The Audi A4 Ultra 2.0 TFSI Ultra. I didn’t get to test drive this unit but this version is the most environmental friendly of the lot

The new Audi A4 1.4 TFSI which still is a solid car

Audi Traffic Light Information System

Last weekend, the local press & media were properly introduced to the 9th generation of the Audi 80/A4 series- the all new Audi A4, now with quattro® all-wheel-drive.

The new Audi A4 features numerous premium technologies which set higher benchmarks for its class. Elegant design blends with an innovative control concept, and lightweight construction meets new, efficient drivetrain solutions. The A4 is also ahead of its peers in terms of infotainment and assistance systems. As a result, Audi drivers can look forward to a truly high-tech experience ― an innovative synthesis of technology and aesthetics.

Now available at the Audi Kiarong showroom the new Audi A4 also achieves top ratings for efficiency. It boasts the best-in-class drag coefficient of just 0.23 and has shed as much as 120 kilograms (264.6 lb) in weight compared with the predecessor model. Three economical four-cylinder engine variants delivering up to 185 kW (252 hp) also play a major part in this efficiency gain.

The Audi A4 is also available here for the first time with the high-efficiency gasoline engine 2.0 TFSI ultra developing 140 kW (190 hp) which uses an innovative combustion process and has been designed based on the rightsizing principle. The economical power unit reduces the NEDC consumption of the new A4 Sedan to 4.8 litres per 100 kilometres (49.0 US mpg) and CO2 emissions to 109 grams per kilometre (175.4 g/mi).

The new Audi A4 comes equipped with an extensive selection of improved technologies making their first appearance in this model, such as LED headlights, Audi Drive Select with Efficiency mode, sports suspension with damping control, fly-by-wire gear shifter and a top of the line Bang & Olufsen 3D Sound System.

In terms of safety, the new A4 has been awarded the highest ratings from both the Euro NCAP and IIHS safety tests.

Premium features will include multicoloured ambient lighting, front/rear parking aid and convenience key with ‘kick’ motion rear luggage door release.

TCY Motors will offer the new Audi A4 Sedan with three engine variants: a 1.4 TFSI (150hp/250Nm), 2.0 TFSI ultra (190hp/320Nm) and 2.0 TFSI quattro (252hp/370Nm) all utilising the 7-speed dual-clutch S tronic transmission. Wheel sizes will range from 17”, 18” and 19” based on the respective engine variant.

I love the gear of the Audi A4

Now this car is a beast… The Audi A4 2.0 TFSI quattro

Good thing with this gear is that I can rest my hand and play with the control. Nice work!!

The interior has an S-Line finish

The display corner for driver

You can notice the difference in the design of the Audi A4 1.4 (in front) and the Audi A4 quattro (at the back)

Members of the media enjoying the ride of both the Audi A4 1.4 and the Audi A4 quattro

Rano’s feedback: I test drove two versions of the latest Audi A4 which were the Audi A4 1.4 and the Audi 2.o quattro®. Of course, you will know which one I would highly recommend. If you are just a casual driver that loves the eloquent feel of an Audi, you can’t go wrong with the Audi A4 1.4 and the ride is pretty smooth too. A perfect sedan car with good features and forgetting its safety features.

The one that stole my attention during the test drive is the Audi A4 TFSI quattro®. This means the A4 operates on a four wheel drive or in Audi context, all-wheel drive.  You can really feel the difference and you will know where that added value goes to when you fork out a little more than the Audi 1.4 and of course, in the quattro® version, the sound system is powered by Bang & Olufsen (woohoo). I also love the signal indicators which is applicable to all the new Audi A4.

Do give this a test drive at T.C.Y. Motors showroom at Kiarong and you will get what I mean with the quattro®

This is me, signing off with the four 😀 What do I think? If I were you, just go for the Audi A4 quattro… It simply rocks and even on a windy road, you will be amazed by the handling of the quattro.

For the golfers out there, what are you waiting for? 😀

 

The Audi A4 2.0 TFSI S Tronic Glacier White Front. You can view this at their Audi showroom.

Press release from @audibrunei. More powerful, more efficient, more intelligent: the new Audi A4 features numerous premium technologies which set higher benchmarks for its class. Elegant design blends with an innovative control concept, and lightweight construction meets new, efficient drivetrain solutions. The A4 is also ahead of its peers in terms of infotainment and assistance systems. As a result, Audi drivers can look forward to a truly high-tech experience ― an innovative synthesis of technology and aesthetics.

The new Audi A4 now available at the Audi Kiarong showroom also achieves top ratings for efficiency. It boasts the best-in-class drag coefficient of just 0.23 and has shed as much as 120 kilograms (264.6 lb) in weight compared with the predecessor model. Three economical four-cylinder engine variants delivering up to 185 kW (252 hp) also play a major part in this efficiency gain.

The Audi A4 is also available here for the first time with the high-efficiency gasoline engine 2.0 TFSI ultra developing 140 kW (190 hp) which uses an innovative combustion process and has been designed based on the rightsizing principle. The economical power unit reduces the NEDC consumption of the new A4 Sedan to 4.8 litres per 100 kilometres (49.0 US mpg) and CO2 emissions to 109 grams per kilometre (175.4 g/mi).

Audi A4 1.4 TFSI S Tronic Monsoon Grey Front. You can view this at their Audi showroom.

Audi A4 1.4 TFSI S Tronic Mythos Black with Nougat Brown Interior. You can view this at their Audi showroom.

The new Audi A4 comes equipped with an extensive selection of improved technologies making their first appearance in this model, such as LED headlights, Audi Drive Select with Efficiency mode, sports suspension with damping control, fly-by-wire gear shifter and a top of the line Bang & Olufsen 3D Sound System.

In terms of safety, the new A4 has been awarded the highest ratings from both the Euro NCAP and IIHS safety tests.

Premium features will include multicoloured ambient lighting, front/rear parking aid and convenience key with ‘kick’ motion rear luggage door release.

TCY Motors will offer the new Audi A4 Sedan with three engine variants: a 1.4 TFSI (150hp/250Nm), 2.0 TFSI ultra (190hp/320Nm) and 2.0 TFSI quattro (252hp/370Nm) all utilising the 7-speed dual-clutch S tronic transmission. Wheel sizes will range from 17”, 18” and 19” based on the respective engine variant.

 

7 years in the making. How our friendship have come along. Reunited with Winnie Cheng aka Eryn at Penang. It was a great catch up session. Till next time.

