Malaysia celebrities with YAM Pg Anak Siti Radhiah and friends at KLIHF 2016 event. The final day will be this Sunday (tomorrow)

Sazzy Zalak, one of the main draws for the KLIHF 2016 event, is in town and also having a hi-tea session at Holiday Lodge tomorrow (Sunday)

A fan giving some delicacy to Sazzy yesterday

Sazzy Zalak is going through a rebranding process and having more belief in her name and brand for urban fashion line

Fans of Sazzy listening to her interview on stage

Don Dona booth a big hit

Another popular figure Umie Aida

Another celebrity taking photos with her fans

 

Dr Chan Sui Kia, Managing Director of Maju Motors, Bernd Siffling, General Manager of Maju Motors and Shahrain Zulkifli, Sales Manager of Maju Motors during the launch of Volkswagen Sportsvan at Maju Motors Showroom last evening. Image courtesy of Yusri Adanan of The Brunei Times.

Check out the price for the Volkswagen Sportsvan.. Good deal for early birds 😀

A week ago, we had the opportunity to drive the Volkswagen Sportsvan in Singapore before it launches in Brunei. Last evening, it was the official launch for the Sportsvan and it was a great turn out as well, considering the wet evening.

The new car was launched at Maju Motors Showroom at Telanai. Present was the Berrnd Siffling, Maju Motors’ General Manager.

Volkswagen is continuing its product offensive, this time in the segment of compact MPVs. The new Sportsvan is equipped with an interior that is as sophisticated as it is versatile (rear bench seat has 180 mm longitudinal adjustment), it offers a maximum cargo capacity of 1,520 litres and it impresses with its sporty charisma.

Technically, the Sportsvan follows the layout of the modular transverse matrix (MQB) from Volkswagen. And so it inherits significant advantages from this technologically advanced toolkit – the Sportsvan is very dynamic, with a short front overhang and a long wheelbase. Innovative lightweight design has kept vehicle weight extremely low, while the interior packaging also benefits from the MQB, with optimised utility.

The driver and front passenger enjoy an elevated seating position in the Sportsvan, yet the feeling is more of sitting in an elegant and sporty SUV than in an MPV. Special attention has been paid to the cockpit’s ergonomics, with a clean layout and sophisticated look being the result. In this Volkswagen, the worlds of compacts and MPVs meld together into a new type of car that offers more space for active recreation, family and the job.

DJ Daffy the emcee for the night trying out the back seat of the Sportsvan

The cool logo of Volkswagen

The star of the night being covered before the official launch

Styling with extraordinary precision

With a bumper-to-bumper length of 4,338 mm, the Sportsvan is 83 mm longer than the Golf. It is also 126 mm taller, and marginally (8 mm) wider. These dimensions show that the Sportsvan has a clear positioning within the Volkswagen range – it is lower (-56 mm) and shorter (-59 mm) than the Touran, which follows a classic MPV concept with its three rows of seats.

The exterior dimensions of the Sportsvan, together with its completely new and sharply contoured styling, give it an independent and sophisticated look. With its taut body shapes, precisely drawn lines and large 17-inch alloy wheels, the Sportsvan transfers the Volkswagen design DNA to the class of compact MPVs. The Sportsvan also expresses dynamic proportions in its long wheelbase, and its extremely prominent character line unites functionalism and elegance.

Great variability in the cabin
Interior designers of the Sportsvan created a cabin that is as high-end and stylistically sophisticated as it is clean and fresh. While some of the instruments and controls may be familiar to drivers of other Volkswagen models, the design of the dashboard, in which all of these elements are embedded, was redesigned down to the last millimetre specifically for the Sportsvan.

The Sportsvan is a car which focuses on maximum on-board comfort. The vehicle is already very comfortable to enter, thanks to the wide-opening doors and the elevated seats. What is known as the H-point (hip point) of the front seats is 59 to 85 mm above the H-point of the Golf, depending on the seat height setting.

There is also very generous space for rear seat passengers, thanks to the extended wheelbase. Even people measuring 1.90 metres can sit comfortably, one in front of the other. Storage pockets and folding tables integrated in the backs of the front seats give practicality a further boost, and there are also three additional cupholders (two for standard size cups and one for narrower cups) in the rear centre armrest that folds up.

Another key feature is the 60:40 split rear bench seat that features individual adjustment of its sections. The entire three-seat bench can be adjusted up to 180 mm in a fore-aft direction; as an alternative, the seat on the right side of the vehicle (40 per cent) and the double-seat on the left side (60 per cent) can be individually adjusted over a range of 180 mm. In addition, rear passengers can adjust the angle of their backrests. The backrest elements are split 40:20:40, giving even greater loading versatility.

Cargo capacity is a very generous 500 litres with the rear bench seat in its standard position. When the two separately adjustable sections of the rear bench seat are moved to their front-most positions, up to 590 litres of cargo fit into the luggage compartment of the Sportsvan. With the rear folded down, a maximum storage capacity of 1,520 litres is available.

Dionne Lim, Marketing and Communications Volkswagen Group Singapore with Shahrain Zulkifli, Sales Manager of Maju Motors during the media presentation of the Volkswagen Sportsvan

Thanks for the goodie bag

The crowd last night during the launch

Guest during the launch of the Sportsvan

Louis and Gzul in attendance

The General Manager mingling with the guests last night

Opening remarks by the GM before the launch

Technologically advanced features
The Sportsvan comes as standard with features like LED licence plate lights, an electronic parking brake with Auto Hold, cruise control with speed limiter, a touchscreen in-car entertainment system and a variable cargo floor. In addition, the car is of course also equipped with safety features that include seven airbags, ESP electronic stabilisation programme and safety-optimised head restraints in front (protects against whiplash injury).

Some other highlights include:
Proactive occupant protection system. If the system detects a potential accident situation – such as by the initiation of hard braking – the seatbelts of the driver and front passenger are automatically pre-tensioned to ensure the best possible protection by the airbag and belt system. When a highly critical and unstable driving situation is detected – such as severe oversteer or understeer with ESP intervention – the side windows are closed (except for a small gap). The underlying reason: When the windows are nearly closed, the head and side airbags offer optimal energy absorption and thereby achieve their best possible effectiveness.

Driving profile selector. A total of four programmes are available in the driving profile selector. They are: Eco, Sport, Normal and Individual. In the Eco driving mode, engine control, the air conditioning unit and other auxiliary systems are controlled for optimal fuel-efficiency. A coasting function on the DSG can also be used with the Eco mode; when the driver releases the accelerator pedal – such as on route sections with a descent – the transmission decouples, and the engine runs at idle. This optimally utilises the kinetic energy of the car. In the Sport mode, on the other hand, engine response and shifting points of the DSG are configured to be more dynamic.

Dynamic and efficient drivetrain. The Sportsvan is fitted as standard with a stop-start system and a range of BlueMotion Technology efficiency improvement measures that lower fuel consumption. Its new 1.4-litre TSI engine with 125 PS produces an impressive 200 Nm of torque from only 1,400 rpm. It enables a top speed of 200 km/h and a sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 9.9 seconds. At the same time, fuel consumption is extremely low at just 5.4 litres/100km in the combined cycle.

