Catching the sneaks later. Showing this weekend at The Mall Cineplex and Times Cineplex

 

The models of the Samsung Galaxy Note7

Yes, Samsung has suspended its sale of the Note7 in some countries. Brunei also issued a statement through its seller DST group. The announcement comes barely two weeks after the Note7 went on sale. After users posted photos of their burnt Note7s with exploded batteries, Samsung mounted an investigation and found 35 Note7s worldwide with battery cell issues.

The replacement program has begun and it will take at least two weeks. In Singapore, all the telcos also suspended the sales of the Galaxy Note7.

So for those who haven’t purchase yet, you’re in luck.

Samsung Note7 on fire

 

Check out the Black Pepper Feast

You can download a digital version of it from it here, print it out and enjoy great discounts.

 

Coming to you this August. Registration ends on 17th July 2016. Don’t forget to register [Click image to enter]

Are you ready for an awesome gimmick run? After two months of break, running events are back!! Perhaps this race is something more exciting than previous runs that have been organised. This is because of the items that runners are expected to receive as part of their race pack. The items themselves look very collectible especially the medals and even their running attire where a top and a sock will be given depending on your choice of superhero.

Apart from that, you can also pre-order merchandise of Batman V Superman which are available on their main website such as mugs, watch, t-shirts and many more. Hence, I would say there is a lot of thought being put into this racing event.

The closing date of the registration will be on the 17th July 2016 as well as the payment for the Batman V Superman Brunei Darussalam Run. As for the running event itself, it will take place on 21st August 2016 at the Jerudong Park Amphitheatre. Click here to go to the official website and register there.

The event is organised by Heroes Brunei (under Armtrix Enterprise) and it’s supported by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports. All the best and I’m pretty sure there will be a good turn of this event.

The top for Superman

The top for Batman

The top for Wonder Woman

One of the socks (Batman)

There will be medals given to all categories. This is a sample for the 3.8 km run

Certificates to all the registrants

 

After a long holiday, it’s back to reality. Yes, even blogging is considered a job for me and I have quite a few pending jobs to finish off apart from my updating my work online. I’m not even a big fan of paperworks but I need to get the job done or I won’t get paid *lol*

So how has your Hari Raya been? I have continued my newer tradition – to spend more time doing my own things and be selective on open houses. This practice has been on going for the past three years and I’m getting the hang of it. So how many houses have I been in the past five days? I would say 6-7 houses which is quite reasonable to my liking. There were three new places that I’ve never been to (Yani, Heidi and Dr. Sophia) and I’m glad for dropping by.

Actually during Hari Raya, it was also the best time to catch movies since there were lesser traffic congestions and parking was easier to find too. However, the movies during those times were totally disappointing (Ice Age 6/10, The Legend of Tarzan 6/10, Alice through the Looking Glass 6/10). Yes, I’m just appalled by the summer movies of 2016 and even my summer box office prediction in terms of earnings haven’t been spot on. I hope for July/August movies to make up for mediocre line-up of May and June movies.

I need to readjust my sleeping pattern thanks to fasting and also Euro 2016. My sleeping average time has been in the range of 5am to 6am which is not healthy, considering I wake up around 11am or earlier. Speaking of Euro 2016, what a shocker result to see Portugal coming off as champions. They were fortunate to get pass the group stage with three draws and no wins and slowly snuck in to the finals where they beat the host nation France 1-0 in extra time. To top that, Portugal have lost all their 10 meetings against France so that odds were heavily against them. Good for Ronaldo and his team who played their hearts out in the finals.

Yesterday was also my first work out session in a long time. When I say work out, it means tennis 😀 Woohoo.. I was happy to be back on the court and thanks to my tennis buddies, Ming Rui, Sin Yi and Hong Ming for the rally. I’m still bummed that Roger Federer failed to capitalise on Djokovic’s exit in Wimbledon. But hats off to Andy Murray for winning his second Wimbledon after finishing off Raonic in straight sets.

I shall be back this week and updating more stories. Don’t forget to follow my social media updates on Snapchat and instagram. Enjoy your week and Selamat Hari Raya.

Yes, it’s good to be back on the tennis courts. I’ve missed playing tennis to the max.

Bumped into Soon Loo, CEO of Darussalam Enterprise (DARe) recently at one of the open houses. We shall catch up soon 😀

My riding toy at home. The Velocifero MAD E Scooter. Now available in the market at Cervello Tres Borneo (Setia Kenangan II) Follow their IG @cervellotres.borneo for updates too

 

For a limited time only – Cheesy BBQ Chicken from BurgerKing… Yummm

 

 

Summer movie predictions of 2016 with co-host Del Goh

 

The Cheesy Whopper & Tendergrill at BurgerKing *Slurrrpppp*

 

Two Mercedes C-Class Coupe being launched at Jati Transport Showroom last night, exclusive for Standard Chartered Bank’s Priority Banking clients

Alfred So, General Manager of Jati Transport Sdb Bhd, Rino Donosepoetro CEO of Standard Chartered Bank and Yang Mulia Pengiran Anak Haji Jaafar ibni Al-marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohammad Alam, Executive Chairman of Jati Transport Sdn Bhd during the exclusive launch of the Mercedes C-Class Coupe

Standard Chartered Bank treated their Priority Banking clients to an exclusive unveiling of the Mercedes C-Class Coupe at Jati Transport Sdn Bhd’s showroom in Gadong last evening.