For the past week, I’ve been away and taking some time off the keyboard.. Yes, it feels good and liberating. I used to have the mentality of constantly updating my blog every single day and it came to a point that I feel burnt out *lol* Maybe age is catching up on me and I’m already in my 40s so I’m doing the best I could to be energized especially when it comes to posting. Mind you that I still have the energy to do my rounds of coverage here and there. It’s just the finishing of the articles has been slowing me down (or is that an excuse of me being lazy?)

This is my 6th year spending my week in Ipoh and Penang. The major difference – the hotel I stayed at Ipoh. It’s good to experiment with different hotels from time to time and I’m impressed with Weil Hotel at Ipoh, located just adjacent to Ipoh Parade Mall (movies, movies, movies). Don’t be fooled that Ipoh hasn’t got much to offer apart from cultural attractions. I really don’t mind this city from the hustle bustle of Kuala Lumpur and even Penang, Ipoh allows me to be calm and composed and I can still have my dosage of fun and of course, their delicious food (oh yea, try the Assam House there).

It was great to catch up with Winnie once again whom I know for the past seven years. I’m happy for you and your career. You have the courage to pursue your passion in arts and it paid off. A short visit to your art space made me one to have a working space like yours. Keep up the great work and empower others with your talents. I hope one day you can visit Brunei. Truly miss your presence and being in your sold-already-Ford car *lol*

Now I’m in Kuala Lumpur, capping off an awesome week with my friends from all around the world. I’m catching the iKoncert tomorrow with the winners on my IG contest. This will be my third Kpop concert though I’ve no idea who are iKon (don’t go hating me fans huhu). This is surely a guarantee that I will enjoy the concert no matter what.

With my friends from Malaysia – Lingly and Siew Li. Appreciate your friendship and companionship. See you again in February in Thailand 😀

My first time blogging at Cave Kek Lok Tong. Felt refreshed and how I wish I feel this way whenever I blog

Maccha ice-cream at Ipoh are the bomb

I didn’t know we have the same age. Welcome to the club, bro #40

Hello Zoe and she was happy with the henna artwork. It was gone in two days.

The Art Space where Winnie works and pencil her ideas. Good to see you found your footing in Penang. I’m inspired already.

The school of knocks. I remember visiting here 3 years ago at Straits Quay.

What we all have in common? We are bachelors and bachelorettes *lol*

Till next time, ladies 😀

 

Darren Tay Wen Jie accepting his award as he was crowned the 2016 World Championship of Public Speaking last weekend. Image taken off Darren’s Facebook Page.

2016 World Champion of Public Speaking, Darren Tay Wen Jie

I’m still amazed the fact that the past three winners of the World Champion of Public Speaking have come from Asia. Amazing feat!! First we have the charismatic Dananjaya Hettiarachchi (from Sri Lanka) who won in 2014 and he will be invited for the Brunei Conference in October. The following year was Mohd Qahtani from Qatar in 2015. Two days ago, Darren Tay, was crowned the 2016 World Champion of Public Speaking in Washington DC and his story revolved around bullying.

Looking at his resume, I’m pretty impressed for a man of his age (only 27) to achieve many things. According to his website, he is a prolific public speaker, debater and professional trainer. He founded the Public Speaking Academy in 2009 and has led the Academy to scale great heights in the school and corporate domains; including the successful organization of the annual National Public Speaking Competition since 2010.

He even won the Toastmasters International District 80 Speech competition in 2009, 20012 and 2014 for Speech Evaluation and Table Topics. Amazing feat indeed. He has also published his best-selling public speaking guidebook “Express to Impress” in 2012 and looks forward to subsequent publications in the future.

I do hope he will be able to make it for the upcoming Brunei Conference as a guest speaker and hoping for a favourable response from him. If it is a yes, then we will three world champion speakers for the Brunei Conference this October. Wouldn’t that be awesome? 😀

The top three winners of last weekend’s contest

Shawn Cassidy Narcis was there to experience the contest and this is a photo opportunity with all top three winners

 

Adam Groves with the cast and crew of Primaja at KBSentral last weekend

One of the lucky winners for Primajaya t-shirt during one of the quiz session

It’s less than a month away. The another locally produced movie Primajaya will make it to the local theatres on 15th September 2016. The movie was in production two years ago and I had a privilege to see some of the scenes during the shooting back in 2014. Back then, the good friend Seng Yee was one of the camera operators and I was interested to know how the scenes were shot and all. It was really good to know and appreciate what went behind the scenes and it was never easy since most of them were not full time actors and have other commitments. All of them from the crew and cast volunteered to be part of this project.

I remember two years ago that Adam Groves, the main man behind Primajaya (formerly known as Bahlol), shared with me that he has this project that one day it will hit the cinemas. He finally almost make that dream come true 😀 as it just weeks away before it’s being launched.

Adam Groves recently had a session with the public at KBSentral last weekend to share his experiences in producing his first feature film under the film production company Visual Dimensions Production.

Primajaya tells the story of a local teen who turned his life around after assuming a superhero identity named ‘Bahlol’ in order to fight crime in a fictional city. According to The Brunei Times, Groves reminisced his childhood years in Kuala Belait before moving to the capital where he found his calling for making films. He also shared with the audience the ups and downs he faced in the film industry before offering tips and wisdom to aspiring filmmakers.

Mind you, his upcoming feature film will also mark his 10th year anniversary in venturing into videography. The talk session also saw three lucky winners from the audience as they won Primaya t-shirts.

Good luck bro and see you when the movie hits the screen. All the best. Images courtesy of Visual Dimension Production.

The trailer of Primajaya

Adam Groves speaking to the public on Primajaya’s journey

Finally it has passed the censorship board earlier this year

 

Photo session for the students of Kumon Diligent which was held at Radisson Hotel to mark Kumon Diligent’s one year anniversary. Image courtesy of Kumon Diligent.

Yosuke Sagawa, Deputy General Manager of Kumon Asia and Oceania, officiated the event. Image courtesy of Azmi Zainal of The Brunei Times.

I was always curious how Kumon runs its session to their students and there are many institutions that help to educate young students. So what makes Kumon stands out? So I visited the premises, well their first outlet at BT Complex (near Times Square) and I met the owner Caley Lim as she shared on how Kumon Diligent works and I found it very interesting.

Kumon Diligent is a franchise from Japan and it has been a popular and also effective in grooming young children in improving their math and English. Let’s just say it’s an after-school enrichment program. The last I heard from Caley back in January, she has around 100 over students enrolled under her care and now it hs shoot up over 200 students. That’s quite a lot but she is assisted by her trained staff. It’s quite interesting the fact that the students were given tasks to answer on their own and only when required the trained staff will assist or guide them so the students can answer the questions.

