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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Group photo with the winners

 

Check out the new Peugeot 3008 crossover now available in Brunei

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Adjustable space at the back

Vincent Hong checking out the new 3008

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

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

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

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

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

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

The black one looks cool

Close up view of the front

The interior look

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

2nd place winner in the Student Category

The top three winners in the Open Category

The top three winners in the Student Category

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

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

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

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

 

 

This year’s Chinese New Year celebration is slightly tamer than previous year. Though I would like to say that I managed to attend almost all the invitation surprisingly. I managed to collect a few angpows too along the way (perks of being single). Chap Go Meh is a few days away which will mark the end of the Chinese New Year festive celebration.

Here are some of the photos taken recently to commemorate CNY celebration.

Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Hj Ali Hj Apong Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism and spouse visited the Chong Fu Li’s residence. Also present were Chang Ein Hong, father of Chong Fu Li, His Excellency Cho Won-Myung, Korean Ambassador to Brunei and his family, Pierre Imhof, CEO of Baiduri Bank, Rino Donosepoetro, CEO of Standard Chartered (Brunei) and his family, Chong Ming Rui, my friend and host :p and others.

Thank Chong Ming Rui for the invitation. This is our tennis family though only one person doesn’t take up the sport

Tennis players from Brunei and Japan

At Leonard and Jackie’s open house. So Jackie, are you planning to visit Katmandu? :p

Visited John Tan’s residence and we had a good chat about toys with Stephen. It’s good to know the other side of John and his army toy collections.

A quick visit to Pat Li’s residence and I truly like the vegetarian home-made roll

Thankful for a wonderful friendship we have though we see each other once in a while

Tasted my first ever Blue Tea at Pat’s house

Even Mr. Brown’s greeting happy new year

Only known for less than 2 years but we have a great bond of friendship. Thanks for hosting my friend

… and Kristy makes one of the best latte in town. You can ask for her to serve you at Piccolo Cafe in bandar

We had an awesome learning experience in Hua Hin among other friends recently. It was a like a solo reunion and see how much both of us have grown individually. See you next time, Sarina.

Truly appreciative of my friend Pranika for accompanying me on my CNY visits this year. More to come …. next year :p

Without knowing, we coincidentally wore Deadpool colours :p

Management and team of Interhouse Company wishes Happy New Year. Image courtesy of IHC Facebook Page.

 

Starting tomorrow

I’m not interested in the other board games apart from Scrabble So any takers?

Times Square Shopping Centre will be holding a Board Games Weekend from 19th to 21st February 2016 at the atrium this weekend. National Day Board Games Weekend 2016 is organized by Times Square Shopping Centre and is co-organized by Brunei Chess Federation (BCF) and the Department of CO-curriculum Education. Events include Scrabbles competition and Chess tournament. Participants may register for the Scrabbles competition by filling in the forms that can be retrieved at the lucky draw counter and submitted before the event.

Board Games Weekend activities will include a Chess Simultaneous match, Basic Chess Lessons and Chess Blitz games. For the chess tournament, it will be 9 rounds for Rapid and 9 rounds for Blitz using the Swiss Manager Programme organized in accordance to the most recent laws of chess. The time control for the Rapid Event will be 15 minutes for the whole game plus 2 seconds increment and for Blitz Event will be 5 minutes plus 2 seconds every move played starting from the first move. The entry fee for the Rapid Event are $12 for adults, $8 for Under-20 (students), $5 for Under-14 (students) per person and for Blitz Event will be $10 per person (Adults category). Medals will be awarded to the Top 5 finalists of the Open category for National Day Inter-School Chess Blitz 2016 and category prizes for the Top 3 finalists for the Best Junior U14 and Best Junior U10. In addition, trophies will also be awarded to the Best 3 of the schools’ category.

The public will have the opportunity to test their skills against Brunei’s best players and the chance to learn first-hand from a professional chess player. There will be a National Day Chess Festival 2016 where students from all schools in Brunei Darussalam are welcomed to participate in the competition, which will be held on the 19th of February 2016, Friday at the ground floor of Times Square Shopping Centre. The deadline for the registration is on Friday, 19th February at 2.30pm for the Rapid Event and for Blitz Event will be on Sunday, 21st February 2016 at 1.00pm. Interested students can either register directly at the ground floor of Times Square Shopping Centre or contact the organizing committee to register.

Other board games will also be opened for customers to try out and play. These include Snakes and Ladders, Cluedo, Monopoly and Jengga. In the nearest future, Times Square will be having several events such as Japanese Language and Culture week on 18th to 20th March, 9th Mini Carnival on 23rd to 29th March 2016 and a Wedding Exhibition in April 2016. You may also find out about all upcoming events simply by following Times Square Shopping Centre’s pages on Facebook and Instagram.

For further information about the chess tournament, please contact Pg Abd Rahman (+673)8780282, Amir Fakhry (+673)8669759, GM Vakhidov Tahir via Vakjhidovt@yahoo.com and for Scrabbles competition, please contact 2338208 or 2338006.

So speaking of board games, we recently had some board game session at Games & Latte

The gang that showed up last weekend. Let’s do another round.

 

The Clever Cup demo by It’s a Grind during BIBD Media Appreciation Night. Image courtesy of BIBD Facebook Page.

Members of the press. Image courtesy of The Brunei Times.

Bloggers and radio presenters. Image courtesy of @anakbrunei

Nadzri the magician and entertainer for last night’s event. Image courtesy of The Brunei Times.

