I’m holding the 10 shortlisted winners for the Kia Lucky Drive to France this morning. The draw was carried out by financial agencies which took place at Grand Motors of Kia showroom. Good luck 😀

Maximising Kia’s efforts to enhance its brand image by leveraging on global sports sponsorship, Grand Motors Sdn Bhd, the exclusive distributor of Kia vehicles in Brunei Darussalam supports its partnership with the UEFA Euro 2016 – the largest football event in Europe. In line with this, they are conducting the Kia Lucky Drive to France program which aims to boost the sports marketing initiatives of Kia and enrich the customer’s driving experience.

Almost 250 customers from BSB and KB participated and only 10 of them will be shortlisted. Thos who purchased Kia vehicles from 1st of March to end of April 2016 were eligible for the promotion. The grand prize is once in a lifetime trip for 2 to Paris, France to watch the opening of UEFA Euro 2016 and also a cultural experience tour of the host country.

Don’t worry as airfare, meals and hotel accommodations are included for the grand winner. There are also consolation prizes for the remaining 9 shortlisted winners. The final draw will take place on 20th May 2016 which also features the launch of the new facelift Kia Cerato. Do follow their Facebook Page and instagram @kiabrunei for updates.

The month promotion that ended last April.

 

Jackson Ting, Managing Director of D’Sunlit Sdn Bhd and Dato Paduka Hj Danial Hj Hanafiah, Executive Director of D’Sunlit Sdn Bhd with the partners of the 18th Consumer Fair

The 18th Consumer Fair will be dishing up sweet and savoury delicacies as well as all kinds of local and international specialties this time around.

Scheduled to take place from May 25 until 29 at the International Convention Centre in Berakas, apart from the Food Fest, the event will feature the ‘Biggest Deal in Town’ for visitors to enjoy great discounts.

This was announced during a signing ceremony between the organiser, D’Sunlit Sdn Bhd, with its official event and activity partners, at its premises last Wednesday.

Yay!! It’s me signing for being part of the event as the social media partner and thanks Kristy of Piccolo Cafe for being my witness. Furthermore, Piccolo café will have an activity on “Make Your Own Cup of Latte”

Sehat Water being one of the partners for 18th Consumer Fair

The representatives of Kotak Senyum Photobooth

Present to put pen to paper was Managing Director Jackson Ting, accompanied and witnessed by Executive Director Dato Paduka Hj Danial Hj Hanafiah along with representatives from fellow collaborators.

In addition, official event apparels were handed to the latter group.

The five–day expo will include baking classes led by award–winning Taiwanese franchise Bake Culture, at the price of $55. Early bird registrants can enjoy 18 per cent discount before May 14.
Other activities include latte art skills showcase by Piccolo Café head barista; ice–cream decoration challenge by Kingston Beverage and Creamery Sdn Bhd; Hers Kitchen’s cooking competition; Treasure Hunt Maze by Wonder Theme Sdn Bhd; and Fear House by Bouncer Ku.

Furthermore, the Thailand Embassy will demonstrate cultural arts; Go Hero will install a photo booth; Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital will conduct a blood donation drive; and KindyKare International will provide a daycare centre.

Another highlight to look forward to is the inaugural Grand Lucky Draw that prepares a list of great prizes.

Supported by the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism, the 18th Consumer Fair will run from 10am to 10pm daily, except on Friday where it breaks from 12pm to 2pm.

Based on a press statement, an additional $150 admin fee will be imposed on every nine sqm due to an increase in operation cost for cleaning fees, rubbish collection and many others.

For further enquiries, contact D’Sunlit’s Sales and Marketing Department at 2453666. Text by Ikhwan Salleh of The Brunei Times.

Hers Kitchen will be part of the Consumer Fair too.

 

Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (AMBD) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Employee Trust Fund (TAP) and related agencies such as Baiduri Bank, held its second National Savings Day 2016 roadshow at Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Primary School last Wednesday.

The official ceremony was held earlier this month where the importance for the younger generation to start nurturing a savings culture from an early age was iterated. With this year’s theme “Financially Literate Generation”, it is hoped that the increased awareness of financial independence could lead to individuals and households alike to be more financially aware and financially vigilant in the future. This is in line with the Wawasan Brunei 2035 objective towards achieving a dynamic and sustainable economy, as well as highly-skilled population.

The roadshow in Brunei Muara was open to primary school students from the district. Students and teachers from ten different schools were invited to participate in interactive financial-related games and activities organized by AMBD,TAP, Baiduri Bank and Junior Achievement. The specially designed games introduced financial management themes and introduction to local currency geared towards primary school students.

As part of the day’s activities, Baiduri Bank also gave away limited numbers of DPMM FC mini balls and all access passes to enter the part 3 of the National Savings Day celebrations, the AMBD Financial Funfair. Several activities and games, specifically designed by Baiduri Bank for the National Savings Day, were lined up for the students. A word search puzzle (Fortune Finder), a board game based on life (My Savings Journey) as well as Express Banking, an interactive and fun game that involves quick arithmetic.

AMBD in collaboration with MOE and TAP will continue to hold roadshows at the Belait District and Tutong District on the Monday, 16th May and Wednesday, 18th May respectively.

In addition, other events planned in conjunction with the National Savings Day 2016 are the Financial Fun Fair, which will be held at Jerudong Park Colonnade on Sunday 22 May 2016 from 3pm to 9pm and will feature a host of family fun-filled programs and interactive activities; a Financial Planners’ Day organized by the Centre for Islamic Banking and Management (CIBFM), AMBD’s training arm, on Thursday, 26 May 2016; and followed by a Financial Planners’ Showcase on Saturday, 28 May 2016.