Check out the Volkswagen Sportsvan

Check out the Volkswagen Sportsvan

The advanced airbags inside the Sportsvan

The compartments inside the Sportsvan

Whilst in Singapore recently for the test drive of the Sportsvan

 

Recently a group of media from Brunei did some shopping at Mustafa Centre, Singapore, and buying necessities for the under privileged children at Darul Ihsan Orphanage, Singapore. This was organised by Volkswagen Singapore and Brunei as part of their contribution to the community especially before the month of Ramadhan just around the corner. The items were transported by the newly launched Volkswagen Sports Van which will make its way to Brunei next week.

Louis and I shopping for milo and milk at Mustafa Centre recently in Singapore

Stocking up items at the Volkswagen Sports Van. Surprisingly spacey and it was able to load a lot of things at the back.

Can you spot me? 😀

The local media from Brunei had a great time shopping for the orphans. We overshot our budget but in the name of charity 😀

The items being unloaded at the orphanage

 

Mohd Razali Hj Junaidi won a trip for two to watch the opening match of the UEFA EURO Cup 2016 receiving the prize from Firdaus Mokim, Head of Marketing and Public Relations of BIBD At-Tamwil last weekend. Image courtesy of Analisa Amu of The Brunei Times.

Mohd Razali with other consolation winners. Image courtesy of Analisa Amu of The Brunei Times.

Late post: It was a pleasant surprise for Mohd Razali Hj Junaidi who won a trip for two to watch the opening match of the UEFA EURO Cup 2016 in France as the grand prize in a lucky draw by Grand Motors Sdn Bhd, the sole distributor of Kia vehicles in the sultanate.

The ‘Kia Lucky Drive to France’, which is one of the initiatives that is in partnership between UEFA EURO 2016 and the Kia distributor, aimed to boost the sports marketing approach of Kia and enrich customer’s driving experience.

“I am indeed happy with the prize and didn’t expect to win the trip. I am yet to see whether I can make it (to the trip) or not,” said Mohd Razali who recently bought a Kia Cerato in April.

The grand prize is inclusive of airfare, meals and hotel accommodation apart from watching the opening match and having a cultural experience tour of the host country.

The draw, which took place at Kia’s showroom in Beribi, also saw four other lucky winners receiving attractive prizes.

Nicholas Stuart Hendry and Nati Sumarto respectively won a 64GB Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and 32GB Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.

Meanwhile, Noraha Abdul Malek took home with her a Samsung Gear S2 Smart Watch and Mohd Rifa’ie Muhd Shahren won a Samsung Galaxy Tab S2.

Present during the draw were Baiduri Finance sales officers Md Saabeq Chong and Solon Chong as well as its Sales Manager Hj Muhd Ali BM Hj Metussin.
Also present were representatives from BIBD AT-Tamwil, Deputy Head of Marketing, Asharul Norshari and Head of Marketing and Public Relations Firdaus Mokim.

There were ten shortlisted finalists who were randomly selected in a draw on May 13 out of over 200 customers who purchased Kia vehicles from March 1 until April 30 this year. Apart from the grand draw, Grand Motors Sdn Bhd also launched the enhanced Kia Cerato with its new aesthetic features that is sporty and will surely capture the young and the young-at-heart.

Interested customers may visit any Kia showrooms or call 2453101 to book a test drive. There will be another test drive session in Tutong this Sunday and also a roadshow on 28-29 May at Hua Ho Petani Mall, Tutong. Text and images courtesy of Analisa Amu of The Brunei Times.

The roadshow and test drive at Hua Ho Petani, Tutong on Saturday and Sunday

 

Yang Mulia Dato Paduka Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gapar, the Acting Minister of Ministry of Development (center) with Mr Jackson Ting, Managing Director of D’Sunlit and Dato Paduka Haji Danial Haji Hanafiah, Executive Director of D’Sunlit

The highly anticipated 18th Consumer Fair was officially launched at the International Convention Centre, Berakas this morning, which was officiated by Yang Mulia Dato Paduka Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gapar, the Acting Minister of Ministry of Development in the International Convention Center, Berakas yesterday. At the opening was Managing Director of D’Sunlit Sdn Bhd, Mr Jackson Ting and Executive Director, Dato Paduka Haji Danial Haji Hanafiah, who gave an welcoming note at the start of the proceedings.

This iteration features the Food Fest, with lots of exploratory culinary experiences from award winning chefs, with baking classes from Bake Culture, food demonstrations by Her’s Kitchen, and Latte art by Piccolo.

Exciting activities await such as the “Junior Chefs Cookout and “Family Cook Out” by Hers Kitchen, Ice cream decorating challenge, Treasure Hunt Maze, photo booth, and a blood donation campaign by RIPAS.

After the opening ceremony, Dato Paduka Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gapar visited the various booths, which includes the 9th Thai Grand Fair featuring fresh exotic fruit, imported from Thailand. WIth over 400 booths with 180 exhibitors from Malaysia, Thailand, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Cambodia, India, Singapore and Brunei, there’s something for everyone.

At the Concepts Computer booth. There is a special promotion. If customers buy an Acer pendrive (16GB), you will get another free. This promotion also applies to selected power banks and hard disks too. Great deal 😀

The VR glasses at Samsung booth (DST)

Baking Demo classes at the Consumer Fair, organised by Bake Culture

Baking demo

The VR glasses at Samsung booth (DST)

Check out the Koppair (inflatable bean bag without beans but simply air). Good pricing as well at BND 125. Do follow them at @koppla.bn on instagram

Photo booth

Thailand Grand Fair

Thailand Grand Fair

The crowd at Consumer Fair lately. Image courtesy of Concepts Computer

 

BHC Editor Amir Noor (2nd L) with Butra HeidelbergCement Sdn Bhd Managing Director Marcelino Ugarte (2nd R), BHC Project Director Stuart Lee (L), MMW Creative Director Hamdi Matussin (R) cut the cake during BHC’s 4th Anniversary celebration at Starbucks, Beribi. Image courtesy of Ikhwan Salleh of The Brunei Times. Click image to read more.

Congratulations to the team behind BHC – Butra Home Concept

 

As part of the Hari Raya Aidilfitri activities, Maju Motors, the exclusive dear for Volkswagen brand in Brunei Darussalam, launched the first activity which was the Volkswagen Food Trail hosted by Maju Motors and @bruneifoodies. There were 10 lucky participants who had the privilege to spend at least 9-10 hours during the Food Trail program which includes places such as Kampung Ayer and The Empire Hotel with meal pitstops at Rack & Brew, SBB (ambuyat) and Pondok Sari Wangi (Jerudong). The group also stopped by IWC Food Fair at the Royal Brunei Recreational Club.

Later in June, Maju Motors will unveil a new compact MPV and a timely launch before Hari Raya. Also in the middle of Ramadan, a pop-up Sungkai dinner will be held at the Maju Motors showroom, co-hosted with Collective Arts.

Don’t forget that customers who buy Volkswagen car between now and 30th June, you will be eligible for a lucky draw that will be held on 2nd July with number of attractive prizes.