The evening was attended by Yang Mulia Pengiran Anak Haji Jaafar ibni Al-marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohammad Alam, Executive Chairman of Jati Transport Sdn Berhad.

Rino Donosepoetro CEO of Standard Chartered Bank said “We are delighted to collaborate with Jati Transport on the exclusive launch of the new Mercedes C-Class coupe this evening, giving our valued clients a first look at the sporty new model from Mercedes. We believe that by spending valuable time with our clients we will get to understand them and their financial needs better.”

” We are pleased to host this event with Standard Chartered Bank. Events like this allow two international brands to leverage on their global branding power to bring elegant lifestyle befitting these segments,” said Alfred So, General Manager of Jati Transport.

Rino Donosepoetro giving his welcoming remarks

The new Mercedes C-Class Coupe

Checking out the interior of Mercedes C-Class Coupe

The Mercedes C-Class Coupe in black…. Grrrrr …

The back view of the Mercedes C-Class Coupe

The VIPs and invited the guests of the Standard Charted Priority Banking

 

The awesome cars – Mini Cooper, BMW or the Porsche – for the hole-in-one winners. Will anyone take home a car or two?

The first tee off of the Baiduri Masters this morning took place at 6.45am. The opening session saw 92 golfers take part for a chance to don the coveted Green Jacket and Challenge Trophy.

By the end of the afternoon session today, Idris Osman was in the lead with an even par of 71 followed closely by a trio of golfers comprising Ali Hj Rashid, defending champion Seruji Hj Setia and Zulhilmi Rosli with a gross score of 72. In fifth and sixth places, with a gross of 73, was Pg Hj Ahmad Zaki and Hj Norismadi Hj Tamid.

Coming in seventh place today was Baiduri Masters veteran, Hj Shaiful Rizal Pehin Dato Hj Ahmad with a gross score of 75. Close behind him was another trio made up of Mohammad Rijal Hj Kassim, Fa’ez Ahmad and Han Kiang Siew with a tied gross of 76.

Rounding off the top twelve were Hj Md Yussop Hj Abd Latip and Khalil Ariffin with a gross score of 79.

Zulhilmi Rosli finished with a 72 in the first day of the Baiduri Masters 2016

Some of the participants of the Baiduri Masters 2016

This was a reward for being an early bird registrant. Hj Osman Salleh won a whole new golf wardrobe from Under Armour Brunei

The challenge today is: Will Seruji finally walk away with the Challenge Trophy that has eluded him on multiple occasions and make him the first ever in Baiduri Masters history to do so? Or will the return of Khairul Kamis after a two-year hiatus break his win streak? Will 2016 see yet another hole-in-one?

The hole-in-one prizes for the Baiduri Masters 2016, with a combined value in excess of a quarter of a million dollars, comprise a Porsche Cayenne, a BMW 218 Active Tourer, a Mini Cooper and two BND20,000 cash prizes.

The Baiduri Masters tournament is divided into 4 divisions this year – Men’s, Group, Ladies and Juniors. The Men’s division will be further divided into Men’s Gross, Men’s Nett and Senior Golfers Nett. Players who are interested in participating and doing their part for charity can register at the RBA Golf Club.

The Baiduri Masters is an annual charity golf tournament organised by the Baiduri Bank Group which is scheduled to take place during the final two weekends of May 2016. The 21st edition of the Baiduri Masters will take place at the RBA Golf Club and is supported by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

The Baiduri Masters is also supported by the QAF Group of Companies as well as Brunei Press as the exclusive print media partner.

The event will be from 20-22th May 2016 and the next weekend 27-29 May 2016. You can register as many times as you want and who knows your chances will increase in winning a car or cash prize. Call 244 9666 for info or you can click here to their website for registration and details of the Baiduri Masters 2016. Images courtesy of Baiduri Bank.

 

The Peugeot 308 GT Line will be launched pretty soon

The Peugeot 308 GT Line will be launched pretty soon

TCY Motors, sole distributor of Peugeot in Brunei is introducing to the local press the 308 GT Line. This 308 is the first Peugeot GT Line variant to be introduced in Brunei.

PEUGEOT 308 GT Line offers exclusive and dynamic versions aimed at motoring enthusiasts. To engage such customers, the strong personality of this version is achieved through assertive styling, remarkable performance and an enhanced driving experience.