 

A deep gratitude to all my sponsors, clients and most of all, RA followers for the past 14 years on my blog and social media. It has been an interesting journey 😀

 

U.S. Ambassador to Brunei, His Excellency Craig Allen in his opening remarks this morning at Brilliance Hall at Concepts Computer, Kiulap

It was a special occasion for both Concepts Technologies and Mircosoft (B) Sdn Bhd as the U.S. Ambassador to Brunei, His Excellency Craig Allen, was invited as a guest of honour in the event themed “Accelerating Competitiveness among SMEs with Technology”. The objective of this event is to boost up business productivity through technology targeting SMES in Brunei Darussalam.

His Excellency gave an opening remarks and joked how he wasn’t much of an IT person but praised the efforts Microsoft (Brunei) and Concepts Technologies for reaffirming the strengths between a local company and a US brand, Microsoft.

As you can see that Microsoft is the market leader in Brunei in terms of their operating system in computers. I’m pretty sure the same can be said for worldwide. I grew up using Microsoft and though for the past eights years that I’ve been using Appel computers, it didn’t stop me using Microsoft products on Apple.

Hence, I can see how Microsoft can empower SMEs to make improvements to the business of managing departments including managing infrastructure and services. So it was good of Concepts Technologies and Microsoft (B) to invite the local SMEs in attending this morning session as they are presented an added value session where it includes a time of sharing on Microsoft licensing solutions in assessing risk, optimizing productivity and cutting costs.

As a Microsoft distributor, one of their roles is to ensure SMEs are educated on the right track to adopt premium level technology. Just imagine business software like Office 365 equips organization in having the tools to overcome the challenges of executing on strategy every day and prospering in today’s economic down turn.

He hopes for more US collaboration with Brunei in regards to SMEs from different industries

A token of appreciation from Vincent Pao to the guest of honour

Haniza Zakariya, Managing Director of Microsoft (Brunei)

During the press conference

Also present were Vincent Pao, Group CEO of Concepts Group of Companies and Haniza Zakariya, Managing Director of Microsoft (B) Sdn Bhd.

Haniza shared in her speech about how Microsoft can empower businesses by making a technology a business advantage. With Microsoft, your business can increase in efficiency and annual revenue. You will have the capabilities to create jobs almost twice as fast as other small businesses. She shared that you need the technology that can grow right along with your business and the freedom to work the way you and your team work best.

His Excellency Craig Allen shared that Brunei has introduced a number of initiatives to demonstrate its commitment to local entrepreneurs and not to be reliant on hydrocarbon exports. He is full of praise on the Brunei Government’s initiative in launching a statutory body, DARe (Darussalam Enterprise) in supporting the local SMES. He even announced that there will be three representatives from Brunei who are invited to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) which will be hosted by President Obama in Silicon Valley in June 2016 (lucky them).

His Excellency also touched on Microsoft’s Intelligent Cloud and Windows 10 where it enables SMES to build a cloud-based IT ecosystem that enables employees to stay productive o matter where they are working from.

After the speech, His Excellency with Haniza and Vincent held a quick press conference for the media before heading for a quick tour of the premise of Concepts Computer.

His Excellency touring around Concepts Computer

Checking out the DXRacer chairs

Group photo with the On-Time associates

 

The star of the day – Black Pepper Long Chicken

BURGER KING ®’s realm does not just dominate the beefier regions of the map, It successfully colonized the land of chicken as well. Today Burger King has officially launched the new Black Pepper Long Chicken under its limited time only menu.

A great tasting sandwich with our very own black pepper sauce, topped with crisp lettuce and finished with creamy mayo on our Chicken Royale Patty. If you prefer to have cheese on your sandwich, you can also request an add-on American Cheese to your sandwich.

The Black Pepper Long Chicken is available at only $6.90 for the meal and $4.90 for the sandwich only.

Burger King Brunei would also like to introduce the new delicious Milo Float and Cheesy fries under our Starbuys menu, The items in our Starbuys menu range from as low as $1.60.

The Milo float is available at only $2.20 and you can also asked for a ‘change to‘ from your original meal drink to a milo float for additional $2.00.

Our Cheesy Fries is available at only $2.50 Regular and $3.00 Large. You can also asked for a ‘change to’ from your original meal fries to cheesy fries for an extra $1 only.

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

The Milo Float

 

Don’t forget to pen this date on the upcoming Financial Funfair at Jerudong Park Colonnade on 22nd May next weekend as part of National Savings Day 2016

 

Leicester City have just been crowned champions of the Premier League – and De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) staff and students are joining the celebrations.

The football club recently signed a new deal with De Montfort University (DMU) to become the Club’s Official Higher Education Partners.

The exciting new partnership, which builds on a fruitful four years of working together, will bring incredible opportunities for DMU students to get involved with a club whose name is known to millions around the world thanks to the success of Vardy, Mahrez, Ranieri and others.

It will include work placements for up to 100 students a year at the King Power Stadium covering all aspects of running a Premier League football club. DMU will also be looking at opportunities for students to work with King Power charities in Asia.

Brunei also enjoys a unique link with Leicester City Football Club which recently completed a transfer from Chelsea for winger Prince Faiq Jefri Bolkiah on a three-year professional deal that could see him making his way into the Foxes’ first team over the coming years.

De Montfort University student football trials will take place at the Club’s state-of-the-art facilities, while students will be treated to first team player appearances on campus during term time.