Image courtesy of @photobychihb

The colgate potential model :p Image by Allen Shim.

Image courtesy of Conia Kaur.

The best dressed – Adriane Jaafar of The Brunei Times and Rudi Hamid of Pelangi FM. Image courtesy of @pelangifm

 

Click image to enter website to find out more.

The Audi Q7 coming really soon…

Concepts Technologies

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Click image to enter website to find out more.

  

Check out GLOT. Click banner to enter.

Click image to enter their Facebook Page

Click image to enter website to find out more.

BIBD held a prize presentation ceremony today for its monthly “Top Up Tia” campaign winners recently.

The prize ceremony was held at the BIBD Rimba Branch. On hand to give away the prizes was Jeffri Ahmad Said, Head of Transaction & Support Services from BIBD’s Corporate Banking Group.

All the respective winners were in an ecstatic mood as they all were presented with their respective prizes ranging from the latest Apple gadgets such as iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus or iPad Pro. The monthly promotional campaign will be running until the 30th of April 2016.

The winners of the BIBD Top Up Tia campaign

The BIBD Top Up Tia campaign encourages its customers to use either the BIBD Mobile or BIBD Online channels to perform ‘top-ups’ on their DES electricity, DST’s Easi or GO!broadband and Progresif Cellular’s mobile and broadband. The service provides the perfect solution of having speed and convenience for the top-up of these utilities mentioned. Users of the service do not need to make any extra effort to purchase physical top up cards at vendors as they can just log on to BIBD Mobile or BIBD Online and top up all these utilities directly. These conveniences become extra useful in times of need, during off business hours or shortages of physical top-up cards in, especially the denominations you want.

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

 

The winners of Baiduri and Hua Ho’s ‘The Big Shopping Win’ promotion were awarded their prizes in a ceremony held at the department store held at Hua Ho Kiulap on Sunday.

Mah Wai Keun was delighted as she opened her envelope and realised that she had won the Mitsubishi Lancer 1.6 Auto grand prize. Headillah Zainuddin and his happy family took home the second prize of a Mitsubishi Attrage 1.2 Auto while Md Norizam Hj Md Zain won a $1,000 shopping voucher from Hua Ho.

Director of Hua Ho, Lau Soon Lin and Manager of Card Brand Relationship & Business Banking Support, Baiduri Michelle Lo together with Manager of Business Banking, Baiduri Davern Lim presented the keys to the grand winners.

Mah Wai Keun (left), the winner of the Mitsubishi Lancer 1.6 Auto grand prize with Michelle Lo, Manager of Card Brand Relationship & Business Banking Support and Lau Soon Lin, Director of Hua Ho

The second prize winner of the Mitsubishi Attrage 1.2 Auto

Md Norizam Hj Md Zain won a $1,000 shopping voucher from Hua Ho

During the final draw

The names of the 10 finalists were drawn last Friday, and the winners were determined through a number of rounds using envelopes – containing information that indicate whether they were able to pass to the next round or not – which were given randomly.

During the final round, the three finalists were asked to pick from a set of envelopes containing information on the order in which they get to pick the final set of envelopes, which contained the grand prizes of the day.

The other seven finalists received consolation prizes in the form of $300 and $500 Hua Ho shopping vouchers, presented by Branch Manager of Hua Ho Mulaut Alex Lim and Manager of Hua Ho Kiulap respectively.

 

Click image to book your tickets

It’s happening soon. The 7th edition of the PechaKucha series from Brunei Darussalam. I’m excited because of the line up of speakers especially Hj Rozan Yunos and my good friend Sophia Siu. I have attended a few sessions and they have been awesome because I learnt more about individuals and their ideas where some I could relate to.

Similar to a TEDx concept on sharing your thoughts, the only difference is that the presentation of ideas and thoughts are delivered through public speaking with 20 slides where it changes every 20 seconds.

So far the presentations have been successful and wonderful to learn at the same time. I just booked my tickets for the event and I highly recommend you to catch at least one PechaKucha and this edition is not the one to be missed. You can visit their website to book your attendance and do refer to the poster for more details.

Hj Rozan Yunos, a role model for me, is one of the listed speakers for PechaKucha next weekend. I can’t wait.

Finally she is one of the speakers for PechaKucha. Good luck, Sophia aka @lilmopiko

Abdul Zainidi, another local talent, who made his name internationally. Image from his Facebook.

A comedian, an actor, a public speaker, ah the list goes on.. I admire his journey to pursue his dreams. There’s only one Zainal Bostaman. Good luck next week.

The 6th edition of PechaKucha last December at Energy Kitchen. It will be the same venue again.

I was inspired by Josephine’s journey as an entrepreneur. I had the fire feeling inside when I saw her presentation at PechaKucha last December. Now reflecting back, I should have taken advantage of that fire in me. Click image to listen to Josephine’s story.

Amir Noor shared his passion on long board in the 6th edition of PechaKucha and how it has been gaining popularity in Brunei.

 

The most sought for magazine in Thailand – GQ Thailand issue April 2016. Image courtesy of @gqthailand

 

Promotion at Loft & Co and the promotion will be until end of March 2016.

 

Hj Minorhadi, Head of Government Relations & Special Projects Division, BIBD (right) with ALAF Students for the closing ceremony of the “ALAF TA’ARUF Camp 2016. Image courtesy of BIBD.

