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.

 

Download SnapFeed app on your smartphones and check out the latest deals in Brunei, their new loyalty program and also check out the new movie listings.

 

Team America

Having the luxury of the time to catch Captain America: Civil War three times, I have to admit that the replay value hasn’t bore me just yet. This is how I am amazed with the Marvel Cinematic Universe and how Disney has made it such a lovable franchise ever since they bought over the franchise.

The movie is slated to be a big box office machine. Having already raking in USD 75 million on Friday alone, it will reach in the region of USD 175 to USD 190 million tops. It’s unlikely to touch the USD 200 million region which many predicted it would be. Now the question is will it have the legs to break the USD 350 million mark in the months to come. The previous movie, Captain America: Winter Solider, made USD 259 million. It’s no surprise that Civil War will surpassed that in just two weeks. We shall wait and see.

Here’s just another short review of my version of Civil War.

First thing’s first. I love the movie. It’s quite a rare feat that I would watch a movie for the third time. Even a fourth viewing is a possibility. I’ve already caught it three times in a space of 9 days so no harm done for the next viewing, right?

Now, what I love about Civil War?

1) This is a movie that Batman V Superman wanted to be. The lame battle or war that the DC characters recently had was just simply $#%^@~#. The plot just got too tangled in the web and there was no way out of it. Purely messy. As for Civil War, the premise and the build up were solid from start to finish and furthermore, it was able to create a situation where you as the audience would have to choose between Team Cap or Team Ironman. As for Batman V Superman, the delivery of their rivalry lacked substance and desire for the audience to be involved in.

2) How do you handle so many characters in a two and a half hour movie? And none of the characters were not put to waste. That I have to salute the Russo brothers for pulling a great feat which Joss Whedan did for The Avengers. Some of the characters had shorter screen time but it was enough to make us feel interested in their characters. As for Doomsday or even Lex Luthor, not so much. Something Zack Synder lacked.

3) I have to applaud for their ingenuity of the action sequences in Civil War. The airport scene still leaves me mesmerized and I could just watch over and over again. My only problem is the less usage of Vision during the fight scenes *little spoiler alert* but other than that, the airport scene is perhaps the best superhero action scene of all time and many producers and directors will have a hard time to top this feat.

4) The introduction of Black Panther and Spider-Man. I had reservations on their characters when I watched the trailer. Why? Panther is a low key superhero in Marvel while we have gotten bored with many renditions of Spider-Man. However, these were not the cases for both Panther and Spider-Man. I won’t spoil much but man, they both will have a bright future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

That are just the gist of what I thought of Civil War. There are many talking points for the final installment of Captain America. So who’s your favourite character? Mine’s definitely Spider-Man. Verdict: 8.5-9/10

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

Tom Holland as Spider-Man and he suits the role

My blogger friend from Singapore – Tiffany Yong gave it 5 stars. Read more of her review by clicking the image.

Caught the premiere show at The Mall Cineplex two Thursday ago

Both Farhan and Stuart read the wrong memo during the premiere of Captain America: Civil War

 

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

 

Unleash your creativity. We have so many opportunities to showcase our talents and show the country what our youths are capable of. There have been creativity programs and competitions to spur individuals to take participate. Recently The Crown Prince CIPTA Award 2017 was launched at University Teknologi Brunei (UTB which was previously known as ITB) and this has been an ongoing competition with many local participation over the years.

A big thank you to UTB and also their core sponsor, Brunei LNG Sdn Bhd for making the CIPTA possible.

Gracing the event was Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, Minister of Education. Also present at the ceremony were Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar, Deputy Minister of Education; Awang Mohamad bin Haji Awang Damit, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Brunei LNG Sdn Bhd, who is also the Co-Chairperson of CIPTA 2017 Executive Committee, Dr. Haji Junaidi bin Haji Abdul Rahman, Permanent Secretary (Higher Education) and Chairperson of the CIPTA 2017 Executive Committee, Associate Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah binti Haji Sulaiman, the Vice-Chancellor of UTB.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, Minister of Education gracing the event

So what’s the theme for this year’s APICTA? It will be on “Innovation for Sustainable Economy”. The competition is open to all schools, technical and tertiary academic institutions, government and private organizations and the general public.

There are three main competitions: Category 1, 2 and 3 for local participants; the Smart Junior Competition; and the ASEAN Category. The prizes by Category are as follows:

CATEGORY 1, 2 AND 3 (LOCAL COMPETITION)

Category 1: Creating New Product, Process or Technology
1st Prize – B$ 6000.00 cash, a trophy & certificate
2nd Prize – B$ 4000.00 cash, a trophy & certificate
3rd Prize – B$ 2000.00 cash, a trophy & certificate
2 Consolation Prizes – B$ 500.00 cash and certificates

Category 2: Modifying Existing Product, Process or Technology

1st Prize – B$ 6000.00 cash, a trophy & certificate
2nd Prize – B$ 4000.00 cash, a trophy & certificate
3rd Prize – B$ 2000.00 cash, a trophy & certificate
2 Consolation Prizes – B$ 500.00 cash and certificates

Category 3: Creating New or Modifying Existing Product, Process or Technology by Young Inventors

1st  Prize  – B$ 3000.00 cash, a trophy & certificate
2nd Prize      – B$ 2000.00 cash, a trophy & certificate
3rd Prize      – B$ 1000.00 cash, a trophy & certificate
2 Consolation Prizes – B$ 250.00 cash and certificates

THE SMART JUNIOR COMPETITION

1st  Prize     – B$ 1000.00 cash & certificate
2nd Prize     – B$ 800.00 cash & certificate
3rd Prize     – B$ 500.00 cash & certificate
2 Consolation Prizes – B$ 200.00 cash and certificates

ASEAN CATEGORY

New Invention & Innovation Category
Best Invention & Innovator – B$ 6000.00 cash & Trophy

Young Inventor Category

Best Young Inventor          – B$ 3000.00 cash & Trophy

Guest of honour touring the exhibition after the launch

Winner from the ASEAN New Invention & Innovation Category will be eligible to compete with winners from Categories 1 and 2 in the Local Competition for the Crown Prince Special Award to win the grand prize of B$ 8000 and the CIPTA Trophy. In CIPTA 2015, the coveted grand prize was awarded to a group of researchers from the Institute of Bio-Engineering and Nanotechnology Singapore for their winning project ‘Green Tea Nanocarriers to Fight Cancer’.