  
Academically, DMU offers expert English language support for the Club’s flourishing International Academy students. For example, Shinji Okazaki, the team’s Japanese international striker, recently completed an English course at the university.

Leicester City, the Premier League Champions

De Montfort University (DMU) has signed a new deal to become Leicester City FC’s Official Higher Education Partners. Click image to know more about DMU.

According to DMU’s press release, Leicester City Chief Executive Susan Whelan said: “We’re extremely proud of our growing partnership with DMU – a relationship that brings together two great Leicester institutions, proudly representing this city in front of a global audience.”



In the same release, Professor Dominic Shellard, Vice-Chancellor of DMU, said: “The benefits that this partnership will bring to DMU students are extraordinary, in terms of gaining vital industry experience, continuing DMU’s dedication to the public good with charitable and voluntary work, overseas travel through #DMUglobal, and cheering on Leicester City in the Premier League. I don’t think there will be another university in the country that can offer these sorts of opportunities in partnership with a Premier League football club.”

Findlay represents De Montfort University and provides students with free advice and guidance in all aspects of furthering their studies in the UK. For more information please telephone 2428658 or visit their office in Block E, Unit 2, 1st Floor, Abdul Razak Complex in Jalan Gadong.

 

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, Minister of Education as Deputy Chairman of AMBD’s Board of Directors (2nd from left), Yang Mulia Hajah Nurliati binti Haji Md Idris, Acting Managing Director of AMBD (center) with the associates from Baiduri Bank at the roadshow during the launch of National Savings Day 2016 at Lambak Kanan Primary School

Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (AMBD) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Employee Trust Fund (TAP) and related agencies, held the Launching Ceremony for National Savings Day 2016 at the Lambak Kanan Primary School on Thursday, 26th Rejab 1437H corresponding to 4th May 2016M.

The Guest of Honour for the event was Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, Minister of Education as Deputy Chairman of AMBD’s Board of Directors. Also present were Yang Arif Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Metussin bin Haji Baki, Syariah High​ Court Judge​; other members of AMBD Board of Directors; Permanent Secretaries; Senior Government Officers; Chief Executives of Financial Institutions in Brunei Darussalam and teachers and students of selected Primary Schools.

The launching ceremony began with the recital of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa Selamat, followed by Welcoming Remarks by Yang Mulia Hajah Nurliati binti Haji Md Idris, Acting Managing Director of AMBD. Yang Mulia Hajah Nurliati then proceeded to invite the Guest of Honour to launch the National Savings Day 2016.

Yang Berhormat Pehin had the opportunity to tour all booths by AMBD; TAP; and participating financial institutions, where these institutions showcased various interactive financial management games activities specially designed for primary school students.

AMBD in collaboration with MOE and TAP will continue with roadshows in all four districts namely Temburong District on Monday, 9th May 2016, followed by the Brunei-Muara District on Wednesday, 11th May 2016, then to the Belait District and Tutong District on the Monday, 16th May and Wednesday, 18th May respectively. In addition, other events planned for in conjunction with the National Savings Day 2016, are the Financial Planners’ Day organized by the Centre for Islamic Banking and Management (CIBFM), AMBD’s training arm, on Thursday, 26 May 2016, followed by a Financial Planners’ Showcase on Saturday, 28 May 2016.

For more information on National Savings Day 2016 please visit www.ambd.gov.bn or contact AMBD through email corpcomms@ambd.gov.bn Images courtesy of Baiduri Bank.

 

The clip that went viral on Facebook

Md A’aqiil Ahmad (L), Zainal Bostaman Hj Salleh Bostaman (C) and Md Faizul Faiq Mohemmad Ali, founders of Filterworks Production

The trios have been making waves. We have heard of @babusinur and @bruneivinesvideo and now a new and upcoming group, Filterworks Production. You can check out their work at their Facebook Page. Their videos are normally 3 to 4 minutes long hence it is not the whole deal when it comes to Instragram due to the time limit given.

It’s good that that our youth are taking initiatives in the creative industry. The trio – Md A’aqiil Ahmad, Zainal Bostaman Hj Salleh Bostaman and Md Faizul Faiq Mohemmad Ali – have been very active in creating humourous videos that are related to our society. You might be familiar with their faces from the recent musical production Belle.

I like their recent video on “Mau Indomie” which has been shared at least 1,000 times on Facebook. Because of their efforts, Syarikat Aliaa, the trading company that imports the Indomie brand, gave the founders of Filterworks Production some token of appreciation with Indomie boxes and hampers.

Filterworks Production feted by the management of Syarikat Aliaa

Zainal Bostaman won’t be hungry for at least 3 months 😀

The crew working on their latest video which is already up on their Facebook Page

 

Mothers Day celebration is just around the corner! What sweeter way to treat your mum than with cooking and designing your own beautiful pancakes for her!

Paddington House of Pancakes is hosting a cooking event to all. Our event is open to all who want to share their loves for mum and other loved ones through sweet and tasty pancakes.

“Unleash Your Baking Talent”!

They will provide and prepare all the necessary ingredients for you to make and decorate your own pancakes! Each design is $10 and you can be as creative as your heart desires with your designs. Bring friends, family, and loved ones to join our fun cooking and sharing activity!

They will have a cooking station prepared for you anytime from 9am to 9pm and you have today till Sunday, 8th of May! If you would like to book reservations or have any questions, please call our Berakas branch at 2331668.

 

Dayang Nur Syukrina binti Dato Mohd Roselan and Dayang Nurhuaida Fakhriah binti Damit, AMBD representatives during the media briefing.

Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (AMBD), following a press conference held on Monday, 2nd May 2015, announced that this year’s National Savings Day 2016 will be launched on today, Wednesday, 4 th May 2016.

The first National Savings Day was declared by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, as Chairman of AMBD on 28th May 2015.

The theme for this year’s National Savings Day- “Financially Literate Generation” was chosen to reflect the goal to raise a financially literate and independent generation. This will also contribute to the Wawasan Brunei 2035 objective towards a dynamic and sustainable economy, as well as highly-skilled population.

In collaboration with Tabung Amanah Perkerja (TAP) and the Ministry of Education (MOE) and other related agencies, AMBD will be organising a number of activities which include roadshows to primary schools at all four districts. The roadshows, amongst others, will include interactive games on financial management and introduction to currency by AMBD, TAP and relevant institutions and agencies, geared towards primary school students.

On Sunday, 22 May 2016, a Financial Fun Fair will be held at Jerudong Park Playground and will feature a host of family fun-filled interactive programs and activities also by AMBD, TAP and relevant institutions and agencies, geared towards the general public.

In addition, other events planned for in conjunction with the National Savings Day 2016, are the Financial Planners’ Day organized by the Centre for Islamic Banking and Management (CIBFM), AMBD’s training arm, on Thursday, 26 May 2016, followed by a Financial Planners’ Showcase on Saturday, 28 May 2016.

For more information on National Savings Day 2016 please visit www.ambd.gov.bn or email  at corpcomms@ambd.gov.bn

Nurhuaida briefing to the press

 

Awfa Nawawi, Heidi Rahman, Rahman Tarsat, Chris Woo, Jordan Yau, Gerald Goh, Rano Iskandar and Aziman Nasir

New Executive Committee members of the Brunei Speakers’ Club (BSC) for the term 2016-2017 were elected at the SEAMEO VOCTECH, Gadong last night.

The meeting saw the election of Jordan Yau as President of Brunei Speakers’ Club. Meanwhile, Gerald Goh, Rano Iskandar, Rahmat Tarsat, Heidi Rahman, Aziman Nasir and Awfa Nawawi were elected as Vice President Education, Vice President Membership, Vice President Public Relations, Secretary, Treasurer and Sergeant at arms of BSC, respectively.

Congratulations to the newly elected Executive Committee and their term will being on 1st July 2016. You can view more pictures on the Brunei Speakers’ Club website.

Newly elect President, Jordan Yau, giving his remarks

26 active members of BSC turned up last night for the Annual General Meeting

It was fun to listen to all the speeches by the nominees. The highlights of the night.

 

The Board of Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam today announced the appointment of Mr Mubashar Khokhar as its Managing Director with effect from 30 November 2015. He will take over from Mr Javed Ahmad who will leave BIBD on 29 December 2015, after having successfully led the Bank since 2008.

Dato Paduka Haji Bahrin bin Abdullah, Chairman of BIBD said that Mr Khokhar brings with him a wealth of knowledge and international experience of over 30 years in the financial industry, which is well-suited to BIBD’s ambitious plans to take the bank to the next level. “Mubashar has deep knowledge of the Islamic finance industry and proven executive experience across fifteen developed and emerging markets, including the USA, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Gulf Cooperation Council. He will continue to drive the transformation and continuous improvement agenda that we have set out for the Bank, to generate respectable returns for our shareholders, while continuously providing our customers with world-class Islamic financial services.”

Mr Mubashar Khokhar as its Managing Director of BIBD. Image taken from emirates247.com

Prior to BIBD, Mr Khokhar was Managing Director at Fajr Capital, Dubai, a principal investment firm and, CEO of Ajman Bank, a publicly listed Shari’a compliant bank in UAE, and also served as the CEO of Badr Al-Islami/Mashreq Al-Islami, a wholly owned subsidiary of MashreqBank. Under his leadership at Ajman Bank, Ajman Bank received widespread industry recognition, including the coveted ‘Best Domestic Bank’ award in 2011. He started his career with American Express and Bank of America.

Dato Haji Bahrin also thanked Mr Javed Ahmad for his immense contributions during his tenure at the helm of BIBD. Mr Javed Ahmad was instrumental in the transformation of BIBD into Brunei Darussalam’s largest bank and the sultanate’s flagship Islamic financial institution, serving over 30% of the Bruneian market. Several milestones have been chartered during his leadership at BIBD, including the Bank’s major rebranding exercise in 2013, the introduction of pilot banking innovations and technologies, as well as the Bank’s regional expansion to Singapore. BIBD has also received numerous international recognitions under Javed Ahmad’s leadership, including receiving the impressive A- (Stable) credit rating, the highest in Brunei Darussalam and among the highest in Southeast Asia accorded by international credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s.

Thank you, Mr. Javed Ahmad, for your friendship and continuous support during your capacity as the MD of BIBD. I wish you the best in your future endeavours.

 

Pg Suhardy bin Pg Hj Nordin, BIBD’s Head of Branches, present a prize to one of the winners

Pg Suhardy bin Pg Hj Nordin, BIBD’s Head of Branches, present a prize to one of the winners

BIBD last weekend handed over three pairs of air tickets to Kota Kinabalu for the first monthly winners of its “Swipe to Fly” campaign at the Radisson Hotel in the capital. Present to hand over the prizes was BIBD’s Head of Branches, Pg Suhardy bin Pg Hj Nordin.