To further support the development and progression of students under the BIBD ALAF programme, BIBD has arranged learning camps to help build their self-confidence, develop their communication capabilities, and instil a sense of appreciation of the aims of the ALAF program.

The learning camps are divided into three camps with the first, Refresher Camp, starting on 26 March. The Refresher Camp is specially organised for the latest forty-six students who were recently awarded and included into the ALAF programme for 2016.

On the other hand, the second and third camps, the H.E.L.P (Holiday English Language Programme) camps, are arranged for around eighty students. These camps are organised with the cooperation of the CfBT to deliver bespoke English training camps for the BIBD ALAF programme students.

The H.E.L.P camps include lectures, hands-on and task-based activities to promote teamwork. The camps are also designed to foster a ‘can do’ belief in their English abilities and to establish good learner training habits.

The BIBD ALAF programme currently includes more than one hundred students, whose funding are collected from efforts of BIBD’s Corporate Social Responsibility, which include BIBD Charity Expeditions for ALAF, along with generous contributions from corporate agencies as well as general public since its launch in May 2013 by Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah.

Guest of honour speaking to one of the ALAF students. Images courtesy of BIBD.

During the closing ceremony and certificate of participation for the ALAF students. Image courtesy of BIBD.

The ALAF programme was developed in close partnership with the Department of Schools, Ministry of Education, and in 2015 a Memorandum of Understanding was also signed with the Islamic Studies Department from the Ministry of Religious Affairs. This will lead to constant efforts and close collaboration between all parties to ensure the successful implementation and provision of assistance to the ALAF programme.

The ALAF programme provides the selected students with provisions for school and tuition fees, educational materials and welfare, as well as mentoring and counselling necessities amongst others. All these efforts are meant to ensure the absolute commitment of these students towards the development of their education, and prevent them from being bothered by other commitments. The ALAF programme will also continue to provide support and assistance to these students until the end of their respective educational requirements.

Through ALAF, BIBD hopes to align its support to His Majesty’s 2035 vision of obtaining a 100% level of education for everyone, which in turn is hoped to help reduce poverty. In Shaa Allah, this will lead Brunei towards a more prosperous and peaceful future, making Brunei populated with educated, highly skilful and successful individuals, in line with internationally set standards.

Donation: Members of the public wishing to contribute into the BIBD ALAF fund may do so with a minimum donation of B$1.01 into the BIBD ALAF account at 1018181811 via BIBD channels such as the BIBD Online website, BIBD Mobile app, BIBD ATM and CDMs, and BIBD branch counters. The public can also set up a BIBD Standing Instruction to ensure a monthly donation into the ALAF fund.

As an added option, BIBD account holders can also use their accumulated BIBD Hadiah Points for cash conversion into contributions into the ALAF fund account. Progresif users can also make donation to the ALAF programme via its dedicated SMS in denominations of BND 1,5,10, 15 and 20 by typing “ALAF” and entering the amount selected, and sending it to 38988.

 

Many reasons to love the Audi Q7

Audi’s new Q7 has earned a Top Safety Pick+ from IIHS, despite requirements being tightened for 2016.

To qualify, winners must earn “good” ratings in each of the IIHS’ five crash-worthiness tests, the small overlap, moderate overlap, side and roof strength and head restraints tests, and to have an “advanced” or “superior” rating on front crash prevention system.

The German SUV did “good” in the five crashworthiness evaluations and scored a “superior” rating for front crash prevention, as the model has standard Audi pre sense city with automatic emergency braking, which can detect moving and stationary vehicles as well as pedestrians, at speeds up to 52 mph (84 km/h) and initiate braking if potential collision is detected.

“This year’s Top Safety Pick+ award for the 2017 Q7 represents our brand’s longstanding commitment to bringing innovative technologies to the market.”, said President Audi of America, Scott Keogh.

The new Audi Q7 also recently earned the top 5-star rating in the Euro NCAP safety rating in January. There will be a press launch of the Audi Q7 pretty soon. Do check out my IG and Snapchats this coming Thursday.

 

Check out the new groupie chat apps by Tap Get

Chat Group Hell: We’ve all been there – stuck in a chat group that you can’t leave because it’s either rude, FOMO on juicy gossip or just not wanting to be ‘that guy’ who leaves. What Time is a new app where you’ll never get stuck in an unwanted group and it keeps conversations on topic.

It’s a simple idea: rather than having chat groups that stay open forever and get easily flooded with multiple topics going on all at the same time, it would be better to chat in groups that:
A. Only exist for as long as they’re needed, and
B. Stay on topic.

Only existing for as long as they’re needed. Chat groups start with a timer counting down from 24:00 hours, new messages sent to the group will add a further 10 minutes, but eventually as the conversation ends it will reach 00:00 and the group is closed.

Staying on topic. Groups are based on what ‘time’ it is, such as: “It’s Party Time”, “It’s Coffee Time” or even “It’s Sexy Time” and chat along with shared photos scrolling along the background so everyone in the group knows what everyone else is talking about.

The world does not need another social-network but group chat could be better, Tap Get CEO Keeran Janin commented, ”Groups in apps like Whatsapp and Messenger already do a great job of keeping us close with family and friends – but overuse for the wrong events spoil the experience – so rather than create a whole new platform we made What Time as an alternative app to chat about short-lived events that works with your existing social networks”.

Currently What Time works with Facebook contacts, adding support for other networks is planned for future updates.