Yesterday, Kumon Diligent celebrated its one year anniversary by holding an award ceremony for its students at Radisson Hotel. According to The Brunei Times, a total of 23 students across three categories — advanced student honour roll one, two and three — receiving awards acknowledging them for their efforts in tackling study material, which are above their current school grade level.

Caley highlighted that the event was also the eve of the school’s one year anniversary, and it represented the culmination of hard work and love for her team. She also expressed her gratitude to the students’ parents and the students themselves for their support throughout its first year.

In under one year, Kumon Diligent has seen over 200 student enrolments. As of June this year, 33 per cent of its students, who have been enrolled for seven months or more, are studying above their current school grade level.

Kumon Diligent is open on Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday and is located at Unit 31, Ground Floor, BT Complex, Kg Jaya Setia, Bandar Seri Begawan.

The school can be contacted at 7193231 or by email at kumondiligent@outtlook.com and congratulations once again, Caley and her team, for making Kumon Diligent a successful centre for young students. You can also follow on their Facebook page for updates or instagram @kumondiligent

The assistant in blue apron assisting the students with their work. The students, however, will do their own tasks and only ask for assistance if required. This helps them to be more independent on answering tasks given and also building their confidence along the way.

After their session, the students will clean their own area before another session by other students. It teaches them to be responsible too. Pretty good.

The different level of modules catering to different skills of the students.

Caley Lim, the chief instructor of Kumon Diligent, is truly proud of the students’ growth and appreciates the parents for trusting Kumon’s methods of enrichment. The numbers do speak for itself. Keep up the great work!!

(From L) President of Kumon Asia and Oceania Atsushi Yamada, Japanese Ambassador to Brunei Noriko Iki and Chief Instructor of Kumon Diligent Brunei Caley Lim during the launch of Brunei’s first Kumon Diligent Learning Centre in Kg Jaya Setia last August 2015. Image courtesy of Amanda Yap of The Brunei Times.

 

Wu Chun, managing director of Fitness Zone with the management form AOX Natural (Brunei).

Press release form @aoxbrunei. From month of August onwards, Fitness Zone members can enjoy Natural Antioxidant-rich Alkaline water from AOX Natural. DescGroup Enterprise is the sole distributor for AOX Natural in Brunei Darussalam. AOX Natural was founded with the vision of helping many improve their health and has been awarded as the Asia Pacific Super Health Brand 1st Winner in Singapore Alkaline water industry.

AOX, the champion award winning brand ionises your water through the generous infusion of hydrogen, oxygen and negatively charged ions. This gives your water millions of powerful antioxidants which is highly effective in preventing free radicals damage. Antioxidants works just like Vitamin C! They strengthen your immunity system and promote anti-aging, keeping you looking and feeling fresh and youthful.

AOX mineralises water with health-sustaining minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium and silica to promote healthy cells, bones, joints, organs and skin.

AOX removes dust, sand, rust and other forms of sediments in the water. AOX removes harmful chemicals and cancer causing substances such as chlorine, THM, pesticides and carcinogens. It also eradicates odour in the water, making it smell and taste great!

AOX showroom is at Unit 12, spg 1080, Lot 27772, kg Kilanas, Negara Brunei Darussalam. For details, contact 8289089 or 8739948

“I strongly feel there is a huge synergy between Fitness Zone and AOX as we share the same vision that is to provide healthier lifestyle to our members,” said Wu Chun. He added: “Our members deserve the best that’s why I choose AOX because they are a trusted brand in Singapore supplying water dispenser to thousands of households, offices, hospitals, clinics and government offices including Prime Minister office, 365 Cancer Prevention Society, Kidney Dialysis Foundation, Crossfit boxes, Momentum Lab, etc.”

Sam, the Sales Manager of AOX Natural highlighted, drinking AOX Natural can help the body to eliminate acidity and detox more effectively, thereby preventing many of the diseases which are caused by a diet high in acidic substances. Other benefits includes Daily-Aging, improves metabolism, improve immune system, improves blood circulation, etc.

He continues, AOX also reduces water molecules to smaller water clusters which mean that your body is able to hydrate more effectively than normal water. Any protein drinks make with AOX become immediately more effective, simply because more of it is getting into your cells.

You can follow updates on their IG @aoxbrunei

 

The all-new generation Audi A4 Sedan #A4lotion

 

This is the time of the season.. The second of Syawal (Hari Raya) where there will tons of invites from corporate companies. Well, not all of them I could attend for sure and of course, I was snubbed from some corporate companies. Below are some of the corporate open houses that I managed to drop by and I’ve been getting many similar comments – “Rano, you seem smaller” or “You’ve lost weight”. Awwww.. thanks for the comments but mmmm, looks can be deceiving, my friends.. Standing is the best way to hide all the fats but sitting down is an easy giveaway *lol* I can already fill the tiny increase of my bulge after not controlling what I ate during Hari Raya.

Enough of that.. Just enjoy the pictures and captions from my recent Raya visits.

At Tourism Malaysia (Brunei) office with Puan Purina Abdul Samad, Director of Tourism Malaysia (Brunei)

Registering ourselves at Tourism Malaysia Brunei Open House

The host mingling with the management from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

Caroline Sim, Head of Great Eastern Brunei branch mingling with guests

The Great Eastern Brunei team posing for the camera

My photo pop with Great Eastern team. Thank you, Caroline and the rest for your warm hospitality and the small gift 😀

Their neighbour, the team from Concepts Computer, dropped as well

The day before was the invitation from Concepts Computer

I’ve always admired Vincent Pao’s vision for his company (Concepts Company). All that hard has paid off and he hasn’t stop growing.

The guests at the Brilliance Hall at Concepts Computer

Vincent Pao and Alice Chan with the members of IFB

The team from Brunei Shell Marketing at their open house hosted at Radisson Hotel

If you are not shy, you can sing too. The happening bunch of people 😀

Many of BSM corporate clients, retailers dropped by

My photo opp with the team from BSM

Finally get to meet up with Catherine Muller, Director of Public Affairs, U.S. Embassy to Brunei Darussalam (3rd from left) at the U.S. Embassy reception of welcoming Catherine and also celebrating Hari Raya at Rizqun International Hotel. Hope to meet you again over the course of your stay here and welcome to Brunei Darussalam 😀

Azhani with #POTUS moment :p

My visit to the iCentre where they had organised a potluck Hari Raya. Yea, things have truly changed and perhaps for the better. I actually missed the pioneers (the management then) – Ogy, Rayner, Diwi, Danial and many more. It’s good to pay a visit to iCentre again. Loads of good memories.