Anyway, below are pictures from yesterday’s event by @bruneifoodies and @volkswagenbrunei with the 10 participants during the #BFVWFoodieTrail. Images courtesy of the team from @Bruneifoodies @volkswagen and @streetcandid_brunei

Brunch at Rack & Brew

Nice photos from @thanislim

Denise Chai with @bruneifoodies

A trip on Kampung Ayer

It’s ambuyat time

Thanis and Karen

At the IWC Food Fair at RBRC

Final pitstop at Pondok Sari Wangi at Jerudong

 

Plus+ Magazine with the event partners and sponsors during the press conference last Friday

Plus+ Magazine is hosting the 2nd Annual Charity Run in conjunction with World Heart Day on August 7th, 2016. An advocate for health & fitness, Plus+ Magazine aims to bring awareness to the subtle signs and symptoms of cardiac diseases and cancer. By hosting the event, they hope to increase the funding needed for local non-profit organizations such as H.E.A.R.T. Brunei, who is committed to helping both the community and individuals suffering from heart problems.

With a race motto of “Help a Heart Beat the Odds” the event is designed to bring together individuals and companies into one team to increase heart health. Offering different ways to contribute – race participation, sponsorship opportunities, and partnerships – there are multiple avenues for you to become part of the team. The race is designed for all levels, with three different categories: 3km, 5km, and 10km. Lucky draws with prizes will be held immediately following the conclusion of the race, estimated at 9:30am. The first 2,000 race participants who pay the registration fee will be awarded limited edition merchandise, and all racers will receive gift packets.

Louis Loo, founder of Plus+ Magazine speaking to the media

Paul Chiew, chairman of H•E•A•R•T (Humanitarian Emergency Aid Response Team) Brunei, sharing his journey as he suffered stroke a few years ago and now he is a strong advocate to help others

Pg Nor Ikhsan Pg Jaya Indera Pg Hj Mokther Puteh, Public Relations of Jerudong Park Medical Centre, hopes this run will create more awareness and prevent us from having cardiac diseases

Dr. Mohamad Exam bin Emran, member of Brunei Cardiac Society, is a passionate advocate in helping and creating awareness on this matter as a person who suffered a cardiovascular disease can have a huge impact on the family and friends. Good news is that there is a drop in deaths from cardiovascular diseases from 407 to 364.

As one of the partners for the Plus+ Anniversary Charity Run, Magic Media has a history of contributing to charitable campaigns, and giving back to communities, families, and children. A collective of creative minds teaming together as a ‘one stop’ agency, Magic Media believes in spreading awareness so that people can actively participate in their health.

HPC partners with the Plus+ Anniversary Charity Run in order to promote healthy lifestyle choices to decrease cardiovascular disease. As one of the leading drivers for health promotion and initiatives in Brunei, HPC aims to empower the community to become fit by increasing awareness, knowledge, and understanding of health issues.

Additional sponsors and partners as well as race information are detailed on the Plus+ Anniversary Charity Run website at www.plusbrunei.com. Sponsorship opportunities are still available for the charity race, and all monetary donations by companies and individuals will be given to H.E.A.R.T. Brunei.

Committing to a healthy lifestyle will help to decrease your chances of heart issues. The three most important factors in choosing to lead a fit life include increasing physical activity, eating nutritious foods, and eliminating tobacco use. To continue learning about health and fitness techniques, you can check out https://issuu.com/plusbrunei. Offering a range of tips from food and recipes to gadgets and traveling ideas, Plus+ Brunei is a health & wellness magazine that aims to help you achieve a fit lifestyle. With a digital presence, you can always access copies of the magazine on the website.

 

Pengiran Saniah binti Pengiran Haji Mohammed won a Vivo X5 Pro handed by Mr Lim Yee Liang, Marketing Manager of Times Square Shopping Centre yesterday

With the 21 winners being feted yesterday at Times Square Shopping Centre

Yesterday winners were feted for the sixth lucky draw campaign at Times Square Atrium. As a reminder, the shortlisted winners were to bring along their coupons and identification and representatives were allowed too.

A total of 21 prizes were given away. The first 10 prizes were presented by Miss Mally Hadini, the general secretary of Times Square whereas the next draw the of remaining winners were presented by Mr Lim Yee Liang, Marketing Manager of Times Square Shopping Centre. The final three lucky winners were Abby Ann Palma who won a Sony Xperia M4 Aqua, followed by Ummu Athifah binti Adnani who won a Acer Aspire ES11 and the grand prize; a Vivo X5 Pro was won Pengiran Saniah binti Pengiran Haji Mohammed.

so when is the next draw? The next prize presentation will be held on 14th August 2016 and 13th November 2016. You can still stand a chance to win prizes for the upcoming presentation by simply spending at any of the shops in Times Square, Times Hotel and the Cineplex, then submitting their receipts at the lucky draw counter which is situated at the ground floor.

Moreover, Times Square will be holding upcoming events in the near future, which include Brunei Muara on 26th to 29th May 2016. There is also a Ramadhan Fair coming up on 20th to 5th of June 2016. Customers may find out about all upcoming events by simply following Times Square Shopping Centre’s pages on Facebook and Instagram. For further information, please call 2338208 or 2338006.

Do call them for bookings

 

Due to overwhelming support and donations received by organising committee of “Food and Goods Drive” for the Old Folks House Seria last week, Fun Bee Park have arranged some of the food items and goods to share to young orphans residing at Kg Rimba.

The orphans, aged between three to ten years old, were delighted to receive the gift hampers packed with stationeries and goodies to prepare them for school.

This donation was part of a charity campaign with organising committee Fun Bee Park and its customers as well as the generous members of the public.

In a speech by the Creative Directress and Manager of Fun Bee Park, Cecilia Lee, said that the event is held to show the love and care for the young orphans, and reminder that they are not forgotten and will never be. “With this gift hampers, we hope to bring cheers to the orphans and as well as sharing goods for their further use,” said Lee.

The donations were contributed by parents and guardians of the children going to Fun Bee Park as well as the local community who heard and read the post about this drive.

A total of 25 orphans received the generous contribution, which was handed over by registered volunteers and Cecilia Lee.

Aside from the gift giving, Fun Bee Park’s artist hosted creative painting activity using non-toxic acrylic paints with the young orphans. To bring out big smiles from the young orphans, volunteers and Fun Bee Park staffs played team building games and bubble play.

Lee also organised lunch set while one of the volunteers Deirdre Chin pre-baked Brownie Fudge and Cheese cake along with his brother and friend to share to the orphans as well as their guardians.

“We are delighted with the response from our customers and members of the public and really appreciate their generosity and time in helping us to fill up gift bags. We also want to thank Sekolah Rendah Rimba 1 school administration for allowing us to use their school premises for this event. Together, our helping hands have put big smile on the faces of young orphans and their respective guardians,” said Anna May Bunyi of Fun Bee Park.

The event ended with group photo to commemorate a fun day with orphans and their guardians, volunteers, and organizing committee.

 

Click image to enter website

 

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

 

Mr Dermot Mannion, Deputy Chairman of Brunei Darussalam with Her Excellency Datin Paduka Malai Hjh Halimah Malai Hj Yussof during the ribbon cutting ceremony

Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) the national carrier of the Sultanate of Brunei has launched its newly refurbished and rebranded office in Manila’s Makati City, Philippines on 13th October 2015. Present to launch as guest of honor was Her Excellency Datin Paduka Malai Hjh Halimah Malai Hj Yussof. Also present were RB’s Deputy Chairman, Mr Dermot Mannion, the Secretary of the Department of Tourism, Philippines, Mr Ramon Jimenez; and Mr Carmelo Arcilla, the Executive Director of Civil Aeronautics Board, Philippines; and Mr Mark Lapid, former governor of Pampangga and COO of Tieza.