Throughout the promotion period ending 29th of February 2016, every transaction made using any physical BIBD cards will entitle the card holder one entry, automatically entered into the ‘Swipe to Fly’ campaign. As an added bonus, any transaction on the same cards above BND$50 will also entitle the cardholder an additional five entrees. The four-month promotion will also offer air tickets to Jakarta, Bali and Bangkok.

BIBD is also currently running its BIBD Card Privileges promotion which allows BIBD cardholders, including the BIBD Virtual Mastercard, to enjoy a discount of up to seven percent when you book your travel accommodation with Agoda. This promotion is valid until the 31st December 2015, and is available via the BIBD landing page at www.agoda.com/bibd.

For more information on any BIBD products, services and promotions, please follow the BIBD Instagram account at @BIBDBRUNEI; Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bibdbrunei ; get in touch with BIBD Contact Centre at 2238181 or visit the nearest BIBD Branch. Also, don’t forget to download the popular BIBD Mobile App to get the latest BIBD offers and promotions under “What’s New” feature.

Group photo with the winners

 

Check out the new Peugeot 3008 crossover now available in Brunei

The front view and now the lights are pretty unique, powered by Bi-Xenon Directional Light

The trend is picking up or it already has been the trend in Brunei Darussalam. Car enthusiasts prefer to drive an SUV than a saloon car. So it’s no surprise that many European car manufacturers are listening to the demands especially in Asia and Brunei is one of them.

Today my post will feature the latest edition to the Peugeot family – the Peugeot 3008. This model will surely attract many potential customers. Why? Because of its affordability for a crossover SUV and its awesome safety features.

The Peugeot 3008 is a crossover SUV capable of seating five in comfort thanks to its MPV-like interior and clever use of space from our fully imported model from France.

Designed to look more like a 4×4 estate than a traditional SUV or people carrier, the Peugeot 3008 stands out on the road and the modern, attractive design incorporates vast boot space for luggage and equipment.

Inside the Peugeot 3008, the interior is kitted out with an almost-executive-level of equipment and the use of quality materials puts the 3008 ahead of many of its rivals.

An excellent petrol engines provide plenty of power matched to low running costs, low levels of emissions and small car fuel economy.

Even the bonnet area is spacious and can carry the human weights of my media buddies

Annison, TCY Motors Peugeot sales manager, adjusting the partition at the boot area. He highlighted how the new SUV is clever in using its space.

Adjustable space at the back

Vincent Hong checking out the new 3008

Now for only BND 539 per month and with the new AMBD directive, you don’t need down payment. Coolio!!

Safety feature. Customers will feel more confident knowing that the 3008 crossover is being awarded a 5* Euro NCAP rating.

The 3008 is the only entry level SUV in Brunei, to be fitted with Bi-Xenon Directional Light (totally cool feature). This feature is very important on safety aspect during night driving. When maneuvering, the light follows the direction of the steering wheel, thus making your driving safer and with confidence.

The New 3008 is fitted with 6 SMART airbags that inflate according to the force of the impact, giving you exactly the right level of protection. Every part of the New 3008 has been designed for maximum safety.

Price? Well, you will be amazed to know that the price is set at BND 34,900 or from BND 539 per month depending on your specification. We had the privilege to have a closer look at the new Peugeot 3008 crossover at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf last week. For those interested to view the car, you can drop by their Peugeot Showroom at Kiarong.

You can also follow their Facebook Page and their Brunei’s Peugeot website for more updates.

The black one looks cool

Close up view of the front

The interior look

 

Muhammad Abdul Mu’iz Darul the winner of the Open Category of the Financial Scams Awareness Short Video Competition and presenting the prize was AMBD Managing Director Yusof Hj Abd Rahman

Ak Sulaiman Pg Hj Aman from Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) the winner of the Student Category of the Financial Scams Awareness Short Video Competition and presenting the prize was AMBD Managing Director Yusof Hj Abd Rahman

The creators of the best videos on financial scams were recently given recognition by the organiser of the competition, Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (AMBD), at the Theatre Hall, Ministry of Finance Building last week.

The Financial Scams Awareness Video Competition, which was divided into two categories – Student and Open – saw a total of three winners from each category.
In the Student category, Ak Sulaiman Pg Hj Aman from Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) took the first place for his video Desperate. In second place were Chung Ming Ru and Nurul Hafizah Zakaria, also from UBD, for their video, Loving Can Hurt. Meanwhile, in third place was a group of students from Politeknik Brunei – Mohd Izzat Afifi Hassan, Ak Md Akmal Muazzam Pg Mohammad Adam Nor-Islam, Amin Yusuf Abd Salam; and Muhd Hafiy Masri – for their video titled Tabung Dana.

In the open category Muhammad Abdul Mu’iz Darul was announced the first place winner for his video Tuah Malang. In second and third places respectively were Mohammad Hanifi Hj Juffri for his video The Pyramid and Amirul Jazli Jali for his video Caught in the Web.

The consolation prizes winners went to Abdul Hanan bin Haji Erwan, Nurul Fatin Haziqah binti Abdul Rahman, Siti Zuraidah @ ‘Aziyah As-Zahra binti Mat Jais and Najihah binti Haji Ali from Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA); and Muhammad Meerza Helmi bin Uzapuspa, Muhammad Afiq Khairuddin bin Kamaluddin, Audrey Lim Hong Eng and Ahmad Fikri bin Zulbahri from Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College (MSPSBS).