Simon and Faezal displaying their upcoming event – Weekend Warriors. It’s actually an app where you can play futsal at your own convenience… well, depending on the court availability too. Let’s put it this way.. if you have a team or even just you alone, you can play and be part of a team. Interesting.. I shall share more of Weekend Warriors pretty soon. Good luck, guys 😀

 

Podcast review of Captain America: Civil War with regular co-host Del Goh

 

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen and Her Royal Highness Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah handing over a mock cheque to Pengiran Datin Hajah Noraini binti Pengiran Dipa Negara Laila Diraja Pengiran Haji Abdul Momin, Executive Trustee of Pusat Ehsan. Image courtesy of Dean Kassim of Borneo Bulletin.

Group photo. Image courtesy of Dean Kassim.

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen and Her Royal Highness Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah yesterday graced the handover of funds amounting to $53,122, that were raised during the recent Charity Polo Day 2016.

The handover was held at Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam (Pusat Ehsan) in Bengkurong.

Upon arrival at Pusat Ehsan, Their Royal Highnesses were welcomed by the centre’s Board of Trustees, and given a briefing on the new rehabilitation centre, which is shortly due for construction.

After the briefing, Their Royal Highnesses were ushered to the Multipurpose Hall, where they presented the mock cheques to Pengiran Datin Hajah Noraini binti Pengiran Dipa Negara Laila Diraja Pengiran Haji Abdul Momin, Executive Trustee of Pusat Ehsan who received the donations on behalf of the centre.

Charity Polo Day 2016 was recently organised by Cityneon Brunei to raise funds for the special needs students of Pusat Ehsan.

Currently, there are about 156 students registered at the centre’s Bengkurong branch, while another 53 special needs students are registered with the Kuala Belait branch.

Photo opportunity with members of the Royal Family

Her Royal Highness Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah lifting the Charity Polo Day 2016 trophy two Sundays ago

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen and Her Royal Highness Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah during the polo exhibition match

The project, which is under tender process and estimated to cost around three million dollars, will be built on a land plot opposite the current building that houses Pusat Ehsan.

The construction project will be carried out in stages as it is mostly dependent on the centre’s funding.

The new centre is expected to accommodate more students with special needs, as well as individuals requiring occupational therapy. Text courtesy of Rokiah Mahmud of Borneo Bulletin.

 

Today and tomorrow (Saturday) only

 

Too bad it was a short presence of the Audi Q7 but it definitely suits the theme for the action sequence. A pretty darn good car chase scene and Black Panther chase made cooler in the tunnel chase scene #TheGreatQ

 

Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Awang Haji Bahrin bin Abdullah, BIBD Chariman and Minister of Development (Centre), handing over an award to Dayangku Noruldiana Shim binti Pengiran Hj Hashim (left), while BIBD Managing Director, Yang Mulia Mr Mubashar Khokhar (right) looks on

BIBD recently held an annual dinner to appreciate and acknowledge all the hard work and contribution of the BIBD family in the past year. These efforts have culminated into milestones and achievements, earmarked by Standard & Poor’s A- rating, its first ever Riba Symposium, chairmanship of the CAIBA (China-ASEAN Interbank Association), and the BIBD Headquarters re-launching. In 2015, the bank also managed to retain its international recognitions such as the Best Retail Bank in Brunei for the third year running (The Asian Banker), and the Best Bank in Brunei (Global Finance).

The event also saw the personal recognition of several bright BIBD talents as they have also contributed as ambassadors of BIBD and Brunei Darussalam. Dayangku Noruldiana Shim binti Pengiran Hj Hashim was commended for being conferred the Highest Achiever Award in the Islamic Financial Planner category in Kuala Lumpur. Also highlighted was Hjh Nurul Akmalina binti Hj Yahya’s recent achievement in the national finals of the Musabaqah Membaca Al-Quran competition.

The event started with a recitation of the Doa, which was then followed by welcoming remarks by BIBD Managing Director, Mr Mubashar Khokhar, where he shared significant milestones for the Bank, which included the fourth consecutive win in 2016’s Best Retail bank from The Asian Banker. “Alhamdulilah, all our efforts thus far have placed us on a solid foundation, prepared for the challenges and eager for the opportunities ahead”, said Mr Mubashar. He added that BIBD’s continued growth also increases its commitment to supporting Bruneian businesses through comprehensive banking solutions such as the BIBD SME 360, aligning the Bank closer towards His Majesty’s vision in developing a dynamic and sustainable economy.

Some of the BIBD associates in their costumes during the theme dinner annual event

The best female dress for the event

Mr Mubashar also highlighted BIBD’s successes also allows the Bank to raise its efforts to support the community, especially through its flagship CSR initiative, the ALAF (Advocating Life-long learning for an Aspiring Future) Programme. The programme, now in its third year with more than a hundred students, aims to Prepared by Corporate Communications, BIBD PRESS RELEASE MDO/PR/2015/016 bring more educational opportunities to underprivileged children, aligning BIBD further with another element of His Majesty’s vision, to develop well-educated and highly-skilled Bruneians.

Mr. Mubashar summed up his remarks with encouragement and inspiration for all BIBD staff to continue working together and delivering world-class banking products and services. “Ultimately, it is up to our unified efforts to ensure that BIBD cements its position as The First Choice for all our employees, customers and stakeholders”, concluded Mr. Mubashar. This was followed by presentations for Long Service Awards to employees.

The Guest of Honour at the event was Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Awang Haji Bahrin bin Abdullah, Minister of Development and Chairman of the BIBD Board of Directors. Also in attendance was Yang Mulia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Yussof, Permanent Secretary at Ministry of Religious Affairs and Chairman of BIBD’s Shariah Advisory Body. Also present were members of the Board of Directors, members of the Shariah Advisory Body, along with some 800 BIBD personnel, and their spouses. The event was held at the Indera Samudra Grand Hall, The Empire Hotel and Country Club in Jerudong.

 

Interesting offers from Kia models

 

Louis Loo Kee Lee (left), founder of Plus+ Magazine and Kristy Lim (5th from left), founder of Piccolo Café with representatives from Jerudong Park Medical Centre and staff from Piccolo Café during the Save Life by Giving Blood campaign at Piccolo Café last week.