What I feel: This is an interesting and thoughtful app especially for those with multiple group chats and some may seem redundant and unnecessary after the event is over or simply the chat group has literally gone dead. It’s good to see Keeran coming up with new ideas to make life more convenient and hassle free and still make it relevant in our everyday lives. The app is up and running on IOS. I’ve tried it and so far, it’s a great idea. This app takes two (or many) to tango but once the party gets a hang of it, this is a solid way of communicating and I love the interface as well.

For Android users, you might have to wait for a stable version as it’s still on beta. I do hope the traction of users will increase over a course of time.

Keeran Janin, CEO of Tap Get, releasing his new app called What Time. This image three years ago when he won the best logo competition for National Day. Sorry buddy, I googled and this came out :p

Now you can chat with your closed friends interactively and the inbox clears itself

Also available for iWatch

 

BIBD recently held a closing ceremony for its learning camps at the Orchid Garden Hotel for its Holiday English Language Program (HELP) Camps organised for the BIBD ALAF programme students. The learning camps also included a refresher camp for this year’s forty-six students recently introduced into the ALAF programme.

The camps were aimed to further support the development and progression of students under the BIBD ALAF programme, help build their self-confidence, develop their communication capabilities, and instil a sense of appreciation of the aims of the ALAF program.

The HELP camps were organised with the cooperation of CfBT to deliver bespoke English training camps for BIBD ALAF programme students. The HELP camps also included lectures, debate sessions, hands-on and task-based activities to promote teamwork. The camps are also designed to foster a ‘can do’ belief in their English abilities and to establish good learner training habits.

The BIBD ALAF programme currently includes more than one hundred students, whose funds are collected from a variety of sources. These include the BIBD charity expeditions for ALAF, generous contributions from corporate agencies as well as the general public since its launch in May 2013 by Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah.

The ALAF programme was developed in close partnership with the Department of Schools, Ministry of Education, and in 2015 a Memorandum of Understanding was also signed with the Islamic Studies Department from the Ministry of Religious Affairs. This will lead to constant efforts and close collaboration between all parties to ensure the successful implementation and provision of assistance to the ALAF programme.

The ALAF programme provides the selected students with provisions for school and tuition fees, educational materials and welfare, as well as mentoring and counselling necessities amongst others. All these efforts are meant to ensure the absolute commitment of these students towards the development of their education, and prevent them from being bothered by other commitments. The ALAF programme will also continue to provide support and assistance to these students until the end of their respective educational requirements.

Through ALAF, BIBD hopes to align its support to His Majesty’s 2035 vision of obtaining a 100% level of education for everyone, which in turn is hoped to help reduce poverty. In Shaa Allah, this will lead Brunei towards a more prosperous and peaceful future, making Brunei populated with educated, highly skilful and successful individuals, in line with internationally set standards.

Members of the public wishing to contribute into the BIBD ALAF fund may do so with a minimum donation of B$1.01 into the BIBD ALAF account at 1018181811 via BIBD channels such as the BIBD Online website, BIBD Mobile app, BIBD ATM and CDMs, and BIBD branch counters. The public can also set up a BIBD Standing Instruction to ensure a monthly donation into the ALAF fund.

As an added option, BIBD account holders can also use their accumulated BIBD Hadiah Points for cash conversion into contributions into the ALAF fund account. Progresif users can also make donation to the ALAF programme via its dedicated SMS in denominations of BND 1,5,10, 15 and 20 by typing “ALAF” and entering the amount selected, and sending it to 38988.

 

The winners of Area K6 Toastmasters International Speech Contest and Table Topics Contest with UBD Toastmasters members

Allen Ang, Area K6 Director, Rahman Tarsat of Brunei Speakers’ Club (2nd runner up), Pranika Lama of UBD Toastmasters Club (winner), Pooja Shivanand of Brunei Speakers’ Club (1st runner-up) and Sandy Siew Fun Tan, Co-organizing Chair of the contest. The winners are for the Area K6 International Speech contest.

Two UBD Toastmasters have recently emerged as champions in Toastmasters speech Contest. 1st place winner for International Speech, Pranika Lama shared the about gratitude, the moment you open your eyes. It was followed by Pooja Shivanand in second place, talked about “The Middle Way”, which is a balanced higher way between two extreme choices help us make better decisions. Between humility and arrogance, there can be modesty; between fear and rashness there can be courage. In third place, Rahmat Tarsat drew on her mother’s experiences to demonstrate the detrimental effect of negative thinking in her speech, ‘Believe and You Can’.

Meanwhile in Table Topic Category, Julius Hong won 1st place, followed by Yong Shih Ching in 2nd place and Hazwan Kamarulzaman in 3rd place for speaking on the same impromptu topic “Cherish Yesterday, Dream Tomorrow, Live Today”.

The contest took place at the Multipurpose Hall, Universiti Brunei Darusalam, where 8 participants competed in International Speech Category while 7 participants competed in Table Topics category. The objective of the contests are to provide an opportunity for speakers to improve their speaking abilities and to provide an opportunity to learn by observing the more proficient speakers who have benefited from their toastmasters training. Competition begins with club contests and winners continue competing through the area, division and district levels.

In Brunei, top 2 speakers from Brunei Speakers Club, Oil Town Talkers Club, Brunei Advanced Speakers Club & UBD Toastmasters Club vie for a chance to compete with Toastmasters from Sabah and Labuan. This year, Pranika Lama and Julius Hong will represent Brunei on Division K level in Sandakan, Sabah on 10th April.