On the inside, the 308 GT Line offers all the features you’d expect of a premium hatchback model. Specification includes front and rear parking aid, DAB digital radio, USB interface and reversing camera, all controlled from a 9.7″ multifunction colour touchscreen with the redline colour scheme on the touch screen continuing the sporting touch.

The interior of the GT Line reflects the premium trim – the luxurious trim sports seats with red stitching are comfortable and supportive, with driver and front passenger lumbar adjustment that includes a massage function. The interior also features a GT-style leather steering wheel with matching red stitching, GT style mats and inside door sills and pedals are finished in aluminium for a contemporary look.

The GT Line features full LED headlights, positioned alongside distinctive direction indicators and fog lights. With a comprehensive range of airbags, cruise control with speed limiter, the 308 GT Line has received a full five-star Euro NCAP rating for its excellent safety features.

On PEUGEOT 308 GT Line can be identified by:

–          Sporty wheels
–          Sporty stylish twin tailpipe
–          RedLine colour scheme for the touch screen
–          Full-LED headlamps
–          LED direction indicators
–          Their sporty and top of the range ambience through the association of black and red trim
–          GT Line badges applied to the body

You can drop by in Peugeot Kiarong Showroom or call 2426868 for further details. Follow us on Instagram at @PeugeotBrunei and like our Facebook fan page @ facebook.com/peugeotbrunei.

 

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

 

The body can take it. I’m always worried about my health status as I’m not getting any younger. The monkey mind always have its way. Sometimes I just think too much unnecessarily. But all is good. I just recovered from a fever and cough, battling them for a week at least (Thanks Singapore for that). I feel I’m in the mood to blog once more and get the ball rolling.

Thank you once again to my friends and readers for the wishes a few days ago. I tend not to celebrate it and just treat it like any other day. A good surprise lunch and an evening cake surprise were my highlights of the day (thank you, Sandy, Pranika and Ciara). I had an interesting gift from Aron Tan’s Studio – a picture frame of Darth Vader. Awesome!!! Thanks JT for the nice gesture. I spent my day in a relaxed manner, playing tennis and heading to OGDC for an OTTERS meeting.

A special gift from JT and Aron Tan’s Studio. Love it to bits. Thank you very much.

My evening cake surprise at OTTERS. Thank you, Ciara, for the thoughtful gesture!

Another sneaky plan from my buddies (Sandy, Pranika and friends) as my simple lunch turned out to be slightly crowded

We had lunch at Pastamania the other day

Thanks guys for the treat

Wrap in a Box. For your info, Wrap in a Box has relocated to Setia Kenangan II. They sell pretty interesting items especially for the children and newborns. So do pay them a visit. I kinda like how the new shops are popping here and there especially at Setia Kenangan II. Exact location is Unit E7. They sell items like baby strollers, bags, umbrellas, items and many more. So don’t forget to drop by the newly re-opened @wrapinabox (instagram)

Wrap in a Box now relocated at Setia Kenangan II (near Regent Square)


Day of Action. It’s gonna be a special day coming Sunday, 10th January 2016. Why? Brunei will celebrate the International Volunteer Day (IVD) through the campaign called “Day of Action”. This campaign is initiated by the Department of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports in collaboration with the local NGOs and this campaign will help to promote the spirit of volunteerism through community development activities. The event will be held at Pusat Belia in the capital.

Among the activities that will take place include soup kitchen, cleaning campaigns of public spaces including mosques, housing areas and beaches, renovation projects and so on. The public is also invited to make their donations on this day. Donations can come in the form of diapers, household necessities, school necessities, sandals, hand washing soap, recyclable items and also a blood donation drive, which will all take place in Pusat Belia. The public can still register before 9 January (tomorrow). For more information about the Day of Action, visit bit.do/DayofActionBN and for any enquiries, email dayofactionbn@gmail.com or call 8626588 (Khairunnisa). You can also check out their updates on IG with #dayofactionBN hashtag.

The meeting with all the NGOs chaired by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports recently. Image courtesy of Iqbal Damit.

Netflix. Woohooo.. Finally Netflix is available in Brunei Darussalam. I used to stream on Netflix using a VNP accessory which is an additional cost. For those who are unfamiliar of Netflix, it is a like media and TV provider, streaming TV shows and movies with a flat fee rate on a monthly basis. Now I can watch my favourite TV shows and movies online. Of course, it won’t stop me to collect blu-rays but with Netflix, I will be able to watch my shows anytime, anyplace. This would be a direct competition to Astro, the only TV cable provider in Brunei Darussalam.

The availability of Netflix would mean more usage of the internet in a long run. TelBru will definitely benefit from this and this will also generate more TelBru subscribers to take advantage of Netflix offers. Am I gonna subscribe for Netflix? Definitely. Starting at US$7.99 ($11.48) for the basic package or opt for the standard and premium packages which are US$9.99 ($14.35) and US$11.99 ($17.22) respectively. So enjoy Netflix, peeps!! It’s definitely a game changer in how we appreciate TV shows and movies.

