12 is powered by Intel’s new Core M processor, which complements the notebook’s fanless design by reducing power consumption. Input-wise, the laptop packs microUSB 3.0 and microHDMI ports.

The Aspire Switch 12 comes with a 128 GB Solid State Drive (SSD) and has an internal memory of $GB. It’s quite a light weight device (only 1.4kg). Despite it’s compact feature, this model has multiple ports – USB 3.0, USB 2.0 port, HDMI port and Micro SD Card reader. The battery life expectancy is roughly up to 8 hours (depending on usage).

If you buy at Concepts Computer, you will be given an Acer Active Stylus and an Acer designed sleeve bag. The purchase also includes a one year warranty even for travelers.

If you are not convinced enough by this new model, you can look for the Aspire R13 which has a more solid appeal whereas the Aspire Switch is more into portability and mobility.

The selling price of the Aspire Switch 12 is BND 1,048.

Check out the video of the Acer Aspire Switch 12

The Aspire Switch 12

It can be split and work as a desktop too

Acer Aspire R13. There are so many things to brag about the Acer Aspire R13. If I was given the choice, I would have pick this model instead because it’s more solid appeal and it’s quiet convenient as well. Did you know that the Aspire R13 was awarded the best of IFA 2014 in the Best Hybrid category by Laptop Magazine and it recently also won the Good Design Awards in Japan.

The size of the notebook is 13.3” and it weighs at 1.5 kg. The cool part about the notebook is that the screen can rotate 180 degrees and it can turn into tablet. This notebook has a convertible element indeed and yet it is stable. It can even put into an easel position. The Acer Aspire R13 has a high spec and it feels like a premium notebook.

It has a Core i5 processor, 128 GB Solid State Drive with 8GB RAM memory (power). It has Dolby Digital Plus Home Theatre for cinematic surround sound and Acer Purified Voice.

The selling price of the Acer Aspire R13 is BND 1,438 but you will know where your money is spent.

Check out the video of the Acer Aspire R13

TigerLim cleaning the Acer Aspire R13

Aspire R13 able to flip the monitor and let it have multiple functions