At the end of the contest, each contestants received certificate of participation whilst winning certificates and trophies were presented by Area K6 Director Allen Ang.

Allen Ang, Area K6 Director, Yong Shih Ching of OTTERS Toastmasters Club (1st runner-up), Julius Hong of UBD Toastmasters Club (winner), Hazwan Kamarulzaman of Brunei Advanced Speakers’ Club (2nd runner-up) and Gerald Goh, co-organizer of the contest

Nina Kifrawi during the International Speech Contest

Yong Shih Ching during the Table Topics Contest

Pooja Shivanand during the International Speech Contest

Supatra Lee during the Table Topics Contest

Philip during the International Speech Contest

Rahul giving a warm hug to his wife before heading on stage

Still brothers after the contest

With the co-organizer contest, Sandy

Rahul being the Contest Chair (the host) during the International Speech category

 

Click image to enter Facebook Page

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

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

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

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

Apparently Nuri loves Red Bull

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

 

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

 

The first monthly draw at the Kingston Beverage & Creamery office

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

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

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

The first monthly draw officiated by members of the press

The first monthly draw winners

The grand draw for the Pepsi Bonanza Draw 2016

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

The superstars with the Bake Culture Award winning chef

Image courtesy of Raghadah Agus of The Brunei Times

Image courtesy of Raghadah Agus of The Brunei Times

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

The Anfield dream has come for HMD FT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

Click image to learn more

 

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

 

BIBD and Tourism Malaysia announced Hj Muhd Mazran Haji Suhut as the lucky winner of the 1Malaysia Year-end Sale during the BIBD Home Showcase at The Mall, Gadong. The collaboration between BIBD and Tourism Malaysia automatically registered BIBD cardholders who made card transactions in Malaysia during the 1Malaysia GP Sale, which ended early this year, into a lucky draw.

The winner was entitled to an all-expenses includes a five-day and 4-night paid holiday in Kuala Lumpur and Johor inclusive of airfare, accommodation, return airport transfers and a twelve-hour chartered car exclusively for them to go shopping. To add to their great bundle, the winner is also entitled to 100,000 Hadiah Points, which can be used to pay for bills, make donations, among others.

Presenting on behalf of BIBD was Siti Rafeah Hj Jakir, Head of Card Products, and for Malaysia Tourism, was its Director, Zurina Abd Samad.

Hj Muhd Mazran Haji Suhut was the lucky 1Malaysia Year-End Sale. The prize was presented by Zurina Abd Samad, Director of Malaysia Tourism (Brunei) and Siti Rafael Hj Jakir, Head of Card Products.

On the other hand, the BIBD showcase highlights BIBD’s financing packages such as its Home Financing, Home Improvement Financing, Education Financing and its Personal Financing along with other BIBD’s products and services. The showcase will also include financial health checks performed by qualified BIBD certified Islamic financial planners. The showcase also provides a comprehensive platform for respective future homeowners to look at the exciting property and home improvement opportunities through BIBD’s collaboration with the stellar partners present.

Successful applicants will also stand the chance to win prizes such as iPad minis, shopping vouchers at Supasave and Hua Ho, BIBD Hadiah Points, among others. The eighth BIBD Home Showcase will be running for a period of ten days until May the 1st, open every day from 10am to 10pm. The opening time for Fridays will be from 2pm to 10pm.

For more information on any BIBD products, services and promotions, please follow the BIBD Instagram account at @BIBDBRUNEI; Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bibdbrunei; get in touch with BIBD Contact Centre at Prepared by Corporate Communications, BIBD PRESS RELEASE MDO/PR/2016/013 2238181 or visit the nearest BIBD Branch. Also, don’t forget to download the popular BIBD Mobile App to get the latest BIBD offers and promotions under “What’s New” feature.

 

Late post: Kids as young as 6 years old as well as under 18 youths recently took part in School Holiday Basketball Camps during the March break. The twice run 3-day camps were organized by Shooting Stars Brunei Basketball.

Ken Han, the founder of Shooting Stars Brunei Basketball and Head Coach Ryan Yusof, held the basketball camps to engage kids to provide an opportunity for them to spend their school holidays productively.

The 3-days camps took place on March 23-25 and 28-30 saw specially invited basketball Coach Tan Chee Wan from Malaysia tasking more than 70 Brunei’s aspiring basketballer through a comprehensive training regimen designed to challenge and train them.



Coach Tan was a player in the Malaysian team who took gold during the 1989 SEA Games. Coach Tan’s many years of experience in coaching kids and youth basketball, especially basic fundamentals drills and activities, had a great impact not only for the campers but also to the coaches in Shooting Stars Brunei.

The camp focuses on three themes – Serious Fun, Discipline and Safety.

During the 2 camps, we saw new teammates forge lasting friendships that endure beyond the court. We saw kids, who are new to basketball, at the camp join in with joy with regular kids and youths at SSBN.

This event would not have been possible without the support of  ‎our sponsors and volunteers. Special appreciation goes to Hua Ho, Rano Iskandar, EasyWay Bubble Tea, Ref Station, International School Berakas, ISB catering and canteen team, Baan Nucha Thai Restaurant and especially our SSBN coaches and volunteers.