One of my favourite shows currently. Highly recommended and now available on Netflix.

CNY deals at Concepts Computer. It’s the time of the year where Concepts Computer offers bundle packages in conjunction with the Chinese New Year for the Year of the Monkey. The promotion deal is the “2 is better than 1” promotion which was a big hit recently. What can you expect from the packages? Well, there are some accessories from Logitech (speakers and handheld laser presenters), Acer smart devices, Microsoft Office software, power banks, HDD portable storage, Epson printing solution and many more.

For me, I can’t wait for the official launch of Predator Acer series, a game changer to bring the best in the gaming world. Concepts Computer will be bringing 11 Predator models ranging from desktops to notebooks to tablets. I’ve seen the specs and they are just “Wowww”. The official launch is slated near the end of January.

Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer (4th from left) with the associates of Concepts Computer holding the “2 is better than 1” hampers available for customers. Do drop by their showroom

The new range of Acer Predator series to be launched this month. The reviews have been strong in this one.

Hybrid Movement. Caption taken from their @hybrid_movement IG. Announcing our official hybrid movement grand opening happening this Sunday 10.01.2016 from 12pm – 7pm || This is your chance to drop in, say hello and see what we have to offer to all future hybrids ???????? Hybrid Movement Gym address:

Jalan Menglait, Simpang 51
One Menglait Industrial Park
Unit B26, Menglait

Congratulations also to Darren Chai (owner of Hybrid Movement) and Vanessa on their wedding last weekend. Oh, there will be early bird promotion as well for the first 30 registrants during their grand opening.

Opening this Sunday

The map to Hybrid Movement

Shooting Stars. They have been making a name for themselves – to bring the basics and the love of the sports of basketball in Brunei Darussalam. The man behind the scene, Ken Han (happy belated bro), has been working tirelessly to promote the sport to young kids especially and the organisation has been involved with a lot of charity work by providing workshops for the Special Olympics team last year. Ken’s philosophy of “one kid at a time” had made a difference to the youths and gaining positive feedback from parents. He couldn’t have achieved it with his team, consisting of mentors and coaches.

Now they are back to training again opening slots for “Social beginners” of all ages this January every Saturday starting 9th January at Fitness Zone Kiulap from 3:30pm to 5:30pm. Please do not hesitate to welcome any of your interested friends or family members into SSB basketball family with our friendly coaches who will take you through the basics of basketball week by week! It is also a good time to perhaps, to bond with your family and friends! Contact ???? 7290011 for more information regarding our basketball programmes! You can follow them on @shootingstarsbn IG for updates too.

Ken Han (2nd from left sitting down) with the team from Shooting Stars BN

Any takers?

Breakfast at BK. Now Burger King (Brunei) is serving breakfast from 7am to 11:30am. You can choose from the Breakfast Platter and Croissan’wiches from the menu. The breakfast starts tomorrow onwards at all the Burger King branches.

Recently Burger King also feted awards for the staff of Burger King in the “Coca Cola Upsize Challenge”. This was organised with Burger King (Brunei) and Coca-Cola Brunei in the hope of improving the productivity as well as the enthusiasm of the staff. Siti Hajar Ishak from KB branch was the top winner, winning $500 worth of cash prizes and a certificate. Gladys B Ang Poh came second with $300 worth of cash prize and a certificate while Nuramal Zahidah Roslan came third with $200 worth of cash prize and a certificate. Keep up the great work, guys!! And I miss my taro dosage…

Breakfast now available at Burger King outlets

Siti Hajar Ishak (left) receiving her prize and certificate from Ryan Law, Regional Sales Manger of Coca-Cola. Image taken by Raghadah Agus of The Brunei Times.

Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer (4th from left) with the associates of Concepts Computer holding the “2 is better than 1” hampers available for customers. Do drop by their showroom

 

Check out the different range of hampers (2 in 1) ideal for CNY corporate gifts.

Press release. To celebrate Chinese New Year for the Year of the Monkey, Concepts Computer will be extending their “2 is Better than 1” promo, where a purchase of 2 separate, selected products can qualify customers for better prices. Also, the good response from our customers regarding the “2 is Better than 1” promo and also our other promos like “Back to School” and “Year End” is also one of the main reason we are extending “2 is Better than 1”. The products under the “2 is Better than 1” promo includes computer accessories from Logitech like speakers and handheld laser presenters, Acer smart devices, Microsft Office software, Epson printing solutions, powerbanks, external storage, and much, much more.

When asked regarding the future of Concepts Computer in the local IT Retail industry in Brunei Darussalam for 2016 and for the Year of the Monkey, Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer, said, “In my point of view, the IT Retail business in Brunei Darussalam is more challenging nowadays, with savvy consumers using the internet and other sources to keep up-to-date regarding IT technological advances, retailers need to focus more on providing better services for customers.” He continued, “Retailers will need to be more creative and more innovative to respond to the ever changing needs of consumers in the Year of the Monkey, to help them grow, not only in terms of physical size but also in terms of their capabilities.” When asked regarding how Concepts Computer as a whole would welcome customers in the Year of the Monkey, “When it comes to Concepts Computer, I always lead with a simple statement, ‘We must always do a good job.’”