Each entry will be judged based on their novelty and creativity; deployment of end product; social, economic and sustainable design considerations; and the project report and presentation. Assessment of submitted projects will be conducted in two stages starting with the Preliminary Assessment. Only qualified entries will be allowed to proceed to the Final Assessment.

With the official launching of CIPTA 2017, participation into all the categories is now open. The deadline for participating in CIPTA 2017 is on 31 October 2016. More information can be obtained from www.utb.edu.bn/cipta.

 

The highly anticipated annual golf tournament, the Baiduri Masters Charity Golf Tournament is set to tee off in a month’s time spanning 2 weekends, 20 to 22 May and 27 to 29 May 2016. This year marks the 21st edition of the Baiduri Masters organized by Baiduri Bank Group.

Thanks to the support of strategic partner – the QAF Group of Companies, the much awaited hole-in-one prizes for Baiduri Masters 2015 was confirmed this morning at the Partnership Signing Ceremony held at the QAF Centre. Besides these three luxurious cars, players will also stand a chance to win two cash prizes plus numerous other tournament prizes at the Baiduri Masters 2016.

The hole-in-one prizes for this year are as follows: Porsche Cayenne for Hole 2; Mini Cooper for Hole 5; BMW 218 Active Tourer for Hole 14; and $20,000 cash prize for Holes 12 and 16.

You could be a winner of this awesome car 😀

The upcoming golf tournament is divided into four divisions: Men’s, Ladies, Juniors and Team. The Men’s division will be further divided into Men’s Open and Senior Golfers categories. The Junior Golfers category is open to golfers aged 13 to 18 years old.

Registration commences from 20 April 2016 and the registration fee remains at BND120 for adults and BND60 for juniors. The registration fee is inclusive of green fee, buggy, goodie bag as well as buffet breakfast and lunch. Players are invited to the prize presentation dinner at the end of the tournament.

Players may play more than once to improve their chances of winning. Adult players will enjoy a discount on the registration fee on their second and subsequent rounds. The best score of any round played will be taken.

For more information, please contact the Baiduri Call Centre at 244 9666 or log onto www.baiduri.com, where they can also download the registration form.

Kahar Hj Abu Bakar (2nd from R) is the fourth golfer ever to hit the hole-in-one at the Baiduri Masters in its 20 years’ history. This was taken last year and he won the BND 20,000 cash prize then.

Click image to download PDF registration form

 

19-year old Ahmad Ridhauddin Hj Suhaimin, winner of the Proton Satria Neo R3 1.6L Manual with his mother during the Second Lucky Draw campaign of Sentral Shopping Centre (KB Sentral) yesterday

Abby Lim, General Manager of Sentral Shopping Centre, with the winner

Sentral Shopping Centre has just completed the first series of its Second Lucky Draw Campaign on Sunday, 1st May 2016 at 2.00 pm yesterday. With about 1,900 short-listed coupon holders since the beginning of the campaign, November 2015, Sentral Shopping Centre was filled with a huge crowd of hopeful winners. The prizes range from household appliances to meal voucher to one night stay at Garden Sentral Hotel as well as a car for the grand prize.

The Guest of Honor for the Grand Lucky Draw was Madam Suraya Binti Hj Mohd Salleh. A total of 17 prizes were given away yesterday. The event commenced with a welcoming speech by the General Manager, Abby Lim. After that Ms. Norazizah Awang Damit, proceeded to draw the first 5 winners. It was then preceded by Penghulu of Mukim Kuala Belait, Mr. Haji Pungut Bin Ali, to draw another 5 winners. Ms Abby Lim proceeded to draw another 3 lucky winners. In between the draws, quiz questions were asked to the audience and the prizes to these quiz questions were sponsored by SugarBun Brunei and Ochado Brunei.

The Guest of Honor then proceeded to draw the top 4 lucky winners including the grand prize. The 4th prize, a 32” LED TV, went to Hjh Rohaya Hj Abu Bakar while Jufri Bin Hj Abd Hamid won a 2-door refrigerator as the 3rd prize winner. The 2nd prize of a fully automated washing machine was won by Sharon Chin Shiao Hui. The Grand Prize Winner of Sentral Shopping Centre Grand Lucky Draw, the first series, a white Proton Satria Neo R3 1.6L Manual, was 19-year old Ahmad Ridhauddin Hj Suhaimin.

Lucky Draw coupon holders were reminded to be present at the Grand Lucky Draw presentation, along with their Identity Cards (IC) as proof of identity and their Lucky Draw coupons. Representatives were allowed, but they must bring along their own ICs, as well as the photocopy IC of the winner along with the original coupon.

Do follow them on their Facebook and Instagram @kbsentral for all the latest updates on their upcoming event activities!

The top 17 winners feted yesterday. It was such a packed event.

Hjh Rohaya Hj Abu Bakar receiving the 32” LED TV

Jufri Bin Hj Abd Hamid won a 2-door refrigerator

Abby Lim running the draw

Sharon Chin Shiao Hui won a a fully automated washing machine

This lady won two prizes out of the 17 prizes drawn. A very lucky person indeed.

Almost 2,000 in attendance yesterday

The winner posing with his new car

Group photo with the guest of honour and general manager of KB sentral

Vendors of @KBsentral would be happy with the responses yesterday

Three more grand draws. So do spend at KB Sentral

 

Review of a DXRacer chair

DXRacer computer gaming accessories have now landed in Brunei and are available from Concepts Computer. DXRacer computer gaming chairs and tables are made with very exacting standards, and the level of comfort and refinement which they offer is unrivalled amongst other computer gaming chairs and tables. These accessories which were originally conceived to heighten computer gaming experience, will also be the equipment of choice for comfort and ease when working at the office, relaxing at home while a watching a movie or getting into a game, as you’ve never experienced in front of a computer before.

Unlike most computer chairs available in Brunei, the DXRacer chair has a much higher backrest, that allows it to support your entire spinal column from your pelvis right to the neck. DXRacer chairs offers a very stable metal star base that is adjustable via a gas spring that allows the user to adjust it for varying heights of office or computer desks. It also includes a tilt mechanism with lock function so the back can be lowered down from 135 degrees to 180 degrees and set to lock at any angle. In addition, functions include multi-position adjustable armrests covered with a soft pad for comfort, so the user is protected from a shoulder slant or kyphosis as a result of prolonged fatigue of the shoulder and wrist. And DXRacer chairs also comes with a headrest cushion as well as a lumbar cushion that is height adjustable as desired, for added spinal column support.