For more information regarding regular basketball sessions for 4-17 years old at Shooting Stars Brunei, contact 7290011 or shootingstarsbn@gmail.com.

 

Check out the special promotion offer from Loft & Co at the BIBD Home Showcase at The Mall. Image by Adib Noor of The Brunei Times.

You can turn your dream home into a reality with Loft & Co, more so now as the furniture store is offering exclusive discounts on its high quality furniture and home related accessories.

The offer is available for a limited time and only for visitors to its booth at the 8th BIBD Home Showcase at The Mall, Gadong.

“All items that we have at our booth are offered at an exclusive discounted price and is only exclusive during the course of the showcase,” said Sales Manager of Loft & Co Janet L Parpa.

On display at its booth is the latest collection from Hong Kong-based Red Apple Furniture Co Ltd brand. The highlight is an innovative queen size bed, which is fitted with a special hinge that allows it to be lifted in order to access a compartment for storage. The unique bed is currently on offer at $799 and it has been a good response so far.

“Other items such as the Red Apple night stand, dresser with mirror, armchair, bedding and even table lamp are all offered at an attractive price,” the sales manager added.
The home showcase by BIBD is ongoing until May 1. It features the bank’s promotions on home financing such as waivers and discounts on fees and chances to win prizes for successful applicants.

To take a look at more furniture selections, head to Loft & Co’s main branch located at Unit 6 to 9, Ground Floor, Little Soho at Batu Bersurat.

For enquiries, please contact or WhatsApp 8908778. You can also check for updates on its Instagram,@loftandcobsb. Text courtesy of Adib Noor of The Brunei Times.

You can storage under the bed

Some of the furniture from the Red Apple line at Loft & Co at Batu Bersurat

 

Dr Hjh May Faezah Hj Ahmad Ariffin, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Economy and Finance) at the Prime Minister’s Office launching the BIBD Home Showcase

Mr Mubashar Khokhar, Managing Director of BIBD delivering his welcoming remark

BIBD launched its eighth Home Showcase at The Mall, Gadong. The showcase, themed Lifestyle, highlights BIBD financing packages such as its Home Financing, Home Improvement Financing, Education Financing and Personal Financing along with other BIBD products and services. The showcase also includes financial health checks performed by BIBD certified Islamic financial planners.

Throughout the event, customers can benefit from full fee waivers on processing fees for BIBD’s Home Improvement Financing and Consolidated Financing Scheme; discounts on processing fees for financing as well as fee waivers on services. There are also prizes to be won for successful applicants.

The event also includes showcases by BIBD’s partners such as real estate companies and household products retailers.

Present as the guest of honour was Dr Hjh May Faezah Hj Ahmad Ariffin, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Economy and Finance) at the Prime Minister’s Office. The showcase runs until May 1st, from 10am until 10pm except on Fridays when it is from 2pm until 10pm.

 

The first 25 lucky winners with Manager of Hua Ho Department Store, Manggis, Lau Soon Tiong; the General Manager of Kingston Beverage & Creamery Sdn Bhd, Valentine Hon; and Sales and Marketing Manager of Kingston, Kevin Robin Jon at basement of Hua Ho Manggis

Finally the first 25 lucky winners of Red Bull Boost and Win contest were feted at Hua Ho Manggis last Friday.

The final three winners won themselves a Hua Ho shopping voucher worth of $50 each, while five received a power card worth of $30 each. The first seven won themselves Prepaid Top Up card worth of $20 Consolation prizes in the form of Red Bull bottle gift packets were also given to 10 participants.

Present during the draw were Manager of Hua Ho Department Store, Manggis, Lau Soon Tiong; the General Manager of Kingston Beverage & Creamery Sdn Bhd, Valentine Hon; and Sales and Marketing Manager of Kingston, Kevin Robin Jon. They also draw the 25 winners last Friday.

Members of the public still have a chance to take home prizes in the second Red Bull Boost and Win draw as the contest is still ongoing until May 31.

To join, just purchase any one can of Red Bull Energy drink (gold or less sugar), attach the pull ring tab for each contest form and drop the form into the contest boxes which are placed in participating outlets nationwide.

Participants can obtain the contest form at over 200 retail outlets in the sultanate, or download the form from its Facebook page at ‘Red Bull Brunei’. For more updates, check out its Instagram @redbullbrunei

 

Mr Joel Loo, a licensed Senior Dealer at Baiduri Capital, delivering his presentation on the prospects from Baiduri Capital

The attendees during the presentation

The Baiduri Smart Executive Programme hosted an introduction to securities trading today for their members. The event, a collaboration with Baiduri Bank’s subsidiary, Baiduri Capital, was held at Starbucks Beribi.

According to Ng Yick Wei, the Head of Group Marketing in Baiduri Bank, “The Smart Executive Programme, or SEP, is a unique programme that is specifically designed for busy working professionals who are well educated, and always looking for smart banking and saving solutions to diversify their portfolios.

“By leveraging on the capabilities of Baiduri Capital, our subsidiary company, we hope to offer insights and information to help our SEP members plan their wealth journey as they advance in their professional lives.”

Baiduri Capital has received a lot of interest from the public, especially among young professionals eager to try their hands in securities trading. Baiduri Capital offers an online securities trading portal which is a secure, web based securities trading platform that can be accessed from an internet browser, on any laptop, tablet, or even smart phone, depending on the customer’s preference. The investor-focused design is feature-rich, allowing customers to research prices, as well as look up market information to assist decision making when trading online.