Also present during the event, Zul Abdul Rahman, Marketing Executive at Concepts Computer added, “We are extending the “2 is Better than 1” promo as a nod to our large customer base in the Bruneian Chinese community for supporting Concepts Computer through-out the years and to wish them a great and prosperous Chinese New Year for 2016.”

For more information regarding the “2 is Better than 1” promo or any other enquiries regarding Concepts Computer and their range of products, please call 2233551, 2233552 or 2233553, or visit your nearest Concepts Computer retail outlet.

The #McWhopperProposal

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

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

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

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

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

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

The McWhopper Packaging Proposal

It was the first time that I dined at a fast food joint for breaking my fast this year and that is at Burger King 😀 Currently Burger King have a special promotion dubbed the Ramadhan Family Deal and it comes in four different sets – Crispy and Tender, Flame-Grilled, Mixed and Whopper. So which one will suit you best? Surprisingly the mixed set has been selling well

Now why should you go for the set meals? One thing for sure is that you will save from $12 to $14 if you buy in a set. Very ideal if you come with your friends and families and you can enjoy the privilege. Furthermore, you will get a free gift from Burger King – BK mug and a coca-cola plate.

The Crispy and Tender set includes two chicken royals and one chicken grill whilst the Flame-Grilled set consists of two Whopper Juniors and a single Texas beef.

Both, priced at $19.90, also consist of chicken tempura nuggets along with large drinks and fries for three people.

On the other hand, the Mixed set contains two double mushroom Swiss and two chicken tender grill and the Whopper set has two Whoppers and two Western Whopper Juniors.

At a price of $27.90, both sets too have large drinks and fries that are enough four people.

For those who ordered any of the sets can also add $1 for a Taro Turnover, limited to five pieces a set. Furthermore, if one finishes a drink, just refill the cups with a top-up of $1.50.

For those who are interested, visit its nearest branch or call 2220215 or check out its Facebook Page and Instagram @burgerkingbrunei.

Buy a set and you will get a Burger King mug and Coca-Cola plate

Rara was in full of joy that night

Members of the media dining at Burger King

Customers dining at BK for Sungkai

Add $1 for a taro turnover 😀 Yummm!!! My favourite

 

My brother has been active in the news as of late. Keep it up!! Recently he handed over donation to KACA (Centre for Children with Special Needs). YAM Pg Anak Abdul Mun’im, Managing Director of PAR Corporaton Sdn Bhd handed over to KACA Managing Director, Hj Abdul Alim Hj Othman. Later today my brother will officiate the opening of Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at Mata-Mata this afternoon. Image courtesy of Norliha Din of The Brunei Times.

 

Be more alert in school premises nowadays for the sake of your children

News have been circulating about the perpetrator who had the intention to cause a stir in the local community. He was apprehended by the Royal Brunei Police Force and being charged for molesting an 11-year girl on the premises of St. Andrew’s School. Man, that’s my former school during my primary and second years.

I’m glad the police managed to apprehend 28 year old Pg Shahirul Hamadi Pg Hj Jaya. Apparently it’s not the first time he has been involved in similar incidents.

According to the report, a St Andrew’s School teacher filed a police report describing how an unknown man tried to force a female student into his car. The girl managed to get away from the man and immediately informed a teacher who tried to give chase. The teacher also reported that the suspect touched the girl on her chest and tried to coerce another student into his vehicle.

He is now on trial and being charged. He could be facing up to five years in prison with whipping if convicted of outraging the modesty of the female student. His next hearing will be on 9th of July. Let’s hope justice is served.

CEO of the bank, Rino (Donny) Donosepoetro, CEO of SCB (center seated) with the associates of Standard Chartered Brunei at Tardinak D’ Polo recently. Image courtesy of SCB.

More than 100 staff from Standard Chartered Bank broke fast together at Tarindak D’Polo, Jerudong Park Polo & Riding Club last Wednesday.

The sungkai gathering was organised by the bank through its Recreation Club, which regularly organises staff engagement activities and feature a wide range of activities to cater to various lifestyles of their employees from active sports to leisure activities. Some recent activities included movie outing, regular yoga, badminton and basketball sessions as well as mini bowling tournament.

CEO of the bank, Rino (Donny) Donosepoetro, said: “This being my first Ramadhan here in Brunei, I am delighted to have sungkai together with our staff members outside of work as well as get to know more of the local culture around this season. We believe staff engagement initiatives such as these would encourage more open communications and strengthen team dynamics when staff get to know each other better thereby reflecting the values we hold as being trustworthy, responsive and international.”