Jonathan Chong, Senior Manager with DXRacer Brunei, while speaking to media, said, “We’re very pleased to be working alongside Concepts Computer, especially with the large range of products they offer for Bruneian IT consumers. We are always looking to provide to customers top of the range and high quality computer gaming chairs and desks so with the help of Concepts Computer, we are now one important step closer.” He also added, “Now that computer gaming is also a big part of the Bruneian IT scene, Bruneian gamers who require long hours of practice in order to maintain their top tier skills will now have the ability to choose the proper chair that is crucial in helping them perform at their very best by using DXRacer computer gaming chairs and tables which are available from Concepts Computer. And not to worry for all the arden gamers out there, we will be expecting a new shipment of chairs and tables in early May, a large volume to cater to Bruneian gamers.”

Jonathan Chong, Senior Manager with DXRacer Brunei with Zul Abdul Rahman, Marketing Executive for Concepts Computer at Times Square Shopping Centre

The gamers during the counter strike tournament at Times Square Shopping Centre last weekend

Zul Abdul Rahman, Marketing Executive for Concepts Computer, also added, “We are extremely pleased to be working with DXRacer Brunei because they are providing a huge range of quality products at very diverse prices which can fit the purchasing power of different subsets of customers, from $475 to $799, each product will fulfill the specific needs of each customer.” Zul also added, “The support provided by DXRacer Brunei in terms of warranty issues are also top-notch, especially with the 2 years warranty coverage provided for each chair, which reassures both us as resellers and customers as end-users. We are looking forward to growing this section of the Bruneian IT market.”

DXRacer computer gaming chairs and desks will be available at Concepts Computer, where demo units are on stand-by for customers to try. Prices will range from $475 to $799, according to the model and needs of each costumer. For more information regarding DXRacer computer gaming chairs and desks, 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.

 

Irwan Lamit, General Manager of BIBD At-Tamwil with James Chin, General Manager of Setia Motors Sdn Bhd checking out the new Hyundai Elantra

The new Hyundai Elantra

Late post: Did you know that the Elantra is Hyundai Motor’s best-selling model and now it has evolved with innovative design. The award-winning compact sedan inspires driver’s confidence with enhanced performance and stable handling.

The new Elantra dubbed “Avante” in Korea is now available on Brunei road and you can visit Setia Motors showroom in Beribi to check it out. The Elantra model is in its 6th generation. So what’s the upgrade? It has a more dynamic and sleek appearance. The grille is also different parted with slim and sporty headlights for an energetic look. The body structure has been designed to boost durability and rigidity, incorporating 32% more advanced high-strength steel compared to the original Elantra.

The all-new Elantra’s premium-sound Harman audio system delivers delightful sound quality with eight speakers accompanying an amplifier. There is also a pair of door-mounted tweeters located in every door to give that acoustic ambience.

All in all, the new Elantra is a a 1.6 litre engine compact-size sedan with class defining interior and exterior features which refined style elements reflect Hyundai Motor’s evolving philosophy.

So do check out the new Elantra at Setia Motors showroom at Beribi.

James Chin addressing to the public

 

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

 

Podcast review of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice with Jason Rumpus on the popcorn panel

 

Her Royal Highness Princess Fadzilah Lubabul Bolkiah is currently in Singapore, competing for Divas in the ORA Gryphons Fast Pitch Softball Tournament 2016. Image courtesy of Yusri Adanan of The Brunei Times.

Team Divas during a training session. Click image to enlarge.

Divas (women softball team) will be representing Brunei at the ORA Gryphons Fast Pitch Softball Tournament 2016 in Singapore today.

Among those who will be lacing up for Divas at the eight-team tournament is Her Royal Highness Princess Fadzilah Lubabul Bolkiah.

Apart from Divas and a Japanese team based in Singapore, the rest of competition at the Raffles Institution Softball Field will be made up of Singaporean teams.

“This will be our first time competing outside Borneo so we would like to see where we stand among the other teams in the region,” said Divas team manager Sofiah Isa during the club’s friendly match against Gunners at the Jerudong Sports Complex yesterday.

“We have never played in this tournament before so it will be hard to tell how the competition is going to be.

“We have been preparing for this tournament since January under our new coach from the Philippines, Gedda Español Valencia.

“We’ve also played a number of friendly matches over the past month… We played Honey Beez from Miri and (local clubs) Chikara and Pasadena as we are trying to get as much game practice before we leave.

“The team is made up of some new players and existing senior players, and myself and Gedda will also be competing as players at this tournament,” added Sofia

HRH Princess Fadzilah Lubabul Bulqiah, Pg Anak Haffezah Syukrina PAH Hassanudin Al-Haj, Ivy Abad Carlos, Nimpa Villafranca Baral, Nur Hafizah Hj Abdul Sidek, Amalina Hj Abd Karim, Wan Hannah Hj Abdul Karim, Wan Syaza Hj Abdul Karim, Nur Amanina Amirah Hj Hasnani, Radin Noryoul Afiqah Ibnu Abdullah, Wan Rahmani Hj Suhaili, Dk Hjh Halyanoor Azamah Pg Hj Chuchu, Vanessa Pang Li Thuan, Hjh Adina Hj Mohd Aliddin, Athiyyah As’ad Mohd Jaafar and Siti Marlina Hj Marsal complete the 18-player squad.
The club’s coaches, Maj (Rtd) Wan Mohd Tambrin Shah and Mohammad Alli Hj Othman, are part of the squad who are now in Singapore.

Divas face ORA Gryphons on Friday and follow that up with two more matches against River Valley High School and Cudas.

They will meet Raffles Institution, Maiko Japan and Mudball the following day before closing their group stage campaign with a match against Wolvens on Sunday. Text by Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh of The Brunei Times.

The 10 team tournament over the weekend

 

The newly launched Hyundai Creta

The review test of the Hyundai Creta by Autocar India

I heard of the latest Hyundai Creta when I saw the advert in the local newspaper. Hence, I contacted Setia Motors, distributor of Hyundai, for some details of the newly anticipated launch of the Creta and wow, I was amazed by the price tag of the Creta (not even in the region of BND 30,000). Another model that caught my eye is the newest Hyundai Tuscon model. But today I’m gonna focus on the Creta.