The event was attended by media and travel trade professionals and it provided RB with an opportunity to showcase new heritage inspired uniforms to be proudly worn by customer service staff in Manila. The warm spectrum of uniform colours ranging from olive to morning sky and fresh mint, together with the new vibrant office layout is all designed to reflect the friendly and welcoming nature of the people of Brunei Darussalam and the RB brand.

RB’s very successful makeover has received international recognition in the 2014 Global Rebrand 100 Awards. Manila is the latest stop on the rebranding journey which is being rolled out across the entire RB network.

Mr Dermot Mannion with the team from Royal Brunei Airlines’ Manila office

RB commenced scheduled services to Manila on 01st May 1977 with a frequency of two flights in a week, and now 38 later, RB’s service to Manila has increased to a daily service.

RB also took the opportunity at the relaunch event to introduce the new Philippines General Sales Agent (GSA) ; Avia-Rh Inc.

Joanne Sarmiento, General Manager for Avia-RH Inc: “We are proud to be a part of the Royal Brunei family and we are committed to building their market in the Philippines, contributing to the growing tourism market in Asia Pacific and connecting Filipinos to destinations around the world with Royal Brunei.”

Dermot Mannion, Deputy Chairman of RB said “We are delighted to mark the launch of our rebranding in Manila with the appointment of Avia-RH Inc as GSA. These days RB has a very good product to sell and passengers from Philippines will also enjoy the newly refurbished terminal facilities at Brunei International Airport. We look forward to working with the Avia-RH team to make RB the preferred choice to all the destinations that we serve”.

KFC’s new item, only for a limited time

Del Goh, Vice-President of KFC Brunei, doing some quality control before the photo shoot :p

Savour the flavour of KFC’s latest addition to the menu, Potato Wrapped Prawns.

Available only for a limited time, and priced at $5.60, the crunchy snack consists of five pieces of the succulent crustacean wrapped in thin and crispy potatoes.

For those who prefer something more filling, opt for the set meal, which consists of two pieces of KFC’s fried chicken (either original or spicy), three pieces of the Potato Wrapped Prawns along with a regular-sized carbonated drink for only $8.50.

In a press statement, Vice-president of KFC Brunei Del Goh said, “We are glad to be able to provide our customers with this succulent crunch where everyone of all ages can savour the hand-wrapped crispy prawns everywhere and anywhere they want.”

The new snack is available at all KFC branches in the sultanate including the newly-opened Fast Food outlet in Tutong starting today while stocks last. KFC has branches in three districts of the sultanate: Brunei-Muara, Tutong and Belait. Text courtesy of Raghadah Agus of The Brunei Times.

KFC’s Potato Wrapped Prawns and they are pretty good

The photo shoot moment

KFC’s team posing with the newly promoted item.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar, Minister of Industry and Primary Resources as the guest of honour with the winners of the Brunei Darussalam Motorcross Challenge 2015. Image taken by Hj Mohd Ali of The Brunei Times.

The other winners of the Brunei Darussalam Motorcross Challenge 2015. Image taken by Hj Mohd Ali of The Brunei Times.

Indonesians Ariandi and Pedro Wuner kept their titles as the fastest riders in the Brunei Darussalam Motocross Challenge 2015 after dominating this year’s Motocross Open category.

Ariandi was crowned champion of the off-road motorcycle race again yesterday in Sungai Besar, Tutong, winning a cash prize of $500 and a trophy. His compatriot, Pedro, received $400 in cash prize and a trophy for securing second place.

“I’m satisfied with my performance despite recovering from a leg injury. It was a competitive race as the other riders were very good,” said Pedro, who was also the first runner-up in 2011.

Meanwhile, the sultanate’s Abdul Rahman Hj Harith walked away with $300 in cash prize and a trophy for landing in third place. The up and coming rider also emerged as the winner of the 125 Expert category, earning a cash prize of $150 and a trophy.

Joseph Woon of Sabah, Malaysia conquered the Veteran Open category, collecting $150 in cash prize and a trophy.

Locals Mohd Ahyar Mohd Yahya, Mohd Hamlenoor Abdul Rahman and Muhd Ali Hanafiah Lamiah grabbed first place in the 125 Novice Open, Minicross Open and Motocross Brunei Open categories respectively. Each winner scored $150 in cash prize and a trophy.

Muhd Ali Hanafiah said he was grateful for the opportunity to compete as he withdrew from the previous competition due to shoulder injuries he sustained during practice.

Liyana Zakaria, the first female rider. Image taken by Hj Mohd Ali of The Brunei Times.

The Brunei Darussalam Motocross Challenge 2015 also featured its first female rider, Liyana Zakaria. Although the 24-year-old amateur came seventh out of nine places in the Motocross Brunei Open, she intended to garner the experience towards improving her performance in future races.

“It was awesome, but it was awkward as it was male-dominated. Chances of winning this time around were slim as the other riders had way more experience than me,” she explained.
Liyana took up off-road motorcycle racing a couple of months ago after dabbling in the street bike racing scene, but her lack of experience did not stop her from competing. She hoped her participation would empower other women in Brunei to try motocross racing.

“There needs to be a platform for women who want to try motocross racing. My advice for aspiring female riders would be to learn from those who are experienced,” she said.
The United Youth Voluntary Movement (GPPS), organiser of the Brunei Darussalam Motocross Challenge 2015, also called on the wider public to support off-road motorcycle racing in a bid to further develop the calibre of local riders.

GPPS chairman Abdul Khalid Abdul Latip said such competitions provided an avenue to strengthen ties between local and international motocross riders.

He believed that participation in motocross racing could help to broaden the minds of the youth through motorcycle engineering, raise awareness about bike safety as well as teach riders to be tolerant and responsible.

Abdul Khalid added the competition also enabled local vendors to earn income by selling food and drinks to the spectators.

Present as the guest of honour was Minister of Industry and Primary Resources Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar. Also in attendance was Tutong District Officer Wardi Hj Mohd Ali alongside other officials.

The minister handed over prizes and trophies to the winners as well as certificates to all the participating riders.

A total of 31 riders representing Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia competed in this year’s competition in conjunction with the 69th birthday of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam. You can check out more photos here taken by Forest Han Photography. Text courtesy of Rabiatul Kamit of The Brunei Times and images courtesy of The Brunei Times and @foresthan

The Brunei Darussalam Motorcross Challenge 2015. Image taken by @foresthan

The Brunei Darussalam Motorcross Challenge 2015. Image taken by @foresthan

The Brunei Darussalam Motorcross Challenge 2015. Image taken by @foresthan

The Brunei Darussalam Motorcross Challenge 2015. Image taken by @foresthan

The Brunei Darussalam Motorcross Challenge 2015. Image taken by @foresthan

Fun Bee Park is once again inviting the members of the public to its Sunday Brunch Buffet. October specials will be the very first Seafood Buffet on 18th October, Sunday, from 10am till 12pm. Tickets selling for only B$5 per person for a free flow of steamed white rice, glass noodles and local yellow noodles. Desserts come for a free flow as diners could enjoy making their own ABC and Ice Kacang, a platter of seasonal fruit cuts; children corner for Chocolate Fondue. Fruit drinks will be served to the diners all throughout the brunch.