To find out more about Standard Chartered Bank and its career opportunities, visit www.sc.com/en/careers.

Get your hair serviced at Camellia Hair & Beauty

People are now busy with Hari Raya shopping for fabrics, decks and food. Let’s not forget that we need to groom ourselves to before Hari Raya which means pampering yourself at the salon.

There’s a new salon for your info and it’s located at Serusop area. It’s called Camellia Hair & Beauty and the prices are pretty reasonable if you ask me. The salon is only cater for female. There are able to provide the usual services (cut, trim, was, blow) and also other services such as waxing, facial, foot spa, mani and pedicure.

Currently they are having a special promotion with a 50% discount on straightening, digital perming, normal perming and coloring as well. On top of this, they will also give free treatment. Good deal indeed.

The salon is located on 1st floor, Unit 2, Simpang 94 at Delima. For appointments, you can reach Betty Goh (872 3396) or Annabelle (865 5316). Grab this opportunity while you can and pamper yourself. I think all the ladies will love the head massage while shampooing. Well, my friends did.

Betty is a certified hairstylist

Their best part of the service – shampooing

Both sisters loved it :p

A small unit area

The services available and even a 50% on selected services

 

Ramadhan promotion from Burger King. Good for families and groups. Click image to enlarge.

 

KFC Brunei is bringing in a very unique yet familiar taste with a local twist for customers to enjoy this coming festive season, introducing the new KFC Ayam Kicap Meletup featuring KFC’s so good chicken with a touch of Brunei’s favourite condiments – a combination of ‘meletup’ spices and unique soy sauce.

“The new product is all about a ‘unique taste with a local twist’ that customers can indulge in this upcoming Ramadan and Raya festivities. At the affordable starting price of just $6.20, you’ll get a complete meal good to be had during buka puasa with friends and family. We would like our customers to share the awesome taste of KFC Ayam Kicap Meletup with everyone!” said Jaymee Lau, marketing executive of KFC Brunei.

With the tagline “So Meletup Sure Must Share”, the KFC Ayam Kicap Meletup features a delicious unique flavour which is too good to keep to yourself. It is KFC’s chicken fried to perfection with a meletup combination of unique soy sauce, chili flakes, and delectable spices. The outcome is a fusion of flavours that adds real kick to the fried chicken.

Try out the KFC Ayam Kicap Meletup

KFC is offering the Ayam Kicap Meletup in a variety of combos at such an affordable price. For a two piece combo, customers can choose between the Oriental Combo (rice with original recipe gravy) and the Western combo (with fries) both priced at $6.20 each. If you’re dining big, the KFC Ayam Kicap Meletup also comes in a Family Feast which consists of nine pieces of chicken, a large whipped potato along with a FREE 1.5 litre Pepsi and large fries all for the price of only $25.90.

A limited edition KFC Candy Crush Cutlery set will be up for grabs when you purchase the premium Ayam Kicap Meletup bucket. The good quality stainless steel cutlery set comes with a porcelain handle in four different colorful designs. The premium Ayam Kicap Meletup buckets are priced at $32.80 and $41.00 respectively. The Candy Crush Cutlery set can also be purchased separately at $3.80 per set.
So make your visit to the nearest KFC today and enjoy the Ayam Kicap Meletup which is now available while stocks last. For more updates, you can visit their Facebook Page.

 

A mixture of western and Asian dishes. Five brands under one roof and you know you are in for a good buffet. They have Modesto Bistro & Grill, Dapur Penyet (Indonesian cuisine), Lof Bakery, Twinkle Pan (pretzels) and Hippo & Bees (soft served ice cream) at the Food Arena. So far, this is also served quite a variety of food and they have the capacity to accommodate a big crowd. The location of the eatery is at Seri Q-Lap Mall. You may be familiar with Giant Supermarket and now that area has been replaced with Dapur Penyet, Twinkle Pan, Lof Bakery and Hippos & Bees since earlier this year.

Modesto Bistro & Grill is a popular eatery at Batu Bersurat and quite popular during Ramadhan as well. This time they have combined with other brands to give a better variety for the benefit of the customers. They already have been successful with their Sungkai buffet on previous years and this year, the management have upped their game to compete with other Sungkai promotions.

They have plenty of variety as I have mentioned – appetizer, soup, salad and vege, pasta, carving station (roasted chicken and lamb), even middle eastern cuisine, Indonesian and local dishes, nasi lemak section, noodle section and last of all, the wide variety of desserts from Lof Bakery, Twinkleplan and Hippo&Bees. Now that’s what I call a Jumbo experience.

Food Arena is also having a Shop, Dine & Fly contest. The promotion is happening until 30th September 2015. You will have a chance to fly to either Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Kota Kinabalu or you can be one of the 10 consolation winners. The announcement of the lucky draw will be on 1st November 2015. So this is another good reason to dine at Food Arena.

Please call 715 1177 • 720 9777 • 888 2100 • 223 7771 for reservations. You can check out their Facebook page for updated menus on a daily basis.