Greta marks Hyundai Motor’s entry in the growing sub-compact SUV segment with strong product offering and hence boosting Hyundai Motor’s product line up. I’m so happy to witness the newest model being launched earlier this morning. Did you know that all the first batch of Creta are all being booked? That really shows that the Creta is already a huge hit way before the launch.

At the same time during the launch, Setia Motors feted three first owners of the Creta with a Vivo smartphone. Nicceeeeee!!

Unveiling the Creta were Mr. James Chin, General Manager of Setia Motors Sdn Bhd, Hj Irwan bin Lamit, Managing Director of BIBA At-Tamwil Berhad, Haji Ali Matussin, Sales Manager of Baiduri Finance and Hj Osman bin Hj Md Jair, Managing Director of Insurans Islam TAIB.

James Chin, General Manager of Setia Motors Sdn Bhd and Hj Ali Matussin, Sales Manager of Baiduri Finance unveiling the Hyundai Creta

Hj Osman bin Hj Md Jair, Managing Director of Insurans Islam TAIB and Hj Irwan bin Lamit, Managing Director of BIBA At-Tamwil Berhad unveiling the Hyundai Creta

The red Hyundai Creta looks good

Smile for the camera guys 😀

Creta Specs

Engine – 1.6 Gamma Duat CVVT Petrol Engine (Diesel coming soon)

Exterior
Front Projection Headlamps with static bending light
Rear camera display with dynamic parking guide
Rear parking censor
17” allow wheels
70% transparency tinted glass

Interior
Bluetooth handsfree
5” LCD Touch Screen AM/FM Radio with MP3
Supervision cluster
USB & AUX
Rear air-condition ventilation
Steering wheel remote control

Safety

Up to 6 airbags
Electronic stability control
Antilock braking system
hill-start assist control

Performance

1.6 litre petrol engine with 123 ps at 6400/rpm
6-speed auto transmission or manual transmission
low noise vibration and harshness level
low coefficient of drag

As I said before, Creta is already a huge hit after many customers have pre-booked the compact SUV. Creta is one of the toughest and strongest SUVs in its segment. It is designed with a strong body shell that denotes high structural strength and sturdiness. The high body rigidity is designed for enhanced structural safety and improved durability.

Do drop by Setia Motors showroom in Beribi if you are interested to test drive the new Creta. Who knows you might be one of the proud owners of the Creta.

Nadzri does what he does best – being a great host/emcee – to kick off the event

One of the first buyers of the Hyundai Creta and she earned herself a Vivo smartphone

Another recipient of the Vivo smartphone

Setia Motors management with representatives from Baiduri Bank, BIBD At-Tamwil and Insurans Islam TAIB

 

Associates of Concepts Computer holding $10 vouchers where you can earn when you purchase above $30 in a single receipt and only valid during every end of the month. In this case, 27th March to 30th March.

As an ongoing thank you for their customers, Concepts Computer will be giving away $10 dollar vouchers for every purchase above $30 (in a single receipt) made during March’s end of month celebrations. During every end of month (27th till 30th), Concepts Computer will open up their showroom from 9 am to 9pm, to accommodate and serve their customers better. And this month, customers making a purchase during this period will be eligible for $10 vouchers.

When asked regarding the month end celebrations and the voucher give-away, Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer, said, “The IT Retail business in Brunei Darussalam is more challenging nowadays, with savvy consumers using online sources to make purchasing decisions, brick and mortar IT retailers need to focus more on providing better services for customers.” He continued, “Retailers will need to be more creative, more innovative and offer better range of products to respond to consumers, which is why we are thankful for our loyal and regular customers, and we want to keep them happy by providing these vouchers.”

Also present during the event, Zul Abdul Rahman, Marketing Executive at Concepts Computer added, “We are giving away $10 vouchers during the month-end (27th till 30th), with every purchase of $30 on a single receipt.” Zul added, “These vouchers are only valid for their next purchases made with Concepts Computers and will be valid for 30 days.” He continued, “We would hope that our customers understand that this is one way for us to show our appreciation for their loyalty and patronage.”

For more information regarding the month-end celebrations (on-going from 27th to 30th of every month) and the eligibility of receiving the give-away $10 vouchers, 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.

This is a popular item at Concepts Computer especially among teachers

Some of the gadgets

Affordable notebooks at Concepts Computer

A portable hotspot for you

You can even claim EASI cards with the vouchers. Quite handy

 

Podcast review of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice with Jason Rumpus on the popcorn panel

 

Review of Mercedes-AMG GT S by Kelly Blue Book – “It’s flat out fun!”

The Mercedes-AMG GT S continues to pick up awards: US car magazine “Motor Trend” chose the eight-cylinder sports car as “Best Driver’s Car”. In this year’s contest, the Mercedes-AMG GT S lined up against nine other sports cars at the Laguna Seca race track in California – where it easily achieved the best lap time.

“The Mercedes-AMG GT S has the sharpest, most precise steering we have ever felt on any Mercedes or AMG vehicle,” said Motor Trend editor-in-chief Ed Loh. “It makes massive power from a compact, high-tech turbocharged V8 engine. What most impressed my team is how well the GT S was able to combine these elements. It put all of its horsepower to the ground like an all-wheel-drive supercar and gripped the road through high-speed corners like a winged racer.”

With a lap time of 1:35.57 minutes, the Mercedes-AMG GT S not only kept all its competitors at bay at the legendary Laguna Seca race track, it also achieved one of the top three times ever recorded. At the end of the long and extensive series of test drives, the Motor Trend editors concluded: “The best sports car Mercedes has ever built.”

Motor Trend launched the “Best Driver’s Car” award in 2009, and has since become one of the most prestigious contests in the American auto media.

The reviews have been fantastic online – do check some of the video links on the Mercedes-AMG GT S: 1) Caradvice.com.au 2) Digital Trends 3) MotorWeek

You can visit Jati Transport Showroom at Gadong or Beribi if you are interested in the Mercedes-AMG GT S.

The Mercedes-AMG GT S is a beast. I saw this once in Brunei and it was like love at the first sight. Do visit Jati Transport showroom if you are interested to know more.

 

In today’s headline. Congratulations Soon Loo.

Soon Loo was the chief judge at the Ignite Entrepreneurship Challenge last year

By Command of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the Prime Minister’s Office has announced that His Majesty has consented to the appointment of Loo Yau Soon as managing director/chief executive officer of Darussalam Enterprise (DARe).

The appointment is effective March 22, 2016.