Smart Executive members were shown an introduction to securities trading by Mr Joel Loo, a licensed Senior Dealer at Baiduri Capital. Since their official launch in 2015, customers are able to trade in Singapore (SGX), Hong Kong (HKEx) and Malaysia (BURSA) stock markets. Recently, US stock markets were introduced, allowing customers to trade in the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), NASDAQ Stock Exchange as well as the NYSE MKT LLC (AMEX).

Also present at the event were Smart Executive Relationship Officers and staff of Baiduri Bank, as well as licensed dealers and financial planners from Baiduri Capital.

More information on the Smart Executive Programme is available on www.baiduri.com or from the Baiduri Deals mobile app.

 

Dine with Kristy at Shabulicious at Food Arena last night

Filterworks experiencing Sungkai at Shabulicious

A fan of shabu-shabu and you know there have been many restaurants that offer hot pot stuff. Shabulicious now have three branches – one at Batu Bersurat and the other at Delima. But hey, I have yet to try the other branch at Food Arena, Seri Q-Lap Mall, so it was the first time that I dined in at Shabulicious at Food Arena.

What can you expect? They provide different kinds of Set Meals (refer to poster) to your liking during the month of Ramadhan. I opted for the ala carte since I don’t really eat that much. But for those who choose to have ala carte, Shabulicious offer 10% discount only during Ramadhan. And guess what? You can also take advantage of BIBD promotion (up to 30% on Tuesdays). So there will be one more Tuesday left to enjoy the 30% discount should Hari Raya falls on a Tuesday. I could be wrong.

Visit their branches Shabulicious Delima Square and Shabulicious Restaurant, Batu Bersurat, Gadong and dial their hotlines: 233 8333 / 875 0076 (Delima) 245 2000 / 888 2100 (Batu Bersurat) and 223 2022 / 729 2577 Food Arena.

Ramadhan Set Meals

$42.80 for 4 pax | $68.50 for 6pax

10% discount ala carte – Dine in and take away

Tel: 233 8333 (Delima) | 245 2000 (Batu Bersurat) | 223 2022 Food Arena

We ordered for 6 pax as part of the Ramadhan Sungkai Feast Family Menu

Taken from the ala carte menu

Giranda teriyaki.. yummm

1 small economy set as part of the 6 pax meal

Once it’s cooked, it’s all good and tasty

Reminds me of a Korean dish where we have to mix around

Filterworks at work last night

Quite a good crowd last evening but the outlet at Batu Bersurat was a full house

Smile guys!!

I must have noodles in my shabu-shabu

and these two are a must..

Check out the BIBD promotion

Ramadhan Set Meals

$42.80 for 4 pax | $68.50 for 6pax

10% discount ala carte – Dine in and take away

Tel: 233 8333 (Delima) | 245 2000 (Batu Bersurat) | 223 2022 Food Arena

 

C-Class Coupé TV commercial “Ferry” – Mercedes-Benz original

 

Acting Minister of Energy and Industry at the Prime Minister’s Office Dato Paduka Awang Haji Mohamad Roselan bin Haji Mohamad Daud during the ribbon-cutting to officiate the opening of the new Telisai-Lumut Highway. Image courtesy of Hock Sim from Media Permata.

Did you know 21 motorists caught speeding yesterday on the new highway? Image courtesy of Ridhwan Kamarulzaman of The Brunei Times.

I commute to Seria/KB at least 2-3 times in a month and I’ve been eyeing on the much awaited highway, the Telisai-Lumut Highway and it was officially opened last Tuesday. The distance of the new highway is 18.6km and it took six years to complete and the idea is to shorten the distance between BSB and Kuala Belait. The usual path is the single land road from Telisai to Sg Liang and now there are two alternatives.

So how much did it cost? Supposedly $138 million but due to additional incurring costs, it ended up to $168 million as quoted by Simon Tsen Khjeng, Senior Engineer at Darussalam Enterprise (DARe). The six year project had geo-technical issues such as landslips due to soil composition.

There are definitely pros and cons with the newer highway. The obvious disadvantage is that the highway is five kilometres longer than the old route. But of course, the single land route will have more traffic congestion and the road is bumpy at certain points too.

Last night, it was my first time experiencing the highway and I actually thought it was a brilliant move. I saw two road kills (dogs) on my way back. I might have to say that those living in Lumut might find it tedious as they have make a longer U-turn than usual since my friend shared her view on the highway.

For now, let’s be appreciative of the Government’s effort to improve the safety and also road congestion especially for commuters. It’s sad to know that there was a self-accident incident yesterday on the highway but no casualty and the relevant authorities are investigating into the case. The Royal Brunei Police Force were also on task to remind motorists not to speed on the highway by setting up roadblocks and speed traps. So just a bit of warning and reminder to all the drivers out there. Safety is more important and Hari Raya is coming soon too

Kudos to the stakeholders involved in this project.

The new highway. Click image to enlarge.

 

Yang Mulia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Yussof (L), Shariah Advisory Body Chairman of BIBD and its subsidiaries handing over the Zakat mock cheque to Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman (R), the Minister of Religious Affairs, as the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs (2R) and BIBD Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer( 2L) looks on

BIBD yesterday performed its zakat obligations, the forth pillar of Islam, by handing over its Zakat on Business for the financial year 2015, along with the Zakat for customer deposits to the Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB). The payment of zakat is also a method of wealth distribution to support the deserving as stipulated by Shariah.