Fresh vegetables in plates will be sold at $2 which contains sweet corn, mushrooms, Pak Choi, bean sprouts, and carrots while there will be homemade balls in plates to be sold at $2 which includes fish balls, prawn balls, mushroom balls, sausages, and crab meat sticks. Egg will be sold at 50 cents per piece. Fresh seafood such as fish head, prawns, crabs, local whole fishes, and squids will be sold from $2 – $5 per plate only.

Diners got to experience mix and match their chosen seafood meats and veggies to the soup of their choice. Available soups such as Chicken Soup, Seafood Soup, and Tom Yam Soup will be available at the kitchen. Sauces were made personally to enhance the flavors of the soup. Bali Sauce, Belacan sauce, and Satay sauce were few of the choices at the condiment’s corner.

Aside from the Seafood Buffet, Fun Bee Park also invites the public especially working individuals who were tied up with works and have no chance to prepare their meal to participate in their very first “Salad in a Glass Class”. Class will be held at Fun Bee Park on October 24th, Saturday from 10am till 12pm. Entry fee is B$10 per person and attendees will be advised to bring their own 500ml tall mason glass along with them. For those who ran out of mason glass on hand, Fun Bee Park is selling their 500ml tall wide mouth mason glass for only B$4.

Fun Bee Park is introducing their first healthy salad recipe: Creamy Ham and Green which is mix of lettuce, toasted bread slices, beef / chicken ham, boiled egg, cherry tomatoes and Japanese cucumber. The salad in a glass is a new technique of stacking up meat, veggies, and others into a mason glass with the special dressing and is always ready to eat option.

Attendees of the salad class will prepare their own salad items including washing and cutting into desired sizes, and most especially, to prepare the salad dressing to perfect the taste.
Once every month, Fun Bee Park will be introducing different salad recipes as well as its dressings. For more information and reservation, please call 2457729 / 7178232 or visit them at A6/A7, Ground Floor, Sempurna Complex, Batu Bersurat, Gadong. Text courtesy of Fun Bee Park.

Today Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdullah Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar Minister of Communications graced the Brunei Travel Fair. This morning was totally packed and I’m beginning to wonder if RBRC was enough to cater the hundreds that throng into the venue today. It was jam packed like a can of sardines.

Today’s the final day of the Brunei Travel Fair and let’s hope there are still special fares up for grabs. I managed to get some good fares today. So peeps. Just bring yourself to the Royal Brunei Recreational Club and make you sure that you come as early as possible.

I won’t saying much because I’ve mentioned it in my previous post. Let the pictures tell you the story.

The Minister with one of the icons from Republic of Indonesia

The Minister at Baiduri Bank booth

Want a massage?

At the Tourism Malaysia booth

Presence of BIBD

Strong crowd here at Darussalam Holdings. They will give you double points on Royal Skies during the Travel Fair

Hello Gek (of Darussalam Holdings)

Long queue at Pan Bright

Chance to win a car from Pan Bright

The Minister with Richard from Tourism Authority of Thailand

Check out the new Vento

Another colour to look at

You have heard of the Vento before and it’s from Volkswagen. Surprisingly it was the top 10 selling car in Brunei last year. Now the Vento has an upgrade – it has a combination of high performance, low fuel consumption and class-leading safety as well. The difference with the older model is that it looks slightly longer and stronger appeal definitely.

Let’s quickly go with the exterior features. It has redesigned front end with fog lamps and even the tail lamps have a 3D effect. The side mirrors now have a signal indicator. The other new feature is the Park Distance control (using censor) and it sports a 15” alloy wheels.

The interior has a revamped feel with trim materials and colours and new look of the arm rest. It is powered by a 1.6L petrol engine as well.

The Vento also has an anti-lock braking system and four airbags to protect the occupants during side-on impacts along with the three-point seat belts.

What’s not to like about the car? This is another good contender against the Japanese brand that’s also a hot seller but losing a little steam. Maybe because of the introduction of the the affordable Vento last year. The price this time starts at $21,800 and for the early bird bookings, you will get a $1,000 discount. Awesome. So do check the new Vento at the Maju Motors Showroom. Images courtesy of Vincent Hong.

Bernd Siffling, General Manager of Maju Motors Sdn Bhd during the launch of the Vento at Maju Motors showroom

Chan Key Hong, Managing Director of Maju Motors

Unveiling the new Vento

I guess many of you have heard about the recent scandal that rocked Volkswagen worldwide. Despite the major setback, the brand has to rebuilt the trust with the customers and it’s a plus that Volkswagen owners in Brunei needn’t to worry as the Volkswagen cars supplied to Brunei Darussalam are originated from a completely different production line as addressed by Bernd Siffling, General Manager of Maju Motors Sdn Bhd.

Now with the new direction of the CEO of Volkswagen, Matthias Mueller, let’s hope for better things in the world of Volkswagen. As you know that Volkswagen is a world leader in car making and the scandal will cost them billions. It’s good to know that local customers said that their trust in their Volkswagens has not changed, making the launch of new Vento a much-anticipated event.

A great turn out last night

The winners with the organizers and judges at the Adult Colouring contest last weekend

Alisa Denis the grand winner last weekend

I did it. I officially entered my first ever colour contest at the Mabohai Shopping Complex last weekend. Well, it was for adults too and it was the first of its kind (in a colouring competition). It was organised by Mabohai Shopping Complex and Best Eastern. I have to say that I really had fun that time though I was one of the 5 men among the 78 contestants as the rest were female participants.

So why did I finally get involved with colouring? It was because of the management of Best Eastern as they showed me one of the colouring books meant for adults and from that moment, I was telling myself that maybe.. just maybe, I should get one for myself. A few days later, I officially bought my first colouring book 😀 I guess it’s true that they say such book can make you feel calm when you get the groove of colouring. And yes, it can be therapeutic. Meaning if you have stressful day at work (or even at home), start colouring away.

So if you are wondering which book I am referring to, it’s either Johanna Bamford or Millie Marotta colouring book. It’s selling for $19.90 now at Best Eastern bookstores.

Anyway, back to the contest I was talking about. It was a pretty long judging session to say the least. It took almost two hours to determine the winners of the contest. I never knew judging can be challenging task and furthermore, the organisers didn’t expect a high entry of contestants. The judging process was based on the participants’ creativity in using the colours, shading, tone and presentation.

Nina Zainal coming strong in 2nd place

Robert John with his 3rd place effort

Beautiful penciled by Alisa Denis

Loving the colours toned by Nina Zainal

The winners with the judges

It was quite a great turn out last Sunday

One of the consolation winners with Yolly

It was good to see my cousin (right) participating

The winner of the contest was Alisa Denis with her beautiful colourful effect and she brought home $200 worth of prizes. Second place went to Nina Zainal who’s no stranger in the art scene. She won $150 worth while Robert John won $100 after coming third. There were five other consolation prizes – Jennie, Hilyati, Hannie, Fen Yee and Irene.

According to Yolly Celeridad, Operations Manager of Best Eastern, that the colouring competition aims at bringing creativity from the adults and the most important thing is that this activity is actually fun, fun, fun. I certainly had fun. She hinted that there will be another Adult colouring competition in October but it has yet to be confirmed.