Late post. It was the fourth time that I have donated blood for a good cause. This was part of the Plus+ Magazine drive collaborating with Piccolo Café and Jerudong Park Medical Centre (JPMC). There were a total of 36 donors though there were many that had to be rejected due to low blood pressure, cholesterol and low haemoglobin levels. Though I have to say kudos for their thoughts and efforts to show up at Piccolo Café to donate.

The event began at 10am and ended at 4pm. Kristy Lim, owner of Piccolo Café was quite overwhelmed with the responses from the public and it was also the first time such event was held at her establishment.

During the blood donation drive, donors were treated to light refreshments courtesy of Piccolo café.

They were also given three complimentary issues of Plus+ magazine as well as special goodies from JPMC. Perhaps another one next year, Kristy? 😀

By the way, Piccolo Café are treating their customers a free additional shot of espresso for all coffee beverages from today until 10 May! Such good news for those who love their extra shot in their cuppa.

The screening process to see if you are eligible to donate or not

Refreshments for the donors that day

Thank you, Kristy, for the opportunity 😀

 

The Audi Q7 will have a critical role in a major action scene in the upcoming blockbuster due to open locally end of the month #TheGreatQ

 

Team Flintstone (orange), Team Ninja Turtles (green) and Team Simpsons (yellow) with the patron of Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Mariam during the prize presentation of the Charity Polo Match 2016 held at the Royal Brunei Polo & Riding Club, Field II.

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen with His Royal Highness Prince Jefri Bolkiah

Her Royal Highness Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah with her brother His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen

The sportsmanship gesture between siblings.

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen in action for Team Ninja Turtles

It was a close match between Team Ninja Turtles and Team SImpsons

Her Royal Highness Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah with YAM Pg Anak Hj Abdul Ali Yil-Kabier

YAM Pg Muda Bahar for Team Simpsons

Team Ninja Turtles and Team Simpsons

Abdul Azeez for Team Simpsons

Farid Abdullah of Team Ninja Turtles

Puan Hjh Mariam, the patron of Pusat Ehsan, handing out the prizes to the players

HRH Prince ‘Abdul Mateen receiving a token from his mother

HRH Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah receiving a token from her mother

HRH Prince Jefri Bolkiah for Team Flintstone

HRH Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah receiving the trophy

HRH Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah lifts the trophy after Team Simpsons scored the most

The umpire receiving a token from Puan Hjh Mariam

The group photo with the polo players and the umpire

Our first time watching a polo match. Actually I did watch polo when I was like 10 years old.

It was such a great turn out. Kudos to the organiser for creating such a successful and meaningful event

During the prize presentation

HRH Prince ‘Abdul Mateen had coffee from Piccolo Cafe booth

Sugar and Spice was one of the busiest booth

The grand prize of the lucky draw of the Charity Polo Match 2016. There were around 20 lucky draw prizes.

He is one entertaining emcee who gave such a colour commentary during all the matches

One of the invited guests

Even the kids were waiting for their numbers to be called out

… and finally one of them won something 😀

I had free cookies and even a drink.. Thank you 😀

 

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The Red Bull Brunei is back once more for a special promotion. This time is special. You don’t need to buy a pack or so. Just purchase a can of Red Bull and walaaaaa, you are eligible for the draw where prizes are such as a 40” LED TV, an Auto washer and a 2-Door fridge.

Apart from that, there will be weekly prizes throughout the the contest period (1st April to 31st May) before proceeding to the actual final draw. Each weekly draw will reward 25 lucky winners with prizes such as shopping vouchers, Power Kad, Prepaid Top Up cards and a cluster pack of Red Bull bottle.

So after you buy a Red Bull can (Gold/Less Sugar) at the convenient stores or outlets, pull the ring tab and attached it to the contest form (also available at retail outlets) and drop into the contest boxes which are placed in participating outlets nationwide.

The Gold or the Less Sugar Red Bull? My preference the latter

Apparently Nuri loves Red Bull

The contest form and this is how you stick the Red Bull tab and stand a chance to win

 

The new generation 7-seater Audi Q7 available now in 2.0 and 3.0 TFSI at Audi showroom (Kiarong) #TheGreatQ

 

The first monthly draw at the Kingston Beverage & Creamery office

Kingston Beverage and Creamery is conducting the Pepsi Bonanza Draw 2016, 1st Monthly Pre-Draw. 10 lucky monthly winners will be drawn at its office today. The pre-draw will be officiated and drawn by members of press and witnessed by the management of Kingston Beverage and Creamery Sdn Bhd.

The 10 monthly winners will be informed and invited to attend the monthly prize presentation on 15th April 2016 (Friday) 3pm at Freshco Supermarket at Seri Complex. The monthly prizes consist of an Ipad Mini 4, an Acer Aspire Laptop, and a LG 32″ LED Television and 7 consolation prizes. The Pepsi Bonanza Draw 2016 will have two (2) pre-draws before entering the Grand draw. Total prizes of various awesome gadgets worth of $40,000 is out to be won by the public. However, monthly prize winners are not eligible to enter the next pre-draw and Grand Draw.

Pepsi Bonanza Draw 2016 runs from March 15 till May 31, 2016. To enter, just purchase any 1.5L bottles (Pepsi, Pepsi Twist, 7up, 7up Revive, Mirinda Orange, Mirinda Strawberry, Mirinda Green Apple, or Mirinda Green Fruit) and attach two labels to the entry form or simply visit any of the participating fast food chain and cinema outlets and purchase the selected meals and combos to entitle an entry in the Pepsi Bonanza Draw 2016. If you would like to know more about Pepsi Bonanza Draw 2016, please follow Pepsi Brunei in its Facebook page..

The first monthly draw officiated by members of the press

The first monthly draw winners

The grand draw for the Pepsi Bonanza Draw 2016

 

Hao Zi and Ah Xiang of Super Taste from Taiwan being greeted by Wu Chun and representatives from Royal Brunei Airlines and Brunei Tourism Board upon their arrival at Brunei International Airport

Fans of Taiwan’s most popular lifestyle tv programme – ‘Super Taste’ flocked the Bake Culture bakery shop in Kiulap yesterday to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars up close.

The Taiwanese celebrities – Hao Zi and Ah Xiang are in the Sultanate for six days to film a special segment of the ‘Super Taste – Magic Brunei’ which will be aired on TVBS by end of May this year.

The reality show takes the duo around Taiwan and abroad, where they get to taste the local delicacies and goof around while exploring their featured destinations.