2nd place winner in the Student Category

The top three winners in the Open Category

The top three winners in the Student Category

Group photo with the AMBD and the winners and finalists of the Financial Scams Awareness Short Video Competition

Present to hand the prizes to the winners was AMBD Managing Director Yusof Hj Abd Rahman, who also presented prizes to consolation winners. Also present at the ceremony were AMBD’s management and staff as well as external judges Shaikh Hj Hanafiyah Shaikh Hj Ahmad from Radio Televisyen Brunei (RTB); and Siti Kamaluddin from Origins Film Sdn Bhd.

In an AMBD press statement, the competition was organised to develop public awareness on financial scams.

The winning videos, Desperate and Tuah Malang, can be viewed on AMBD’s app, which can be downloaded for free on both App Store for iPhone users and Google Playstore for Android users. All the images courtesy of AMBD and text taken from The Brunei Times.

 

Hello peeps!!! I’m currently in Singapore and yes, I’m braving the haze here. It seems that Singapore and Malaysia are really affected and perhaps the worst affected area will be around Sumatra. I’m pretty sure it has a slight detrimental effect on the Singapore economy as people tend to stay indoors. Last week, the PSI reading was over 300 (hazardous), the government declared that all schools in Singapore to shut down for that particular day.

Brunei do get hazy every now and then but it’s not as bad as Singapore or Malaysia. I could smell the haze when I was paying a visit to Vivo City last Monday. The good thing is that the masks are in stock as compared to 2013 where the masks were high in demand but low on supply. So I suggest to Bruneians who are visiting Singapore to put on a mask if possible.

Last night’s match between DPMM FC and Home United for the Singapore Cup was also postponed due to the haze. However, the fans were not pleased as the organisers delayed the match for an hour plus before calling the game off and postponed it to tonight. It’s a tricky situation where organisers have to make a brave decision to proceed with the match or take precaution of the players’ body condition. This has not play quite well with the supporters and the fans have been vetting out their frustrations on the S•League Facebook Page too. Well, from the looks of it, the haze today doesn’t look any better and what will be the fate of the match which supposedly taking place tonight… hmmmm.. We shall wait and see.

This is my view right now while blogging this entry. What a hazy day in Singapore. Taken at the Club Lounge of Hotel Jen Orchardgateway.

My recent visit to Universal Studios for the Halloween Horror Nights 5. More on this soon.

Now why I am in Singapore is for a few reasons – 1) Do my visa for Denmark 2) get a pair of Adidas Barricade shoes for tennis 3) catching up with friends/bloggers (Tiffany, Frances, J.T) 4) catching Black Mass – verdict: 7/10 5) a special invite for the Halloween Horror Night 5 #HHN5 at Universal Studios 6) my stay experience at Hotel Jen Orchardgateway.

From the looks of it, it ain’t a bad itinerary. The only miracle I hope for now is making sure I get on my flight to Copenhagen by Monday latest. It’s gonna slightly tough but I’m glad the Singapore team (from Bang & Olufsen), the Brunei team too and the Denmark Embassy in Singapore are doing the best they can to make sure my visa gets approved as soon as possible.

Apparently I found out that my passport is slightly trickier than the Brunei passport. I’m a permanent resident of Brunei Darussalam and we don’t use passports like Brunei citizens would. We have what we call Certificate of Identification of Brunei Darussalam printed on the brown colour passport look-a-like. Hence the Royal Danish Embassy in Singapore shared that my particular passport will take at least 7 working days and not 5 day or less for others. This is the fact that I’m holding a CI document (the PR passport) and it will take longer to process the visa application.

So what I learnt from this lesson (trip) is that we Brunei PR will spend more money (flying and staying in Singapore just for a 60 euro Visa) and the second most important thing is you have to apply at least 3 weeks before (to be safe) to Schengen countries like Denmark, Sweden and Norway to name a few. I never expected it to be this difficult but all I have to do now is just wait from the Royal Danish Embassy to give me the green light by Friday or latest by Monday.

If you ask me personally if there’s any perks of holding a CI document/passbook, nah, there’s not much improvement as not many countries recognizes this particular travel document. Do we permanent residents deserve a travel document that’s called a Passport? Yes, we do.. I do hope the “Yang Berhormats” take notice of this issue as this motion has not been approved after countless attempts at the Legislative Council. We need the convenience and assurance especially when we travel to certain countries. For me, it’s the costs and inconvenience that I have to experience during my travel journey. Let’s bring this matter urgently in the next LegCo meeting. Some improvements are needed at least.

Oh man, I’ve been ranting here on the 19th floor of Hotel Jen with the view of the haze in front of me. Let’s hope for brighting things to come and I want to get my butt on the plane to Denmark. I’m signing off for now.. Have a wonderful week ahead..

 

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

These are the common financial scams in Brunei:

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

  Ponzi scheme

  Pyramid scheme

  Gold investment

  Land-banking investment

  Forex trading

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Click image to enter website

 

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

 

The three day activity hosted by Best Eastern will start off with a colouring contest for kids

Woohooo.. Am I gonna get hooked to colouring? I just recently bought a colour book called the Enchanted Forest and also some colour pencils to go alone with it 😀 Apparently these special colouring books by Johanna Basford (Enchanted Forest and Secret Garden) have bene very, very popular among ADULTS… That’s right.. Adults… Reason being is that the activity of colouring is very therapeutic and it can become addictive. So yes, I am giving it a shot as I bought one myself at Best Eastern last night.

However, since I’m on the subject of colouring, let me share with you that Best Eastern will be kicking off their activities starting tomorrow and it will be a colour contest for children. Do look at the details below and it will be a great time for parents to send their kids for this contest as it’s the school holidays.