Don’t forget to get a copy of the colouring books by for adults by Johanna Basford and Millie Marotta – The Secret Garden, Enchanted Forest and Animal Kingdom. The new ones that just arrived are 1) Tropical Wonderful (Millie Marotta) and Mindfulness (Holly McDonald). For enquiries or more information, please call 2337196 or 7137839. You can also check out its Facebook page at ‘Best Eastern’ and Instagram @besteastern_bookstore

Look at me.. At full concentration. Thanks Ridwan for the shot and thanks for the support.

Another supporter who came down surprisingly was SY and yes, she had this sinister look too :p Thanks for coming though it was momentary.

You can buy the adult colouring books at Best Eastern outlets and also the colour pencils

I bought myself the Enchanted Forest two weeks ago

I even invested in the Derwent colour pencils. Pretty good.

Even my toastmaster friends are into colouring

Ok, Iskandar is a good in shading with pencils

The latest book I bought off Best Eastern

The new model is to be unveiled tonight. More stories soon.

This is an ongoing competition on my instagram. It’s an original item all the way from Germany. It is an original coat hanger and headrest hook so your clothes stay wrinkle-free and fresh even on longer routes. Bags and garments can be placed here securely. The “Snakey” headrest hook is made of flexible and resilient material. So check out my instagram and stand stand a chance to win this.

A hint on what is about to be revealed. Do answer on my IG post and who knows who will be selected.

Have you registered yourself?

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

Of course there will be other prizes for the three themed categories and the winner of each will win a EOS 7D Mark II (for 3 winners). I was fortunate enough to be a judge last year for the competition and it was a pretty tough process being one but a fruitful experience. I am amazed by the talents that we have in Brunei.

The slots are running fast and it’s FREE as well and opened to all the photographers in Brunei. The venue will be the same as last year – Star Lodge @ Jerudong, Sunday 27th September 2015 (8am to 5pm). This event is fully sponsored by Interhouse Company.

The winners of last year’s edition of the Canon Photomarathon

The grand winner of the photo clinic in Japan last year

The organiser of the Canon Photomarathon 2015 from Interhouse Company

The winners of the Canon Photomarathon back in 2012

The winning shot of the theme Surface last year

What we thought of Everest

Everest. I saw the trailers a few times but it wasn’t enough to capture my interest apart from the awesome cinematography. They have a great line up of cast too – Jake Gyllenhaal (a heart throb to many of female friends), Jason Clarke (a disappointing effort at Terminator: Genisys), Josh Brolin (who was awesome in Sicario), Keira Knightly (where has she been all this while) and many more. The movie had a positive review with over 70% on Rottentomatoes but it hasn’t picked up well in the box office.

Pros: Cinematography was great but only in patches. I was hungry for more but the director, Baltasar Kormakur, could have explored more. Secondly the quest itself is already challenging and to see the different characters braving themselves and unite as a group is please worthy. Lastly some dramatic scenes were quite tense at one point.

Cons: A plenty. Too many involvement of characters that I lost track of who’s who especially when they had their head gears on. Secondly yes, it teased me but not enough to reach that anti/climax moment especially when this is involving climbing mountains. A good example that I gave me that edge-of-the-seat feeling was Cliffhanger and Vertical Limit. It made me feel that I rather watch this on National Geographic or Discovery Channel. The development of the supporting cast could have been deeper. The movie itself is a 2 hours long and it seemed too draggy in the beginning and it didn’t pay off because it was nothing memorable to remember.

Verdict: A movie that I won’t watch again but it’s interesting that they made a 1996 historical event into a film. Refining the editing of the movie and more development of the cast would have made Everest more impactful. 7/10.

What we thought of The Intern

The Intern. I like the motto of the flick – Experience never gets old. The last comedy is directed by Nancy Meyers, popularly known for movies such as What Women Want and Parent Trap. I came to this movie with no expectations and I didn’t even catch the trailer but I am a big fan of Anne Hathaway (well, after Scarlett Johansson). This comedy is about a retired successful business owner and widower (played by Robert De Niro) who lands an internship at a fashion website run by a young, career-driven woman (Anne Hathaway). So just reading at the premise alone, I’m already hooked.

Pros: Totally enjoyable from start to finish. This is a feel good movie and I’m glad I caught this movie after Everest. Robert De Niro kinda stole the show for me and he has his ways to woo the audience with his charming effect. The humour was spot on most of the time and it wasn’t unnecessary like some comedies would do (learn, Adam Sandler, learn). Sharon definitely enjoyed it, judging by pitch of her laugh :p What’s not to like about this movie.. well, a few..

Cons: It seemed that the character of Robert De Niro as an intern had little challenges (a little spoiler) so I didn’t feel there was an anti-climax moment for him. The ending to many of us were below satisfactory. Of course, we all wanted a Hollywood ending (happy ending) but I guess this is how life does turn out in reality.

Verdict: I love it and despite its flaws, I’m giving this a high score. Love the chemistry also between the two engaging characters. I wished they had more drama so the story could have ended on a higher note and make it more memorable. If you ask me, I enjoyed this more than Internship movie. 8/10

Group photo with Deon Ong (3rd from left) and the students and instructors from Yippy Tune

Yippy Tune, the Music School in Gadong Central, today bagged a total of 13 medals at the 22nd KK Music Festival in the Shangri-la Rasa Ria Hotel. Over 500 musicians from Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei gathered together to compete through a range of musical instruments and genres in Kota Kinabalu.

Yippy Tune, one of the schools representing Brunei, took part in the Piano, Violin and Vocal categories with a total of 8 participants. “They came back with a stunning result that surpassed the school’s wildest imagination.” Said Deon Ong, the Principal.

Some of the highlights of the day included performance by the youngest performer who stole the show, 6 year old Megan Lee won a Silver in Classical Piano category as well a stellar performance by one of the youngest diploma holder (14) at the competition, Zoe Ho who won Silver in Classical Piano category as well for Diploma level. According to the judge, it is an achievement by itself for Zoe Ho, by simply attaining a Diploma at such young age.

Other winners from Yippy Tune Music School at the contest include:

• Flora Ngu

o 3 x Gold Medals in Vocal in Classical, Popular and Broadway category.

• Evana Ong

o 1 x Gold in Vocal for Popular Category and 1 x Silver in Classical Category.

• Freda Ngu

o 1 x Gold in Vocal for Popular Category and 1 x Bronze in Classical Category.

• Janice Deborah

o 1x Gold in Violin for Popular Category and 1 x Silver in Violin for Romantic and Classic Category

• Vivienne Poh

o 1 x Silver in Piano for Classical Category

• Koh Wan Enn

o 1 x Bronze in Piano for Classical Category

Flora Ngu, 3 Gold Medal winner at the 22nd KK Music Festival in the Shangri-la Rasa Ria Hotel recently

Megan Lee, a Silver medalist in Classical Piano category and she’s only 6 years old

“As a first time contestant, I am very proud of our students’ performances and their results. It is a testimony that with enough hardwork, dedication and self beliefs, Bruneian can compete at a regional level.” Said Deon Ong.

Incidentally, one of their students, Flora Ngu was recently shortlisted as the final Top 10 candidates by Disney Channel to play the role Princess Anna in Disney’s Frozen Orchestral in Singapore.