According to the interviews in the local papers, he is truly grateful to His Majesty the Sultan for the consent to his appointment as DARe’s CEO. He was previously a board member of DARe, a newly established body in hoping to spear the SME ecosystem for the betterment of the Brunei’s economy and diversification.

DARe is led by the Minister of Energy and Industry at the Prime Minister’s Office Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Mohammad Yasmin Hj Umar. Both of them and other board members have been very active recently, holding talks to young vibrant entrepreneurs especially the e-vendors to understand and create a better communication platform between the two parties. So far the responses have been encouraging from the entrepreneurs and they also increased their knowledge on the know-hows on the procedures and what not in building businesses.

What I feel: Well, this is definitely great news. To know someone that I truly admire on his passion in helping and inspiring others. I first saw him in UBD where he was a mentor/lecturer for one of the classes and the students then were really connected with him. He was mentoring them on creating ideas into reality and I was amazed by the presentation from the students. That alone gave a very good first impression of him. This was back in 2013 if I’m not mistaken.

Furthermore, he was a recipient of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World Award in 2013. That again, it’s a super milestone on its own. He has many accolades and recognitions along the way and don’t play, play k? since he has an MBA from Harvard University.

If you see this chap in public, don’t be afraid to say hi because he is very welcoming and enterprising. I wish you to the best in your capacity as CEO of DARe and this is a sign of better things to come. Good luck, buddy 😀

Check out the interview by Channel News Asia after Soon Loo being a recipient of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World Award

 

Vincent Goh, Managing Director of Netcom Computer House, and his team at the recent anniversary dinner at Parkview Hotel recently

Two weeks ago, Netcom Computer House celebrated their anniversary at Parkview Hotel (formerly known as Asma Hotel) in Jerudong. Around 100 Netcom associates and families were treated to a wonderful dinner filled with games and entertainment to the delight of the invitees.

I was also in the mood as I dressed up for the occasion, a black and white themed dinner event. Vincent Goh, the Managing Director of Netcom Computer House, delivered his welcoming remarks and thanked the team for their contribution in sustaining the company over the 20 years of established. Wow, 20 years is indeed a milestone alone.

Thank you, Vincent, for the invitation and also your support in these years. And Hassan, you’re the man behind the mic *lol* Perhaps, I can hire you as an emcee one day.

The newly promoted Dell affordable notebook, now available at Netcom Computer House

This does come in handy 😀

If you want better charge, then go for this

 

Listen to the podcast review of Zootopia. A must watch 😀

 

Soon Tiong, representative from Hua Ho Manggis sending Azli Azney of The Brunei Times and I at the Brunei International Airport last Tuesday as we departed for Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Traveling on National Day, Royal Brunei Airlines served this on the plane. Awesome!! Well done on the viral image of RB’s women pilots recently. Apparently it has reached more than 2 million viewers, thanks to the power of social media.

It’s great to be back in Vietnam after 10 years. The last time I flew here was backpacking with a friend as we traveled to three cities – Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh and Siam Reap. I’m happy that I finally made it to Vietnam recently. I had this fear that I won’t be able to make it to the country as passport or should I say my Certificate of Identity may encounter problem at the immigration counter upon my arrival.

Yes, there have been cases where families have been sent back to Brunei as the immigration doesn’t recognize the brown book (our version of Brunei passport) and this is despite having a valid visa from the Vietnam Embassy in Brunei Darussalam. Then at one stage, Vietnam temporarily stopped from COI holders to enter Vietnam before opening the opportunity again to COI holders. So the back and forth saga didn’t really give much confidence to me and other COI holders.

This time, I had no choice but to take the risk as I accepted to do a coverage in Ho Chi Minh City for a FitFlop regional launch event. As you may have recalled that my previous FifFlop coverage was at Bohol, the Philippines. This time round, it’s in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The application fee is kinda pricey (BND 80). Malaysia is the cheapest I think (below BND 10) while Thailand visa costs BND 50. I’m also given an official letter, written in Vietnamese, from the Vietnam Embassy that the COI document is recognized by Vietnam and acts as my safety net should any problem arises.

I did manage to get my travel document chopped but it took the immigration officer a while to do so. He had to consult with his colleagues on my brown book and also the official letter. So I’m glad after a few minutes of internal discussion, the officer was convinced that my COI document is legit and it was a huge relief for me.

So to all the Certificate of Identity holders, don’t worry about traveling to Vietnam. Just make sure you get bring the official letter to state the legitimacy of the COI document. It really does help. And yes, Ho Chi Minh City is a great city to visit as it has developed in the past 10 years and affordable too.

I will posting a dedicated coverage on FitFlop tomorrow. So ladies, you can check out the latest design for FitFlop for the coming Spring Summer Collection of 2016. Thank you once again to Hua Ho Manggis and FitFlop for giving me this opportunity. I’ve been wearing them at home and FitFlop also gave me two new pairs to bring back home. One word – comfy 😀

How the visa looks like for those holding the Brunei’s Identity of Certificate. It costs BND 80.

The official letter from the Vietnam Embassy in Brunei Darussalam to state that the COI document is recognized and valid. Show this two-paged letter at the immigration upon arrival. It saves the hassle from being interrogated.

Yea, we have our own signboard from FitFlop and thank you, Huong, for taking care of the Brunei delegates

We bought the sim card at the arrival hall of the airport. I subscribed for the 3G bandwidth which ran out after two days (too much IG-ing and Snapchatting). Do get the Viettel line.

The bikes are aplenty but now the number of cars are rising compared to 10 years ago

Emma Saunter unveiling the Miami collection for the Spring Summer collection of FitFlop for 2016 at Villa Song Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City

I kinda like the cinema environment at Cinema Liberty Hotel. Very impressive.

…. and I caught Deadpool for the second time. It’s not censored too.

The hotel room at Liberty Citypoint is pretty awesome too. Spacious and internet speed is pretty fast too. The going rate is BND 170-180 per night.

 

Listen to the podcast on our countdown to the Top 10 movies of 2015 (Rano and Del’s) and also the disappointments and our horribles section.

 

My week stay at Sheraton Pranburi Villa at Hua Hin, Thailand. Truly love this place and the greenery.

This week has been amazing on many levels. The journey of learning, discovering and recovering have never felt compelling to the extent that I felt lighter, confused and amazed, all at once. It’s something that I couldn’t verbalize and I’m thankful to my friends who felt my expression. I am happy that I made this trip to the beautiful Hua Hin and thumbs up to Sheraon Pranburi Villa for their awesome hospitality since day one.