The ‘Super Taste’ reality show provides a perspective of Taiwanese palate and their appreciation of foreign food.

The location of the filming in Brunei includes popular tourist destinations and interesting places for food hunting such as Gadong night market and a Taiwan franchise bakery shop, Bake Culture. Text courtesy of Raghadah Agus of The Brunei Times.

The superstars with the Bake Culture Award winning chef

Image courtesy of Raghadah Agus of The Brunei Times

Image courtesy of Raghadah Agus of The Brunei Times

 

BIBD was conferred with IBFIM’s (Islamic Banking Finance Institute Malaysia) Islamic Finance Talent Development Champion Award in the International Category at the 3 rd Certifications Award Ceremony from the Islamic Banking Finance Institute Malaysia (IBFIM).

Also in the International Category, BIBD and Brunei’s very own Dayangku Noruldiana Shim Binti Pengiran Hj Hashim was conferred with Highest Achiever Award in the Islamic Financial Planner (IFP) Category. The event was held at the Mahkota Ballroom, Istana Hotel, Kuala Lumpur City Centre last weekend.

BIBD Deputy Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, Hajah Noraini bti Haji Sulaiman mentioned in reference to BIBD’s recognition, “The program also allows BIBD to develop their capabilities to provide more robust Islamic financial and wealth management solutions for our customers. These efforts also reflect our continuing efforts to meet the growing demands of our customers along with innovations in Islamic financial products.”

Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad presented an award for IBFIM Islamic Finance Talent Development Champion Award to a BIBD representative

Dayangku Noruldiana Shim Binti Pengiran Hj Hashim of BIBD earned the Highest Achiever Award in the Islamic Financial Planner (IFP) Category

BIBD currently has a team of forty-two certified Islamic financial planners (IFP), four of whom are also Chartered Financial Consultants (ChFC), a number which is constantly growing as more and more BIBD personnel are enrolled into becoming certified financial planners.

The IFP program is a professional qualification developed in collaboration between IBFIM and Financial Planning Association of Malaysia (FPAM). The program aims to develop experts in financial planning and wealth management to cater to the increasing standards of competency and ethical practice of financial planning professionals.

The ceremony is recognition to holders of IBFIM’s certified qualifications along with recognition to organizations that had fervently supported IBFIM’s talent development initiatives by awarding them the prestigious Islamic Finance Talent Development Champion Award.

 

HMD FT’s dreams of going to Anfield to watch English Premier League team Liverpool were realised after winning the Standard Chartered Cup 2016 following a 3-0 victory over Plan C FT in the final at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex last weekend.

The family-oriented team which comprised four brothers raced to a 2-0 lead after goals from Khairun Nadzereen and an own goal from Md Shahin.

The tie was as good as over after Ahmad Muhazzib bundled home to all but send HMD to Anfield to watch Liverpool play Watford on May 7.

The Anfield dream has come for HMD FT

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, and HMD FT players posing with the mock cheque.

After a Plan C FT player was expelled from the pitch and HMD content to sit back, the latter’s goalkeeper produced an amazing fingertip save with the ball arrowing to the top corner.

The father of the four brothers Haji Mohd Daud bin Haji Abdul Kadir, whose team was formed under his name, had planned to join the tournament but pulled out due to injury.

Nevertheless, he was still grateful that his sons had made it to one of the iconic stadiums in the world especially after the quarterfinal heartbreak last year in the Standard Chartered Trophy.

Haji Mohd Daud was wary of the threat of Real Five FC which he considered as favourites prior to the final but agreed that his team’s chances was tightly balanced after Plan C scraped through the semi-final contest through penalties.

“We never imagined that we would go to Anfield because there are a lot of strong teams in the competition. We also have young players and the other teams also enlisted players who had experience in the national team,” said Haji Mohd Daud in an interview with the Bulletin after the final.

“The boys in the team (HMD) play in normal clubs and in schools”, he added.

There were individual prizes up for grabs as well as Mohd Fauzan of HMD won an autographed Liverpool Football Club Jersey for the most assist together with Md Abd Khaalid as the top scorer of the tournament. Meanwhile, Azamri Zainal of Brunei Shell Lions won a fully autographed football as the tournament’s Best Goalkeeper.

The guest of honour was Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, who presented the mock plaque to the winners.

During the closing ceremony, a mock cheque of $2,400 was be handed over to the Community Development Department on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports for the Welfare Home Complex Fund. Text and image courtesy of Fadhil Yunus of Borneo Bulletin.

 

Now this is your chance to head to Brazil for the upcoming Rio 2016 Olympic Games happening in August this year. Yes, all expenses paid trip for two courtesy of Visa.

It’s simple. All you have to do is have a Baiduri Visa Credit and Debit Card and for every BND 50 you spend (locally and overseas), you will earn 1 entry in the grand draw. The promotion ends in 31st May 2016.

Now you can sign up during the promotional period and enjoy a 3-year annual fee waiver. For more info, you can click here to learn more or call 244 9666.

Click image to learn more

 

As part of BIBD’s ongoing efforts to raise the benefits and awareness of better financial management, at the same time underscoring the importance of elevating the awareness of financial literacy in Brunei Darussalam, BIBD today held a financial literacy talk to almost fifty personnel from Setia Protective Security Services Sdn Bhd (SPSS). The talk was delivered by BIBD personnel Rozielawati Hj Jamil and Norliah Md Taib.

 

Check out the new Audi Q7 at the Audi Showroom at Kiarong

Rejuvenated and improved- The new generation Audi Q7.

It’s been 10 years since the first generation Q7 was introduced globally, successfully launching Audi’s entry into the SUV segment.

Luxurious comfort, the largest interior in the segment and a weight saving of up to 325 kilograms (716.5 lb) – the new generation Q7 from Audi sets new standards. Its innovative assistance and infotainment systems take the large SUV to the front of the pack. Its new engines consume significantly less fuel (28%) than the previous model. The new generation Q7 has been completely redesigned both inside and out featuring a wider-stance appearance yet is narrower by 32mm and shorter by 37mm than the previous model.

The new Q7 is the lightest car in its class

The 2.0 petrol turbo variant with seven-seats has an unladen weight (without the driver) of merely 2,050 kilograms (4,519 lb) – up to 325 kilograms (716.5 lb) less than the predecessor model, depending on the equipment. With its lightweight, multi-material body and all-new chassis, it provides excellent comfort while at the same time offering the performance of a sporty Audi – and that with top-notch CO2 values.