Doodle Art Colouring Contest
11th September 2pm to 5pm
Open for kids 5 – 12 years old
Bring your own colouring pencils.  Will provide the colouring pages.
Prizes :

$100 Gift vouchers plus gift pack – 1st Prize

$80   Gift Vouchers plus gift  pack – 2nd Prize

$50  Gift Vouchers plus gift Pack  – 3rd Prize

Consolation Prizes as well.

The event will take place at Best Eastern, Times Square Shopping Centre but you can register at all counters at any Best Eastern outlets in Brunei but you will have to purchase any of the colouring book by Johanna Basford or Millie Marotta to eligible for registration.

Good luck to all the participants of the colouring contest.

One of the activities done earlier this week. This is a sample of what to expect for the colour contest.

Even adults are hooked with colouring 😀

Purchase one of the books, for instance, Secret Garden, for your children to be eligible for the Doodle Art Colouring Contest tomorrow, Friday 11th September.

The results of the colour can turn out like this

Another sample from the Secret Garden book when you colour it in.

The books are available at Best Eastern.

I even invested in colour pencils from Derwent at Best Eastern last night

Behold.. there’s even colouring contest for adults.. Woohooo..

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

These are the common financial scams in Brunei:

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

  Ponzi scheme

  Pyramid scheme

  Gold investment

  Land-banking investment

  Forex trading

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Group photo with top senior management of Authoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam, top senior management of Baiduri Bank, diplomats and associates of Baiduri Capital Sdn Bhd during the launch of Baiduri Capital this morning

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Suyoi Hj Osman, Deputy Chairman of Authoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (also the Minister of Development) launched the Baiduri Capital Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Baiduri Bank, this morning

It’s the first time that Baiduri Bank are providing securities trading and Pierre Imhof, the Director of Baiduri Capital feels it’s the right time for Baiduri Bank Group to explore into this market as there are a growing number of Bruneians with sizeable savings and also looking for opportunities to build wealth apart from deposits. The event took place this morning at Baiduri Bank Kiarong Complex.

The event was officiated by Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Suyoi Hj Osman, Deputy Chairman of Authoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (also the Minister of Development).

Baiduri Capital has been receiving a lot of interest from the public especially among the young professionals and these were done through workshops and seminars. Through these, Baiduri learnt that the market is ready. The extra added value from Baiduri Capital is the online securities trading portal. This is the first of its kind in Brunei and this is of course for the convenience of Baiduri Capital customers.

Well done on the launch this morning and so to those who love to play with stock market, look no further and try out Baiduri Capital services. They will be able to assist you and also assess the level of risk before you venture into the trading adventure.

The guest of honour touring Baiduri Capital

Yang Berhormat Pehin viewing Baiduri Capital

Pierre Imhof, CEO of Baiduri Bank and Director of Baiduri Capital (left), speaking with invited guests

Guest of honour signing a memento to commemorate the launch

Pierre Imhof delivering his speech and believes there is a market for securities trading and it’s also the first to provide it online

Hello Maurina and Joel :p

Bumped into Sarina Chieng, founder of Tada Concept and Seng Yee, Marketing Executive of RYS Event Management at the event :p

Refreshments being served after the launch

This is it… The 27th Universiti Brunei Darussalam convocation day which will take place tomorrow Wednesday 9th September 2015. I shall be there once again to do some live coverage.. Hopefully, there is a stable connection that I could Periscope or Snapchat on some occasions but we shall see.

This year alone there will be almost 1,200 graduates (PhD, Masters and Degree) and some of the UBD graduates will receive their certificates in the afternoon session. Good luck to all and it should be a good experience for all the students graduating.. Enjoy and cherish the moment. You deserved it 😀 Below are some of the pictures taken during the preparation of the convocation. They have been working very hard to make sure the event run smoothly. Keep up the great work, committee!!

Not sure sure who took this but nice shot 🙂

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

These are the common financial scams in Brunei:

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

  Ponzi scheme

  Pyramid scheme

  Gold investment

  Land-banking investment

  Forex trading

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Congratulations to Interhouse Company on the showroom.

With the senior management of Interhouse Company and invited guests

Looking for a PIXMA printer?

You can try out the Selphy printer too.

The ladies checking out the compact Canon cameras

My busy industrious friend who also works at Interhouse Company

The durable and reliable printers from Canon

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

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

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

Check out the calculators too from Canon

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

Group photo of Interhouse Company with loyal customers

Upcoming fixtures

Results last weekend

Results last weekend

Politeknik Brunei (PB) last weekend came back from a goal down to salvage a 1-1 draw against Curtin University in Group ‘A’ of the BIBD At-Tamwil University Cup 2015 at the Padang Kebajikan.

Curtin University, the only foreign team in the tournament, took the lead late in the first half as Tisalona Anak Joannes connected with a cross from Thad Bess Chia.

With a majority of the possession and numerous goal attempts, PB could not break the deadlock. Curtin goalkeeper, Jeremy Dom, was on impressive form to thwart PB’s front line of Mohammad Ikmal Hakim and Nur Adi Zulhusni.

The goalkeeper could only do so much when PB super substitute Mohd Hazim Hamzah’s flick header in the 74th minute curled into the goal. The goal was enough to earn PB a point in their last game of the tournament.

PB has now collected four points and sit in third position in Group ‘A’.

Meanwhile, Laksamana College of Business (LCB) beat Cosmopolitan College of Commerce and Technology 2-1, thanks to an injury time goal (90+2) from Muhammad Azizan Akmal Haji Mataii.