This is the second city I’ve visited this year and there are more to come (Vietnam, KL, KK and Taipei) in the coming two months for work and toastmasters. Despite the traveling, I’m slowly beginning to feel the pinch in terms of the Brunei economy. If SMEs are not doing well, then it will have downstream effect and even my revenue stream will have some impact, be it big or small. Now it’s the ideal time to plan for the year which I hardly do or just not my habit to do so. This is a reality and it’s something I have to be mindful on the decisions I make especially when it comes to time and money.

I haven’t been updating on a regular basis since my days in Hua Hin were quite packed and I chose the spare time to catch up with my buddies or just spend some alone time on my own. It feels great once again to type out my thoughts while enjoying the breeze by the poolside at Sheraton Pranburi Villa. How I wish I can blog in this kinda of environment, feeling peaceful and yes, my mind feels freer as compared to when I blog in the comfort of my room (the irony).

I kinda miss what’s going in Brunei after MIA for the past week. Usually I will be craving for local stories in the morning to see what’s interesting or what not. Now… mmmm… not so much. I choose to be in the moment and that is making the most of my time while in Hua Hin. Today’s news though caught my interest as it was on my IG feed where His Majesty the Sultan paid a visit to International School of Brunei early today. It was also the first visit by our monarch to the relocated ISB.

Now I tell you what I’m looking forward being back – tennis and The Revenant. Oh yea, I can’t believe the Oscar nominated film is showing in Brunei cinemas. Woohooo… I couldn’t manage to catch it while abroad but blessed it’s now showing in Brunei. Del Goh rated this movie as one one of his honourable mentions in his Top 10 movies of 2015. Who knows The Revenant could be in one of my Top 10 in 2016. And tennis, I just miss whacking the ball and I can feel that I’m out of shape especially in the fitness department.

Congratulations goes to Jaz Hayat on his new single which also available on iTunes. He has been MIA for quite some time and now he’s back with a bang, a new released single called “Dari Mata”. Just like Aziz Harun and Eia, he’s also another star in the making. We need more artistes and talents in Brunei. All the best, Jaz, and truly like the countdown on social media as a teaser to your single. Do check his single out and download on iTunes.

That’s it for me today and let me just enjoy the breeze and the music by the poolside. Life is just awesome 😀

 

Listen to the podcast review of The Good Dinosaur with special guest Pranika Lama

During the Singapore League Awards last week. Image courtesy of S•League

Azwan Ali Rahman won Young Player of the Year award. Image courtesy of S•League

Steve Kean won Coach of the Year. Image courtesy of S•League

The season has concluded and DPMM FC and the management have worked their socks off for a wonderful season and winning their first ever S•League title. Now they are on a mini-break for a few weeks before they are back training again.

Recently DPMM FC won a few accolades including Coach of the Year (Steve Kean) and Young Player of the Year (Azwan Ali Rahman) feted at Singapore League Awards last week. It was a well deserved award for Steve Kean as he missed out last season. As for Azwan Ali, he has been very consistent with his performance all around and week in, week out, he had made an impact to DPMM FC.

Two years ago, Azwan Ali was in a difficult position as his former club Indera FC was reluctant to let him go. In the end, he made the right choice to join the only professional club, DPMM FC, in Brunei Darussalam and his adventure started with a bang. Let’s hope for better things for Azwan Ali in the new season.

Now the biggest question will be the current import players of DPMM FC. With the new ruling of allowance of three import players, this will put a dent in Kean’s strategy as he has trusted the five import players throughout the season. All of them are instrumental in bringing the first ever S•League title to the club. Now it boils down to Kean and the management of DPMM FC on who will be sacrificed for the next season.

My pick would be Paulo Sergio, Rafael Ramazotti and Boris Raspudic. However, according to DPMM FC’s website, Rafael has turned down an offer to extend his contract with DPMM FC. It remains to be seen who will be the chosen one to replace Rafa. The club have renewed the contract of Paulo Sergio and Brian McLean for the next season. This means that Boris Raspudic and Joe Gamble are being released.

A few days ago, DPMM FC had a meet and greet session for the fans at The Mall. It was organised by I Lyke Toh Entertainment and the players and fans had a great time together. It was another way to appreciate the fans for supporting the football club.

Having fun with Beracun on stage

DPMM FC fans gave token of appreciation to the team

Move it, move it.. @wards25

It’s the last time we will see Joe Gamble as a DPMM FC player. Thank you for your contribution.

The Zumba move

DPMM FC players worried what was next when Beracun controlled the stage

Some DPMM FC players hiding away from Beracun

Another promotion back by popular demand for BIBD customers

The winners and contestants of the DJ Mix Competition with the organisers, sponsors and representatives of Jerudong Park management at JP Amphitheater. Image courtesy of @kurapak

DJ Jakey crowned the champion for Rookies with DJ Leiley. Image courtesy of @kurapak

DJ Amad winning the competition in the Open Class category. Image courtesy of @kurapak

It was the first time I attended a DJ competition in a very long, long time. I remember back in the early 2000s, I was involved in the team that brought international DJs regionally and it was also showcasing the local talents that we have such as DJ Felix and DJ Leiley to name a few.

Fast forward to now, it’s a whole different landscape with stricter rules and regulations that the Bruneians have to follow when it comes to local entertainment. The talented musicians have to find alternatives or be more creative in showcasing their talents without crossing the line (of the laws). If you think about it, to make a music showcase possible, then it shows that we have to be a step ahead and be more creative to make things happen.

Hence to have a DJ Mix Competition is already a great start despite the limitations to the organisers and the public. The seasoned DJs shared their vision in helping the young blood (DJs) to learn about mixing music and one avenue is to have competition. The three day event also involved a DJ Mix workshop (on Sunday) to give more knowledge on mixing and the techniques to the local DJs. One of the DJs, @leiley_lim shared that Brunei DJs have the best equipment regionally but lacking the avenue to share their talent to the public.

The organisers and the partners were happy with the overall competition and workshop as it was a successful one. It was also great to see the DJ Mioy, DJ Leiley and DJ Felix working together for the benefit of the community in a longer run.

Below are the winners and ranks for the respective categories.