Deon also added that she was very impressed with the quality of the participants and the standard of the competition put forward by the KK Music Society by involving independent judges from Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the United Kingdom. She commented that the Piano category was especially tough, and was happy to see participants competing at such high level.

The school principal takes the opportunity to thank the dedicated teachers and parents who are as deserving to share the glory of the student’s success, and vows to expose more students to such competition. Press release and images from Yippy Tune.

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Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Amal Jefriah (left) recently attended Laksamana College of Business (LCB) graduation ceremony for her son’s (Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Muhammad Abdul Razaaq bin Pengiran Sura Negara Pengiran Anak Haji Muhammad Bey Muntassir) graduation from the University Foundation Course programme. Image courtesy of Dean Kassim.

Laksamana College of Business (LCB) held a graduation ceremony for 620 students who successfully completed their courses in business, hospitality and computing last Friday.

The ceremony was held at the Songket Ballroom, The Rizqun International Hotel.
In his welcome speech, the Minister of Education, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, highlighted the importance of equipping oneself with necessary skills for a bright future and to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.

“His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam in his titah during last year’s Teacher’s Day and 100 Years of Formal Education celebration, has mentioned Brunei Darussalam’s capacity nowadays as a human capital provider rather than a financial donor, through the provision of local English teachers to neighbouring countries, for example.

YAM Pengiran Anak Muhammad Abdul Razaaq receiving his certificate from Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, Minister of Education

The Minister with his welcoming remarks

David Campbell, British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam, giving a few words

Siti Kamaliah binti Haji Awang Damit receiving her certificate

Some of the courses fro next year’s intake

“We have been dependent on the oil and gas industry since 1929. Alhamdulillah, it has provided us with much prosperity and opportunity since then. However, it is time to grow and expand the economy; strengthen the current niche industries, and build new sustainable ones to last for more centuries to come and to ensure our economic sustainability. Therefore, the higher education sector’s support is vital to develop talents to reinforce and build up these industries,” the minister said.

Also present during the graduation ceremony were Pehin Orang Kaya Ratna Setia Dato Setia Haji Awang Abdul Hapidz bin Pehin Orang Kaya Laksamana Haji Abdul Razak and Haji Suhaimei bin Awang Haji Besar, Directors of LCB; Ian Pirie, Principal and Director of LCB/Kensington College; David Campbell, British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam; Dr Chris Haslam, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, University of Chester, UK; Dr David Balsamo, Dean of Social Science University of Chester and Garfield Southall, Associate Dean, Faculty of Science and Engineering.

The graduation ceremony began with a recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah by Awang Haji Azis @ Abdul Aziz bin Haji Mohd Yassin, a Mosque Affairs Officer from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, followed by other welcoming speeches by Ian Pirie and Dr Chris Haslam.

The graduated students were then presented with certificates and a few selected students gave speeches on their experiences at LCB.

Established in Brunei as a business course provider, LCB is a subsidiary of Kensington College of Business (KCB) in London. Text courtesy of Fizah HAB of Borneo Bulletin and images courtesy of Dean Kassim of Borneo Bulletin.

You can check out their comprehensive website here for the courses and also follow them on their Facebook Page.

Good luck all of you. Do us proud 😀

They are currently in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – the band of Waht?! and D-1 with soloists Lim Ao (guitarist) and Brigette Ang (vocalist) who recently won in the competition hosted by Expression Music Brunei in association with Trinity London College. They are accompanied by Lily Chiam, founder and music director of Expression Music Brunei and the music instructors from Expression Music and also Chiam Su Lee, Trinity College London’s Brunei Representative.

All the young musicians will compete in the Regional Semi-Finals of the Asean “Be our Rock & Pop Soul” Music Competition which begins tonight (6th September). They departed to Vietnam last Friday.

It’s good to see our youngsters competing in the regional level as they will give more exposure and confidence on our local talents. Let’s hope for the best to all the performers. I have seen them performed a few weeks’ ago and I was totally impressed. On another note, I had to forgo the Vietnam trip with them as I have other commitments. Perhaps next year 😀

Lily Chiam, founder and music director of Expression Music Brunei, with all the musicians and singers who will represent Brunei in the Regional Semi-Finals of the Asean “Be our Rock & Pop Soul” Music Competition at Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. The event begins tonight (Sunday).

The musicians being interviewed by The Brunei Times

Free style posing for the camera

Loving their logos to represent the band

Group photo with the music instructors

The night that the Lim Ao wooed the judges with his solo guitar performance. He was also industrious in finding sponsors for the team. Awesome lad!!

Representing the D-1 band

Waht?! band will also represent Brunei in the semi-finals

Taken during the previous competition where D-1 won in the band category

D-1 had their sound check and practice session at Saigon Opera House, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

Waht?! band also their practice session. Good luck to all of you.

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Happy Birthday Nisaa @ Bonita Suresh and sorry, I couldn’t make it to your advanced celebration. Hope you like the lame video greetings 😀 Thanks for being part of my life and I truly treasure the friendship since Day 1 (e-circles) haha..

The Surprise celebration. I wonder if the gang pulled it off :p

My current trip to Bangkok is to help expose and share with you guys of places to shop around Bangkok. Have you heard of Emporium and Emquatier? There are both new shopping malls under one roof, The District EM and shared among three buildings. The shopping experience is crazy there because there are more the 400 iconic brands at District EM. I was even confused with my bearings as I easily lost track of my directions. You might need an in-house map to get to wonder around.

Of course, if you happen to be in Bangkok, now it’s a good time to give these places because of the mid year sales. If you are familiar with Siam Paragon and Terminal 21, I would highly recommend you to try out the EM District. It’s even located at a BTS station (train) so you won’t have to walk from the station to District EM.

Even though the said malls have been operating for a few months, they have spent a hefty sum on promotion and marketing, a whooping USD 500,000 alone. You can see how serious the shareholders of District EM are. Give it a few more months and exposure, Emporium and Emquartier will be the top attraction for the shopping crowd especially from overseas.

Check out the pictures I posted below and I couldn’t include all because they were simply too many 😀

During the grand opening a few months ago

At the Emporium

The SL Coupé was launched a few days ago at the Mercedes-Benz Cafe at Emporium. The first of its kind concept in Thailand and this is to give more hospitality to their clients. Awesome stuff!!

The Mercedes-Benz Cafe

They even have prayer rooms at District EM

I have to try this premium cinema at Emporium on my next trip

If you own a super car like these, you can park with them

The garden upstairs

The imported area of the supermarket

I almost bought some grapes :p

The scarlett room, only applicable to members only and you need to spend at least BND 80,000 within a year

The logo for Emporium. The British flag pin indicates that the person can speak in English if you need any assistance. Cool!

Different range of clothes

The guys who brought us around. Thank you 😀

Group photo

 

Deputy Minister of Finance, Dato Paduka Awang Haji Bahrin bin Abdullah presenting the championship trophy to ITB’s captain. Image courtesy of Fadhil Yunus of Borneo Bulletin.

A well deserved victory for ITB. Two years ago, they lost the inaugural tournament in the hands of UBD. This year, they almost lost it when they were down 2-0 against IGS College in the finals last Saturday of the BIBD At-tamwil University Cup 2015.