The visiting patrons at Food Arena located at Seri Q-Lap Mall

Nasi Beryani

Cold cuts appetizer

Beef strips

Mussels and scallops

Array of desserts to choose from

From the buffet line

Chicken pandan

Pretzels from Twinklepan

The beverage section

Pizza, anyone?

Nasi Lemak station

Tons of desserts to choose

Lucky draw for Food Arena diners

The menu for today (Sunday)

 

Formerly known as Hana Bakery, this home-made cakes have been household name for the past few years or so. Why do I say that? Because the orders just automatically comes in during Ramadhan. And due to the overwhelming response since I posted on my IG this afternoon, I’m happy to say that Izz Zara Bakery has extended the deadline for orders from 26th June to Sunday 28th June. So if you are reading it today (Sunday), then today is the DEADLINE. So make your final orders today.

The online bakery is seasonal and only active during Ramadhan to cater for Hari Raya orders. The reason for the early deadline is to ensure that all the cakes and orders are delivered on time especially during the festive season.

My favourite is still the original Tapak Kuda (nutella) and now they have introduced a few new flavours such as milo and maltesers. Yum yum 😀 The Cake Lapis Durian and Nutella will be a big hit as always. One of the interesting cake is the Crackers Cheese cake.

Do download the order form, you can click here or for more info, you can whatsapp at 8776 898 or 7102 138. Do follow their instagram at @izz_zara_bakery for updates too.

Vivo Cake

Cheese Cake

Cake Lapis White Durian

Cake Lapis Nutella

American Chocolate Cake

Tapak Kuda Twix and Tapak Kuda M&Ms

Tapak Kuda Maltesers

Just look at the different colours of Tapak Kuda

The milo based Tapak Kuda

Many choices to choose from

The Crackers Cheese Cake

Follow their IG

Click image to download form

 

The ladies during the launch of the “She Runs” event at Fitness Zone. Check out details below. Image courtesy of Fitness Zone.

Here I present to you, Brunei, the Kingdom of Expected Runs. There are a few runs that will take place in the whole month of May. I told myself that I won’t be getting involved in any runs per se and focus more on loosening up my muscles rather than focusing on my mini jogs. I learned that I won’t be able to improve my stamina and running time because I tend to get injured easily after 7-8 km. My bucket list is still the full marathon and I hope to do that by 2016.

What’s interesting about all the runs are that they have their own purpose and agenda. There’s a first time for a ladies only charity run organised by Fitness Zone called “She Runs”. Set to benefit the Children’s Cancer Foundation (YASKA), the charity run will take place on May 17 at Fitness Zone Serusop. ‘She Runs’ is dedicated to empower women to become a better self from the inside out and we hope to accomplish this in two ways – fitness goal and giving back to the society. You can click here for more details.

The next one is Scot Run 2K15 which focuses on fighting poverty through education and this is organised by @scot_brunei (Society for Community Outreach and Training). I like how they categorize the runs into three – Hopeful fighter (3km), Passionate fighter (5km) and Knowledgeable fighter (10km). The Scot Run 2015 also symbolized the 4th year anniversary of @scot_brunei. Registration has already closed and it will be held on 10th May 2015. You can click here for more details.

Next is the WBC Charity Run on the 3rd of May. This is also a first time that the Women’s Business Council Brunei Darussalam organising such an event. Though it is slated for 3rd May (during Brunei’s Family Day), the registration is still open until 21st April. The event on that weekend also include a two-day bazaar and a lucky draw. The run will begin at 6am from the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium. It aims to raise money for Pengiran Muda Mahkota Al-Muhtadee Billah Fund for Orphans. For more information, please call 2422721 or through WCB email at wbc.bru@gmail.com. You can also visit the council’s website at www.wbcbrunei.wordpress.com

Finally the biggest run in May will be “The Run” which is focused more towards Pusat Ehsan and it’s happening on the 24th May at the Indoor Stadium. It has been announced that the registration and payment has been extended to 18th April 2015 by noon. This is another popular running event and it will be the fourth time that they are hosting a charity marathon. The theme for this year is “Where Every Step Matters” and they also carry a lot of backings from sponsors and partners. They will also have the half marathon for the Open category. For more information, you can click here.

So which run suits you or are you gonna take that challenge and do more than one or all? I know of a few friends doing at least 3 runs from the ones being mentioned. Good luck to all the participants and yes, Brunei is a kingdom of expected runs.

The WBC Charity Run. Click image to find out more.

She Runs event organised by Fitness Zone. Click image to find out more.

The Scot Run 2015 organised by @scot_brunei. Click image to find out more. Registration has been closed btw.

The Run organised by Pusat Ehsan. Click image to find out more.

 

Within one kilometre radius, Burger King has taken the initiative to deliver around Bandar area for the benefit of BK fans working in town. Of course, you can check the menus available on their Facebook page or on Foodpanda as well. I did verbally propose to them that I don’t mind being a temporary delivery boy for BK in town. I would actually love that experience.