Open Class Category:
Winner : DJ Amad
1st Runner-up : Jimmyroll
2nd Runner-up : Fiiz The Shiiz
4th : DJ Izra
5th : Aeros
6th : Mask

Rookies Category:
Winner: DJ Jakey

DJ Jimmy Roll took 2nd place. It also came 2nd in the previous competition

Fiiz The Shiiz came 3rd place. Image courtesy of @kurapak

Ammirul was the emcee/host for the finals last Saturday

It was good to see all the seasoned DJs working as one

DJ Aeros spinning for the crowd last Saturday

@Kurapak taking great shots with his trusted Fuji film camera

Behind the scene

DJ Amad stole the hearts of the audience and judges

The back shot

DJ Leiley playing his track Radioactive and hopes to make it big with a record label down under. Good luck, buddy!

DJ Mioy showcasing his talent to the delight of the crowd

A welcoming remark to the Filipino community

In collaboration with the Embassy of The Republic of The Philippines, The Jerudong Park Medical Centre held a blood donation drive, open to the Filipino Community. The objective of the blood donation drive was to raise awareness on the importance of donating blood, in saving lives and contributing to blood banks in Brunei Darussalam.

“Blood banks always need volunteering blood donors.” said Romeo Tabios, JPMC’s blood bank nurse. “Giving 15 minutes of your time by donating blood can help save lives.” Blood donation not only gives back to society, but also provides physical and mental benefits to the donors’ health. Donating blood helps to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, as well as burn calories.

The drive was held at the Philippines Chancery, Embassy of The Republic of The Philippines from 3pm – 5pm, and received a total of more than 30 interested donors, who contributed to a good cause.

Before donating blood, donors were interviewed on their brief health history and screened for basic physical health. Donors were made aware of certain factors to consider, such as pulse, blood pressure, body temperature, cholesterol, and haemoglobin levels. Blood donors were also screened for infectious diseases.

The Jerudong Park Medical Centre hopes for future collaborations to aid the blood banks in the country. Images courtesy of Jerudong Park Medical Centre.

The Filipino community showing their support

Taking a blood sample

The blood donors last weekend

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik in the group photo during the relaunch of the newly refurbished BIBD Headquarters in the heart of the capital. Accompanying His Royal Highness were Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Hj Bahrin bin Abdullah, Minister of Development cum BIBD Chairman (2nd from left), Yang Muliakan Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Setia Raja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Hj Suhaili Hj Mohiddin, Chairman of BIBD’s Shariah Advisory Vody and its subsiadiaries and Shariah Appeal Court Judge (left) and Javed Ahmad, Managing Director of BIBD. Click image to enlarge.

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik launching the event this morning at BIBD HQ

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik graced the launch of the newly refurbished BIBD HQ in town this morning. He was greeted by Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Hj Bahrin bin Abdullah, Minister of Development cum BIBD Chairman.

The Chairman made his welcoming remarks on the build up to leading to the launch of the refurbished headquarters of BIBD. He shared about the processes and transformations from the times of IBB (Islamic Bank of Brunei Berhad) and also The Island Development Bank which later merged with Islamic Development Bank of Brunei in 2005 and rebranded as BIBD (Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam).

The current HQ consists of three floors. As you can see that each floor is designated to cater for different purposes. The ground floor will be for counter transaction services, the second floor for financing services and third floor will handle BIBD’s Corporate Banking division. The dedicated floors are easily accessed through means of lift for the convenience of the customers.

The main branch also provides four ATMs, two Cash Deposit Machines (CDM), a Cheque Deposit Machine along with an internet kiosk to provide speedy and seamless banking transactions even after working hours.

According to Javed Ahmad, the Managing Director of BIBD, the relaunching of BIBD HQ symbolises the Bank’s journey into becoming a modern, world-class financial institution and marks the completion of an intensive rebranding exercise that started in 2013.

As of now, there are 15 branches of BIBD which are strategically located across the country. Furthermore, BIBD has a dedicate 24-7 Contact Centre and also an active BIBD online services and let’s not forget their BIBD Mobile application to make transaction seamless for BIBD customers.

Congratulations once more to BIBD on the event this morning as everything went pretty smoothly. So have you bank with BIBD yet?

HRH Prince ‘Abdul Malik cutting the ribbon to make the occasion

HRH Prince ‘Abdul Malik toured the ground floor of BIBD HQ

HRH Prince ‘Abdul Malik in the group photo with BIBD associates

HRH Prince ‘Abdul Malik viewing the video presentation on the changes of BIBD

HRH Prince ‘Abdul Malik being briefed on the history and milestone of BIBD

HRH Prince ‘Abdul Malik being briefed on the corporate customers of BIBD

HRH Prince ‘Abdul Malik signing the plaque

HRH Prince ‘Abdul Malik receiving a pesembah from the chairman of BIBD

HRH Prince ‘Abdul Malik with the other ministers during refreshment

Chairman of BIBD, Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Hj Bahrin, in his welcoming remarks

At the tent outside BIBD

The Chairman was happy with the success of the event

Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Dewa Major General (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Hj Mohammad Hj Daud, the former chairman of Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD)

Pg Shamhary Pg Dato Paduka Mustapha, Managing Director of Brunei Shell Marketing was present too

Dermot Mannion, Deputy Chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines, was among the invited guest

Listen to the podcast review of The Good Dinosaur with special guest Pranika Lama

 

My brother @a_munim_ with mom during the cake cutting last Saturday

He’s a big fan of Mercedes-Benz too

Oh yea, we both support Liverpool too 😀

A good celebration last weekend.

Pg Mohd Nasir Pg Anak Ja’afar with the associates of Jati Transport Sdn Bhd (Mercedes-Benz Brunei) at Appreciation Day yesterday at Beribi showroom.

Last year it was raining. Yesterday was a different story. Jati Transport Sdn Bhd had its Appreciation Day for their customers who have supported the company. As you know that Jati Transport is the main distributor for Mercedes-Benz in Brunei Darussalam. They recently launched the new V-Class last week which was well received from the Brunei market.

Hundreds showed up in the heavily packed event where customers bring their families and friends to celebrate the occasion at Jati Transport showroom in Beribi. There were catering from Radisson Hotel, London Kebab, satay joint and everyone’s favourite, Mr. Softy ice-cream. There were also face painting, animal show, life sketch drawing and of course, the Photo Booth by @meinaboxbn, the most popular spot of the lot.

Present during the Appreciation Customer Day were Pg Anak Hj Ja’afar Ibni Al-Marhum Pg Pemancha Pg Anak Hj Mohd Alam, Executive Chairman of Jati Transport, Mr. Andrew Chiam, Executive Director of Jati Transport, Alfred So, General Manager of Jati Transport and Pg Mohd Nasir Pg Anak Ja’afar.