All was not lost. Md Farrizz Saralfari and Ak Md Naqib scored two goals to put IGS College in the lead only for ITB to reply with confidence through Md Hafiy and Norfaez before half time kicked in to make a competitive score line of 2-2 by half time.

I actually felt pity for IGS College as they had the upper hand. A 2 goal lead with a poor field conditions due to the rainy weather, IGS could have held the game for their first title. However, ITB had other plans. They know that they have been in the finals before and experience did matter in this situation.

Right after the break, ITB quickly took the lead in the 47th minute from Ak Md Haikal which proved to be the winner. The match ended in a 3-2 victory for ITB and they have what it takes to be a champion. Hats off to IGS College for the great fight and let it be a good experience for them and also for the rest of the teams that were involved in the tournament.

The matches have always brought high energy towards the stands where fans will be supporting their own team. Even the crowd attendance can put other local leagues to shame. Great effort from BIBD At-tamwil for taking the lead and teaming up with ITB as co-organiser.

This year also see inclusion of local colleges and an invitational team representing Curtin University. A big thanks for Fazizul Haqimie for taking all the pictures since Day 1 and he was even soaked in the rain that night. Great photos and keep it up!

The VIPs watching the finals of the University Cup 2015

ITB vs IGS College

ITB vs IGS College

ITB vs IGS College

ITB vs IGS College

Celebration from the ITB bench

Consolation for the head coach of IGS College

A sad moment for the IGS player

ITB team celebrating their success

ITB the new champions of the BIBD At-tamwil University Cup 2015

Team IGS have their heads high and it has been a great journey

The rain didn’t hamper their mood on the field

 

Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer with Zul And Rahman, Marketing Executive of Concepts Computer during the unveiling of the Acer Revo at Consumer Fair last weekend. You can have a closer look at their Concepts Computer showroom

Acer is playing it’s Ace with the release of the new Acer Revo RL85-2957W8 mini PC at the ASEAN Consumer fair 2015. Launched by Concepts Computer, the compact computing solution, is a perfect powerhouse of features despite its small size.

The micro personal computer is an excellent addition to the household, with two terabytes of onboard storage, which can be extended with additional hard disks.

The unit also comes with HDMI making it easy to plug into a projector and speakers or a television as a media player, streaming high resolution visuals smoothly and great sound quality.

The Revo also comes with a pre-loaded Acer BYOC (Build Your Own cloud apps to make it the centre of your personal cloud. It automatically backs up all files stored in phones or tablets, making it accessible through all connected devices. Another nifty feature is that users can navigate the mini PC with their smartphones, provided their phones come with the remote control application.

The Acer Revo RL85-2957W8 is available at Concepts Computer at the price of $458.

For more information on the latest mini PC by Acer, visit the fair or head to Concepts’ nearest branch. You can also call 2233551, 2233552 or 2233553.

Check out the small size of the Acer Revo

Quite portable as well

Check out the plug-ins from the Acer Revo. Image courtesy of Pocket-lint.

Image courtesy of Pocket-lint

 

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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.

 

Listen to my latest podcast on Jurassic World with special guest Jessie Tey

 

This is it!! Jati Transport is having a Mercedes-Benz Star Weekend Promo and you can enjoy an exceptional Raya offer this weekend only. Drop by their Beribi showroom and refreshments are also provided. Did you know the trademark car used in Jurassic World is Mercedes-Benz? 😀

Dato Paduka Hj Jamain Hj Julaihi, Permanent Secretary (Downstream and Power) at the Prime Minister’s Office witnessing a signing between a scholar and Yves Grosjean, General Manager of Total E&P Borneo BV

Total E&P Borneo BV awarded scholarships to three students to pursue further studies in engineering at prestigious institutions in France.

Mohammad Hazri Hj Mohd of Duli Pengiran Muda Al-Muhtadee Billah College (Maktab Duli), Hazel Lim Sheau Shiuan and Goh Jing Shun from Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College (Maktab Sains) signed a contract with the Total Education Scholarship Scheme at a ceremony held at the Brunei Hotel. The event was attended by Permanent Secretary (Downstream and Power) at the Prime Minister’s Office Dato Paduka Hj Jamain Hj Julaihi.

Mohammad Hazri will pursue study in chemical engineering, while Lim and Goh undertake mechanical engineering. The scholarship awarded includes a six-year higher education course, with postgraduate studies, before they are offered work experience with French oil firm Total.
Total E&P Borneo BV General Manager Yves Grosjean said the students will undergo their foundation programme at L’Institut Universitaire de Technologie before pursuing their undergraduate studies at top universities in France.

The scholarship scheme was Total’s contractual commitment through the production sharing agreement with PetroleumBRUNEI.

Group photo with the scholars. Good luck in your journey as a student in France

 

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar, Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, gracing the launch of the ASEAN Consumer Fair 2015. Image courtesy of Fazizul Haqimie.

The long-awaited ASEAN Consumer Fair 2015 was launched yesterday, and features more than 400 booths dedicated to selling a variety of goods, which is just in time for those who are preparing for the upcoming months of Ramadhan and Syawal.

Held at the International Convention Centre (ICC) Berakas, the fair was launched by the Minister of Industry and Primary Resources (MIPR) Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar.

The opening ceremony of the five-day fair began with a prayer followed by a speech by Executive Director of organiser D’Sunlit Sdn Bhd, Dato Paduka Hj Danial Hj Hanafiah, who pointed out the overwhelming participation from both local and overseas exhibitors at the ASEAN themed fair.

“I hope that even more local small-medium enterprises (SMEs) will take the opportunity to showcase their products to both local and international markets,” he added.

Present as well were government officials, Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) dignitaries, event partners and participants of the ASEAN Consumer Fair.

Aside from products from the nation and the region such as the many handicrafts and food which can be found at the Thai Grand Fair, visitors can look forward to products from China, Iran and other countries among others.

For those looking for activities, there is a wide range of fun contests and games to participate in with chances to win prizes. This includes activities organised by Malar Setia Sdn Bhd, Kingston Beverage & Creamery Sdn Bhd and DST.

The ASEAN Consumer Fair 2015 will run until Sunday, from 10am to 10pm except for Friday, where it closes from noon to 2pm for the Friday prayer.

A complimentary shuttle bus service will also run from the parking lot of Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium to the venue of the fair. For further details, visit www.bruneiconsumerfair.com and D’Sunlit’s Facebook page at ‘sunlitbrunei’. Text by Ikhwan Salleh of The Brunei Times.

Relentless Entertainment during the launch

Guest of honour at Concepts Computer booth, another regular IT company at Consumer Fair. Image courtesy of Fazizul Haqimie.

Image courtesy of Fazizul Haqimie.

Hui Chiet of Red Bull Brunei explaining to the Minister. Image courtesy of Fazizul Haqimie.

Some of the activities from Kingston Creamery & Beverage booth

Ivy, Madaline and Hui Chiet

Relentless Entertainment also participating and raising funds for their WCOPA trip. They have been doing many fund raiser events and I salute you guys. Image courtesy of The Brunei Times.

Check out Vivo at CF. Image courtesy of Fazizul Haqimie.

The Thai pavilion

Durian galore. Image courtesy of Fazizul Haqimie.

Image courtesy of Fazizul Haqimie.

At DST booth. Image courtesy of Fazizul Haqimie.

Image courtesy of Fazizul Haqimie.

The Mini KindyKare area for children