Dynamics as standard

Powerful engines combined with a dynamic suspension and the lightweight body make the Q7 the dynamic car among large SUVs. Just a few years ago these performance data were still the prerogative of sports cars. The 2.0 TFSI with 185 kW (250 hp) and the 3.0 TFSI V6 with 245 kW (333 hp) bring the new Audi Q7 from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 7.1 seconds and 6.3 seconds respectively, all the while with unusually low fuel consumption. The 2.0 TFSI needs only 7.8 litres per 100 kilometres and emits only 182 grams of CO2 per kilometre (288.1 g/mi). Both 2.0 and 3.0 engines are paired with an 8-speed tiptronic transmission with a new yacht style gear shifter.

Many reasons to love the Audi Q7

The back seat can be automatically folded from a 7-seater to a 5-seater. Quite spacious as well.

Loving the new facelift of the Audi Q7 as compared to the older version

The engine area of the Audi Q7

The media taking shots of the beaut

Innovative operation and display

The new Audi Q7 also sets standards when it comes to operating concept, infotainment and connectivity. The second-generation modular infotainment platform is optionally on board; the new MMI control unit (featuring an 8.3” retractable screen) using a large central operation knob is intuitive and simple. The BOSE® sound system with 3D sound (for the 3.0) is a further added innovation. Audi’s Drive Select can change the vehicle’s driving characteristics at a touch of button; 5 and 6 modes in the 2.0 and 3.0 respectively.

Another highlight is the passenger safety system –Audi pre sense basic initiates measures such as tensioning of the front seat belts, activates the hazard lights and closing of sun-roof (if any) and windows when an imminent impact is detected.

The Audi Q7 has recently been awarded the EURO NCAP ‘5-stars’ safety rating and its American equivalent Top Safety Pick+ Award from IIHS.

A host of premium features

Auto luggage door featuring ‘kick’ motion open/closing, auto-fold up/down on 3rd row seats, ambient interior lighting, parking aid with rear-view camera, power assisted closing for doors and four-zone climate control. Double-arrow daytime running lights give emphasis to the front LED headlights and complimented by unique LED rear lights. 20” ten-spoke design wheels round off the entire package.

All-wheel-steering with additional rear axle steerability for greater driving agility and manoeuvrability will be offered on the 3.0 variant.

What I feel: I had the Audi Q7 for a quick spin and I wished I had more time experiencing it. I’m not used to the big size but I was already enjoying the ride itself. The driver area is very spacious and comfortable. I shall wait for the actual launch and you might come across some Q7 on the road. The Audi Q7 will definitely attract some potential buyers in the country. Do visit their showroom at Kiarong and take it for a test drive.

The group shot with the local media

This is very convenient especially when you put on P

The older Audi Q7 which is 10 years ago

The facelift Audi Q7 (white) with the older model

Aziz enjoying the ride

I was playing it cool too 😀 This monster does pack a punch.

 

Shane on his leap of faith at Wrestlemania 32

What I feel: I kinda enjoyed this year’s Wrestlemania for some reason. I can’t believe it last almost 5 hours and I’m a subscriber of the WWE Network through Kristal Astro. Yes, there were some disappointments along the way and I was hoping for my favourite wrestler, Seth Rollins, to pop out of nowhere but I guess he hasn’t fully recovered yet. The difference between last year and this year is the ending. Don’t expect any anti-climax stingers in the end. There’s nothing much to expect and the results seemed predictable for the main event.

I was impressed with the Women’s championship match though Charlotte still needs to sharpen her execution on some of the moves. It was still better than her previous PPV matches and time will tell that she developed into one of the consistent stars in WWE roster. The new WWE women’s belt also give more recognition on the rise of women wrestlers. So kudos to WWE.

As for my favourite match, I don’t have any honestly and perhaps the closest one is The Undertaker and Shane O’Mac because of the intensity and the spots. I have so much respect for Shane in the ring and he hasn’t been active for the past 6 years. He definitely stole the hearts of the fans in Dallas. The biggest mismatch was definitely Brock Lesnar and Dean Ambrose in a street fight match.

Overall, this was an entertaining PPV with a disappointing ending. Regardless Jason Rumpun and I still had a blast. Verdict: 8.5/10

Lita, WWE Hall of Fame inductee, unveiling the new WWE Women’s Championship Belt

Stephanie McMahon introducing Triple H before the main event. She’s still hot 😀

 

The team behind Motoring BN with Project Manager Rosli Abdullah and Editorial Coordinator Redzwan Kamarudin during the press conference last week

Motoring BN, the no.1 local motoring lifestyle magazine, is set to launch next week at the upcoming Motoring BN Autoshow 2016, which will take place from April 7 to 10 at the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah’s open court.

Organised by Brunei’s No 1 Motoring lifestyle magazine publisher, CONFEX, the grand showcase is held to commemorate the magazine’s first year anniversary.

Do expect a new issue during the four day event.

There will be a “Dealer Showcase Days”, something for car enthusiasts if you want to make your dream car into a reality. As for the public, you are more than welcome to visit during the weekend (Public Display Days”.

During the press conference at the CONFEX lounge, Project Manager Rosli Abdullah and Editorial Coordinator Redzwan Kamarudin announced that the event would include participation from local car and bike clubs such as classic car groups and Darussalam Motorcycle Association (PEMODA).

And guess who will be helping them out? The Collective Arts 😀 So do expect vendors to participate during the four day event.

For enquiries on the Motoring BN Autoshow 2016, you may contact Rosli at 8639681 or Redzwan at 8639681 and follow Motoring BN on Facebook and instagram @motoringbn

 

 

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The Education UK Exhibition taken last year.

Interested in furthering your studies in the UK?

The Education UK Exhibition enables you to meet representatives from 40 UK Universities, attend super helpful seminars, chat with UK alumni and find plenty of useful information. Plus, there will be amazing goodies to bring back home too!

You’ll also get plenty of advice from representatives of the participating institution such as course fees and accommodation and perhaps more tips while studying abroad. I’ve never been to the UK for studies and it’s the most popular destination for Bruneians to further their studies. With the A results being released recently, this is a great opportunity for students to scout for the right course. Also involved is the Ministry of Education to cater for Scholarship prospects from Brunei. Hence the Scholarship Unit and the National Accreditation Council will be there for assistance. I would highly recommend The Education UK Exhibition hosted by the British Council.

So remember to join us on Sunday, 21 February 2016 at the Indera Samudra Grand Hall, The Empire Hotel from 2pm to 7pm.