You can follow their updates on Facebook or instagram @mercedesbenzbrunei and they are quite updated as well.

The long queue at Mr. Softy

Andrew Chiam enjoying his ice-cream

Huge crowd yesterday at Jati Transport Beribi showroom

@cheahong2012 caught by surprise by my shot :p

Face painting for the kids and even adults

The crowd eyeing on the iguana

Loads of lamb spit from Radisson.

You can take photo with the eagle

Sketching portraits for the guests

Family shot at the photo booth

The happening Photo Booth @meinaboxbn

Betty and her baby at the event

Lots of kids got their face painted

Good music throughout the event

Some of the guests yesterday

Talk on safety especially when it comes to tyres

You’re the man 😀

Congratulations to Rafiyuddin aka Rupert and Siti Hazrena (Rena) on their niche yesterday

The bride being escorted to the nikah ceremony

Rupert was calm and he recited the whole sentence in one breath… very quickly

The bride smiling from a distance

Where the groom meets the bride

The customary kissing-the-hand of the groom

Rupert being briefed by Abang on how to stay calm and cool

The cast of Othello from PTE Meragang. Kudos to Rabi’atul Adawiyyah (in red and black) because you really pulled the show and played the role of Iago exceptionally well.

I’m familiar with Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth and Hamlet. But not so much on Othello. The ones I have mentioned are plays by William Shakespeare and I’ve seen different movie adaptations except for Othello. Hence I was intrigued when the English Literature team of PTE Meragang conducted a few shows with their version of Othello. I wasn’t too familiar with the language of Shakespeare but it will take me a while to digest so it was helpful that the organiser handed out synopsis of Othello for the benefit of the audience.

I must say I was impressed with the quality of the students, showcasing their acting talents. There were also students with the assistant of teachers involved behind the scenes such as at the lighting, props and make-ups. All in all, there were 55 students involved from Lower Six and Upper Six (English Literature students). They were well-prepared in advance before the show as they had examinations prior to this.

The adaptation play was directed by Siti Zuliana bte Hj Masri, a teacher from the English Literature of PTE Meragang. The second show was special as parents and families were able to catch the stars of the day. According to Hjh Soriana Salwa Hj Mornie, Head of the English Department, PTE Meragang, the show was a follow up of the British High Commission sponsored Othello workshop which was previously conducted at Repertory Theatre in Singapore as part of the school’s Shakespeare Education trip back in April. Now they have taken the initiative and give it back to the community. Thumbs up to the direction of the school and the students in making this possible.

Once again, I’m truly impressed with the students of PTE Meragang and those who worked behind the scenes, they too play important roles. Thank you to Adree for the heads up and also to Sharon Ong for saving a seat for me 😀

The character Othello played by Syed Ibrahim Faris Malai Hj Abd Hamid (right) was commanding on stage

Dk Siti Basyirah as Desdemona and Asyraf Amin as Cassio showed their charisma on stage and we were drawn to their chemistry

This scene reminds me of Pulp Fiction 😀

The bedroom scene

Picture opportunity with the cast

Picture opportunity with the cast

Picture opportunity with the cast

It was a full house show last weekend

20th anniversary celebration and it’s exclusive for Netcom Members from 27th to 29th November

Group photo with the the Minister of Home Affairs, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Awg Abu Bakar Hj Apong with management of KBSentral Property Management and government officials at Sentral Shopping Centre

The guest of honour receiving a token of appreciation from Hambali Pehin Orang Kaya Shahbandar Dato Seri Paduka Hj Mohd Salleh, Executive Director and Tan Kah Boon, Managing Director

Guest of honour signing the plaque after the launch

Finally it’s officially opened. Yes, I’ve visited the premise a few times before and it looks promising for walk-in customers and patrons of Sentral Shopping Centre (@KBSentral). What you see in Times Square Shopping Centre is slightly similar to KB Sentral – shops, eateries of similar brands, cinema and hotel (Garden Sentral Hotel). So it’s good to have an actual shopping centre physically in Kuala Belait.

The grand opening was officiated by the Minister of Home Affairs, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Awg Abu Bakar Hj Apong and he also toured the premise including Garden Sentral Hotel & Service Apartment. Though it was a simple launch with some “gulingtangan” and “silat” performance, it was a successful launch.

I could sense that the minister was impressed for the business it is offering to the community of Kuala Belait. He took some time touring around Jaya Supermarket and even interviewed the local workers (some part-timers) during the tour. To date, 80% of the working force under KBSentral Proprety Management are local and this is a good way in giving back to the community by having more local employment opportunities.

Abby Lim, the General Manager of KBSentral Property Management said in her welcoming remarks that there are almost 30 establishments under one roof and it’s a good avenue to host events and activities. Recently they held a few interesting events such as the Spelling Bee Competition, Job Fair, blood donation drive and they also have their first Sentral Lucky Draw.

Now speaking of lucky draw, Sentral Shopping Centre has started its 2nd lucky draw campaign and this time with more amazing prizes. The ongoing campaign will end next year on 25th June. You can stand a chance to win cars and even a semi-detached house.

For more information on KB Sentral Shopping Centre, you can reach them at 333 9889 or email them at kbsentralmarketing(a)gmail.com. Congratulations on the launch, Abby and team. Good job!!

Abby Lim, General Manager of of KBSentral Property Management delivering her welcoming remarks

Interesting silat demonstration

The confetti to mark the opening of the premise

The invited guests yesterday during the launch

One of the service apartment room at Garden Sentral Hotel & Service Apartment

The quick tour of the service apartment

One of the superior rooms at Garden Sentral Hotel and they have a school holiday promotion of BND 88 nett per night with free breakie for two pax. Now that’s a good deal indeed and plus you can enjoy discounts at Delifrance, Pastamania, Sushi Tei, Waroeng Penyet and All Season.

Guest of honour paid a visit to Progresif Cellular and welcoming him was Paul Hyde, the CEO of Progresif Cellular

Bob Gill, Chief Sales Officer of Progresif Cellular explaining the concept and the product of their company

The Minister touring around Jaya Hypermart

The Minister sampled the healthy drink from Beesket

This is the pool area of the Garden Sentral Hotel & Service Apartment

The Minister having a dialogue with the local employees

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is also at @KBSentral. Did you know that the CBTL app has been downloaded by 10,000 subscribers? (60% are IOS users)

The CBTL mascot

The guling tangan