BIBD today performed its zakat obligations, the forth pillar of Islam, by handing over its Zakat on Business for the financial year 2015, along with the Zakat for customer deposits to the Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB). The payment of zakat is also a method of wealth distribution to support the deserving as stipulated by Shariah.

BIBD’s Zakat on Business for 2015 amounted to B$ 2,612,091.93, whilst Zakat for customer deposits for the period of 2015-2016 came in at B$ 369,573.93.

The Zakat were handed over by Yang Mulia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Yussof, Shariah Advisory Body Chairman of BIBD and its subsidiaries, Permanent Secretary at The Ministry of Religious Affairs to Yang Berhormat Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, the Minister of Religious Affairs (MORA), in his capacity as MUIB President.

Also in attendance were the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, along with BIBD Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Yang Mulia Mubashar Khokhar, and other MORA and BIBD officials. The event took place at the office of the Minister of Religious Affairs in Berakas.

 

BIBD personnel during the “Majlis Khatam Al-Quran at Tarindak D’Seni yesterday

BIBD yesterday held their annual ‘Majlis Khatam Al-Quran & Majlis Bersungkai’ at the Tarindak D’Seni in the capital for some 250 personnel. Through their participation, the event served to bring BIBD management and staff closer.

The ceremony began with the recitation of the Surah Al-Fatihah prior to the Khatam Al-Quran that was participated by more than fifty BIBD personnel, and ended with the breaking of fast.

The event is part of BIBD’s Ramadhan religious activities along with their recent annual charity drive “Sirah Amal” and Majlis Bertahlil at the Royal Mausoleum.

In attendance was BIBD Chairman and Minister of Development, Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Awang Haji Bahrin bin Abdullah, along with members of the Board of Directors and Shariah Advisory Body, as well as BIBD management and staff.

 

One of the Set Meals we ordered recently

A popular franchise in the Philippines, Pancake House International has been in the Sultanate in just less than two years. Located next to the famous Thien-Thien branch in Kiulap, it’s strategically located at the corner of the building and it has an orange look/feel to it so it’s hard to miss from a distance.

With only less than a week left, why not try out their Ramadhan Combo promotion (Check out the poster). They come in three sets – Pancake Meal A, Pancake Meal B and Pancake Meal C.

Of course, their best seller is the pancake itself. Why? It’s just fluffy and the condiment and syrup compliments well with the pancakes. You can try any other pancake but the quality of the pancakes here are of high quality. I do hope they still maintain it. Not to fret as they just don’t serve pancakes but other savoury dishes such as chicken, fish and rice too.

I would say it’s a pretty good deal from the Ramadhan Combo as there are set meals if you are tired of having buffets for Sungkai. So let me go through what are mentioned in the poster.

Pancake Meal A $23.50 (Ideal for 2 pax)
2 cups of rice, 2 pcs of Pan Chicken, 1pc Tinapa (I like the fish)
2 pcs of sunny side eggs, 1 House Spaghetti
2 pcs pancake (or 1 waffle) and 2 ice tea

Pancake Meal B $40 (Ideal for 4 pax)
4 cups of rice, 4pcs of Pan Chicken or Southern Maple Chicken
1 fish roll, 1 House Spaghetti, 2 pcs Tinapa
2pcs pancake (or 2 waffles), 2 ice tea

Pancake Meal C $58 (Ideal for 6 pax)
6 cups of rice, 6pcs of Pan Chicken or Southern Maple Chicken
2 fish rolls, 2 House Spaghetti, 3 pcs Tinapa
6 pcs pancake (or 3 waffles) and 6 ice teas

For bookings, you can call 223 5250

Pan Chicken

Southern Maple Chicken

House Spaghetti

Tinapa fish

Goes well with the dishes

mmmmmm pancakes

Five ain’t a crowd

Pancake House International

 

Managing Director of BIBD, Mubashar Khokhar, receiving guests in yesterday’s BIBD Open House

Another on the check list of corporate open houses. To be honest, I love the venue of Indera Samudra Grand Hall when it comes to a large scale of open house. More than 2,000 guests showed up yesterday at the BIBD Open House.

The theme was “Majlis Gema Syawal” and among the invitees were ministers, senior government officials, foreign diplomats, SMEs, and many more and of course, not forgetting the media

I’m quite impressed with the Arabian cuisine and I almost had my seconds but I was just too shy. I spent more time mingling with friends and thank you SY for the company too. The most popular section is the Photo Booth area.

Hosting on behalf of BIBD Open House is the Managing Director of BIBD, Mubashar Khokhar. Thank you, BIBD, for the invitation. Till next year again.

All smiles after the delicious Arabian cuisine

Hello SY

Rayner Tan mingling with Ben Lin, Head of Marketing of BIBD

The many among the guests

The long queue at the photo booth

Son and mother enjoying a moment behind the camera

Both of us posing for the camera

Sue Sue, why are you alway camera when it comes to me? #since2001

 

I didn’t have the chance to talk to Malcolm Lim but he’s always a great guy, feting an internal open house for the management and staff of Kingston Beverage and Creamery Sdn Bhd at their main office.

They also had some mini games to interact with the staff before meals were served. Thank you, Kingston for the Open House invitation.

Malcolm Lim, Managing Director of Kingston Beverage & Creamery, with his family, and also the management and staff of the company at their Open House this morning at their headquarter