Don’t forget to pre-register at https://bn.edukexhibition.org and stand a chance to win a SMART TV – we’ve got two up for grabs! See you this Sunday!

 

The National Day march practice earlier this morning. Associates of BIBD taking part in the march. Image courtesy of @marul69

The Ikrar team practising at the Taman SOAS

About 21,000 people are expected to participate in the 32nd National Day celebrations at Taman Hj Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien in the capital.

Permanent Secretary of Culture, Youth and Sports Dato Paduka Dr Hj Affendy Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Hj Abidin said 126 teams will be involved in the parade including 7,000 students, 5,000 people in the march past while 500 people will make up thehadrah team.

Speaking during a press conference yesterday, he said uniformed personnel, government agencies, the private sector and non-profit organisations will take part in the march past.

In his capacity as co-secretary of the celebration’s executive committee, Dato Dr Hj Affendy said the National Day theme of “Generasi Berwawasan” (Visionary Generation) has been retained this year.

He added that the full dress rehearsal for the celebrations will take place on February 20.

Assistant Chief of Adat Istiadat Pg Dr Hj Hidup Pg Hj Samsuddin reminded guests to confirm their attendance to the department as soon as possible.

He said invitations are non-transferrable and guests must adhere to the prescribed dress code.

Members of the the public were urged to attend the thanksgiving prayers and recitation of Surah Yaasin that will take place in the afternoon of February 22 at all mosques and prayer halls across the country, with the focal point at Masjid Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien in the capital.

Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) Senior Superintendent Hj Md Hassan Pehin Penyurat Hj Ahmad, acting director of the Traffic Investigation and Control Department (JSKLL) said several car park areas need to be vacated before the National Day parade begins starting today till February 23. These areas include the Madrasah car park, the car park area along Jln Kianggeh, Jln McArthur, Jln Sultan, Jln Stoney, Jln Sumbiling, Jln Pehin Isa, Jln Pengiran Shahbandar, and Jln Istana Darussalam. Motorists can use alternative car park areas including the road along Jln Kianggeh towards Jubilee Hotel leading to Jln Subok and along Jln Residency towards the Arts and Handicrafts Centre leading to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

He said four locations have been identified as drop-off points for participants from education institutions, government agencies and private sector that use buses. These locations are the bus terminal on Jln Cator, Jln Bendahara, Jln Pehin Dato Isa and Jln Sumbiling. Text courtesy of Rafidah Hamit of The Brunei Times.

The Brunei youth practising their ikrar at a car park area

The ladies representatives for the ikrar practising at Tennis National Centre

Team RB march practice in town earlier today

 

Wow, our friend Derby Teo @derbilicious made a surprise visit to her old club, Brunei Speakers’ Club, last week. She’s currently studying in Seoul, Korea, under a scholarship program. Kudos for winning Table Topics last week. To read more, you can click on the image.

Did you know that we actually have a blog for recaps on our Brunei Speakers’ Club (toastmasters) weekly meetings? It’s not just one person behind the scene that keeps the blog updated on a weekly basis and I’m happy to be one of the contributors. We are divided into three roles per week – the copy writer, photographer and proof reading. The club’s Vice-President of Public Relations, Gerald Goh, has been the main person manning the club’s website for this term and he has done a tremendous job so far. And the same can be said for his team players for helping the tasks needed to maintain the blog/recaps. Keep it up..

For those interested to attend our Toastmasters meeting, it’s every Tuesday evening 7:30pm at Seameo Voctech. There will be guest fees of BND 5 and for students, it will be BND 3. The membership presence have been very encouraging and one of the highest for Brunei Speakers’ Club in many years. It’s always great to know my fellow friends willing to learn of being a leader and a communicator. So far my mentees are Shafiq (UBD Toastmasters), Heidi and our new member Syatrah 🙂 Thank you in believing in me to help you guide in your journey as a toastmaster.

If you want to read our recap meeting for last week, you can click here for the blog entry.

The faces of Table Topics Speakers last week at Brunei Speakers’ Club

 

Yee Chun Leong of The Brunei Times taking photo of the Brunei delegates heading to Sri Lanka in March 2016.

Mohd Aiman Abdullah (C) with Kieran Lai (L) and Harry Kwang at the National Tennis Centre of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas. Lai and Kwang will be joined by Ben Sii at next month’s ITF World Junior Tennis Competition in Sri Lanka, where they will be coached by Aiman. Image courtesy of Yee Chun Leong of The Brunei Times.

Definitely not me (for Sri Lanka). I just follow Aiman’s training session with the youngsters on a daily basis. As you may have read today’s paper in The Brunei Times, Brunei will making a presence in the ITF (International Tennis Federation) World Junior Tennis Competition in Sri Lanka this coming March.

Three Bruneians will be presented by Ben Sii, Harry Kwang and Kieran Lai and they will compete in the pre-qualifiers for both singles and doubles. They have been very busy will the training sessions as a group and also have individual sessions with Aiman Abdullah, their head coach. This is a great move for the juniors to participate as it will give them a sense of exposure in terms of competing among the best juniors around the world. For the your info, it has been a while since Brunei took part in the competition overseas and I know the juniors are pretty excited and nervous at the same time. All in all, it will be a great experience for them regardless of the outcome of the matches.

Aiman has been approaching his training methods to accommodate the standards of the our juniors. We may not be the level where regional players are but it’s a good start that tennis is slowly becoming a growing sports in the country and thumbs up to Aiman for his dedication, commitment and contribution to the tennis community in Brunei.

Also big thanks to the parents and families of the participants for allowing them to travel with Aiman for the competition in Sri Lanka. Special thanks to Armtrix Enterprise for sponsoring the tracksuits. They will be heading to Sri Lanka on 2nd of March for at least a week.

Apart from the usual training, Aiman also dedicated a special slot for juniors especially the newbies ages 5 and above every Friday from 5 to 6pm. The responses have been encouraging and hopefully we can find new talent in the making in tennis. I may be in my early 40s but man, tennis is still my passionate sport. So you can catch me there most of the late afternoons at the Brunei National Centre. A big thank you to Aiman for training me and the juniors too. It does make me feel much younger minus my fitness level 😀

Ben Sii will be joining as well

Group photo yesterday with Aiman Abdullah, Brunei’s No.1 tennis player, Ian Chok (grey top), national tennis player, and the trainees – Sin Yi, Henry, RA, Rahul, Zen, Kieran, Tim and Harry

Aiman helping out with the session with the beginners every Friday at Tennis National Centre

Rahul taking some time to pose as a tennis umpire but only for show :p