According to the poster from BK that the delivery by foot will be from 9am to 4pm and the minimum order is $7. Did you know that Burger King is one of the popular food eateries in Foodpanda? So it does make sense to offer this service around Bandar since it’s really hard to find parking even for motor cyclists and it’s only within the 1 kilometre radius. Now wouldn’t you want a piece of the Taro Turnover Pie at your doorstep? 😀

Click image to enter Facebook Page

 

Carlos Reamon of CSSD won the Employee of the Month for Team Leader category and Murugavel Manivasagam of The Rehabilitation Department won Employee of the Month for Front of House category

Group photo of JPMC employees

The Jerudong Park Medical Centre (JPMC) today held a special event to present the Employee of the Month awards and to celebrate last month’s birthday celebrants. This event was organized by JPMC’s Human Resources Department.

Present at the event were senior management and staff.

The Employee of the Month for Front of House category award was awarded to Murugavel Manivasagam of The Rehabilitation Department while Carlos Reamon of CSSD won the Employee of the Month for Team Leader category.

“The event aims to honour employees’ birthdays and show appreciation for their contributions to the company,” said Human Resources Officer Norfadilah Haji Mahamud.

“This event also was to encourage team bonding among our staff and their superiors in a joyful occasion”, she added.

JPMC’s Employee of the Month reward programme recognises employees’ outstanding performances and contributions towards the company for the past 12 months. Images and text courtesy of JPMC.

 

Burger King – Buy 1 Free 1. Limited time only 😀

 

When will the time I carry this solid trophy legitimately as a gold winner?

Brenda Chang, Financial Controller of RBA Golf Club, Asmadi bin Haji Alimustapha, General Manager of RBA Golf Club, Mr. Andrew Young, Deputy General Manager, Operations Management Division of Baiduri Bank cum President of the Organizing Committee of Baiduri Masters 2015, Mr. Pierre Imhof, CEO of Baiduri Bank, Mr. Albert Lau, CEO of QAF Group, Mr. Roger Fletcher, General Manager of QAF Motor Group, Reggie See, General Manager of Brunei Press and Hazizah Osman, Deputy General Manager of Brunei Press

Consecutive run of 20 years is a milestone on its own. Baiduri Bank Group has been running their Corporate Social Responsibility programme for a very long time and the biggest avenue is the Baiduri Masters. This year it will be a bigger edition with a few interesting mix in terms of categories. The Hole-in-One prizes are amazing too as usual.

There will be a team category and very ideal for Corporate teams to be involved in the Baiduri Masters while swinging for a good cause. A new car introduced by QAF Motors will also be featured in one of the holes – BMW 218i Active Tourer and it’s not officially launched yet in Brunei. So it’s pretty cool for the new BMW model being one of the hole-in-one prizes. Awesome!!!

The golf tournament will take place on May 1-3 and May 8-10 at the usual venue, Royal Brunei Airlines Golf Club (RBAGC). The 20th Baiduri Masters Charity Golf Tournament, it will be played on format system 36 (stroke play) and the challenge trophy will be decided on gross. So who will be the person to be wearing the Green Jacket in this year’s edition of Baiduri Masters?

Baiduri Bank Group gave their deepest appreciation to their strategic partners – the QAF Group of Companies notably QAF Motor Group and Brunei Press who have been their longest strategic partners. This morning witnessed a signing ceremony among partners for the upcoming event at QAF Centre.

The three luxurious cars will be the Porsche Panemera (Hole 2), BMW 218 Active Tourer (Hole 14) and MINI One (Hole 5) and all of these can be won at the 20th edition of the Baiduri Masters. The registration forms will be available pretty soon (hopefully by this week).

Wanna win a Porsche Panemera? Just get a hole in one effort on Hole 2 at Baiduri Masters 2015 LD

The new BMW 218 Active Tourer will be one of the prizes for hole in one. Awesome!!!

During the press conference for Baiduri Masters 2015

The media taking questions to the organizers and partners

What is Baiduri Bank’s intention for the Baiduri Masters? The intention has never change and it’s to raise funds where it will be channelled to a number of charities and welfare bodies. They believe in supporting programmes that offer educational opportunities and assistance to children with special needs. Registration fee is BND 120 for adults and BND 60 for juniors. For team, it will be additional BND 25 per person (x4). The fee is inclusive of green fees, buggy, buffet breakfast and lunch.

So who are qualified to be in the Team? It is open to all amateur golfers in a team of 4 players with a valid handicap or club verified handicap (which ever is lower) of 18 and below for men, and 24 and below for ladies.

The charitable bodies will be Pusat Ehsan, Child Development Center, Yayasan Kanak Kanak Kanser (YASKA), SMARTER Brunei, Learning Ladders Society, Paediatric Department, RIPAS and Special Education Unit, Ministry of Education.