Curtin University will next play UNISSA on June 3 at the Hassanal Bolkiah Stadium at the Police Headquarters.

The next match for the BIBD At-Tamwil University Cup 2015 will see a top of the table clash between Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) and Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB) on June 2 at the Hassanal Bolkiah Stadium at the Police Headquarter. Kick off will be at 7.45pm. Text courtesy of James Kon of Borneo Bulletin and images courtesy of Fazizul Haqimie.

For more updates, you can follow their Facebook page or instagram @attamwil_universitycup

Match between IGS and LCB

Match between IGS and LCB

Match between IGS and LCB

Match between IGS and LCB

Match between IGS and LCB

 

Hj Mohd Maszaiwardy bin Hj Masri, Assistant General Manager of Sales, Takaful Brunei Keluarga, Hjh Mahana binti Hj Ajak, Deputy General Manager of Takaful Brunei Keluarga and Nooramal Fitriyah Abdul Rahim, Sales Executive Officer, Sales Department of Takaful Brunei Keluarga

The popular short term investment is back!! Takaful Brunei Keluarga (TBK) previously held this special promotion two years ago back in 2013 and it was a big hit. This time round, the stakes are way better. For those who are not aware of Nur Savings from TBK, it’s basically a short term investment (maximum two years) where you will be insured and also gain interest from the savings at a profit of 2% per annum for two years.

The single minimum payment os BND 2,000 and there is no cap for the payment. Previously it was capped at BND 50,000 but now interested parties can inject any amount they feel comfortable with. The 2% interest is a pretty high return as compared to the banks in Brunei. Hence not only you save and get protected, you also earn the extra 2% from your savings. So imagine yourself investing BND 500,000 or even BND 1 million. That would be a great returns in a space of two years only. Awesome deal!!!

This promotion is open to all residents of Brunei Darussalam which means as long as you have an IC (green, purple or yellow), you will be eligible. For those interested parties, you can call TBK’s Certified Financial Planners at 223 1100 during office hours.

The media asking questions during the press conference

Hjh Mahana explained to the media the benefits of Nur Savings

 

Be a member of Skin Food and enjoy the privileges

Be a member of Skin Food and enjoy the privileges

The once a year members’ day is back at Skin Food Brunei. From 31st May – 2nd June 2015, members are entitled to enjoy a 30% discount off the original price on all items. The event comes as a means of thanking Skin Food Brunei’s loyal customers.

For those of you non-members who are eager for the hefty discount, worry not, as Skin Food is giving the opportunity to sign up for membership with just a $10 transaction, generously reduced from the usual $40. New members will also receive a lovely welcoming gift. Benefits include 10% discount on purchases, birthday vouchers and exclusive members-only promotions.

Skin Food is also giving away lots of fun free gifts, such $5 vouchers for purchases up to $50, while purchases above $88 get a limited edition manicure set. Purchases above $108 will receive a highly collectable Black Sugar enamel pouch, suitable for travelling with your favourite products!

Skin Food is one of the top skin and body care brands, that is well known for their plant and fruit based products that incorporate natural ingredients to “feed the skin”. Among some of their latest product lines is the introduction of the Argan Oil Silk Hair Care Range, and their Premium Tomato whitening skin care range.

 

The winners of the AMBD Treasure Hunt – Team Victorious Secret. Image courtesy of Armtrix Enterprise.

1st runner-up of the AMBD Treasure Hunt – Team A Square who won themselves two iPad Mini. Image courtesy of Armtrix Enterprise.

2nd runner-up of the AMBD Treasure Hunt – Blackjack who won two Garmin F15 watches. Image courtesy of Armtrix Enterprise.

We have winners from AMBD Treasure Hunt last weekend. The response was overwhelming and the organizers had to turn down others because it was only limited to 30 teams of two. The treasure hunt went on for two hours and there were given tasks to complete and the top 5 winners will be awarded. The first prize was a pair of tickets to Kuala Lumpur and it was won by team Victorious Secret where they also earned a trophy and a Good Life coin bank.

AMBD Day 2015 had been a successful event, spanning over 3 days and it was showcased at the ICC to create awareness on savings among the community. There has been many queries to the new notices and directives from the AMBD but then it’s all for the benefit of the community and also educating them on the importance of savings.

On 28th May 2015, they have released five notices – Total Debt Service Ratio, Unsecured Personal Credit Facility, Unsecured Personal Financing Facility, Consolidation Loan Scheme and Service Fee/Charges. You can read more of the notices here, taken from the AMBD website.

The Total Debt Service Ratio may be taken in the wrong context but if you look deeply, the positive aspect is that it will ease the burden of the borrower and also allow the borrower to have a better and sufficient disposable income. The other good point is that now the applicant can get a loan up to 18 times its net salary as compared to the previous one by 12 times. The maximum repayment period remains unchanged at six years.

These new directives may not be favourable for the banks in terms of gains but it will be a win-win situation for both the financial institution and consumers in a long run. Ok, enough on my rant on loan caps. Congratulations to the winners of the AMBD Treasure Hunt.

Group photo with the treasure hunters. Image courtesy of Armtrix Enterprise.

Participants hunting for crew

Participants hunting for crew

Participants hunting for crew

Participants hunting for crew

Piccolo Cafe enjoying brisk business during AMBD 2015 event and I had a photo with the founder of the cafe

 

There’s a clearance sale at Harajuku Boutique until 15th June. The boutique is located near Thien-Thien Gadong.

The owner of Harajuku Boutique is also looking for a buyer for the shop.